Removing the Background or Unwanted Elements from an Image
The Instant Alpha tool lets you to make parts of an image transparent in order to
remove the image background.
You get the best results removing solid colors with clear boundaries around them.
To remove areas that are less distinct, select a smaller area and repeat the process.
To remove unwanted elements:
1
Select the image.
2
Choose Format > Instant Alpha.
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Chapter 9
Working with Shapes, Graphics, and Other Objects
Chapter 9
Working with Shapes, Graphics, and Other Objects
199
3
Click the color you want to make transparent, and then drag slowly over it.
Dragging selects the contiguous
area that uses colors similar to
the color you click.
As you drag, the selection grows to include the contiguous area that uses similar
colors. You can control how much of the image is selected by dragging less or more.
If you hold down the Option key while you drag, all instances of the color that you’re
dragging over will be removed from the image.
4
Repeat step 3 as many times as you like.
Dragging more here...
...selects more of
the image.
You can restore the parts removed from the image at any time. To revert to the
original image, choose Format > Remove Instant Alpha. To restore parts of the image
removed using Instant Alpha, choose Edit > Undo Instant Alpha until the parts have
been restored.