Jim, all depends on how you want to use it:-) Sample 1 You have rendered a simple tree and saved the picture as tree.bmp and its alpha channel as tree_z.bmp You will then use it as an alpha plane inside Vue to reduce the polygones (see my tutorial called "Alpha planes". You may use it as it is or after you have modified it. Sample 2 You have rendered an unique branch of a tree or a plant, saved your image as an leaf.bmp and its alpha channel as tree_z.bmp You may use it now as alternate leaves on any plant in using your alpha cahnnel as a variable transparency in the material editor. Sample 3 You have rendered a whole landscape and its alpha channel. You have saved your landscape and your alpha channel. You modify the alpha and want to use it on a plane in your imgage or in any other image. Open the image where you want to use the alpha. Then click alpha plane from the primitives and do not choose a color picture, but choose youtr alpha picture only. Resize your alpha to make it sit where you want. This is for special effects. Sample 4 Open a new scene and load an alpha plane only. This is for special effects too. There are many other ways to use an alpha. If nothing here fits with what you want to do, please explain with details:-) Guitta