Arrak Posted May 15, 2019 Share Posted May 15, 2019 Hi, Am very new to photo editing so bear with me! I want to create a transparent background to a png image. The image has a flat off-white background and the rest of the image is a tree and some small flying birds. I can make a flood selection, but the flood erase tool, the erase brush tool and the background erase tool just ignore all my efforts to use them. I'm obviously doing something wrong, or starting from the wrong place - png ? Have watched a video on cutting out, but it goes too quickly and I'm hoping there is a an easier way given my simple off-white background! Any help gratefully received. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff Dan C Posted May 15, 2019 Staff Share Posted May 15, 2019 Hi Arrak, Welcome to the forums When you Place an image it will open as an (Image) layer in your document, (Image) layers can't be manipulated using Pixel tools - such as the eraser - you need to be using these on a (Pixel) layer. To convert your (Image) layer to a (Pixel) layer, simply right-click on the layer in the Layers Studio and select Rasterise. You should now be able to use the Pixel tools as expected. I hope this helps! Quote Please note - I am currently out of the office for a short while whilst recovering from surgery (nothing serious!), therefore will not be available on the Forums during this time. Should you require a response from the team in a thread I have previously replied in - please Create a New Thread and our team will be sure to reply as soon as possible. Many thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arrak Posted May 15, 2019 Author Share Posted May 15, 2019 Thanks Dan, but I hope you can be a little more specific to cope with my lack knowledge of naming conventions! Have hunted through the 'home' page of Affinity Photo. Where is the Layers Studio? I can see a list of layer options in the menu drop-down, but no mention of studio. Can see the rasterise option in that list but it is greyed out. Sorry to be so dense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arrak Posted May 15, 2019 Author Share Posted May 15, 2019 Think I have worked it out! Hopefully I won't need to get back to you again - except to say thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arrak Posted May 15, 2019 Author Share Posted May 15, 2019 Thanks Dan. Worked it out, with your help. Would never have got there otherwise. Could I ask a supplementary question of you. My tree image has numbers of small areas that are of the background I want to make transparent. Can I force the flood tool to deal with all areas of the same colour even when they are 'separated' from the major areas of the background? I can also see this as being very useful when dealing with text: o, r, d b etc. Dan C 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arrak Posted May 15, 2019 Author Share Posted May 15, 2019 OK Dan. Forget it. Suddenly realised my flood fill was set at Contiguous - idiot. Working perfectly. Very many thanks for setting me on the right path. Much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pšenda Posted May 15, 2019 Share Posted May 15, 2019 8 hours ago, Arrak said: I'm hoping there is a an easier way given my simple off-white background! Try Erase White Paper. https://affinity.help/photo/en-US.lproj/pages/Filters/filter_eraseWhitePaper.html Quote Affinity Store (MSI/EXE): Affinity Suite (ADe, APh, APu) 2.4.0.2301 Dell OptiPlex 7060, i5-8500 3.00 GHz, 16 GB, Intel UHD Graphics 630, Dell P2417H 1920 x 1080, Windows 11 Pro, Version 23H2, Build 22631.3155. Dell Latitude E5570, i5-6440HQ 2.60 GHz, 8 GB, Intel HD Graphics 530, 1920 x 1080, Windows 11 Pro, Version 23H2, Build 22631.3155. Intel NUC5PGYH, Pentium N3700 2.40 GHz, 8 GB, Intel HD Graphics, EIZO EV2456 1920 x 1200, Windows 10 Pro, Version 21H1, Build 19043.2130. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Rostron Posted May 16, 2019 Share Posted May 16, 2019 Perhaps I am a bit late here, but here's a suggestion. Assuming that your image is black on (off) white, apply a Threshold Adjustment Layer (Layers > Adjustment Layer > Threshold). Adjust the slider to suit. The result will be a pure black-and-white image. You can then apply Erase White Paper, as @Pšenda suggested. John Quote Windows 10, Affinity Photo 1.10.5 Designer 1.10.5 and Publisher 1.10.5 (mainly Photo), now ex-Adobe CC CPU: AMD A6-3670. RAM: 16 GB DDR3 @ 666MHz, Graphics: 2047MB NVIDIA GeForce GT 630 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arrak Posted May 16, 2019 Author Share Posted May 16, 2019 Thanks all for being so helpful. I have also been browsing the forum and I am amazed at the multiplicity of options available to achieve a transparent background. Well done Serif and its programmers. It is also good that so many are willing to help real bozos like me when it comes to attempting what turn out to be quite simple tasks - when you know how! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.