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- Using Pixlr |
- Using Paint 3D |
- Using GIMP 2 |
- Q&A |
- Tips |
- Warnings
This wikiHow teaches you how to turn a simple photo background into a black background. You can do this by using the Pixlr online photo editor, or by using Paint 3D if you have a Windows computer. You can also use the free GIMP 2 program to cut a subject out of a photo and paste the subject onto an all-black background.
Steps
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Click OPEN IMAGE FROM COMPUTER . It's in the middle of the page. Doing so opens a window.Advertisement
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Select a picture. Click the picture to which you want to add a black background.
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Click Open . It's in the lower-right corner of the window. The picture will be uploaded to Pixlr.
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Click the "Fill" icon. This bucket-shaped icon is in the column of drawing options that's on the left side of the window.
- You can also just press G on your keyboard.
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Select black as your color. Click the black square at the bottom of the column of drawing options.
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Adjust the tolerance. Click the "Tolerance" drop-down box at the top of the Pixlr page, then raise or lower the tolerance.
- Tolerance dictates how precise your coloring is. A higher tolerance means that more of the photo will be colored in with one click, while a lower tolerance is ideal for photos with one-color backgrounds.
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Click part of your picture's background. It will turn black.
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Adjust the tolerance if needed. If too much of the picture turned black, undo the step and lower the tolerance; if not enough turned black, undo the step and increase the tolerance.
- You can undo steps by pressing Ctrl + Z (or ⌘ Command + Z on a Mac).
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10Continue clicking the background until it's all black. This will involve some trial and error, so keep adjusting the tolerance as you go if need be.
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Click File . It's in the upper-left side of the Pixlr window. A drop-down menu will appear.
- If you're using a Mac, make sure that you click File on the Pixlr webpage and not in the upper-left corner of your Mac's screen.
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Click Save… . This option is in the drop-down menu. A window will open.
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Click My Computer . It's on the left side of the window.
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Click Save . You'll find this in the bottom-right corner of the window.
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Select a save location. Click a folder on your computer in which you want to save the picture.
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Click Save . It's in the bottom-right corner of the window. Your picture will be saved with a black background.
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Open Start . Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen. As long as you have a Windows 10 computer with at least the Creator's Update installed, you can use Paint 3D to edit photos.
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Type in paint 3d . This will search your computer for the Paint 3D program.
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Click Paint 3D . It's at the top of the Start window. Paint 3D will open.
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Click Open . This folder-shaped icon is in the middle of the Paint 3D window.
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Click Browse files . It's near the top of the page. Doing so opens a File Explorer window.
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Select a picture. Go to the folder in which your picture is located, then click the picture.
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Click Open . It's in the bottom-right corner of the window. Your picture will open in Paint 3D.
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Click the "Fill" icon. This bucket-shaped icon is on the right side of the Paint 3D window, just below the "Marker" heading.
- If you don't see this option, make sure that you're on the drawing tab by clicking the paintbrush icon at the top of the window.
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Select black as your color. Click the black box in the lower-right section of the window.
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Click a solid part of your picture's background. It will turn black.
- If too much of the picture turns black, press Ctrl + Z to undo the action, then drag the "Tolerance" slider that's on the right side of the page to the left.
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Repeat until your picture's background is all black. This may take some trial and error, so keep undoing changes that you don't like and adjusting the "Tolerance" slider as needed.
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Save your changes to the picture. Press Ctrl + S to do so. Your picture's background will now be black instead of whatever it was before.
- If you want to preserve the original picture, first copy it by selecting it and pressing Ctrl + C and then paste it elsewhere by pressing Ctrl + V .
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Open GIMP 2. Its app icon resembles a fox-like animal chewing on a paint brush. You should see the GIMP 2 staging window open.
- If you don't have GIMP 2 installed, you can download it from the official website: https://www.gimp.org/downloads/
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Click File . It's in the upper-left corner of the window. A drop-down menu will appear.
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Click Open… . This option is in the File drop-down menu.
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Select your picture. Click the picture that you want to open.
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Click Open . It's in the bottom-right corner of the window. The picture will open in GIMP 2.
- You may be prompted to convert color elements of the picture. If so, just click Keep to continue.
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Press the F key. This will open the "Free Select" tool, which allows you to draw an outline around your subject.
- If this doesn't work, click the Tools tab, select Selection Tools , and click Free Select .
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Draw around your subject. Make sure that you draw as close to the subject's actual outline as possible, since you'll be cutting out the outline and pasting it onto a black background.
- The start of your outline must connect to the end of your outline.
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Copy the subject. Press either Ctrl + C (Windows) or ⌘ Command + C (Mac).
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Create a new canvas. Click File , click New... in the drop-down menu, and then do the following:
- Click the Advanced Options heading.
- Click the "Fill with" drop-down box.
- Click Foreground color in the drop-down menu.
- Click OK
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Paste your subject onto the black background. Press Ctrl + V (or ⌘ Command + V on a Mac) to do so. You should see the copied subject appear in the middle of the black background.
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Export the picture. Click File , click Export As... , add a title at the top of the window, click Export , make sure that the "Save background color" box is checked, and click Export again. This will save your photo with its black background.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionWhat can I do if I do not have Photoshop?Community AnswerThere are a number of websites you can do for picture-editing. For example, Deviantart provides the same qualities as Photoshop for their users for free.
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Tips
- The GIMP 2 method can also be used to place subjects on top of other photos to create funny or bizarre scenes.Thanks
- If you have a Photoshop, you can also cut out a subject and paste it onto a black background using that program, similar to the GIMP 2 method.Thanks
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Warnings
- Photos with complex backgrounds cannot have their backgrounds changed with Pixlr or Paint 3D.Thanks
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About This Article
Article Summary
X
1. Open Paint3D.
2. Click Open
.
3. Click Browse Files
.
4. Select an image and click Open
.
5. Click the Fill icon.
6. Select black.
7. Click a solid part of the picture's background.
8. Repeat until the whole background is black.
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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 417,407 times.
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