Clipping Path – Tutorial !

Clipping path tutorial

Let’s start learning Clipping Path.

Before starting:

Expert designers always use short cut keys in their design process. So we will also learn it using short cut keys.

Here are the steps to make Clipping Path:

1. Start Adobe Photoshop. To do this click on: Start → Programs → Adobe Photoshop.

2. Open your original photo. Click on: File → Open; and select your photo → Open.

3. Now select the pen tool. You can select pen tool by clicking on the icon of pen tool in tool box. But it is always better to use short cut. In this case the short cut key is “P”.

4. Set the pen tool. In the option bar select “paths”- option, check “Auto Add/Delete box and select “Exclude overlapping path areas” option.

5. Zoom in to your image (average zoom is 400%). You can choose the zoom tool from the tool box or simply press “ctrl” and “+” Key together as short cut.

6. Choose the hand tool to go to an edge of your selected object in the object. Press down the space bar the pen tool will turn into hand tool.

7. Draw the path. While drawing the path use “ctrl”, “Alt” and “Space bar” key according to necessity.

• Ctrl key – Use it to select any specific area of a path and to move any anchor point and their handles
• Alt Key – Use it to cut any anchor points handle. To draw a sharp corner it is use
• Note – As the “Auto Add/Delete” check box is checked before, you can add or delete anchor points on paths by simply clicking on it.

8. Save the path: In paths palette double click on work path, type your path name and save it.

9. Convert the path into selection: Hold down the ctrl key and click on the path name in the path palette. While doing so the cursor should take a different shape.

10. Copy the selected area to a new layer: Just press “ctrl”+ “C” and “ctrl”+ “V”. New layer will be automatically created.

11. Turn of the original and you will get the clipping path object.

12. Save It: Save this path in PSD or TIFF format.

Tutorial by:
Md. Kamrul Hasan
Special thanks to:
Production Department
Color Experts International.

Some end words:

This is all about the process of clipping path. How ever some time times when the net speed is low, we are in Color Experts International use a little different technique. In this case you can send us a lower DPI jpeg image. We will draw the path and send it back to you. Then you can copy the path and pest it to your original TIFF formatted image and use it as you wish.

Again this doesn’t mean that our net speed is slow or, we just do clipping path job. No, this is totally wrong. We use our own FTP with high speed to upload and download images. We can also process an image farther according to our customers requirement.

Md. Kamrul Hasan
e-Marketing Associate
Color Experts International