Knowledge Base > Photoshop Tutorials
Close cropping an image using the pen tool
There are a few reasons why you might want to close crop a photograph. You may want to pace an image from one photograph into another, or simply remove unwanted background clutter. If you are a designer, clipping paths are used to bring an image into a page layout program without bringing the background. It is also useful for flowing type around the object.
One of the worst things you can do is to simply use your paintbrush tool and paint over the background. Well now that I think about it, the Magic Wand tool is worse. However, paths are vector-based; therefore, they have hard edges. Gradated shadows, transparent clothing, soft focused edges or the dreaded FRIZZY HAIR-- these are not good candidates for close cropping with the pen tool. We will discuss those in a different tutorial.
- Using the Pen tool, draw a work path around the area of the image you want to show.
- When you are finished open the Paths palette, and save the “work path” as a path. From this point if you are creating the path to export it to a page layout program see the note below “Clipping Path”.
- Now, if you are using the path to copy the cropped image out of this file to paste into another, then highlight the name of the path you are working (in the path pallet) and from the path pallet menu select “Make Selection...”. You can then copy and past this into any other PhotoShop document.
Alternatively, if you just wanted to delete the background, us the above method to create a selection. You can then go to the “Select” menu and choose “Select Inverse”. You can now paint, fill or adjust the background without affecting the cropped object.
Tip, I’d recommend saving the file without deleting your paths. You never know when you may need to go back into a file and retouch a certain area.
Clipping Path
- Choose Clipping Path from the Paths palette menu, set the following options, and click OK:
- For Path, choose the path you want to save (If you have more than one).
- For Flatness, leave the flatness value blank to print the image using the printer’s default value.
- If you plan to print the file using process colors, be sure to convert the file to CMYK mode.
- Save the file in either a Tiff or EPS format.
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