Re-sizing larger images into smaller one

[meman1188]

Apologies if this has already been discussed; I couldn't figure out the right search terms to find this...

 

I have a large image say 1000x1000 that I want to create a smaller version: 200x300.  How I currently do this is create a new canvas at the target dimensions, copy+paste the original image into the new canvas and manually re-size the pasted selection to fit into the canvas.

 

This works, but if I want to tweak the resizing (shift within the canvas, or adjust the scaling, etc.) after I've disselected the original paste action, the image information stored outside the boundary of the canvas has been lost.

 

Previously I've used Photoshop for this and the layer that is created when you paste (Photoshop creates a new layer for each pasted item), can continue to be resized and adjusted even on subsequent selections.  This is very helpful if you're scaling multiple items into the same new canvas, or if there are multiple elements involved like text objects that need to be aligned.

 

Is it possible to change my process or change some setting so Paint.NET acts more similar to Photoshop?

 

Thanks!

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Hi meman1188 - welcome

 

I'd create a new canvas which is oversized by maybe 100px. Then add a filled layer with a centrally placed rectangular cutout of the correct dimensions (200x300).

 

If you paste and resize the image into a layer below the "frame" you have some capacity to tweak the location - hidden by the frame borders.

 

Select inside the frame & Ctrl + Shift + C (copy merged) to export the clipped image.

[Eli]

To overcome this problem I also oversize the canvas and I use MJW's ViewFramer tool to help me visualize and crop the correct dimensions I wish for my image. It is an excellent tool when making collages.

Edited January 31, 2016 by Eli

[MJW]

There's currently no feature like that, and I will be surprised if it's added anytime soon. It would be nice, though; provided there were both layers of that sort and normal layers. Otherwise, there would seem to be substantial overhead in keeping around regions that the user had no interest in. A plugin run on the layer would have to process every pixel, even ones the user had long forgotten about. And if a large image were pasted into a small image, and then the small image resized, the large layer could become gigantic.

Edited February 1, 2016 by MJW