User Guide

Canvas 12 User Guide
Using the Channels palette
The Channels palette displays the channels contained in a paint object when the paint object is in
edit mode. The palette also displays the channels contained in any object that has a channel mask
when you edit the mask.
You can use the palette to create, duplicate, and delete channels; to change channel options; and to
make selections by loading channels.
To open the Channels palette:
Choose Image | Show Channels.
Composite channel: Select the first channel in the palette to make all color channels
visible and active. Paint objects in CMYK Color, RGB Color, and LAB Color modes have
composite channels. The channel is labeled “CMYK” for a CMYK Color image, “RGB” for an
RGB Color image, and “LAB” for a LAB Color image.
Paint objects in Indexed, Grayscale, Black & White, and Duotone modes have single
channels. A vector object that has a channel mask has an “object channel.”
Color channels: Color channels appear below the composite channel in the Channels
palette. Color channels store the color data in an image. The image mode determines the
number of color channels. CMYK Color images have Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black
color channels. RGB Color images have Red, Green, and Blue color channels. LAB Color
images have “A” and “B” color channels and a Lightness channel. Multichannel images
have numbered channels that contain grayscale pixels only.
Alpha channels: Alpha channels contain grayscale pixels which can represent a
selection. You can use alpha channels to create channel masks. Any paint object can
have alpha channels. However, paint objects in Black & White mode must have a channel
mask before they can contain alpha channels.
Channel mask
A special channel you can add to any object, a channel mask contains grayscale pixels that represent
transparency. Drag a color or alpha channel to the channel mask slot to create a channel mask. You
can drag a channel mask into the channel list to create a new alpha channel.
Viewing previews in the Channels palette
To view previews in the Channels palette, choose Palette Options in the palette’s pop-up menu. Click
the size of the preview you want to display, or click None. Click OK to close the dialog box.
Channels palette options
Use the Channels palette to work with channels when a paint object is in edit mode.
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