renee27

Thank you, Nanette! Yes it is sorta. I want a face to show as the "ghost" but I guess I can play with the blending modes--I'm such a kultz that I have to ask if I find Blending modes under the Layers tab. And I have NO idea of how to do a Gausien blur, but I think this is as good a time as any to try to learn. Renee

Is it very difficult to put a "ghostly" transparent figure over a fiery backgroung picture? Or could even I do it? Thanks. Renee That's backgrounD--not "g"--sorry

Thanks for your PM offer. I may well take you up on it. I checked your profile and I see our birthdays are only 3 days apart--but lots of years difference! I love Saggies! Being one myself. Now I want to clue you on something: I was well into my project--writing vol. 2 of my historical fantasy parody "series," before I decided to try to do my own cover. So I haven't spent a lot of time with PdN. Instead I've been writing. The way I figure it is that I can always hire the cover done, but there's only me who can write my book. So that has priority. But I hardly sell so I didn't want to throw good money after bad and decided to try to do my own cover. I appreciate your trying to help. I'm not sure I can do multi-layers successfully yet. And I did try glow but couldn't work it. Your explanation will really help a lot when I try. And I get the message you were probably instructed to send. I'll limit my posting on here to nil. Renee

skullbones, I fear nothing in this is simple to me. But thanks for the suggestions. And could you tell me how to get the threads on Star Glow? As for the lightning bolt, drawing it is the only thing I've done that I'm satisfied with! So if I can just get it to "shine" or glow or look more like the Light part of lightning, I'd like to keep it. But then I know what pride can do--and it ain't pretty.

If this fails to explain what I'm talking about and since I can't upload a screenshot to PdN, this will be my last post. And I realize that is leaving the door wide open to no reponses. I have a book cover (proving that words and not graphics are my stock-in-trade) that I have used a purple gradient on as background. From dark at the top to lighter at the bottom. I have the Titles--main and sub--on without some problems but that's another story. Just imagine them on the background. I wanted lightning and so hand drew a bolt in white. It came out well except it has no "glow/shine" whatever. So I decided to try Star Glow--and so far all I've done is experiment with the settings which has resulted in a worse situation with each try! On the best try, I got the stars on the lightning--but only on the lighter part of the background. Where the gradient got darker, they were there but so faintly and in a redder color than those closer to the bottom, so hardly noticeable. That was not good. Then to add to my problem with the best try, I also got a diagonal fairly wide white strip across the bottom. So in getting the star glow, I batted one for three: the stars correct only in the lighter part of the gradient, almost invisible in the upper, and the wide diagonal strip at the bottom! If that fails to describe it so that someone can visualize it, then maybe I should quit writing as well as fighting graphics! Renee

I've tried to get StarGlow to look like the picture with it, but it will not. However, there is a flare from Photoshop I'd like to use if Paint.net and Photoshop are compatible. And if so, where would I put it once downloaded. Thanks. Renee

Thank you, nanette. I copied the settings and will certainly use them! Renee

night nurse, I downloaded it--and others including my own!--to my plain ole PC. There's been a Kindle for PC around for a bit--before the newer apps. It works fine even for those of us who are technologically challenged! That I know you aren't. But it's good for the financially challenged as well--such as moi. Like free...

Hey, Scott. Just bought your book and intend to learn it a page at a time! Thanks for the help. Renee

Although I saved it to Effects, I found it in Stylize! And don't know how to get it to show--I know absolutely nothing about settings!

It worked, Jim. I changed the extension and then it was easy to use the magic wand and erasure to do a fast clean up. thank you for the info.

PS BoltBait that's the tutorial you sent me before that didn't work because my computer doesn't ask me where I want to download it, it just says do you want to open or save in downloads. Period. No choice offered. And then every place you said to "open" and I told ya'll it wouldn't because it kept asking what program I wanted to use, and then someone said you can't open a dll file. So I quit trying. However, I managed to get the CameraTrousersFlare to the Effects folder and it does show when I go to Paint.net and open a file on the canvas. So I must be doing something right. It's just the StarGlow that won't behave.

Thank you both. I'll give both your solutions a try. Hopefully I can do it correctly now. Jim, I thought I'd try re-saving the one with the white background as a pdn or gif--or do I have to start all over?

TWO questions: I asked this before but it didn't load. I downloaded the starglow plug-in into Paint.net program, effects folder. I unzipped it first. It showed up as in there on the Programs folder, but when I went to use it in Paint.net, it isn't listed in the Effects. What did I do wrong? Secondly, I just spent almost an hour making part of a background transparent, including careful detailed erasing. It looked great--unti I saved it and now it's got a white--not transparent background. What can I do to get my transparent background file back--and even joking please don't say do it again!! I've done it twice already. Thanks, I hope. Renee

It's Win 7. I did have XP but my laptop screen came loose so my son bought me a new computer and Win 7 is on it. I loved and could manage XP and I'm kinda getting used to Win 7. (more answer than you needed or wanted? )

what is the difference in a plug-in and a tutorial? Obviously I don't know one from the other. And how do you use them once you've got them. I like the links a lot, but how would I use them--meaning get them to work?

Nasty time, Barbara?

NN, sorry to be tardy in my response but I wasn't sure I wanted to be like the god(s) on here! In truth, I appreciate all the nice things you said. And in fact, I'm ready to try something that I don't even know enough about to look up!! Is there some way to put "radiance" or bright "spots" like big stars in a telescope using PdN? And if so, is it in a tutorial for babies?? Since I will take your advice and not call myself an idiot. Thanks again far the kind words! Renee

I don't want to come here to argue. So whatever you say. BUT in that long list of instructions you said something about "5. Open the destination image so it appears on the Paint.NET canvas/editing window." Well, gee, that would be a whole lot of help if I knew what the canvas/editing window was or where! Jim told me. You did not. Maybe my cake analogy would work if I said you'd never used a new mixer and couldn't find the switch.

As I understand it, the expression used by those in the British empire is don't get your knickers in a knot! And give me a break because that long post from you told me how to upload a screenshot--said nothing about spam which is what we were discussing here. I failed to follow your instructions, because I failed to follow them--make heads or tails of them. All Jim told me was that the little pics on the upper right were different canvases. And that I never knew--nor asked about. I'm sorry I annoyed you but...

Wonderful post, Avim. And you, also, nn. Thing right now for me is that I'm doing a major revision of my satirical historical fantasy (can't think of what else to call it!) and that is really a work out for my brain (although as my oldest dtr claims it is a sure protection against Alzheimers! ) And trying to do the new cover at the same time. So I get tired and frustrated. And feel like such an idiot not to be able to get it to work! Right now, I don't have time to fool around with the program. The holidays are approaching and I'd like to have my book bright and shiny new and get some marketing done (and that is the hardest chore of all!!) to be out in time to maybe make some decent sales. My cover for the first volume was done by a young graphic artist in Northern Ireland (a pro) and he's been good enough to make the changes to that cover gratis. All I now have to do is finish the revision. And at the same time, try to get the second cover made myself--and that's before I even tackle Vol. two that's partially written but a long way from finished. And NN, honey, 33 ain't almost (2 1/2 months away) 85! I'll bet even Avi isn't that old! Renee

Thanks for the welcome, Doughty, but I'm about to give up PdN as just too difficult for me to try alone. I got half-way there but then can go no further. Renee

Thank you! Those little pics at the top right were confusing me in the extreme! Easy when you have the directions--right? Meets my analogy on another post of baking a cake when you never have.

Thank you, Jim. No harm done but I thought I should alert the forum. I have a question I'd like to ask while I have your attention, please. Is it impossible to work between two canvases/files? I wondered if that is why my copy/paste seems disabled when I try? Renee

Not once but twice. Surely you don't allow ads for shoes from somewhere in Asia it appears. Meanwhile, I guess since I rarely get answers they/he/she felt safe. Renee