Transparency

**steve.ledger** · 20 December 2009, 09:05 AM

No Jim, *all* bitmap types whether they have transparent pixels or not will generate a rectangle shape when the 3D (AKA: Extrustion tool) is used.
All bitmap types have a rectangular bounding area, transparent doesn't mean hollow. Think of it like a picture of your airplane on a square sheet of glass.

To acheive what you want, you must follow Soquili's suggestion a few posts back.

**masque** · 20 December 2009, 11:12 AM

As I think has been mentioned the best way is to cut the plane out in Xtreme and then you can do what you want with it.
I've used your posted extruded image so your should be much better to work from.
Derek

**Big Jimm** · 20 December 2009, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by masque

As I think has been mentioned the best way is to cut the plane out in Xtreme and
then you can do what you want with it.
I've used your posted extruded image so your should be much better to work from.
Derek

WOW! That's outstanding! You turned the plane in 3D and also used extrusion
to make it thinner.

But, I don't find anything in Help to tell me HOW to trace. I suspect that it's
complicated. Does tracing mean that you actually draw a precise line around the
image using the mouse?

**masque** · 20 December 2009, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by Big Jimm

WOW! That's outstanding! You turned the plane in 3D and also used extrusion
to make it thinner.

But, I don't find anything in Help to tell me HOW to trace. I suspect that it's
complicated. Does tracing mean that you actually draw a precise line around the
image using the mouse?

Yes. Draw around your shape (plane bitmap) using the shape editor tool for best in my opinion. Once you have completed the shape it will fill. You can then select your drawn shape and the bitmap and then go to Arrange> Combine Shapes>Intersect Shapes. That will leave you with just your plane image, no background.
The drawing round the original image can be a bit tricky until you get used to the tools you are using but you should soon get the idea. Might be worth tracing a few simpler shapes to start with to get used to the process as its important you get a continuous line around to be able to close the shape.
My attached shows the process cutting around an apple, which is simpler than a plane.
The jpeg shows the shape rotated with part of the apple roughly redrawn - not very well as it still shows the edge of the apple extrusion but a bit more time would see it accomplished better.
Derek

**Big Jimm** · 20 December 2009, 02:27 PM

Thank you very much Derek.

Jim

**Big Jimm** · 20 December 2009, 06:31 PM

Derek -

I traced my object as you said, completed it and the object filled with black, as you said it would. (I guess it's supposed to fill with black).

But, when I got down to intersect shapes, it was grayed out. So, I was stopped.

What did I do wrong?

JIm

**HayTay** · 20 December 2009, 06:53 PM

Big Jimm, while holding the SHIFT key select both your original shape and your traced black shape using the mouse before trying the intersect shapes operation. That should do it for you.

By the way, welcome to TalkGraphics and have fun with Xara Xtreme. You may want to watch some of the Xara Xtreme Video Tutorials, take a visit to Gary Priester's The Xara Xone and try a tutorial or two, or pick up Gary Bouton's Xara Xtreme 5: The Official Guide to help shorten your learning curve.

IHTH,
Harry