how to merge two pics?

[mpgovernale]

Hi! I am doing an art course. I have painted quick portraits that I want to see with different backgrounds. I have scanned a portrait, and I can delete the (white) background so I get a checkered one and put it in a paint.net file. I can put the background (a) say in another file. I can't merge the two together.

To practise, I have opened an image (pear) from the net, deleted the white background around the pear, and tried to copy and paste that in my background. What I get is the pear with the white around it on top of my background. Not what I was expecting.

I have looked for tutorials, but can't find one that I understand (stupid me) or that works. I have not worked with layers before, except cakes!

Please can you help, as I am fed up with banging my head on the wall? Thank you, thank you, thank you!

mp

[pdnnoob]

Add a new layer, then paste the pear on the new layer.

EDIT: if you haven't learned layers, get to work! That is one of your most valuable tools in paint.net or any other graphics editor that has them.

Edited July 1, 2011 by pdnnoob

[johoe]

edit: just remembered this

the key is to paste the portrait to the background as a new layer, dont save the portrait with transparent background, just highlight the portrait with magic wand, copy it and Ctrl+Shift+V onto the new background.

Edited July 2, 2011 by johoe

[elaf]

You can also merge parts of the picture with variable transparency by using the eraser

(like in other, more expensive painting applications):

Use the color selector. Set the transparence of the primary color less than 10 (2 is a good

value). Set the brushsizeto 50 or more.

As more as you use the eraser, as more you can see from the pictures in the other panels.