how to remove background

[pa dreamer]

how do i remove background and replace with new background,only leaving subject on both projects?
want to make it look like my brother is standing in flame of statue of liberty,instead of his backyard.

[LeviFiction]

First, make sure you can see the Layers palette. If you can't you can either select if from the palettes button or from the view menu. You need layers to be visible.

When you load the image into paint shop pro it's on what is called a Background Layer. A background layer does not allow for transparent areas so you have to do one of two things. You can either duplicate the layer, suggested, which lets you keep the original just in case you mess up and need to start over. Or you can promote the background layer to a Raster Layer. A raster layer lets you have transparency.

Either way right-click on the Background layer and select the appropriate action from the context menu. Now that you have a raster layer version of your image you can continue.

If you duplicated the background layer then click the eye next to the background layer to hide it.

Using either the eraser or the background eraser go around the edge of your brother erasing the background. The background eraser lets you pick certain colors and erase them, it also searches for edges allowing it to decide what is background and what is the subject you're going after. Though it's not perfect, you may have to use both tools to get a good cut-out.

You can go to the edit menu and copy your now cut-out brother to the clip-board. Open the image you want to use as the background and go to the edit menu again and select past as new layer to paste your brother as a new layer on this image.

Once you've got it all put together, you might have to use the pick/move tool to move your brother around and put his feet on the ground, you can save the result to a new file.

[pa dreamer]

i am able to do this using adobe elements 7,by copying image,then pasting into background i want,then i use free transform to insert image where i want on new background,then i use eraser to clean image up.
i am trying to get away from adobe and learn how to do these things using corel,thanks for all your help,i will try your suggestion.

[LeviFiction]

I just described one way, not the definitive way.

Actually if you're already familiar with how to do it in another package you'll find that a lot of what you know actually transfers over to Paint Shop Pro. Some steps, or options, might be different but for the most part they are the same.

I use Photoshop tutorials all of the time to learn more about Paint Shop Pro because there is so little good information on how to use Paint Shop Pro effectively. The only thing I have to know are what the differences are and how to get around those.

[Tim Morrison]

i am able to do this using adobe elements 7,by copying image,then pasting into background i want,then i use free transform to insert image where i want on new background,then i use eraser to clean image up.
i am trying to get away from adobe and learn how to do these things using corel,thanks for all your help,i will try your suggestion.

You'll find that PSP will be similar. Copy the image and paste as a new layer. Use the Pick tool to move and resize. PSP has an Eraser tool but the Background Eraser will usually do a better job.
A great article and tutorial for the Background Eraser is at http://www.campratty.com/4tooltours/kz/bge1.html. Written by the leader of the team that developed the tool.

[pa dreamer]

i tried following your instructions,but when i try to use pick tool,the photo i make smaller,still has the larger version behind it and when i try to erase anything around picture to clean it up,it also removes background,is there another way to do this?

[Ron P.]

Have you tried using the Freehand Selection Tool? You can cut-out your brother using that tool, and Smart Edge Seeker. Once he's selected, choose Selection>Promote to Layer. Then you can copy/paste your new layer into another image, or copy/paste your image of the Statue of Liberty into the one with your brother, placing it at the bottom.

[pa dreamer]

now i am able to copy/paste in different backgrounds and use pick/move tool,but when i try to clean up the photo i pasted into background,eraser does not clean up photo,but it removes the background as i am trying to clean around the pasted picture.

[LeviFiction]

Make sure the layer with your brother on it is selected. The eraser only erases the layer that is currently selected.

[pa dreamer]

thank you

[pdxrjt]

Tim, thanks for the link to that tutorial. I've used that tool before, but not as well as I could. Lots of helpful info there!

[pa dreamer]

what i have been doing is cleaning picture up before i paste into new background,but still find adobe much easier to do these things,but as i said before,corel offers much more included in it's software.the bonus pack had more included that both adobe photo/video offers.

[LeviFiction]

Once you get use to the process it'll be easy as well.

I installed Elements to compare and the method is almost identical so I don't doubt you'll catch on very quickly.