Hi,
I am using GIMP to do some photoediting, but have gotten stuck. I am trying to add a picture of my daughter to a top layer image of the rest of the family. (She missed the picture). I cut and paste, but it won't show up.
No matter what I do, I can't get my bottom layer to show. If I move one layer to the side of the other, the bottom layer is visible (and looks like it should) until it intersects with the top layer, then it becomes invisible with marching ants around it (marching ants are around the whole bottom layer actually).

I have been working on it for almost 48 hours but cannot get unstuck. Reading tutorials like a maniac and wataching youtube videos but none of them seem to address this. It seems like such a simple fix if I could just figure out what to do next!

I'm trying to include this picture in a Christmas letter which I hope to send out next week!

Any help/suggestions greatly appreciated! Thank you.

I am guessing in this.....The layer is at the bottom, so it's under the photo and therefore you cannot see it. so...move it up in the layer stack until it is above the photo layer and shows. Or perhaps you can put a layer mask on the photo layer, a white mask, then paint with black on the mask, and where you paint will become transparent and let the layer underneath show through. You can switch painting from black to white in order to get it just right.

I will try this. Thanks 2-ton!

Did that fix your problem?

If not, attach the xcf here and we will try to fix it for you.

Also, you can paste your crop on a transparent layer and put this layer on the top. That will let you see it, too. The only thing that you should do it is that you will have to crop the person who is in front of the one to add.

Make sure that the layer you are cutting out has an alpha channel to allow transparency. (right click the layer in the layers tab and click"add alpha channel")

You need a layer mask to show the parts of the bottom image you need through the top layer.
So on your main image (the one with the people you want to add to) right click that layer and add layer mask.
The default settings should be ok. Make sure the image you want to add FROM is below.
Now use the BLACK color and paintbrush tool on the mask to show parts of the bottom image. Save the xcf file.
Then export as png,jpg or whatever you want. This insures you did not destroy either image in the XCF. Whenever you use images in GIMP you should always try and use masks. There is no UNDO once you save the xcf and close GIMP.
With masks
BLACK = transparency
WHITE = NON - transparency

Hope that helps. If you need more help with layer masks their are tutorials here at Gimp Chat for that very thing.

Masks and Layer Modes Tutorial here -
viewtopic.php?f=24&t=2495&hilit=masks#p32110

Sorry if you already know/did this

Between cut and paste you need to make the top layer the active layer, else the cut is pasted back onto the bottom layer and you won’t see it

Steve

Hi christinelm, If you want to get rid of " marching ants" click selection and click "none"

Thank you! You all are awesome! When I get a moment I will try these ideas. I am really a beginner and I see all the cool stuff you do with GIMP.
SallyAnne, I will post the xcf picture and check back to see if you can fix it to get my daughter to show. She isn't happy with my joke to keep it the way it is and just say she is a "Secret Santa" !
*Note: The original pic I posted was a jpg., so I'm posting this xcf, but it does not have the marching ants and I will post another xcf of my daughter - this one being the one I would like to be placed into the "marching ants" outline position above. Thank you!!!

Did you try to click on red arrow? edit: I should have said click on "eye" and this might activate layer visibility? not real sure if this will work edit: you can see bottom layer if you close the eye of top layers and leave only eye of bottom layer on.

@ Steve, how do I make the top layer active?
@Rod, what if to the option to make a layer mask to the top layer isn't available (meaning it's greyed out and not clickable)
@Erisian, the attached pic below shows where I am now at after trying your suggestion - Any thoughts?

Sorry I should have explained

If you haven’t done so already, open the Layers Dialogue by clicking on the menu bar > Windows > Dockable Dialogues > Layers. This opens the Layers Dialogue box shown in the image below.

My Layers Dialogue box below shows I have two layers open, a top layer (blue) and a bottom layer (red).

The active layer is indicated by a white border around the thumbnail in the Dialogue box, to make the blue (top) layer the active layer click on the blue box in the Layers Dialogue.

I keep the Layers Dialogue box permanently open as its very useful

Hope this helps

Steve

You need to right click the layer and select add alpha channel.

Result of following Combagui tutorial in jpg form because xcf was too big:

And actually the black area is checkered grey when opened in GIMP, not black.

I am a total novice...I am trying to upload the xcf... but I think they are too large. Therefore, it's probably going to be another jpg. Btw, if someone would enjoy the challenge of fixing the whole thing for me, I'd be most appreciative (and at this point will throw in an small amazon gift card!)

Just need to fit Clare (the latest posted pic) into the family picture. I can do all the cloning, smudging, etc.

If you upload all the photos needed. Myself and I'm sure others might just do it for you.

Combagui - Your tutorial was extremely helpful! Thank you! I followed it exactly.
I am posting a new jpg pic to show the results - see above (The xcf results were too big, so jpg it is.)
I think I may have done something to the picture like added an alpha channel or put some other layer on previous to following your tutorial, which made your tutorial not work like it should have. Do you know what I may have done & what I can do to fix it? So, after following your tut, there is a white rectangle behind my daughter, and when I click the eye, I get a checkered background when I open it w/GIMP. The previous family photo is now lost in the checkers somewhere.
Thank you to everyone else, too...I will work on following your instructions when I get a moment.
Thank you all again for your time!! I enjoy the challenge of fixing it, but find it maddening at the same time, so I am glad to have your assistance.

Upload each photo separately as an attachment. I and others might find the time to fix it. I've done this exact thing before, and the hardest thing about it is to get the added person trimmed out decently so it looks natural.

Well, with all your help, I think I made some progress! Here's where I'm at now. (attachment below)
I have not been successful uploading xcf's - can those of you who said you might be able to fix it work with jpg or is a different format better?