Lemonade

Hello @cubic, you could try BoltBait's Outline Selection (part of the plugin pack, listed 26 under description):
I would select dark area (tolerance 10-20%), then create an empty layer and go to Effects > Selection > Outline Selection
Under plugin settings, disable Anti-Alias outline, for other settings everything is set to default. But you can try out different settings.
The last thing is to remove borders created at the document-canvas sides (paint them with dark color).

Try out Gradient Mapping plugin (after installing, check under Adjustments):

While pasted part is still selected, with Move tool (M) grab one of the "knobs" to move around.
Hold Shift while moving to keep proportions of the element.
 
Example: https://imgur.com/a/lqu1as5
 
More here: https://www.getpaint.net/doc/latest/MoveTools.html

After using Outline (Effects > Stylize > Outline) object colors are inverted.
Select text layer and apply Adjustments > Invert Colors.

 
Check out Plugin Index for other Outline plugins:
https://forums.getpaint.net/topic/15260-plugin-index/
 

Hey @Capt.Marsh, under paint.net Settings > Pen & Tablet, check Windows Ink. If disabled (unchecked), I have the same issue with delay.
https://www.getpaint.net/doc/latest/SettingsDialog.html#4.3

Hey @Blushock here is a section explaining the difference between pixelated and antialiased selection:
https://www.getpaint.net/doc/latest/SelectionTools.html#21

I don't want to bash your request, all valid points there.

But I can't recommend Autohotkey (https://autohotkey.com/) enough. Even though I don't understand 90% of what it does
You can change all keybinds and paint.net behavior (one shortcut export png, jpg, gif and so on, create custom templates, hide/show panels, maybe even add adjustments and filters, now that I think of it, I'll try that too).

For example, set mouse wheel left tilt for Color picker and mouse wheel right tilt for pencil or paintbrush.
 
; paint.net #HotIf WinActive("ahk_exe paintdotnet.exe") WheelLeft:: ; Change to Color picker { Send "k" ; } WheelRight:: ; Change to Pencil { Send "p" ; }  

Hey @Marilynx,
All BoltBait's plugins start with v5 or v6 (latest versions) when you hover over the plugins from the menu inside paint.net.

BoltBait's plugins, check for the big blue Download button, made for 5.0+ paint.net version.
There are also older plugins versions listed under NOTE... ignore them if you are running v5.0+ version.
Bevel Object is under Effects > Object and Bevel Selection Effects > Selection
Red ochre's Object Bevel is under Effects > Object

Paint.net is a great tool. I really recommend checking Help (F1 inside paint.net) and Tutorials section.
Line (Curve) and Shapes (Rectangle) tools are enough with some help from:
BoltBait's Outline plugin
and Lines/Grid by ReMake
Lines/Grid is useful to divide document and decide where to draw lines.

I'm not sure if I already saw a similar process posted before. Can't remember, so here goes.

Example 1
 

Example 2
 

 

Hey @tieTYT, AutoHotkey is really great tool for assigning existing or new shortcuts in Paint.net

Install Autohotkey: https://www.autohotkey.com/
Check Documentation and Tutorials while there, this is a good starting point: https://www.autohotkey.com/docs/v2/Tutorial.htm
 
1. Open AutoHotkey
2. New Script
3. Add script name, location where it will be saved and Empty or Minimal option (I choose empty) and hit Create or Edit.

A rudimentary script to swap CTRL+C and CTRL+SHIFT+C shortcuts (CTRL+C: copy merged layers and CTRL+SHIFT+C: copy layer):
; paint.net #HotIf WinActive("paint.net") ^c:: ; Ctrl + C hotkey { Send "^+c" ; Ctrl + Shift + C } ^+c:: ; Ctrl + Shift + C hotkey { Send "^c" ; Ctrl + C }  

Hey @Murzik16, here is an example without using plugins, although it is time consuming.

- Open a picture with object you want to wrap text around
- On a new layer, create a curve following the edge of the object, set low transparency, so it is barely visible
- Add another layer, type your text (word or sentence) and duplicate few times (4 words 4 layers, 6 words 6 layers, every word is a separate layer)
- Position separated words (eyeball it) and rotate slightly to follow the curve
- Now, select every letter with lasso tool + move selected pixels tool and fine tune, so they are precisely following the curve

Hey @xoyon54100,
one way to clear recent list:
press Alt once (you will notice under Menu bar all top-level menus File, Edit, View... will have one letter underlined)
then press F (File), R (Recent), C (Clear) and Enter (to confirm)

Hello, here is a picture with some explanation and one approach for the first symbol converting to Windows symbol.
In short, if you add an empty space before the first symbol, it will not change (probably).