PNG Cutouts in Photoshop®

Whether you' re making a commercial ad or just playing around for your own amusement, sometimes you can feel that all you need is just a little part of an image or photo to make a banner complete and absolutely spot on, and you see no purpose in adding any background that particular picture might have. This tutorial will help you get rid of any unnecessary image areas and find a better way to insert any sophisticatedly shaped image amongst existing banner objects and background. This tutorial consists of two parts -- the page you're currently viewing will show you how to cut out the image by using Adobe Photoshop CS5 tool.

Click here for tutorial in free online Image Editor by Aviary.com

Step 1

The common belief that you will need loads of money to get your hands on a pro tool like Photoshop just doesn't correspond to reality - as any decent software developer Adobe does provide you a 30-day trial version so that you can amend and enhance pictures to check it out.

Step 2

After you've installed Photoshop on your computer, fire it up and Open new file via File menu. Please don't pay attention to strange confusing symbols on the right side of the menu as they are Mac specific - most of you who are on a regular Windows computers won't have any of these.

Step 3

A new window will pop up, showing you an image you're going to work with.

Step 4

As the idea behind the whole routine is to remove areas of the background image, we need to save this file in a special format with some specific settings. Press Ctrl-A (Command-A in Mac OS X) to select all image.

Step 5

From the upper menu bar select Edit and click Copy.

Step 6

We're now going to create a new image file with a transparent background and place the selected image there. Select File, and then New.

Step 7

New File settings window will pop up. Make sure that the selected Preset is Clipboard and Background Contents are Transparent. Give file a name and click OK.

Step 8

In a new file window select Edit and click Paste.

Step 9

From the left tool bar select Magic Wand tool by pressing W and clicking on a second tool item. The Magic Wand allows you select a similar colored area without having to trace its outline.

Step 10

Shift-click on the background areas you want to remove.

Step 11

From the upper tool bar click on Refine Edge to specify selected area.

Step 12

Sample image before the edges were refined.

Step 13

Sample image with bigger Radius and softer Feather applied.

Step 14

When done, select Edit, and then Clear.

Step 15

Right-click on any free area and choose Deselect to remove selection from specific areas.

Step 16

There, your image is ready to be saved.

Step 17

Click File, and then Save As.

Step 18

Enter the file name and path. Make sure that the selected file format is PNG and click Save.

Step 19

If the window prompts you for an interlacing choice, select None and press OK.

This tutorial is now complete and your image is ready to be placed inside your banner!