Need help with torn edges + transparency bug

[Mangas]

Hello to all. I need help with 2 problems I have with my current project, please.

1. When making overall base outline with paths & then filling it with color, often the edges are not smooth as I expect them to be. They're ok from the distance, but they look like awful "chainsaw" at a close look.
Any suggestions how to avoid that?



2. When I made a thorough outline & saved that selection, now everytime I try to fill it only makes it like 30-40%... So I basically have to repeat the process like 4 times to get the solid result. (That's where the "chainsaw" culprit effects comes from?!)



So now any layer (i.e. almost every layer in this project) that is based on this "filled selection" is a nightmare to work with...

Any suggestions? I know there's a refine edges tool but it's options confuse me...

[Supah]

Check the opacity of the fill tool, Photoshop has a "feature" where it sometimes auto adjusts it based on the last layer you were working on. Highly annoying and I have no idea why anyone would want that but it does it for some reason.

[Mangas]

Check the opacity of the fill tool.

Surely I have it 100%... That's particulary strange...

[Supah]

Yes this is really wierd indeed. What is the opacity of the layer you are using to make your selection? If you make a new random selection and fill that does it fill it completely then?

[Mangas]

Yes this is really wierd indeed. What is the opacity of the layer you are using to make your selection? If you make a new random selection and fill that does it fill it completely then?

Yep, new random selection works fine...

What is the opacity of the layer you are using to make your selection?

I don't use layer for this -- I just use my saved selection I did with pen tool long ago:

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/3690/lagg3wip2.jpg

Btw, this selection (saved channel) is strangely grey... Isn't it supposed to be pure white?

http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/3286/lagg3wip3.jpg

The good news is that it has the smooth outline edges...

But what's to do with the bug?

[inkworm]

Easy solution is to just make the selection in to a channel, edit the levels to make it black/white (use the info tool if you're not 100% sure) then reload the selection from that.

Personally I'd say instead of using channel selections keep the original path, much more solid.

[GrubbyFingers]

Hi Mangas,

My suggestion is to not use the "filled shape" option at all, but instead use your path as a vector layer mask on a layer of your desired colour.

This is then fully editable and scalable with no chances of chainsaw jaggies.
I hope this helps.

Graeme.

[BLOWHARD]

The transparent thing?

When I made a thorough outline & saved that selection

Perhaps the selection you saved was at a percentage of transparency?
To test it, take that layer you are working with, use the marquee tool, any shape, and fill it with 100% color. If your layer is at 100%, and the fill is at 100% then your filled marquee should be at 100%.
If not, is your layer that is transparent in a folder is it? If so, check that folder's setting. Is it at 100% and set to pass through or something else?

About the jagged edges, Let's look at how this stuff works.

So I basically have to repeat the process like 4 times to get the solid result.

If you make a selection using any method, you can still end up with jagged lines if you fill it too many times or if you lay too many shapes of the same outline on top of each other.
Example, do this-
Make a selection using the circle marquee or any vectored path, but something with curves like a rounded shape. Then fill it with paint, either using the fill with background/foreground, or a paint brush or bucket. It should have a smooth line. The using that same selection method, try filling it 5 or 6 times, or painting it the same amount of times. You'll get a jagged edge. This is because the smooth edge is made up from pixels that are partially transparent. The more times you fill, or paint it, or duplicate that layer even, those transparent pixels that give the illusion of smoothness will soon fill in to form a jagged stepped edge.
The first selection fill you make will be the best and smoothest, there after, it will get more jagged.

Try this too, use the magic want tool to make a selection, it will always be a little jagged even if you have the threshold set at a high number. This sort of selection will never do for any sort of quality selection. This is where using a vectored path really comes in handy.
If your shape has it's own layer, a quick easy sure way to select that shape is by selecting all, and then shifting the pixels by one, in any direction, and then shifting them back to your original position using the move tool. It will give you an exact selection, perfectly capturing all the subtitles of the original shape, including those transparent pixels and even feathered fuzzy area.

I prefer the mask layer like Grubby suggest. It works the best and that mask will always be rock solid and not be effected by how many identical layers you have or how many times you fill that shape in.

But if masks aren't you thing you can make a layer to use as a mask, an all white layer with your shape cut out of it.

Do you use masks or are you familiar with them? I made a little PS example of stuff I mentioned above if you want to look it over-
jagged-fix.psd

[GiantFlyingRobots]

Magnify any image in Photoshop enough and you'll get jagged edges, its (obviously) a consequence of using squares to create an image.

I too am curious as to whether you are using masks Mangas, I for one cant imagine that you dont use or indeed how one would go about not using masks.

[Mangas]

Thanks to all for the replies.

Easy solution is to just make the selection in to a channel, edit the levels to make it black/white.

Oh, yes. I see. I did that and it's white/black now (not grey/black as before)...
But it didn't help much... I still not happy with the outline edges...

Personally I'd say instead of using channel selections keep the original path, much more solid.

Everytime I make a path -- it overwrites the previous one. So I can have only 1 at a time, right? That's why making multiple channels helps me to control my multiple selections... Or am I wrong?

I too am curious as to whether you are using masks Mangas

Guys, please note that I'm new to this kind of artwork & just at the beginning of exploring multiple Photoshop options... Funny, but I still think using many masks enlarges filesize enormously...
Nevertheless, here's the project I have trouble with:
LaGG-3_Profile_latest.7z
password is simmers
Any your suggestions (on what am I doing wrong) are highly appreciated.