[fencepost]

So, you've spent considerable time cutting out your image for placement on a new sig background and no matter how hard you try the edges are still a little harsh. What's a GIMPer to do?

This is more of a tip than a tutorial and there are numerous ways to do this, but here's a little suggestion to help you out. I don't have time to add pictures, but you should be able to do this one, without them. However, if you do need examples, I will post some screenshots, if requested.

[*]On the layer containing your cutout, right click and choose Alpha to Selection. (For you noobies out there, this will select everything that's not transparent)
[*]Shrink your selection by 1 pixel (Select | Shrink)
[*]Invert your selection (Ctrl-I). Make sure you do this step. If you don't you'll blur your whole cutout.
[*]Add a gaussian blur (Filters | Blur | Gaussian Blur). The amount you use will depend on your taste and the size of the image you are using.

That's it! Your cutout images will now have a much softer edge and you won't continuously receive those dreaded "You need to blend your renders around the edges" comments!

Art (fencepost)

[NateDog77]

Another idea is to

[*]Alpha to selection
[*]Invert selection
[*]Feather selection by 2 or 3 pixels
[*]Then Gaussian blur

GIMP On!!! :m:

[tomdkat]

Could you post some screenshots? Also, would this procedure still apply if using the new SIOX extraction tool in Gimp 2.3.4?

Peace...

[fencepost]

I'll post some shots later, but it will be awhile as I'm helping my wife with the death of her grandmother.

As far as the new extraction tool, I'm not familiar with it, but I'm gonna say that this tip will help regardless as no extraction tool is perfect. There's always a possibility of having extracted images having hard/sharp edges. So, I believe this tip will work.
A

[Blinkz]

i use to do that twice every time, first when i inverted it i cut that out (ctrl-x on my gimpy) and then i do the blur, this removes all the small dark spots around (if u use jpgs.pngs arent that bad.. they already cutted out almost perfect)

thx for sharing ^^ tho i knew it a while

[swmiller6]

Quote

Could you post some screenshots? Also, would this procedure still apply if using the new SIOX extraction tool in Gimp 2.3.4?

Peace...

So far I have found SIOX is really only good for roughing out your selection...

[apizzle]

what's feather again :o:

[ryvkah]

Quote

I'll post some shots later, but it will be awhile as I'm helping my wife with the death of her grandmother.

I know this was over a year ago now, but, I'm sorry.

[camcool21]

Thanx!!! I know this tut is kinda old, but it helped me quite a bit :l:

[Fabozi]

yeah and you can do the same with layermask.

[lyndz]

omg your a lifesaver!! i do pictures for a "game" online called secondlife and well its always sooo edgy when i cut them out... seriously this is a miracle to me!! lmao!! thank you so much!!

[cornhusker]

woot thanx this helped so much

[PhotoMaster]

These are some excellent soultions! Very basic and intuitive!

[a.madman]

I'm a noob... I've selected, shrank, and inverted my selection, but the gaussian blur filter is not selectable. Actually hardly any of my filters are usable for my file. Does the type of file make a difference here or is there anything else that would not allow you to apply a blur to an image?

Thanks.

[PhotoMaster]

Sory it took so long to respond, as I haven't been on much. If your images are in indexed color mode, bluring and many other filters wont work. You can go to Image > Mode > RGB. Then you can use the filters. If you need the image indexed, you can convert it back afterward. RGB images are a much better quality.

[Midnight]

Thanx for this ...... I was feathering without much success so this has improved the look of my cutouts greatly! Such a simple idea and a brilliant result! THANKYOU!