Thanks Phil. Gotta a reference to the V4 Manual I could read at liesure?

Apologies to Marty - I see you used 2 still graphic files and "wiped" between the 2. I understand this. I'm trying to put a graphic overlay on a moving video clip. Any ideas? Phil has given me a "nudge" in the correct direction. I'm still hoping for a straight forward approach. I do have Paint Shop Pro which will save as .psd files.

Grazie

Hi Grazie, all...

Creating transparency is often achieved by creating a shape/line etc. & saving the outline of the shape as a new "channel"...

In Pshop, I use the magic-wand tool to get an outline of the shape I need, then save as the new channel... certain preferences may need to be set; depending on the graphics app type and version.

Then of course, save as a PNG...


To make an overlay that lines up perfectly, you can save a snapshot from the TL and opn it in yer app... by adding a new layer you can paint on top of the original image, then turn off the original layer to create the new channel and save.





HTH, MPH

Tips:
http://www.martyhedler.com/homepage/Vegas_Tutorials.html

Just read this Marty - I'm just about to watch the FInal of the Six Nations Rugby - England v Ireland at Landsdowne Road Dublin . . . seeyah in 3 hours time!

C'mon Lads!


Grazie . . . . . . .. . . . . . . O

An image with transparency (or alpha channel) is a 32 bit picture. ".psd", ".tga" are examples or picture formats that can sustain 32 bit depth. ".jpg" will not.
Basically, there are 3 colors in RGB: red green and blue, 8 bits each for a 24 bit picture (or 16,7 millions of colors). The other 8 bit is a grayscale channel of your image where black is opaque, white is transparent and gray is semi-transparent.

Gilles

So - England won. Won the "Grand Slam" Six Nations. Strong match. Bring on the World Cup in the Autumn!!!

Back to the graphic overlays. Now then, I really need a 101 tutorial on how to do this. Is anybody interested in holding my hand through this? Any takers?

Grazie

Be happy to, but I 'avent got PSP... just photoshop...


But... If you wanna buy a airline ticket from Detroit, I'll gladly present this and other tips at your London meet... ;^)


But we can alway give it a shot here... can u save PNGs with tranparent backgrounds?


mph

Brilliant! I love this forum! Don't go away . . . just trying . . .

Grazie

Marty, I believe I have just created a PNG with "holes" in it - ie I've got a graphic of cross hairs and circles which I can only grab IF I grab one of the lines - I can't grab and move the graphic if I try with any of the "spaces" which I have removed - yeah?

Grazie

Well, I haven't got PSP either, but often when you're saving a file in paint programs (in a format that supports an alpha channel), there will be a choice you can make to "save alpha" or something... otherwise PSP might replace the transparent background with white or something. Anyway, assuming you really have saved the alpha channel, do this:

1) Drag the .png file onto the timeline in Vegas
2) Right-click the resulting clip, and choose "Properties"
3) Go to the "Media" tab
4) At the bottom, there should be a box with the label "Alpha channel:". Drop the box down and look at the choices. "None" is obviously the wrong choice. Try "Straight (unmatted)" and hit "Ok"

Now add some text or a background or whatever below that track with your image... does it show through the holes in your image?

oh yeah, if "Straight (unmatted)" doesn't work, try some of the other choices in the "Alpha channel:" box.

Yahhhooooo . . . . I've done it!

Yes, all your advice did it:

1 - I had to save as a PNG with the option to "Keep Transparency"
2 - I had to introduce the Graphic on its own Track above the exsisting one - What Iwas doing was trying to introduce it "within" an A:B roll editing session - ie on one of the A or B streams. DOAH! Bad Me!

All this was done in Microsoft Photodraw!

I'm really pleased. Just as an after thought, I notice that the PNG when brought into the Medoa Pool it sits on a "chequered" background. This immeadiately indicated to me that the thing must have been trasnsparent.

Thanks everyone!

Grazie

Does that mean I won't be flyin 'cross the pond... :(


I'm no DSE, so I guess I'd have to call it my L.A.A.S.T tour....

(Learning Across the Atlantic Some Time)


Cheers, glad you are now overlaid.... somebody should be.... or is that overlain...



MPH


(I do have PsP as old as the hills... I do hope it now supports layers and such...)