If you’ve used GIMP before, you know that this software makes creating quality images and designs extremely easy. You also don’t need to be an experienced user to create a transparent background in GIMP. Here are a few simple methods that you can use to remove an image’s background or turn it transparent if you’re a beginner GIMP user.
How to Create a Transparent Background in GIMP
Depending on the type of image, GIMP has a few different tools that you can use to make the background transparent. Some of them are easier to use, while others require a bit of experience with GIMP. Choose the method that you’re comfortable with and see if it works with your image.
How to Turn the Complex Image Background Transparent
One of the easiest ways to create a transparent background in GIMP is by using the Fuzzy Select tool. It allows you to select areas of an image based on color similarity. This will work great if the background of the picture you’re working with has different colors and structures that you need to erase. To turn your image’s background transparent using Fuzzy Select, follow the steps below. You might have to repeat this process if your picture has a complex background with different colors, objects, and structures.
How to Turn a One-Color Background Transparent
Another simple way of creating a transparent background in GIMP is by using the Select by Color tool. This method is perfect if your picture has a solid background that consists of a single color. Select by Color also uses smart selection that will help you remove your image’s background in seconds. To use Select by Color to create a transparent background, follow the steps below. Similar to how you did with Fuzzy Select, you can create a selection from the subject of your picture instead of the background. Then go to Select > Invert, and remove the background by selecting Delete (for Windows) or Edit > Clear (for Mac).
How to Turn the Background of an Image with a Detailed Subject Transparent
When you’re working with a picture that has a subject with many small details, like strands of hair, or clothing items that you don’t want to crop out, use a Foreground Select tool to remove the background and turn it transparent. To create a transparent background in GIMP using Foreground Select, follow the steps below. If there’s an area inside your subject that you don’t want selected (or want to turn transparent together with the background), under Draw Mode on the left side of your screen select the Draw background and use the brush to outline the area. When you select the Draw unknown mode you can add any separate area of the image to your subject if you don’t want it to turn transparent together with the rest of the background.
Learn New Ways to Make a Background Transparent
GIMP makes it easy to remove a background of almost any type of image. Even though we only covered the beginner-friendly methods here, once you get more familiar with the software you’ll find that GIMP has more tools that you can use to edit your image’s background. If you’re not a fan of GIMP, you can also use different software like Photoshop to turn the background of your photos transparent. Have you used GIMP to create a transparent background before? Which method did you use? Share your experience working in GIMP in the comments section below.
