Tranparency dots driving me CRAZY!

This messed with my mind too for a long time. Then somebody explained that the dots just *symbolize* the transparent areas. They don’t show in the final product, such as a Word document or a FrontPage web page.

I don’t know what your application is, but as an example, assume it’s for the web. Save your image as a GIF or PNG, put it in your web page, et voila, you won’t see the dots.

Keep MS Paint in its box. Maybe you were taking screen shots and editing the screen shots in Paint? Not necessary. Forget that approach.

Walter Donavan wrote:

This messed with my mind too for a long time. Then somebody explained that the dots just *symbolize* the transparent areas. They don’t show in the final product, such as a Word document or a FrontPage web page.
I don’t know what your application is, but as an example, assume it’s for the web. Save your image as a GIF or PNG, put it in your web page, et voila, you won’t see the dots.

Keep MS Paint in its box. Maybe you were taking screen shots and editing the screen shots in Paint? Not necessary. Forget that approach.

I don’t think he’s referring to the transparency grid (checkerboard) but to the anti-aliased "fringe" that can be caused by resizing/resampling. Though why resort to MS Paint to remove them when it’s as easy or easier to do in Photoshop is a mystery to me.

—
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Walter Donavan wrote:

This messed with my mind too for a long time. Then somebody explained

that

the dots just *symbolize* the transparent areas. They don’t show in

the

final product, such as a Word document or a FrontPage web page.
I don’t know what your application is, but as an example, assume it’s

for

the web. Save your image as a GIF or PNG, put it in your web page, et

voila,

you won’t see the dots.

Keep MS Paint in its box. Maybe you were taking screen shots and

editing the

screen shots in Paint? Not necessary. Forget that approach.

Thanks. But I’m not sure you understood me correctly.

Saving to GIF or PNG isn’t an option. Only JPG and BMP files work (too long story).

I give you an example:

1. I use the lasso tool and surround -> cut certain object from the source picture

2. I create a new, clean (destination) image where I copy the piece that I just cut with the lasso tool (from the source image).

3. Then I click a magic wand and fill the surrounding empty area around the graphic piece with red, for example. After filling the empty space I see the whole image showing white/light grey dots all around the edges. You know what I mean? This cut piece isn’t "clean" from the edges and I get those annoying white/grey color dots there. Same thing happens when I distort/scale or change perspective. These dots won’t show against white background of course, but when you try to use these images against clean red (or any other bright color) background they’re present.

Thanks again guys, hope you can help me. 🙂

Well if they’re easy to remove why don’t you tell me how to do it? Actually, this was the reason I came to this newgroup in the first place. 🙂

JP wrote:

Well if they’re easy to remove why don’t you tell me how to do it? Actually, this was the reason I came to this newgroup in the first place. 🙂

Layer>Matting>Defringe might be one way. Eraser, Unsharp Mask? Since I can’t see your image I am not sure what technique I would use. What do you do in MS Paint? I doubt there is a tool there that Photoshop doesn’t have.

—
Comic book sketches and artwork:
http://www.sover.net/~hannigan/edjh.html
Comics art for sale:
http://www.sover.net/~hannigan/batsale.html

In step three … add a 1-2 pixel ‘Feather’ to your selection before filling.

"JP" wrote in message

Walter Donavan wrote:

This messed with my mind too for a long time. Then somebody explained

that

the dots just *symbolize* the transparent areas. They don’t show in

the

final product, such as a Word document or a FrontPage web page.
I don’t know what your application is, but as an example, assume it’s

for

the web. Save your image as a GIF or PNG, put it in your web page, et

voila,

you won’t see the dots.

Keep MS Paint in its box. Maybe you were taking screen shots and

editing the

screen shots in Paint? Not necessary. Forget that approach.

Thanks. But I’m not sure you understood me correctly.

Saving to GIF or PNG isn’t an option. Only JPG and BMP files work (too long story).

I give you an example:

1. I use the lasso tool and surround -> cut certain object from the source picture

2. I create a new, clean (destination) image where I copy the piece that I just cut with the lasso tool (from the source image).
3. Then I click a magic wand and fill the surrounding empty area around the graphic piece with red, for example. After filling the empty space I see the whole image showing white/light grey dots all around the edges. You know what I mean? This cut piece isn’t "clean" from the edges and I get those annoying white/grey color dots there. Same thing happens when I distort/scale or change perspective. These dots won’t show against white background of course, but when you try to use these images against clean red (or any other bright color) background they’re present.

Thanks again guys, hope you can help me. 🙂

1. I use the lasso tool and surround -> cut certain object from the
source picture

Okay so far…

2. I create a new, clean (destination) image where I copy the piece that I just cut with the lasso tool (from the source image).

Yep, that’s still okay…

3. Then I click a magic wand and fill the surrounding empty area around the graphic piece with red, for example.

And you get a mess, because you are misusing your tools, and that’s a TERRIBLE way to do what you want.

As a new user, I’m sure the temptation to use quick and dirty shortcut tools like the Magic Wand is powerful. If you want to get a handle on Photoshop, though, I urge you to try an experiment:

Never use the Magic Wand tool.

When you think you need the Magic Wand to do something, stop, and think about whether there is a better and easier way to do things. The truth is, you can use Photoshop for six years doing top-notch, high-end professional work and never once even touch the Magic Wand tool.

What oyu need to do in the situation you describe is forget about selecting the area around the image and filling it with red, and start thinking about layers instead.

You want a crisp, clean, beautiful edge? Do this:

Step 1: Use the lasso tool and cut out a part of the source image.

Step 2: Create a new image.

Step 3: Fill the new image entirely with red.

Step 4: Paste in the part you cut from the original image.

Now your new image has two layers. One layer is filled with red. One layer has whatever you cut from the original image. No magic wand, no selecing and filling with red, no weird edge.

—
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Tacit wrote:

1. I use the lasso tool and surround -> cut certain object from the source picture

Okay so far…

2. I create a new, clean (destination) image where I copy the piece that I just cut with the lasso tool (from the source image).

Yep, that’s still okay…

3. Then I click a magic wand and fill the surrounding empty area around the graphic piece with red, for example.

And you get a mess, because you are misusing your tools, and that’s a TERRIBLE way to do what you want.

As a new user, I’m sure the temptation to use quick and dirty shortcut tools like the Magic Wand is powerful. If you want to get a handle on Photoshop, though, I urge you to try an experiment:

Never use the Magic Wand tool.

When you think you need the Magic Wand to do something, stop, and think about whether there is a better and easier way to do things. The truth is, you can use Photoshop for six years doing top-notch, high-end professional work and never once even touch the Magic Wand tool.

What oyu need to do in the situation you describe is forget about selecting the area around the image and filling it with red, and start thinking about layers instead.

You want a crisp, clean, beautiful edge? Do this:

Step 1: Use the lasso tool and cut out a part of the source image.
Step 2: Create a new image.

Step 3: Fill the new image entirely with red.

Step 4: Paste in the part you cut from the original image.
Now your new image has two layers. One layer is filled with red. One layer has whatever you cut from the original image. No magic wand, no selecing and filling with red, no weird edge.

Hi Tacit

I wonder if I may appeal to your experience?

I have tried the above using a mouse and the control lets me down.

Sooo… I am looking for a Wacom tablet and don’t know if a 6 by 8 or a 12 by 8 is the one for me.

I wonder if you have any observations you would care to share?

Ta

Aerticeus

Tacit wrote:

1. I use the lasso tool and surround -> cut certain object from the source picture

Okay so far…

[…]

Now your new image has two layers. One layer is filled with red. One

layer has

whatever you cut from the original image. No magic wand, no selecing

and

filling with red, no weird edge.

Thanks. The solution was indeed simpler than I thought. 🙂