Making Objects "see-through"

Support Basics & Interface
1

Hello,

I’m new at using the blender buttons and I’m a little lost with all of these material features.

All I’d like to do is make a Plane transparent (i.e. “see through”) in the 3D Windows (i.e. not in a rendered view).
So if I have a sphere behind the Plane - I can see the sphere.

No matter what buttons I try - I just can’t make objects transparent.

Does anyone have any insight?

Thanks,

Alex

2

well, you may try pressing “z”…

3

well…not 100% correct…

the button you are suppose to push is “Z-transport”,
and then play with the Alpha value what ever transparity
you want…if you don’t push “Z-transport” , all what is gonna
happen is that the plane’s (mesh) material will fade, but not
get transparent…there you go…I hope it make sence to you…

btw, welcome to the Blenderworld !!

yours…

4

I guess I’m in even more trouble…

I have found the ‘Z-buffer’ button and the ‘Z-transparent’ button, but no ‘Z-transport’.
Where is it?

Using Z-transparent and playing with alpha values only makes objects transparent in the Rendered scene (i.e. the jpeg file), but in the view ports (aka 3D windows) the objects don’t become transparent.

Please, once again, let me know if there is a way to make objects transparent in the 3D windows.

Thank you,

Alex

5

There is not Z-Transport button, he probably meant the Z-Transp button (in the Matterial buttons).

There is no way to make objects transparent in the 3D view other than usinf Wireframe view (Zkey to toggle).

Martin

6

oh, nevermind, i thought he was talking about in the viewport nevermind

7

In the Edit Buttons window on the left side is a menu “DrawType” click on it and choose ‘Wire’ (the default is Shaded) each object can be set to a different setting.

8

I used this trick some times, it works but it’s tricky (surprising for a trick, no? :slight_smile: )
Fist of all you need to create a TGA with an alpha layer. Do this in PSP, PS, GIMP whatever… just set the alpha to 50% or so. Save it of course.
then load your objet in blender (make sure you have the whole objet visible in your window.

  1. Go to the UV window (shift+F11) , load your tga.
    select it>>F-key>>A-key (once or twice, it depends, select all faces)>>U-2)key>>from window (actually anyone can work)
    3)return to the uv window and with that white slashdot at the bottom, scroll down a list to select your tga.
    nearly the end…
    4)now go to the paint panel. (SHIFT+F7 then click on the paintbrush) and with all the faces selected click on “alpha” (bottom row) and erghh, the button you see beneathe it “Set something…” can’t remember, sorry.
    And finally switch to Real-time mode (alt+z)
    Each time you add enough faces you must select all faces and click on that “set something…” button to see them with the alpha channel.

It’s really long, but can be very usefull when modelling with blueprints…

Hope this helped. If I wasn’t clear, just ask!

Ciao
Dani

9

yes…sorry for that :stuck_out_tongue: !!