BEGINNERS’ WORKSHOPKELBYONE.COMSTEP TWO: First, we need to select
the hair, so choose Select>Select and
Mask. In the workspace that opens,
set the Properties panel’s View menu
(circled) to Marching Ants (M) and in
the Options Bar, click Select Subject.
Now adjust the selection as necessary
using the Quick Selection tool (W, also
circled). Use the Options Bar to set
brush size (circled) to slightly smaller
than the area you need to select or
deselect (the size of the area Photoshop
analyzes and selects is proportionate to
the brush size). To add an area to the
selection, click-and-drag (note the plus
sign on the cursor at the lower right).
To subtract an area—her skin in this
example—Option-click-and-drag (PC:
Alt-click-and-drag) instead (a minus
sign appears on the cursor).
STEP THREE: In the Properties panel,
make sure the Refine Mode is set to
Object Aware, turn on Smart Radius
(circled) and set the Radius slider to
3 px (try 1 px on the Adobe preview
image). Press R to grab the Refine
Edge brush tool (also circled) and drag
across any wispy hairs or areas where
you can see skin through hair. When
you’re finished, choose New Layer with
Layer Mask (circled) from the Output
To drop-down menu and click OK.
Note: For more on using the Select
and Mask workspace, click here for
my “Beginners’ Workshop” article in the
December 2020 issue of Photoshop User.