Clipping path and photo masking are common photoshop techniques to remove the background or isolate the object from an image. Both have the same purpose: removing the background, but the difference is in the editing process to apply different treatments based on the image’s requirements. Every product demands the editing that best fits and grabs customers’ attention. If you are the one who uses images to engage customers, especially in eCommerce, it’s likely that the question: do I need clipping path solutions or photo masking solutions? crossed your mind. Let’s walk into the discussion below and get determined what you exactly need.
What is a Clipping Path?
Clipping path is a photoshop technique that uses the pen tool to remove the unwanted background or objects from an image. Typically, the clipping path provider wraps the product or object around with the clipping path, cuts it out, and replaces it with a clean background or saves it as transparent background.
The clipping path technique works well when the image has straight lines and sharp and smooth edges. Customers zoom in on the images to notice every corner of the product or object, that’s why the clipping path must be aware of it when editing. If the clipping paths are drawn precisely, the image will look more natural and realistic and can engage more customers.
Clipping Path Types
Clipping an image can be done in three ways, each of which can be used on different types of images. Let’s look at how the different clipping processes work.
Single Layer Clipping Path
As the name implies, a single-layer clipping path involves using the pen tool in Photoshop to create paths in the same layer of an image. This is the simplest and most fundamental method for removing or changing an image’s background.
Clipping Path with Multiple Layers
Using hand tools in Photoshop, a multi-layer clipping path can be used to change the background or a specific portion of an image. A multi-layer clipping path is typically used when an image contains two or more subjects.
Clipping Path in Illustrator
An illustrator clipping path creates a vector path around the subject to resize an image without affecting its resolution. This is also known as a non-destructive image processing method.
What Is Photo Masking?
Photo masking does the same job as the clipping path: removing the background. Generally, it uses the background eraser tool, magic eraser tool, and color separation technique to mask an image.
Image masking is needed when the image has complex objects that the clipping path technique can’t accomplish. For example, if your images have lots of fine lines and small details like fuzz on a sweater, curves on jewelry, and hair on a model, they need photo masking to fine-tune and make them look real and perfect.
In photo masking, the more complex the images are the more advanced techniques it needs to ultimately find the images more appealing.
Difference Between Clipping Path and Photo Masking
Though clipping path and photo masking technique have no difference in purpose, they do the task with different processes to get different results. Here’s what are the differences you should look at before deciding on either clipping path solutions or photo masking solutions.
- Clipping path is the best option when your images have sharp, smooth edges and photo masking works well when your images contain countless curves, fuzz, and hairs.
- Clipping path edits your images with the Photoshop pen tool to remove backgrounds and make the images look realistic. On the other hand, the photo masking solutions use a combination of photo masking techniques to fine-tune the complex image more precisely to look perfect as it’s seen through the eyes.
- The clipping path method is fast and more accurate and can produce lots of images within a short period. And photo masking takes time as it needs to deal with countless curves, intricate edges, and lines. If any photo masking solutions have an efficient team, they also can produce both the quality and quantity within the time.
- In the clipping path, the product or object is simply wrapped and cut out, and replaced with a new background or left transparent while photo masking is done through hiding and revealing techniques.
Do I Need Clipping Path or Photo Masking?
You already got the insight about clipping paths and photo masking. Now you can decide on your own which service you should go through. But here’s the thing
If you are an e-Commerce owner you need both clipping path and photo masking based on what exists on your images. If your products have smooth edges such as water bottles, tables, chairs, and balls, the clipping path performs high-quality editing and makes your products look realistic, clean, and attractive.
But, if your products include complex objects like fuzz on sweaters, it needs photo masking techniques to make them look real and eye-catching. Take a look at the image above that the fuzz couldn’t be caught through clipping paths and the image looks unnatural.
In model photographs, you must go through a hair masking service that makes the model look more polite and beautiful. However, the clipping path can’t provide the ultimate solutions when your model photos include hairs or any complex objects.
Why It Is Important to Hire a Clipping Path or Photo Masking Provider
Whether you need images for E-commerce, photography, or advertising, you must produce quality images so they can grab customers’ attention and lead them to purchase. Clipping path solutions or photo masking solutions make your dreams come true: achieving your business goal through high-quality images that creates positive impressions.
But the clipping path or photo masking requires impeccable skills and extensive time to fine-tune images that might not be possible on your own when you have other important things to do. That’s why a post-production processing company comes into play. There are countless reasons why it is important to hire a clipping path company or a photo masking company.
Increased brand values
In today’s competitive world, everything is visualized and the more attractive your images are the more it grabs customers’ attention. No matter where you want to use the images, almost every platform has one thing in common: attractive images. To increase the brand value, you need images that are retouched and highly edited to make them look natural and appealing.
Increased sales
With the edited images, you can acquire more sales. Because images that catch the customers’ eye can lead them to purchase. Customers buy products when they seem to be right by looking with their own eyes and touching with their own hands. But, In online, customers want to look at the product image from different angles and zoom in to get every corner of the product.
Win the competition
It’s easy to say that e-commerce has been booming over the last couple of years. If you have highly edited images that others don’t, most buyers will likely visit your site and purchase. So clipping path or photo masking plays an important role to fine-tune images even if they are complex and contain lots of unwanted objects.
The Final Words
If you ever wondered: do I need a clipping path or a photo masking provider? The entire discussion above answers all doubts about clipping path and photo masking. However, what you need to consider is to look at what your images demand when making decisions about whether you need clipping path solutions or photo masking solutions. Once you get the point of what service you need, then you must check the quality of the service provider so it doesn’t ruin your entire plan.
About UCP’s Clipping path and photo masking
solutions
Clipping path
The global e-commerce market is predicted to grow to $4.89 trillion by 2021, and demand for product photography and clipping path solutions is expected to skyrocket. As a professional clipping path provider, UK Clipping Path plays a critical role all over the world. If you’re seeking professional clipping path solutions, we’ve got your back.
We offer a bulk discount for bulk photographs, regardless of how many you need to retouch; in fact, you can get all of your images altered in under 4 hours. It’s difficult to distinguish in today’s crowded e-commerce market. We, on the other hand, make it happen. Our professional clipping path ensures that your product photographs are realistic and natural in appearance.
Photo masking
If your photographs have a lot of curves, complicated edges, and lines, what should you do? With our photo masking services, you can say goodbye to wasting time. Our highly-skilled crew knows the latest techniques to conceal complicated visuals such as smoke, hair, feathers, flames, cloth, and more, whether your studio deals with e-commerce, modeling, or any other event.
Quality and commitment are essential for keeping a high-level business standard, thus we’ve been effective in upholding quality and honoring every pledge we’ve made. As a result, we were given a fantastic opportunity to collaborate with some of the world’s most well-known businesses. Furthermore, we have a talented, devoted, and courteous staff of specialists. They collaborate closely with clients to meet their needs. Do you have photographs that require photo masking? Request a free trial and see what level of quality and commitment we can provide.
