RJPARE Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 I have read thru the FAQ... I have tried playing with the program itself. many of the features which are far more advance than MS PAINT utterly baffle me. I have tried a few of the tutorials, but to be honest I found them far too complicated. MS PAINT is my only editing / graphics software prior experience. By any chance could someone direct me to a step by step tutorial on using this software, so that I may increase my knowledge/skills in this area? The interactive Guide... I tried it... didn't seem to explain anything... just identified stuff. Even simple things like the fact that the rectangle shape tool can be create 1 of 3 types [empty framed, filled, filled frame] in MS PAINT this is an easy visual menu that is directly below the tool when you select... here I cannot figure out how to change between. Pasteing... in MS PAINT I have 2 options.. paste over or paste where white is transparent [very useful]... I cannot see this option anywhere here. layers -- I am a complete newbie... cannot rely understand what appears to be a redundant step... either make a change or don't... but the tutorials I have tried so far seem to assume a level of experience in photo editing that I do not yet have. To sum up. Is there an absolute, step by step guide on how to use this program for those completely new? I apologize in adavance if I am in violation of forum rules - there seemed an awful lot of them.. and I did try to go thru some of the existing tutorials... but there are so many... Just hoping someone can point me to the very first "rung in the ladder" so to speak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Brown Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Try these: http://www.getpaint.net/doc/latest/en/index.html viewtopic.php?f=34&t=29324 viewtopic.php?f=34&t=26942 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJPARE Posted March 25, 2009 Author Share Posted March 25, 2009 I will read that... probably the biggest tip I am looking for is how to paste an image or a text that has been copied from another layer and paste it on top of the image I want to modify [like adding dialogue, fer instance] and have the option of the background white the image or text was on be invisible / see thru on paste... Hope I am explaining it right.. anyone familiar with MS Paint know there are 2 types of pasteing there... one where white backgorund is visible.. one where it becomes translucent when pasteing one item over another... Just knowing that would make me happy... LOL the rest I suppose I could learn in time.. It's funny, all I really need is software like MS PAINT but that allows me to save at higher DPI instead of just default... this would allow me to letter some art my friends have sent me that is ok to print... MS Paint being only 96DPI that doesn't work... my online lettering with MS Paint for a comic strip was fine actually... but now I need fer print quality [sigh] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJPARE Posted March 25, 2009 Author Share Posted March 25, 2009 oh boy.. I am out of my depth here. the 1st tutorial did not cover any of the things I am trying to do. the second one... on photo collage.. didn't seem to serve any purpose.... it lumped 3 images on top of one another and didn't seem to create any sort of final image [at least it isn't shown] maybe this just is beyond my expertise... simple question. Is there a variation of MS paint where I can alter the DPI? In all honesty.. that would suit my needs, perfectly. MS PAINT is extraordinarily simple to use.. I feel, when I try to use these more advanced progs [like GIMP, tried that.. confused me for hours] - I feel like ya need a wealth of photoshop prior experience to actually understand/use. Does such a MS Paint variation exist? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeaceHeather Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 No, dude, Paint.NET is actually a lot easier than people are making it seem. The basic program is a slightly souped-up variation on MS Paint. It's all the user-created plugins that make the program more powerful and complex. The tech-speak you're talking about is usually either related to the plugins themselves, or coming from people who are waaaayyy more skilled at graphic art than I am. And, as one friend told me, if the complicated stuff messes with your brain, don't use it. It will still be there if you ever decide you do need it. "Layers" are what make the difference between a decent editing program, and a crappy one. Let me see if I can find you a link to a good description of how layers are meant to work... ah ha! http://www.zompist.com/howto2.htm Another way I like to think of it is - remember making dioramas as a kid? You know, the shoebox with the dinosaurs, a pterodactyl hanging from a string inside, the grass in front, the trees behind that, a picture of clouds in the very back? You could think of layers as being each of those things in the shoebox - by shifting them in front or in back of the other pieces, you can change the whole look of your diorama without having to start all over. Or, if you're like me... you can screw up one piece without ruining all the other pieces. In the idea you're talking about with the photo and text, you could put your text on a separate layer, and move it all over the place, try different things out, and so on, and never even touch the photo itself. Once you're done, you can "merge" or squish all the layers into one, or you can keep them separate in case you want to try something different later on. Make sense? Anyway. For what you're looking for, all you would have to do is open the photo, go to "Adjust/resize", and change the DPI and you'd be good to go. I hope this helps - if you're still feeling lost, message me again and I'll try to help. Cheers! Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJPARE Posted March 25, 2009 Author Share Posted March 25, 2009 A big thank you to PeaceHeather and all the rest. In a PM she just gave me a small TIP that is a revelation.... at least to a newbie like me!! For being able to place image or text onto another image... --- The MS PAINT method of copy paste and choose transparent white... is not way to go.. can't be done in PDN and is sloppy anyway. I create a layer for new image or text... make that LAYER transparent, first, then move text to spot and merge layers. So much better and no leftover fringe white pixels to have to go to max zoom and remove one by one.. I may learn this yet!! Thx fer responding and thx to all of you for putting up with a stubborn MS PAINT dinosaur today and answering questions!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoolRuehle Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 I too am an MS Painter trying to learn this program. All I want to do is draw a red line on a photo to show where something is located. I can draw the line, but cannot figure out how to change the frickin color from black to red. There's toolbars all over the place but no pallet. But I can change the color of my text in this forum . . . there's a pallet right here ----------------------------> All I have to do is click on it. What a concept. Where's the color pallet in PDN for lines??? --jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wizard1 Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 The line color is drawn from the active palette, so if you select the color you desire (red in this case) as your primary color before drawing the line - the line will be drawn as you wish. Just a side comment, but I personally do not believe that PDN is an enhanced version of MS Paint. PDN was coded from the ground up and better utilizes resources that MS Paint. The addition of excellent plug-ins, tutorials, and forum support sets PDN apart from just about any other graphics editing software.....IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oma Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 did you loose your color palete? along the top file , edit , view image etc. clik window clik color pallet. should show up again. while you have it up on the screen hit the more buttton. even more colors avail on that wheel. ciao OMA (this info is avail by pressing F1 anytime you are in the program) Quote My Deviant Art Gallery Oma's Paint.Net gallery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoolRuehle Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 That is EXACTLY what happened -- I lost the pallet. And if it was a snake it would have bitten me! thanks! --Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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