Tattoo, Alpha, and White Border

Hi,
I have been messing with Tattoo's off and on since SL started. Mostly off of course or I wouldnt have this question now probably. I have made a few tattoo's, and I have noticed that most of them have thin white borders around them when applied. All I can say is YUCK, unless the tattoo is white its going to look funny. I remember when I started I read a post about how to fix it, but heck if I can find it now. Anyone have any ideas? Seemed like it was something simple, but it escapes me now, and I have searched the forums with no luck.
Thanks for any help,
RANDOM

Usually you'll see the white outline at the alpha edges when the tatt texture isn'f fully loaded yet. When it has rezzed fully the outline should go away. Sometimes on fresh uploads when you apply the texture to skin it won't rez fully until you log out and back in. Hope that helps.

Or alternatively the best method is to created a completely black background in the image when you've saved your alpha channel.

this actually interests me. i use paintshop pro 7 but i have photshop too. anyone know how to do alphas in psp? cause i want to do tatoo's too

Damiens idea is the best.

White edge is usually a "bleed" of pixels from the Transparent sections.

Photoshop has 2 methods of alpha.

1 - Create image with Checkerbox areas and save as Targa (.tga 32 bit) - No need for an Alpha Channel.

2 - Download Targa Plug-in
- Area of Alpha are defined in a Black and white
(and shade in between) Channel (not layer)

Using 2 - :
- create an all black layer
- Place a black and white pattern in "Alpha Channel"
- Save as .tga 32 bit (alpha Channels are checked as on)
- Black areas are transparent
- White areas are Totally Visible
- Because the image is actually all black you will not get the
white border

Note: Instead of Black have areas of color that are larger than the white alpha areas below. Trees ..use a green leaf texture over all the image ..

Looking for a No white edge example ?

take a look at the Vive Revolution (if they are still around)Photoshop files and use these as a start for your tattoos.

In Paintshop the Alphaing is done similar to Photoshop method 1.. but using Selections to masks etc..

Does anyone know if Paintshop Pro can use Black and white Alpha Channels as it certainly gives some cool options.

Yes PSP does alpha channels, here is a basic tutorial, works in PSP7, haven't tried 8.
.. if you want more complex stuff with partial transparency (see through fabrics and stuff like that) you need a greyscale alpha. It's a bit more complex, but still possible.

Hi,
Thanks for the replies. I am hoping that the white border goes away. If not I will look into your second method, it sounded interesting. It seemed like when I last read about this, it was a easy fix, lol, oh well, I will work on it a bit more. I am by no means a photoshop pro. If another program works better for doing this let me know, I might install it and give it a try. I know you can have multiple alpha channels in photoshop. And I believe you can make them any color. I am also wondering if maybe there are lighter pixels on the edge of a character, maybe that is causing my problem. Gonna check that out too.
Thanks,
RANDOM

Your problem is that you have partially transparent edges.

A TGA image has to be a solid image. Yes, it can have an alpha channel, which makes it APPEAR to have transparent or partially transparent areas, but the underlying image still has to be 100% opaque.

When you save a partially transparent image to TGA format in PSP, it's blending your partially transparent image against a white background. This sets the color of that pixel to something lighter than you intended. The more transparent the pixel, the whiter it appears.

When displayed in-world, the alpha channel still causes that area to be partially transparent, but it's a partially transparent pixel of the new, white-blended color, not the color you originally put there.

What you're basically saying, Grim, is like removing the anti alias of the edges - which makes them look blocky and unreal on the SL avatars. It does work, but it's not worth it

Im me in game or write me at [email]ShadowWeaver@slvisions.com[/email]

I am currently working on a .pdf for PSP creating an Alpha Channel and tips and tricks.

Shadow

Not true, Damien.

If your alpha channel is correct, it will "thin" it back out to the correct transparency. It'll just be the right color.

You want the anti-aliasing/feathering in the alpha channel, not in the texture itself.

yes, i do this too. it saves time not only with tattoos but with clothes with detailed cuts as well.

Section 5 of my tutorial is on creating a Tattoo, which should help you with your problem. (Link in my sig below)


Nicola

Thanks for all the replies and help. I think the anti alias and feathering will help if I can just find it in Photoshop. I appreciate all the help, and good fortune to you all.
Random

Actually I found my problem while looking at nicole eschers pdf, I wasnt filling the while thing with one color, I was just using the picture I was pasting in, doh! That should fix that problem anyway.

Thanks,
Random