How To Cut Out An Image In Photoshop

Alright, gather 'round, folks. Today, we're going to tackle something that's been giving you grief since you first laid your hands on Photoshop - cutting out images. You know, like when you're trying to remove that pesky ex from your holiday photos. We're not here to judge, just to help.

First Things First: The Lasso Tool

Imagine you're trying to grab a slice of pizza, but the cheese is all stringy and connected to the rest. That's what we're dealing with here. The Lasso Tool is our trusty hand, ready to grab and pull those strings.

Now, there are two types of Lasso Tools - the regular one and the Polygonal Lasso Tool. The regular one is like trying to draw a freehand circle around your slice. It's not perfect, but it gets the job done. The Polygonal Lasso Tool, on the other hand, is like drawing a star shape around your slice - it's precise, but it takes a bit more effort.

Using the Lasso Tool

To use the Lasso Tool, click and drag around the area you want to select. It's like tracing a line around your slice. Once you've got your line, let go of the mouse button. Now, if you're using the regular Lasso Tool, you can just hit 'Delete' to cut out that area. But if you're using the Polygonal Lasso Tool, you'll need to close the shape by clicking on the first point you made.

Remember, the Lasso Tool isn't perfect. It's more of a starting point. You'll likely need to refine your selection later.

Refining Your Selection: The Magic Wand Tool

Now, let's say you're trying to cut out a cat from a photo, but the cat is sitting on a chair that's the same color as the cat's fur. The Lasso Tool isn't going to cut it here. That's where the Magic Wand Tool comes in.

The Magic Wand Tool is like a smart little helper that knows what you're trying to do. It selects areas based on color. So, if you click on the cat's fur, it'll select all the areas that are the same color as the cat's fur. It's like magic!

Using the Magic Wand Tool

To use the Magic Wand Tool, just click on the area you want to select. It'll select all the connected areas of the same color. But be careful, it can be a bit too enthusiastic sometimes. If it selects too much, you can always adjust the 'Tolerance' setting in the Options Bar at the top of the screen. It's like telling your helper to be more or less picky.

How to Cut Out An Image in Photoshop | Visual Watermark

Once you've made your selection, you can hit 'Delete' to cut out that area. But remember, the Magic Wand Tool isn't perfect either. You'll likely need to refine your selection even further.

Cleaning Up: The Marquee Tool

Alright, so you've made your selection, but there are still some stray pixels hanging around. It's like when you think you've finally gotten all the cheese off your slice, but there's still a bit stuck to the box. That's where the Marquee Tool comes in.

The Marquee Tool is like a precise little knife that cuts away those stray pixels. It comes in two flavors - the Rectangular Marquee Tool and the Elliptical Marquee Tool. The names are pretty self-explanatory - one makes rectangular selections, the other makes oval selections.

Using the Marquee Tool

To use the Marquee Tool, just click and drag to draw a selection around the area you want to cut out. Once you've got your selection, hit 'Delete' to cut out that area.

But wait, there's more! The Marquee Tool also has a 'Fixed Size' option. This is like having a knife with a guard that stops you from cutting too deep. It's great for making selections of a specific size.

How To Cut Out An Image In Photoshop (2022) - YouTube

Putting It All Together

Alright, so you've made your selection, refined it, and cleaned it up. But how do you put it all together? Well, that's where the 'Layer' concept comes in. Think of it like a stack of transparencies. Each layer is a separate image that you can move around and manipulate independently.

To cut out an image, you first need to make a new layer. This is like creating a new transparency to draw on. Then, you make your selection on that layer. Once you've got your selection, you can hit 'Delete' to cut out that area. But instead of deleting the area, it'll just hide it. This is because you're working on a separate layer.

Now, you can move that layer around, resize it, or even put another layer on top of it. It's like having a cut-out that you can play around with. And if you make a mistake, you can always undo it or delete the layer and start over.

And That's How You Cut Out An Image In Photoshop

And there you have it, folks. You've just learned how to cut out an image in Photoshop. It's not as scary as it sounds, is it? Just remember, practice makes perfect. The more you use these tools, the better you'll get at them.

So, go forth and cut out those images. Whether it's removing that ex from your holiday photos or creating a masterpiece from your own imagination, Photoshop is your canvas. Now go paint something beautiful.