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Fireworks Article

 

Removing Image Backgrounds with Fireworks


Stéphane Bergeron

Stéphane Bergeron

Webfocus Design
pixelyzed.com

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Removing a Plain Background the Old-Fashioned Way
  3. Removing a Plain Background the Fireworks Way
  4. Editing the Mask
  5. Additional Notes and Tips
Comments
Created:
13 March 2006
User Level:
Intermediate

This article explains the most efficient method for removing backgrounds from images quickly and easily using Macromedia Fireworks 8. This is one of the most frequently asked questions I see on Fireworks-related public forums. The typical answers that other users provide often describe methods that are less than ideal because they are based on old techniques learned in pure raster image editing applications like Adobe Photoshop.

Fireworks has more flexible ways to perform this common task that yield better-looking results and are non-destructive, which means that editing the result at a later date is not only possible but easy. Since the release of Fireworks 8, you have access to new functionality that makes this common task easier than ever before by combining the strength of its vector and bitmap tools. Although they work best on images that have plain, even backgrounds, the techniques you learned here will help you deal with this task on any type of image.

Requirements

To make the most of this tutorial you need to install the following software and files:

Fireworks 8

Sample files:

Prerequisite Knowledge

A basic knowledge of image editing in general and of using Fireworks in particular.

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About the author

Stéphane Bergeron is the owner of Webfocus Design, a small web design firm located in the beautiful Richelieu Valley region about 20 miles east of Montreal, Canada. He has dabbled in web design for over 10 years; what began as a hobby quickly turned into a serious craft. He is now more passionate than ever about this medium and the incredible creative possibilities it offers. He has used Macromedia products for over seven years and is known in the community for his vocal passion for Fireworks and his belief that it can do just about anything better, faster, and more efficiently. In his spare time, Stéphane divides his attention between maintaining his personal site, pixelyzed.com (which involves sharing his passion for Fireworks among other things), and his first love—music and playing guitar. Late at night you'll probably find him tinkering with his noise-making toys and tweaking virtual knobs like a mad scientist in his modest home studio.