How To Swap Faces In Photoshop

Face swapping is the method of cutting a face from two images and switching them. It’s often used for fun to create silly or humorous photos. But how to swap faces in Photoshop?

In this article, we will learn about the easiest method to swap faces using Photoshop. Even if you are new to Photoshop, you can perform this edit with ease.

Here we will go beyond just cutting faces from the photos and switching them. We will retouch the image and make the final image look perfect. So, without further ado let’s start.

How To Swap Faces in Photoshop

Here are the step-by-step procedures to swap faces in Photoshop:

Step 1: Select Your Images

The first step of starting swap faces is choosing the images. You’ll need two images with faces that you want to swap.

However, make sure the faces are clear in the images. And when you choose the images, make sure the lighting is similar between the faces you choose. Select images that have minimal shadows on the faces.

For this tutorial, we will be using the following two images:

Step 2: Open the images in Photoshop

Now open both images in Photoshop. You can follow two methods to open the images. Go to the top menu bar and click on “File”. Then click “Open” from the dropdown menu.

It will take you to the file explorer window. Then, navigate to the folder where you saved the images. You can also open the image by drag and drop method. To do so open the folder containing your image on your computer.

Then click and hold the image file. Drag the image file over the Photoshop application window. Now release the mouse button when it’s hovering over the Photoshop window.

Also, you can open the second image by navigating File>Place Embedded and selecting the file from the file explorer. We have opened the two documents in Photoshop.

Step 3: Cut the Face

Now it’s time to cut the faces. Rename the layers from the layer panel. We have denoted the layers as Mr.Bean and Superman. Now select the Lasso Tool to cut the face. You will get this tool in the Photoshop toolbar.

Using this tool you can make a selection around the face you want to swap. And avoid the edges while making the selection.

Now select the entire face that you want to swap. Make sure all the features are selected in that portion. You can also use the other image selection tools in Photoshop. The magic wand tool allows you to select the features of the face more precisely.

Meanwhile, the pen tool in Photoshop gives more control over the selection. So, we will first go to Mr. Bean’s document and make the selection of the face using the lasso tool.

Step 4: Copy and Paste the Face

Once the face is selected you can copy the face and paste it on the body. Press Ctrl+C (Cmd+C on Mac) to copy the selection. Moreover, you can also select the face by right-clicking on the selected portion. Click the Copy selection from the options.

Now, go to the other image with which you want to swap. Then press Ctrl+V (Cmd+V on Mac) to paste the face onto the new image.

Here we have selected the face from the Mr.Bean document. Then we have pasted the face on the Superman layer. Now name the new layer as Mr. Bean’s face layer.

Step 5: Position and Resize

After pasting the face, you have to position it. In this regard, you have to use the Photoshop Move tool. You will get this tool in the toolbar. The arrow tool in the toolbar is the Photoshop Move tool. Also, can press V from the keyboard to select this tool.

Now you can position the pasted face where you want it to be on the new image. Then use the transform tool to resize and rotate the face if necessary. Press ctrl+T from the keyboard to get the tool.

Press the Alt key or option key to make it larger from the center. If this seems right to you hit Enter.

Use the Wrap tool to adjust the perspective a little bit more. Select the free transform tool and then right-click. Choose the warp from the options. Adust different points to match the perspectives.

Step 6: Matching the Face Shape

We have placed Mr Bean’s face on the superman’s face. But, the edges are not matching right. So, we have to match the face shape to make the face swapping more realistic.

Go back to the Mr Bean’s document. “Deselect” the selection by pressing ctrl+ D or command+D. You can make the deselection by right-clicking the mouse and selecting the Deselct option.

Now select the whole image by pressing ctrl or command a. Copy it ctrl or command c and press it on the superman’s documents. Name the new layer Mr. Bean.

We are doing so? We are going to use Mr. Bean’s face as a reference to match the shape.

Photoshop Near Me | Photoshop Photo Editing Services | Clipping World

Now Mr. Bean’s photo is smaller by using the free transform tool. Let,s merge the Mr. Bean’s face layer and the Mr. Bean layer. To merge the layer hold shift select the layer and then right-click the mouse. Select the merge layer option.

Now name the merged layer “Bean’s face”

Make the copy of the Superman layer by pressing ctrl +J. Then go to Filter from the options bar and select Liquify. Now using the reference to the Bean’s face you can adjust the shape of the swapped face on Superman’s body.

As we are going to use the bean’s face as a reference, check the show backdrop section from the dialogue box. Select the “bean’s face” and increase opacity by moving the opacity slider. Make sure the layer mode is “In Front”.

Then select the forward wrap tool and start adjusting. Now, as the shape looks very very close hit OK.

Now go back to the bean’s face layer and select the extra photo of Mr. Bean using the Rectangular Marqueeze tool. Press the “Delete” button to delete the extra photo.

Step 7: Face Match Filter

Hold the ctrl or command then click on the bean face layer. Then click the “Select” option go to Modify and select contract. We have to use 8 pixels as the contract value then hit ok.

Go to the Superman copy layer and delete that area from it by pressing the Delete button from the keyboard.

Select both layers to apply the face match filter. Then go to “Edit” from the options bar and select auto-blend layers.

Make sure the “seamless tones and colors” and “content aware fill” boxes are checked. Now hit OK.

Now press ctrl or command+d and see the magic. It blended amazingly. Howver it lis not perfect.

Step 8: Final Touches

We have given a final touch to make the edges of the face match perfectly. Let’s make a group of all the layers. Select the layer and press ctrl or command+g to create the group. Name it the ‘face group”.

After that, click on the “face group” and add a mask by clicking on the mask button from the layers panel.

Take the brush tool from the toolbar and decrease the flow to about 5%. Then make sure black is your foreground color. Select the soft brush and slowly and gradually remove the edges.

Now press ctrl+alt+shift+e to create a merged layer. Then go to filter and select convert for smart filters.

Again go to filter and select “camera raw filter”. Go down and open up effects and add a bit of grain. You can also adjust the size and roughness to make it look perfect.

Click OK if the adjustments look good to you.

Here our final face swapped inage. It looks stunning and natural!

Final Thoughts

So this is how to swap faces in Photoshop. We tried following the easiest ways to achieve perfection in this editing. Yet you may not get the desired photo on the first attempt. Practice regularly to swap faces perfectly.

Don't Miss Out —

5 Best Image Masking Software in 2024

FAQ

How To Do an Eye Swap in Photoshop?

Follow the same ways by which we have swapped the faces. All you need is to cut the eye portion rather than the whole face.

How to Replace A Person in A Photo?

You can also do it by the above-mentioned procedures. Yet you need to do some color corrections to match the cutout portion with the background