Copying and Pasting Transparent Images

[viklas122]

I have a problem with transparent images.

I used the magic wand to delete the areas around my friends' picture and make those areas transparent. Then i copied and pasted that image onto a background image i also opened in paint.net. This is a link to what happened.

http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/1867/menmarjmessup.png

I want to have the transparent-ed image on top of the background, but the areas i made transparent are also making the background transparent. What should i do? thanks

[Sarkut]

viklas122:

Paste your friends' transparent-ed image into a new transparent layer above the background,

position it where you want it to be, with , then merge that layer down onto the background.

Edited April 7, 2010 by Sarkut

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Perfectly correct.

The reason you should follow Sarkut's advice is that the new pixels are replacing the old, regardless of what is in them. This is because you're pasting directly onto the existing layer.

clipboard: User wants this image...,

Paint.NET: OK, I'll put it here on the only layer available...,

clipboard: What should we do with the transparent pixels?

Paint.NET: Oh the new pixels overwrite the old ones - I'll replace the old pixels regardless.

Instead, you want this:

clipboard: User wants this image...,

Paint.NET: OK, I'll put it here on this completely blank layer...,

clipboard: What should we do with the transparent pixels?

Paint.NET: Nothing. The background layer will show through the transparent bits in this layer.

clipboard: That is Sooooo coool!

[viklas122]

okay thanks guys!

now there's another problem. i'd like the foreground to blend better with the background. any suggestions? it's a bit light around the edges.

[Sarkut]

it's a bit light around the edges

Depending on what you mean by that, you might want either

the Feather Object plugin, or Adjustments > Brightness / Contrast.

Or something else entirely.

Edited April 7, 2010 by Sarkut

[shanm]

appears that the opaque feature in Paint only works when copying and pasting. I need to save an image and reopen it in other applications with transparent

thanks

[Ego Eram Reputo]

You need to save the file in a format that supports transparency (*.png or *gif).

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