Fastest way to create multiple transformed copies of [part of] image

[OldGuru]

I am relatively new to Paint.NET and couldn't find my answer after a few hours of search and reading. What I want to do is to create 180 copies of a 16x16 arrow icon (png image) on a 2880x16 canvas, with each copy obtained by rotating the original image 2 degrees more than the previous copy. So, the first copy should start at [16,0] with 2 degrees rotation of original, the second copy at [32,0] with 4 degrees rotation of original, and so on.

It is not dissimilar to what Fragment effect does except that Fragment always places the copies at the same distance in a circle, the rotation applies to the placement of copies and, of course, blurs the result. Is there any way to achieve this quickly, e.g. by using a combination of tools or by scripting?

I appreciate any help.

[Ego Eram Reputo]

The tiling can be done. I don't recall any tools that would automate the rotations.

[Heat Stroke]

you could try: layers > rotate/zoom

This really wouldnt be quick, but it is an option.

[OldGuru]

The tiling can be done. I don't recall any tools that would automate the rotations.

you could try: layers > rotate/zoom

This really wouldnt be quick, but it is an option.

Thanks for the replies. I tried layers > rotate/zoom. It does accelerate the process by shifting and rotating in one command provided I set the right X and Y pan values. However, there is a slight loss of quality even without rotation which seems to be due to change of alpha in some pixels. As a long shot I set the blend mode to overwrite, but it didn't help either. Is there a way to create multiple exact copies of an image by tiling?

[Sarkut]

Is there a way to create multiple exact copies of an image by tiling?

http://forums.getpaint.net/index.php?showtopic=12831

A possible drawback is that the plugin will fill any alpha with white.

Edited December 3, 2010 by Sarkut

[OldGuru]

http://forums.getpai...showtopic=12831

A possible drawback is that the plugin will fill any alpha with white.

Yes, I was about to post the same thing after testing the plugin. Thanks for the link anyway. It still can be useful in some scenarios.

[Sarkut]

It may be that your best available option is to put your

original 16x16 image in a new layer of a 16x16 canvas.

Duplicate the layer and use Layers > Rotate / Zoom (without tiling).

Set Layers > Rotate / Zoom to rotate 2 degrees.

Repeat duplicating the top layer and rotating until you have as many layers as you want. (180)

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Expand the canvas to 2880x16 anchored Left.

Use the Panelling plugin, set to Move Horizontal right 160 pixels.

Apply it to layers 20 through 29.

Reset to move right 320 pixels, apply to layers 30 through 39.

Et cetera until until you have 18 groups of 10 layers each roughly in position.

Panelling has a maximum shift of 500 pixels, so the upper layers will need multiple applications.

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Then go back and reset Panelling to 16 pixels move right

and go through the layers doing the final positioning.

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Panelling doesn't produce the changes in alpha when moving

that Layers > Rotate / Zoom does when panning or tiling.

[OldGuru]

Thanks Sarkut for your detailed instructions.

I'm going to try this, but instead of creating 180 copies I'll take an arrow with no "lighting" effect and create 45 copies to cover the first 90 degrees. Then by mirroring and merging twice I can get all 180 images. At the end I'll apply the lighting effect so all arrows are lit from the same angle despite rotations. (I'm not sure if this effect is available in PDN though)