How To Use Gimp To Remove Background

How To Remove a Background In GIMP {+ Retain Fine Pilus Details}

Removing a background in GIMP is easy. Once you know the steps, of course. Merely, I didn't want to create only any 'ole groundwork removal tutorial.

I wanted to give you a challenge… remove a background AND retain fine hair details, like "devious hairs."

At present that'due south a claiming. Wouldn't you lot concord?

Once you're done with this GIMP tutorial, you'll not merely know how to remove any kind of background but how to do it for circuitous situations too.

If you prefer watching, check out the Youtube video I provided higher up. I explain, step-by-step, how to switch the groundwork for a new ane, and how to go along her hair intact.

Footstep 1: Download the Provided Image & Open In GIMP

download and open image

Pace two: Select the Background

Earlier you can remove the background, you have to brand a option of information technology! We have several option tools in GIMP that can become the job done. Like, the Fuzzy Select tool, Magic Wand, Quick Mask Fashion, and more than.

Nonetheless, I think the Foreground Select tool is the all-time one to delete the groundwork for this project. AND to continue every bit much of her pilus intact as possible. Here'due south another tutorial that uses the Foreground Select tool besides.

Activate the Foreground Select Tool & Utilise

Selecting your background with the Foreground Select tool has a few steps. First, catch the tool from the toolbar.

If you're using GIMP two.x.20 or newer, information technology might not exist visible. That's due to tools now being nested with similar tools. Yous can detect information technology with the Free Select tool. Or catch it from your menu; Tools > Selection Tools > Foreground Select.

Next, in the Tool Options, make sure under "Depict Manner," you have the "Draw background" option selected. Now, make a rough selection around her by drawing close to (but not on) her hair and body.

It doesn't have to be perfect. Refer to the image above to meet my initial selection.

Now, striking Enter or Return to apply the first stride. This will add ii blue colored overlays. The dark blue colour represents the background, and the foreground is the lighter blue.

Prepare the Foreground

Nosotros now need to tell GIMP where the foreground is. This time, instead of cartoon, we'll paint where the foreground is selected. By default, one time you run across those blueish overlays, GIMP machine-activates a brush for you.

In that location are two things you'll need to do before applying the brush.

Go to the Tool Options and select "Describe Foreground."
Increase or decrease the brush equally you paint on your bailiwick (foreground).

Every bit you did with the background option, it doesn't need to exist perfect. Paint along the inside edges of our field of study with a decent size brush. Unlike resizing your castor with a regular brush, this brush is resized via the Tool Options with the "Stroke width" slider.

For this image, a stroke width around 250 is perfect for the initial outline. One time you've completed that, increase the size to around 500 -600. This allows you to fill in the balance of the expanse a lot quicker.

Once you finished that, hit the "Select" push, and GIMP will exercise its magic! After the calculations are done, you'll be left with your selection… information technology'll expect like marching ants.

Note:

Every bit y'all apply the brush on the within, the original epitome will show through as the calorie-free blue overlay is removed. If not, you forgot to modify to "Draw Foreground" in the tool options.

Pro Tip:

How the Foreground Tool works. Every bit you target the foreground & background, you're giving GIMP an idea of where each is located inside your image.

GIMP will then take the information, like the details, contrast, colors, etc., to decide where the background and foreground are! This is magically washed with its built-in algorithm. Although GIMP does a pretty good job initially, information technology'southward non 100% accurate.

Most of the time, you'll need to fine-tune the selection with another Option tool. My favorite for achieving this is by using the Quick Mask Mode.

Step 3: Remove the Background

Hither is the moment you've been waiting for… removing the background! Here are the steps to consummate the removal…

Hit the "Add" button, and Boom! The background has been removed, and y'all accept a transparent background.

Pro Tip:

Some GIMP tutorials (created past others) require the addition of "add alpha channel." Making a Layer Mask with "Select" eliminates the need to add together an alpha channel.

Step 4: Supervene upon the Groundwork With a New Paradigm Background

Either notice your own prototype or download this forest prototype I'thou using. Once downloaded, locate the file on your computer and drag/drop over your GIMP interface.

This volition add the image as a new layer! Now, click and drag the layer below the portrait layer. Boom! You at present have a new groundwork.

The only trouble is her hair is a fleck pixelated. This could accept been avoided (somewhat) by feathering the selection. When I tried feathering the selection for this image, I didn't discover that it helped much.

Sometimes information technology helps, and sometimes it doesn't. It depends on the photo and its resolution.

This leads us to the next step, where you'll learn how to smooth out the epitome's pixelization and retain most of the pilus item.

Pro Tip:

How to plumage the option, and what does it mean?

Feathering a selection simply means making the selection smoother along the edges. This helps reduce pixelization in the prototype… depending on the strength applied.

To plume a selection, go to Select > Plumage and get-go with a strength of ii – 5px.

Pace 5: Last Edits In GIMP To Retain Pilus Detail

Earlier we can piece of work on the pilus edits, let's deselect our selection with; Cmd. or Ctrl. + Shift + A. Or via the menu; Select > None.

Hither are the first steps for this part of the edit…

Indistinguishable the portrait layer with its layer mask.
Right-click on the duplicate layer and select "Utilise Layer Mask."
Add a new "white" layer mask.
Turn off the original portrait layer and mask (click on the icon to the left).

When it comes to this editing step, at that place is no 1 right tool for the job. You lot'll accept to experiment with different tools to see how to attain your artistic vision.

My tools of selection for this kind of edit are the Smudge Tool (S), Eraser Tool (Shift + E), Brushes (P), and the use of the Layer Mask to suit the edits.

Hair Particular Retention Part 1

The first affair I'k going to practice is remove the background remnants from the original background. These are like shooting fish in a barrel to run into since they're in larger chunks effectually the hair and her lower body.

I'll paint with black to remove these larger pieces located outside her pilus and body. Brand sure to apply a soft-border castor also.

Get in close to the hair and effort not to erase too many strays. We desire this to wait as natural as possible without giving her a flat head.

Hair Detail Retention Part two

Next, move inside her hair where the old background is still visible. As well, switch to the Brush tool and click on the Layer Mask. Plus, adjust the following in the Tool Options…

Use a smooth, long stroke the length of the area that needs to be removed. You'll need to do this several times to slowly delete the background.

This helps keep some of the hair as you delete the unnecessary parts.

Oh, and adjust the brush size for each new surface area you're working on too. You might also demand to make adjustments to the Opacity and Forcefulness for the all-time results.

Hair Detail Retention Part 3

The stray hairs located near the top of her head appear much darker than others. This is due to GIMP non being able to precisely decipher the background from the foreground. Nigh likely, due to the thinness of some pilus.

It's not necessary to keep all the devious hair. Just enough to brand it expect natural. So, let's alloy in these darker strays with our Smudge Tool. As we did with the Brush tool, lower the Opacity and Strength accordingly.

Apply the Smudge tool as needed to fulfill your artistic vision.

Bonus Step: Add More Hair!

For bonus points, y'all can add more hair to the image. How? With a castor, of course. So far, I'd rate this GIMP tutorial as advanced.

Adding hair is an fine art form all by itself and is more than complex vs. what we've washed thus far.

Hither are a few tips for creating hair…

You'll demand a castor similar the free i included in GIMP; Bristles 01.
Apply your eyedropper tool to select colors from her pilus, then your new hair matches.
Experiment with the castor Dynamics to attain the desired effect.

If yous'd like a full GIMP tutorial on adding hair, let me know in the comments below.

What's Next?

Now that yous know how to remove a background in GIMP, with a complex ane, you lot shouldn't have any problem removing whatever kind of background. But, it will take exercise to master this type of edit.

Looking for another editing challenge? How about removing annihilation from GIMP?

When you lot're done practicing with the paradigm provided, I'd love to come across your final edit. Bring together the friendliest, private group this side of the Milky Way to share your new skills, enquire questions, and larn more nigh editing.

Oh, and check out my Youtube channel likewise.

Like this article? If then, delight share!