Very simple tutorial for complete newbie

[mbeychok]

I am a complete newbie. I am quite familiar with Microsoft's Paint which is very intuitive. This Paint.NET is not intuitive. I am not interested (as yet) in layers or color gradients or modifying photos. I just want to produce technical line drawings and graphs.

Where can I find a tutorial or other help in simple things like:

(1) How to draw a straight line? As well as lines at any angle?

(2) How to set the width (thickness) of a line?

(3) How to erase? When I create a new file image, it has a white background. I then draw something on that in black ... but when I try erasing any of my black drawing, it erases in gray. How do I get the eraser to to erase in white? Or any other color for that matter?

Is there anywhere that tells me step-by-step in simple language how to do the above basic things? In other words, a tutorial which assumes that I know absolutely nothing about drawing programs.

Thanks in advance,

Milt Beychok

[pyrochild]

http://www.getpaint.net/doc/latest/en/index.html

or open Paint.NET and press F1

[mbeychok]

Pyrochild, I have read that help at http://www.getpaint.net/doc/latest/en/index.html and it was not too helpful. For example, it does not tell me why the eraser tool is leaving a gray trail behind it when used on drawing with a white background. How do I get it to erase in white or any other background color?

Milt Beychok

[pyrochild]

The eraser is not making it grey, it's making it transparent. Use the brush tool to "erase" to a specific color.

[Possum Roadkill]

While I would never try to dissuade someone from using Paint.net, it sounds to me like you are looking for something more like a vector drawing program by the things you say you want to be able to draw, like Inkscape maybe. However, if you do choose to stay with Paint.net to get the results you desire, you first must learn to draw using layers. The reason you have problems with the eraser tool erasing the white background is that you are drawing pixels on top of a layer that is already filled with white pixels. When you erase what you draw, it also erases the white pixels along with the pixels you just drew in a different color. Try adding a layer over the top of the white layer and then draw using the line tool on that transparent layer. When you erase parts of that layer, you will only erase the pixels you drew and not the layer (white background layer) beneath it.

[Sozo]

In case this isn't clear, mbeychok: transparency is shown in Paint.NET with a gray and white checkerboard pattern. If you want to draw, but maybe also erase what you drew and not leave the checkerboard,you should create a new layer (CTRL+SHIFT+N) and draw on that.

[mbeychok]

Commander Sozo and Possum Roadkill:

You have both been very helpful and I understand what to do now. Perhaps you could help me on my next few questions:

(1) The eraser seem to produce circular erasures which makes it very, very difficult to use in corners where straight lines intersect. Is there any way to produce square or rectangular erasures?

(2) How do I "pickup" part of a drawing and move it to another location within the overall drawing?

Thanks in advance,

Milt Beychok

P.S.: Possum Roadkill, you said that I might be better off with a vector drawing program like Inkscape. Could you recommend such a program and preferably one that is not as sophisticated and complex as Inkscape? Basically, I am happy with Microsoft's Paint program except for two failings: (a) It cannot produce straight lines other than horizontal, vertical or at a 45 degree angle. Any other angle looks like stair-steps. ( It cannot produce color gradients. Both of those are features I would like to have.

[SkullSplitter]

(1) You can use the rectangle tool set on draw filled shape :ShapeInterior: and with white selected as your primary color (or whatever color your background is) and then draw on the same layer as your lines.

You can also use the rectangle select tool and select the area you want to erase, then press delete. Both ways are pretty tricky and their might be better ones.

(2) Select the part using one of the selection tools. Then press ctrl + copy. Add a new layer :AddNewLayer: and press ctrl + v. Then move the part around using the move tool. If you want to erase the original part, press delete right after you copy it.