How can I make transparent gif's?

Years ago I used Hotdog Pro to work on websites and I was able to make jpeg's in PhotoShop and then turn them into gif photos in Hotdog where I could make parts of the photo transparent but Hotdog doesn't work with Vista so I haven't been able to do that for awhile now. Is there a program I can use to make those kind of gif photos? I don't need to make any animation, just those gif photos. Thank you.

 

Any good imaging program is able to do that, like Photoshop or Gimp. Then you just add an alpha channel to image, remove the background and save it as gif.

 

I have PhotoShop 3.0 but can't find a tutorial, any chance you can give some quick instructions? I remember I would make the part of the jpeg I wanted transparent a color that wasn't in the pic like pink, is that still the way to start?

 

Sorry, I don't have Photoshop, so I can't help... You just have to explore the features or wait until someone posts here some instructions.

 

Start out by creating a new image. File>create New. Then select the dimension sizes and set the background to transparent. This will now give you the checkered background meaning it is a transparent background layer. Then open the picture you want to add, and photoshop the background out. Then after that's done, simply go back to the other image that you created, then drag and drop the edited picture onto it. Then save as a gif file.

 

I can't figure out how to remove the background and when I have to change a pic to gif I have to change it to Indexed Color and that seems to screw things up more. I even downloaded PhotoScape and Gimp and tried to make gif's with transparent parts and I'm just not understanding the process.

 

I suggest try using the eraser tool and erase the stuff that you don't want seen. Try using the magic wand tool to select the area that you don't want seen, and then using the eraser tool to erase that stuff without erasing the stuff you do want.

 

Nothing is working. Anyone have a tutorial for idiots? I have two large words I want to use as a title with a transparent background, I can make the back any color if that matters.

 

Try buying a better photoshop program.

 

Sumopaint may be worth trying, it's free online painter software based on flash. You can make background transparent easily with it, there's a single "opaque" value to adjust. I've been using it for simple tasks like yours. Your photoshop is bit old, one reason why it's so hard to find tutorials for it.

 

Prob for paint shop pro and adobe paint shop, open image, dup layer twice, check to unveiw the bottom image, slect the next image up not the one on top then hit ctrl A then when it selctes it all delete it then erase the stuf around the top or upper most pic an the background should be transparent.... not really sure... and this assumes you know what layers are LOL

 

Maybe that's the problem, I don't know what layers are.

 

LOL trust me layers make doing alot of picture editing easier.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrVnI3l9fgE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBq0TYAiTQo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2r9ZksKeYtg

You need to move to get either paint shop pro 9+, Photo shop CS2 or higher or GIMP,gimp is free but a bit.... odd GUI wise but its free and works well enough.

 

I believe a version of adobe elements should be sufficient for what you are trying to do. No need to spend more than $100 for something easy. Perhaps at least version 7.0

 

who needs to spend money? and paint shop pro is 2-15$

 

I was referring to your statement regarding CS2

 

I watched the youtube clips and got a little bit better idea but they weren't really instructions. How about this, below I made some lettering using my name and when I'm done it's a bitmap. Now I can change it to jpeg or gif or whatever, how do I make the white background transparent using Gimp or PhotoShop or even Sumopaint? Thank you.

 

I realize they wont help you with most of what you are doing but trust me when it coems to graphics editing its a basic thing that you are better off learning frist rather than bull doging it a couple years and then boom "hey I figured this out!"

ANd no I am not talking from personal experience

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fucirfOlHOs&feature=fvst


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhH2FNnjnUg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AC5vdKuwTp0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjwclFiIBbM


In photo shop CS4 I open the picture up go to layer properties, THIS LAYER bar(which is above the UNDERLYING LAYER bar) I move the white side point/slider a bit to remove the white but leave the yellow(if you move the black black will be removed)

If you want to get rid of the white after effects in the finished file, try useing the magic wand feature click on the corner and it should select everything around the words hit delete a couple times and save.

Now for the thing to remember save as gif and save with transparency checked.

 

Thank you all for your help and patience, I really appreciate it. I'm thrilled to say the youtube video linked below that ZippyDSM gave me has taught me how to create the type of gif's I've been wanting using Gimp, the instructions are very easy.

I have one more question. The pic below doesn't have alot of detail but if I had a detailed photo is there a way I could just choose a color in Gimp like the red in the photo below to be transparent instead of using the Wand tool? Thanks.

 

I opened up gimp a bit ago on my machine and you should be able to make that image easily. If you start it up, go to file, select new, and it will open up a browser. From there, make the browser bigger by stretching it and click on the advanced option in bold. Down below that it will now give you the option to select the background to fill with. In that drop down box, it is set by default to background color, set it to transparency, and your background will then be transparent. Finish selecting the other fields as desired, such as dimensions and then click ok. You will then see a black and gray checkered background. That means that the background is transparent. From there, simply apply whatever you want to it. So if you want to add words, go to your tool box and select the "A" for adding text, and then select the font of choice as well as color.