One of Photoshop’s greatest strengths is how flexible it is. You can create various stunning effects using the program’s many features. There are times when we need to enhance the beauty of an image. Outlining a photo is one of the popular effects in Adobe Photoshop. The Creating outlines to enhance the image’s royal and rich look.
Also, it gives you solid and stylish effects in your image. People assume it’s a long process that requires Photo Editing Services. However, it is not necessary for you. Photoshop makes it possible to accomplish the task in a few short minutes. By the end of this article, you will better understand how to outline a photo in Photoshop and will share other methods so you can choose what works best for your needs.
What Is an Image Outline In Photoshop?
In Photoshop, an image outline is a line drawn around the edges of an image’s selected object or area. It is usually visible when working on an image and can help you see the edges of the selected object more clearly. It is common to convert a digital photo to a line drawing. The way to do it is to make paths around the areas you want to outline.
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When Is It Necessary to Use Object Outlining?
Outlining is a vital step for any photoshop work. It is the first step in every image editing process because it makes the final image look better. Here, we’ll explain why an outline on an image object is necessary.
To Change A Color
An essential aspect of image editing is altering the object’s color. A picture must have the right color to make it look good. Occasionally, the acquired images need to have the correct color ambiance. That’s why it’s essential to outline the image to indicate where to apply the effect.
Image Highlighting
There are instances when emphasizing one thing is necessary to explain the overall point. When there are a lot of similar objects in the image, and we have to choose one of them, we need to highlight them. Object highlighting can also make an image object look more elegant. You can highlight bodies and things with bright, colorful lines with outlining.
Taking Objects Out Of Pictures
Outlining the object is also required when erasing something from an image. A clipping path removes an object from an image by drawing a vector path around it and taking things out of pictures that don’t belong there.
The clipping path method is best because it is a non-destructive way to get rid of things that work well, no matter how complicated the object is. In a clipping path, a pro has to use a Photoshop pen tool to draw a vector outline. The pen tool works like a pen that outlines an image.
Image Background Removal
An image’s background has a significant role in its overall aesthetic appeal. The background removal of an image may make or break its overall aesthetic. So, it’s very important to keep it related to the subject.
Everyone knows that white backgrounds are best for online store images. As a result, many online stores use outlines in images to create an outline around the object and cut it out of the image.
Text Outline
One more Photoshop illustration of outlining an item is a text outline. You can use outlines to display texts artistically and elegantly. The fashionable typeface is consistently eye-catching and visually appealing.
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How To Outline An Image In Photoshop
Step 1: Open Photoshop and import the image. You can do that in two ways. You can select the image to open it by going to FILE > OPEN. Or you can click and drag the picture in Photoshop.
Step 2: Press CTRL+J to make a copy of the layer.
Step 3: Make a selection around the image you want to outline. Scroll down on the Properties panel and click the “Select Subject” button. With just one click, you can quickly make a selection around any object in your picture that stands out, or you can choose your subject by using tools like the polygon or magnetic lasso.
Step 4: After you’ve chosen your subject, Photoshop’s selection and unique mask workspace will allow you to focus on your choices. Once you select a tool, the button to enter this workspace will show on the toolbar.
Step 5: When satisfied with your selection, click the layer mask option and choose your working layer.
Doing so will generate a layer mask from your selection, effectively masking out the background and revealing only the selected area. If you hide the original layer and look only at the masked one, you can verify the mask works. You can adjust each layer’s visibility by clicking its “eye” icon. also, read photoshop masking service.
Step 6: You can make a layer mask by selecting ‘layer mask’ from the ‘output to’ drop-down menu at the panel’s bottom.
Step 7: You can access the layer styles by double-clicking the masked layer. To add a stroke, select it from the menu and adjust its color, size (thickness), and other features to your liking.
Step 8: Set ‘position’ to ‘outside’ so the outline doesn’t cut into the image.
How to Make Multiple Outlines in Photoshop
Step 1: If you double-click on your masked layer, you will see the panel where you can adjust its appearance.
Step 2: To add another stroke layer to the layer style, click the + sign next to the Stroke option. The new stroke layer is an exact copy of the old one.
Step 3: Make it visually distinct from the original by using a different hue and larger dimensions. To make the newly added stroke layer visible, you must make the new stroke size larger or reduce the size of the previous stroke.
Step 4: After adding a few strokes around your image using the Plus button, you can make those strokes bigger and change the color as you go.
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How To Create An Outline In Photoshop Around The Entire Image
Step 1: To add an outline around the entire image or a frame, double-click the layer you wish to frame to get the layer style menu without making a selection first.
Step 2: Choose “Layer Style” from the Layer menu.
Step 3: Select “Stroke” from the Layer Style menu.
Step 4: In the Stroke settings, choose the size, color, and position of the outline. You can also align the outline to the center, inside, or outside of the layer.
Step 5: This time, you have the position option set to “inside.” Otherwise, the canvas will cover the stroke, making it invisible. Photoshop allows you to choose the color and thickness of the frame, making it an ideal tool for this purpose. also, read the best photoshop image retouching service.
Remember, these methods will only create an outline around the entire image if the layer you are working on is the same size as the image. The outline will only cover the layer if it is less than the image.
How To Outline A Picture Perfectly In Adobe Photoshop:
Use High Contrast Images For Best Results:
The resulting outlines may need a cleaner if the original image is blurry or has low contrast. And it works best on images with clear lines and high contrast.
Use The Pen Tool For Precise Control
If you want to create a specific type of outline, such as one that follows the contours of an object, use the Pen Tool to draw a path around the image. Then, use the Stroke Path command to stroke the path with the desired size and color.
Create A New Layer For The Outline
If you are using the Stroke layer style, it’s a good idea to create a new layer for the outline. It will allow you to adjust the outline independently from the original image and make it easier to modify or remove later.
Use The Options In The Stroke Settings For Alignment
The Stroke layer style has options to align the outline to the center, inside, or outside of the layer. It can help create different types of outlines, such as the one just inside the edge of the image or centered on the layer.
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Things to Avoid When Outlining An Image In Photoshop:
Don’t Overdo It With The Image Trace Settings:
If you are working with Image Trace Settings while adjusting the settings, be careful not to overdo it. If the settings are set too high, the resulting outlines may be too thick or too detailed, making the image look cluttered.
Don’t Forget To Expand The Image Trace
Don’t forget to expand the image trace by going to the Object menu and choosing “Expand.” It will convert the traced outlines into regular shapes that can be edited and modified.
Don’t Delete The Original Image Layer Prematurely
If you are using the Stroke layer style to create an outline, keep the original image layer until you are happy with the outline. You will lose the ability to refine the outline after deleting the original layer.
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Things to Avoid When Outlining An Image In Photoshop:
Don’t Overdo It With The Image Trace Settings:
If you are working with Image Trace Settings while adjusting the settings, be careful not to overdo it. If the settings are set too high, the resulting outlines may be too thick or too detailed, making the image look cluttered.
Don’t Forget To Expand The Image Trace
Don’t forget to expand the image trace by going to the Object menu and choosing “Expand.” It will convert the traced outlines into regular shapes that can be edited and modified.
Don’t Delete The Original Image Layer Prematurely
If you are using the Stroke layer style to create an outline, keep the original image layer until you are happy with the outline. You will lose the ability to refine the outline after deleting the original layer.
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FAQs
Conclusion
It’s easy to learn how to outline an image in Photoshop once you know how to use the layer style panel and the stroke options. you can aslo watch this video.
This method simplifies the process and allows for more precise control over the outline’s dimensions. The best part is that you can add new effects like gradients, patterns, and stroke colors from the layer style panel.
