On 30/09/2010 22:29, Beassweetpeas wrote:

I have just got Gimp and want to remove backgrounds of images.On the video tutorials I have watched there is a box on the right hand side for choosing background. I dont have this although Im sure it was on when I installed it. I only have the Toolbox on the left hand side. Help!!!!

What you want isn't removing the background, but extracting the foreground :-) And there is a tool for this next to the scissors tool (once your have a selection on th eforeground, your can invert it and strike delete to remove the background).

I assume that the box on the RHS is the layer dialog, that let you choose which layers are displayed. But this requires to already have two distinct layers, one with your subject and one with the background.

On 02/10/2010 16:04, Beassweetpeas wrote:

What you want isn't removing the background, but extracting the foreground :-) And there is a tool for this next to the scissors tool (once your have a selection on th eforeground, your can invert it and strike delete to remove the background). I assume that the box on the RHS is the layer dialog, that let you choose which layers are displayed. But this requires to already have two distinct layers, one with your subject and one with the background.

Thanks for your reply.Please could you give me a step by step idiots guide for doing this please! Many thanks!

1) add an alpha channel to the image (layers dialog, right click, add alpha channel)

2) use the foreground selection tool: It has its
own step-by-step indications at the bottom of the screen when it runs

3) invert selection, and hit the delete key. You'll be left with your foreground, everything else will be transparent.