How To Remove Background in GIMP

Today we are going to talk about “How to remove background in GIMP”. As the name suggests, GIMP is a GNU Image Manipulation Program. For photo editing, image composition, and image creation, it is a freely available application.

This application is capable of a lot of things similar to Adobe Photoshop. Gimp can be used as paint software, a picture retouching application of professional quality. Moreover, it is an online batch-processing system. Additionally, a large-scale image renderer, and an image format converter. 

The software may be utilized in a variety of ways. GIMP is adaptable and extendable, which makes it a powerful tool. Add-ons and extensions allow it to do nearly everything. The software can perform many tasks using the advanced scripting interface. From, simple tasks, as well as complicated image modification operations, may be programmed.

How To Remove Background in GIMP

Wondering how to remove background in GIMP? In GIMP there are many ways to remove the background of a photo. Some techniques are very easy to perform and some need practice and experience.

In this article, I will be going over the five easiest techniques to use gimp to remove background. The image manipulations will differ in the process. As for different types of images, we will be performing individual techniques. 

Technique 1: Using the Fuzzy Selection Tool

Gimp fuzzy select tool is a popular technique to remove background from images in gimp. The magic wand is another name for the Fuzzy selection. It’s used to pick parts of the image canvas that have similar colors to the current selection.

When you use this tool, you may produce a selection of pixels that are all identical to a sample selection inside a confined region. On images where the foreground and the backdrop are distinct, this technique works effectively. Subtle differences in coloration, such as gradients, might cause problems.

Required Steps

To ensure transparency, you need to right-click on the layer of your image and add an alpha channel. In case your selection is already greyed out then the channel is already added.

Select the Anti-Aliasing, feather edges, and draw mask after grabbing the fuzzy tool. A colored overlay will be generated by the draw mask setting. This helps to select the unwanted area.

You need to hold a click in the area of the image you want to delete. The mask determines the selection by coloring the area.

To increase the threshold move your pointer downward and to increase move upward. When you think the selection is ok let go of the click. Press delete on your keyboard to make the background transparent.

Technique 2: Select By Color Tool

This technique gives an idea of how to remove the background in Gimp using color. To pick regions of a picture based on color similarity, you can use the Select by Color tool. The tool is quite similar to the Fuzzy Select tool (“Magic Wand”) in its functionality.

This tool picks all pixels with a suitably comparable color to the pixel you clicked on. Regardless of where they are situated. While the Magic Wand selects just contiguous regions. Aside from that, clicking and dragging in the image does not affect the Select By Color tool.

Select by color tool helps to select similar colors in the background of an image. This technique works very well in a consistent background. You can find it in the tools option or can just click “Shift+O”.

Required Steps

After selecting the tool enable anti-aliasing and draw a mask from the tools. You can also keep the feather edges if your photographs require that.

Now grab the select by color tool and adjust the perfect threshold by moving the mouse upward and downward.

After the selection is done let go of the click and press the delete button on your keyboard. With this, you will have your transparent background image.

Technique 3: The Path Tool

With the Paths tool, it is possible to build complicated Bézier Curves selections. Which are similar to Lasso but with the flexibility of vectorial curves instead. It’s possible to tweak your curve, paint with it, or even save it, import, and export it. Paths can also be used to form geometrical shapes, such as triangles. You can get the tool in the image menu from Tool>Path.

As soon as you pick the Paths tool, the mouse cursor turns into a curved arrow. To, construct the initial point on the route, click on the picture and hold the left mouse button. For establishing a new link, move the cursor to a new point and left-click it.

The number of points you construct is completely up to you. However, you only need two points to learn about Paths. There’s a tiny “+” next to the curve while you’re adding points. Clicking it will add a new point. A cross with arrows appears when the mouse cursor is near a line segment, similar to the move tool.

This is an advanced-level tool and takes a more manual approach. On the other hand, this tool can give you the best result. The best way gimp removes the background from images.

Required Steps

By using the path tool to remove the background, open the image, and add an alpha channel to it. And then choose the Paths tool from the Tools menu.

Start by clicking around the boundaries of your subject with the paths tool to set individual points that will build up an outline.

By clicking and dragging the lines between them in the direction you want them to travel, you may curve them. Make careful to click on the most recent point you made before changing the handles to continue sketching your shape.

To close the route, hold down the ctrl and click on your starting point. Use your keyboard to form a selection around the subject by pressing enter. This selection must be inverted to choose the background. To do so, select Invert and then delete.

Technique 4: Layer Mask Tool

To create more visually appealing composite pictures, GIMP’s layer masks give a versatile means of editing layers that combine within a document. When it comes to picture editing, layer masks are a must-have tool to have.

In addition, you may use them to selectively change the transparency of the layer to which they are attached. When using a mask, you may individually change the opacity of various areas inside a single layer. 

About how to use gimp to remove the background using the Layer mask tool. For photos with hair strands and other small features that would normally be impossible to choose manually. This feature would be excellent. Only photos with a lot of contrast between the subject and the background will work with this approach.

Required Steps

To use this technique, right-click on your layer and duplicate your original layer.

Choose Color Saturation and set it to zero. Then click on OK.

Then go to colors curves and change the top and bottom nodes manually. Keep in mind that, the subject should be majority black. While the background is predominantly white. Now, go-to colors, invert and invert your color.

And then go to edit, copy visible, and copy this picture.

By clicking on the small eyeball symbol next to that layer, you can turn off the visibility. Add a layer mask to your original layer by right-clicking it. Click OK after leaving the default settings unchanged.

Once you’ve done that, go to Edit Paste and click on the green anchor icon to insert it inside the mask. Note that the black portions remain visible, but the translucent white parts are no longer visible.

If it’s not ideal, you’ll need to use a white brush to fill in the regions that were removed.

Technique 5: Foreground Select Tool

The foreground can be extracted from an active layer or a selection. Selection refinement has been enhanced in GIMP-2.10. This selection may then be copied and pasted to another image used as a background.

This tool can be found in two ways. First, by clicking on the icon in the toolbox. Secondly, you can go to tools and select foreground tool. Foreground Select Tool is our last tool, but it’s not the least.

To get the greatest effects, use this tool in conjunction with the gimp scissors tool. Use it where you want the foreground and background to contrast. The foreground and background may be separated using this particular tool’s difference in colors. If your subject contains a lot of small details, such as hair strands, this approach is an excellent choice.

Required Steps

Using the foreground select tool, manually create a rough boundary around your subject to get things started.

Not an attempt to be exact. This is just a very basic tracing. Then hit enter on your keyboard.

As a result, you will get a dark blue backdrop and a light blue foreground. Manually brush in the regions of your subject, but be careful not to go too close to the boundary.

Your keyboard’s left and right bracket keys allow you to adjust the size of your brush. You don’t have to worry about this being an exact trace at this point. There’s no need to go overboard with this.

Then, you may flip the preview setting to see how it looks once you’re done with it. You may turn it into a selection by pressing enter on the keyboard.

When you’re done, choose Invert and hit Delete to erase the backdrop.

Conclusion | How To Remove Background in GIMP

Undoubtedly, Gimp removes backgrounds with ease. But comparing its tools and choices with Photoshop’s, it’s hard to imagine that it’s even close. Despite its ease of use, it can’t generate professional-quality photos the way Photoshop can. So, if you want high-quality photos for your business, you’ll need Adobe Photoshop.

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FAQs | How To Remove Background in GIMP

Is GIMP Helpful Software?

Ans. GIMP is and has always been primarily a photo editor software. The application can do a lot more than just that. The main purpose of GIMP was to assist regular folks to get more out of their photos.

Is GIMP A Virus?

Ans. GIMP is a free, open-source graphics editor that isn’t intrinsically dangerous. It isn’t a virus or a piece of malware. GIMP download is available from a variety of websites.

Which One Is Better GIMP or Photoshop?

Ans. Photoshop is the superior editing program since it is professional and has the support of a multibillion-dollar business. But GIMP manages to stay competitive and still offers a viable option for people who cannot afford Photoshop. But if you are thinking about how to remove background in Gimp, it is the easiest. 

Can I Use GIMP Professionally?

Ans. When it comes to screen graphics, the GIMP is excellent for the price. But it lacks professional color space. Or file format is not supported. To do so, you’ll need to use Adobe Photoshop.

Is GIMP Good For Beginners?

Ans. GIMP is a free, open-source alternative to Adobe Photoshop for image editors. Beginner-friendly, it offers a lively community with tips and techniques to assist you to make the changes and edits your image needs to look its very best.