How to cut out a PNG (Gimp)

by - March 10, 2016

Welcome to another gimp tutorial on how to cut out PNG pictures i.e delete out the whole background with the exceptional of the subject. For this, I have selected this sassy picture of Shay Mitchell (Because she's beautiful and my brother's woman crush everyday). Anyway, 7 to 8 simple steps and you are done!

STEP ONE:

Open your picture in gimp as a layer. Make sure it's HD so it's easy for you to focus on the details.

STEP TWO:

Right click on the layer and select Add Alpha Channel so now when you erase the background, instead of being white, it'll be a tile pattern.

STEP THREE:

There are more then one methods by which you can erase the background of a picture. First is the wand tool. Click on the part you want to delete, say I clicked on the yellow part which you can see is selected. You can also press shift and do the selection, that way is easy too. Once you are done, press delete on your keyboard.

STEP FOUR:

Another way is the path tool which we used before as well in our first tutorial. Make the selection around the subject. Make sure you have zoomed in the picture so it's detailed and easy.


STEP FIVE:

Once you have made the selection all around the subject, right click anywhere on the picture. Put the cursor on 'Select' and click on 'From Path.'

STEP SIX:

After which you have to click on 'Invert' option so the selection is inverted, i.e the selection is now all over the background except the subject.

STEP SEVEN:

Now just press the delete key on your keyboard and you'll notice the background is completely erased.

STEP EIGHT:

Obviously there are few details still left, as you can see the part near Shay's hair, it's still yellow. In order to perfectly erase that, right click anywhere on the picture. Put your cursor on select and click on 'By Color'. This option will help in selection according to the color. Therefore, by clicking on the yellow part on her hair, a selection is made. Press delete and that shall get removed as well.


And there you have it. The perfect PNG of Shay Mitchell. Eight easy steps and you're done!


I hope this tutorial was somehow helpful to you.
I would love to see your recreations, post them in the comments below by using the code;
[IMG]IMAGE-URL-HERE[/IMG]

Please share it with people who might be interested! :D

Until next time,
A is signing off
toodles

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17 comments

  1. [IMG]https://41.media.tumblr.com/3283b882f20c683df46ce7fcab2c5e38/tumblr_no1trs1qsp1us3zamo1_500.jpg[/IMG]

    [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/YTwi2nx.png[/IMG]- RUREAL

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OOps heres the real one:
      [IMG]https://36.media.tumblr.com/5086189f319184a40aea300519d84400/tumblr_nup14z2sYK1u90ve6o4_500.png[/IMG]

      [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/GRmTkfd.jpg[/IMG]- Rureal

      Delete
  2. heres my try idk how to put the actual pic. just the link. I use imgur if u know please tell me. xoxo

    BEFORE:
    http://imgur.com/sercdAm

    AFTER:
    http://imgur.com/qmPEvT4

    ReplyDelete
  3. heres my try,

    [IMG] http://i.imgur.com/SzGsr5m.jpg[/IMG]

    the code isn't working I don't know why.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. oh sorry i did work haha. it just wasn't working in the preview of my comment

      Delete
  4. Before - [IMG]http://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1381786801i/5299043.jpg[/IMG]

    After - [IMG]http://i67.tinypic.com/kehmap.jpg[/IMG]

    littlenight0wl

    ReplyDelete
  5. my username is estro-

    before:
    [img]http://i.imgur.com/GCiVW29.jpg[/img]

    after:
    [img]http://i.imgur.com/pq59EaS.png[/img]

    ReplyDelete
  6. my name is supersmiley123.
    before:
    [img]http://i.imgur.com/XyKxKBb.jpg[/img]

    after:
    [img]http://i.imgur.com/q6AdHJn.png[/img]

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. sorry, i saved it with a black background, here is the png form:
      [img]http://i.imgur.com/6HU66IM.png[/img]

      Delete
  7. [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/sDPjVCd.jpg[/IMG]

    here is my assignment. (yikes its bad). sorrrryyyy :/

    -natlovesxo

    ReplyDelete
  8. Here's my try, I usually just add a layer mask and erase everything I don't want there myself so I get smooth edges and stuff, but this is a great way to do it too! - ksstories
    [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/P0a062U.png[/IMG]

    ReplyDelete
  9. So I don't really know what happened to that little line in the middle but ugh here, have some Rami Malek

    [img]http://i.imgur.com/33R8EOKm.jpg[/img]

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. oops here's a bigger version :)

      [img]http://i.imgur.com/33R8EOKm.jpg[/img]

      Delete
    2. OH MY GOD THIS LINK

      [img]http://i.imgur.com/33R8EOK.jpg[/img]

      Delete
  10. This is for your GIMP school on wattpad, asignment 2. I used a lasso since i despise the path tool for anything other than drawing and creating resources like textures and brushes. My wattpad username is Lauren_James. These have both been downsized so it might be slightly distorted (full quality png : http://fav.me/d9s1o1m ) [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/xjjYUF7.png[/IMG]

    ReplyDelete
  11. here is my assignment, i am mysteries- on wattpad

    [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/DFzXrFl.png[/IMG

    ReplyDelete
  12. SOOOOO sorry this is late.
    -stelliferousky

    [img]http://i.imgur.com/nDfpaL1.jpg[/img]

    ReplyDelete

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