using Transparent GIF files

andrewjs · Post by **andrewjs** » Sun Jun 28, 2009 3:58 am

Is it possible for an image layer to take advantage of a transparent GIF's background? I am importing one but AS is giving it a white background. I am trying some cut-out type animation, and the pieces need to each have a clean border with no square background like in a picture.

Post by **Víctor Paredes** » Sun Jun 28, 2009 4:45 am

Save them as PNG with alpha and then import the pngs to anime studio. PNG is a much better format and support softer transparencies.

andrewjs · Post by **andrewjs** » Sun Jun 28, 2009 4:48 am

How do you do this in Photoshop?; When I save as PNG, there is no setting regarding "alpha". Does alpha have be set somewhere else, before saving?

Thanks for the help.

andrewjs · Post by **andrewjs** » Sun Jun 28, 2009 4:51 am

nevermind, i found the answer. PNG-24 setting in PS.

thanks.

Post by **Víctor Paredes** » Sun Jun 28, 2009 5:07 am

I don't know exactly how it is in photoshop, I use another photo editor. But there should be like this, alpha will be showed as a chess table, if not, create a new layer from your image and erase the background color using the eraser or similar, in the places erased there you'll see the chess table look. then save or export your archive as png.
I work in corel photopaint, in that case I must to create a new object from the image, then erase the background with the eraser and create a mask from the object. Then export as png and in the export dialog chose create the from the mask.
The advantage of png over gif is that gif provides a binary mode of transparency, I mean, a pixel can be absolutely transparent or absolutely opaque. Alpha, instead, can give a pixel a percentage of transparency, so you can have a pixel 50%, 20%, 70%, 10% or 100% transparent, giving you the possibility to have much softer images.