Need software to cut out and superimpose images - suggestions

usignuolo

I need to cut out some images and superimpose them on separate backgrounds. I have several different software tools on my pc to do this but the problem I have is that while I can successfully cut out round an outline shape, I have not found a way or a program which allows me to successfully remove sections within the main cutout.

For example if someone has their arms bent and their hands upon their waist, this creates internal cut out areas I need to remove and also make transparent so the new background shows through when I superimpose them.

I am struggling to do with this with the available tools I have. The main cut out tools which are based on elipses or rectangles which are particularly difficult to use to cut out curves and not easy to match to the irregular internal spaces which I want to cut out. And if I merely erase the relevant areas with the erase tool, then I cannot make them transparent.

Any suggestions on good cheap specialist software for this?

bonzer

Tried paint.net (free)? Should be able to do it.

http://www.getpaint.net/

usignuolo

Thanks will look into it. I will be interested to see if it can render the cut out internal areas transparent for superimposing on another background. Will report back.

I should add that things like cutting round a wheel for example are ones that I really struggle with. Maybe a graphics tablet would help. Anyone use one and care to comment.

bonzer

I'm not sure you need a graphics tablet. You may benefit from using layers rather than trying to cut out the image perfectly.

The way I would normally approach image superimposing for complex shapes is roughly cut round the front image and place in into a separate layer on top of the background image. Then zoom in to a high magnification and slowly nibble away at the edges using an eraser tool set to about 50-80% opaque on the top layer, revealing the background image underneath. The partial transparency on the eraser tool gives a softer, less obvious transition around the edges of the superimposed object.