A hand-drawn outline saved with an image that tells software exactly which part to keep and which to hide, used to cut a subject cleanly out of its background.
Synonyms
- cutout path
Related terms
- silhouette
- image mask
- cutout
- rotoscoping
In plain words
- the outline used to cut an object out of a photo
- removing the background around a product
Usage example
The retoucher drew a clipping path around the shoe so it could float on a plain white background.
Don't confuse with…
- clipping maskA clipping path is a hard vector outline; a clipping mask can also use soft, semi-transparent edges.
Categories
- Imagery & illustration