Anyone here use photo paint 8 to make transparent backgrounds on existing images? I got a free copy of this software but even the tutorial is too vague to explain how to do this.
thanks in advance.
Steve

I don't use it, but I'm looking for someone who does.
Even though it sounds like it might be referencing web stuff, not print, might this article help you at all?
Removing white backgrounds from Bitmaps with CorelDraw and Corel Photo-Paint

Lorilei

I tried that link but it points more to Corel Draw and vague info about photo paint8. Thanks for looking into it.

Steve

I'm wondering if Photo Paint is anything like Paint Shop Pro. I use Paint Shop Pro for most of my images. I'm assuming that your image has a background that you are trying to get rid of? In Paint Shop Pro, to make a transparent background, they have a tool called background eraser. Does your program have this? It's under the eraser tool, if you click on the little arrow next to the eraser, there is the background eraser option. If you are just looking to save your image with a transparent background to keep it transparent, then save it with the .png extension and it will have the tranparent background. I hope this helps.

Jennie

Hey Goodtees Steve: I have used Photo Paint 8 and currently use PHOTO PAINT 11. Spent a year trying to get transparency correct around an object saved as a PNG in Photo Paint 11. MUCH easier to do, if I recall, in Photo Paint 8 by Corel.

Here is my copy/pasted STEP BY STEP for COREL PP 11 and just see which menu items are not available in earlier version of PP 8 and compensate and make several attempts. I certainly had to scream alot to get it right.

Good going, Steve.

Wesley Miller
aka TIKI TOON cafepress.com/tikitoon

Creating Transparency for png image:

i.E. 'green turtle surrounded by pool of white background'

Open IMAGE
SAVE AS PNG >

OBJECT> CREATE > FROM BACKGROUND*

go to

MASK > CREATE MASK From OBJECT*

* at this point your object is the entire image and the mask cover the image though you may not see anything yet ...

MASK > INVERT >

go to MAGIC WAND TOOL and CAST AWAY THE pool oF white followed by GO to:

MASK > INVERT

OBJECT [or directly to...] > CROP TO MASK

YOU SHOULD NOW HAVE A GREEN TURTLE "floating" in image space.

WHATEVER YOU DO NEXT, ADD FX LENS FILTERS COLORZE DO NOT CREATE A BACKGROUND OR SELECT BACKGROUND OBJECT.

When your prepared image is ready to be saved....

SAVE AS ....PNG >

next splash screen will feature buttons

NONE
IMAGE
Blah
Blah

CHOOSE IMAGE > USE EYEDROPPER TO select any existing background color if it does not show CLEAR...PREVIEW should show CLEAR ...SAVE PNG.

UPLOAD to Cafepress.

----------------------------------

DO NOT OPEN THis copy until after you successfully upload to CAFEPRESS and CONFIRM TRANSPARENCY. IMAGE MAY DEFAULT to BACKGROUND Created by PHOTO PAINT 8 AGAIN oR iT MAY HAVE A BACKGROUND color and you have to start again.

wesley Miller
aka
http://tikitoon.blogspot.com

Jennie, wish it was that simple. But the programs are very different, but thnks for your input.
Wesley, I figured it was going to be a hassle, that's what you get for "free" software. I'll give it a try and see what happens. maybe the Scottsman in me will lighten the wallet and buy photoshop instead. Thanks everyone.

Steve

quote:

y

Steve: have a bit of Scottsman back some generations myself and got my stubborness to work out the sequence with Corel Photo paint from that, I guess, too.

keep my note near and give it up to ten tries because PHOTO paint really is a user-friendly interface on a similiar engine as Photoshop's basic native tools. With Photoshop, you may be overwhelmed with all the bells and whistles and can make designs but may not capture a craftsman-ship that learning to mask, un-mask, etc will take with Photo Paint. [ besides you have to do those things in Photoshop, too and I never found it user-friendly.]

keep at it because I just got an email today from my mother who lives in Germany and for the past four years of making cafepress images, I wished she was seeing these..while i was learning Illustration and already computer savvy, Mom has been working a German govt. job with computers and get up to speed. Just before replying to you now, I read she has seen my designs for the first time and will place an order for some animals and Christmas stash. SO Cafepress does more that merchandise and brings family closer together, too.

nuff said, Be well Steve.

wesley

Wesley,
You are my hero! Thank you, thank you, thank you! It worked. I followed your directions and saved the image as a png file, and presto...a transparent background! I just need to fiddle with feathering for images with irregular/fuzzy outlines. I still plan to buy photshop or similar software in the future, but for now this will work. Any suggestions on what design software you would recommend? As you can tell I'm simple stupid, but this old dog can be taught new tricks. Thanks again for your help.

Steve G.

Wesley,
If I could tap your infinite wisdom once again.
I did a design that has letters and a graphic. After I clear the background with the wand and then try to clear the inside of a letter like "P", it cancells out the background and only clears out the center of the letter. Is there another step that allows me to make random areas transparent as well as the background? Thanks.

Steve G.

Hey steve:

glad to know you got something going with Photo Paint 8. If you could upgrade to PP 11 or higher that is what am using but really recall a lot of function with PP 8.

About the directions for removing unwanted space with the magic wand, you followed my directions and got most of the surrounding area removed but closed areas with unwanted color still are alluding your magic wand, correct?

This is because after each instance of magic wand, you need to return to toolbar menu MASK >
INVERT [that is the key INVERT] and place wand over those small and other unwanted regions in closed space. Do this repeatedly until they are all gone.

Hope this helps and can tell your on the right track. Check out my new DJs DO IT BETWEEN THE EARS design at http://www.cafepress.com/tikitoon

ciao