Alpha Channels

Alpha Channels in Paint Shop Pro 7

Main Art Files	Dirt Files	Bump Files

Main Art File Files

This page is to show you how to convert a standard BMP file into a TIF file for trucks in Evo2 . This is the main art file for your truck . We will cover dirt files and bump files (for reflections) next . We will start with the BMP (mytruck.bmp) for your truck .

First , up the colors to 16 million , or 24 bit or RGB , all the same thing . Now make a new BMP 512 X 512 (I used the 256 X 256 here to save space , but start with the 512 X 512) and fill it all in with a medium grey . The lighter the grey is , the darker your windows will be . Reduce it to Grey Scale (to be sure all traces of color are gone) , then back up to 16 million . . Now open both in PSP7 . Key on your new grey file and do the following , Masks/New/From Image .

Now that will bring up this box , OK it .

Now go Masks/Save To Alpha Channel . When prompted for a name you can just use the default name it puts there .

Now you will have to delete the mask you started with . The alpha channel will still be there . Go Masks/Delete . It will ask if you want to merge the mask with the current layer . Choose "No" . Now the file will look grey but it will have an alpha channel in it . Now , click on your art file for the truck . Go Edit/Copy . Then click back on the grey file and go Paste/Paste As New Layer . Now Layers/Merge/Merge All (Flatten) . Now just reduce the colors to 256 as save as mytruck.tif (FIRST , click on "options" in the "save as" box , choose "Uncompressed" and "RGB") . Then resize the file to 256 X 256 and save as mytruck0.tif . That will give you your low detail file .

This grey alpha is for a truck that will not be color changable . The windows and the lights need the grey for semi transparancy . If you want your truck color changable , here is the format . Parts on on the alpha that are white will be color changable . Black will not change colors . The windows and the lights will still need to be grey . Here is what a stock color changable alpha will look like .

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Dirt Files

Dirt files are easy to make once you understand the alpha channel . I start with the high detail 512X512 file . Open it and increase the colors to 24 bit (16 million) . Now go Effects/Edge/Find all like in this pic .

Then decrease the colors to 2 color , then back up to 16 million . Your file will now look like this .

Then use what ever brushes or effects you like to come up with something like this . Everywhere that is black will be clean and everywhere that is white will have dirt on it .

Notice that right below the front fender is where I have the windshield mapped . You can see how I did it so it looks like the wiper has cleaned it . You can then take a stock dirt file from the "dust.pod" , either save it as a bmp or just delete the alpha channel in it . Then follow the intsruction for the main art file to do the alpha . When done this file shoud be 256X256 and 256 colors . Or you can come up with you own mud color and paste it over this alpha .

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Bump Files

Bump files control the reflections on the truck . You can even make chrome parts by using pure white on the alpha where you want it . Black will have no shine at all . And the greys in between will vary with the shade . Here is an example of one I made for a scratch built truck .

Then you can use a stock bump . Again , save it as a bmp (which will strip the old alpha) or just delete the old alpha . Then use above instructions to combine it with the alpha . You will need both 512X512 and 256X256 files for this . This is the only file that will stay in 16 million colors . (rgb or 24 bit)

I just paint it over all one color to get rid of the lines on the stock file .

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