How To Make Background Transparent In Gimp 2.10

"At that place'south more than than one fashion to pare a cat."

I'll acknowledge this is an odd proverb, but I think it is a corking phrase to keep in heed when removing backgrounds from images in GIMP. That is to say, there are many ways to remove epitome backgrounds in GIMP, and there is truly no one right way to remove an image groundwork in GIMP.

Why is this the case? Well, for starters, in that location are many tools found in GIMP that either produce a pick or remove backgrounds. And each one of these tools/methods have their strengths and weaknesses depending on your image.

For example, one tool may work best when the background is a solid colour (i.e. a studio backdrop), while another tool or method works best when there is a lot of contrast between a foreground object and a background.

In this tutorial, I'll go over a few examples of how to remove an image background for images with solid color backgrounds using GIMP ii.10.

Method 1: Fuzzy Select Tool (Quickest Method, Though Non Best Event)

In the image above, which is the main prototype nosotros will exist using for both methods in this tutorial and that y'all can download for free on Pixabay here, we have a model who is well lit in the foreground and has a solid black background behind her.

I'll commencement past opening this photograph into GIMP (right click on the photo in your file folder and become to "Open With" and choose "GNU Image Manipulation Programme" if you are using Windows).

Side by side, right click on your main epitome layer in the layers panel and become to "Add Alpha Aqueduct" (denoted by the green arrow in the image above). This will add a layer of transparency beneath your main image, allowing for the transparency to be revealed subsequently we've erased the background (more than on this in a bit). Without this pace, your background color would evidence later on you erase your groundwork rather than transparency (which is not what you lot desire).

There are 3 main tools I tin can use in this scenario to remove the background – all of which can be found in the Toolbox on the left-hand size of GIMP or past going to Tools>Selection Tools in GIMP's main menu at the summit.

The first tool is the "Fuzzy Select Tool" (denoted by the cherry pointer in the image above) – which allows you to "select a contiguous region on the basis of color." In other words, you tin click on a color in your paradigm and, and so long as the color is "contiguous" – or is basically uninterrupted past another object/color in the image, it will select all of that color. In our instance, I volition use the fuzzy select tool to select all of the blackness in the background.

With the fuzzy tool selected, I'll merely click on the black groundwork (every bit I have done in the image in a higher place). You should at present see a selection surface area that goes around your model (you can always tell when at that place is a choice area because at that place volition be moving black and white lines – called "marching ants" – moving around the selection surface area).

If the tool didn't do a good job of selecting-out the model (or only selecting the black background), yous tin go to Select>None to deselect the selection area or hit ctrl+shift+a on your keyboard. Then, in the Tool Options for the Fuzzy Select Tool (just nether the Toolbox), y'all tin can adjust the settings – mainly the "Threshold" setting (denoted past the reddish arrow in the image above) – to adjust the strictness with which the Fuzzy Select tool distinguishes the black pixels from other pixels. A higher Threshold number volition hateful the tool will exist less strict (basically rendering it useless), and a lower Threshold number volition brand it more than strict (pregnant it won't select any pixels that accept ANY color deviating from black).

Now that you accept your settings the style you desire them, click on the background again to make certain your black background is indeed selected. And then, hit the Delete central on your keyboard. This should at present delete everything that was inside the selection expanse, revealing a transparent groundwork (which will show up as a checkerboard – as shown in the paradigm above). Striking ctrl+shift+a on your keyboard to Select None.

Yous will probably notice that in your image there is however a faint trace of black going effectually the outer edge of your model. This is because the fuzzy select tool is not perfect – only y'all tin set up this past continuing to adjust your Threshold value using the slider, or by checking the box labeled "feathered edges" and experimenting with the value (usually something in the range of 3-10 pixels works, though it depends on the size of your image).

This yet may not fully ready the consequence every bit the Fuzzy Select Tool just is just not a neat tool, in my opinion. Still, information technology does get the task done very speedily, particularly if yous are only looking for a quick-and-dirty way to go rid of a solid color background. Let's try another tool!

Method 2: Foreground Select Tool (Takes More Time, Produces Better Result)

The next method uses a tool called the "Foreground Select Tool" to distinguish a foreground object from a background object and create a selection area around the foreground object. Start by clicking on the Foreground Select Tool in your Toolbox (denoted by the red arrow in the paradigm to a higher place). For those of you familiar with the other tools in GIMP, you'll notice that your mouse arrow now looks like the aforementioned mouse arrow used for the Gratis Select Tool.

Next, draw a rough outline effectually your foreground object (denoted by the greenish arrow in the paradigm above). It does not take to exist very precise equally the tool's algorithm will detect where the actual line is between the foreground and background objects. Brand sure y'all connect your outline's endpoint to the original starting point to create a complete loop around your foreground object (it's OK if your outline goes off the canvass and then comes back on, which is what I had to do in this case).

Once y'all have completed your outline, hit the enter key on your keyboard. This will highlight everything inside your outline in dark blue, and everything outside your outline in light blue (as you lot can meet in the prototype in a higher place). Your mouse arrow will also now await similar a paintbrush. Utilise the paintbrush to paint inside the foreground object – which tells the tool that everything you are painting is the foreground object. Endeavor non to paint any of the background object every bit it may mess up your terminal event. When you lot release your mouse, the strokes you made will essentially erase whatever of the bluish that was overlapping your subject (denoted by the red arrow in the image above).

As you can see, I loosely painted the foreground object, but stayed off of the blackness background. Hitting the Enter cardinal on your keyboard when yous are finished.

After a few seconds, the light blueish area that marks the background of your image should now more closely "hug" the line between the background and foreground object (every bit seen in the prototype above).

If there are whatsoever blueish areas within your foreground object afterwards performing this action, yous tin paint over them using your paintbrush (denoted by the red arrow in the image above), which will cause the algorithm to refine itself.

When yous have sufficiently gotten rid of the blue items inside your foreground object, hit the enter key one last fourth dimension. This should create a selection area around your foreground object.

You may nonetheless see some specs that were missed. To become rid of these, go to Select>Remove Holes (denoted by the reddish arrow in the image to a higher place). This should get rid of any small selection areas that were missed past the Foreground Select Tool.

Next, hit ctrl+i on your keyboard to invert the selection, or go to Select>Capsize. Your background volition now be selected. Striking the Delete key on your keyboard to delete the background. If a solid color shows upwards rather than the transparency checkerboard, brand sure you have added an blastoff channel to the main image layer past right clicking on the layer and going to Add Alpha Channel (this option will be grayed out if you already have information technology added to your image).

As you tin can encounter, this tool did a slightly better job of erasing the solid color background! If you still see imperfections, I recommend using the eraser tool to erase annihilation that was missed.

To save the image every bit a file blazon that allows for transparent backgrounds, go to File>Export As. Click on the "Select File Blazon past Extension" dropdown (denoted by the red arrow in the epitome above) and choose PNG as the file type. Click Export, then click Consign again.

That's it for this tutorial! You can view more than tutorials on our GIMP Tutorials page, or can view video tutorials on our GIMP YouTube channel!