renee27

This is hard, and humiliating for me, and probably disgusting to ya'll BUT... Before I completely give in and quit: I can't get past background! Look, I loved the paint in XP and had no trouble with it. It was kindergarten I know next to PDN, still and all, I could at least get Fonts (Text) to work!! Now I get to Background and I manage to change the color using the color wheel--not tried palette yet--but then when I go to Tools and push Text, and try to write on the background, it doesn't! Instead I get either a kinda doodad like 4 little circles with a dot in each or a little hand that waves--open close, open close. So then I thought well maybe I'll try a layer on top and see if the text will show on there. Nada. The layer shows it's transparent, but it won't take the text either. Can you imagine what it's like to be stopped at Background!!! Depressing, frustrating and humiliating. Renee

I clicked on her link and it did just what I said it did. I don't know why and don't really care. I once again uninstalled it and this time went to the pdn blog and got it from there. Appears to be clean now.

Well, thank you, but I spoke too soon. I can't even figure out how to do the simplest thing and the stress is depressing me. I hate to quit anything but I'm afraid PDN has beaten me to the ground. Everyone can't be a graphic artist. How many of you have written and (self) published a novel that you can be proud of? I have that even if I can't make a cover!

nn79, I hate to be the one to tell you this but the newly downloaded PDN gives me a small window with a big ad! each time I click a blue link! It certainly did not do this on the version I uninstalled. To say it is irritating and more work clicking more times is an understatement! Back to uninstall and to try to find a "clean" version.

NN79, are you psychic? I uninstalled PDN this morning. Now using your link I have reinstalled it. However before I had a shortcut to it on my desktop and now don't. I will have to attempt that again. And then--following everyone's instruction to read your instructions, I will use boltbait's tutorial on installing plug-ins. After that with fingers crossed I will try to find the plug-in that was short, from a guy in I think Singapore, and showed how to easily tile a photograph (or graphic or whatever the correct word is.) for a background. Wish me luck. Renee

jim, you didn't offend. I thank you for taking the time to reply. It's not that I didn't copy and paste the plugin to a file, it's just that my computer kept asking me what I wanted to open it with. So I thought it had to be opened--which, as I said, jibed with what I know of word processing. Now, however, I've uninstalled PDN to give it and myself time to recover. The reason I put it in a file that wasn't a program or desktop was that I wanted it where I could use the split screen to try to have access to the directions while I was attempting to try them. I guess next time I'll try minimizing them both alternately. How wrong can you get? I haven't quit--just want to try to get at least a loping if not running start this time. Upright and not crawling. Renee

Please all of you bear with me! I obviously was under the impression that like Word files, they have to be open to use them. As a matter of cold fact, I'm just beginning to understand that after the plugins are in the right folder, clicking on effects in the tool bar will then "use" them for me? Is that right? I've repeatedly said I'm doing baby steps--I suppose none of you ever were as ignorant of graphics as I am--and maybe I have no right to be on here at all--I know Scott and Nurse seem a little disgusted with me. Paint.net is marvelous for those of you who grew up using computers. When I grew up, mastering the typewriter--with only an rubber eraser to erase!--was taught in schools. I mean, we didn't have TV, AC, mobile phones were only in the funny papers: Dick Tracy's wrist phone. We didn't miss them; can't miss what doesn't even exist yet. I don't bother watching TV or have any electronic gadgets--but I do want to try to learn PDN. Maybe it's an impossiblity coming as I do from such a blank page. I don't want to alienate any of you, or have you become set in the idea that the "elderly" are worthless and should be put out on ice floes and sent south! I only want to try to create something that is in my mind on a book cover. And believe me learning Win7 was also an experience although I've been trying to learn word processing since 1989--and until lately, that's all I ever used a computer for. In my own defense, I have written a novel, short story, and novella and have done my own formatting to put them on Kindle--including the TOS that lets you jump to chapters with just a click. So I can learn. Some things just take me longer than others. I wish with all my heart that someone would really accept that there are some for whatever reason who are totally ignorant of graphics and put out a tutorial "For Dummies" on here! Renee

I'm afraid I'm more confused than ever--however like the children's book says, I shall purr-severe! Or because like the Little Engine that Could, I think I can, I think I can! Could my main problem be that I made a paint net user folder in a folder that contains the book I'm struggling to make the cover for? At any rate, it has the effects folder and the rest, so I don't know. Nurse, I'm just trying to get the blasted dll file open anywhere and any way I can! I will try tomorrow to do it boltbait's way using my desktop. Although to be honest, I don't even remember the link to the file I was trying to use! And I will console myself with the knowledge that even though I can't speak the pdn jargon or do graphics, I can write!

Lord, lord--I replied but it didn't post it! But anyway, it didn't work. Even in Effects, it says I'm trying to open a .dll file (like I didn't know it!) and asks what program I want to open it with. Like I know! Hope this posts when I click post. Renee

I just downloaded (yes, I can do that) a .dll file and my Win7 asks what program I want to open it in. So I ask you please, do I need to download a special .dll file opener, or is there a simpler way? Thank you. And no, forget your prayers and wishes :0--I won't go away now that you've let me in! Or I hope you won't chase me away. Renee

Again--I should have a stamp made!--Thanks, Scott. Now I am going to go off topic because a really nice thing happened: I got an email from Paint.net, saying that although I'd signed up (as rlgee) I hadn't posted. So I replied but it failed. This is what I said: I'd forgotten the name I'd used a year ago Renee27 but ya'll hadn't, so it wouldn't take the new one, so naturally I didn't use it. I think it's really neat that PDN cares that much about new users actually using the site. Good for the ole ego! Just wanted to acknowledge the email and express my pleasure. Renee

Thank you for the welcome, barbieq. Scott knows me slightly and is very patient with my klutziness! I'm excited about trying to learn PDN. Just need to try to call forth any artistic creativeness I have. But I have some ideas. Maybe I should ask this now--are the tuts on here okay for use in building a cover for a (hopefull) commercial book? Not fully copying anyone else's designs but using the parts I need? Renee

Thanks. Is the version 4 for just beginners like me, or just for you experts?

By try as I might, I couldn't find any place where the method for doing it was explained. I know how to put a top layer on another, but not one under another. Sorry, but I'm learning in baby steps, so I know my questions may make you grate your teeth, but... Renee

Thanks, I will. Apologies if I broke any rule. Renee

Sorry that this is a little off topic, but I've looked and looked and can't find how to do something that several tuts (:0) called for: put a layer under an existing image. Put one on top--easy; but one under--no idea! Thanks for your patience. Renee

Nitenurse, thanks for the links. The hardest thing about being self-taught is when the teacher is as ignorant as the pupil! I'm just getting more and more confused. For instance I'm having trouble unzipping files that I knew how to do in XP but haven't learned how yet it Win7. I'll start again tomorrow. Renee

Thanks to you both, pdnnoob and nitenurse--now nn, you, it sounds like I could use! And thanks for the early birthday wishes. I'll make it. Had to overcome a lot worse than whatever the next three months can possibly bring. I'll start downloading plug-ins--next question being how do I install them?? I'm serious. I tried with a set of brushes and my computer wouldn't open the file. Apparently I don't have the right program loaded. Renee

how do I reply on this forum?? I find it super confusing but PLEASE have pity on me. I'm gonna be 85 yrs. old in 3 months and here I am struggling to learn Paint.net! And boy do I need help! To start with I have Win 7 and under documents there is NO Paint.NET User Files. I've searched and searched. But I do have Paint.net installed even though I enter it through the icon on my desktop. It shows in my install/uninstall program. Will--can--someone please guide me through getting the user files under my documents. Then I can really drive you crazy as I struggle--and it is a struggle--to learn not on how to but how to speak the jargon! My thanks. Renee