Okay, I must apologize for the low quality of the render but I wanted to get this up on here to see if I could get any input. I'm creating these glass canisters for a kitchen scene. I don't seem to have a problem with the canisters or the content, but I wanted the canisters to have text on them like one would see on a real set in somebody's house. So the one I have so far is for "PASTA." However, the lettering came out kind of faded and I'm not sure what I can do to fix it. Also, something doesn't look quite right to me but I can't seem to put my finger on it. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Create an alpha map for the text (black and white...white where the text is). Duplicate the cylinder and apply you text texture with the alpha, blend transparency and a marble in the transparency.

Will the marble texture in the transparency cover up the texture of the pasta in the jar? I don't have a problem applying the text when it comes to a putting it on a solid texture, only when it is put onto something clear like the glass. The text is placed on the glass in the manner you described, at least up to the point of the alpha and the blending. I guess I'll have to go back and try that part of it. Thanks for the help.

The duplicate cylinder doesn't have to be glass, it'll just have the text on it. I forgot to mention it needs to be a bit bigger than the original cylinder.

wow, hes right, its very hard to do. I just tried it and had no success. Hmmmm, Ill try to think of a way for ya

lol... not a marble texture in the transparency... but make sure that you have a "marble" in the "A" column for transparency. hang on... pic coming if someone doesn't beat me to it.

Attached Link: http://www.petersharpe.com

Peter Sharp has an excellent tut on doing exactly what you want...

yep... peter sharp does.... hopefully this this pic will illustrate what Aldaron was trying to get across to you... of course you would use your text image, rather than 'Leo'. :)

also, in the case of your image, it might help if the mapping mode is set to 'cylidrical' rather than 'parametric'... also you will need to make sure that you leave plenty of 'blank' area before and after your lettering in order for it face only one 'side' of the cylinder (like a label)... otherwise it will wrap completely around the jar. hope this helps a little. :)

oops... one more thing.... click the little triangle you see up there to the left of the 'material preview area'. in the resulting drop down menu, make sure 'blend transparency' is checked.... this will make the black areas truly transparent.

It's not hard. Just duplicate the cylinder apply a simple and fast grey (or any other color to set default attributes) then load your text texture setting as I've shown in the picture and make sure blend transparency is set. I had to scale the x size for the texture by about 8%. Then go into attributes and set the X,Z sizes .01 bigger.

Ooops didn't think about the confusion of "marble" :) sorry. Thanks FWTempest.

no problem... I had a little time to kill, anyway.. :)

ah, kool...that was my prob with the alpha mask...thanks Aldaron and FWTempest

I had been trying to use the Alpha Mask but forgot that I had to create that in PS as well...boy do I feel dumb now LOL. I'll try it again and post my results back here in a little bit. Thanks for all the help, including Peter's page with all the tutorials.

For the letters just go into the texture load page click copy under the orignal then paste in the second field where the alpha goes then click the little half black=half white circle to flip the black and white...instant alpha map.

I was trying that but for some reason it wasn't working for me and I couldn't think of another way to come up with an Alpha mask. Although I seemed to recall having done this before but then again, Bryce does act weird on me on ocassion.