Expert: Huma Riaz - 12/4/2007

Question
QUESTION: Hello Huma,

I’ve seen that you answered something related with what I would like to know here http://en.allexperts.com/q/Adobe-Photoshop-1028/KNOCKOUT-BACKGROUND-TEXT.htm but the answer is far too cryptic and advanced for my limited knowledge. I am using CS2.

What I do is:

1. Scan and import the signature ->
2. Right-click on “Background” in Layers panel->
3. Select “Duplicate Layer”->
4. Select “OK”->
5. Delete the original background (the one with the little padlock) ->
6. Select “Magic Wand” (about 32 “Tolerance” and Unchecked “Contiguous” in order to capture all the white background) ->
7. Left-click on the white background (ants start marching) ->
8. Hit “Delete” on the keyboard ->
9. White background disappears and a checked background appears (the ants are still marching) ->
10. Right-click on “Background copy” in Layers panel ->
11. Select “Flatten Image” ->
12. Checked background disappears and white background reappears (the ants are still marching) ->
13. Left-click with the “Magic Wand” anywhere on the background to stop the ants marching->
14. Select “File” -> “Save as…”-> “PNG” -> “PNG Options” -> “Interlace” -> “None” -> “OK”

At the end of these all, I still have a white background, as opposed to a transparent one, when I save in any of PNG, JPEG, EPS or TIFF. I can see it best when in Word. I change Word’s background to blue and when I retrieve my signature-picture, it appears in all its glory with its white background!!!  


If however I stop at step 9, jump straight at step 13 and save in PNG only, I’ll have no background!!!
EPS, JPEG and TIFF will still have white backgrounds.




But this is the least of my worries since even if when in Word, I primitively remove the background from the signature-picture every time, with “Picture Toolbar” and “Set Transparent Color” tool, which works, the signature left is still not right because it still displaces all text and lines and boxes, not just “floats” above everything like I would like to be able to do.

I hope that my long drawn explanation didn’t bored and confuse you!

Can you please shade a little light on all this?

Thank you.

Regards,
George


ANSWER: The steps you are taking are right.

Just that, to make a transparent file, saves the file in GIF format or PNG. JPG, EPS or TIFF doesn't support transparent BG.

The rest of the steps are fine, and in order to maintain the white you don’t need to do the 10-13 step. just save the file as PSD and save it for web (Ctrl + Alt + Shift + S) as GIF or PNG.


Word can solve the problem for a while but it can not give you a professional looking perfect thing for image editing.


Follow the steps above. I am sure your problem will be resolved.


By the way, the ants are the selection and if you need to deselect it, press Ctrl+D from the keyboard :)


Feel free to ask anything further


Huma Riaz
Location: Karachi-Pakistan





---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Huma,

Thanks for your help,
Stoping at step 9 works, as does saving in GIF.
So now we are having a simple picture without a background.
But again, in Word if you at the end of your letter have, say, three lines:

“Yours truly”
a black line and then your name
“John Lee”

And you’ll try to insert the picture into the blank line, it will displace the two lines above and below and it will not actually float above the two lines like a see-through. Is this an image/ CS2 trick or a Word Trick? :)
I know it can be done, but how?    

Thank you.
Regards,
George


Answer
Yeah George!

Now it’s not about PS but word.

Do not just place the image on the page, but insert it into the text box.

•   Take the text box when you click on page, a large size box will appear saying something like 'create your drawing here' ignore that box and click out side of that box area.

•   Insert the picture into word and click on text box icon in drawing tool bar (bottom, if tool bar doesn’t exists see View > Toolbar > Drawing from word menu). Please ensure the image should be selected when you are selecting the text box from toolbar.


Now your image is inside the box, you can move it around, and through it behind the text or opposite (click on the border of the box and see Format Text Box).


Here you need to remove the 1. Border and box Background. After that you can see the page background behind your logo and place your logo anywhere in the document.


I am sure this will help. Feel free to ask anything further



Huma Riaz
Location: Karachi - Pakistan