Stacking Images

[Ladyoftheleaves]

I have spent many frustrating hours trying to work out how to stack images onto a background and no matter what I do the images have a white background unless I paste as transparent. Is there an easy way to do this please......

[OldRadioGuy]

Based on what you stated, it appears you're trying to create a composite of several smaller images arranged in various ways over a background picture. I was unable duplicate your problem.

Are you using layers? Here's what I did in my test of your task using layers:

1. Open background picture.
2. Open first image to be added.
3. Resize (Shift-S) if necessary.
4. Select All (Ctrl-A).
5. Copy (Ctrl-C).
6. Close this image (Ctrl-F4).
7. You're back now to the background image. Create new raster layer (Layer > New Raster Layer).
8. Paste from the clipboard as new selection. (Ctrl-E). This is on your new layer.
9. Use the Move Tool (M) to position to the desired location over the background.
10. Rotate Image if desired (Free Rotate Ctrl-R). Set your rotation angle and execute. Be sure All Layers is unselected.
11. If you want to add a shadow (Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow).
12. Select background.

Continue to add additional images by repeating steps 2 through 12. Each of the composite images is added to a separate layer, allowing you total control for later changes, if needed. Be sure you have the Layers Palette ON (F8) and the History Palette ON (F3). Click on the eyeball on the History Palette to easily Undo and Redo. A yellow X on the eyeball indicates Redo is available. A red X on the eyeball indicates Redo is unavailable for that operation. The Layers palette allows you to see which layer is selected, to switch selections and to change the order of the layers.

I'm assuming you're working in one of the latest versions of PSP. Be sure to save your project in the PSPIMAGE, PSP's native format. This will save all the layer information, allowing you to make changes at another time. You can then do a SAVE AS to save in JPG.

I hope this is helpful.

[Ladyoftheleaves]

thanks for your help.

I have followed your instructions and still get the white surround on the image (clip art) that I'm trying to add to a background. It only disappears when I add as transparency and then the backgroud shows through. I wanted to add the clipart with no white background.

[OldRadioGuy]

Ahh, clip art -- that's your problem.

PSP is a raster image program. Clip art images are vector-based. When you paste vector images into a raster image the clip art is transformed to a bitmap with white (or other color) surrounding the image. You must set that color to be transparent.

If you do a lot of this with clip art, a better choice would be Xara Xtreme X2, which is a vector-based application that also handles bitmap (raster) images. A trial copy is available for download at Xara.com.

[Ladyoftheleaves]

Thank you for your help again. What you are saying makes sense to me. Are you able to tell me how to change the background to transparent please.

[Trev]

Ok If they are vector objects Meta files they will paste in as vector objects PSP will not change that. Now if they have a white background then they will paste with that background. You can select it with magic wand either before copy paste or after to delete that background.
Always paste as a new layer.