Creating Transparent Backgrounds in PSP 5 & PSP 7

*Please note: If you are using a colored background, use the same color for the background of your transparent graphic.
For instance, if you have a black background on your page, make the background of your transparent gif black.
This will diminish "jaggys" when your graphic is placed on the page

• Select the eyedropper tool.
• Right click on the background of the graphic.
• Go to colors/set palette transparency. A pop up window will ask if you would like to reduce the color palette, select yes and use the default settings. Click OK
• Select Set the transparency to the current background color.
• You can view how your graphic will look by clicking proof.
• Click OK and then save the image as a gif.
• Below is the before and after gif

If there are still jaggys around your graphic after the above steps:

• Start with the original graphic
• From the tool bar select the magic wand tool. Set the feather to 3, tolerance to 40
• Click in the background area to create a mask
• Click the fill tool and fill the background with your background color.
• NOTE: If you have a background that is a pattern, select a color as close to the dominant background color as you can
• Fill the entire background using the above method.
• Save as directed above

PSP TIP

Avoid using photos as transparent gifs: Due to the millions of colors used in photos, they are best saved as jpgs.
Adding picture frames, blurred edges or drop shadows to photos will create a better overall look than saving them as transparent gifs.

Try to also avoid using graphics with multiple colored backgrounds. if you do find a graphic that you really feel you have to use, use lasso tool to remove it from the background.
Then replace the multiple colored background with a color that best matches the page background and save as instructed above.