Clipping Path is one of the Photoshop’s Image Masking Tools

Image masking is one Photoshop technique that is heavily used for product catalogs. Photoshop has several image masking tools available for a user’s varying needs. You have Quick Mask, Magnetic Lasso, Magic Wand, and the Pen Tool. Different tools all aiming for the ‘object against a white background’ effect that you’d find in any photo stock or image bank.

Image masking is the process of marking the background around the object that effectively instructs the Photoshop software to print only what’s inside the selection and ignore everything that’s outside. Simply put, image masking is isolating an object, extracting an object or eliminating a background. Call it as you like but each phrase describes one objective and that is taking a photo and isolate an object in it from the rest of the picture.

1. Clipping Path
The last technique we will discuss is clipping path. We will be using the Pen Tool to create a path that outlines your object. The created path is then used to create a selection for a layer mask.

In using the Pen Tool, make sure that “paths” and not “shape layer” is selected. Use the Pen Tool to draw a path around your image. You can adjust the curve of the path by clicking the anchor point and drag it to exactly fit the curve edges of your object.

2. Quick Mask
Quick Mask is fairly easy and a huge-time saver tool. Quick Mask mode lets you use brush, pencil, paint bucket, etc. tools to paint an "inverse selection" using shades of grey and black. (Black identifies parts that won't be selected; white identifies parts that, when selected, will have some level of transparency.) When painting the background with black using a brush, notice how the area turns pink. The pink area is the masked area. You can change the foreground color to white when you want to “paint back” parts of the object.

3. Magnetic Lasso
The Magnetic Lasso detects and snaps to the edge of the object, creating points, as you drag your cursor along the object’s outline. If a point is created at the wrong place, you can simply press backspace. If you want to deliberately create a point, left click precisely where you want the point. When you have made an outline around your object, click the first point you made and automatically a selection is made around your object. On the Magnetic Lasso option, you can control how close you need to stay at the edge of the image as you drag the cursor by altering the “lasso width” option. The “frequency” option lets you control how often points are made. The “edge contrast” lets you fine tune the edge detection.

4. Magic Wand
Magic Wand is a convenient technique especially suited for images with a high contrasting object and background. When you’re dealing with a solid color for a background with high contrast against the object, the first attempt will almost be perfect. You just click outside the object using the Magic Wand and press delete and viola the background is removed. (Tolerance level is set to 50)

Source: http://www.lazymask.com/image-masking-tutorial.html

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Vector Art using Clipping Path

While viewing my pictures during my free time, it came to my mind to make a vector art of my photo. I found one photo of mine that is perfect to make it a vector version.

Vector can be made by using clipping path also. Vector is the term used for creating or editing images by stretching, twisting, coloring, and so on with a series of tools. It allows you to scale an image without making it blurry or pixelated. A vector-based graphic is composed of a series of mathematically described lines that form geometric shapes.

Here's what i got:

Original Image


After: Vector art of mine


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Clipping Paths -- The New Outsourcing Craze in the Graphics Industry?

I saw blog that talks about clipping path, that it's a new outsourcing craze in graphics industry.

The recent trend of outsourcing has hit the graphic design industry, now this trend is also within the clipping path niche which can be a cost saver for many businesses that make use of any form of digital imaging.


Clipping Paths -- The New Outsourcing Craze in the Graphics Industry?

Among the many well known graphic outsourcing tasks there is everything from 3D/2D graphics to the entire design of a website. However, a new service which is in the current focus of design companies is the outsourcing of clipping paths. This new service simply outlines any images or photos needed for graphical production and allows the customer to place any background behind the actual object. This is often needed for catalogs, posters, brochures, websites, and many other forms of print or design.

For several flower services, LazyMask (a clipping path specialist), has become an essential asset in their production chain. According to Jens Brober the CEO of FloraGrafia, a flower marketing company, "LazyMask has cut costs significantly and saved me a lot of hours, which I otherwise would have spent on clipping paths rather than marketing".


Specialized Outsourcing Equals Lower Prices and Higher Quality

LazyMask chooses, as one of the few companies, to channel all its resources into meeting this clipping path need. CEO of LazyMask says that "by specializing in this service, LazyMask can offer the best quality level in the industry as well as cost efficient prices. Our focus is in making customers not only realize that major costs can be saved, but also a lot of time."

So whether clipping paths are only a minor part of company costs, businesses should think again if those clipping path hours actually can be spent on more value driving objectives. This is an age where cutting costs and saving time are a core necessity to be successful in the business world. Visit www.LazyMask.com or email custcare@lazymask.com for more information.


Source: http://www.creativepro.com/article/clipping-path-services-new-opportunity-to-cut-significant-costs-on-graphics

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Danish Company Offers Clipping Path Services

There's a Danish firm in the Philippines who offered clipping path, image manipulation, photo restoration and more, LazyMask. The company, has two staff in Copenhagen and 60+ in Cebu City, Philippines. As what I have heard LazyMask graphic sales and marketing consultant, that the costs of graphic artists in the Philippines are up to 30% lower then those European graphic artists. That's why their production was here in Cebu, Philippines. LazyMask is a competetive and growing company in a graphic outsourcing industry.

LazyMask is one of the few companies to channel most of its resources to outsourced clipping path and other image masking jobs. A clipping path outlines any image or photo and allows LazyMask’s customers to place any background behind the actual object. Clipping paths are often needed for catalogs, posters, brochures, websites, and other forms of print or design. LazyMask’s unique selling point is its guaranteed delivery of finished images within 24 hours or less - for a certain number of images.

Several flower services in Europe, LazyMask a clipping path specialist has become an essential asset in their production chain.

The quality of work by its graphic artists has gained for LazyMask a growing number of clients.

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