Trouble using aalpha channel

Support Materials and Textures
#1

Hi guys!

Simple question here that I hope you can help me out with.

Please take a look at the two images I attached.

The first one is my zombie kid pictures and the second is the shader settings I am using or him. Look at the kids left hand. His left hand is supposed to have a alpha channel applied to it but it is not there as you can see.

And that is what I am here about. I am having trouble finding a way to use my alpha channel in my shader settings which you can see in image 2. Now I will admit that I am not the most proficient with setting up materials but I am getting better. But this one I can not figure out. Anyone have any idea on how I can get my alpha channel back in image 2?

Thank you in advance.

1
1632×843 117 KB
2
21217×627 95.6 KB

#2

Capture
Capture858×962 155 KB

Under Material tab -> Viewport Display -> Settings you need the following settings. This is for Cycles, Evee has similar settings somewhere else, don’t recall exactly where.

I’m assuming since the 3D cursor is visible in your image that it’s a viewport render. An actual render should have transparency even without those settings.

#3

Thank you. Unfortunately, I already had those set and the result is still the same, no alpha channel working. I am %100 for sure that this is something with the nodes that I need to do.

#4

Do you really need a targa format for your image? Otherwise a PNG format would work with alpha and the setup from @crazychristina crazychristina](https://blenderartists.org/u/crazychristina) mention before… If it is for EEVEE see that video https://www.blendernation.com/2019/01/11/eevee-alpha-tutorials-smoke-bloom-and-volumetric-lighting/

#5

PNG does NOT support alpha. It does support transparency though. But that will not work for my setup. But I am still watching that video though.

#6

I forgot to mention that I am not doing a viewport render. I am using the render animation button at the top. But for the 2 images I uploaded I did do just a fast screen shot.But for render animation the issue is the same as the screen shot.

#7

Is the rest of your character using a similar shader setup? You have two instances of the same image going to a multiply node, one with the alpha being processed, the other is not and from the look of the factor, the one without alpha control is at 100%. That would explain the result somewhat but because we cannot tell what the image alpha channel looks like it is difficult to imagine what the result should look like. can you post a shot of your image with the alpha channel?

#8

PNG does support alpha, but your alpha should be plugged into the factor input of your multiply tab. I haven’t really set up a node network where am RGB is plugged into a shader slot of the material output. Usually you get weird results or no results. The node tree looks backwards to me, where the material shader should be the one plugged into the material output with all of that other stuff plugged into the shader. The principled shader is probably overkill for this situation, and a simple diffuse might be better.

As an example, the clock face is a PNG with alpha

alphaex
alphaex1920×1050 521 KB

#9

I am gonna post back with more info when I get off of work. Thnx to everyone for all the help so far. I believe this is going to be a simple thing or step I am overlooking.

#10

Ok guys, I want to first thank everyone for your help.

I did come to a solution. I attached it. And you was correct.
Basically I stopped bothering with using a Alpha layer and did use PNG transparency instead.

Thnx a ton guys.

1z
1z1469×561 109 KB