In this tutorial you will learn how to remove the white area or background from a black and white line drawing of a Scarecrow.
Step 1.
Open up the image which you’d like to remove the background from. You can download a version of the scarecrow used in this tutorial from here.
Step 2.
First create a new layer by clicking on the new layer icon to the left of the bin in the layers palette.
Layers Palette
Step 3.
Click onto the new layer and hold and drag it beneath the image layer.
Layers Palette
Step 4.
Choose the paint bucket tool from the tool bar and with the new background layer selected fill the area with a bright colour of your choice. This is just an aid to assist in the removal of the white areas.
Paint Bucket Tool
Step 5.
The layers area should now resemble the palette below.
Layers Palette
Step 6.
Click onto the image layer and choose the wand tool, or simply press the letter W whilst in Photoshop. Change the tolerance in the Application bar to 40 and click anywhere in the white area.
Magic Wand Tool
Step 7.
Then go to Select > Similar and press delete / backspace on the keyboard.
Select SImilar
Step 8.
You can then repeat the process to delete any further white areas, use the eraser on a small setting or if there are only tiny areas left as shown below just turn the last few white areas to black.
Magic wand effect
To do this, double click on the image layer in the layers pallette to bring up the layer style panel. You can also open this panel by right clicking on the layer and choosing > blending options.
Layer Styles
Step 9.
Click on color overlay from the left hand menu and then click on the colur swatch to change the layer colour back to black.
Layer Style
Step 10.
If you wish to use this image with a different coloured background you can now simply repeat the color overlay process with the background layer selected. To create a transparent background you can turn off the background layer by clicking on the eye on the layer in the layers pallette.
Layer palette eye
Step 11.
By saving as a PNG at this point the image will retain the file with a transparent background. To save as a PNG go to File > Save for Web
Save for Web
Choose PNG 24 from the drop down menu top right and save your image.
Select PNG
The Final Image.
Transparent Background
What I would really like to know how to do is to take a black and white (grey scale) photograph and make it transparent. I have some drop shadows on white backgrounds which I would love to have as transparent layers. How would I make a photo transparent?
Very useful, will be using this method alot more from now often, thanks
Awesome tutorial! Just what I was looking for. I’ll be using this method often. Thanks so much for writing it!
Excellent; most helpful; I have struggled with this (now, simple) problem for some time…thank you and thank you again!
I have an image as you show above – with a checker board background in PS but whenever I try to use this image – like in a power-point program it always comes with a white box around it no matter what I have done to remove it .
You’re welcome, I’m glad you found it useful
To use a file with a transparent background on the web you will need to save the file out as a png with a transparent background. To use it in print and some other editing programs you will need to create a clipping path around the image and save the file as a .eps. Hope that helps.
Very helpful and worked great. Thank you!
thanks for you’re comment