Photoshop now includes AI-powered editing tools that make removing unwanted elements from photos faster, smarter, and more seamless than ever before. Instead of relying only on manual tools like the Clone Stamp or Healing Brush, you can now use Generative Fill to analyze your image and create new, realistic pixels that replace distractions.
In this unit, you’ll explore three tutorials that gradually increase in complexity:
Removing Distractions from Portraits – Start small by cleaning up simple portrait images. You’ll learn the basics of selecting areas and using Generative Fill to remove background distractions.
Removing Tattoos with AI – Move on to more detailed and sensitive work. You’ll practice selecting and erasing tattoos while keeping skin texture looking natural.
Removing People from Landscapes – Finally, take on a bigger challenge by clearing entire people from complex scenes, like busy streets or crowded landmarks, where blending with the background is critical.
These lessons will give you a solid foundation in when and how to trust AI tools, while also teaching you to refine the results with your own skills. By the end, you’ll be able to approach both simple and advanced object removals with confidence.
Your Goal
Follow along with each tutorial carefully.
Reproduce the examples shown, step by step, using either the provided images or your own.
Save your tutorial work.
Submit the Creative Challenge – “The Vanishing Act” as instructed at the end of this lesson. Including a before and after comparison).
This tutorial demonstrates how to utilize Photoshop’s Generative Fill tool—an AI-powered feature—to efficiently and seamlessly remove distracting elements from portrait photos.
Identify and Select Distractions
Begin by selecting the unwanted object (such as background clutter) using the Lasso Tool to create a rough outline.
Apply Generative Fill
With the selection active, the Generative Fill option appears. You can also go through Edit → Fill → Generative Fill to launch it.
Click Generate to send your image to the cloud, where AI analyzes and replaces the selected area with new, realistic content.
Choose the Best Result
Photoshop returns several fill variations—pick the one that blends most naturally with the existing background.
Refine and Repeat
If there are additional distractions, repeat the same process. Adjust the selection if needed to clean up areas the AI didn’t fully fix.
Speeds up the editing process: AI does the heavy lifting, making distraction removal fast and simple.
Preserves photo quality: AI-generated fills are sourced to match the texture, lighting, and tone of the original image.
Flexible and repeatable: Easily refine details and tackle multiple areas independently for the best outcome.
Instead of tackling all tattoos at once, the tutorial advises selecting and removing each tattoo individually. This approach keeps the process clean and reduces visual artifacts.
When making your selection with the Lasso Tool (L), draw slightly beyond the tattoo’s edges. AI needs surrounding context to generate a seamless fill, so this extra margin helps the edit blend more naturally.
After using Generative Fill (Edit → Fill → Generative Fill), Photoshop presents multiple variations. If the first result isn't perfect, you can explore and choose the best outcome—don’t just stop at the first try.
To fine-tune your selection, hold Shift while drawing to add areas. If needed, refine the selection edge before running Generative Fill to improve precision and final quality.
Technique --- Why It Matters
Individual selections --- Prevents distortion and gives cleaner, more accurate AI results
Slightly larger selection --- Provides context to AI, improving fill blending
Use of multiple AI variations --- Gives creative control and improves final aesthetic
Shift to refine selection --- Helps ensure the AI fill has clean boundaries and better fit
Lasso Tool Quick Fixes
Use the Lasso Tool (L) for fast, straightforward selections—especially effective for removing a few subjects in less complex scenes. Holding Shift allows you to add multiple people to your selection.
Quick Mask Mode for Complex Scenes
Ideal when dealing with multiple people or busy backgrounds:
Press Q to enter Quick Mask Mode and Brush over areas (Opacity/Flow at 100% ensures clean selection).
Exit Quick Mask (press Q again) to convert painted areas into a marching-ants selection.
Then, invert the selection so that the people are targeted for removal.
Whether using Lasso or Quick Mask selections, you then apply Generative Fill (Edit → Content-Aware Fill) to seamlessly remove selected people from the scene—AI fills in the background based on surrounding areas.
Versatility: Choose faster Lasso for simpler scenes, or Quick Mask when precision and flexibility are needed.
Minimal effort, professional-grade results: Even in crowded, detailed environments, selections combined with Generative Fill yield clean, believable edits—with minimal visible artifacts.
Workflow Efficiency: Quick Mask reduces the need for tedious polygonal selections in tightly-packed compositions.
Generative Fill: AI-powered tool that replaces unwanted objects with realistic background content.
Selection Tools: Lasso Tool (quick outlines) or Quick Mask (precise brushing) to define what to remove.
Select Carefully
Go slightly outside the edges of what you want to remove.
AI needs extra context to blend seamlessly.
Work in Steps
Remove one object or tattoo at a time.
Cleaner results than trying to erase everything in one go.
Use Variations
Generative Fill often gives 3 versions.
Compare and choose the one that looks most natural.
Refine When Needed
If the first result isn’t perfect, adjust your selection and run Generative Fill again.
Pick the Right Tool
Lasso Tool → Quick fixes, simple shapes.
Quick Mask Mode → Complex or multiple objects.
Selections too tight → AI struggles, edges look fake.
Forgetting to refine → Don’t settle on the first attempt; retry with adjustments.
Messy workflow → Keep layers organized and name them clearly (e.g., “Tattoo Removal,” “Person Removed”).
Always compare Before & After. Use a labeled canvas or split view so your edits can be clearly evaluated.
Use Photoshop’s AI tools (Generative Fill, Clone Stamp, Healing Brush, etc.) to remove 5 different elements from a single photo. The goal is not just to clean up the image, but to completely transform it into something new and surprising.
Choose Your Image
You can use one of the provided practice images, OR pick your own photo with at least 5 removable elements (e.g., people, objects, signs, distractions).
Remove 5 Things
Carefully remove five separate elements using any combination of AI removal and manual tools.
Think about how each removal changes the story or feeling of the photo.
Create Your Final Canvas
Arrange your work in a single canvas with:
Before Image (original)
After Image (final edit)
Highlight Version (circling or marking the 5 elements you removed)
Save & Export
Save your work as a PSD with labeled layers (e.g., “Removed Sign,” “Removed Person”).
Export a JPG of the final canvas for sharing.
✅ Exactly 5 elements removed (no more, no less).
✅ Edits are clean and blend naturally.
✅ Layers are clearly named to show your process.
✅ Final canvas tells a new or more interesting story than the original.
Add a title to your image that reflects the change (e.g., “Empty Streets,” “Nature Restored,” “The Cleaner Version”).