How To Get Gimp To Not Black Out Transparent Background On Import

Removing the background is ane of the almost used graphic design procedures. In that location could exist many reasons why you would want to practise that.

For example, you don't like the background, you want to add together the paradigm to another background, or you simply want to make the image transparent.

When you make the image groundwork transparent, yous tin utilize the colour co-ordinate to the background of the new image. If you put a transparent epitome on height of a blueish image, the image will now have a bluish background. This is quite handy in graphic designing.

Yous can apply GIMP to remove the background from an epitome. I am going to show you lot how to exercise that footstep-by-step in this GIMP tutorial.

How to Make a Transparent Background in GIMP

Step 1: Open up the image as a layer

As I have mentioned earlier, you lot demand to get used to isolate different images and actions equally layers. This tutorial is so uncomplicated that if you just open your image, information technology will still be fine. Although I want to maintain a good addiction and open my image as post-obit.

File -> Open up as Layers

Stride 2: Use the Fuzzy select tool

The Fuzzy Select tool is designed to select areas of the current layer or prototype based on colour similarity. This tool volition help us to select the unwanted background with i click.

Pace 3: Add Transparency

An alpha channel is automatically added into the Channel Dialog as before long as you add a second layer to your prototype. It represents the transparency of the image.

If your image has merely one layer (like our example), this background layer has no Alpha channel. In this case, to Add an Blastoff aqueduct.

Layer -> Transparency -> Add Alpha Aqueduct

Add Alpha Channel for making a transparent background in GIMP

Footstep four: Delete the background

Printing the Delete keyboard push button to remove the background.

If you accept other different coloured regions that you need to remove, click on them and delete them.

You might have to echo the steps 2 to pace four if necessary. I have to remove the blue groundwork in this example.

Step v: Export the epitome

To export the image go to File -> Export Equally, cull PNG file format and click on Consign. All washed!

transparent background image created in GIMP

Advanced tutorial: Removing the circuitous groundwork of an image in GIMP

If you take a circuitous groundwork to remove, you need to take a unlike approach to exercise your job.

For the 2d role of this tutorial, I volition demonstrate how to remove the background past adding a transparent layer and how to add a layer of your preference.

Young pup with complex background to remove in GIMP

Step one: Add a transparency layer

In one case yous open your image, correct click on the paradigm layer and click "Add Blastoff Channel". This needs to be washed, to ensure that in that location is transparency at this layer.

Pace 2: Select the foreground

Next y'all demand to select the foreground by using the foreground select tool. You lot may wish to copy my settings every bit shown at the example below and before you start outlining your object brand certain that the draw foreground option is selected at the settings.

Once yous have adapted your settings, describe a rough outline of your object and striking the enter key when done. Precision is not important at this step.

Select the foreground of the image in order to remove the background in GIMP

Adjust the stroke width at the settings panel and draw your object past clicking and dragging your mouse, like you paint it with a castor. You can adjust the stroke width nearly the outline of your object to go a more than accurate result.

You tin likewise change the foreground colour prior to selecting the foreground, to be more obvious whilst become through the procedure. My personal pick is a ruddy colour.

When you release your mouse it should show up like the instance.

Complex background partially removed in GIMP

Step iii: Fine tune your selection

You tin can fine tune the process by selecting the depict groundwork option, to adjust the initial rough outline. Once again, you don't demand to equally far as you tin can with the precision.

You may need to go a bit back and along between the draw foreground and draw background adjustment to minimize the work for the next step. A effect equally per below volition be fine.

Striking the enter key when satisfied.

Step 4: Final adjustment

To go a more authentic result, you can refine even farther the outline by working with the path nodes. This is what you can besides use to outline text in GIMP.

To come across the path nodes follow the steps equally shown.

Make sure that you are at the paths dialog
Click the selection to path option
Unhide the path > Click Ctrl+Shift+A to deselect the path
Choose the paths tool
Click on the path

Focus on the outline precision

Adjust the outline to be nearly tangent to your desired foreground shape.

To add a node: To add a node point to a segment, and click where the node you desire to be.

To suit the outline curvature: Click the Ctrl key and drag the node. The node handles will exist revealed to increase the precision to maximum.

To delete a node: Click the ctrl+shift key and click on a node to remove information technology.

When the path is refined to a final shape, click the "Select from Path" option.

Selection To Path for making the background transparent

Step 5: Add a layer mask

Finally, you demand to add a layer mask to "reveal" the transparency, that you created in the initial step.

To add a layer mask, right click on the electric current layer > Add Layer Mask > Selection and click Add.

If you have followed all the steps correctly, the background will now exist masked and you tin can import or create the background that y'all similar.

Background removed from a complex image in GIMP

Step half-dozen: Add a new background

To create a new background, you have to create a new layer. If you are a regular reader of It's FOSS, you lot already know how to create a new layer as it is shown in several GIMP tutorials.

As the difficult function is done, I will permit you explore different ways to add a new background. If you already have an image that yous desire to add as a background, you need to open it every bit layers from the file driblet menu, so you don't have to create the layer manually.

Either fashion, yous may need to re-club your layers to achieve the final result.

My preference for this example is to use the gradient tool, and yes I picked the colours from Ubuntu!

Concluding result with complex background removed and replaced by another

Final result with complex background removed and replaced by another in GIMP

Decision

There are many different ways to add transparency to an image, depending on the complexity of the background. In that location is not an absolute path to follow for every occasion and the more hours y'all spend with GIMP the more efficient user you become.

Don't forget to subscribe to the newsletter and let me know what you created following this tutorial at the comments below.

Dimitrios is an MSc Mechanical Engineer but a Linux enthusiast in heart. His machines are powered by Arch Linux but marvel drives him to constantly test other distros. Claiming is role of his personality and his hobby is to compete from 5k to the marathon distance.