In this tutorial we will learn how to merge seperate colour and alpha maps into a single .psd or .tiff file using photoshop. This method is often used by artists who want to composit images in photoshop rather than rendering billboards in a 3D application. The resulting cut-out images can simply be dragged onto the image you wish to use them in, whether you're adding plants, trees, or people, the method is exactly the same. Once learned you can quickly apply this technique to any colour/alpha pair of images to extract the colour image only with no background, and then save the resulting image as a new .psd or .tiff file for later use. You can achieve the final image in under a minute once you get the hang of the operations involved, theres not too many to remeber, so lets get on.

Firstly we will list the process needed in text form for those already familiar with photoshop, and then we'll follow the same procedure with sample images for those who want to see what's what.

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• Open the colour and alpha images that you wish to use in photoshop.
• Go to the alpha image and then hit CTRL A to select the whole image, then hit CTRL C to copy the selected image. You can then close the alpha map image.
• Select the colour image and double click the layer icon 'background' and click ok to convert the background to it's own layer.
• With the layer selected hit the 'Add layer mask' icon at the bottom of the layers pallette.
• Click the channels tab in the layer pallette, and then check the visibility icon 'eye' box for the new mask you created which should already be selected.
• Hit CTRL A to select the whole mask channel, and then hit CTRL V to paste in the alpha map you copied in step 2. Hit CTRL D to deselect everything.
• Uncheck the 'eye' visibilty icon in the channels pallette.
• Switch back to layers view by clicking the layers tab, in the layers pallette.
• Right click on the layer mask icon of your colour image in the layer, and choose 'apply layer mask' from the popup.
• Your image will now have the backgound removed, and should be saved as a .psd photoshop of .tiff file for future use.
• With the new file open and the texture layer selected, just click and drag the image onto an image in which you want it used, and edit size and position as you wish from there.

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Tutorial Plus sample images

For this tutorial we are using two of the sample images available in our 'free textures' area
Open the colour and alpha images that you wish to use in photoshop


Go to the alpha image and then hit CTRL A to select the whole image, then hit CTRL C to copy the selected image. You can then close the alpha map image.


Select the colour image and double click the layer icon 'background' and click ok to convert the background to it's own layer.





With the layer selected hit the 'Add layer mask' icon at the bottom of the layers pallette.


Click the channels tab in the layer pallette, and then check the visibility icon 'eye' box for the new mask you created which should already be selected.




Hit CTRL A to select the whole mask channel, and then hit CTRL V to paste in the alpha map you copied in step 2. Hit CTRL D to deselect everything.


Uncheck the 'eye' visibilty icon in the channels pallette.


Switch back to layers view by clicking the layers tab, in the layers pallette.

Right click on the layer mask icon of your colour image in the layer, and choose 'apply layer mask' from the popup.


Your image will now have the backgound removed, and should be saved as a .psd photoshop of .tiff file for future use.



With the new file open and the texture layer selected, just click and drag the image onto an image in which you want it used, and edit size and position as you wish from there.