Transparent layers

To make a layer transparent, you can use the Opacity and Merge mode settings, but these work on 

the entire layer. You can also make only certain parts of a layer transparent, which gives you more 

artistic control.

The easiest way to create transparent areas in a layer is to use a 

transparent gradient

. The 

transparent parts of the gradient will create transparent areas in the layer. If you make all the other 

layers invisible, a pattern of blocks will show the transparent areas.

Another way of creating transparent areas is to use the Solid Color setting of 

transformations

 and 

coloring algorithms

. Solid colors with an opacity value of less than 255 create transparent areas. 

Many transformations, such as 

Clipping

 in 

Standard.uxf

, use this to create masking effects.

  The Transparent icon before the layer toggles transparent areas on and off. Use it to 

quickly verify the transparent areas and to see what difference they make to the final image.

By default, transparency is off, but it s automatically turned on when you make changes to 

transparent areas in the layer. 

Next: 

Masks

See Also

Tutorial: Working with layers

How layers are merged

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