Today, we will be learning how to make someone bald in Photoshop! The process is surprisingly simple, with no fancy filters or settings required: just a default round brush and a bit of selecting!
Looking to save time? Find hundreds of actions, add-ons, and presets to pair with your new bald head over on Envato Elements!
What You'll Learn in This Photoshop Tutorial
- How to make someone bald in Photoshop
- How to color pick in Photoshop
- How to use masks in Photoshop
- How to use selections in Photoshop
- How to make myself bald in Photoshop
What You'll Need
To complete this project, you will need the following resource:
Find more resources on Envato Elements!
1. How to Make Someone Bald in Photoshop
Step 1
First, to make someone bald, we have to create a path around the subject using the Pen Tool. This path will decide the shape of the bald head for Photoshop.
Once you have your path, Right-click the path and choose Convert to Selection.
Step 2
Next, we have to fill in the background, removing the hair outside of where the new bald head will be. You can do this one of two ways. Do not delete your selection after either step.
If you want to keep your subject's original background, Invert the selection by going to Select > Inverse. Then use the Stamp tool to stamp away all of the hair outside the selection. Be extra careful around the ears, and use a harder-edged brush.
In my case, I'm doing a full extraction, meaning I'm extracting both the head and body from its original background. So I created one large selection around the entire body using the Pen Tool again, and added a Layer Mask to completely remove the background. For now, I replaced the background with a white Fill layer.
Either method will work. It all depends on if you'd like to keep the subject's original background or not.
Step 3
Now, if you inverted your selection, change it back using Select > Inverse.
If you extracted your subject, make sure the selection is still active. If it's not, you can Control-click the subject's layer mask, or the subject layer if no mask was used, to create a selection in the shape of the subject.
We're going to use the selection to create a New Group with a Layer Mask. The layer mask should mask to the shape of the selection.
Step 4
Next, create a New Layer inside the masked group.
Select the Brush tool and set it to a default soft round brush with a 10% Flow. You want a semi-large brush. My brush was set to 500 px Size, but it will depend on the size of your image.
With the Brush tool active, press and hold Alt to temporarily switch to the Color Picker. Use the Color Picker to select a skin tone.
Now paint the skin tone into the existing hair. Keep the skin tone adjacent to where you picked it from. Below is an example of three brush strokes going in the same direction. Since we lowered the Flow of the brush, the color will need to be built up slowly.
You'll want to color pick every time you move to a new area of the head. Below is an example.
Don't worry about it being perfectly smooth or completely solid; some hair can show through. Instead, focus on the placement of the colors and the edges of the new skin. Use a soft Eraser to remove any unwanted color from the eyebrows, wrinkles, and other facial features. Here is mine completed.
Step 5
Once you're happy with the head skin, Duplicate the layer and then Merge the duplicate back into its original layer. This will make the skin layer appear more solid and hide any leftover hair.
If needed, you can go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur to blur and smooth out the skin layer if it looks uneven or blotchy.
Step 6
Create a New Layer above the skin layer and set it to Soft Light.
Use this layer to refine the lighting on the head. Darken the sides of the head with a soft black Brush, and bring light onto the top of the head with white.
Step 7
Finally, add noise to the skin layer. You can add noise in several different ways; I prefer to use the Grain setting under the Effects category in Filter > Camera Raw.
Step 8
Use the same techniques to remove any hair on the edges of the ears.
You're Done!
That's how to make someone bald in Photoshop! A bald head for Photoshop comes in handy for all sorts of effects, from caricatures and character design to fan art.
If you're going to use your subject in a creative composite or photo manipulation, just merge everything together and extract their head as normal. It's a lot easier with all of that hair gone!
Find More Amazing Photoshop Resources
Looking to create advanced effects fast? Envato Elements has hundreds of professionally crafted actions, add-ons, and presets!
HDR Photo Effect (PSD)
After learning how to make someone look bald in Photoshop, it's always best to finish the effect off with some global adjustments. This HDR effect will bring out details, add contrast, and help blend your image together.
Ultimate Retouch Tool Photoshop Script CS3+ (PSD, ABR)
This retouch add-on gives you everything you need to retouch photos in a natural way, thanks to its advanced slider controls. Ditch the over-retouched effect and take back control!
Photo Retouch Photoshop Action (ATN)
How to edit someone bald can sometimes start with creating a smooth base so everything will blend together more seamlessly. This action does just that! This action even comes with its own tutorial.
Backdrop Photoshop Action (ABR, ATN)
When thinking about how to make someone look bald in Photoshop, I almost always decide to do a full creative composite—something fantasy or surreal inspired. This action creates the perfect background in seconds!
Background Generator Photoshop Action (ABR, ATN)
This is another action that creates a smoky background from scratch. After wondering how to make myself bald in Photoshop, I am definitely going to start thinking about what other cool effects to add that are just as easy!
