TIFF Image - Transparent Background

[dvhirst]

Hello,

I understand that the TIFF file format allows for a transparent background. I see such a transform for .png files, but not for .tiff files. Does PWP 8 support a transparent background for .tiff files? If so how would I create such? Thanks.

[jsachs]

Sorry, only PNG - images with transparent backgrounds are mostly for the web.

For TIFF, you can just save two files - one for the image and one for the mask.

[dvhirst]

So, my point in asking this question is really related to printing a specific image. The image is of a colored flower on a white background, my printing preference would be to have the printer lay down ink only for the non-white elements of the image (which is a high-resolution .tiff file). My preferred printing app is QImage Ultimate. Suggestions welcomed!

[jsachs]

Printers generate white by not printing any ink, so having a transparent background would have no effect.

The purpose of transparency is for use on the web where, for example, you might have a logo with holes in it or with an irregular outline and you want whatever is behind it on the web page to show through.

[dvhirst]

Noted; the background in my image, which should be white, is a light gray in the edited .tiff file; I seem to recall there is a transformation to remove color casts, in this case, a light gray. I will explore and see what I can do. Thanks for the information.

DVH

[jsachs]

There are a number of ways to make the background white.

1) The easiest way is to brighten the entire image using the HSL color space until the background goes entirely white. The has the side effect of lightening the rest of the image which you may or may not want.

2) You can use the Composite transformation with the Overlay set to the solid color white. Then create a mask that covers the gray and it will be replaced by white. If the gray background does not have any holes in it, the mask flood fill tool will build a mask quickly and then you can use the mask feather tool to clean up the edges.

3) You can use the Color/Remap transformation and map the light gray to white. This again may affect the rest of the image if there is any light gray in the foreground part.