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Michelle Pinkerton

Registered User

Join date: 20 Jan 2005

Posts: 16

05-08-2005 16:58

Okay, so I figured out how to make an alpha layer

which is a good thing! The problem I am having now is making an entire texture tranparent...I succeeded last nite...just for a sec..the only way I could just make a swatch of transparent material was to add a shape in it (square).

So, how do you make an entire swatch of color transparent, I am working with Photoshop CS.. I manages to make a heart tga file that the background was transparent..but I cant seem to get the colored transparent to work for me...

Any suggestions???

thanks!

Roberta Dalek

Probably trouble

Join date: 21 Oct 2004

Posts: 1,174

05-08-2005 17:56

If it's 100% black its 100% transparent. 100% white is 100% opaque. Shades of grey in the alpha channel give you varying degrees of transparency.

If you made the alpha channel where the heart is 100% black it wouldn't be visible.

Michelle Pinkerton

Registered User

Join date: 20 Jan 2005

Posts: 16

05-08-2005 18:47

Okay this is what I am doing...I am starting with a new transparent, I then add a layer and fill it with the color of my choice....then I merge visible...and make a channel of it..and I of course get the black alpha...then when I go to save it..it wont let me save as a TGA file....

HELP!

Mirra Hathor

Reality Deviant

Join date: 4 Jul 2004

Posts: 160

05-09-2005 07:00

OK- my assumption is, your alpha looks right- its white where the heart is & black everywhere else. And you have at least one remaining image layer- the red heart

In CS- with the image layer visible, go to the channels palette. Click the eye box of the alpha channel so that all the channels are visible: you'll have RGB, Red, Green, Blue & Alpha1. The alpha chanel will now show as a red mask over the image- red for the transparent, clear & pixel color for your image-- if the heart is red, the whole thing probably looks red now- lol.

Save as a psd. ALWAYS do that. Now File> Save as & select tga from the file types. I needs to be 32 bit color on the pop up screen you'll gete & unticked in the compress rle box at the bottom. (if the alpha is not visible, it may not allow the 32 bit option- it can be flaky).Also-- if you have any saved selections, PS can get confused as to which one is the alpha- so if there are more than the 5 afore-mentioned channels in the palette, delete all of them but those 5 channels before saving the tga.

If this doesn't seem to work, repost & I or someone else will surely assist.

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Michelle Pinkerton Registered User Join date: 20 Jan 2005 Posts: 16	05-08-2005 16:58 Okay, so I figured out how to make an alpha layer which is a good thing! The problem I am having now is making an entire texture tranparent...I succeeded last nite...just for a sec..the only way I could just make a swatch of transparent material was to add a shape in it (square). So, how do you make an entire swatch of color transparent, I am working with Photoshop CS.. I manages to make a heart tga file that the background was transparent..but I cant seem to get the colored transparent to work for me... Any suggestions??? thanks!
Roberta Dalek Probably trouble Join date: 21 Oct 2004 Posts: 1,174	05-08-2005 17:56 If it's 100% black its 100% transparent. 100% white is 100% opaque. Shades of grey in the alpha channel give you varying degrees of transparency. If you made the alpha channel where the heart is 100% black it wouldn't be visible.
Michelle Pinkerton Registered User Join date: 20 Jan 2005 Posts: 16	05-08-2005 18:47 Okay this is what I am doing...I am starting with a new transparent, I then add a layer and fill it with the color of my choice....then I merge visible...and make a channel of it..and I of course get the black alpha...then when I go to save it..it wont let me save as a TGA file.... HELP!
Mirra Hathor Reality Deviant Join date: 4 Jul 2004 Posts: 160	05-09-2005 07:00 OK- my assumption is, your alpha looks right- its white where the heart is & black everywhere else. And you have at least one remaining image layer- the red heart In CS- with the image layer visible, go to the channels palette. Click the eye box of the alpha channel so that all the channels are visible: you'll have RGB, Red, Green, Blue & Alpha1. The alpha chanel will now show as a red mask over the image- red for the transparent, clear & pixel color for your image-- if the heart is red, the whole thing probably looks red now- lol. Save as a psd. ALWAYS do that. Now File> Save as & select tga from the file types. I needs to be 32 bit color on the pop up screen you'll gete & unticked in the compress rle box at the bottom. (if the alpha is not visible, it may not allow the 32 bit option- it can be flaky).Also-- if you have any saved selections, PS can get confused as to which one is the alpha- so if there are more than the 5 afore-mentioned channels in the palette, delete all of them but those 5 channels before saving the tga. If this doesn't seem to work, repost & I or someone else will surely assist.