RuneScape:Editing/Image transparency

Most of the images on the wiki have transparency applied to them. This involves deleting the image's background to make the subject clearer. Transparency may be applied before an image is uploaded or once it is already on the wiki. Previously uploaded images that editors need to add transparency to them can be found in Category:Images needing transparency, or Category:Images needing translucency if the image needs translucency applied.

This guide will cover how to apply transparency and translucency using GIMP. If you are not familiar with GIMP, you can check out our guide on getting and performing basic functions in GIMP here (link).

Transparency

 * Open your image in GIMP (link).
 * Under the "Layer" menu select "Transparency" and click the "Add alpha channel" option. Without an alpha channel you will not be able to add transparency (image).
 * Click the Free Select Tool. Make sure that anti-aliasing is turned on under the tool options (image).
 * Make an outline around the part of the image you want to keep by marking points around the image with the Free Select Tool (image). When you reach the end of the whole outline, click on your starting point to complete your selction. The individual points will disappear and the part of the image you wish to keep will be selected (image).
 * Press Ctrl + I to invert your selection so that background is selected.
 * Press delete so that the background is removed. The background should be replaced with a chequered background - this indicates that this part of the image is transparent (image).
 * Go to Image > Autocrop to remove the extra background around your image.
 * Save image in .png file format. (image)
 * Compress using PNG Gauntlet.
 * Upload image (link).

Inventory icon images transparency
Inventory icon images can have transparency added more easily.

Easy method
This can be used for any images where particles or translucency are over a solid coloured background (image).


 * Apply regular transparency, excluding any areas with particles or translucency (image).
 * Select an area with particles using the Free Select Tool (image).
 * Select: Layer > Transparency > Color to Alpha. Click on the bar and use the colour picker tool select a colour from the original image that is the colour of the background behind the particles that we want to get rid of (image).
 * Click okay and okay again. The background should be removed without affecting the colour of the particles/translucency: if it isn't then you may need to try one of the harder methods (image).

Translucency - hard method
Use this method if you want to add solid coloured translucency to an image that has not been taken on a solid background. This doesn't work for translucent areas which have patterns.


 * Add regular transparency if not already done.
 * Use the Free Select Tool to outline the part of the image that is translucent as above.
 * Change the colour of the selected area to white. Go to Colors > Brightness-Contrast, and move both sliders to the max (image).
 * Recolour the white area to an appropriate colour. You can do this using Colors > Color Balance; Colors > Hue-Saturation; or Colors > Colorize. Change the levels until you have the right colour (image).
 * Make the coloured area translucent by using the Eraser Tool. Change the Opacity setting to determine how translucent area is. (image) Around 22% opacity is typical: though you can change it depending on the subject of the image.
 * When you have added translucency to all the parts of the image that require it you should clean up the edges of the translucent areas, as they will not have AA and will not be blended with the adjacent parts of the image.
 * When bordering an empty part of the image use the the Free Select Tool to select a small portion of the edge of the section and delete it (image).
 * Use the blur tool to clean up areas inside the image: size less than 10 depending on size of image; convolve rate less than 10; and opacity at 100. Run the tool over the edges of the translucent areas (image).

Particles - hard method
Use for image where there are particles on a non-solid colour background.


 * Apply transparency, removing the particles. Make sure you keep a copy t
 * Create a new layer that is transparent (image).
 * Use the Color Picker Tool to select the colour of the particles from the original image.
 * Select a circular Paint tool with blurred edges.
 * Trace the particles on the transparent layer.
 * It may be helpful to create a black layer and show/hide your new particle layer to check if the particles look ok (image).
 * Repeat for all the areas with particles.
 * When you are done, delete the particles from the original image by selecting them with Free Select Tool and hitting delete. Also delete the black layer if you made one.
 * Merge all layers.