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whitty-boo — TUTORIAL::How to make Transparent BG in SAI

Published: 2012-03-08 17:26:39 +0000 UTC; Views: 326544; Favourites: 5095; Downloads: 1747
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Description EDIT 2: Some people have noted that their SAI does not do this. It is because it is not an updated version of SAI that supports transparency. There used to be a journal/ link that I had in the comments which led to a Transparency-supporting SAI, but this link is now down. I do not have a new link; please research and find a transparency-supportive SAI by your own means. 


My first tutorial lolol //fail

A lot of people have been asking me how to do transparent backgrounds in Paint TOOL SAI. There weren't any tutorials on dA that seemed to be as simple as how I did it (there were barely any in the first place so.)

If you have some trouble understanding the summarized pictures, here's some more info on it.

Basically, in SAI everything you draw is automatically "transparent". When you save as JPEG, which doesn't support transparency, everything "transparent" is turned to white, like how you see it when you are drawing in the program.

Adding a new layer underneath and making it a different color allows you to see things you missed, preferably the whites. Let's say that when I added the yellow, Casey's white hoodie turned yellow also. That means I need to go in and color it white or else it will become transparent as well.

Saving it as 32bpp makes all the areas you didn't draw on turn transparent.

Some tutorials say that you have to merge all your layers into 1. That is not true. I could have had 3 or 4 layers on that Casey picture, it doesn't affect transparency.


I hope you guys find this helpfull!
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Comments: 1143

BAMitzKARLY In reply to ??? [2012-10-29 04:15:56 +0000 UTC]

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TKatomika In reply to ??? [2012-10-17 17:51:53 +0000 UTC]

In english pack that important widnow doesn't appears, that's y some of the people may ask you how you do it.

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whitty-boo In reply to TKatomika [2012-10-17 18:25:39 +0000 UTC]

I know, that's why I keep telling people to read the description of the deviation that links them to the version of SAI which will do that.

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TKatomika In reply to whitty-boo [2012-10-17 18:35:41 +0000 UTC]

I didn't had it either, I looked at the comments below and got it.. I read the description too but I think I went over it = -=

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meowchan321 In reply to ??? [2012-10-17 03:43:58 +0000 UTC]

amg thank you..this will make everything so much more easyer..

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Raiyenn In reply to ??? [2012-10-17 00:19:54 +0000 UTC]

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

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Arinuchi In reply to ??? [2012-10-17 00:16:25 +0000 UTC]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

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medikkuu In reply to ??? [2012-10-16 02:30:23 +0000 UTC]

My Window doesn't pop up when it's supposed to say 32bpp!?! I saved it and made it transparent saved it as a PNG and everything!!! What do I do???

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GioFD In reply to medikkuu [2012-10-16 22:25:19 +0000 UTC]

[link]
this version supports the transparent png

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

medikkuu In reply to GioFD [2012-10-16 22:58:42 +0000 UTC]

THANKS YOU OMG THANKS

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GioFD In reply to medikkuu [2012-10-16 22:59:59 +0000 UTC]

LOL NP, when I found that download link I was so happy, no more going from sai to gimp everytime

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whitty-boo In reply to medikkuu [2012-10-16 03:18:29 +0000 UTC]

Description.

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medikkuu In reply to whitty-boo [2012-10-16 19:38:43 +0000 UTC]

May I have a link to the Journal, please?

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whitty-boo In reply to medikkuu [2012-10-16 21:46:07 +0000 UTC]

Its in the description....

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medikkuu In reply to whitty-boo [2012-10-16 22:57:47 +0000 UTC]

Thanks.

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pandalover68 In reply to ??? [2012-10-16 00:28:29 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

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whitty-boo In reply to pandalover68 [2012-10-16 00:34:30 +0000 UTC]

np!!

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MeepAndii In reply to ??? [2012-10-14 09:43:07 +0000 UTC]

For some reason mine doesn't work, it won't show the window and yeah.. it just saves.

👍: 0 ⏩: 2

GioFD In reply to MeepAndii [2012-10-16 22:25:29 +0000 UTC]

[link]
this version supports the transparent png

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

MeepAndii In reply to GioFD [2012-10-17 19:42:49 +0000 UTC]

Thank you. :3

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whitty-boo In reply to MeepAndii [2012-10-14 16:13:33 +0000 UTC]

description should help.

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MeepAndii In reply to whitty-boo [2012-10-14 16:24:04 +0000 UTC]

I'm still confsed but I found another way to make transparent images. I just converted them to psd format and then to png..

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whitty-boo In reply to MeepAndii [2012-10-14 23:22:02 +0000 UTC]

ah alright. well good luck.

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GunChica In reply to ??? [2012-10-11 23:39:29 +0000 UTC]

Ok, so I did some pixel work in Paint on my PC, (I am still a rookie with paint tool sai, I downloaded it today) so I saved it as a PNG and want to give it a transparent background....can and how do I do that for paint tool sai?
I am soooo sorry if i sound stupid, I am just a beginner!

👍: 0 ⏩: 2

GioFD In reply to GunChica [2012-10-16 22:25:42 +0000 UTC]

[link]
this version supports the transparent png

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

whitty-boo In reply to GunChica [2012-10-12 00:23:00 +0000 UTC]

you can't anymore, the png in paint doesn't support transparency, so you can't go and make it transparent with sai unless you delete manually all the white.

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GunChica In reply to whitty-boo [2012-10-12 00:25:42 +0000 UTC]

Ahhhhh alright...I found another program a friend suggested and it works fine too!
Thanks for your time!

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everypone In reply to ??? [2012-10-11 03:46:04 +0000 UTC]

Ta for that; a nifty tip indeed! (^:

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JDevivo In reply to ??? [2012-10-09 23:16:48 +0000 UTC]

Thanks!

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Neko-Kiss In reply to ??? [2012-10-07 13:04:33 +0000 UTC]

Thank you so much c':. I've always wanted to know how to get a transparent background!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

whitty-boo In reply to Neko-Kiss [2012-10-07 14:48:17 +0000 UTC]

np!

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ArtyyTart In reply to ??? [2012-10-07 00:53:56 +0000 UTC]

The png save option window doesnt come up when I try. Would you happen to know how to help?

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whitty-boo In reply to ArtyyTart [2012-10-07 01:06:54 +0000 UTC]

description.

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ArtyyTart In reply to whitty-boo [2012-10-09 15:59:26 +0000 UTC]

The description doesn't actually help my problem, sorry.

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whitty-boo In reply to ArtyyTart [2012-10-09 16:26:34 +0000 UTC]

It does actually. Read it.

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Sparklepaws33 In reply to ??? [2012-10-06 00:35:57 +0000 UTC]

okay sorry for many comment D:

So I tried doing this on a dog I drew hat was white. It made the dog transparent too D:

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whitty-boo In reply to Sparklepaws33 [2012-10-06 02:05:30 +0000 UTC]

then you have to go in and color it white

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Sparklepaws33 In reply to whitty-boo [2012-10-06 02:26:17 +0000 UTC]

The background?

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whitty-boo In reply to Sparklepaws33 [2012-10-06 04:32:56 +0000 UTC]

no the hat.

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Sparklepaws33 In reply to whitty-boo [2012-10-06 11:33:46 +0000 UTC]

Oh then what o-o

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whitty-boo In reply to Sparklepaws33 [2012-10-06 17:22:53 +0000 UTC]

treat the white as if it was another color. whatever you do with your other colors, then do that with white.

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Sparklepaws33 In reply to whitty-boo [2012-10-06 21:15:04 +0000 UTC]

o-o..?
So the backround still turns into another color and make it invisible. what do I do with the white now?

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whitty-boo In reply to Sparklepaws33 [2012-10-06 21:58:17 +0000 UTC]

I'm lost... idk what you're working with so I cna't tell you what to go without seeing what you're doing.

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Sparklepaws33 In reply to whitty-boo [2012-10-06 22:25:54 +0000 UTC]

oh o: okay. I drew a regular drawing of my fursona which is a dog. her fur is white. When I do what you said to do with the backround to make it transparent, It makes the white part of my dog transparent as well

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whitty-boo In reply to Sparklepaws33 [2012-10-06 23:23:00 +0000 UTC]

you need to treat white like a color, like i said. and then color in white on a new layer above the bg.

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Sparklepaws33 In reply to whitty-boo [2012-10-06 23:53:25 +0000 UTC]

so I put a layer right above the backround and color it white?

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whitty-boo In reply to Sparklepaws33 [2012-10-07 01:07:01 +0000 UTC]

yes.

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Sparklepaws33 In reply to whitty-boo [2012-10-07 01:20:25 +0000 UTC]

omg
now the backround is white and the dog is transparent -facepalm-
ahh forget it :I

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whitty-boo In reply to Sparklepaws33 [2012-10-07 03:30:43 +0000 UTC]

did you only color in the dog?

Alright, whatever.

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Sparklepaws33 In reply to whitty-boo [2012-10-07 04:13:37 +0000 UTC]

I colored it white with shading

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