How to Remove Fabric Wrinkles in Photoshop (Using AI or Manually)
Remove fabric wrinkles and creases in Photoshop effortlessly with AI tools or manual techniques for smooth, professional results.
Photoshop | Software | By Judyth Satyn
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This guide will give you the easiest ways to remove wrinkles and enhance fabric using Photoshop.
I often need to get rid of clothing creases in my Photoshop work, and these techniques make the job much easier.
With the right Photoshop tools, you too can smooth away distracting wrinkles from fabric.
Let’s dive into the tutorial.
Download a free copy of Adobe Photoshop to follow along with this simple tutorial.
How to Remove Wrinkles From Fabric in Photoshop
Wrinkles in clothing will ruin an otherwise fantastic fashion photo. A crumbled top will look unprofessional and less appealing than one that’s nicely ironed.
Product and fashion photographers aim to keep clothing wrinkle-free, but clothing will undoubtedly crumple during a photo shoot.
The great news is you don’t have to bin that photo. Photoshop has the essential tools to help you restore and revamp crinkled clothing.
The first method we will show you uses AI.
Photoshop’s AI can sometimes be used to solve complicated editing tasks quickly.
In the second method, we’ll run through easy crinkle-reducing manual editing solutions.
First Option: Using AI
The first option is to edit the creased fabric by running it through Photoshop’s AI.
AI can solve the problem in what can seem like the mere click of a button, so it is always worth a shot.
If this fixes the problem, viola – you can skip the manual option.
For this method, we will use a photo of a lady wearing a yellow dress.
When wrinkles are on block-colored fabric, it will be easier to edit than when the clothing has decorative patterns.
However, you will need to concentrate on keeping the curves and shading of the dress.
You must also be mindful not to remove any of the fabric’s seams.
To start, we will create a selection around an area of wrinkles.
If you have a few crumpled areas, doing each wrinkled section separately will work best.
Creating smaller selections helps to concentrate Photoshop’s AI on one area at a time.
Otherwise, Photoshop might remove the clothing’s seams and alter the form of the dress.
Step 1 – Select the Lasso Tool
Select the Lasso tool from the toolbar to the left of your canvas workspace.
You can also hit L for the keyboard shortcut.
Step 2 – Create a Selection
Use the Lasso tool to create a selection around the first creased area.
To do this, click on canvas and drag the cursor around the wrinkle.
When you have finished, release the cursor. A line of marching ants will appear.
If you’re unhappy with the selection, click on the canvas to remove the selection and try again.
In this photo, we will fix the creases on the woman’s right shoulder and the left hip.
The selection must encompass the entire wrinkle, but it does not have to follow the wrinkle uniformly.
You can make a loose, uneven selection, and Photoshop’s Generative Fill will be able to discern where the wrinkle starts and finishes.
Step 3 – Open Generative Fill Tab
When the selection is active, the Contextual Task Bar will appear.
In the Contextual Taskbar, click Generative Fill. This will open the Generative Fill tab.
If the Contextual Task Bar does not appear, head to the main menu and select Edit > Generative Fill.
Step 4 – Enter Text Prompt
When the Generative Fill taskbar opens, enter “remove wrinkles” in the Prompt box.
You don’t need to be any more specific than this.
Then, hit the Generate button.
Photoshop will take a few moments and then provide three variations based on the prompt.
Unfortunately, in this case, the variations offered are similar to the original image. All retain a creased look, as you can see below.
This is not the result we were hoping for. As you can see, the areas are not smoothed.
Although the crease has been moved, it has not been removed. It is still evident.
But don’t worry. If you are unsatisfied with Generative Fill’s result, try again by entering an alternative prompt.
In fact, you can prompt Photoshop as many times as you like.
You’ll lose interest before Photoshop stops providing an array of endless alternatives.
Step 5 – Try Alternative Prompts
This time, instead of “remove wrinkles,” we have entered “smooth cloth.”
Then click the Generate button again.
Photoshop will generate three new variations based on each new prompt.
Step 6 – Select A Variation
Head to the Properties panel to preview Generative Fill’s edits.
Click on the arrow beside Variations to view the different versions of virtually ironed cloth.
As you can see below, the second prompt, “smooth cloth,” provided the best results.
The selected area of cloth is now smooth and crease-free.
Using this method, you can remove the remaining creases from the dress until it is completely crinkle-free.
Step 7 – Create the Next Selection
For the second crinkled area, the Lasso tool is selected from the toolbar, and a selection is drawn around the wrinkled area.
If the Properties panel is open, enter your prompt in the Prompt box.
Alternatively, use the Generative Fill taskbar.
We successfully achieved our desired result using the “smooth cloth” prompt, so we decided to use this again.
However, this time, Photoshop generated three variations of a folded cloth.
Although it’s ornate and beautifully folded (even wrinkle-free), it does not achieve the effect we are looking for.
Occasionally, Generative Fill is known to glitch. This happens due to different reasons, including poor internet connection.
We try entering an alternative prompt; this time, we enter ‘remove wrinkle.’
New variations are generated using the new prompt.
Photoshop’s Generative Fill has delivered the goods, creating three perfectly smooth, wrinkle-free variations.
Step 8 – Repeat
Repeat the steps above with each area of clothing from which you wish to remove wrinkles.
You will not want to remove all wrinkles and creases, or the photo could look unnatural.
Step 9 – Finalise and Save
Photoshop will create a new layer in the Layers panel for each Generative Fill edit.
This allows you to return to selected areas to re-edit or delete.
Before saving the image, check that each edited area of the dress has the correct variation visible in the canvas workspace.
Now, we can flatten the image.
Head to the main menu bar and select Layers > Flatten Image.
When this is clicked, all the Generative Fill layers will be flattened into one layer.
Now, save the image.
How to Manually Remove Wrinkles
Manual edits can give you more control and are often quick and easy, especially when the clothing is one block of color.
(We’ll also tackle patterned clothing below, so don’t worry.)
The Spot Healing Brush tool was created specifically to remove wrinkles and blemishes in photos.
Step 1 – Select the Spot Healing Brush Tool
With your image open in Photoshop, head to the toolbar and select the Spot Healing Brush tool.
Or, for the keyboard shortcut, hit J.
Step 2 – Change the Brush Size
When the Spot Healing Brush tool is active, head to the tool’s options bar.
Here, you can adjust the brush size to suit the edit.
To do this, hover the Healing Brush tool over the wrinkle you wish to remove.
The idea is to set the brush size a fraction larger than the wrinkle size.
To adjust the brush size, click the arrow beside the first icon, the circle with the numbers beneath.
A dialogue window will open with sliders.
Slide the sliders to adjust the size and the brush’s hardness.
There’s also the option to alter the brush’s spacing and angle.
For this edit, we only need to adjust the brush’s size and hardness.
When you have set the brush’s size to your needs, reduce its hardness by sliding the Hardness slider to the left.
Move the slider to a hardness percentage between 25 to 45.
As you can see in the image below, the lady’s white dress has some noticeable and large creases.
The wrinkles distract from the sleekness of the dress, never mind that a creased dress is off-putting for a potential buyer.
We will focus on smoothing the left-hand side of the dress first.
We zoom in to the canvas workspace for a clearer view using the Zoom tool.
Then, we brush over the first crease using the Spot Healing Brush tool.
As you brush, a transparent grey color will be painted over the dress.
Don’t fret; this is to indicate the area that the brush will smooth.
The grey will disappear once the edit is complete.
The Spot Healing Brush blends the colors from around the brushed area, working perfectly as a virtual iron.
You might need to ‘iron’ or brush the crumpled area a few times before it appears completely smooth.
As you can see below, the Spot Healing Brush tool has successfully removed the crease.
The next step is to brush over all the creased areas.
We zoom in on the canvas to edit and smooth dress areas and out when we wish to view how the edits look.
Below is a creased area in the bottom left-hand side of the skirt.
After zooming in and brushing with the Spot Healing Brush, the area is wrinkle-free.
By zooming in extra close, smaller wrinkles are found.
As you can see below, the Spot Healing Brush has removed the wrinkle while retaining the fabric’s texture.
Final brush strokes are made to smooth areas of the dress near the armpit.
Below, the brush stroke was applied to the side of the dress’s seam to ensure that it wasn’t affected.
The Spot Healing Brush has removed most of the unwanted creases, and the photo is ready to be sent to the print house or published online.
Editing Patterned Material
Not all wrinkles are made equally; some are more difficult to iron out than others.
Which are the most difficult? Wrinkles on patterned or decorative material are the most time-consuming to remove.
We will use Generative Fill on a tartan-patterned dress for the next method, to show how to remove wrinkles from patterned material.
Below is an example of a typical end of a fashion photo shoot when the model’s clothes look like they need a visit to the dry cleaner.
If it’s impossible to organize the photo shoot again, using Photoshop to smooth the creases is the only option.
Of course, every wrinkle can be removed by precision manual editing if a photo editor has patience and a steady hand.
It is just a matter of how much time you have to spare.
When Photoshop’s AI Generative Fill works, it’s a quick alternative to manually editing with the Clone tool.
Step 1 – Create a selection
To use Generative Fill, you must first create a selection around the crumpled area.
To do this, select the Lasso tool from the toolbar or hit L for the keyboard shortcut.
When creating a selection, it’s a good idea to make a selection that leaves room on either side of the wrinkle.
As you can see below, the selection is wide; it doesn’t need to pinpoint the exact wrinkled area. Photoshop’s AI will discern where the fabric wrinkles are.
When there is an active selection, Photoshop’s Contextural toolbar will appear below the selection.
Click on the Generative Fill button to open the Generative Fill bar.
If the Contextual bar does not appear, go to the main menu and select Generative FIll from the drop-down menu under Image.
This will open the Generative Fill taskbar. Enter your prompt in the Prompt box.
Keep the text you enter in the prompt box clear and concise. We have entered “remove wrinkles.”
Now, click the Generate button.
Photoshop will take a few moments to generate three variations.
To view the variations, head to the properties panel.
Click on the arrow beside Variations. Click on a variation to preview each variation in the canvas workspace.
As you can see below, it appears that Photoshop has done an incredible job of removing the wrinkles.
In the case of patterned clothing, it’s important to zoom in close to view the edits.
To do this, access the Zoom tool from the toolbar.
Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut. Hold down Command (for Macs) or Ctrl (for Windows) and hit – (minus) to zoom in or + (plus) to zoom out.
As you can see below, Photoshop has overlapped sections of the tartan pattern to hide the crinkles.
This clever and effective edit does a good job of hiding the wrinkle.
It can be used if a close-up view of the fabric is not an important aspect of the final image, such as advertising in a magazine.
This won’t be a good edit if viewers are likely to scrutinize the image up close, as is the case when people buy products online.
Nothing is more off-putting to a potential buyer than seeing a flawed photo edit. They imagine the product they buy will also be flawed.
If the pattern is intrinsic to the photo, you can use lots of patience and the Clone tool to remove the imperfections.
This will take some time, but this way, you can use precision manual editing to retain the integrity of the pattern.
Removing Wrinkles From Textured or Patterned Fabric Manually
It may happen that you have the most amazing photo with an obstinate wrinkle that AI won’t remove. You can opt to remove it manually using the Clone Stamp tool.
This method is the most time-consuming but gives you the most editing control and freedom.
Step 1 – Select the Clone Stamp Tool
Select the Clone tool from the toolbar, or click S for the keyboard shortcut.
Step 2 – Adjust the Clone Stamp Tool Settings
The Clone Stamp tool’s options bar will open when the tool is active.
Head to the options bar and adjust the tool’s brush size and hardness.
To do this, click on the downward arrow beside the first icon, the circle.
Slide the Size and Hardness sliders to adjust the brush tip.
Leave the Mode set to Normal and the Opacity to 100%.
Step 3 – Select a Sample Cloth Area
When the Clone tool is selected, find an area of cloth to use as a sample area.
The sample clone area should be wrinkle-free and have a similar shading to the area you wish to replace.
Hold down the Alt key and click on the sample area to set this area as the cloning area.
Step 4 – Draw Over the Wrinkle
Now, use your cursor to clone the sample area over the wrinkled area and replace it.
Below is the wrinkled area of the tartan material, which we wish to cover with a sampled area.
With the Clone Stamp tool active, hover the cursor over the wrinkled area.
A preview of the edit will appear as you hover. If you are happy with how the edit looks, click on the canvas workspace.
Below is the section when edited; as you can see, it’s better, but not perfect – it’s a little blurry and too light.
If necessary, you can undo the edit by clicking Command plus Z (for Macs) or Ctrl plus Z (for Windows).
You can change the sample area by holding down the Alt key and clicking on a new area.
This time, we have selected a sample area with darker tones
As you can see below, the second sample area covers the wrinkle without lightening the area.
The Clone Stamp method is best used when the clothing has just a few wrinkles and you can’t use AI or the Spot Healing Brush.
Explore and experiment with the above methods, and you will find that you can achieve the results you need.
If you liked this tutorial, you will enjoy – How to Face Swap in Photoshop Using AI.
And as always, have fun editing!
Adobe MAX 2024 Update
With the Adobe MAX 2024 update, the Generative Fill tool was improved and is now powered by the latest version of Adobe Firefly. This means that you’ll get better results and you’ll need fewer attempts to get the wrinkles out of clothing.
As a side note, the Generative Expand tool was also updated and the Generative Remove tool got a Distractions Removal feature. This allows you to select and delete cable, wires, and people in one or two clicks.
FAQ
Can you erase wrinkles in Photoshop?
The Spot Healing Brush tool is the best way to virtually iron wrinkles and crinkles in Photoshop.
The Spot Healing Brush blends the colors from the surrounding area. It’s most effective when used on plain, patternless material.
The Clone tool is the best option for erasing wrinkles from patterned material. It can replicate areas of patterns from a source area.
How do I get rid of lines in Photoshop?
To remove lines in Photoshop, use the Clone or the Spot Healing Brush tool.
The Clone tool can remove lines from images with complex backgrounds, such as an electricity line in front of a leafy tree.
The Spot Healing Brush will quickly remove lines from plain backgrounds, such as a clothesline in front of a blue sky.
How do you smooth wrinkles on a shirt in Photoshop?
To smooth wrinkles from a shirt in Photoshop, you can use either the Spot Healing Brush or Clone tool.
The tool you use will be determined by the type of clothing you need to remove the wrinkle from.
Use the Spot Healing Brush when the material is blocks of colors, and use the Clone tool to smooth wrinkles from a shirt with intricate decorations.
How do I fix a wrinkled background in Photoshop?
When you need to fix wrinkled backgrounds in Photoshop, you can use Photoshop’s Gaussian blur filter.
The Gaussian Blur will blur the background so that it no longer looks wrinkled.
To do this, select the background using your selection tool of choice. Head to the main menu and select File> Gaussian Blur.
The Gaussian Blur dialogue window will open. You can alter the intensity of the blur to suit your design by sliding the radius slider.
Does Photoshop remove clothes?
Using Photoshop, you can create new layers, add more clothing, or change someone’s clothing.
Photoshop cannot remove clothing to reveal what lies beneath a person’s clothes.
However, a Photoshop artist can use Photoshop to pretend they have removed someone’s clothing.
How do you Photoshop a pattern onto fabric in Photoshop?
You can add patterns to clothing in Photoshop. One method is by using a layer mask.
First, duplicate the fabric layer and create a selection around the area of the fabric to which you wish to add the pattern.
Then, create a mask. Head to the main menu bar and select Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal Selection.
Head to File > Place Embedded and add the replacement material.
Judyth is an experienced studio photographer and glass artist. When she isn’t Photoshopping comedians into the bellies of sharks, you can find her cooking delicious treats for her guests.
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