I am trying to figure out what exactly are they.....I use Corel photo, not Adobe, but is it like a piece of clipart that you can manipulate? or what....Sharen

A tube is an image that has no background in a graphic program. It's an image that is saved as a layer basically. Paintshop Pro has a .tub extension that allows these types of images to be used within it's "tube tool", and applied to various images or backgrounds using that tool at various sizes. It's like a brush tool, but it's loaded with backgroundless images instead of brushes. Any graphic program can make and save backgroundless images (note: this is not a .gif image. A .gif image has a background when opened in a graphic program). While the following aren't technically "tubes" according to the PSP, they are without backgrounds in a graphic program: .psp .pspimage .png The following once you load a mask from an alpha channel, will be backgroundles: .tiff .psd Paintshop Pro will change .psp or .pspimage extensions to .tub, which is the format for using the images from the "tube tool".

Oh I see, thank you for the explanation. Sharen Very nicely done to, you explained it all. :-)

I'm sleepy, so it was a bit wordy, but basically, it's a stand alone image that you can save and transplant from image to image and reuse. You can make them by isolating images from their backgrounds, or you can create things like Poser renders and save them in format that either has none, or that has an alpha channel so you can remove the background with a click of a button.

Think stamp, nozzle, etc. ;) bonni

And they can be manipulated re size, the placement, etc. Also Splat from Alien Skin lets you use all of the PSP .tub files in Photoshop. You get the placement, sizing, number but are not able to change as well as in PSP.

Of course, tubes and "tubers" are usually mentioned here in a perjorative sense. Apparently there are groups and individuals who cut out parts of people's images and turn them into tubes which they then trade or sell. Periodically, there are threads warning about people's work being stolen and "tubed." Mr. Potato Head has expressed dismay at having his species mistakenly associated with such activities.

I have to sympathize with Mr. Potato-Head (who is known as El Loco Cabeza de Patata in the barrio), due to the disparaging meaning that "tuber" has acquired. First it referred to "couch potatoes", who sat on their couches all day, watching Nascar, music videos or college football. But now it has an even more insidious drift, in that "tuber" now refers to "art potatoes" who steal artists' images, delete the backgrounds, then try to sell or distribute them as their own creations.

Sharon, there are those (myself included) who create clipart images or tubes out of poser renders for sale or free as well. I offer psd files and I believe kel (outlawbydesign) offers psp files. In case someone was asking you if they could "tube" your stuff ;-)

Quote - the disparaging meaning that "tuber" has acquired. First it referred to "couch potatoes", who sat on their couches all day, watching Nascar, music videos or college football. But now it has an even more insidious drift, in that "tuber" now refers to "art potatoes" who steal artists' images, delete the backgrounds, then try to sell or distribute them as their own creations.

Not all "tubers" are bad!!! Yes, there are some who use other people's art without permission and sell or give away the "tubes". While some may claim ownership of the art, the vast majority of "tubers" only claim "tubed rights", meaning they tubed the image, and didn't draw it. However, there are many honest "tubers" too; those that ask permission and follow ToU guidelines, and if they do "tube", by permission, they only distribute through the graphic group they have permission to. These honest "tubers" invite the artist to join their group so that they can see for themselves what is being done with their art. "Tubes" are not always created from other people's art either. Some do pixel painting and create their own images and save them as "tubes" and offer them to others. Some like myself use Poser and offer their renders to graphic groups for use. Yes, unfortunately when people talk "tuber", they do do it in a disparaging way, which bugs the heck out of me.

You see, I got a few from a girl that creates them, she has them on her site for download, but I use CorelPhotoPaint and can't seem to open the psp, although I think it reacts like image painter, maybe if I change the extention I can use them. I will try that. Thanks for all the explanations. Sharen