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gregn29157636
gregn29157636
Known Participant
October 18, 2018
Question

Loading selection with body transparency channel?

  • October 18, 2018
  • 2 replies
  • 1705 views

How come when I press load selection of an object on a layer with no background, the object gets selected (marching ants)? I never saved any selection. And what is body transparency? Lets say I have a cutout of a dog on a transparent layer (no background) and I go to select > load selection. How come it says "body transparency" as a channel in the box? And how come the dog gets selected when I press ok?

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    2 replies

    gregn29157636
    gregn29157636Author
    Known Participant
    October 18, 2018

    By loading an object's alpha channel as a selection, would this be a correct way to make a selection of that object or should I stick with using the quick selection tool?

    S_Gans
    Community Expert
    S_GansCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    October 18, 2018

    An alpha channel is a saved selection. So, if the selection is good, and the alpha channel is therefore accurate, you can use that channel to make your selection. You can also paint with black and white ON the Alpha channel to improve the selection, and that'll be like making a better selection, then being able to load it from there.

    In other words, we start with a selection, then can use an alpha channel. IF the image started with no background, then, you can select using the actual layer pixels by Command (or control on Windows) clicking the layer icon.

    Adobe Community Expert / Adobe Certified Instructor
    dianer_macperson
    dianer_macperson
    Inspiring
    October 18, 2018

    just don't assume the alpha channel is always correct. If you transform the dog, the alpha channel won't transform with it.  If the dog is selected from your alpha channel, hit "q" on your keyboard to view the quick mask... quick mask will overlay your image and you can see your selection. Just hit "q" again to go back to selection mode.  Always good to check that your alpha channels are correct.

    dianer_macperson
    dianer_macperson
    Inspiring
    October 18, 2018

    "body transparency" must be the name of your channel. (you can name an alpha channel whatever you want).

    open your channels palette and look.

    when you click ok, that is the channel you are loading as a selection.

    gregn29157636
    gregn29157636Author
    Known Participant
    October 18, 2018

    I guess these three images are what you're talking about?

    dianer_macperson
    dianer_macperson
    Inspiring
    October 19, 2018

    If you liquify for example your dogs head on the RGB layer, the alpha 1 channel will not also liquify unless you select the alpha channel and run the filter again. you can see example 2 the original dog mask has been untouched and will no longer select your entire dog image. example 3 has had the alpha channel liquified using the command control F (for running the last filter used.)

    alpha channels are just saved selections.. in case you want to reload your selection or flatten your image and be able to keep your selections. otherwise if its on a transparent layer just command click the layer on the palette and it'll select everything that isn't transparent.

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