How to avoid layer 'cut off'?

[Rickenbacker]

I still haven't really gotten the swing of layering. (If that's in fact, the problem)

When I want to combine 2 or more pictures, my larger image gets cut off and shrunk. Like the attached example. I know I'm overlooking a simple step. Just have no idea what.

 

What am I doing wrong? Saving a PDN file in the equation anywhere?

 

Thanks!

[Cc4FuzzyHuggles]

Have you tried to increase your canvas size? First duplicate your layer and then go to Menu Bar > Image > Canvas Size.

See here for more about re-sizing : http://www.getpaint.net/doc/latest/ImageMenu.html

Also, if you would like to know more about layers, you can read about them here : http://www.getpaint.net/doc/latest/LayersWindow.html

Edited November 29, 2014 by Cc4FuzzyHuggles

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Open the larger image first, then import the second (smaller) image.

[Rickenbacker]

"First duplicate your layer..."

 

Lost me there. I know how to duplicate a layer, but which layer? Of the larger image?

 

 

 

EER- Sometimes I did exactly that & still somehow in the process, I'd screw up & it'd get cut like the example shown. Guess it's in the size of the canvas?

Edited November 30, 2014 by Rickenbacker

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Absolutely.  Importing a smaller image means there is no need to resize the canvas.  I believe that this is the issue you're encountering.  If you do get asked, allow paint.net to expand the canvas to allow a larger image to be imported.

[Cc4FuzzyHuggles]

When I said to duplicate the image, I meant the bottom layer  (of which ever canvas you want bigger). That's because when you increase the canvas size the layer called "background" automatically fills excess areas with white. If you duplicate the layer, the duplicated layer won't fill with white, it will be transparent (which is a good thing for photo manipulating and/or editing). If you don't want to duplicate, but want the excess areas to fill transparent instead of white, the alternative is to set your secondary color's Alpha - Transparency to 0, and then re-size the canvas. (colors window > click "MORE >>"  to see advanced options, the bottom slider is Alpha – Transparency, set it to 0.)
Sorry I left this explanation out before, I was trying to give you a quick answer.

Now, to go along with what ERR is saying, he is right.
You basically want to have a canvas size that is the same size or larger than the images you are working with.
To do so...
You can start with the larger image and then import the smaller image (make sure each image is on their own layer).
Or, you can start with the smaller image, duplicate it or change your secondary color to be transparent, and then when you import the larger image, you should get a prompt that says, "Open" or "Add Layer", choose "Add Layer".
Copying and pasting a bigger image into a smaller canvas will bring up a prompt that let's you choose to "expand canvas".

Other things to consider :
If you have some of your image that goes off of the canvas (such as if you copy from one canvas and then paste onto another canvas that's smaller), at first you can move and re-size the image without losing any of it (click and drag to move, grab a nod while holding shift to re-size), however, if the current active selection gets interrupted, then the interruption can cause the parts of the image that are off of the canvas to get cropped. A simple “Undo” can normally revert the cropped mistake and then let you continue moving and re-sizing the image.

Another way to fit several images on one canvas :
At the bottom of Paint.net in the status bar you can see the dimensions of an image (see here). So lets say you open two images in paint.net on separate canvases, one image is 800x600, while the other image is 200x900. Knowing those dimensions, you can make a new canvas and type in the larger numbers from each image (800width 900hight) to make a canvas that will fit both images. Then copy and paste the images onto the new canvas and onto their own layers.
If you don't want the images to overlap, then when you make the new canvas make it's size extra big, like doubling the dimensions (800 x 2 = 1600, 900 x 2 = 1800).
My examples are small numbers, if you are working with super large images, to where making bigger canvases will result in canvases as big as 8000x6000, then re-sizing each image beforehand to more manageable sizes might be nicer to your PC (my pc hates super huge images). Then make the new canvas based off of the new dimensions of each image.

Edited November 30, 2014 by Cc4FuzzyHuggles

[MikeRobe]

A good rule of thumb is to start with a large canvas and work downwards. It's much, much more difficult to start with a small canvas and work outwards.