Transparent Renders

Inspired by the SFM guide by Calvin, this guide will show you how to make transparent renders in a similar fashion in the easiest way possible. No more colored edges from greenscreen materials or messy crop-outs.

Required Items

• Any Image-Editing Program
  
  • Paint.NET will be used in this example, however any program that can manage alpha channels will work perfectly.
    
  • https://www.getpaint.net/download.html
    
  • http://www.getpaint.net/users/Illnab1024/Binaries/AlphaMask.zip
    
    • Extract AlphaMask.dll to paint.net/Effects
• gm_black

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=531458473

Creating Your Images

After you've subscribed to the gm_black addon above, launch Garry's Mod and then load the map in the Sandbox tab.


Once you're in the map you're basically in the void. All is black and nothingness, except for one bright spot off in the distance as if you're going towards the light, so how do you expect to work in the dark? Simple: you don't. Hold C to open your Context Menu and make sure Fullbright is checked. (Nearly forgot this existed, wouldn't have been able to do this without it.)


Now that that's enabled you're free to set up your image in default light while retaining the void background.

After you've finished setting up, pull out the Camera Tool and set it up wherever desired. We'll be taking two screenshots here and we want them in the exact same angle. Before you begin taking your shots, though, make sure that either your F5 or F12 or whichever is bound to 'screenshot' instead of 'jpeg'. We want to keep our images in the best quality possible. To check their binds, open the console and type this:

bind f5

If it says 'jpeg', type this:

bind f5 screenshot

Once you're finished, go ahead and take your first normal shot!


Now to prepare for the second shot. Exit your camera and bring out the Materials Tool. Locate debugwhite and click on everything in your shot until it becomes pure white.


Note: Anything that was Bone Merged will need to be replaced with a debugwhite version, so it would be a good idea to spawn two of each bone-merging prop beforehand!

After that, go into your camera once more and take your second screenshot.


And now we're done with the Garry's Mod portion. Next is to open our image-editing programs and load our two shots!

Applying Transparency

When you go to get your two screenshots, make sure you're getting them from here:

GarrysMod/garrysmod/screenshots

To help you find the images faster, click on the Date tab and it'll be the two at the very top like so:







For the next few steps I'll be using Paint.NET to apply the transparency. If you know another program that uses alpha layers, you're more than welcome to use that and use the rest of this guide as a reference.

If you're using Paint.NET, hopefully you've installed that AlphaMask plugin by now. If not, please refer to the top section again for instructions.

Now then, open your images in your image editor. For Paint.NET it'll look like this:


Click on the black and white image and copy the entire thing. You can either use a selection tool or just use Ctrl+C as soon as you click. Then go back to the main image and click on the Effects tab, then Alpha Mask.


Make sure "Paste from Clipboard" is the only option checked, then click OK and behold*!


* Despite my previous comment in the guide description of "no more colored edges", it's clearly shown in some parts of the Hero's Tail and nowhere else. This is just because of how the model and textures were made and in hindsight I probably should've used a different character that didn't call me a liar.

If everything was done correctly, congrats on your transparent image!

[Scout]

what

[Ambatukam]

This is gold, tanks a lot!

[CalTheSpy]

Freakin, you may want to update this guide to mention this addon.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=900327246&searchtext=extra+effects

You'll need it to add the Effects tab and the Fullbright option you showed in your picture.

[jelliwren]

It immediately made the white background again. Don't know how to remove?

[jelliwren]

Thanks!

[The Freakin' Scout's A Spy!]

jpeg is the file type by default with screenshots, but that's not what we want to use. You'll either wanna use F12 when taking screenshots or rebind your F5 from 'jpeg' to 'screenshot'.

[jelliwren]

How do you make them jpg?

[The Freakin' Scout's A Spy!]

Ahh, would that happen to be a jpeg? Those file types can't handle alpha layers.

[jelliwren]

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1272960376

[jelliwren]

I actually didn't figure it out, it makes a white background for no reason? Know how to fix?