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Does anyone know of a free software that will make the background of an image transparent?
For example, I'm wanting to place a clipart image on top of a solid background and don't want the white square background behind it.
I tried using Microsoft Photo Editor, but it created a "choppy" look around the image. And I read that Corel PaintShop Pro would do the trick so I downloaded it from CNET, but the setup software would never install on my computer (it would crash my computer each time I attempted to open it).
I tried using Microsoft Photo Editor, but it created a "choppy" look around the image.
You need to either A)fringe it color that matches the background or B)use an image format that supports alpha transparency.
Formats that support transparency like .gif are either 100% transparent or a color, by matching the background color you can get a smooth transition. For example the .gif similes on this forum are designed for light colored background. If it was darker background they would look like this:
Other formats like .png support alpha transparency, colors can have transparency and let the background color come through:
Last edited by thecoalman; 08-01-2020 at 05:30 PM..
You need to either A)fringe it color that matches the background or B)use an image format that supports alpha transparency.
Formats that support transparency like .gif are either 100% transparent or a color, by matching the background color you can get a smooth transition. For example the .gif similes on this forum are designed for light colored background. If it was darker background they would look like this:
Other formats like .png support alpha transparency, colors can have transparency and let the background color come through:
I have the image saved as both .gif and .png... but then what? I'm not sure how to use the alpha transparency "method". Is there free software that will make the background transparent? I have ifranview (as Tek_Freek mentioned above), but I don't see any toolbar options about alpha transparency or background transparancy.
I guess I'm wanting to do something like this, but with using a different software than PaintShop Pro.
I have the image saved as both .gif and .png... but then what? I'm not sure how to use the alpha transparency "method". Is there free software that will make the background transparent? I have ifranview (as Tek_Freek mentioned above), but I don't see any toolbar options about alpha transparency or background transparancy.
I guess I'm wanting to do something like this, but with using a different software than PaintShop Pro.
Not sure in Ifranview, but I know that in Paint.NET you can use the eraser on the background to make it transparent.
I have the image saved as both .gif and .png... but then what? I'm not sure how to use the alpha transparency "method". Is there free software that will make the background transparent?
GIMP is another free editing program.
The method the author used in that article is not how I would go about it and if I were to use that method the instructions would be different because I use Photoimpact for image editing. It would work and even work well for some images but to get a seamless edge you need to take a few more steps in most cases. If you look at the image that was used for an example it's already fringed in white:
This is what the edge looks like when blow it up:
It's already been prepared for use on a white background if you were going to use .gif, if you were to use this image on dark background it would have jagged white edges. If you were going to use .png you'd actually want to get rid of this fringe.
In any event assuming the background was one color I'd use the magic wand to select it and then invert the selection. Now convert the selection to an object. In other words everything is now selected accept the background. From there you could do many things with it like set a shadow, paint on the edges or if I was going to use .png set a soft edge which will make edges transparent. These would all provide the means to get a seamless transition.
Sorry I can't be of more help but the "how" is going to vary depending on what you're using. Irfanview is great little program but it probably doesn't have the features needed to do what you want.
Last edited by thecoalman; 08-01-2020 at 05:30 PM..
Says the noobie replying to a thread.... from 2011. How find you even find this? Ohhhh... you work for ClipArtMax or are a bot...
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