How do i create a transparent texture in 3dsmax

[DJ Sack]

For example i want to make a leaf texture and put it on a plane. But i want the outside of the leaf to be transparent. How do i do this as ive made a png but it just makes the transparent areas black.

[andoy]

Alpha channels, I think max can only render them when they are TIFF files, try using your png file converted to tiff and see if that makes a difference.

[Teddy_KGB]

In the material editor, first put the map into the diffuse slot and then copy (not instance/reference) it to the opacity slot.

Open the opacity slot and go to bitmap parameters rollout. Find mono channel output and select alpha.

That should do it, although as andoy says you may need to convert the texture file to a .tiff (i see no reason why a .png wouldn't work - but i've only ever used .tiffs)

Also another tip, if you are left with a white halo around the image it means that your alpha channel is too big (this happened to me a lot). Just reduce the size of the alpha channel by one or two pixels to fix it.

This can be done in photoshop by highlighting the alpha channel, choosing Modify\Contract from the Select menu, inverting the selection and pressing delete.

Hope that helps.
Andy

[Ozgand]

I have the same problem but the alpha check box is greyed out. I'm using the slate material editor.

[Finix]

Hi,

You can try a black & white map (can be a .jpg) in the opacity slot where the leaf portion will be in white and the rest of the canvas is black.

Regards,
Finix

[apMuskel]

png should not be a problem in max if you deside to use that.
To get rid of white egdes around the alpha map there is a sultion inside max.

Uncheck "premultiplied alpha" inside the diffuse map and the alpha map

[solarmanJc]

Make sure that your leaf is on a Black background and place it on a Ball in your Material editor and then make a plane and apply your leaf to the plane then work with you Opacity until you get it right were you want it adjust your Self-Illumination to increase the brightness on your leaf

Have fun....

[TekNeek]

Original post is from 2005..

I think he's got it covered by now.