Re: [Gimp-user] Removing background with images with a lot of inner detail of image

[Ofnuts <ofnuts gmx com>]

On 23/03/17 21:23, Gimpgreenhorn wrote:
> Hi, gotta question for my fellow gimpsters. Working on a project, need to use
> pictures of pine boughs and pine cones in project. One can go around the outer
> image, and remove the background. But "how" does one remove the background
> coming through between the "pine needles", before placing the pinecone/needle
> image on my project?
>
> Please detail each action one needs to take, to completely remove background
> showing "through" and around" pine needle image, ...beginning to end. Thank you!
The solution depends on the kind of backcground. If the background is 
noticeably lighter than the pines/boughs (for instance, sky):

- add a layer mask, and initialize the layer mask with a grayscale copy 
of the layer, inverted (then the sky bits, being black in the mask would 
make the corresponding part of the image transparent)

- adjust contrast (likely, add some) and brightness on the mask to put a 
progressive cut-off around the right values (you can also do it with Curves)