I am using the latest version of photoshop but whenever i try to delete the background it wont

[Ashgotcash]

Hi so I've been facing a problem where I am working on a school project and it requires me to use the magic wand tool to take my selection and delete the background but no matter what I do it doesn't work I use an Acer goes 16 I don't know if its the computer I use or the program but if someone knows how to fix the problem that would be awesome.

[gregp53347583]

The layer you are trying to delete pixels from must be selected in your layers panel. The layer must also be turned on (visible). The layer must also be a rasterized layer, not a smart object. The layer must also not be locked (like a "Background" layer)......

[Ashgotcash]

Hello thanks a bunch for the explanation but the two small purple and green objects you were I'm assuming earlier were drawn. As for the background I used a rectangular Marquee tool to use to create my gradient background so that's why I'm a tad been unsure why its not working 

[Trevor.Dennis]

The Magic Wand Tool?

What version of Photoshop are you using?

There are much better ways to make selections nowadays.

What are we looking at below?  Is the image on the left the original image as given to you by the teacher? Only it looks like it has already had some work done on it, and made life a little bit harder for you.

OK, I checked your second screen shot (always include the workspace so we can see what is happening).  I am guessing that the coloured area in Layer 1 (which is the selected layer) correspond to the outline of the two figures).  If you Ctrl clicked that layer, it would have loaded it as a selection.

Does Layer 2 have reduced opacity, or is it set to a non default blend mode.

Right now I am not sure what is wrong with this.  I looks how I would expect it to look, but we don't know how you got to this point.  It might be less confusiong if you turn off the layers you are not working on when you problems, so they don't confuse things. 

Give us a MUCH more detailed acount of what is causing you problems, and I am sure we can help.

[Ashgotcash]

Hello, I started with the base blue drawing layer labeled as pencil and an image of what the final should look like labeled as image.

The second step was to fill in all the basic black inking for the drawing  which is labeled Fill in the Ink folder next layer is for the detailed lining  for the black shading labeled (Ink detail) Next, create the highlights / special brush for  the white Inking which is (Ink Details White)

Now to make the white bits invisible to create that seamless splatter effect and seamless highlight I go into my (Flats folder ) and use two bright distinguished colors for my flats filled out then I reach for the (Ink Folder) and go over to the overlay option and went from normal to pass through to Multiply.

Next I created a background with in the (Colour folder)  I used the rectangular marque toon and use the gradient tool to use colours from the final image to create a background for the image then I went back into the rectangular marqee tool and I grabbed the paint brush tool  and painted in a green.