Adding text to photo

[Paolo38]

Hello, this is my first post. I'm a new user of paint.net having been spoiled by the brilliant simplicity of Picasa. I see no way to affect the color of text added to a photo.

Especially if you are attempting to place text on a dark background - it would be great if there was a way to change color to white.

RSVP

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Hello Paolo38 - welcome to the forum

 

Text is rendered using the Primary color slot, so any shade you put in the Primary slot will be used to color text next time you use the Text tool.

 

https://www.getpaint.net/doc/latest/ColorsWindow.html#6

 

 

[IHaveNoName]

You can actually test text colour changes in situ when using the Text tool just by altering the primary colour using the Color wheel or,  pressing the More>> button, hue, tone and transparency sliders.

 

BTW in general it is a good idea to add text to a picture in another layer. It means you can still shift it around easily if you change your mind about its positioning even after exiting the Text tool.

[Paolo38]

Thanks, I'll use layers.

[ScrapbookWithPDN]

On 12/2/2018 at 9:43 PM, Paolo38 said:

Hello, this is my first post. I'm a new user of paint.net having been spoiled by the brilliant simplicity of Picasa. I see no way to affect the color of text added to a photo.

Especially if you are attempting to place text on a dark background - it would be great if there was a way to change color to white.

RSVP

Well, I've not used Picasa, but does it have layers? Not knowing, one idea for using Paint.Net is to open up your photo in PDN, then in the layer menu, add a layer on top of that photo. From there, you can add your text, play around with what color looks best over your photo, as well as the font and size of it, too. On it's own layer you can drag it around, easily and delete it if you want to, add another layer, put your text on it, and play around with it, again. At the bottom of the layer box are icons. One of them will add a new layer. The other will add the same duplicated layer of your photo and another will delete it. If you double click on each layer, a box pops up. You can make the layer more transparent, or not, or play around with blends. Get your colour palette out/showing, you can drag that around and have it just where you want it, too. Open the color palette up by clicking on "More", which is directly across from where it says "Primary". Play around with the color window. If it goes away just open it again by clicking on the round rainbow looking icon on the top right edge of Paint.Net. Same with your layers and tool box, too.

 

A new software does take a few minutes or a longer to get a feel for but this one isn't as difficult as some are to get the hang of and it opens so fast now, too, lol. Let us know what you think and how it's coming along. There are also updated videos on Youtube for Paint.Net. I look at the dates the videos were added to make sure it's now too old for much older versions.

[ScrapbookWithPDN]

Oh, I also should mention, click on the layer you want to deal with. Make sure it is highlighted so you know you are functioning or doing something to the correct layer. If the layer you are working on is a darker shade than the other one or the rest of them, you're working on the correct layer. For someone new to PDN, or layers in general, that could be confusing.

[IHaveNoName]

Making sure you're using the right layer ie. highlighted is one of the things you have to discipline yourself to check. So many times I've used multiple layers for different elements in an image and at some point I've realised I accidentally added to or erased something from the wrong layer.

 

That's happened to me when adding text and I've ended up with words or even parts of some words written to the wrong layer.

 

You may have done so much after that unnoticed mistake that you don't want to undo it. But sometimes you can't even do that, particularly if you've saved and reopened the image. It just makes more work sorting out the problem.