Color of removed part of image

[hlillywh]

I need to keep only a circle from the center of an image. I've accomplished that but I also need to have the removed area of that image be either dark grey or black but it shows a checkerboard pattern. How can I change the color of the area of the image I've removed?

[LeviFiction]

The checkerboard pattern is meant to show "transparent" areas. Changing this pattern won't mean anything for the final image.

There are lots of options. The easiest is to just use the fill tool. Then click in the transparent area. It'll fill with the color you have selected in the materials palette.

Personally, I think the best option is to add a new layer beneath your image and paint that layer the background color that you want. The reason is that it's non-destructive and easily changed at any time, both the color and the image above it. Just make sure to save a PSPImage copy before saving to any other format.

The steps would be as follows:
1) Layers -> New Raster Layer (You can also use the buttons on the layers palette if you don't want to use the menus described here). Give it a name like "Background" or something so that it's easily identified in the layers palette.
2) Grab the fill tool
3) Select the color you want
4) With the new layer you created selected in the layers palette, click with the fill tool.
5) In the layers palette, click and drag the layer you just filled in, below your image

Then any time you want to change the background color, open your PSPImage file, select the layer with the background color, and use the fill tool to fill it with a different color.

[Jean-Luc]

To add to LeviFiction's suggestion:

Do a circular selection (->Selection type: Circle).
Do Selections -> Invert.
Hit the Delete key.
The removed area will be filled with the Background Color.

[hlillywh]

LeviFiction, Thanks, the fill worked.