Detatching Alpha layer

[Grogyan]

I have just downloaded the newest plugin, and I was just about to use the stencil mode when I realized something.

If I vertex paint as an alpha layer specific spots that I would like blend with another texture with Stencil mode later on, there is, as far as I can quickly see, no way to pull off that layer and save it it as a "stencil".

So I am requesting, cause I don't know how to script yet, a script or wizard, that allows one to vertex paint as an Alpha layer, and pull that layer off and save it, so that we can use it as a stencil, please?
And is it possible to use multiple stencils on the same mesh, to indicate different areas to blend different textures?



I am very grateful that you guys have done so much work on getting the plugin working the way it is.

[Kato]

I'm pretty sure that it's impossible to do this. You CAN, however, use texture paint and an all-black or all-white image to paint your stencil. You can then save this and use it as a stencil.

To do this, open a UV/Image Editor window, and open up your texture. Make sure your model is unwrapped, press the pencil-looking button, and paint away. When you're done, you can save this (via Image > Save or Image > Save As) and then reload it as a stencil. Use View > Paint Tool to pop up a window with which you can change the brush settings and color.

Does that work for you?

Also, I'm not sure about the multiple stencils. Give it a try and let us know!

-Kato

[Nadnerb]

You might be able to write a script to convert this into a specialized UV layer. Use a texture that is a gradient from black to white, and set all the white uv coords on one side and all the black ones on the other. (and for what's in between) Then use that texture and uv layer as a stencil layer. Cyan actually uses this method a couple of times to combine what would normally be multiple vertex alpha blended objects into one material.

[Grogyan]

I have changed the topic title.
I am sure the best way to handle this problem is to save it as a UV image and edit that in either Gimp or Paint.net.

But seeing as the wiki is up, i'll read that before I try anything silly.

[Marcello]

I would say paint a map either using the UV paint or Photoshop/Gimp. You will be able to much more detail. Converting a vertex paint layer will restrict you in detail.

When using stencils for this purpose try to keep the image size as small as possible for the amount of detail you need. I don't think adding several large 1024x1024 stencil maps is the way to go. I have yet to see an age in which Cyan uses stencils this way. They manage pretty well without them

[Nadnerb]

Actually, as you seem to have discovered, (reading your tutorial "cyan's tricks") cyan uses the method I described above to blend without using decal meshes, using that ALPHA_BLEND gradient texture, which is extremely small. It's the equivalent of converting a vertex paint layer, though I'm not sure whether they do that manually or not.