How to Give Scanned Images a Transparent Background [Photoshop]

Here's a quick video that shows you how to give your scans a transparent background so that you can draw lineart with more ease!~ :D

Here are the steps, in case you can't tell what I'm clicking in the video:

1) Open the scanned image in Photoshop.
2) Cut/paste your lineart into a new layer (so that it's not in a locked layer labeled "background").
3) Make sure everything in your lineart layer is selected (ctrl+A). Then, in the channels tab, load a new channel (everything will go black, but don't worry!).
4) Paste your lineart layer into this new channel; it will look just like the original lineart with a white background.
5) Making sure the alpha channel is still selected, invert it (image -- adjustments -- invert).
6) Then, go back to the layers tab and make a new layer. Go to select -- load selection, and in the window, pick the alpha channel you loaded (should be called "Alpha 1" in the channel dropdown box.
7) Your lineart will have a selection hovering over it; hide the original lineart layer and pick a color for your new clean lineart. Then fill the layer with the color.
8) Deselect your artwork, and ta-da! Clean lineart without an annoying white background!~ 8D
9) Delete the original lineart layer ("background") and save the image as a .png so that it keeps its transparency. This way, you can color your lineart with more ease! Hooray~ :D


I hope this helps! :)

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• lineart
• lift
• tut

[FATtimon]

How do you paste the image into the alpha 1 channel?

[teruchuu]

@FATtimon You just use ctrl + v :)

[Fumpster96]

No idea how this doesn't have more views, it's so helpful. Thanks a lot!

[teruchuu]

@Fumpster96 Aw, thank you! You're very welcome! :D

[Guumijuice]

Thanks you just saved me from redoing the lineart after I accidently saved it as png instead of psd, thanks so much great clear tutorial!

[teruchuu]

@Guumijuice Yikes! Yeah, it's really helpful in making clean lineart! You're welcome! :)

[teruchuu]

@terrahart483 You're very welcome!! :D

[terrahart483]

Ohh gosh, so helpful. I can't thank you enough ;;~;;

[RetroNoodles]

thanks

[phongbong]

Very awesome tutorial! This just changed how I do everything, thanks!