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dianak87450387
Participant
April 20, 2021
Answered

false transparency image

  • April 20, 2021
  • 2 replies
  • 1077 views

https://stock.adobe.com/ca/images/realistic-soap-bubbles-with-rainbow-reflection-set-isolated/293148943?prev_url=detail

 

This file displays with a "transparent background" but it's connected into the file, and I am unable to separate it out in illustrator due to how it is set up.

 

[moderator deleted the original stock asset attached to this message. Please do not post the original asset to this public forum]

Correct answer Abambo

I do not know what you are intending with your file, but all transparency effects that I've seen so far work only against a background. That background may be someting complex like a drawing or a photo, but the effect cannot exist by itself. 

2 replies

J
JUST Water
Known Participant
August 12, 2025

Adobe Stock absolutely DOES have transparent PNG files available! I download them myself on occasion. As an aside, there are several ways to achieve transparency, both in Photoshop and Illustrator. (It does not require using effects against backgrounds.)

    Abambo
    Community Expert
    AbamboCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    August 12, 2025

    Sure, but 2 things:

    1. PNG files are relatively new, that was no option 2021.
    2. The assets as described here still need a background to show how they work. You see above that without a background the assets would simply look awful.
    ABAMBO | Hard- and Software Engineer | Photographer
    J
    JUST Water
    Known Participant
    August 13, 2025

    Agreed! I would add that if a checkered background is used to simulate a transparency, best practice is to lock it and/or place it on a separate layer. My guess is that creators use these checkered backgrounds (rather than plain gray) because they want it to be obvious to a user who is looking at the thumbnail image that the artwork uses transparency. Which is a valid marketing tactic! Cheers.

    Abambo
    Community Expert
    AbamboCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    April 20, 2021

    Transparency with such illustrator files works only against colour backgrounds. 

    You see my red rectangle works fine with the bubbles. To the left and the right of the rectangle I have an empty background (shown in white, but there is no background fill so what you see is the default visual of a 100% transparent artboard. I have switched off the visibility of the chequerboard and a grey background from the original visual. Here is the layers' palette:

     

    ABAMBO | Hard- and Software Engineer | Photographer
      D
      dianak87450387Author
      Participant
      April 20, 2021

      Unfortunately, I required a fully transparent stock bubble, so having a colour background doesn't help. 

      Abambo
      Community Expert
      AbamboCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
      Community Expert
      April 21, 2021

      I do not know what you are intending with your file, but all transparency effects that I've seen so far work only against a background. That background may be someting complex like a drawing or a photo, but the effect cannot exist by itself. 

      ABAMBO | Hard- and Software Engineer | Photographer
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