How To Create Cutouts in Templates?

[PortMacOnline]

Hi guys,

I am new to PaintDotNet, and NOT a graphics designer, so I am struggling through the "12 Tutorials in a PDF" as well as the Kindle book "Mastering PaintDotNet", but I have a problem at the moment which I need an answer to as soon as possible, if anyone can steer me in the right direction. What I need to do is to create a template, a Wordpress Header, which has a circular cutout through which the client's logo can be seen.

 

Attached is a sample of the type of thing I mean, this one has square cutouts, but I need to create a circular cutout. I am aware that I can do it by creating a transparent layer, then drawing a circle and manually erasing the contents of the circle, but that is time-consuming and not very professional looking unless I zoom in to 1000% and use a small width eraser, which would take forever. My guess is that there would have to be a better and more professional way to do it, but I am stuck! Any suggestions would be very welcome!

 

Terry

[Red ochre]

Hello Terry - welcome to the forum!

I'm afraid I know nothing about wordpress headers (but others here will).

I would suggest two methods to cut a circular hole in a layer:

1. - With the header image all on one layer, select eraser      and increase the size (you can type numbers into the brush width box if the ones in the drop-down list don't suit). Make sure 'Anit-alias' ( the default) is selected. Move the eraser to where you want the hole (the coordinates of the cursor (centre of circle) are shown extreme bottom right.
You can use the keyboard arrow keys to move small amounts.
Left click and you should have a nice smooth round hole (chequer-board background :AlphaChannelOnly:).
Save as a .png file to keep transparency.

2. -  Select the elliptical selection tool.
Press the keyboard 'shift' button and drag the cursor diagonally to get a circle of the required size highlighted light blue.
Change to the white 'move selection' tool   and drag the circle to where you want it. Press delete on the keyboard.
Unfortunately this leaves the edges of the circle rather jagged . This can be fixed using the plugin 'AA assistant', which will need to be installed first.

I would use the first method.

The author of the book you mention lives in New Zealand and is normally on the forum later.
Hope this helps in the meantime.

[Ego Eram Reputo]

I'm here now. Hi PortMacOnline, welcome to the forum!

Either method described above will work. I would tend towards the second one myself. That is because I have the AA Assistant plugin installed.

Another method is to use the 'soft eraser' trick from my book. See the Eraser Tool in Chapter 5 under Drawing Tools.

[PortMacOnline]

Thanks, both of you, I will give both methods a try today.It is a bit humbling for a proud Aussie to have to take advice from a Kiwi, but I guess I will live it down eventually!  :-(

 

EER, I will try to send you a private message regarding your book today.

 

Terry

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Reckon it's a shame more Aussies don't listen to more Kiwis! 

[PortMacOnline]

Hi guys,

Here is my first attempt -- it is pretty crappy because I can't get the circle to cut out cleanly, even using AA Assistant (default values), and the keyboard arrow tip mentioned above.

 

Scott, the book says to "set the primary colour opacity to 2", is that the same as "Transparency - Alpha"? That will be the next on the list to try.

 

Any constructive criticism, as well as help, would be appreciated, as I mentioned, I am definitely NOT a graphics designer, my talents are more on the technical side of the net. I am trying to duplicate a business card for the website header, when I saw the business card I thought "How hard can it be?" (shades of Jeremy Clarkson!).

 

Terry

[Ego Eram Reputo]

... the book says to "set the primary colour opacity to 2", is that the same as "Transparency - Alpha"?

Yes. From your image it looks like you want a hard edge to the circle. Stick with the previous technique. I think you have made quite a good job of it.