This isn't regarding photos, but any images or clip art (or any other image with irregular border)= How do I get rid of the white background that's always there with the image?

Example: If I have a blue textured background on a web page and wanted to add an image of a dragonfly to it, there's always the white background that accompanies the image, and of course, that looks ridiculous/tacky. If the web page is white, then that's no problem, but anything other than that, the image looks like a postage stamp.

I've tried to put the image into PaintShopPro and see if there's a way to get rid of the white surrounding background as I save it, but to no avail.

I feel I'm missing something and there must be a way to do this.
Could it be, because most of the images I've saved, are from clip art programs that came with MS Word, Publisher, etc?? Do I need to look for items that are specifically for a web page? ... or is that irrelevant?

Thanks!

This might help:

http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/paints … ebackg.htm

Just put the following into Google and you'll find plenty of tutorials:

Paint shop Pro remove background

Thanks Carey!

I'm in the process of perusing through the links you gave. What's interesting, is some images I've used, such as 'buttons', don't have the background... just the image. They can be put on anything and of course, there isn't that block of white background with them. Obviously, it must be the way in which they were created.

Pixi

Yes, it is the way the graphic image was created or edited.

A good graphics program will allow you to build an image with transparent background, and will also allow you to edit a graphic to create the transparent background.

One source of help with graphics in general is the about.com collections of forums. I use GIMP as me graphic program (it is free) and have found that while the directions on the about.com forums are generally directed to purchased programs, I can usually find a way to apply the instructions to GIMP.

Thank you Bill! The graphics software you mentioned, "GIMP", do you have a link to it? .. or tell me it's full name?

I know Paint Shop Pro is suppose to be able to take out the background, but I haven't had any luck with it. I THINK it's because the images I tried to change, are only one layer. ...?

Pam

Pixi,

The full name of the program is GIMP. GIMP stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program.

Here is a link to the GIMP website. http://www.gimp.org/

There is a download button just under the 2.4 version number.

As I recall, I have to start by adding an alpha layer to make the transparent background.

Bill,

More Re "GIMP" (to get rid of white background on images...)

*Technically, this is not a question re VSD, so if you feel you shouldn't answer it, I understand:

I downloaded 'GIMP', and it seems to be working fine, (even though I don't know how to work a lot of it yet... lol), plus, when I realized the 'Help" files were separate, I downloaded them also. (I chose one of the two sets, the newest). After downloading them, when I click on the exe file to install the Help files, Windows tells me it cannot open/does not recognize file type/wants to know what I want to open it with, etc.

I'm hoping you can tell me how on earth to get those "Help" files, into the GIMP program, and have them become part of it, so that when I click on "Help" when I'm in GIMP, the Help file will be there.

This is all being done of course, because I want to be able to edit images I have, that I want to use in VSD!

GIMP seems like a cool program. I have used Paint Shop Pro for years, mostly just basic areas of it and it was great, but when I couldn't figure out how to edit the images in it, I decided to try GIMP that you suggested.

Thank you!!
Pixi

Pixi,

Here is a link to the help files that are STABLE.

http://gimp-win.sourceforge.net/stable.html

You can download seven small files, or the 64M file for all seven languages, or if you just want English, look at the bottom of the window for a 21,536 kB file.

I suspect you downloaded a file that works for Linux or MAC, or is compressed for one of those non-windows OS.

Bill! (re GIMP 'Help' files..)

Got it this time! Not sure what I had the first time, but I dumped that exe download and used the one you mentioned, the 21,536 kb file that was at the bottom of the page. It just took a moment. When I opened GIMP, and clicked on 'Help', it came up!
Yeah!

THANKS!!

Pixi

Pixi,

Glad to help.