[answered] Making JPEGs stransparent

Imported JPG image sequences onto layers; can’t find a way to multiply the layers so I can see through the white bg.

Just DL’d the program.

@MicahToons Hey, JPG images by default do not have transparency, only PNG have that capability. Currently Pencil2d doesn’t have “blending modes” similar to other painting software.

To save you some trouble you could either do the following:

  1. Download Krita, import the JPG sequence, use the “filters” > color > “color to alpha” filter
    https://krita.org/en/item/updated-krita-colortoalpha-filter/ and then re-export the image sequence as PNG

You can also use blending modes there and export the PNG sequence (make sure you have transparency enabled).

  1. If you were using other application to export the JPG then export a PNG sequence from there instead

Thanks! Just checking that I hadn’t missed a blending mode. PNG it is. First project on this software so I’m sure I’ll be back with a couple more questions.

@MicahToons No worries, that’s what the forum is here for.

FYI, if you’re just starting out, Pencil2D has been fixing a few bugs that have to do with saving and loading. So in the event that you find yourself running on those rare issues, please consider the following:

  1. Always make a backup copy (copies) of your work file BEFORE loading and AFTER saving successfully, that way you can go back if something happens. We’ve proposed a feature to do this automatically but it will take time for it to be implemented.

  2. When loading a file, if you just opened the program you can load them normally, but if you had a file opened even once, you NEED to create a new file first, and then use the open or open recent commands, otherwise the files will appear blank.

  3. When saving, if you are not sure your file was saved succesfully, to make SURE your file has saved correctly go to your operating system TEMP folder > look for Pencil2D folder > look for a folder with the name of your current file. Keep that folder open.

Afterwards make a copy of the current PCLX file, and rename it’s extension to .ZIP, then open it with a zip file manager as described in this guide:

Once done notice IF:

a) the main.xml file is still there. b) the data folder has the same number of RAW image files as the TEMP folder.

IF it’s the same, you can close your file. But if it’s not, DO NOT close your file or the software, and make a COPY of the TEMP folder. If you ZIP it and rename it with the extension .PCLX, you will be able to open your file properly at that point in time.

It might be possible that if the main.xml was lost, the one on the TEMP folder is not “updated” so, it might show only the drawings that were “written” until the last time it was loaded, so you would have to import the “unused” image files into the timeline and reposition them according to your animated work.

Hopefully these issues will go away soon once the newer maintenance version 0.6.2 is released.

Let us know if we can help with anything else.