Alpha transparency space in borders for stickers.

[Tetragram]

(01-02-2019, 06:27 PM)Blighty Wrote: If I understand correctly:
You start off with the image below and want to add 4 pixels of transparency all around.

Do Image > Canvas Size. Add 8 pixels to the width, 8 pixels to the height, and use the Center option. Complete by using the Resize button.

Thanks. I think that would do exactly what I'm looking after.

So instead of having the image cropped at the edge, at the black outline, doing what you mentioned, would create, where the magenta outline is in the second image, a "space" filled with transparent information in the .PNG file, an outline of alpha transparent channel so the printer reads it as is and creates a sticker with those characteristics. Did we hit the bullseye?

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(01-02-2019, 06:36 PM)techie1484 Wrote:

(01-02-2019, 04:40 PM)Tetragram Wrote: So for instance, if I use fuzzy select and outline the contours, then I'll use >select>grow> 4 inches, that space, between the black border and the selected zone, is the one I want to be transparent and be in the image.

This render has a back color so you can see the borders, the image is only the skull. 

So I understand that the requirement is for the blue border around the skull to be trasnparent yet still preserve both background and skull colors.

I assume you have a separate file of the background and skull.

To achieve this,First both background and skull image needs to be merged into a single layer and saved as a seperate file.

Then open the file using file->open as layers.

Then right click on the layer thumbnail on the layers dialog,select "add layer mask" and choose "white(full opacity)".

Make the same selection on the skull as done earlier and perform select->grow->(required border dimensions)

Fill the foreground color with black(which will mark a transparent layer including the skull and the border).

Perform file -> open as layers - choose the file only with the skull.

Then we would require relative positioning of the skull to fit exactly in the transparent region created through the layer mask in previous step.

To achieve this,

1) use move tool.But use arrow keys instead of mouse(without click and drag).Hold shift and arrow key to move 25 pixels in the right direction and only arrow keys to move pixel by pixel.If you get the position pixel perfect to even one of the edges in the skull,the rest will align themselves as the transparent region contour is the same as the skull.

2)If the selection of the skull area is possible on the mask(without the select -> grow step) which contours only the skull. Then make the selection on the mask. Since the skull image is in a seperate file with contour of jus the skull.Perform File -> Open.Open the file with contour jus with the skull. Perform Edit -> Copy. Then select the current file which has the layer mask with transparent region.Perform Edit -> Paste in selection.

Current file will have background,layer mask and a layer with only the skull.

Any option to merge all of above final layers output to single layer should give the desired result.

Thanks for the reply, but the background was to show with precision where the outline was, the bluish border was something that remained from my previous try outs of adding an alpha outline. Anyways your concept is very interesting, I might apply it to further works.

I think that following the process that Blightly explained I can achieve an alpha transparent outline. I'm waiting for his confirmation, so we know we both are speaking about the same thing.