Is it possible to restore opacity in a semi transparent PNG?

[Dubious Drewski]

Through the channels window, I can paint on the R, G and B channels individually. That's great, but where's the Alpha channel? Photoshop only allows me to create a new opacity layer which simply subtracts from the PNG's native opacity - it can't add to it. What I need is to INCREASE opacity.


In other words: I have parts of this PNG which are semi transparent, and I need them to become opaque. How can I do that?

EDIT: to help explain further, think of it as a single RGBA pixel value. I need to turn (0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0.0) into this (0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 1.0). Do you see?

 

[SCTRWD]

Try reading this: http://www.photoshopgurus.com/forum...4326-layer-pixel-transparency.html#post126494

 

[sprucemagoo1]

Would it not just be easier to duplicate the layer a few times, until it is a solid colour, then merge the layers?

 

[Dubious Drewski]

Yeah, it seems this is the only way photoshop can do what I need. I can duplicate the layer a bunch of times, collapse it down and apply a mask to it so I can paint it in slowly and precisely.

This is a very inelegant and ham-handed solution to the problem and I'm very disappointed Photoshop doesn't have a better solution.

All pixels in an image have R,G,B and Alpha channels stored. The fact that you cannot access the Alpha channel is a GIANT GLARING inadequacy in the design of the software.

But thank you for your help, everyone.