How would I fill text with an image but keep anti-aliasing on the edges of the image

[AaronColby]

Here is what I want to do.  I have the letters 'XC' which I've played with a bit to look the way I want and due to anti-aliasing has nice edges.  Now I want to basically fill those letters with an image.  I can't figure out how to do this and keep the nice anti-aliased edges.

 

Current steps:

1. load image as base layer

2. Create new layer with text in it

3. using magic wand select a threshold that has smoothest edges on text layer

4. select image layer and copy the selection area... notice the hard edges of the finished result in the attached example.  I want it nice and smooth and anti-aliased.

 

Anyone have any ideas how to do this more elegantly?  I've attached the basics of what I'm doing and the result.

Edited September 18, 2013 by AaronColby

[Ego Eram Reputo]

^^ An Alpha Mask mini-tut by @welshblue.  Magic!

 

Welcome to the forum AaronColby!

[AaronColby]

Thanks guys, long time lurker, first time poster.

 

welshblue, you sir are a gentleman and a scholar!  Do you have a tip jar I can make a contribution to?

[barbieq25]

Geez, I'd better get some minerals then. 5 years - I must be going to get the hang of AM soon then

 

Good questions help us all Aaron

 

Welcome to the forum Aaron!

Edited September 19, 2013 by barbieq25
Thought I'd already said welcome but I was wrong (again)...

[Ego Eram Reputo]

@ EER - ya know it's wrong to mock the afflicted.  It's not my fault I couldn't grasp Alpha Masking for ummmm 5 years, it's a mineral deficiency   

 

Wasn't mocking you mate, just pointing out that the King of Paint.NET (by your own admission) found AM somewhat difficult to master.  Yet when you write tutorial it is brilliantly clear and concise.

 

Writing my book I learned a great deal.  I'm therefore encouraging you and Barbieq to collab on "the beginners guide to Alpha Masking".

[Red ochre]

You could try using 'clipwarp' with the overall displacement slider at 0.

Since the clipboard in Pdn doesn't (currently) allow access to the transparency (alpha) values, it makes more sense (to me atleast) - to copy an opaque image/texture to the clipboard and then apply that to an object layer  - preserving the object layer's transparency.

I have trouble with the 'Alpha mask' plugin too  - especially if there is colour on the mask layer (I assume transparency is expected to be white and opaque, black). Usually I want to 'mask' with only the alpha values - so it gets very confusing if the 'mask' is not simply black text on a transparent (white) layer.
I'm sure Aaron will do fine with the example shown and WB's instructions though.
 
Also, very grateful to Illnab1024 for his clipboard code! - 'clipwarp' wouldn't work without it!

niwax's 'Apply texture' - (with the brightness slider down) will do the job in the same way as clipwarp too.
 

[yellowman]

Here it is in action:

 

And this the opposite (transparent text)