paint.net 4.2.6 beta build 7263

[Rick Brewster]

This release just graduated into beta, which means pretty much everything should be working the way it should, and translations have been updated. It should be a short path from here to the final release of 4.2.6, which means I can start working on the next big release, 4.3, which will focus on brushes and pens (some of the infrastructure for which is in this release!).

 

To get this update, make sure you have "Also check for pre-release (beta) versions" enabled in Settings, and then click on the Check Now button. (Unfortunately alpha/beta releases are not currently available for the Microsoft Store version of the app.

You can also download the update directly: https://www.getpaint.net/files/zip/test/paint.net.4.206.7263.350.install.zip 

 

Changes since 4.2.6 alpha build 4258:

 

• Fixed: The ability to drag a selection while drawing it was not working. (Click-and-drag with the left button to draw, but before releasing the left button you may click-and-drag with the right button to move it around.) (This was a regression in 4.2.6.)
• Improved: The image list at the top can now be scrolled by clicking the arrow buttons and holding the mouse down, just like a regular scroll bar button. (Previously you had to click repeatedly). This improves usability, but was also noted as being important for accessibility.
• Improved: Smooth scrolling animations have been removed from the image list and layers list due to them just not working very well.

[lynxster4]

17 hours ago, Rick Brewster said:

4.3, which will focus on brushes and pens (some of the infrastructure for which is in this release!).

 

🤗  Still my beating heart...I can't wait for that!    (unless I'm misinterpreting...)

 

Thank you for the beta build!  

[Reptillian]

Layer masks are unrelated to brushes.

[HyReZ]

@welshblue
Here is a link to some nfo on digital brushes:
What are Digital Brushes for Digital Painting?
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Nt9fa8jZUE

There are some brush plugins that use rudimentary implementation of digital brushes:
Plugin Listing

8 / 1022

Brush Factory 11 Dec 2016Joshua Lamusga

Import and use dynamic brushes with custom shapes as drawing tools. Imagine the paint brush with different tips available at your selection. Use it to create textures, or stamp out objects like grass, trees and buildings. It can be used like a spray can or be used to draw symmetrically.

EffectActive4.0.13+Effects > ToolsBrushFactory.dll

Brush Filter beta v1.0 21 Nov 2017Joshua Lamusga

Apply paint.net Adjustments and Effects with a brush. Select an effect, a brush, brush behavior and draw to apply the effect (imagine painting where the strokes reveal the filtered image). Supports dynamic brushes and custom brushes.

EffectActive4.0.19+Effects > ToolsBrushFilter.dll

CustomBrushesMini v2.1 19 May 2009Simon Brown

Draw with customized brushes. Replaces previous incarnations of Custom Brushes. Found in Simon Brown's Plugin Pack.See also: #15218

EffectActive3.5.x, 4.0xEffects > ToolsCustomBrushesMini.dll & CustomBrushesMini.pdb

Photoshop Brush 23 Dec 2012null54

Load and save brushes used by Adobe® Photoshop®. Brushes sampled from image data are supported, dynamically computed brushes are ignored.

FiletypeActive3.5.10N/AABRFileType.dll

Simon B's plugin pack for 4.0 11 Jun 2014Simon Brown

Plugin Pack for 4.0x. Pack includes Effects: Custom BrushesMini, DragFrom, Editable Text, ExtendBorder, FindEdges, Olden, PrinterPlus, ThatOtherApp and Filetype: AnimGif.

Plugin PackActive4.0+N/AN/A

Smudge v2.2 04 Jul 2008pyrochild

Use custom brushes (*.png format) to smudge along the mouse path. Found in Pyrochild's PluginsSee also: #7291

EffectActive3.5.x, 4.0xEffects > ToolsSmudge.dll

Tesserae v1.0 23 Dec 2016NomBot

A mosaic effect which uses path brushes to apply a tiled texture to an existing image.

EffectActive4.0.13+Effects > ArtisticTesserae.dll

TR's Dodge and Burn 10 Aug 2015TechnoRobbo

A photo retouching tool which allows the application of effects via custom brushes. Effects included: Dodge, Burn, blur, sharpen, saturate, desaturate, contrast, rotate hue, color blend & luminosity. Many other photography type options.

EffectActive4.0.6+Effects > PhotoTRsDodgeBurn.dll

 

Edited November 20, 2019 by HyReZ

[Rick Brewster]

1 hour ago, Reptillian said:

Layer masks are unrelated to brushes.

Yeah I don't know how these got conflated. Totally unrelated.

[TrevorOutlaw]

@Rick Brewster I think Welshblue meant to use brushes to create layer mask instead of using plug-in such as the Brush Factory, for example, the Dispersion Effect, uses the Brush Factory and Alpha Mask to create a "layer mask".  Does it mean you are planning to begin implementing the custom brushes in the next major version?  That's the impression I am getting as the current alpha and beta versions appears to be laying the groundwork for the plumbing to be in place per the Popular Request Thread.

[Rick Brewster]

Custom brushes, those which you can install separately like a plugin (or a shape, especially), won't be in 4.3, but rather in a later 4.3.x release. It's a pretty big work item on its own. It's coming though. That's what the 4.3 series of updates will be all about.

 

Similarly, the 4.2.x series of updates has been mostly about file type support. But, 4.2 didn't include the upgraded file support for AV1, DDS, JPEG XR, or WebP. Those trickled out in 4.2.1 - 4.2.5.

[HyReZ]

2 hours ago, welshblue said:

 

@HyReZ ... thanks for the information but a bit like teaching a grandmother to suck eggs about brushes.   😉

 

They were one of the main reasons I used PhotoShop for so long (4 years) and the only thing I miss now I'm back using Paint.net.

A brush into an eraser is a wonderful tool to have at your disposal.  No disrespect to the programme but just having a round eraser doesn't always cut it

Thanks for bringing me up to date on your history. I know now that your digital graphics knowledge is extensive, however your choice of colloquialism is lost on me.

 

BTW:
I just Googled your you egg sucking reference. 🙂 Quaint. 
 

Edited November 21, 2019 by HyReZ
inserting additional information

[Rick Brewster]

7 hours ago, welshblue said:

A brush into an eraser is a wonderful tool to have at your disposal.  No disrespect to the programme but just having a round eraser doesn't always cut it

 

At the code level, brushes and erasers are the same thing with just some rendering differences. Any enhancements to the Paintbrush tool will also make it to the Eraser tool. Unless there's color involved, of course.

[Rick Brewster]

Final build is out now