false transparency image

[dianak87450387]

https://stock.adobe.com/ca/images/realistic-soap-bubbles-with-rainbow-reflection-set-isolated/293148...

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]

[Abambo]

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:

[dianak87450387]

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

[Abambo · Accepted solution]

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. 

[dianak87450387]

I was looking for a transparent PNG to use as an animated effect on a website

[PaintedKitty]

I'm pretty sure AdobeStock doesen't sell those types of files. I think you're going to have to take what you already have and make it into what you need. It is possible. Just have to take the time and play around with the functions. After you make a workable file in Illustrator, you then bring it into PhotoShop and fix it in there. Then you can save it as a PNG. 🙂

[JUST Water]

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]

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.

[JUST Water]

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.

[Jill_C]

Adobe's guidelines for PNG's specifically state that checkerboard backgrounds must NOT be added.

[Abambo]

@Jill_C ,

This concerns not PNG files, but Adobe Illustrator files that are offered also as JPEG and PNG. PNG only when the Illustrator file does not have a background. 

It's a conceptual issue, as the effect that is used absolutely needs to be against a a background, or the asset just looks awfull. There is no known workaround for this.