Masking Hair in Photoshop CS3
CATEGORIES: Tutorials, Photoshop, Digital Photography, Video Tutorials | Chris Alvanas | May 20, 2008
Masking hair is one of the harder challenges faced when you want to move a subject from one background to another. Here are two techniques for getting this done.
This video requires Adobe Flash Player.
Visitor Comments
Jaline | May 22, 2008 16:26pm
I am sure this is good tutorial. Too bad you can't hear it. However the opening splash screen is very. That is alway important.
Bobby | May 20, 2008 22:03pm
Love it
Mark G. | May 21, 2008 03:36am
The intro audio for all of your videos is freaking ridiculously loud and unnecessary. Decent tutorial though.
Dorn | May 21, 2008 09:59am
Agree. The sounds was pretty bad. But great source!
Jesse | May 21, 2008 15:31pm
You guys are working on the sound right? Great tutorial otherwise.
D. McMillan | May 21, 2008 22:18pm
So far, it's a nice screen. Will something show up on it soon? I hope so. I've been waiting 20 minutes....and still nothing. Works great otherwise!
Richard Oleck | May 22, 2008 15:11pm
Video works fine here, audio too. Er well had to turn it up after turning down the blasto music intro. The intro music woke the dog & his fleas up.
Good tutorial
keith | May 22, 2008 19:31pm
wonderful tutorial :-)
Mchilly | May 23, 2008 00:37am
Thanks for the tutorial. Sorry, but that background is pretty hideous...looks like a tie dye nightmare. That said I liked the calculation (blend) work.
ALSO! Why! Would so many people comment on the freaking audio? Simmer down nerds...check back later.
ryan | May 23, 2008 03:35am
intro sound is damn loud but almost you cannot hear the voice in actual tutorial!
migz | May 23, 2008 04:09am
Thanx, great tutorial, but I agree with Ryan, the background you've chosen is horrible!
Jean-Sien | May 24, 2008 15:12pm
The tutorial was very helpful. The sound was low, but just bumping it up all the way I heard it just fine. If you can't really hear it you can always hook up your computer to speakers!
phamala | May 25, 2008 04:15am
Can't hear it either!!
Hope volume is corrected soon.
Eileen | May 25, 2008 13:08pm
Just as the video tutorial was getting interesting, it cut off to an advertisement for Layers Magazine and would not go back!!! Very annoying.
Gerard Clark | May 26, 2008 21:10pm
May 27-Brilliant information! No sound problems or ad probs my end.
Well done and thanks
John | May 27, 2008 14:01pm
Too bad you don't have someone familiar with sound booth so you could adjust the intro audio level.
craig | May 28, 2008 13:27pm
Dear Viewers:
I know that many of you were having issues with the sound in this video tutorial. I contacted the tutorial’s author, Chris Alvanas, and he sent a new copy of the video with higher sound levels and some bonus information. Sorry about the problems with the original. Thank you for the feedback.
Web Editor - Layers
Web Editor | May 19, 2008 13:53pm
Use headphones to hear it. Nice tut, but a little long winded. Some of us don't have a lot of time to listen to a lot of jibba jabber.
Fred Sampson | May 29, 2008 17:42pm
Details of the hard light layer that you briefly mention would make an informative tutorial alone. Ay chance that we could find out how you achieve this?
Nick | May 31, 2008 11:03am
Nice tutorial. Tell people to get speakers and turn down their T.V.'s
Shawn | June 02, 2008 00:01am
Very informative, very helpful!!
Thank you
Julie Marmor | June 02, 2008 09:38am
Chris, I have 2 of your DVD's...I just love them. Regarding your audio, don't put the mic right in front of your mouth, place it to the side of your mouth. When you pronounce words that start with B or P, your mouth let's out a burst of air called "plosives" and that burst of air overdrives the audio signal and distorts. Place the mic to the side of your mouth and your audio will sound amazing! Also, normalize your audio track and that'll make it sound even better. Keep up the great work!!!
Dean | June 02, 2008 18:46pm
Why are so many people ungrateful? You get a free tutorial.All you do is complain, complain, complain! Be thankful that we have these kinds of resources online for free. Take what you want from this turorial and stop whining! Thanks you to Chris for making an informal video. :)
Liza | June 18, 2008 14:51pm
really great and easy to follow. I like how you took a very hard subject and simplified it. thx
Jane k. | July 22, 2008 22:50pm
nicely done, great tutorial helpful
Henry Osias | June 05, 2008 09:07am
i like this effect
some1ulike | June 06, 2008 04:57am
Wow, what a great technique - and to think how long I've spent trying to figure out hair cut-outs!
Thanks.
John Gauld | June 06, 2008 07:44am
Very good tut...best one I've seen for masking hair.
Celeste | June 09, 2008 17:42pm
I enjoyed this tutorial. Sound was fine too. Thank you
Frances Waltman | June 12, 2008 15:57pm
Excellent!
Ril | June 13, 2008 08:29am
very nice tutorial, just divine you hear.. but tooooooooooooo loooong, u can explain us more in less time i think!!!!!
Chriz | July 02, 2008 13:59pm
the problem i had is that I couldn't add a drop shadow to the head after it popped through the mask
mark | July 02, 2008 01:53am
I guess you could go one step further and use the mask to cut the image?
Mark | July 02, 2008 02:17am
FOrget the sound, man this was a great tutorial
Larry D | June 15, 2008 16:59pm
Great tutorial! Long enough but not too long, although, as long as you tell me why you're doing something or not doing something make it as long as you need to. Although the audio needed adjustment for my taste, a quick flick of the finger solved that problem. Thanks.
Paul | July 16, 2008 07:02am
This is very useful for professionals because we have the time and zeal for learning but are short of time to go to any Institute for the same. In this regard you guys are really excellent and of great help.
Please tell me how I can get tutorial (CD or DVD).
Please tell me price also
Rajesh Gulati | July 16, 2008 06:44am
not bad..its professional work..but its so long...it can be showed i think in 4 minutes....
ARCH | June 30, 2008 16:39pm
Great tut. Learned a lot!
solhaven | July 11, 2008 00:55am
Great work. Is there a place to get fake eyes to change the eye coors?
Mikeal | July 10, 2008 15:47pm
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- Using Presets - July 24
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- Clone Overlay Source - July 22
- Clone Source Palette - July 21
- Detailed Erasing - July 18










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