Import an image as a new canvas

Use an image as a new canvas plane by importing, cutting and pasting, or dragging and dropping from Windows Explorer or PortfolioWall.

You may want to import an image file to use as a reference or basis for a sketch. You can either import an image as a new canvas plane or import an image into an existing canvas plane as a canvas layer. If importing a Photoshop PSD file, each layer is imported individually and retain its name.

See Import an image as an image layer.

You can also copy an image from another application and paste it into Alias as a new canvas plane, or drag an image from Windows Explorer or PortfolioWall and drop it into Alias to import it as a canvas plane.

If you import an image file that contains transparency or opacity information (that is, an alpha channel), the transparency information is also imported.

To import an image file as a new canvas plane

1. Click the view you want to load an image file into.
2. Choose File > Import > Canvas Image to open the option box.
3. Set Layer Type to Image.
4. Turn on Always create New Canvas .
5. Click Go.

   The File Browser opens

6. Use the File Browser to select the image file you want to load and click Select.

   The image is loaded in the active view as a new canvas plane.

   If importing a Photoshop PSD file, all the layers are imported as image layers in the canvas, with the same names.

About importing mask layers from PSD files

Layer masks and Vector masks from PSD files are not supported. The mask effects on the layers are ignored when they are imported into Alias. To work around this:

1. Convert all needed layer masks and vector masks into image layers in Photoshop.
2. After importing all the image layers into Alias, choose Windows > Editors > Canvas Layer Editor.
3. Use the Convert > Copy layer to mask or Convert > Copy layer to invisibility mask tools in the Canvas Layer Editor to convert these layers back to mask layers.

To copy and paste an image as a new canvas plane

1. In another application, load or select the image you want to use and copy it to the Windows clipboard (for example, choose Edit > Copy).
2. In Alias, click the view you want to paste the image file into.
3. Choose Edit > Paste Image.

   The image is pasted in the active view as a new layer. If no canvas plane was picked, a new canvas will be created to contain the image. If a canvas plane was picked , the image will be on a new image layer on that canvas.

To import images from Windows Explorer or PortfolioWall as a new canvas plane

Drag the images from Windows Explorer or PortfolioWall and drop them into Alias.

The images are imported as new canvas layers in the active view.

Note:

If there is no canvas plane in the active view, a new canvas plane is automatically created.

Note:

If there is no active view window, the images are not imported.

To import an Alias Paint canvas as a canvas plane

1. In Utilities > Plug-in Manager , turn on canvasFileImport.
2. Choose File > Import > Alias Paint Canvas .

Please note that only image layers and mask layers will be imported from an Alias Paint file — no brushes, shapes, colors, or shelves will be imported.

As well, please note that Alias now supports global masking. Alias Paint mask layers will be imported as separate mask layers in the bottom part of Alias’s Canvas Layer Editor.