Using clean graphics at your digital advertising agency is essential. No client is going to be happy receiving images of their products partially cropped out, or with random bits of the image background still peeking through. This applies to any graphics created at a digital advertising agency, not just product images. This tutorial will show you an easy way to make cleaner selections out of your images using Adobe Photoshop.

Step 1:

First, make sure to duplicate your background to avoid editing your original image. Use the quick selection tool to make your selection out of your subject. Use the add and subtract tools to roughly refine your selection. It's okay if the selection goes past the borders of the subject you want to select, but make sure none of your subject is missing from the selection. You won't be able to add it back later, but you will be able to erase parts of the selection.

Step 2:

Second, we'll be expanding our selection. Go to the "Select" drop-down menu and go to the "Modify" tab, and select expand. Expanding the selection will help with any small corners of the subject that might've been cropped in the original selection.

Step 3:

Now, apply a layer mask to the selection. Select the layer mask and go to the "Filter" drop-down menu. Go to the "Other" tab and select "Minimum." In the pop-up window, change "Preserve" to "Roundedness." Increase the radius to push the mask back onto the subject.

Step 4:

Use the brush tool to refine the layer mask!Bonus step: Depending on what images you're working with at your digital advertising agency, you might need to edit people. If your selection includes hair, you can use the eyedropper tool to grab a hair color and paint on hair strands. This will give your selected subject a much more finished and natural look.

Digital Advertising Agency | Red Shark Digital

As a digital advertising agency, we often work with editing images in our graphics. Quick tricks like this selection tutorial help speed up the creative process. If you found this tutorial helpful, check out more of our design tutorials on our Instagram and YouTube channel.