topic Re: Arnold Rendering Empty Image? in Maya Forum

Arnold Rendering Empty Image?

andymc4997 — Fri, 06 Sep 2019 19:36:56 GMT

Maya 2019, Win 10, Arnold

I'm trying to render a tif image with a transparent background in Arnold Render View. When I try to save the image, it opens in Photoshop as nothing but an empty canvas. The same thing happens if I try to save a PNG. However, when I save as JPEG, the image opens up just fine, but obviously with a black bacground (not what I want). Needless to say this is incredibly frustrating. What is going on?

Re: Arnold Rendering Empty Image?

Stephen.Blair — Fri, 06 Sep 2019 20:13:31 GMT

sounds like photoshop is premultipling the image on load

Re: Arnold Rendering Empty Image?

andymc4997 — Fri, 06 Sep 2019 20:27:28 GMT

Pre-Multiplying? I've used the application for 14 years and have never heard of that. Is there a fix?

Re: Arnold Rendering Empty Image?

andymc4997 — Mon, 09 Sep 2019 12:49:16 GMT

Anyone have any ideas?

It's really important for me to be able to save out images with transparency for my current job project, and I'm on a deadline. I'm currently just throwing a surface shader on the object and rendering a faux alpha channel so I can clip it.

Re: Arnold Rendering Empty Image?

mspeer — Mon, 09 Sep 2019 16:11:46 GMT

Hi!

Please upload a scene-file + one rendered image.

Re: Arnold Rendering Empty Image?

christofstanits — Sat, 20 Jun 2020 10:03:27 GMT

I have the exact same problem.

files attached.
I can either have a png without transparency or a blank tif.

Re: Arnold Rendering Empty Image?

christofstanits — Sat, 20 Jun 2020 10:44:41 GMT

its the contour filter.
Makes tifs go blank. investigating further.

Re: Arnold Rendering Empty Image?

mspeer — Sat, 20 Jun 2020 11:25:40 GMT

Hi!

This is very likely not the same issue as there is a difference for PNG and TIF in your case.

Why are you using the contour filter if there is no toon shader in your scene?

The TIF file is correct, the content should be empty without a toon shader, the PNG file is wrong.

For proper alpha support I recommend to render TIF images, also use the contour filter only when rendering a "contour" for the aiToon shader.

Re: Arnold Rendering Empty Image?

christofstanits — Sat, 20 Jun 2020 12:25:20 GMT

because I am going for toon shader but switched it in testing.
If I use a toon shader, tif only gives me the outline, but no shading. Although the render window shows both.
png only gives me shading without alpha.

so the only solution (toon shading plus outline) is to render separately, even if you dont need it for your project. (i dont)
render box filter for shading and alpha
render contour filter for outline.

things that are confusing:
difference between render Window and render Sequence

my tif shows a preview of the rendered pixel-shading in windows explorer, also the fileSize is not zero (theres sthg in it) but photoshop displays it blank.

Re: Arnold Rendering Empty Image?

Anonymous — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 18:57:14 GMT

Is there any solution to rendering toon shaders with contour and getting an alpha? seems like a pretty basic ask for Arnold to have this working.