Transparency and Alpha Channels: The Definitive Guide

I have a tattoo and the black images have an opacity of 62. How come they are turning out real dark when I upload it into SL but it looks fine in PS?

Does it have to do with the coloring the inside of the "marching ants" white when i`m in the "channels" tab?

Because I noticed the more I colored it in, the outside of the 'marching ants' was turning white so I stopped...

I'm wondering what version of Paint Shop Pro you are useing?
My version (5.01) does not have the same icons you mentioned. If you have a preferred
program perhaps I'll have to upgrade.

I just found an update to ver. 5.03 but it seems to be the same.

TESTED WITH PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS V2.0 all steps seemed applicable with one clarification noted *****

Photoshop Elements
This tutorial was made possible in large part by Robin Sojourner, who I believe was the first on this board to discover that PSE can create alpha channels, even though it does not display them. This has been tested with PSE retail versions 3 & 4. It is unknown at this time if it will work with older versions or with bundled or pre-installed versions.

1 On the Layers Palette turn off all layers except for the layer that has your bikini on it. (To turn a layer off, click the eyeball symbol to the left of its name.)


2 If the bikini layer has any white space around the bikini itself, use the eraser to get rid of the white space. It's very important at this stage that the bikini be on its own layer with nothing else on it.

3 On the Layers Palette, ctrl-click the thumbnail for the layer with the bikini on it. (The thumbnail is the little picture of the layer directly to the left of the layer's name.)
*****RD: choose "select layer transparancy" from the pop up menu that appears.*****
This will select everything on the layer. You should see the "marching ants" outlining your bikini now. If there are elements of the bikini on any other layers, hold down shift, and then ctrl-click their respective thumbnails to add them to the selection. Make sure not to include the background or any of the template layers.

4 On the Select Menu at the top of the screen, go Select -> Save Selection. This will save the selection a newly created alpha channel. Unlike Photoshop, PSE has no channels palette so you can’t actually see the alpha channel, but it is there.

5 If you still see the "marching ants" outlining the bikini shape, turn off the selection by clicking Select -> Deselect. For the next step, you'll want nothing selected.

6 *****RD: this step did not seem to be necessary in PSE V2.0*****
On the Layers Palette, create a new layer by pressing the button at the bottom right that looks like a square sticker being peeled from its backing. Click on the name of this new layer and drag it underneath the layer with the bikini on it. Paint the new layer 50% gray or darker; black is fine. (The gray/black layer will prevent the white halo sometimes caused when Alphas are created the way we just did it. If you don't know what I mean by that, don't worry about. Just make sure to always put a gray/black layer underneath your work and you'll never have to see that white halo. Alternatively, more advanced users may wish to use one of the better halo-elimination methods discussed in the FAQ, although they may not all be applicable to PSE.)

7 Save as 32-bit TGA and upload to SL.

I downloaded the filters, but I am presented with 3 different solidify filters, A,B, &C. Which do I use, and what is the difference between them?

I tested this using Photoshop Elements V2.0, on my Mac PowerBook G4, it worked fine. I added two clarifications bracketed with *****

Robin Sojourner's instructions on how to create various levels of transparency in PSE also seemed to work fine. I also experimented with the "gradient" tool and it appears to have made a useable alpha with a smoothly graduated transparency. I am waiting for SL to come back on line to upload the gradient TGA's for a final verification of this.

I see a "gimp transparency alpha channel" question in the forums.

Has the Gimp tutorial appeared yet?

Note I am not asking for my own knowledge of how to do it, just seeing if there is an answer to someone else's question.

CHOOSEN

I edited my 10-25-2006 post above to reflect what actually worked when I uploaded the alpha textures to SL. The stepped transparancy levels worked fine, the smoothly graduated alpha did not.

I am debating on whether or not I should also get Adobe Photo Shop.
Can some suggest older verisions that might be cheaper that would be compatible with the tutorials?

I am trying to follow the tutorial step by step, but I must be missing something. I add the alpha channel by selecting my piece of clothing and then add a new layer and color it black. Then I place that level underneath my level with the clothing on it. My clothing appears to have a black background behind it at this point. I then save the file in TGA and upload it to sl. The shirt is then black instead of whitle but it is definately not transparent. If anyone can give me a clue as to what I am doing wrong I would appreciate it. Oh, and I am using Photoshop Elements, I am not sure what version.


Thanks,
Scot210

I selected the opaque part then went under select and save selection. Then I saved the entire work as TGA in 32.

I am able to make clothing with full transparency portions. I am sure someone has already posted on this, but I can't find it. I am using Photoshop Elements. Could anyone tell a dummy how to make clothes that are semi transparent. I am not sure how to do it. Since you cannot see the Alpha channel in Photoshop elements

I am able to make clothing with full transparency portions. I am sure someone has already posted on this, but I can't find it. I am using Photoshop Elements. Could anyone tell a dummy how to make clothes that are semi transparent. I am not sure how to do it. Since you cannot see the Alpha channel in Photoshop elements

TUTORIALS

Paint Shop Pro
I should preface this by saying that I’m a Photoshop user so my PSP tutorials are not as detailed as my Photoshop ones. This will still walk you through what you need to do, but not with quite as much hand-holding as the Photoshop info.

1. In Photoshop, you can edit channels directly, but in PSP, you have to use a tool called a mask as a proxy for what will in the end become the alpha channel. To create a new mask, go Layers -> New Mask Layer -> Show All. A new layer group will be created, at the top of which will be your new mask layer. Make sure all other layers are in the group and below the mask.
   
   
   
2. On the Layers Palette, select the mask layer and make sure the little Mask Overlay Toggle button at the top is turned off. The Mask Overlay Toggle is directly to the right of the Link Toggle. It looks like a tiny picture of a theater mask. When it's off it's gray; when it's on it's red. Just so you know, turning it on can be useful so you can exactly what is happening with the mask itself, but you'll have a more WYSIWYG feel with it turned off.
   
   
   
3. At this point, your mask will be all white (no transparency yet). On the mask layer, start painting the areas you want to be invisible black, and you'll see the checkerboard show through in those areas. Any areas you want semi-transparent, paint gray. The darker the gray, the more transparent; the lighter the gray, the more opaque. The areas you want completely opaque just leave white.