Paths Tool Issue

[pinger]

GIMP Version: 2.8.14
Operating System: Windows
GIMP Experience: New User

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Hello...I'm brand new to Gimp (I've had some past experience in Photoshop Elements). I'm stumped on a Path tool issue.
My mission is to add a person (head and shoulders) to a group photo. I want to extract the "new person" from a separate photo, make the big photo background a separate layer and make the group without the background to create three separate layers then stack them.

Using the Path tool I outlined the new person, pressed ctrl while clicking on my original drawing point, hit enter, selected invert, hit delete. I was under the impression that my background should be transparent....but it's WHITE.

2.10.36 is the version of Gimp I have loaded.

What am I missing? Thank you.

[sallyanne]

What you didn't do was to make sure the image had an alpha channel first.
If you cut an image out from the background it will always take on the set background colour in gimp if you do not have an alpha channel. I don't think your problem was with the path tool.

[pinger]

Ah ha. Kindly, how do I ensure I have an alpha channel? Thanks.

[oldmangrumpy]

Check for Alpha Channel by right clicking on the target layer in the layers dialog - a menu with a set of options will display including one for Add Alpha Channel. If the layer already has an alpha channel this option will be greyed out. If not you can click on the bolded option, to give that layer an alpha channel.

[pinger]

Thank you!

[pinger]

I appreciate the help so far from Sallyanne and Oldmangrumpy. Being a neophyte here I guess I need a little more hand-holding. As stated in my goal on my first post, I now have my group of people in one .xcf file with a transparent background, the background of the group photo in another xcf. file with a transparent opposite and new guy in the third xcf. file with a transparent background....all created with the path tool. I can't seem to keep more than the last one moved into the layers window where I really need all three of them. I looked at a tutorial on this but am not winning. I know this is basic-basic but this software is kind of complex.

[sallyanne]

I appreciate the help so far from Sallyanne and Oldmangrumpy. Being a neophyte here I guess I need a little more hand-holding. As stated in my goal on my first post, I now have my group of people in one .xcf file with a transparent background, the background of the group photo in another xcf. file with a transparent opposite and new guy in the third xcf. file with a transparent background....all created with the path tool. I can't seem to keep more than the last one moved into the layers window where I really need all three of them. I looked at a tutorial on this but am not winning. I know this is basic-basic but this software is kind of complex.

If you want to keep the same background as in your group photo - don't extract the group. Just add as a new layer the 'head/shoulders' of the extra person as a new layer. Before you merge this layer down, scale & erase it to make sure it fits in properly to the group.
If you want a different background add the extracted group as a new layer on top of it, then the extra person as a new layer next. Follow last directions this way as well.
If this doesn't help, maybe post your photos and we can post an XCF for you to study.
Did a sample one and I used a white mask to erase parts that were out of bounds with the black paint brush then if you erase what you want to keep you can go over it with white

[pinger]

Thank you. That makes sense. But what do I need to do to get all the layers to stay populated in the main window instead of just one??

[teapot]

Thank you. That makes sense. But what do I need to do to get all the layers to stay populated in the main window instead of just one??

It sounds to me like you have three .xcf files each containing one layer.

Is what you want one .xcf file with all three layers in it?
If so open one of the .xcf files.
After that, choose the menu item File -> Open as layers (NOT File -> Open).
Use the file browser that appears to navigate to and open one of the other .xcf files.
You should end up with two layers in the first file.

Alternatively open two .xcf files.
Click and drag a layer thumbnail from one file and drop it into the image window of the other file.

[pinger]

Thank you much. That last post got me to the finish line!!