How to Make an Image With Opacity in GIMP

Opacity is the opposite of transparency, meaning that when you increase the opacity of an image, it becomes more difficult to see through it. You can set the opacity of an image in "GIMP," an open-source, free image editing application, by using the "Opacity" slider. Decreasing the opacity of an image in GIMP allows you to see any images or background that are positioned behind the image. By playing with image opacity, you can create design effects such as drop shadows and image blending.

Instructions

1. Open the "GIMP" image editor.

2. Click the "File" menu, then click "Open."

3. Click to select an image on your computer in the "Open" dialog box, then click the "Open" button.

4. Click the "Windows" menu, then hover your mouse over the "Dockable Dialogs" option to display a sub-menu.

5. Click "Layers" in the "Dockable Dialogs" sub-menu.

6. Click and drag the "Opacity" slider to the left to decrease the opacity of the open image.

7. Drag the slider to the right to increase the opacity of the open image.

8. Click the "File" menu, then click "Save As."

9. Click to expand the "Select File Type (By Extension)" option.

10. Click to select "PNG" as the file type. The PNG file type is a high-quality image file format that supports semi-transparent images.

11. Click the "Save" button to save the image.

References

• The University of Texas at Austin: SchoolOfInformation: An Introduction to the Gimp: Working with Text and Layers