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3 easy ways to remove edge fringes in Photoshop. Halo removal on cutout edges.


How to get rid of the black or white edge around a cutout in Photoshop

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After you cut out or mask an image in Photoshop, it’s common to have black or white fringes or just jaggy around the edges. Here I’ll show you 3 ways to get rid of them. Make sure to watch the video if you can because it has a lot more tips and detail than these written instruction.

 

When you make the cutout, you should do it with a layer mask, don’t erase the background. (How to cut out an image in Photoshop)

Click on the layer mask.

Method 1 (Use levels to clean a mask edge in Photoshop)

Step 1

Click on the layer mask.

Step 2

Press Ctrl/Cmd+ for Levels

Take the black slider on the left and move it towards the right until the edge is nice and clean.

Method 2 (Minimum filter)

Step 1

Click on the layer mask.

Step 2

Filter>Other>Minimum

Step 3.

Increase the radius until the edge is clean.

See the video for more details on this including when to use Maximum and what square vs rounded does.

Method 3 (Selectively clean the edge in Photoshop)

The other methods are global, meaning all the edge is adjusted at once.
This 3rd method is a local method, so you can paint away your edges where you want. This is a good option when hair is part of the selection. The other 2 methods will make loose hair disappear, this will let you save it.

Step 1

Ctrl/Cmd + Click on the layer mask to load the selection.

Step 2

Choose Select>Modify>Contract

Contract Selection by 1 pixel

This will shrink the selection

Step 3

Choose Select>Modify>Feather enter a setting of 1.

Step 4

Press Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+I to inverse the selection

Now everything outside the image is selected with a single pixel on the inside of the image edge.

Step 5

Choose Black as the foreground color (Press D key)

Select the brush tool for the toolbox.

Choose a soft edge, 100% opacity and normal mode

Step 6

Click on the layer mask

Press Cmd/Ctrl+H to hide the selection (On mac it might ask if you want to hide Photoshop or extras. Choose extras)

Pain on the edges and watch the edge halos disappear!

 

I hope you enjoyed this week’s tutorial and you are now able to make those edges look nice. Look around, there are a lot of useful tutorials here at the CAFE and I make a new one every week.

 

Great to see you here at the CAFE

Colin

 

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(Ive been posting some fun Instagram and Facebook Stories lately)

You can get my free Layer Blending modes ebook here

 

PHOTOSHOP CC SELECTION SECRETS

NEW COURSE BY COLIN SMITH

Stop struggling with selections. Learn how to select and cut out anything from people, hair, trees, complex shapes and even transparency.
Discover how to get perfect edges, without halos and jaggies. Colin shows you exactly how in 18 lessons.
All the images are included for you to follow along.
You will be able to select and cut out anything: faster and cleaner. 

selections and masks in Photoshop CC

MORE INFO HERE

 

 

 

 


25 responses to “3 easy ways to remove edge fringes in Photoshop. Halo removal on cutout edges.”

  1. I did NOT know these methods! I’m a long-time Photoshop user. This has been driving me crazy. I am SO GLAD you showed us these 3 tricks! Now I can stop using the painstakingly slow method of selecting objects that I’ve been using!

  2. I love that you have offered us the ‘printed’ version as well as a video. I know they must take time to make, but for the recipient, they are so much faster to access and take in–as well as faster to go back to for a refresher! You just go to the part you need reminding about. Thanks so much Colin!
    -Mary

    • I try to have them for every tutorial. occasionaly I may miss one because of time. But I plan to go back over thouse and do written steps as time allows

  3. I knew methods 1 & 2, but the third is a game-changer. What a superb resource there is in the PhotoShop Cafe! Great tips, well taught. Thanks again Colin.

  4. Hi Colin. Love your tutorials. I loved your methods to create the smooth edges and cutouts. Thanks so much.

  5. Thank you, Colin! Great tutorial. I think I don’t remember seeing these tutorials. Only the ones with the common masking thing. But these are fast, efficient and extremely practical. Glad you’re here for us. Keep up the great work. Hoping you are doing great and and great health.

  6. Knew about minimize (from a prior lesson of yours), but not the other two techniques. These are extremely helpful, thanks, Colin!

  7. At the beginning of this tutorial you mentioned your video on using layer masks. I’ve gone through all 14 pages of your listed tutorials and I cannot find one with that particular title. Which one of your tutorials would it be?

    Many thanks for all your excellent tutorials.

  8. Hey Colin,
    I never knew what the Minimize setting did, even though I had clicked on it out of curiosity, probably when it would not do anything I could notice. Thanks also for the Level method. I think that works a little more subtle and softer. The third technique is a lot like the way I figured out after trying many things that I knew might work.
    Pete

  9. Hey Colin, WOW! thanks the tut was great. I knew about one of them. My go to with the selection tool and using the modify, feather and inverse worked best for me. thanks again brother. I do want to ask in some of the process the steps I am not as familiar with and when you explain I am lost with the explanation. there is much work that goes into your tutorial and adding more steps-well I do not want to increase that load. but is it something you can consider? thanks. – Jesse

  10. Hey Colin, WOW! thanks the tut was great. I knew about one of them. My go to with the selection tool and using the modify, feather and inverse worked best for me. thanks again brother. I do want to ask, in some of the process the steps I am not as familiar with and when you explain I am lost with the explanation. there is much work that goes into your tutorial and adding more steps-well I do not want to increase that load. but is it something you can consider? thanks. – Jesse

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