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Creating Bitmaps with Alpha Channels for Transparent Flash Applications, Director Bitmap Sprites, and Shockwave 3D Overlays


Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Creating a Texture with an Opacity Mask Using Adobe Photoshop
  3. Creating a Texture with an Opacity Mask Using Macromedia Flash (PNG)
  4. Leveraging the 256 Levels of Transparency in Alpha Channels Using Macromedia Fireworks
  5. Creating a Picture with an Alpha Channel Gradient for Display in a Transparent Flash Animation Blending with the HTML Page Background
  6. Creating an Alpha Channel Feather Effect in Photoshop (PSD)
  7. Creating an Alpha Channel Feather Effect in Fireworks (PNG)

Creating an Alpha Channel Feather Effect in Photoshop (PSD)

In this section, you will create an alpha channel bitmap using a feather effect.

  1. Open a JPEG file in Adobe Photoshop.

    The HTML tab in the Publish Settings window

    Figure 29. A photo with a light spot on a wooden floor

  2. Select the Elliptical Marquee Tool Marquee Tool in the toolbox.

  3. Select an elliptical area of the photo to circle the light spot.

    The selected area circling the light spot

    Figure 30. The selected area circling the light spot

  4. In the Select menu, select Feather….The Feather Selection dialog box appears.

  5. Enter 20 and then click OK.

    The Feather Selection dialog box

    Figure 31. The Feather Selection dialog box

    The selected area shrinks, reflecting the feather selection.

    The shrunk selected area

    Figure 32. The shrunk selected area

  6. Press Control+C to copy the image.
  7. Press Control+N to create a new file. Click OK.

  8. Press Control+V to paste the clipboard. The new picture only shows the feathered area of the photo.

    The new picture showing the feather area

    Figure 33. The new picture showing the feather area

  9. Disable the Background layer visibility.

    The disabled Background layer

    Figure 34. The disabled Background layer

    A gray checkerboard now appears through the feathered area.

    The transparent feather area

    Figure 35. The transparent feather area

  10. Now save the picture as PSD or select Save for Web with PNG-24 and Transparency selected.
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