Cutting Images in Paint.NET

For this tutorial, we will cut an image and get rid of its background. We will be using the image of Blake Lively below.

1. Copy the image above and paste it on your canvas. Click on Edit=>paste in to new image.
2. Now, get your line tool and choose a color that does not appear on the image you wish to cut. In this tutorial I used lime green.
   
3. Create a new layer by clicking Layers=>Add new layer.
4. Start drawing an outline on your image. Be sure you optimize the nodes by dragging them to the shape of the image. You don't have to use one single line to outline the image. You can use as many lines as you need just be sure they are all connected to each other.
   
5. Once you have outlined the whole image like so:
   
   Click on your magic wand tool then adjust your tolerance level same to mine or whatever your prefrences are. Then click inside your outline.
   
6. Next, click on Edit=>Invert selection.
7. Go to layer 1 where you have the image. Then press delete on your keyboard. Now you see, we have a transparent image.
   
   To get rid of the green border, go to layer 2 where we drew the outline, then click Layers=>Delete layer.
8. To get softer edges, take your magic wand, adjust the tolerance level to 50% then click on the canvas background (the white and grey checks). Click on Effects=>Blurs=>Gausian Blur. Set it 2. Now, click on Edit=>Deselect. Do this as many times as you want until you are satisfied with the edges. You should have smooth edges now! :)
9. This is how my image turned out after saving it as png.
   

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