3 Powerful Techniques To CUT OUT Trees In Photoshop (WITHOUT Halos or Fringing!)

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Cut out trees in Photoshop using three techniques, Blend If, a channel-based mask, and a custom tree brush, so the edges stay clean with no halos or fringing.

In this Photoshop tutorial, you will learn how to cut out trees in Photoshop using three powerful techniques!

This information-packed Photoshop tutorial will be filled with useful tips and tricks that you will be able to apply to any masking job, not just trees!

You’ll learn about the “Blend If” command, and how you can create true transparency with it.

You’ll also learn about the Defringe command, which allows you to remove edge fringes and halos. You will also learn about the tree generator, and how you can use it to create custom brushes to give your trees a virtual trim.

This tutorial was recorded in Photoshop 2020, version 21.1.

Every tool it uses, including Blend If, the Channels panel, and the Brush Settings panel, still works the same way in the current version of Photoshop.

What You Will Learn

• How to hide sky or background pixels with the Blend If sliders
• How to convert a Blend If cutout into a real transparent layer
• How to build a mask from your image’s own color channels
• How to remove halos and fringing with the Minimum filter and Defringe
• How to turn Photoshop’s Tree filter into a custom brush for painting back leaves and branches

Requirements

Keyboard Shortcuts

Tutorial Images

• Sample 1
• Sample 2
• Sample 3

Blend If & Channel Explanation

A tree already isolated from its background and other elements is an excellent image to start. Please make sure the layer is unlocked and double-click on it to bring out the Layer Style window.

Use the Blend If sliders to hide or reveal pixels based on the luminosity of each RGB channel.

You may also go to the Channels panel and see which channel has a sharper contrast between the foreground and background and adjust it in the Blend If sliders.

Use the Blue Channel to Cut Out Trees in Photoshop

In this example, the Blue channel has a sharper contrast, so use the Blend If sliders to hide the brightest pixels in that channel.

Click-and-drag on the white point. As you drag it inwards, it hides the bright pixels that mostly belong to the sky, cutting out the tree against its background.

Once that is set, press OK to save the cutout.

Read the complete guide to Blend If in Photoshop.

Create True Transparency From the Blend If Blend

From the layer thumbnail in the Layers panel, you can see that there is no real transparency, it is just a blend.

You can convert the layer into actual transparency by converting it into a Smart Object. Right-click on the layer > Convert to Smart Object.

Immediately, you’ll notice the checkerboard pattern that illustrates transparency in the  layer thumbnail. 

Use the Lasso Tool to Make a Loose Selection Around the Tree in Photoshop

Used in this 2nd method on how to cut out trees is an image of a tree against a sunset with a foggy scenery. What makes this distinct from the first photo is the presence of multiple highlights surrounding the trees, so the Blend If method won’t work best with these kinds of images. 

Start by creating a channel-based mask.

For a closer look at this approach, see how to build channel based selections in Photoshop.

Go to the Channels panel and determine which channel has a sharper contrast between the foreground and the background. In this case, it’s the Blue channel. 

Duplicate the Blue channel and use the Lasso tool to create a loose selection around the tree. 

Invert the Channel

Right-click > Select Inverse to invert the selection.

With white(#ffffff) as the Foreground color, press AltBackspace (Windows) or OptionDelete (macOS) to fill the selection with the color. 

Then, press CtrlD (Windows) or CommandD (macOS) to deselect. 

Use the Dodge and Burn tool to Isolate the Tree in the New Channel

To accurately cut out trees in Photoshop, select the Dodge and Burn tool to brighten and darken existing pixels in the image. 

Since the golden rule of masking is, “white reveals, black conceals,” invert the colors to turn the tree into white by pressing CtrlI (Windows) or CommandI (macOS).

Then, start using the Burn tool with the Range set to Shadows. Click-and-drag around the dark pixels to make them darker and further isolate the tree. 

On the Options bar, the higher the rate of Exposure, the stronger the effect will be. The lower the rate of Exposure, the more control you have to build upon the Shadows.

You can use the Brush tool and paint with black(#000000) to mask them for stubborn areas.

Reversely, use the Dodge tool to accentuate the tree further. Set the Range to Highlights and adjust the exposure, then start painting along the tree. You can also use the Brush tool with white(#ffffff) set as the Foreground color to reveal it in the mask.

Load the Selection

Back on the Channels panel, press Ctrl (Windows) or Command (macOS) as you click on the Blue copy channel thumbnail to load the tree as a selection.

Click on RGB to retrieve the original colors and go back to the Layers panel.

Then, click on the New Layer Mask icon to hide the background except for the tree. 

Create a Solid Color fill layer and set the color to a light grey. Then, place the Solid Color fill layer right beneath the masked tree.

Use the Levels Adjustment to Refine the Tree Mask in Photoshop

If there appears to be halo or fringing along the edges of the tree, select the Layer Mask thumbnail then choose Image > Adjustments > Levels.

Click-and-drag the dark point inwards until you can no longer see the fringing along with the leaves.

Use the Minimum Filter to Contract the Mask and Remove Halos

Another method of achieving the same effect is to choose Filter > Other > Minimum to contract the mask by adjusting the Radius value of the pixels.

Use the Defringe Command to Remove Fringing From the Mask

If the fringing is stubborn and wasn’t removed by the Minimum filter, duplicate the layer > select the Layer Mask thumbnail of the duplicated layer > Apply Layer Mask. 

Choose Layer > Matting > Defringe. 

The Defringe command looks at the edge pixels and swaps it with the color of the surrounding pixels, so set the appropriate Width value of the pixels and press OK.

Select the Tree layer and set the Blending Mode to Darken.

Then, clip the layer to the layer directly below it by pressing CtrlAltG (Windows) or CommandOptionG (macOS) to achieve a better effect.

Use the Lasso Tool to Make a Rough Tree Mask in Photoshop

Unlike the technique used earlier, this image will not work well with the channel method. The surrounding environment is also filled with trees, so no single channel has strong contrast between the foreground and the background. 

The same busy-background problem shows up with fur. Cutting out fur from busy backgrounds in Photoshop uses the same idea of painting back detail by hand.

Start by selecting the layer and use the Quick Selection tool to create a tree trunk selection. 

Then, select the Lasso tool and hold Shift as you click-and-drag around the tree to add it to the current selection.

But for this one, draw inside of the tree and leave a wide gap between the draw selection and the edges of the leaves. 

With the selection active, click on the New Layer Mask icon to create a Layer Mask. 

Use the Tree Generator to Create a Tree in Photoshop

One of the fun parts of cut out trees is being able to use the Tree Generator as a reference.

Choose File > New and create a new blank document. 

On the new document and choose to Filter > Render > Tree. 

On the Tree window, find different types of trees under the Base Tree Types’ drop-down menu. Select the tree that matches the one in your image, or the one that looks closest to it. 

Turn Your Tree Into a Brush in Photoshop

If you want to learn how to cut out trees in Photoshop, you might also want to learn how to turn them into a brush.

Use the Lasso tool to create a loose selection of the trunk area then press Backspace (Windows) or Delete (macOS) to delete those pixels. You can also redo this step for areas that you don’t like. 

Next, duplicate the layer by pressing CtrlJ (Windows) or CommandJ (macOS) and transform the duplicated layer until it looks like a ball of leaves without the trunk. 

With the duplicated layer selected, press CtrlE (Windows) or CommandE (macOS) to merge it with the original layer. 

Choose Image > Adjustment > Levels and use the points to transform the layer’s colors into a solid black. This silhouette will be the key to making it into a brush. 

Choose Edit > Define Brush Preset. Please give it a name, and now, you finally have your tree brush. 

Use the Brush Settings to Customize Your Brush

Feel free to try out your cut out tree brush by painting around the empty canvas. For a more randomized texture or stroke, open the Brush Settings and enable Shape Dynamics. 

Adjust the Angle Jitter and Size Jitter sliders to achieve a random stroke without any repetitions.

Paint on Your Mask with Your Custom Tree Brush in Photoshop

Go back to the original working document and activate the Brush tool. 

Since you are using a Layer Mask, set the Foreground color to white(#ffffff). Start painting with your new tree brush to reveal the tree’s edges with a more realistic appearance. 

If the edges of the tree start to reveal the original background, create a new layer. Clip it to the layer below for a more precise result.

Then, use the Clone Stamp tool and press Alt (Windows) or Option (macOS) to set the sample source. Paint along the unwanted edges to match the pixels inside the tree.

Those are the 3 different ways you can cut out trees in Photoshop that you can use efficiently for your next photo composite!

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Cutting out a tree in Photoshop comes down to picking the right technique for the image in front of you.

Blend If is the fastest option against a plain sky. A channel-based mask handles busier backgrounds. A custom tree brush lets you paint back detail by hand.

None of these techniques require advanced skills, just a willingness to try the next one when the first does not give you a clean edge.

Watch the full video above for every step, and comment on the video if you have a question.

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Related Links

• TWO-STEP PROCESS For Better Cut-Outs! – Select and Mask Workspace in Photoshop
• How to Use Blend If in Photoshop (Complete Guide)