Let’s be honest: there are instances where photos you really liked of yourself have unpleasant backgrounds, and you wish you could remove them. To complement the subject more, you should also know that the subject should be placed against a good background. As a beginner in photo editing or trying to fix your own photos, you might have faced the problem of not knowing how to remove the background of an image in just a few clicks.
Table of Contents
In this blog, we will look into📝:
- How to remove the background from an image: Here, I’ve mentioned all the tips and tricks(basically steps) that tell you how you can easily remove the background from GIMP.
- Different GIMP tools: Here, I’ve also mentioned a list of tools available in GIMP that you can effectively utilize to remove unwanted backgrounds from any image.
In this article, I’ve extensively put together a simple step-by-step guide to help you understand and learn how to remove backgrounds from an image using the free photo editing software called GIMP. If you’re new to photography or trying to pursue a career in graphic design or other services, you might actually need to know the basics of such free software that makes work easier for you. Read on to learn more about GIMP and the tools you can use to professionally edit out backgrounds easily.
What is GIMP?
The GNU Image Manipulation Program, or GIMP, is an amazing image editing software that is free and open source for users trying out photo editing. It was created and maintained by a group of professional volunteer developers who wanted to distribute a free program for people who do photo retouching, image composition, and image authoring. This software is mainly used by beginners, photographers, graphic designers, illustrators, and more.
GIMP has many capabilities, including a paint program, quality photo retouching, image rendering, editing, and format converter features. These free features make GIMP a great software to try out for beginners who don’t have previous experience in software like Photoshop or Illustrator. GIMP is an incredible software with powerful tools to make the best of your graphics and photographs. Regardless of the reasons why you want to remove the background in your image, GIMP has easy tools and approaches that help you remove it without much complexity. One of the advanced tools available in GIMP is layer masks, which offer more control and precision for detailed elements like hair strands.
How to Remove Background in GIMP
GIMP, as mentioned, is a free software that helps you with multiple photo editing tasks. Some tools allow you to select similar color pixels across the entire image canvas, making it easier to eliminate distracting backgrounds.
learning makeup rn
also learning GIMP (cause my photo editing is pretty bad and college taught me using software that costs too much per month, even for someone who lives in a castle) pic.twitter.com/zYKUb3Gkfg
— Rosie The I of York (@RosePetal617) April 6, 2024
If you want to learn how to remove the background of an image, you can easily use any of the following five ways. I’ll detail these five tools with a step-by-step tutorial to make it easier for you to understand. Let’s get started.
Fuzzy Select Tool
The first tool available in GIMP is the Fuzzy Select Tool, which you can use to remove the background of a subject easily. Select the fuzzy select tool, which allows you to turn the background into a transparent background, which is useful when there is a clear distinction between the subject and the background.
Step 1: Choose an image file and open the GIMP editor. Select the image you want to edit. Go to File and click Open, then choose the saved image.
Step 2: You will see the image icon on the lower right side. Right-click on it and select “Add alpha channel
Step 3: Click the “Fuzzy Select” tool with the magic wand icon. Enable options like antialiasing, feather edges, and draw masks.
Step 4: Click on the background area to select it. Adjust the threshold as needed by dragging to increase or decrease it.
Step 5: Release the selection and press “Delete”. Now, you will see that the background has been removed. Repeat the process a few more times until the entire background is deleted using the free select tool or the fuzzy select tool.
Your background of the image is removed using the fuzzy select tool. To fill in the empty spaces after removing the background, you can use the bucket fill tool to add a solid color or an image pattern, enhancing the overall appearance of your edited image.
Color Tool
Another method to remove the bg of an image in GIMP is to use the Color Tool. The Color Select Tool allows you to choose every pixel in your image that has the same color across the entire image canvas. This tool can be useful for images with simple designs as well as vector illustrations to make the background transparent.
Step 1: Ensure you enable the antialiasing and draw mask features in GIMP. If you’re removing a background from a photograph, you can enable feather edges.
Step 2: Click on the Color Select Tool.
Step 3: Click and hold on the area of the background you want to remove. Manually drag the tool to adjust the selection as needed.
Step 4: Press “Delete” and repeat the process as needed.
This method allows you to effectively remove backgrounds using GIMP’s Color Select Tool.
Paths Tool
Another way to delete the background of your image is by using the Paths Tool in GIMP. This method is recommended for beginners willing to invest some time and effort, as it often yields the most crisp results.
Step 1: Click the Paths Tool.
Step 2: Begin clicking from one point to another on the subject, outlining the background you want to remove. Curve by dragging the endpoints to adjust to the subject’s edges.
Step 3: Continue clicking to outline all edges of the subject precisely. Once the entire subject is outlined, close the path by connecting the last point with the first.
Step 4: Press Enter to create a selection around your subject, which should now have an outline covering it.
Step 5: Since you want to remove the background and not the subject, go to Select and choose Invert.
Step 6: Press Delete on the keyboard.
And your background is removed.
Layer Mask Tool
The Layer Mask Tool is an advanced background removal feature in GIMP. You can use this method for images with precise details and finer elements, such as hair strands, which are difficult to select manually. Ensure the image has sufficient contrast between the subject and background before proceeding.
Step 1: Right click on your image and select “Duplicate Layer”.
Step 2: Go to Colors and choose Desaturate. Set the saturation scale to zero and click OK.
Step 3: Navigate to the Select by Color tool again and click on Curves.
Step 4: Adjust the top and bottom nodes on the graph so the subject is black and the background is predominantly white.
Step 5: Go to Colors and select Invert.
Step 6: Go to Edit and choose Copy Visible.
Step 7: Click the visibility layer icon (looks like an eyeball) next to your image.
Step 8: Right-click on the original layer and select Add Layer Mask.
Step 9: Leave the default settings and click Add.
Step 10: Go to Edit and select Paste.
Step 11: Click the small green anchor icon at the bottom right of the editor to make the white background more transparent.
Step 12: Use the white brush tool to remove imperfections on the subject or areas showing the transparency grid. Now, the background is removed as desired.
Foreground Select Tool
You can also remove the background of any image or subject using the Foreground Select Tool in GIMP. This method is suitable for images with subjects that have very fine, intricate details, such as hair, as I mentioned in the previous tool.
Comment
byu/jenfur1974 from discussion
inGIMP
Step 1: Click on the “Foreground Select” tool.
Step 2: Draw a rough outline of the main subject. Precision isn’t necessary here, so don’t worry about getting every detail.
Step 3: Press Enter, and the editor will show a dark blue background and light blue foreground.
Step 4: Manually brush over your subject precisely, ensuring that you do not go beyond the boundaries or change the size. Click “Preview Mask,” and press Enter when satisfied with the selection.
Step 5: Click the Selection tool and choose Invert.
Step 6: Press the Delete key to remove the background.
I feel these above-mentioned methods in GIMP allow you to effectively remove backgrounds from images using various tools depending on the complexity and details of the subject.
Personal Opinion✨
I feel like GIMP is a really great alternative to Photoshop. It has the essentials like layers and filters and best of all; it’s completely free! But at the same time, there are features that can feel very slow if you’re a professional editor. But why worry and waste time removing background when you can hire professional graphic designers to edit pictures? There are unlimited graphic design subscription services that can help you meet your graphic design needs easily. Try out graphically to learn more.
Conclusion
Exploring new ways and tools to enhance your editing and graphics skills is valuable. These skills can bolster your resume if you’re aiming for a career in graphic design, product design, or illustration. Just like drawing, understanding the basics of photo editing is also essential for graphic designers. Free editing tools like GIMP offer great opportunities to refine your skills, so I think this is your cue to start trying out these tools. If you don’t want to waste time removing backgrounds, I recommend you to connect with our professional graphic designers at Graphically.io, who are ready to help you edit images with ease. Graphically.io offers exciting packages and provides unlimited graphic design for brands and business alike.
There are different AI tools for designers in the market, like Leonardo AI, which helps you create images, and other tools, like Canva and Kittl, that help you edit and make images. If you’re planning to be a graphic designer, always make a list of these tools and leverage them to their best use. Learning how to remove image backgrounds from a photo becomes easy and convenient with GIMP’s tools. In this article, I have shared five tools in GIMP that help you remove backgrounds effortlessly from any image you’re editing. Choose the method that suits your image best and aligns with your comfort level. This knowledge will empower you to create cleaner, more professional-looking images and graphics for various purposes.
FAQs
1. How do I make an image background transparent in GIMP?
Open GIMP and load the image you want to edit. In the lower-right corner, select the image layer. Then, choose “Add Alpha Channel” to ensure that when you remove the background, it becomes transparent instead of turning white or black.
2. Why can’t i remove white background in GIMP?
If you are unable to remove the white background in GIMP, it might be because the active layer doesn’t have an alpha channel. To fix this, go to the Layers Dialog and right-click on the active layer. If “Add Alpha Channel” is an available option, it means your layer currently lacks an alpha channel. Click “Add Alpha Channel” to add it. Once this is done, you will be able to erase the background to transparency.
