Advanced Hair Masking with Channels in Photoshop | PHLEARN

For hair masking on complex backgrounds, try this tutorial: phlearn.com/tu...
Today we show you how to use Channels to make detailed cutouts of hair in Photoshop! Learn how to quickly select people in a photo using Select Subject, and then use Channels to refine that selection, recovering all of the fine details and soft edges around their hair. Picture-perfect cutouts, every time!
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[@edwardkennedy2031]

Love your videos, but I'd really like to see a process for masking dark hair against a dark background. The are time when thats the shot, but then the client asks for something different.

[@phlearn]

Sure! Give this tutorial a shot: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYS7fIeOhq5mfqs

[@edwardkennedy2031]

@@phlearn Thank you, will definitely watch this one.

[@timetotrust8836]

Thank you 🌷

[@halokosovo1]

I like how non of these tutorials on hair masking, there never be a photo in real life with complicated background done... they're all just happened to be studio photos on the cleanest background ever!

[@phlearn]

There are different techniques involved, for sure. Try our tutorial for hair masking on a complex background: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYS7fIeOhq5mfqs

[@Hotsauceonmy]

You guys have been teaching me photoshop tips for so long that I only occasionally watch. It's always nice to tune in and see a different version of Aaron lol

[@connecticutearlymusicfesti2694]

Aaron, I've sampled a number of video tutorials in an attempt to really understand channel masking of hair, and yours did the trick. I followed along with your image, then used your method on one of my own pics and it worked beautifully. Thank you!

[@enmel8244]

I rarely compliment content creators, but you deserve all our PS passionates' admiration and gratitude. You simply are the man for any doubts we have in the process. Can't thank you enough 🙏🏻

[@hoah]

This guy has ridiculously well trained posture. How is he even doing that?

[@rbsntx]

Thank's I'm about to get a job as photo editor on a studio, and I was having problem with hair selection on some images, you saved me

[@rickcollins5009]

Hello Aron. thanks for this. I’m having an issue though….. when I go to bring the hair back in my brush creates a fog or halo. Why? And how do I stop this? Thank you.

[@andre_garay]

We can’t get enough of Aaron 🙋🏻‍♂️

[@bimlovin7093]

best photoshop channel! really helped me with my project

[@glennbarnette6659]

Needed this! Way better than cloning or using brushes! Thanks!

[@thepolishdane]

Could you show more "difficult" examples, where the hair is not black and background black? Maybe blond/brown hair on a busy background, and how you would do that. I find myself mostly in those kinds of scenarios. :S

[@krystofotos]

Totally agree with you.. This one is not so hard to do :-) The hardest thing is the next level, to incrust that kind of black or blond hairs on a color background.. It's beginning much more interesting in term of technic and retouch.. Hope to see more here, it would be so interesting to share harder things on your channel now ;-)

[@thepurpleufo]

I love these tutorials, but yes...most tutorials of this type never show the typical difficult backgrounds most of us have to work with.

[@halokosovo1]

Yea I have a neat trick for you: 1) Cut out the hair to the best of your ability 2) Select and Mask or refined edge whatever you prefer to get a better hair mask (again to the best of your ability) 3) Download Hair Stamp brush (pick the hair shape closest to your photo) 4) Paint the hair stamp behind your model's hair to get the sharp hair cut out... there's no other way (of course each photo is different but this works for most cases for me... been doing it for 6 years and got clean, sharp result everytime... yes it will take times but what doesn't?)

[@phlearn]

Absolutely! We made one as part of 30 Days of PS: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYS7fIeOhq5mfqs

[@sarahcollins5245]

Loving all the diversity in your sample images you’re using in your tutorials!

[@davevowles8093]

Great vid, best hair selection tutorial I have seen. Sometimes it is difficult to follow the tutor's cursor as they move too fast and I constantly have to rewind. Thanks.

[@sabroow]

Easy and logical method and great result , thanks a lot!

[@StaticBlaster]

I've used layer masking in the free GIMP software. It's a pretty sweet tool to preserve detail especially in hair.

[@chassa7266]

Fantastic as usual…Thanks for your time.

[@phlearn]

thanks for watching!

[@kennethochoa7550]

that's so awesome dr. phearn

[@mcasey256]

Great for us old school PS users who need to do some catch up!

[@lizclayton8464]

Excellent as always!

[@jessemasci9986]

Thank you for this video. When I follow this method, my subject's hair looks great when on a white or light background, but if I put it on a dark background you see a white haze around the edges of the hair because the original light background is coming through slightly. I would have like to see your example over a dark background to see if the same thing happened for you, and if there is a way to fix that. So far I haven't been able to find anything to help with this. Thanks for the video!

[@1pt21jigawatt]

Great tutorial, thanks Aaron

[@MONEYVAL9]

These are all ideal situations , i would love to see a more real world for average difficulty task.

[@sonjon1000]

Great information, really well presented, many thanks

[@wehadhamad5418]

Thank you so much your video is helpful even for beginners..

[@Ginnn47]

Thanks sir. It's very helpful to me 🙏

[@deepakmauryaarts522]

It's amazing ❤❤❤

[@orionorion2405]

Perfect !

[@allenjeng3506]

Thank you 🙏 Aaron for the tutorial. Does this selection method work for dark grey backgrounds?

[@jhordanmeneses6170]

if you have white BG yes it is easy to select hair, how about busy background?

[@milosmarkovic4419]

I did everything just like in the tutorial just two problems: when I turn the blue copy into a selection and click back onto the layer mask my selection gets a kinda orange color over my selection and when I inverse the selection and start painting the hair it paints a fuzzy color around the hair?

[@rickl2834]

I’m in the market to buy a Wacom tablet. What’ feature should I look for when buying ?

[@Thepokedek]

1 Select subject 2 Go to channels from the right of your layers Work with blue bc it gives you the best contrast for hair usually but not always 3 Ctrl L for levels shift blacks to the right and very slightly shift whites to the left 4 Invert the mask ctrl i 5 Use brush to refine the result by painting over the hair in with white in the mask.

[@StaticBlaster]

Just wondering if I can get a job with experience using the free GIMP software. Do I really need to use photoshop during the experience phase? I understand I'll probably be using photoshop on the job. But what do you think, Mr. Nace?

[@generalawareness101]

Needs to be updated for PS 2022.

[@exodusvisuals5216]

almost all tutorials are with stock photos and white backgrounds would love to see a realistic one turning into a dark background.

[@webmonsterchile]

Thanks❤💯

[@nedal_hesham]

better than refine edge

[@LaurenVacula]

such incredible editing tips!! thank you!

[@monsterclass]

Midlist gpu recommendations for photoshop?

[@tigertail777]

What tool are you using to "paint" with? I missed that part.

[@swashyhimself]

It doesn't do anything like what is happening for him. Click layer mask? Why does his background change / get masked out? Doesn't do that for me. Solid color, subject revealed when placed underneath main layer... not for me. Can't follow it.

[@hecjvaldez]

Could you make videos for Affinity Photo? I’m not paying for subscriptions anymore

[@swashy8933]

Doesn't work. I'm on a white back ground like you and the blue channel doesn't magically select my hair

[@digigoliath]

SMASHING the LIKE Button!!!

[@amstaylorph]

You're like the John Waters of photoshop!

[@bryk701]

Photoshop Einstein :)

[@bobbyb6412]

Somehow oesn't work in the newest version of PS.

[@mariafontenelereis8997]

Having same issue. Using PS 2021 and there is no option for changing the levels in a duplicated channel, only the original RGB, Red, Green and Blue. PS novice here, but am missing something?

[@bhsmultimedia477]

"Did he just say... flern?"

[@michaelbarletta1024]

The likes were at 666 before I got here. Your welcome😇

[@trey4532]

yeah, this OOOONLY works with an image that has a solid white background. not helpful.

[@jwiddifield1423]

This is exactly why I unsubscribed from your subscription. Although your process is clear, every example was very simplistic. What we want is to retain a person's hair with difficult backgrounds.

[@petervalo]

still looks bad in different bg :)

[@jeannebreen5380]

This was an incredibly helpful tutorial. I downloaded the image and followed along with you. For practice, I used your technique on another pic of a woman with curly hair I found on Pexels. When I was done, and used the Move tool to drag the image into another file, I noticed two things: 1) there were 'ghostly remnants' of the image left behind and 2) as I began to drag the image, I could see the checkerboard pattern of the transparent background showing through portions of the image. Neither of the those things happened when I moved the image from the tutorial. I'm not sure what I did wrong. Any suggestions?

[@Caporai]

Always a pain to mask someone with a background that blends together with the subject. The blue alpha channel mask selection will definitely help me for the hair issue though. I've been messy with it by expanding the selection and later feather it back.

[@fixmyerror748]

Cara seleksi rambut di Photoshop (Super clean) kzbin.info/www/bejne/hoK7ZWuIoc-XY5I

[@johnrumballphotography]

Great video, but when I follow this and add a dark solid color background behind my subject, it doesn't look so great... I see a lot of white in her hair edges. How do I fix that?

[@oscarumana8525]

No puedo activar la transición en los ajustes de pincel. Tienes algún truco o solución para ello? Gracias

[@KhalilCh]

It only work with white background, it doesn't work with my with mid green (#70c3d5) background

[@agxtreme_official]

Thank You for the tutorial.

[@asastockel9296]

Everythings work like a charm, until 5:05. What am I doing wrong? I tried several time, but at 5:05 it doesn’t happen for me the same that happens for you. I can not magically reveal the missing hair. I can paint in the mask but not like you. I must have missed a step somewhere.

[@tamaraandric4131]

This a really userful video. Thanks a LOT 😀

[@Andrew-hd1dh]

At 5:08, I don't understand how you're able to paint in hair beyond the actual selection?

[@madhazza64]

I used the sample image and followed the tutorial step by step and it did not work, it only works if you want to keep the background white? I am still getting a white aura/haloing around the outside of the subjects and the hair. It looks great on a white background but hideous on any other colour

[@phlearn]

Hey there! Sorry to hear you're having trouble with this. Probably, you just need to adjust the feathering of your mask. If you have time, we would encourage you to watch this additional tutorial phlearn.com/tutorial/30-days-photoshop-cut-out-hair/

[@ADayOffGoods]

Cool, but what if you background isn't white?

[@YahbodyFletch]

This did not help with an image taken in front of a green screen .. All this did was bring the green screen back around the hair

[@khoifish77]

Mine didn’t select all that lmao

[@xaviergarcia9054]

i love you thanks

[@kurtlindner]

I remember learning this technique in school on CS6, still works great in some situations though.

[@kwerk2011]

This is very old school, it used to really be the only way possible to select hair.

[@hristina449]

doesn't work

[@cocorise9797]

I'm not getting a transparent background; I'm getting shades of my original grey background because the hair strads are flying. I also selected. I am also getting a red film over my image as if i did Quick Select. Also, when you duplicated the before and after you deleted the mask layer, but it appeared after your final demonstration.

[@phlearn]

Hey there, if you send us an email to [e-mail] our team will do their best to help you out!

[@travissmith7471]

How awesome... Your explanations in this tutorial... Have been very helpful... Thanks a million...

[@amitkumaragrawal4158]

finally i found you here.i have heard about you but today i have watched your skills

[@jindizhang9764]

its not painting in the selection lines for me when im in mask mode

[@phlearn]

hey there! if you send us an email to support with a screenshot of your psd file, our team will do their best to help you out!

[@Britton0932]

Fantastic video! Thank you

[@jasminegreen4539]

Thank you so much for this video. I started my new job and they were using this technique yesterday! Subscribing for more amazing content!

[@mrcxx8694]

Putting the result on a red background results in you getting lots of white "fringing". I think the problem is caused by the fact that the thin hairs around the edge have some of the white background showing through them because they're so thin. Not sure of a solution, other than perhaps somehow selecting these hairs and then painting over them or using dodge or burn.

[@durgeshchore8665]

still we it feels a bit unrealistic when we use dodge tool on hair

[@freakschild913]

I have see thoroughly you tutorial but when I practice a layer see over the background layer please help me how i remove patch from hair in different background

[@hengamehhjh7086]

Thank you guys so much your videos are incredible I've learned so much with you guys thanks a lot 💛🙏

[@pointblankeloquence9578]

Tried this on a lower resolution portrait on a background that doesn't contrast the hair very much... had poor results. Any other methods?

[@amir136712017]

You should change the background color and see the result again. You forgot it.

[@brentgilbert805]

wow thanks for the tutorial on cutting out dark hair on an already nearly white background, would have never been able to cut out this extremely busy portrait with much lower contrast without this tut! lol

[@kamello]

Great tutorial for white background. 1 of 10000 photos are like this.

[@Alex-PG]

Вырезать черные волосы из белого фона - реально сложнейшая задача)))

[@dgfitzpat]

Thanks for an excellent video. One question: The video ended with 3 layers still remaining. How do I reduce these to one layer without losing the work done in channels. I want to end up with one layer from which I can make a jpeg or png?

[@phlearn]

Hey there! you don't need to flatten your layers to export as a JPG or PNG. If you need further guidance, you can send us an email to support with a screenshot of your PSD file and layers, and our team will do their best to assist you. ☺

[@dgfitzpat]

@@phlearn Take the 3 layers that you use in your example. What would happen if I do a "merge visible (ctl + shift + E)". I want to end with a background layer with a transparent background. This would allow me to put a picture background beneath it or save it as a png.

[@JoopZweetsok]

why are all these 'teachers' talk so fast!

[@ballskin]

This is pretty slow. You know there are controls to speed up and slow down videos, right?

[@magicspellscorner5887]

superbs

[@leatherface4133]

Do you have a video on a pure selection? Subject plus hair? Thanks.

[@diannajackson2966]

I now live to watch Aarin. These videos make me so happy. Thank You

[@justtharryythings.]

Beautiful! Thank You sir! Love From India!

[@ovp2go]

This is the second time I have seen this presentation. The first time was for your Creative Live class. Still one of my biggest struggles is masking out fine hair. Thank you for posting this.

[@Psych-ewiz]

Aoran plz teach how to create better hair for people with thin hair.

[@abdullkhosa976]

Thanks a lot dear. What a professional method! I LIKE It

[@faizangaming236]

I am from India But I like tutorials ❤🎉🎉

[@mennaayman9689]

Will this work with a busy background?

[@timetotrust8836]

I appreciate all these valuable information you create for us 🌷⭐️🙏🏼

[@Kingmaybach1]

Thanks Phlearn for putting food on my table

[@I666U]

cool upload, your videos are always helpful. TY

[@rubenvan-gundy6747]

Hell yeah! Thank you so much. I've been wondering about this for awhile now.

[@InfoCodex]

great