Decals/Transparency

Hi

I'm having some problems using decals, where I need the background to
be transparent. I have a chrome panel and want to add a decal to
simulate the silkscreen process adding text and logo's etc. It all
works fine when using the full picture, but when I specify the
background colour as transparent, I get a fringing effects around the
text.

I am using a two colour bmp (black and white) and specifying the white
as transparent. I get white fringing around the edges of the text
which looks horrible! I have tried a full colour bmp with the same
results. I can't leave the background intact, because it is a chrome
panel.

Can someone PLEASE help me out?

thanks

Rich

 

This is a common problem and known bug with PW decals. The best method I
have found is to create your own masking file to remove the background.
When you create the mask shrink or enlarge the size by a pixel or two so it
overlaps your image just a bit. When you insert the decal in PW you have
the option to use a mask from a file. This doesn't work 100% but I usually
have acceptable results. You could also change your background to a chrome
type color and use the mask trick I just mentioned. May give better
results. SW really needs to address this issue!

 

As with most things in SWx, it is best to think of the 'real world' process
and try to mimic that.
Decals in the real world do not, in general, experience fringing problems
because they have 'bleed'
When creating a decal that needs to be trimmed with a transparent perimater,
you need two files:
1) the image
2) the mask
aJust like in the real world you need the 'media' and the 'screen'
Remember that the mask sets the perimeter... THE IMAGE DOES NOT!

Think of how silk screening works - there is a mask on a silk sheet that
allows ink to flow through. The ink is spread indescriminately across the
back, and is only able to fall throught he holes in the mask.

This is how your decals must work to eliminate fringing.

The image should be solid color all the way to the extent of its rectangle
The decal mask should indicate where that solid color stops, just like the
mask on a silk screen tells the ink where 'not' to flow.

 

Thanks Rod and Edward. I'll give that a try today, it makes perfect
sense, I just didn't 'think' that way.

If they have the transparency option there, surely it should work
right! The whole area needs a little work IMHO, not up to par with
the rest of the package.

thanks again

Rich