Howdy folks! ♥
There are a number of websites on the Internet that host and offer for free use, some just for personal use and others for commercial use, images with 'transparent' backgrounds, usually in the PNG format. Some are reputable; some are not.
Those that are not basically go around the Internet grabbing whatever images they can find and then upload them to and offer them from their site and the artist who did the 'original work' never gets mentioned. On the other hand, there are reputable sites, such as Pngtree that offer images to use that have 'a few' contributing artists who upload other artists' works "as their own", as I have learned first hand with Pngtree. But when I contacted Pngtree about some images being mine, Pngtree took the right and proper action and removed my work without hesitation.
With this said, what I'm addressing here though in this post mainly, is making clean PNG images with transparent backgrounds, since I see countless of these on the Internet that just aren't 'clean' and before they can be used, they have to be worked on, consuming a considerable amount of time, unless one wants to use them on/against a white or almost white background. A good, clean PNG image can be used on/with ANY background, light, dark, or in between.
But to make a good, clean PNG image requires time AND patience. There's more to isolating a subject from an image than simply using the eraser, magic eraser, or background eraser tools in photo editing programs. Granted, these tools do remove almost all of the background, but they do not make the image 'clean' using this process only. This step is the easy part. However, this step alone leaves an image with jagged edges and with an unwanted border or edge around the isolated subject, and when placed in another image, it looks awful.
Then there are some who use the eraser tool to remove the background, but don't make allowances for subjects that don't have 'smooth' clean cut edges, like for instance, animals having hair or fur. Usually then, when isolating an animal, it becomes a matter of removing the background AND even a small part of the edge of the animal that then has to be replaced manually. This is the 'fine tuning' part and this is the part that I see many don't bother doing because it "requires a LOT of time AND patience". As a result, in order to actually 'use' an image without this fine tuning, one has to spend hours doing the fine tuning before the image can be used.
For the purpose of presenting an example to give a visual of what I'm speaking here, I'm referring to this Pngtree image of what appears to be a Poodle mix:
https://pngtree.com/freepng/black-and-white-string-of-dog-red-dogs_1935287.html
Image example one is the image exactly as it downloaded placed on a dark background. Image example two is the same image placed on the same dark background, but after several hours of my fine tuning it. When PNG images with a transparent background are displayed on a website, they are displayed against a white background and so, you can't tell what the quality of the work is with the isolated image until you download it and place a dark background behind it, which I'm bringing to attention in these two example images.
Image one:
Full Size PNG:
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4viukTIcNlSZfS-MMf1mr6JV55AszlleGSwoHqsmwqjpiKFbujCUVTJlDzNnralTKr_M6XQAZc3qi9hSh5weKjfr0sK-j_E_gkvdhTmz996AcAesokhLgTI6JADqbDexmFvKCTo1-qc1q/h120/PoodleMixFromPngtree2373771_759x949.png
A few years back I isolated a German Shepherd from a person's photo for him of his dog, Buddie. First, I am displaying his photo (Image one). Second, the image with Buddie framed that I isolated from his photo (Image two). Notice how clean my isolation of Buddie is. I also removed Buddie's chain. Then third, the image where I placed the isolated Buddie onto a college campus photo background, taken by my daughter (Image three). All of these are copyrighted, respectively, of course.
Tip: When isolating a subject from an image, usually a JPG photo, do it in a PSD format to work with the layers' feature. Add two additional 'background' layers 'behind the layer of the subject being isolated' and make one layer a solid, dark colour and the other layer a solid light or white layer. To check to see how clean your isolated layer is, turn on or open the eye for the dark layer and any stray, unwanted white or light pixels will show that then need erasing. When satisfied with, close the eye for the dark layer and open the eye for the light or white background layer and then check for any unwanted dark pixels or smudges and erase them.
As is usually the case in life, anything worth doing is worth doing right and the best one can or it's not worth doing it at all to only end up with something done of poor quality. My Mom taught and impressed this on me, to take pride in my work, when I was growing up and to this day I honour her words and try to do the best I can with everything I do, so I can and do take pride in/with my work.
💗 Have a Blessed Day! 💗
Post by Artsieladie /Artsieladie Sharon Donnelly
©2019-01-23
All rights reserved.
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Website: www.artsieladie.com
Blog (here): http://artsieladie-creative-corner.blogspot.com/
Blog: http://artsieladie-heartbeats.blogspot.com/
Blog: http://artsieladie-quotes.blogspot.com/
Blog: http://artsieladie-rhymetyme.blogspot.com/
Credits:
Pngtree.com
College photo: Evah Jane Donnelly
Buddie photo: Rich Patt
Current Creative Corner cover image: sayyads1
"Giving is the joy of living."
~ Quote by Artsieladie
"Making Clean PNGs"
First, I want to mention thanks to sayyads1 from Pngtree.com for my latest Creative Corner cover image. It's gorgeous! The original can be found here: https://pngtree.com/freepng/white-seven-horse_3640816.html and this template image can be downloaded for free for 'premium' members. ♥There are a number of websites on the Internet that host and offer for free use, some just for personal use and others for commercial use, images with 'transparent' backgrounds, usually in the PNG format. Some are reputable; some are not.
Those that are not basically go around the Internet grabbing whatever images they can find and then upload them to and offer them from their site and the artist who did the 'original work' never gets mentioned. On the other hand, there are reputable sites, such as Pngtree that offer images to use that have 'a few' contributing artists who upload other artists' works "as their own", as I have learned first hand with Pngtree. But when I contacted Pngtree about some images being mine, Pngtree took the right and proper action and removed my work without hesitation.
With this said, what I'm addressing here though in this post mainly, is making clean PNG images with transparent backgrounds, since I see countless of these on the Internet that just aren't 'clean' and before they can be used, they have to be worked on, consuming a considerable amount of time, unless one wants to use them on/against a white or almost white background. A good, clean PNG image can be used on/with ANY background, light, dark, or in between.
But to make a good, clean PNG image requires time AND patience. There's more to isolating a subject from an image than simply using the eraser, magic eraser, or background eraser tools in photo editing programs. Granted, these tools do remove almost all of the background, but they do not make the image 'clean' using this process only. This step is the easy part. However, this step alone leaves an image with jagged edges and with an unwanted border or edge around the isolated subject, and when placed in another image, it looks awful.
Then there are some who use the eraser tool to remove the background, but don't make allowances for subjects that don't have 'smooth' clean cut edges, like for instance, animals having hair or fur. Usually then, when isolating an animal, it becomes a matter of removing the background AND even a small part of the edge of the animal that then has to be replaced manually. This is the 'fine tuning' part and this is the part that I see many don't bother doing because it "requires a LOT of time AND patience". As a result, in order to actually 'use' an image without this fine tuning, one has to spend hours doing the fine tuning before the image can be used.
For the purpose of presenting an example to give a visual of what I'm speaking here, I'm referring to this Pngtree image of what appears to be a Poodle mix:
https://pngtree.com/freepng/black-and-white-string-of-dog-red-dogs_1935287.html
Image example one is the image exactly as it downloaded placed on a dark background. Image example two is the same image placed on the same dark background, but after several hours of my fine tuning it. When PNG images with a transparent background are displayed on a website, they are displayed against a white background and so, you can't tell what the quality of the work is with the isolated image until you download it and place a dark background behind it, which I'm bringing to attention in these two example images.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4viukTIcNlSZfS-MMf1mr6JV55AszlleGSwoHqsmwqjpiKFbujCUVTJlDzNnralTKr_M6XQAZc3qi9hSh5weKjfr0sK-j_E_gkvdhTmz996AcAesokhLgTI6JADqbDexmFvKCTo1-qc1q/h120/PoodleMixFromPngtree2373771_759x949.png
Image two:
A few years back I isolated a German Shepherd from a person's photo for him of his dog, Buddie. First, I am displaying his photo (Image one). Second, the image with Buddie framed that I isolated from his photo (Image two). Notice how clean my isolation of Buddie is. I also removed Buddie's chain. Then third, the image where I placed the isolated Buddie onto a college campus photo background, taken by my daughter (Image three). All of these are copyrighted, respectively, of course.
Image one:
Full size JPG photo url by Rich Patt:
Image two:
Full size PNG image url of Buddie framed:
Image three:
Full size PNG image url of Buddie on campus:
Tip: When isolating a subject from an image, usually a JPG photo, do it in a PSD format to work with the layers' feature. Add two additional 'background' layers 'behind the layer of the subject being isolated' and make one layer a solid, dark colour and the other layer a solid light or white layer. To check to see how clean your isolated layer is, turn on or open the eye for the dark layer and any stray, unwanted white or light pixels will show that then need erasing. When satisfied with, close the eye for the dark layer and open the eye for the light or white background layer and then check for any unwanted dark pixels or smudges and erase them.
As is usually the case in life, anything worth doing is worth doing right and the best one can or it's not worth doing it at all to only end up with something done of poor quality. My Mom taught and impressed this on me, to take pride in my work, when I was growing up and to this day I honour her words and try to do the best I can with everything I do, so I can and do take pride in/with my work.
Blog: http://artsieladie-heartbeats.blogspot.com/
Blog: http://artsieladie-quotes.blogspot.com/
Blog: http://artsieladie-rhymetyme.blogspot.com/
