Clipping path refers to a vector-based outline or shape through Photoshop pen tool. The key purpose of this photo editing technique is to remove busy backgrounds from an image and create a transparent one, or apply digital manipulation on images. Image masking is a non-destructive digital image manipulation technique to remove backgrounds, apply effects, and other editing without affecting other parts of the image.
Clipping path vs. image masking: both are effective image editing techniques. But what are the key differences between the two? In this article, we’ll break down the differences so that you can choose the best photo editing technique that is best suited for your business or brand.
What Is a Clipping Path?
A clipping path or “deep etching” is the digital image processing technique to cut out a subject from its background by drawing vector paths with the Photoshop Pen tool. A closed path acts as a boundary – what part of the image will be visible and what will be hidden or removed. This edge-by-edge photo editing is useful when the subject of the image has straightforward edges, like electronics, boxes, simple accessories, garments, etc. You can clip paths in two ways: manually and using AI. A manually drawn clipping path offers control, flexibility, and precision, which is reflected in sales. AI image cutout tools have benefits like speed and ease of use but may lack a professional touch.
E-commerce sellers, studio owners, print and advertising agencies, and individuals use clipping paths for its versatility and other reasons as follows:
- Precise background removal.
- Sharp, clear edges and professional product images.
- No change to loss of image quality.
- Non-destructive workflow.
- Consistency cutouts add benefits across different digital platforms.
- Save time and improve search engine optimization (SEO).
What are the Different Types of Clipping Paths?
There are five types of clipping paths based on complexity: basic clipping path, simple clipping path, medium clipping path, complex clipping path, and super complex clipping path. Below, we’ve highlighted all different types with industrial benefits:
Basic clipping path
A basic clipping path is a fundamental image editing technique that is applied on a closed vector path or outline created around a specific object or subject to cut out from the background. Anything outside the path is “clipped out” or hidden to place the object on a different background. It works best for simple shapes (i.e., books, phones, shoes, bags, etc.), clear boundaries, and objects without intricate curves, holes, or complex edges.
Industries that need basic clipping paths: Online retailers, photography, ad agencies, marketing firms, fashion, and apparel require basic clipping path services.
Simple clipping path
A simple clipping path involves creating a clean, precise outline around a subject with simple, smooth edges using a pen tool in Adobe Photoshop. This editing technique works best for straight edges, smooth curves, and minimal details like books, furniture, apparel, electronics, etc.
Industries that need simple clipping paths: Fashion industry, manufacturing, packaging, graphic design, etc.
Medium clipping path
A medium clipping path is applied when isolating objects with moderately complex shapes or objects with multiple curves and edges. It requires more detailed work compared to a simple path. For example, toys with detailed edges or small parts, cameras, pendants, decorative elements, etc.
Industries that need medium clipping paths: Electronics and technology, food and beverage, automotive industry, etc.
Complex clipping path
A complex clipping path is another photo editing technique that creates a highly detailed and precise path around an object. It is applied to complicated shapes, multiple holes, or fine details, such as fur, jewelry photographs, trees, chains, apparel textures, and so on.
Industries that need complex clipping paths: Real estate, industrial and manufacturing, automotive, etc.
Super complex clipping path
A super complex clipping path is used for complex edges like fine hair, lace, transparent objects, etc. Unlike simple or basic clipping paths, super-complex editing techniques represent product or service details. It is an important photo editing technique when multiple objects overlap and must be isolated individually.
Industries that need super complex clipping paths: Apparel industry, jewelry products, architecture photographs, indoor photography, etc.
However, there are three types of clipping paths based on layer usage: single-layer clipping path, multi-layer clipping path, and Illustrator clipping path.
Single layer clipping path
A single-layer clipping path is a simple path created on one layer with the Pen tool in Photoshop. This is useful when you need to remove or change the background for subjects with straight, simple edges, etc.
Multi-layer clipping path
Multi-layer clipping paths are created with the Pen tool in Photoshop to extract multiple parts of an image. This is an advanced type of clipping path used to separate each part of a photo and is particularly useful for retouchers, especially to color correct sections of the image.
Illustrator clipping nath
Photoshop isn’t the only software or app you can use to create clipping masks. Adobe Illustrator also has its own path and mask tools. Referred to as Clipping Masks in Illustrator, this tool allows you to cut out portions of an image into a specific shape.
What Is Image Masking?
Image masking is a non-destructive photo editing technique used in photo editing and graphic design to isolate or separate specific areas of an image without affecting the original data. Adobe Photoshop has several tools to mask an image, such as the Brush Tool, Eraser Tool, selection tools (the Marquee Tool, the Quick Selection Tool, the Lasso Tool, and the Magic Wand Tool), and the Gradient Tool.
Image masking has the following advantages in e-commerce product photography, the advertising and marketing industry, graphic design agencies, print and publishing media, and the fashion industry.
- Offers control over both the visible and hidden parts
- Allows application of selective visibility
- Ensures flexibility and reversibility in the process
As it is a raster-based editing process, masking takes grayscale images, and different shades of gray showcase the transparency level. For example,
- Shades of gray show partially transparent parts in the image.
- White displays completely visible parts in the image.
- Blackness exhibits the hidden parts in the image.
What are the Different Types of Image masking?
Different types of image masking are as follows:
Layer masks
A layer mask is a masking type that controls the transparency level’s visibility of a specific part in a layer. This masking technique is applied to specific areas in the image, such as brightening the main subject in your image without affecting its surroundings or altering a certain color without affecting similar colors inside the photo composition.
Alpha channel masks
An alpha channel masking or raster masking is a method controlling the transparency level within an image. Alpha channels are used to make difficult selections, such as subjects with detailed edges like fur, fabric, and hair or photos with busy backgrounds. This masking technique is found in the channels section of any editing software that has layers. There are three main channels, red, green, and blue, that allow different grayscale versions of images.
Gradient masks
Gradient masking is the type of masking that creates seamless transitions between visible and non-visible areas of a layer by applying smooth gradients. It is used for blending layers, applying selective adjustment in a non-destructive way, creating fading effects, and adding new objects to images without making them look unnatural. Gradient masks are mostly used in landscape photography, portrait photography, and wildlife photography for creative photo manipulation.
Clipping masks
A clipping mask is a group of layers where the mask is applied. The process needs at least 2 layers, one layer to control the visibility of another layer. It controls the visibility of layer or layer groups. Clipping mask is simple to use and applicable for applying simple and complex effects.
Translucent & Transparency Masking
Translucent masking is the method of creating a semi-visible effect on the subject creating a blurry view similar to glass, water, etc. Transparent masking is the process of completely displaying the background with no visual barrier. This effect is required to remove backgrounds or create cutouts.
Collage Masking
Collage masking is the technique of masking several images. First, several subjects are extracted from their respective backgrounds and then they are combined above a uniform background. The application of collage masking creates a result of a natural-looking single image.
Vector Masking
Vector masking is a resolution-independent and non-destructive process of masking to show or hide anything in the image. By using a Pen Tool or Shape Tool, this mask can be created on subjects with hard surfaces. Compared to pixel-based tools, vector masking is way more accurate, that’s why this masking can be reshaped without decreasing image quality.
Quick Masking
Quick masking is the process of speedy creation and editing of selection work in Photoshop. Quick masking is created by using the Magnetic Lasso Tool or Quick Selection Tool. Selecting an area with quick masking will appear as a semi-opaque red color to differentiate the selected and non-selected areas.
Channel Masking
Channel masking is the process of isolating and manipulating the color channels applied to complex images. It creates a transparency mask and allows adjusting color grade, hue, brightness saturation, and different types of effects.
Color Range Masking
Color range masking refers to creating a selection or isolation of specific colors within an image through Photoshop and Lightroom, allowing for targeted adjustments. Its key goal is to modify or enhance specific color tones in an image without affecting other colors and areas.
Luminosity Masking
Luminosity masking in digital image editing allows for precise adjustments to specific tonal ranges within an image, target highlights, mid-tones, or shadows without affecting other areas. This masking is created via selections based on the tonal values of an image. It is ideal to enhance highlight and shadow detail, create more natural-looking blends, and isolate specific areas for more precision color adjustments..
Refine Edge Masks
Refine edge masking is a set of tools and a dedicated environment that is used for creating and refining masks. It is used for improving selections that have tricky borders, like hair, feathers, or fur. Adjusting feathering, smoothness, and contrast, you can refine the edge transition for a cleaner, more natural result to apply for a mask.
What are the Differences Between Clipping Path and Image Masking in Photoshop?
The key differences between clipping path and image masking in Photoshop are different cutout methods, applications, and precision. Take a look at the comprehensive table comparing clipping path vs image masking:
| Feature | Clipping Path | Image Masking |
| Clipping path is a vector-based editing technique | Image masking is a vector and raster-based image editing technique |
| Uses the Pen tool to create precise paths | Uses layer masks, brushes, and selection tools for detailed edge refinement |
| Best for simple-shaped, clear-edged objects (i.e., rectangular or smooth shapes) | Ideal for soft, irregular, or transparent edges (i.e., hair, fur, etc) |
| Applied on hard or sharp objects | Suitable for both hard and sharp objects |
| No partial transparency | Preserves transparency (hair, glass, etc.) |
| Faster for simple shapes | Slower but more precise for details |
| Suitable for vector-supporting files like PDF, AI, and EPS. | The best formats that preserve layers are PSD and TIFF. |
| E-commerce products, logos, etc. | portraits, fur, jewelry, etc. |
When to Use Clipping Path vs. Masking
You should use clipping path vs. masking for different business purposes including:
Clipping paths are useful for:
- Product photography (E-commerce): To remove or replace the background of product images (e.g., white background for Amazon, eBay, or Shopify). It ensures a clean, professional look for catalogs and ads.
- Print & Packaging Design: Ideal to use in brochures, magazines, die-cutting for labels, stickers, and product packaging designs where precise cutouts are needed.
- Logo & Graphic Design: It is useful to extract logos or icons from complex backgrounds and ensures transparency (PNG) for use on different backgrounds.
- Advertising & Marketing Materials: For creating visually appealing ads with isolated objects. Used in banners, billboards, and social media ads.
- Photo Retouching & Manipulation: Useful in fashion photography for magazine covers to separate subjects from backgrounds for compositing (e.g., placing a model in a different scene).
- Web & App Design: To create clean, transparent images for websites and mobile apps. Helps in UI/UX design where overlays are needed.
Image masking is useful for:
- Background removal: Masking allows precise removal of backgrounds, especially for complex shapes like hair or fur, making it ideal for product photography and portrait editing.
- Selective adjustments: It enables adjustments to specific areas, such as enhancing the sky in a landscape or refining facial features in portraits, while leaving other parts untouched.
- Composite effects: Masking is essential for blending elements from different images seamlessly to create artistic compositions or advertisements.
- Creating effects: Ideal for preserving natural shadows or reflections for a realistic composite.
- Non-destructive editing: Apply image masking to only part of an image without affecting the original image.
Advantages and Limitations
The key advantages and limitations of clipping path and image masking are as follows:
Advantages and Disadvantages of clipping path:
Pros:
- Clipping paths can be used for creative cropping, shadow adjustments, object manipulations, and other editing.
- Best for solid, well-defined shapes.
- Non-destructive vector-based.
- Clean & polished cutouts.
- Maintain consistency.
Cons:
- Not compatible with complex edges.
- Time-consuming for detailed shapes.
Advantages and Disadvantages of image masking:
Pros:
- Perfect for hair, fur, and transparent objects.
- Edited or removed without losing original pixels.
- Allows soft & gradual transitions.
- Preserves shadows & highlights.
- Flexible editing.
Cons:
- Complex and demand expert manual editing.
- Time-consuming.
Professional Services for Clipping Path & Masking
Professional services for clipping path and masking offer different image editing solutions like isolating objects from backgrounds using vector path, alpha channel masking, hair and fur masking, reflection or shadow masking, and so on.
E-commerce sellers, product photographers, and fashion brands outsource professional clipping path services and Photoshop masking services from a reputed clipping path company to get pixel-perfect product photos within an estimated time. If you want to outsource from freelancers, you might face difficulties in handling bulk photo retouching techniques. Other benefits of outsourcing from professionals are:
- Professional quality: Photo editing experts deliver flawless cutouts and natural-looking masking with clean edges. They handle complex details like hair strands, fur, or transparent objects with their advanced techniques that fit on different e-commerce platforms, catalogs, or advertising campaigns.
- Fast turnaround time: Outsourcing from a clipping path service provider guarantees quick delivery times (within 24 hours), even for bulk orders. Whether it’s seasonal promotions or urgent product launches, you’ll get polished images without compromising quality.
- Consistency: Professionals follow brand guidelines to maintain consistency among edited images. This is important for industries like e-commerce, fashion, and so on, where visuals play a vital role.
- Cost effective: Outsourcing reduces extra operational costs like further photoshoots, photo editing software costs, in-house labor costs, etc. That means you get enough time to invest in your company’s growth.
Final Verdict
Clipping path vs. masking – both have their vital importance in the process of photo retouching and provide high-quality visuals that fulfill brands’ and businesses’ needs. So, if you are looking for professional clipping path and masking services, outsource from a renowned post-processing company and get high-quality results every time.