@K364 (K364) posted a new topic, subject "How do I prepare an image file with a transparent background?". It read:

   I'm trying to prepare an image to be printed on a sweatshirt. The sweatshirt-printing-guy says to just send him the image file.
    
    The image is a couple of bars of music in black and white. I'm thinking I don't want the white background in the image, I want a transparent background so that only the musical notation gets transferred to the sweatshirt.
    
    I've been trying for a couple of hours with no luck.
    
    The notation is prepared in MuseScore, which supports export to png.
    
    I have Windows 10, with the snipping tool, MsPaint, Paint 3D, and Office 365.
    
    Any help would be greatly appreciated!
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@Aspidistra (Aspidistra) replied

    Go here:
    
    onlinepngtools.com
    
    ### Make a PNG Transparent - Online PNG Maker
    
    World's simplest online utility that creates transparent PNGs. Free, quick, and powerful. Import PNG, make PNG transparent.
      *[IMNSHO]: In My Not So Humble Opinion
      *[JFK]: Just For Kicks
      *[BOLO]: Best Of Law & Order
      *[sweat the petty things]: or pet the sweaty things

So @lingyi (lingyi) replied

    Gimp which is free, will allow you remove the background. Here's a tutorial. It's a lot easier if the background is a solid color. You can either select the background and remove that or select the notes and reverse the selection. Even better would be to create a transparent background and paste the notes on that. https://docs.gimp.org/2.10/en/gimp-tool-by-color-select.html
    
    Unfortunately, I can't help beyond the tutorials because I know how to do it in Photoshop, but not Gimp. I just know it can be done.
    
    Keep in mind that just black and white notes on a colored shirt may not show up well on a sweatshirt because the shirt color may blend into or contrast too sharply with the black, white or both images. Try different color backgrounds in Gimp to see how well the notes show up.
    
    Edit: Another thing to keep in mind is how the notes will look when scrunched up on the shirt, especially without a background.
      *[IMNSHO]: In My Not So Humble Opinion
      *[JFK]: Just For Kicks
      *[BOLO]: Best Of Law & Order
      *[sweat the petty things]: or pet the sweaty things

@Aspidistra (Aspidistra) replied

    In Gimp it's:
    
    Colours | Colour to Alpha  
    File | Export
    
    …and then save as something that supports png.
    
    But I think an online tool is even easier.
      *[IMNSHO]: In My Not So Humble Opinion
      *[JFK]: Just For Kicks
      *[BOLO]: Best Of Law & Order
      *[sweat the petty things]: or pet the sweaty things

@Squink (Squink) replied

    PNG format. Transparency enabled.
      *[IMNSHO]: In My Not So Humble Opinion
      *[JFK]: Just For Kicks
      *[BOLO]: Best Of Law & Order
      *[sweat the petty things]: or pet the sweaty things

To which @Sparky812 (Sparky812) replied

    K364:
    
    > I'm trying to prepare an image to be printed on a sweatshirt. The sweatshirt-printing-guy says to just send him the image file.
    > 
    > The image is a couple of bars of music in black and white. I'm thinking I don't want the white background in the image, I want a transparent background so that only the musical notation gets transferred to the sweatshirt.
    > 
    > I've been trying for a couple of hours with no luck.
    > 
    > The notation is prepared in MuseScore, which supports export to png.
    > 
    > I have Windows 10, with the snipping tool, MsPaint, Paint 3D, and Office 365.
    > 
    > Any help would be greatly appreciated!
    
    I just had a whole set of hockey jerseys made and went through the same process with our logo.
    
    The printing guy is asking you for a vector file or .AI (Adobe Illustrator) file so he can clean it up and modify it for printing on a shirt. He can make it transparent for you during this process.
    
    You can use Adobe Illustrator or there are lots of conversion programs out there.
      *[IMNSHO]: In My Not So Humble Opinion
      *[JFK]: Just For Kicks
      *[BOLO]: Best Of Law & Order
      *[sweat the petty things]: or pet the sweaty things

After which, @SanVito (SanVito) added

    Squink:
    
    > PNG format. Transparency enabled.
    
    This, once you've created a transparent background. Without saving it out in this format, the file will just flatten again and reintroduce the white background.
      *[IMNSHO]: In My Not So Humble Opinion
      *[JFK]: Just For Kicks
      *[BOLO]: Best Of Law & Order
      *[sweat the petty things]: or pet the sweaty things

So @Colophon (Colophon) replied

    I'm sure anyone who does garment printing will be very familiar with this issue, and will be able to remove the background as long as you specify to him “I don't want a white background, make it transparent”. He'll know which format he actually needs to use for the printing process, so it's probably pointless you going through another step to make it transparent.
      *[IMNSHO]: In My Not So Humble Opinion
      *[JFK]: Just For Kicks
      *[BOLO]: Best Of Law & Order
      *[sweat the petty things]: or pet the sweaty things

@Squink (Squink) replied

    Icon making too. Sailor Moon looks awful with a white square background.
      *[IMNSHO]: In My Not So Humble Opinion
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      *[BOLO]: Best Of Law & Order
      *[sweat the petty things]: or pet the sweaty things

After which, @DPRK (DPRK) added

    Please note, PNG is a raster format, as opposed to SVG, EPS, AI… be sure that's what you want.
      *[IMNSHO]: In My Not So Humble Opinion
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      *[BOLO]: Best Of Law & Order
      *[sweat the petty things]: or pet the sweaty things

After which, @Quercus (Quercus) added

    Colophon:
    
    > I'm sure anyone who does garment printing will be very familiar with this issue, and will be able to remove the background as long as you specify to him “I don't want a white background, make it transparent”. He'll know which format he actually needs to use for the printing process, so it's probably pointless you going through another step to make it transparent.
    
    Yeah, ask the guy getting the file, not random (if above average in smarts and hipness) people on the internet. He can probably remove the white background himself, and can certainly advise you on what format is best.
      *[IMNSHO]: In My Not So Humble Opinion
      *[JFK]: Just For Kicks
      *[BOLO]: Best Of Law & Order
      *[sweat the petty things]: or pet the sweaty things

So @thelurkinghorror (thelurkinghorror) replied

    DPRK:
    
    > Please note, PNG is a raster format, as opposed to SVG, EPS, AI… be sure that's what you want.
    
    In other words, if your original image is large (width x height) then PNG is probably okay. If it's a small image, it will look ugly if you blow it up, so a vector format works better.
    
    A vote for Paint.NET if on Windows.
      *[IMNSHO]: In My Not So Humble Opinion
      *[JFK]: Just For Kicks
      *[BOLO]: Best Of Law & Order
      *[sweat the petty things]: or pet the sweaty things

After which, @Tibby (Tibby) added

    I feel benevolent today. If you send me the image you want printed (in the highest resolution you can provide), I'll cut the background out and send it to you as a PNG-24 transparency.
    
    As noted above, vector files are even better (can be blown up to any size and remain sharp). If your printer accepts vector files, I can convert your file into a vector and send it to you as an Adobe Illustrator file (.ai/.eps).
    
    …mind you, I won't convert the entire score of Beethoven's 9th to a vector graphic, but, I don't mind doing a bar or two for free. 
      *[IMNSHO]: In My Not So Humble Opinion
      *[JFK]: Just For Kicks
      *[BOLO]: Best Of Law & Order
      *[sweat the petty things]: or pet the sweaty things

Then @K364 (K364) said

    Tibby:
    
    > I feel benevolent today. If you send me the image you want printed (in the highest resolution you can provide), I'll cut the background out and send it to you as a PNG-24 transparency.
    > 
    > As noted above, vector files are even better (can be blown up to any size and remain sharp). If your printer accepts vector files, I can convert your file into a vector and send it to you as an Adobe Illustrator file (.ai/.eps).
    > 
    > …mind you, I won't convert the entire score of Beethoven's 9th to a vector graphic, but, I don't mind doing a bar or two for free. 
    
    Ok, deal. I'll PM you.
      *[IMNSHO]: In My Not So Humble Opinion
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      *[BOLO]: Best Of Law & Order
      *[sweat the petty things]: or pet the sweaty things

Then @Gus_Gusterson (Gus Gusterson) said

    Colophon:
    
    > I'm sure anyone who does garment printing will be very familiar with this issue, and will be able to remove the background as long as you specify to him “I don't want a white background, make it transparent”. He'll know which format he actually needs to use for the printing process, so it's probably pointless you going through another step to make it transparent.
    
    That is correct. My brothers are in the screen printing and embroidery business. They can accept everything from an Adobe Illustrator file to a drawing on a napkin. The napkin is more work for the art department (which will cost you, the customer) but they will create the art in the format they need. If they required everyone to provide print-ready art they would be turning away a lot of business.
    
    Not printing a white background is the default. You would have to specify that you want a white background if that's a requirement.
      *[IMNSHO]: In My Not So Humble Opinion
      *[JFK]: Just For Kicks
      *[BOLO]: Best Of Law & Order
      *[sweat the petty things]: or pet the sweaty things

Then @Tibby (Tibby) said

    I sent a transparent PNG graphic and zipped Adobe Illustrator package to your listed gmail account. Let me know if you received it.
    
    The PNG file is is high-res, so should suffice for your needs. If, however, you want to make a sweatshirt big enough for King Kong, I recommend that you use the Illustrator vector file.
      *[IMNSHO]: In My Not So Humble Opinion
      *[JFK]: Just For Kicks
      *[BOLO]: Best Of Law & Order
      *[sweat the petty things]: or pet the sweaty things

@ftg (ftg) replied

    Old school: use the Netpbm package and commands like pamtogif and pnmtopng with a "-transparent = " option.
    
    I've done this for icons and such on web pages.
    
    It's not necessary to download and install the package. There's a bunch of sites that will run the commands for you on your file and return the result.
      *[IMNSHO]: In My Not So Humble Opinion
      *[JFK]: Just For Kicks
      *[BOLO]: Best Of Law & Order
      *[sweat the petty things]: or pet the sweaty things


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