PAINTING A BACK LAYER

[JUSTNPROUD]

Im trying to paint a back layer and see whats happenning while i have an image on the top layer that I put there using the grabber tool.But I cannot.Why? in other words im trying to do like i would in a 2d paint program.theoretically say i where to make a sphere and deform it somehow and later i would like to create a layer just behind it and fill it with a color so my image on the first layer would sit in contrast to the second layer right behind it. In PSP for example i can draw something initially on an invisible first layer and simply by activating a second layer(behind the first) I can literally run the paint brush over what appears to be my image and yet only the second layer is affected.The result is that i can create a background.ZThis is all i want to do.Please help me.Also , is there any way of getting some printed text as far as the manual or something goes? :mad:

[aurick]

You can change your background color in the Document palette (the Advanced version - click the double-rectangle icon to the right of the palette name to toggle between Basic and Advanced).

Alternatively, you can select a material and a color and then press Ctrl+F to fill the current layer with it. So you would create your blank layer, then fill it. You may then need to use the Z slider in the Layer palette to move the background layer deeper into the canvas (or the object layer forward).

The difference between changing the document background color and filling a layer is that the latter actually fills the canvas with pixols that you can then paint on. The Document background color does not.

[JUSTNPROUD]

ok! So ive got a blank document window and I go ahead and make something (maybe 3d) that I would like to remove and save much like doing a 'copy" in a regular paint program so I could later do the equal of'paste as new selection", if you know what i mean.I tried using the grabber tool and then clearing the layer.then i made a filled layer and tried to apply what i had originally "grabbed", but the layer was replaced not only with the image, but also its black(background" surroundings.i could not isolate the image to place it on an invisible layer which i could see through to the underlying layer.Peace.Im just trrying to do the equvalent of two things in a regular paint program.Create an invisible layer so i can see through ti to the underlying layer and also'paste a selection" whithout the bordering color.Sort of like an image on an invisible layer that has been copied and ready to paste as a selection on either a new layer or whatever.Thanks for your time.

[JUSTNPROUD]

Also can the opacity of the filled layer be reduced to transparent?

[Jaycephus]

Check out this thread to see if it can answer some of your questions:

Drawing on multiple layers with transparency (http://www.pixolator.com/zbc-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=010952)

[TVeyes]

I'm not sure I understand your problem correctly, but can't you just hide the unwanted layer and reactivate it when you are done with the background?

You cannot change the opacity of a layer as in photoshop but you can make the Materials used transparent. Most materials have a transparency slider but the effect is first visible after you turn Render ::Flatten Layers off.

Also there are no "this layer is in front of that layer", it all depends on the Z depth. A layer can be both in front and behind another layer at the same time.

The problem you have with reapplying the grabbed canvas is twofold (I think). First, you need to turn on Texture ::Transparent Texture to get rid of the "black surrounding background" and second, if you are using fill layer, or Ctrl+f, to create the background layer and to paste the grabbed layer back you are overwritting the same position in Z-space. You need to move one of the layers either backwards or forwards using Layers ::Displace Z.

You have to try and forget regular 2D paint programs if you want to survive your Zbrush experience with all your hair still visible the right places :)

[JUSTNPROUD]

Thanks.i just got home from work, but a quick scan seems to indicate that all i need is there.Thanks again.