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Transmap trouble

SteveM17SteveM17 Posts: 985
edited December 1969 in New Users

I wanted to turn a render of some people into transmaps so I could put them on a plane and insert them into scenes, so that my computer doesn't struggle with too many figures at once. But when I try I get a lot of white floating dots around them, like in the picture below. How can I avoid this?

transmap_orc3.png
1352 x 729 - 7K

Comments

  • JimmyC_2009JimmyC_2009 Posts: 8,891
    edited March 2014

    How did you save the render, as PNG?

    What background colour did you use when rendering?

    What steps did you take to get the image that you are showing?

    Post edited by JimmyC_2009 on
  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 102,701
    edited December 1969

    What were your render settings? The alpha channel is not reliable with the OpenGL modes.

  • SteveM17SteveM17 Posts: 985
    edited December 1969

    Thanks for the reply. The original image is below. I saved as a jpeg with a white background and messed with it in MSpaint, and tried again in a proper art package, using filters and so on.

    transmap_orc1.jpg
    1352 x 729 - 235K
  • SimonJMSimonJM Posts: 5,997
    edited December 1969

    You'll almost certainly get a sharper alpha image if you save as .png

  • SteveM17SteveM17 Posts: 985
    edited December 1969

    SimonJM said:
    You'll almost certainly get a sharper alpha image if you save as .png

    I'll try a new image, using PNG format.

  • SpottedKittySpottedKitty Posts: 7,232
    edited December 1969

    SteveM17 said:
    I saved as a jpeg with a white background

    That's the problem. Most people have forgotten these days, but the .jpg format was originally designed to compress scanned photographs so you could fit a lot of them on one CD. It does this by throwing away fine detail that isn't very visible in a photo anyway, and the compressed image ends up a little bit fuzzy. The fuzziness is what you're seeing around the edges of the shape you want to cut out. It's usually not (very) visible in a diffuse texture, but a transmap must not have fuzziness where there shouldn't be any.
  • SteveM17SteveM17 Posts: 985
    edited December 1969

    So I tried a new image using png format. Still getting a white line around it as seen below.

    transmap_attempt.png
    1352 x 729 - 956K
  • WendyLuvsCatzWendyLuvsCatz Posts: 38,582
    edited December 1969

    the only way I know how is to erode the edges of the trans map (in GIMP which I use) so they blur a bit to the outer edge of the white mask

  • SixDsSixDs Posts: 2,384
    edited December 1969

    Steve, what resolution are you using when you render? I'm just guessing here, but if the resolution isn't high enough that may explain why you are not getting clean edges, Remember, once you create your transmap, you can save, then make a copy at a lower resolution if desired and still retain the sharp edges.

  • SteveM17SteveM17 Posts: 985
    edited December 1969

    Thanks for your replies.

    Wendy: I'll look into eroding the edges. I use a free art package called TwistedBrush which no-one else on Earth seems to have heard of, so I'll try and find out how to do that.

    SixDs: I hane no idea what my render resolution is. How would I find that out? I mainly use setting number 2.

  • SteveM17SteveM17 Posts: 985
    edited December 1969

    Quick update. I managed to erode the edges, so no white shows up. The figure wouldn't bare close scruntiny, but I'm only using this method for putting "fake" figures into the background, so that doesn't matter. I think it'll work ok.
    Cheers!

  • mjc1016mjc1016 Posts: 15,001
    edited March 2014

    SteveM17 said:
    Thanks for your replies.

    Wendy: I'll look into eroding the edges. I use a free art package called TwistedBrush which no-one else on Earth seems to have heard of, so I'll try and find out how to do that.

    SixDs: I hane no idea what my render resolution is. How would I find that out? I mainly use setting number 2.

    I've never had much luck with 'clean' png images using an alpha channel, rendered in anything except 4 (3Delight) and NO background (image or prop).

    test319b.png
    1000 x 1000 - 127K
    Post edited by mjc1016 on
  • JaderailJaderail Posts: 0
    edited March 2014

    TIP for Making Transmaps from PNG's. When you plan to layer the image over a Dark Background set the Render window in DAZ Studio to Black or a darker color. That then uses that dark color to do the anti aliasing of the edges to a dark color on the edges of the Figure or Transmap. Keep your Pixel Samples set pretty high on the render as well that creates smaller pixels and more blends from drak to the figure textures, that will reduce the size of what outline you do get. Of course for lighter Backgrounds you will wish to do lighter colors as the DAZ Studio Viewport color. Keep this in mind, which color is going to blend the best to the layer behind the Transmap.

    Post edited by Jaderail on
  • SteveM17SteveM17 Posts: 985
    edited December 1969

    MJC: I think in future I'll render more on setting 4. My scenes are relatively simple usually, so it shouldn't make my computer explode (I hope!).

    Jaderail: That's good advice, I never thought of that.

    Cheers!

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