In this tutorial I will be going though 2 different techniques to mask hair. The first will be applicable to all versions of Photoshop, while the second will only work with Photoshop CS5 and above.
As you can see from the sample image, I’m not making it easy for you! If you learn to mask this type of crazy frizzy hair, then you can pretty much mask anything!
Also, as a side note, I’m at Photoshop World in Las Vegas this week, so my apologies in advance for any late email or comment replies!
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more free Photoshop video tutorials. You can also find us on Facebook and Instagram.
Final Image
Drag The Slider To See Before & After
Perry says
September 4, 2013 at 7:46 pmJesús – I may have done something wrong but the download link downloaded the ptc-reto-effect action.
Photoshop Training Channel says
September 4, 2013 at 9:00 pmSorry about that! It should work now. Let me know if you have any other problems!
Betty Blackman says
March 23, 2015 at 7:25 pmyou make things look easy.. I’m so glad I found your site.
Thank you
Photoshop Training Channel says
March 25, 2015 at 1:06 pmThank you, Betty!
I’m glad you enjoy my videos!
janice says
September 4, 2013 at 8:17 pmLove the tutorial, but when I go to download the tutorial files, I get an Action called Retro Effect. Can you help me out here please? Great job as usual JR!
Photoshop Training Channel says
September 4, 2013 at 9:01 pmSorry about that! It should work now. Let me know if you have any other problems
Sharron says
September 4, 2013 at 9:14 pmThanks, but I got 2 photos in the download – no tutorial.
Photoshop Training Channel says
September 4, 2013 at 10:00 pmThe tutorial is not part of the download, just the files you can use to follow along. You can play the tutorial from this page. Click on the orange play button on top of this page to play it. If you have problems here, you also watch it on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvBAvZyqPmU
Denise says
September 5, 2013 at 3:22 pmThanks for this tutorial. I will be referring back to it often.
Photoshop Training Channel says
September 6, 2013 at 9:56 amYou’re welcome, Denise!
William Liles says
September 6, 2013 at 5:04 amIt is always interesting that an image with a near solid background is used to demonstrate hair masking.
I would like to see one that has a multi colored background, such as a tree with leaves or something else similar.
Thanks….
Photoshop Training Channel says
September 6, 2013 at 10:11 amWilliam,
It’s because this is how professional compositors, photographers, and even film makers do it! They don’t take photos or film of people in busy backgrounds if they’re intending on masking them out. They want to make their life easy, so they use a solid color as a background.
In real world projects, the artist has control of many variables, including the background. If you’re photographing a person for an advertisement it would make no sense to put them in front of trees if they’re just going to be masked out. If you think about movies, they always use a green screen (or blue) because it’s easier to key out (mask). Sometimes they even take the solid colored backgrounds on location to get the images (or video) of the background and model separately to have more control in post production.
But if you ever had the need to remove hair from a busy background, try the channels technique, and just realize that it will never be as good as if you would of had a solid background.
Thanks for your comment!
Jessica V says
September 4, 2015 at 1:45 pmI have to disagree. In “Perfect World” projects, the artist may have control of the variables. But “Real World” projects have small photo budgets or deadlines that don’t allow for custom photography and rely on stock, or a combination of stock and custom images. There are constant situations where designers have to composite these images and remove objects from complex backgrounds. The reason there are no tutorials that show successful curly hair masking from busy, multi-colored backgrounds is because it really can’t be done. Yet. Photoshop makes great leaps all the time… I’m sure it will get there.
Mick Fitzpatrick says
August 22, 2017 at 1:53 amFirst of all – I love your tutorials.
On the subject of ‘Perfect World’ and ‘Real World’ projects, many of us, who are not professional graphic artists etc. tend to look at our existing photographs for images to use. Most of the time these images are on ‘less than perfect’ backgrounds.
We do not have the luxury of images that have been specifically produced with plain backgrounds.
So, what I am asking, is despite the fact that there would be compromises to be made, could you please help us with a tutorial that would show us how best to cope with these complex backgrounds?
I am sure that the majority of non-professionals would be extremely grateful if this was at all possible.
Keep up the fantastic work. It is much appreciated.
Photoshop Training Channel says
January 21, 2018 at 6:33 pmMaybe my latest tutorial will help.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qV1DAf5cYXE
shlomi says
September 11, 2013 at 8:36 amwow!!!
jest Work of art!!!!!
I deal with graphics almost 5 years
And it never seems as easy as now!!!
Photoshop Training Channel says
September 11, 2013 at 9:05 amGlad you enjoyed it!
Sheper says
November 21, 2013 at 12:31 amThanks for your great tutorials.
Photoshop Training Channel says
November 21, 2013 at 11:31 amYou’re Welcome, Sheper!
IndoPhotoshop says
March 17, 2014 at 6:10 pmthx for the great tutorial
can i get the woman image for training ?
Photoshop Training Channel says
March 18, 2014 at 10:50 pmThe image is on this page. You can download it.
aqeelraza says
May 3, 2014 at 2:45 pmVery Impressive tutorial with detail …….nice keep it up
Gary F. Pitel says
July 19, 2014 at 3:19 pmI can’t download the files that come with the tutorial. Please help me with this problem.
Photoshop Training Channel says
July 22, 2014 at 5:15 pmGary,
What’s the problem?
Suzanne says
July 30, 2014 at 5:47 pmI can’t find a download button Anywhere on this page. Just sign up for emails. Where is it, please? I’m ready to do some hair magic!
Photo Guy says
October 10, 2014 at 4:09 pmGood tutorial.
I found this CS5 video on masking hair from Adobe using the Quick Selection & Refine Edge Mask options. Have you tried this method? If so, does it really work as good as they say or do you recommend the old reliable method using Channels to create the mask combined with dodging & burning?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lONFUw84zOU
Photoshop Training Channel says
October 21, 2014 at 12:22 pmIt does work sometimes. I try the easy stuff first if not move into more complicated stuff like channels, dodging, burning, etc. It all depends on the image.
Gary F. Pitel says
October 21, 2014 at 7:22 pmGood
Larry Gerard says
November 4, 2014 at 5:09 amcan’t download files – the buttons all say error
Photoshop Training Channel says
November 12, 2014 at 6:27 pmLarry, if you are still having issues, email me from the contact us page. Thanks!
Randy says
January 19, 2015 at 8:02 pmWhen I click ctrl+ I then use the lasso tool, I can’t get the white color on the face, to just fill in like on the video. What do I need to do?
Photoshop Training Channel says
February 6, 2015 at 5:14 pmI’m not sure what part you are referring to, Randy. Tell me at what part of the video that happens and maybe I can help.
gfxpro says
August 4, 2015 at 12:42 pmGreta tutorial but the files are not downloading!
Photoshop Training Channel says
August 4, 2015 at 12:59 pmI’ve been getting that complain recently. What system are you running? So I can try and figure out the problem.
I’m not having that issue on my end. Try this link: http://jr9982.wpengine.com/download/2633/
Karsten Qvist says
November 10, 2015 at 5:07 amThanks, it’s a great turorial! I love the way it explains several different tools very clearly, and help me move beyond what I already knew. Now, being aware of these possibilities my current struggle with masks is in relation to situations where it wasn’t possible to control the background in the original capture, in my case wild animal photography. Any advice on this?
Photoshop Training Channel says
November 10, 2015 at 7:26 pmYou may have to disregard certain areas if they are too hard to select. Also you may have to pain in hair/fur in areas that need it. Also, remember that you can pain on your masks with brushes. You can use a fur brush (even the grass brush) to refine your edge.
Karsten Qvist says
November 10, 2015 at 11:07 pmThanks, can really imagine that a but of synthetic hair can be helpful. Will certainly look into that 🙂
Willium says
January 11, 2016 at 2:08 amAwesome tutorial.Before read this tutorial I am try do this but i can’t create it. Now i am success after see this tutorials & follow your step.Thanks lots for great tutorial.
Photoshop Training Channel says
January 12, 2016 at 1:54 pmYou’re welcome, Willium!
Dinamicostudio says
February 15, 2016 at 12:25 pmWow just Awesome and nice tutorial thank you very much for share it . It’s really helpful for all image editor . I enjoy that video good work bro !!!
Photoshop Training Channel says
February 16, 2016 at 2:57 pmThank you!
NextGDesign says
February 29, 2016 at 2:00 amIt’s really helpful for all image editor. I enjoy that video.
Photoshop Training Channel says
March 9, 2016 at 8:55 amThank you! I’m glad it was helpful
Scott Hollingsworth says
April 19, 2016 at 7:38 amSo, I had problems downloading the tutorial. I stumbled on the solution by hovering my mouse over the “Download Tutorial Here” and then clicking Delete. The box went away and a link remained. I clicked on the link and it downloaded. Very cryptic.
I did “like” your website on Facebook before hitting delete!
Thanks!
Photoshop Training Channel says
April 20, 2016 at 10:59 pmScott,
Thanks for the like! But you don’t have to like the post. You can click on the X to simply download the file.
Aatif Shahzad says
June 23, 2016 at 11:38 pmIt is really awesome tutorial, I learned some new things from this video, Thanks for the video which improve my skills.
Photoshop Training Channel says
June 30, 2016 at 9:17 amYou’re welcome!
Carolyn P. Reed says
August 26, 2016 at 12:18 pmAfter “Pinteresting” for years for ideas, inspiration, technical, and tutorials.. I find that your Photoshop tutorials are the absolute best. You don’t waste time, but you’re very descriptive in what you do. It’s the perfect pace for me. I love that you show alternative methods for same results. These are tutorials I feel like I can work with alongside with my own practice sessions. You’re tutorials are very organized, succinct and easy to follow along. It makes me feel like these challenging fixes/effects are doable for a non-professional high-end retoucher like me (I do regular to medium retouching, but it’s not my specialty). I find this tutorial (The messy hair tute, really helpful. I have had trouble always with trying to figure out how to include/not include the extraneous fly away hairs, without compromising the image. I have tried plug ins like PortraitPro, but they still don’t tet the hair correct masked. The background shoes through always. Even with detailed selections! The RGB adjustments you do, with regard to this lesson are more advanced than I’m used to. But I feel like if I watch this 10 times and try it on my own, that I just might get the hang of this. It’s so relative to all the types of shoots I do. Thank you for your dedication and taking the time to offer these tutorials. Thanks!! Carolyn – CPR Photography – Palm Desert, CA (outside of Palm Springs). 🙂
Photoshop Training Channel says
August 26, 2016 at 12:28 pmThank you, Carolyn!
I really appreciate your comment! I’m really happy that you enjoy my tutorials and find them useful!
P.S.
I’ve been to Palm Desert many times. I lived in Coachella for a few years when I was a kid, and a few of my cousins went to PDHS.
Lia says
October 1, 2016 at 6:06 amI can’t download your tutorial files, it says download here, but there is no files to download?
Photoshop Training Channel says
November 27, 2016 at 3:51 pmThere’s a link right below the before/after photo.
Kamruzzaman says
February 19, 2017 at 2:42 pmI will get this amazing for me .thank you!…
Photoshop Training Channel says
March 9, 2017 at 11:41 amYou’re welcome!
kamruzzaman says
March 1, 2017 at 10:27 pmThanks a lot for this nice sharing.
Photoshop Training Channel says
March 9, 2017 at 11:37 amYou’re welcome!
Rojar says
November 5, 2017 at 9:56 pmHi, I really enjoyed you video tutorial ….I can do it now. i request you to make tutorial on others photo editing task.
Thanks for sharing>