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Paint Shop Pro 10 need help with alpha layer

Lucie Doolittle
Registered User
Join date: 19 Nov 2005
Posts: 69
12-08-2005 20:20
I usually use Adobe but downloaded the trial for paint shop pro 10 because I find some things are easier in Adobe and some in paint shop. I find that designing the image is easier with paint shop (the older paint shop) but I cant figure out the alpha layers. In adobe its click click click then flood with white and its done. The post I have read with paint shop 10 is very confusing. I tried what they say to do and it seems you must completey redraw the image using white or black depending on what you want to show. Am I missing something or is there a easy way to make the alpha layers with paint shop? Right now I am using both programs. Designing in paint shop and the copy and paste to adobe for the alpha layer. Not only is that a pain but I have a design that it's not working with and really worked hard on this design. Can someone please help with paint shop so I can save this with a alpha layer.
Thanks :)
Chosen Few
Alpha Channel Slave
Join date: 16 Jan 2004
Posts: 7,496
12-09-2005 08:03
Hi Lucie. I see this is only your seventh post, so welcome to SL. :)

Here are the steps for producing an alpha channel in PSP 10. Note, by the way, that my PSP tutorials are nowhere near as detailed as my Photoshop tutorials. I use Photoshop every day, but I only use PSP occasionally, and only for one reason, so I can be able to answer questions like this on this forum. I never use PSP for any other purpose. Anyway, follow these steps and you'll know what to do.

1. In Photoshop, you can edit channels directly, but in PSP, you have to use a tool called a mask to serve as a proxy for what will in the end become the alpha channel. Previous versions of PSP had a Masks Menu at the top, but in version 10 that menu no longer exists. Its commands have been absorbed into the Layers menu. 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 see 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.

4. When you're finished, go to Layers -> Load/Save Mask -> Save Mask To Alpha Channel, and then delete the mask (DELETE it, do not merge it) by right clicking on it in the Layers Palette and selecting Delete. If you need to edit the alpha later, go Layers -> Load/Save Mask -> Load Mask From Alpha Channel.

5. Save your file as a TGA and you should be all set. Unlike with Photoshop, PSP has no option to choose bit depth at the time of save. If an alpha channel is present, the file is automatically saves as 32 bit. If not, it's automatically saved as 24 bit.




Now that you have your answer, let me get a couple things off my chest. First, you've hit on one of my biggest petpeaves on this forum, which is the tendancy people have here to interchange the words "layer" and "channel". There's no such thing as an "alpha layer". It's an alpha channel. It may seem like no big deal, but having had a lot of experience explaining this stuff to people who have never done it before, I can say without a doubt that that confuses the hell out of them. If anyone wants more info on the difference between layers and channels, see this thread.

Second, while your personal preference is obviously up to you, I'm having a little trouble understanding why someone who has Photoshop would rather use Paint Shop Pro. Imagining that feels a bit like nails on a chalk board to me. Photoshop is so much more powerful. I won't get into it though, since as I said, your preference is your own. I just had to get that out.

Anyway, good luck, welcome once again, and come on back with any more questions. Always happy to help. :)
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Sable Sunset
Prim Herder
Join date: 15 Apr 2005
Posts: 223
12-09-2005 08:29
Hi Lucie - Welcome to SL! :)

If you're still having trouble with alpha channels after Chosen's wonderfully detailed walk-through, look up the gorgeous Lina Pussycat (ok - so I'm biased... love you babe! ;) ) in-world who runs an excellent class on the subject, and produces some amazing results! :D
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Lucie Doolittle
Registered User
Join date: 19 Nov 2005
Posts: 69
12-09-2005 14:54
Chosen I have several programs that I don't fully understand how to use. Adobe is a great program but I'm not a grahpic designer or anything like that so I don't spend alot of time using the program and find that paint shop is much eaier to use for this one thing I am trying to do since it was the program I learned it on. If I ever have the time to learn and a good teacher with adobe I do think it's a much better program just hard to learn. I have the next 3 days off work so I plan to learn as much as I can :)