Unmesh Dinda 0:00 Turns out that JPEG files can retain transparency
information indirectly.
Yes, I know what you're thinking.
This video is not a clickbait.
And when I got to know about this, it literally knocked my socks off.
But before we jump into this amazing discovery, let us cover a little bit of the background.
So usually when we have a transparent background in Photoshop like this, and we save it as
a JPEG, let's go to File and then Export and Export As, let's save it as JPEG.
Let's not save it, but let me show you the preview.
When you choose JPEG from here, have a look at this, the background will be by default,
in most cases, filled with white.
And if you're watching this video, I'm guessing you already know this.
It won't be transparent anymore when you import it in someplace else.
It will come with the white background.
So, therefore we recommend saving these type of documents in PNG format.
So instead of JPEG, let's select PNG and you will see that the transparency is back.
However, there is a way in which we can embed the transparency information into the JPEG
file.
But keep in mind this is indirect and here's how to do it.
So here we have a surprised young man who seems like he's looking at me for the first
time.
But anyway, let's cut him out of the background.
So instead of using any of the masking tools, all we have to use is the Pen tool.
So press P for the Pen tool or just select the Pen tool from here.
Now, once you have the Pen tool selected, let's create a path around him.
By the way, if you want to learn how the Pen tool works, check out this video.
Alright, so let's zoom in.
And let's start right here.
Click to create a point and then click and drag to create a curve.
So, I'm going to take the curve all around him so you can take all the time in the world
to do it.
I've already done it for you to save the time.
So here we have it, the path finished.
So, I took it all around him, stayed a little inside and finished by going to the starting
point, just clicking there and the path is done.
Now what you have to do is to go to the Paths tab.
So right here you'll find the Paths tab.
If you cannot see it, you can always go to Window and then make sure Paths is checked.
Now inside of that, it will be a Work Path.
To save a path, we just have to rename it.
So double click on the name of the path and name it to Subject.
Hit Enter or Return.
Now here comes the trick.
You have to go to this grid with the path selected.
You have to click on this grid right there in the corner, and then choose Clipping Path.
Just make sure that the path is set to Subject and then the Flatness value is something you
have to leave blank.
The value here is used for printing purposes.
If you leave this blank, the printer will automatically choose the default value according
to the printing resolution.
This value actually determines how a curve is rendered.
If you want to read more about this, check out this thread.
Link is in the description.
So we're going to leave this blank and hit OK.
Now have a look.
The text just became bold, right?
It was not bold, but, it became bold, so, something happened.
We know that for sure.
But it looks like nothing did.
Now, if you save it as a JPEG, let me show you the magic.
So let's go to File and then Save As and let's choose JPEG.
So instead of the PSD format, we're going to choose JPEG and let's save it as experiment
1 or exp1 and let's save it.
12 is fine.
Hit OK.
We're going to close it.
Let me show you the JPEG file right now.
So here we are in Adobe InDesign, and I've made a sample layout just to show you what
Clipping Path does.
Right?
This is a simple layout.
We're going to go to the Finder or File Explorer, and here we will choose exp1.jpg and let's
drag it and drop it into InDesign.
Let's see what happens.
Have a look at it.
It's a JPEG file.
Can you believe it?
It's a simple JPEG file.
Still it came out transparent.
So I'm going to keep it right there.
You can use it for a really great text wrap.
So, let me show you something interesting.
So, if I place it right here like this, of course, this side is going to be cut out while
we print it, however, have a look at the text wrap.
So all we have to do, we have to go to Window and then let's choose Text Wrap, and we will
choose this one, the third one.
Let's choose that.
Now, let's choose Same as Clipping and when we increase the value here, have a look, the
text shapes accordingly.
Isn't that amazing?
I can move it anywhere and the text is going to shape accordingly.
So this creates very clean and smooth cutouts, especially for printing purposes.
Now let's open the JPEG file in Photoshop and let's see what we have.
So here's the exp1.jpg, let's drag it and drop it into Photoshop.
Now, you will see no transparency.
Everything is just as it was.
However, even though this is a JPEG file, if you go to the Paths tab, let's go here,
you will see the path still there.
The path is embedded and you can use this to create transparency.
And that's why we said it is indirect.
So all you got to do is to hold the Ctrl or Command, click on it, click on the thumbnail
of the path, come back to Layers and then click on this button called the Mask button,
and boom, it's done.
Now, I do understand that the Pen tool will create hard edges, but we can always adjust
it.
Right?
So all we have to do, double click on the Mask.
If the Mask Properties shows up, click on Select and Mask.
If it doesn't show up, just make sure the mask is selected.
Then go to Window and then make sure properties is checked.
Now, inside of that, click on Select and Mask.
Right now, you can choose the Refine Edge Brush tool right there, and then fine tune
the hair of the hand on all the hairs on all the fuzzy areas.
So just paint around the edge and it will be fine.
There you go.
How easy was that?
Now, you can be more careful with it.
I'm just showing you as an example.
So you can paint here, get the details back, get the mask proper and just hit OK once you're
satisfied with all of this.
The point was, you can definitely have something embedded on the JPEG file that will help you
mask it later.
While all this is cool and nice, you must be thinking, 'Why do I need it?
Why not just save it as a PNG?'
You see this process, the Clipping Path process, it can be done with PSD files as well.
Just keep in mind that the Clipping Path is mostly used in printing to give a clean, smooth
edge.
Let me show you one example.
Let's create a new document.
Let's go to Create New and we're going to create a 1000 x 1000 pixel grid.
So 1000 x 1000, this is all great.
Let's create it.
And this is just for demonstration, right.
Right now we're going to just delete the background layer or let's create a new layer on top of
it and delete the background layer.
This is all good.
Now this transparent, right?
So let's select the Elliptical Marquee tool, let's create a circle just like this and fill
it with black.
Okay, now this is just 1000 x 1000 pixels.
Let's go even lower to show you the example even better.
Let's go to Image - Image Size, let's go 500.
Now you'll begin to see the pixels.
Have a look the pixels are showing up.
Right.
Now let's save it as a PNG, File - Export - Export As, and let's choose PNG.
Right here.
PNG is fine.
Make sure Transparency is checked, everything is well and good, Export All.
So we're going to save it in that transparent JPEG folder.
And in the Tutorial folder, let's save it as Test1.
Whoops..
Test1.
Let's save it.
Have a look at it.
So we have this Test1.png, right?
Let's drag it and drop it into InDesign.
Just like that.
Right here.
Now, I know it's kind of too big.
That's make the frame a little bigger.
Now, let's make the overall thing a little smaller, like that and we're going to place
it right there.
Let's zoom in and apply some Text Wrap in here as well and we're going to choose Alpha
Channel here.
Now, I want you to have a close look, the text wrapping looks fine.
But, if you zoom in, have a look at this, it's gonna be pixelated and there's going
to be a chance, while you print it in high resolution, very high resolution, you might
be able to see the edges.
The printer might not see it properly, and that's when you need Clipping Path.
Back in Photoshop and we have the same document - 500 x 500 pixels.
Now this time, instead of saving it as a PNG, now this is a very simple example, you wouldn't
be doing it with a circle, but just get this, instead of just saving it as a PNG or having
transparency, what if I create a path around it?
So we're going to choose the Ellipse tool and Make sure Path is chosen right there.
Let's create a path, a simple path.
I'm not going to be accurate here, just a simple path.
Let's go to the Paths tab.
First of all, rename it.
Double click on the name and let's name it ABC and hit OK.
Now, click on the grid right there and this time again, choose Clipping Path.
We're going to leave this blank, make sure path is ABC, hit OK.
Now save it as a JPEG.
You can also save it as a TIFF, PSD.
File - Save As, and we're going to save it in the same Tutorial folder, and this time,
let's name it Test2 and let's choose the JPEG file format.
And Test2.
Let's click on Save.
'Do you want to replace it?'
There's already a Test2.
I don't want to replace it.
Let's save it as Test3.
All right, save, hit OK.
All right.
Now, let's open Test3.
Let's go to the Finder or Explorer.
So this is Test3.
Let's drag it and drop it in InDesign into that same place, just right there.
Now, let's make it a little bigger, which is good.
Now, we are going to apply some Text Wrapping on it.
So, let's select that and select the third one.
Now let's choose Same as Clipping, so it's going to use the Clipping Path.
Let's increase the distance.
Now I want you to have a look at this, let's zoom in.
Look at how clean this is, no pixely stuff.
No matter how much you zoom in, it's going to be clean.
So that's pretty much it for this video.
Consider this as an intro to Clipping Path.
I hope this video made sense and if it did, make sure to give us a like and also don't
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Thanks again.
I'll see you guys in my next one.
Till then, stay tuned and make sure that you keep creating.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai