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How Do I Make a Simple Background in Photoshop?

Last updated on November 22, 2022 @ 11:06 am

In Photoshop, the Background layer is the bottommost layer in the Layers panel. By default, a new document has a white Background layer. You can fill the Background layer with color or an image, or you can make it transparent.

To fill the Background layer with color:

  1. Choose a foreground or background color.
  2. Click the Paint Bucket Tool in the toolbox.
  3. Click the Background layer in the Layers panel.
  4. Click inside the document window to fill the Background layer with color.

To fill the Background layer with an image:

  1. Open an image in Photoshop.
  2. Select the entire image by choosing Select > All from the menu, or by pressing Ctrl/Cmd+A.
  3. Choose Edit > Copy from the menu, or press Ctrl/Cmd+C.
  4. Open a new, blank document in Photoshop. The new document should be sized similarly to your copied image for best results.
    If your new document is not sized similarly to your copied image, choose Image > Image Size from the menu and make sure that “Resample Image” and “Constrain Proportions” are both selected before you resize your new document. )
  5. Choose Edit > Paste from the menu, or press Ctrl/Cmd+V.
  6. A dialog box will appear. Choose “Paste Into” from the “Paste Method” drop-down menu.
  7. Click OK. Your pasted image will appear on its own layer above a locked Background layer in your new document. If you need to move your pasted image, simply click on it and use your Move Tool to position it as desired.

To make the Background layer transparent:

  1. With your selection tool of choice (Lasso Tool, Marquee Tool, etc. ), select an area of your Background layer that you want to make transparent. You can also select all of the layer by choosing Select > All from the menu or pressing Ctrl/Cmd+A. )
  2. (Note: If you accidentally select an area that you don’t want to be transparent, simply pressCtrl/Cmd+Zto undo your last action.)

  3. If you want to add transparency outside of your selection area as well – for example, if you want to fade out the edge of your image – choose Select > Modify > Feather from the menu and enter a pixel value before making your selection.
  4. With your selected area still active, choose Layer > Transparency > Add Alpha Channel from the menu.
  5. ThisstepisnotnecessaryifyouhavealayermaskattachedtotheBackgroundlayer–you can simply paint with black or white on your layer mask to add or remove transparency as needed.
  6. Now choose Edit > Fill from the menu and select “Transparent” from the fill method drop-down menu before clicking OK.
  7. Your selected area will now be transparent!
  8. PRO TIP: This article provides general instructions on how to make a simple background in Photoshop. However, it is important to note that Photoshop is a complex program and these instructions may not work for all users. Additionally, some of the steps involved in creating a background may be beyond the scope of this article. For more complexbackgrounds, it is recommended that you consult a professional graphic designer.

    You can fill the Background layer with color or an image in Photoshop, or make it transparent by adding an alpha channel.:

Dale Leydon

Dale Leydon

Sysadmin turned Javascript developer. Owner of 20+ apps graveyard, and a couple of successful ones.