ZBrush - Export Alpha with transparent Background

Twister3

Hi guys,

is there a way to export an alpha from ZBrush with a transparent background?

While in the alpha palette the texture has a transparent background (I know this because I can drag rect it onto geometry without edge) but when I export I get a black background.



Does anybody know a way around that issue?

fr0gg1e

IIRC 100% Black is transparent in Z.

Twister3

fr0gg1e wrote: »

IIRC 100% Black is transparent in Z.

That is true while in ZBrush. But I need the transparency in Photoshop.

MeintevdS

Use the black and white render as a mask?

Twister3

MeintevdS wrote: »

Use the black and white render as a mask?

You mean use the texture to mask the alpha? No, that leaves a dark edge around the white (because of the former black background). Ideally I would have white on a transparent background.

MeintevdS

In photoshop fill a layer with complete white and then use that black and white render as a mask. That should give you a white shape with alpha without any black edges

Twister3

MeintevdS wrote: »

In photoshop fill a layer with complete white and then use that black and white render as a mask. That should give you a white shape with alpha without any black edges

Of course! Thanks a lot! It worked like a charm.

sr3d

Damn it, I have the same problem but I have no idea what you guys are talking about.  I need to export a render from Zbrush with a transparent background aka no black background, just the render in the front.

Anytime I try to use the Alpha Mask to extract my render from the black background in photoshop, it never comes out right and the edges look messed up.

I've now tried changing my background color to white, but when I export the render the background is still black.

I HATE ZBRUSH. I've never hated anything in my life, but I've finally found something that has brought out utter hatred from me.

Twister3

sr3d said:

Damn it, I have the same problem but I have no idea what you guys are talking about.  I need to export a render from Zbrush with a transparent background aka no black background, just the render in the front.

Anytime I try to use the Alpha Mask to extract my render from the black background in photoshop, it never comes out right and the edges look messed up.

I've now tried changing my background color to white, but when I export the render the background is still black.

I HATE ZBRUSH. I've never hated anything in my life, but I've finally found something that has brought out utter hatred from me.

Relax ZBrush is actually pretty great once you learned all the workarounds. But I find that is the case with many tools that unless you learn it's pitfalls and the corresponding fixes you can't achieve mastery.

Anyway, concerning your problem, what render did you use in ZBrush? The BPR render? If so then ZBrush should actually create a mask pass in the BPR passes rollout. In this thread I asked how to get a proper mask for an ZDepth grab and this probably won't help you much..