Turning Midjourney Images into Transparent Background PNGs

High Off Blue Hour
14 Sept 202310:14

TLDRIn this tutorial, Dee from High Off Blue Hour demonstrates how to convert mid-journey images into PNGs with transparent backgrounds. She explains the importance of clear parameters for the images, such as 'PNG style empty white background' and 'clearly defined lines', which facilitate the selection and separation process in Photoshop. The video walks viewers through the steps of using Photoshop's 'Select Subject' tool and 'Select and Mask' to isolate the subject and remove the background, resulting in a transparent PNG ready for various composite applications.

Takeaways

  • 🖌️ The video is a tutorial on converting mid-journey images into PNGs with transparent backgrounds for use in various composite situations like photos and videos.
  • 🔍 It emphasizes the importance of using specific parameters when creating images in mid-journey, such as 'PNG style', 'empty white background', and 'clearly defined lines' for easier background removal.
  • 🎃 The example given includes creating Halloween-themed jack-o-lantern images and adjusting parameters to avoid shadows for a cleaner selection in Photoshop.
  • 🛠️ Photoshop's 'Select and Mask' tool is used to refine the selection of the image, removing the background and preparing it for transparency.
  • 📸 The process involves selecting the image, using 'Select Subject' for easy recognition, and then refining the selection with 'Select and Mask' to remove any unwanted parts.
  • 🖼️ After refining the selection, the background is removed by using the 'Decontaminate Colors' option to ensure a clean transparency.
  • 🔄 The final step includes merging the layers and exporting the image as a PNG to preserve the transparent background.
  • 🌟 The video demonstrates the effectiveness of the process by overlaying the PNG image onto a different background to showcase its versatility.
  • 🛡️ The tutorial suggests that having a clearly defined subject and background separation in the original image simplifies the selection and background removal process.
  • 🔄 For images with complex elements, like the 'Assassin's Creed' character, careful selection is needed to avoid capturing unwanted shadows or light.
  • 📚 The video is aimed at those who may be new to Mid Journey or Photoshop, offering a straightforward method to create original PNG images for various creative projects.

Q & A

  • What is the main purpose of the video by Dee from High off Blue Hour?

    -The main purpose of the video is to demonstrate how to take mid-journey images and turn them into PNG images with transparent backgrounds for use in various composite situations like photos or videos.

  • What are the important parameters to include when creating mid-journey images for this purpose?

    -The important parameters include 'PNG style', 'empty white background', 'clearly defined lines', and avoiding shadows on the ground to make the selection and background removal process easier in Photoshop.

  • How does the clarity of lines and separation from the background in mid-journey images affect the Photoshop process?

    -The more defined the lines and the more separated the main subject is from the background, the easier it will be to select the subject and remove the background in Photoshop.

  • Why might a shadow on the ground make the Photoshop selection process more difficult?

    -A shadow on the ground can make the selection process more difficult because it can blend with the image, making it harder to cleanly separate the subject from the background.

  • What is the first step in Photoshop to select the mid-journey image for background removal?

    -The first step is to go to 'Select' and then to 'Subject', allowing Photoshop to automatically select the image based on the clear separation from the background.

  • What tool in Photoshop is used to refine the selection and remove the background?

    -The 'Select and Mask' tool in Photoshop is used to refine the selection and remove the background from the image.

  • What option in the 'Select and Mask' tool helps to clean up selections where the subject's edges blend with the background?

    -The 'Decontaminate Colors' option helps to clean up selections by removing any colors from the background that may have been included in the selection.

  • How does Dee suggest merging layers after background removal in Photoshop?

    -Dee suggests selecting the original layer, copying it, holding Shift and clicking the copy layer, right-clicking, and then merging the layers to have a single transparent image.

  • What file format does Dee recommend for exporting the final image with a transparent background?

    -Dee recommends exporting the final image in PNG format to preserve the transparent background.

  • How can the PNG images with transparent backgrounds be utilized after creation?

    -The PNG images with transparent backgrounds can be used in various content creations, photo compositions, animations, and different programs like DaVinci Resolve.

  • What is the significance of using a high-quality image for the background in composite work?

    -Using a high-quality image for the background ensures that the composited PNG image blends well and requires minimal tweaking, resulting in a more professional and polished final product.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 Converting Mid-Journey Images to Transparent PNGs

Dee introduces a tutorial on transforming mid-journey images into PNG files with transparent backgrounds for use in composite projects such as photos and videos. The process begins with selecting the right parameters in mid-journey to ensure clear, defined lines and separation from the background. This facilitates easy extraction of the subject in Photoshop using the 'Select Subject' feature. Dee demonstrates this with various examples, including a Gothic male protagonist and Halloween jack-o-lanterns, emphasizing the importance of avoiding shadows on the ground for easier background removal.

05:02

🖼️ Photoshop Techniques for Background Removal

This section focuses on the detailed steps within Photoshop to remove the background from mid-journey images. After importing the image, Dee uses the 'Select Subject' tool for an initial selection, then refines it using 'Select and Mask' to address areas where the image might blend into the background. The process includes decontaminating colors to ensure a clean, transparent background. Once the background is removed, the image is exported as a PNG, demonstrating the flexibility of using the PNG in different compositions and the potential for further creative applications.

10:04

🚀 Finalizing PNG Images with Transparent Backgrounds

Dee concludes the tutorial by summarizing the process of turning mid-journey images into PNGs with transparent backgrounds. He reiterates the simplicity of the technique and its utility for content creators, especially those new to Mid Journey or Photoshop. The video showcases the final results, highlighting the quality and readiness of the images for immediate use in various projects without the need for significant adjustments. Dee encourages viewers to apply this method to any image of their choice, emphasizing the potential for high-quality, original PNG images in their creative work.

Mindmap

Keywords

Mid-journey images

Mid-journey images refer to the visual outputs generated during the creative process, typically before the final refinement. In the context of this video, these images are used as a starting point to create PNG files with transparent backgrounds. The script mentions selecting mid-journey images with 'clearly defined lines' to facilitate the process of background removal in Photoshop.

PNG

PNG stands for Portable Network Graphics, a file format used for images on the web. It is known for its ability to support transparency, which is a key feature in this video's process. The script describes the goal of converting mid-journey images into PNGs with transparent backgrounds for use in various composite situations.

Transparent background

A transparent background in image editing means that the background of an image is not filled with any color or pattern, allowing the image to be placed over other visuals without a visible backdrop. The video script emphasizes the importance of having a transparent background for the PNG images to be used flexibly in different compositions.

Photoshop

Photoshop is a widely used image editing software by Adobe. It is mentioned in the script as the tool for removing the background from the mid-journey images to create PNGs with transparent backgrounds. The process involves using Photoshop's 'Select Subject' and 'Select and Mask' features.

Select Subject

In Photoshop, 'Select Subject' is a feature that automatically selects the main subject of an image based on its edges and boundaries. The script describes using this feature to easily select the mid-journey images for background removal, which is crucial for creating transparent PNGs.

Select and Mask

'Select and Mask' is a tool in Photoshop that refines selections, particularly useful for removing backgrounds. The script details using this tool after 'Select Subject' to further refine the selection and prepare the image for background removal, which is essential for the PNG creation process.

Decontaminate colors

In the context of Photoshop, 'Decontaminate colors' is an option in the 'Select and Mask' workspace that helps remove any remaining background colors from the selection. The script mentions using this feature to ensure the background is completely transparent before exporting the image as a PNG.

Merge layers

Merging layers in Photoshop combines multiple layers into a single layer. The script describes merging the original layer with the copy layer after the background has been removed to create a single transparent PNG image, simplifying the workflow for further use in projects.

Quick export as PNG

This is a feature in Photoshop that allows for the quick saving of an image in the PNG format. The script mentions using this feature to export the image with a transparent background as a PNG file, ready for use in various applications.

Composite situations

Composite situations refer to the use of images in a way that combines them with other visuals, such as in photo or video editing. The script discusses the utility of having PNG images with transparent backgrounds for such purposes, allowing for seamless integration into different media.

Gothic male protagonist

A Gothic male protagonist is a character archetype often found in Gothic literature or related media, characterized by a dark, mysterious, and sometimes brooding nature. In the script, this term is used to describe one of the mid-journey images that is turned into a transparent PNG for use in composite situations.

Highlights

This video demonstrates how to transform mid-journey images into transparent background PNGs for use in various composite scenarios.

The importance of using parameters like 'PNG style' and 'clearly defined lines' for easy Photoshop selection.

Avoiding shadows on the ground for a cleaner separation from the background in Photoshop.

Using 'select subject' in Photoshop to easily recognize and select the main subject of the image.

The process of refining selections in Photoshop to deal with areas that blend into the background.

Utilizing 'select and mask' to further refine the image and remove the background.

The 'decontaminate colors' option in Photoshop to ensure a clean transparent background.

Merging layers in Photoshop to create a single transparent image for ease of use.

Exporting the final image as a PNG with a transparent background for various applications.

Demonstration of overlaying the PNG image onto a different background to showcase its versatility.

The use of 'select and mask' with more complex images, like a character with a shadow.

Tips on dealing with challenging selections, such as areas with blown-out white light.

The final result of a Gothic protagonist image with a transparent background ready for use in various programs.

The potential for using the technique with any image, as demonstrated with the Assassin's Creed character.

The simplicity of the process and its applicability for those new to Photoshop or Mid Journey.

The high quality of the resulting PNG images, ready for immediate use in compositions.

The video concludes with the potential for further creative uses of the PNG images with transparent backgrounds.