Monochrome transparency

[feklee]

I really like the look of the monochrome mode. Now I want to export with a transparent background so that I can composite the result on top of a photo. However, not only the background is shown as transparent but also all surfaces.

What to do?

[feklee]

OK, I found a solution using Grasshopper, although it’s a bit convoluted:

1. Export the viewport in Monochrome mode with transparent background:

   
   
   2024-08-07_monochrome.3dm (240.7 KB)

   Result: 2024-08-07_monochrome.png.zip (1011.1 KB)

2. Assign emissive black to all objects in the scene and export the viewport in Rendered mode with white background:

   
   
   2024-08-07_monochrome.gh (12.9 KB)

   Result: 2024-08-07_mask.png.zip (10.1 KB)

3. Using ImageMagick, invert the mask and convert the background to transparent:

   convert 2024-08-07_mask.png -alpha copy -channel alpha -negate +channel -fx '#000' -negate 2024-08-07_alpha_mask.png
   

   Result: 2024-08-07_alpha_mask.png.zip (7.3 KB)

4. Composite, here with Affinity Photo:

   

   Result: 2024-08-07_composition.afphoto.zip (3.2 MB)

[encephalon]

there is a setting called Shade objects, its off by default in the monochrome display mode, so you have to check it. you can certainly achieve the same look with any display mode with a few tweaks.

[feklee]

@encephalon

there is a setting called Shade objects, its off by default in the monochrome display mode, so you have to check it

Thank you, but that changes the look considerably.

you can certainly achieve the same look with any display mode with a few tweaks.

To my knowledge, Monochrome is a shader that works differently than any of the others.

In the meantime, I proceeded as outlined above. An alternative would be to use material Ids.

[encephalon]

@feklee

Thank you, but that changes the look considerably.

nothing changes if you have the right settings. did you check ambient occlusion and maybe something with your groundplane settings? when i change this setting the look stays exactly the same.

the export with viewcapturetofile

ugly photoshop composite

@feklee

To my knowledge, Monochrome is a shader that works differently than any of the others.

that is correct, there are some more properties exposed with pen, technical, monochrome, they all are based on the same i think. shaded and wired etc dont have these of course. so not any other as i said first, but with these you can achieve the same.

[feklee]

@encephalon

when i change this setting the look stays exactly the same.

Interesting. For me, the object gets the layer color, as expected.

Before:

After turning on shading:

I played with custom colors, but I didn’t manage to get a clean white background.

[Gijs (Gijs de Zwart)]

@feklee try something like this:

[feklee]

Thanks, @Gijs, this does the trick!