[MISC] Alphas in Paint.net

[Vince]

Here's a tip for working with alphas in Paint.Net. This program provides the ability to paint directly in RGBA, something you won't find in PhotoShop or the GIMP (see image below). Paint.Net also allows you to adjust the transparency of any layer. Free plugins, such as BoltBait's plugin pack: http://forums.getpai...cember-12-2011/ provide new capabilities, including the ability to adjust the alpha value of a selection and alpha masking, where the gray level values of one image are used to define the alpha values of another image.

Download and install BoltBait's plugin pack (linked above http://tesalliance.org/forums/uploads/emoticons/default_up.gif' alt=':up:'>) and the NormalMapPlus plugin http://forums.getpaint.net/index.php?/topic/17010-normalmapplus-v10/. Make a gray level map (essentially a bump map) of the contours of your surface and convert it to a normal map by clicking Effects>Stylize>NormalMapPlus. Create a gray level map of what you want for alpha values, copy the gray level map to the clipboard, switch to your normal map, then click Effects>Objects>Paste Alpha and you're done!

Edited January 30, 2013 by Vince

[donnato]

Thank you Vince. I much prefer working with transparencies and alpha values in PdN. I discovered this when making the ruler in your modeling class. Looks like there`s much more I need to look into.