ZBrushCentral

How do you add Alphas to light box so you don't have to import them in alpha window?

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hello,

Is there was a way to add alphas to light box so you don’t have to import them via the old alpha window? I found that if I want to use an alpha that is not a stock alpha in the light box I have to import it via the alpha window. This takes time away from the creative flow of my work. I have tried browsing to my alternate alpha folder via light box, but when I double click on the alpha, it loads it into the textures slot. WTF? its an alpha not a texture. What Am I doing wrong? DO I need to move my alpha files to the startup light box alpha folder? Or do I need to convert them to a particular file format for lightbox to read them as an alpha brush? I have a bunch of alphas all downloaded from the Zbrush depository.I hope I don’t have to convert them all… there are hundreds… :o :frowning:

#2

Are your alphas a single channel 8 or 16 bits psd files? or are they 3 channels gray scale images that you consider to be alphas?

p.s. Your query would have been more effective without the unnecessary ‘WTF?’ in it.

#3

I apologize for the WTF :o . hmm that’s a good question. I’m gathering not all the alphas in the download center are in the same bit or channel format. I was trying to use different skin alphas. how can I check to see what bit or channel for its in? What format should the Alpha be in to be read as an alpha via the Light Box? I found that a few of the alphas I tried do go to the alpha slot. I am rather daunted at the thought that all the alphas I got from you guys are all in mixed bit formats. I understand they have been donated, but for an amateur like myself, I’m left scratching my head.

#4

Lightbox will redirect a single channel image to the alpha palette and a 3 channels (RGB) to the texture palette.

You can , however, load any format directly into the alpha palette by using the Alpha:Import button.

Tip: You are not limited to importing one texture or one alpha at a time. You can select multiple alphas and ZBrush will import all at once.

#5

So, How do I know whether an image is single channel or more? Is there some way I can check via Photoshop? And If so Is there a way to collapse the channels to 1?

#6

In Photoshop, you check in the ‘Image > Mode’ menu. This menu will indicate what mode the image is in with the checkmarks. In the case of the image below, the image is 3 channel (RGB), 8 bits per channel. ‘Greyscale’ is only one channel. In this case you would select ‘Grayscale’ option in the ‘Image/Mode’ menu and then save the file.

new-1.JPG

#7

Thanks zber2:)

#8

Your welcome Support! :slight_smile:

#9

Thank you both! There is so much to learn when it comes to cg. It’s a shame people frown on oour art with all the work that gose into it.