Separate line art and background layer from scanned images in Photoshop traditional art

In this Photoshop tutorial I show you how to separate your background layer from your line art. For example, if you have created a sketch in traditional medium on paper / in a sketchbook, you may want to colour this digitally. The problem with a standard scanned image, is that your scanned sketch will already have a background layer, meaning you will have to paint below the background ( which would not be seen ) or above the sketch (covering the sketch up completely). This technique allows you to split the line art and white background apart, meaning you can add colour below your line art in the same way you would with a digital drawing - Phew, sorry for the long explanation!
The scanner I use is a CANON LiDE 120 but as mentioned, I haven't picked anything fancy, just something cheap! There are much newer models of this out now.
There is another method for doing this if you have created a sketch in a coloured pencil, and inked over it in black, which allows you to delete the coloured pencil / clean up the picture before separating the layers. If people are interested I will create a video for that soon. Let me know what other videos you want to see & don't forget to subscribe! :)
You can find this image on my social media, links below!
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www.sketchedbyste.com
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Deviantart - learningasidraw.deviantart.com

[@paintedmoments_]

I know this video is old but THANK YOU. I spent hours trying to get a separate layer for lineart. I watched so many other videos, that had more steps that somehow messed things up. Please don't ever delete this video lol.

[@tauseefahmedart]

This was a lifesaver! I spent hours trying to separate the white from my pencil sketch but it never worked. I learnt an incredibly useful skill from this tutorial. Thank you!

[@SketchedbySte]

@@tauseefahmedart you're welcome really pleased it helped!

[@SegzWithTedCruz]

I have been scouring the internet to find out how to do this, thank you so much! I do mostly traditional art and I very much wanted to sketch line art and then color it on photoshop so finding this video was like unlocking my final chakra lol. Thank you! Will share this with everyone :)

[@SketchedbySte]

So glad it helped and thanks so much for sharing!

[@micahconnor8954]

Fantastic video! I really appreciate the directness and haste, and your drawings look amazing btw

[@SketchedbySte]

Thank you so much 😀

[@GoVocaloider]

I know everyone's already said thank you in every possible form ever, so I'm just leaving this comment here to record that it's helped another person yet again. It's still works even though the video is from 3 years ago. Thanks so much!

[@SketchedbySte]

Pleased I could help, thank you for watching & commenting!

[@SOPHiELAWSON]

This is amazing! So simple, yet so powerful. Thank You :)

[@SketchedbySte]

You're welcome!

[@nayemorusa6244]

life saver, super well explained and simple, thank you so much!

[@SketchedbySte]

Glad I could help :)

[@uztemimas]

Life changing lesson. Thank you so much.

[@SketchedbySte]

You're welcome!

[@DeelMakreel]

Quick, easy and works wonderfully. Thank you!

[@SketchedbySte]

you're very welcome thanks for watching

[@mads2493]

You've changed my life mate!! Thank you!!!

[@SketchedbySte]

haha you're welcome!

[@endanarchy]

This was incredibly helpful. High five to you, bud

[@SketchedbySte]

Glad it helped! Thanks for watching

[@miketv101]

Dude thanks so much, you're an absolute champ

[@SketchedbySte]

Really glad I could help!

[@guiomardart]

wow that's fabulous! 1000% better than what I've been doing and such a fast clear tutorial. Thanks!

[@SketchedbySte]

Really glad it helped! There seems to be a lot of different methods on KZbin for separating the line art from the background in Photoshop, this one still isn't perfect, but it's the best I have found so far!

[@ArtyShan]

I've been needing this since I started doing digital art! Thank you very much!!

[@SketchedbySte]

Really glad it helped, thanks for watching!

[@Diego-Designs]

Just what I was looking for. Thank you!!!

[@SketchedbySte]

Really glad it was a helpful tutorial :) thanks for watching

[@LowQualitty]

Insanely good video, thank you

[@SketchedbySte]

haha you're too kind! thanks for watching

[@patriciaaniart2346]

Amazing tutorial. So simple and clear . thank you :]

[@SketchedbySte]

you're welcome thanks for watching!

[@mumuc8303]

I did it yeyyyyy . it was super helpful. Realy short and on point!!! thanks !

[@SketchedbySte]

Glad it helped :)

[@neesedrawsVideos]

thank you very much! this is exactly what I was looking for!

[@SketchedbySte]

you're very welcome, separating your line art to the background can be challenging sometimes, really glad I could help!

[@thannaingsoe675]

Amazing tutorial.Thank you

[@SketchedbySte]

glad it helped, thanks for watching!

[@AgranakStudios]

Thank you, quick and concise. Perfect!!!

[@SketchedbySte]

you're very welcome thanks for watching

[@bethwilson7808]

Great video! Thank you for sharing!

[@SketchedbySte]

You're welcome Beth, thanks for watching!

[@mareammerza9948]

Absolute lifesaver man. Thank you.

[@SketchedbySte]

you're welcome thanks for watching!

[@jihyelee777]

Thank you so much! It works perfectly!

[@SketchedbySte]

Glad it helped!

[@quanj]

HELPS A LOT!

[@SketchedbySte]

Glad it helped!

[@karmissaariadne3167]

I have no idea how this works but it does and I'm glad and surprised xD Every other tutorial I watched was for solid black lineart which didn't work with my light pencil sketch, so thanks!

[@SketchedbySte]

Really glad it could help! If I am being honest I don't understand 'why' a lot of things work in Photoshop, all I know is that they work XD

[@luqin5890]

it is really helpful. Thanks.

[@SketchedbySte]

you're welcome!

[@anj4721]

Really helpful! thanks.

[@SketchedbySte]

you're welcome, glad I could help

[@lumieprints]

Super Thank you!! Amazing Vid!

[@SketchedbySte]

glad it helped thanks for watching!

[@nadavmor3645]

very helpful. thanks a lot!

[@SketchedbySte]

you're welcome

[@user-pk4eb5lb1s]

Awesome tutorial mate 👍

[@SketchedbySte]

Really appreciate it thanks for watching!

[@mutantdesign]

you sorted me right out, thank you

[@SketchedbySte]

Glad to hear it! Thanks for watching

[@bcmigue100]

Very helpful!

[@SketchedbySte]

thanks for watching!

[@Lucius_Art]

bless your soul

[@SketchedbySte]

glad I could help XD

[@adhitmada]

thank you so muchhh !!!

[@SketchedbySte]

You're welcome, thanks for watching!

[@yigitguzel0]

perfect!

[@SketchedbySte]

Glad I could help :)

[@yurimarta3478]

Grazie!😁

[@SketchedbySte]

welcome

[@shelbyssmallchannel4800]

omg thank you

[@SketchedbySte]

You're welcome!

[@jon13377]

Thanks, this works well! Can you explain how the white is removed so cleanly when pasting in a quick mask layer? Why does this work? I don't understand mask layers well. Thank you.

[@astridjorgensen7971]

omg tysm

[@SketchedbySte]

you're welcome!

[@alexanderrrrrrrrr]

Great tutorial! It helped me separate my sketch from my background and the additional tips were very helpful. I was wondering if you could maybe explain how to remove a sketch from a coloured and patterned background? For a relief print I have the sketch on a piece of vinyl (brown/dotted lines) which I'd like to seperate from eachother. I can crank up the white in the levels adjustement layers so the background almost disappears but ofcourse this also removes part of the lineart. Curious to know if there is a way to do this without losing details in the lineart?

[@SketchedbySte]

Thanks for watching! Hmm that does sound a little more complicated. I couldn't say without a bit of research myself, can you point me to any examples online of the background for me to get a rough idea what you mean?

[@alexanderrrrrrrrr]

@@SketchedbySte Ofcourse, Here is a link to the piece of vinyl I'm using: imgur.com/a/eLlDxqP . For this drawing losing some detail is not that bad since it's mostly outlines but it might be useful to know for later on. :-)

[@usernamed4642]

I love you

[@SketchedbySte]

I love you too

[@paintedmoments_]

@Sketched by Ste it works on the white layer below the transparent one I made, but trying to add more layers between that top one and the bottom og layer, colors do not work for me on new layers, any ideas why? If you see this thanks

[@SketchedbySte]

Hey, its difficult for me to picture it, what actually happens when you attempt to add colour? If its complicated you can send a screen shot on one of my social media pages if its easier

[@zabration1]

You saved my ass