Best tutorials for beginners

[janettsue]

Can you recommend 3 or 4 tutorials for the novice to begin with that would facilitate learning? I have done one for putting 4 images on one page. It seemed well suited to beginners. How about "Picture Filmstripe". Could anyone rate it's difficulty for the novice?

[FireFly]

Try the fire tutorials. I did when I first began.

[Bob]

It's a tough one to rate.

It's well-written, but long, with a lot of steps, and you may use a plugin if you want it to be curved.

So I will not rate recommend it for first beginners, maybe check it back later when you feel more confident with the tools, layers, and transparency.

You're question is really interesting because we are defining a sort of 'Tutorial Policy', and a way to ranks tutorials.

I wrote a long post explaining why we need this and suggest that we add 'tags' to titles like

[beginners] This tutorial will show you how ...

As it's intended mainly for beginners (you!), do you think it's a good idea?

To answer your questions, I recommend you to learn by some trial and error first, trying all the tools, effects, values, etc.

Next you can read the Help to deeper your knowledge of the different tools.

Be sure to read the 'Layers and Blend Modes' page in the Help because it explain the concept between layers, transparency, and what's this gray checkboard background, something beginners often didn't understand at first sight.

Must-see tutorials are 'stickied' at the top of each page in the tutorials section, the LiteBrite one is fun but you need a plugin, The process of Antiquing need one too but I think you can mess around without needing it, ooh! the making glass buttons one is simple.

Well, I'm just reading the Tutorials section as I write these lines, so I'd better advice you to see the 'sticky' tutorials and seeing what's too easy, what's too hard, by yourself, because something I would find easy or hard, will be the opposite for you.

To post your tutorial, if you find it really simple, my best bet will be posting the result first in the Pictorium thread saying 'I made this making these these and these steps' and asking if it's worth a tutorial, experienced members will answer to you.

One more thing. Be sure to read the Rules thread and try to respect them, and I'm sure you will soon become a respected fellow of our growing community.

Hope it helps! And welcome!

PS: When the text is blue, it's clickable, it's a link.

[janettsue]

I think tags are a great idea and would be appreciated by all.

I have been fooling around with my paint.net. There isn't anyone who should have to be exposed to the mess I have made but it has all been done in the pursuit of knowledge. I will take your advice to heart and keep on doing trial and error.

Thanks for explaining about the 'sticky' tutorials.

Let the adventure begin.

Perhaps I will comprehend more than I imagine.

[oma]

well as the grandmother of the groupI'm a bit slower than the rest to pick up on this new computore tech. This is how I learned about 50% of what I know of this program . I logged on to the forum , then I went to the overflow and checked the picture add on game. I saved the latest picture (right click on picture and saved to my documents, my pictures.)

then as each person posted their change I followed what they put down as their change, on my computor.......this gave me a quick working knowledge of what affected what one change at a time.

after awhile I thought well I can try something and sometimes it worked out sometimes not. But at least now I have a rough idea of what each effect will and will not do.

and of course I learned to use the search button as it is very usefull most of what needs to be covered has been answered somewhere along the line.

another useful tip always be cheerful and always thankyou for every help given.

a month from now you will be an old pro and helping someone else learn

oma

[BoltBait]

I think a good place to start is with this tutorial:

http://boltbait.googlepages.com/install

It explains, step-by-step, how to install plugins.

This is a great place to start as most tutorials include steps that require plugins that do not ship with Paint.NET.

Then, once you understand how to install plugins, I recommend visiting the plugin forum. Most posts in that forum include steps on how to use the plugin along with a link to the plugin itself.

Once you are comfortable with all of the plugins, you can tackle some of the more complex tutorials in the tutorial forum.

[mustang maverick]

BoltBait makes a good point.

I started using PDN quite some time before I became active in the forum.

BoltBait's suggestion is how I got started.

:oops: Doesn't seem to have done any justice on my work though.

-Differnt people, differnt results.