Introduction to Paint Shop Pro 5
Paint Shop Pro is the perfect environment for the budding artist and those new to computer graphics. Reasonably priced, it allows newcomers to dabble, get the feel of the very different world of computer art and experience the thrill of their first creation without breaking their pocketbook.
It is my desire that this tutorial will aid newcomers and oldtimers alike in becoming proficient in the use of Paint Shop Pro 5. The interface and new features are such that even those familiar with previous versions of the program will have difficulty maneuvering at first.
Below is a screen shot of the Desktop, available Toolbars and Control Boxes.
When all of the Toolbars and Control Boxes are open the amount of work space left isn't very much, especially if you're using a small monitor. For now, just take a look at all of the features available to you. Later we'll learn how to clear the clutter by opening and closing each of those Toolbars and windows with a single keystroke.
Since many of the lessons include the use of Layers, it would be wise to detour through that area first to familiarize yourself with the terms.
Menu Bar
The Paint Shop Pro Menu Bar has all of the normal options you would expect to find on a menu bar plus additional options relevant to the program itself. I won't be covering all of the menu options. Some of them will be explained elsewhere, others are self-explanatory.
The Image menu covers various effects that can be applied to an image. This is where you'll find the built-in filters as well as the Plug-in Filter menus. The built-in filters are listed under their own categories, (Blur, Edge, Noise, Sharpen, Other) in the Image menu. All of the filters can be found together in the Filter Browser, also located in the Image menu. You will not see a Plug-in Filters option in the Image menu unless you have downloaded and installed third party plugin filters.
The Color menu: Whenever you find a feature or option in the PSP menus is 'greyed' out, check in the Color menu to make sure that your image is set to 16 million colors. Many of the features and functions will only work on 256 Grey Scale or 16 Million Colors. To check and/or increase your color depth to 16 million colors go to Image | Colors | Increase Color Depth. If the 16 Million Colors (24 bit) is greyed out, then your image is already 16 Million Colors. If the option is available, select it to increase your Color Depth to 16 Million Colors.
PSP comes with a Capture function that allows you to do screen captures. It will capture as a graphic anything that shows on your monitor.
As a companion to the Menu Bar, there are an infinite number of keystroke shortcuts available to bring up menu options as well as toggle Toolbars on and off.
Keyboard Shortcuts
There are a number of keystrokes that can be used as shortcuts for different menu functions as well as to toggle different dialog boxes opened/closed.
The shortcut commands are not case sensitive. Using your Shift key to change the case of a letter in a command will result in a different command being issued. Simply press the Ctrl, Alt, or Shift key and the letter at the same time. You do not need to type the "+".
- C - Opens/Closes the Color Palette
- L - Opens Layer Control Dialog Box
- O - Opens/Closes the Tools Control Box
- P - Opens/Closes Tool Palette
- T - Opens/Closes the Toolbar
- Alt + E - Opens Edit Menu
- Alt + F - Opens File Menu
- Ctrl + B - Opens Image Browser
- Ctrl + C - Copy
- Ctrl + E - Paste as New Selection
- Ctrl + L - Paste as New Layer
- Ctrl + N - Accesses New Window Dialog Box
- Ctrl + O - Open Image
- Ctrl + S - Save
- Ctrl + V - Paste as New Image
- Ctrl + X - Cut
- Ctrl + Z - Undo
- Shift + A - Select All (Selects entire contents of active window)
- Shift + C - Minumizes PSP
- Shift + D - Duplicates active window
- Shift + I - Brings up Image Info Box
- Shift + R - Crops to Selection
- Tab - Opens/Closes the Control Boxes
- F12 - Save As
These are by no means all of the keyboard shortcuts, but are the ones I find most useful for keeping the work area clear. Others will be mentioned as we study the individual tools.
New Image Dialog Box
You'll find several options available to you. First, you can set the size of your image and whether it will be in Pixels, Inches or Centimeters.
In the Image Characteristics you may select from any number of Background color options including the foreground or background color on the Color Palette. A new option available in PSP 5 is that you may now also open a new image with a Transparent background.
The Image type may also be set at this point. I suggest that if you plan to work with any of the filters or effects that you start with 16 Million Colors (24 bit).Control Palettes
Paint Shop Pro 5 has a total of seven Control Palettes and Toolbars.
1. Color Palette
Colors may be chosen directly from the Color Palette, or for more detailed control through the Color Dialog Box.
2. Control Palette
Each tool has it's own Tool Controls palette. To open the Controls Palette press Tab on your keyboard, (opens all Palettes checked in the Toolbars Dialog Box). Which palette opens is determined by which tool is selected when the Control Palette is activated.
3. Histogram
Histograms analyze the color composition of an image.
4. Layer Palette
With the addition of Layers, Paint Shop Pro has become a much more powerful graphics program. Layers are functional in 256 Grey Scale or 16 Million colors and up to 64 layers are possible, per image.
5. Status Bar
6. & 7. Toolbar and Tool Palette
I'm confused... What's the difference between the Toolbar and the Tool Palette?
Color Palette
Once the dialog box is open you have several options for setting your color selections. You can choose a color from the Basic Colors selection boxes, or from the Custom Colors selections if you have added custom colors to your palette. You can also move the sliders on the in the color spectrum in the Colors dialog box. Your new color will appear in the square below.
Colors may also be set by typing in their RGB or HSL numeric values in the windows provided.
To add a custom color to your palette, first activate an empty Custom Color square. Next move the sliders around until you have the color of your choice in the larger preview square below the palette. Once the color is just what you want click on the Add Custom color button. Your new color will appear in the custom color selection boxes.
Histogram
Histograms analyze image color composition. Pressing "H" on your keyboard will toggle the Histogram Window open or closed.
The Histogram Window doesn't do anything in and of itself, but rather is a a tool designed to help you decide what you need to do to improve your image. The histogram window displays a graph of the color values of the active window in RGB and luminance. Full luminance is white while zero luminance is black. The numbers at the top of the window display the number of pixels that match the histograms max., min., and average values. The spectrum for a color is on the horizontal axis while the portion of the image's color that matches that spectrum is displayed on the vertical axis. The check boxes at the bottom allow you to turn off the graphing of certain colors or the luminance.
The Histogram Functions modify an image or a selection within that image based upon its luminance histogram.
There are two Histogram Functions within Paint Shop Pro, the Equalize Function and the Stretch Function. These functions are located on the menu bar under the Color dropdown menu or can be applied with keystroke Shift+E for Equalize or Shift+T for Stretch.
The Stretch and Equalize functions may be applied to a selection within an image or to the entire image. The Equalize Function smooths or evens out the Histogram resulting in an averaging of the image or selection brightness while the Stretch Function will adjust the luminance so that the entire spectrum is encompassed..Toolbar & Tool Palette
What's the Difference?
Toolbars Dialog Box
The Toolbars Dialog Box toggles the various Palettes on and off. It's located on the Menu Bar under View.
Toolbar
The Toolbar is the corresponding bar that goes along with the Menu Bar. It is fully customizable giving you the ability to add, remove or move buttons.
The Toolbar can be toggled on and off by pressing "T" on your keyboard.
Tool Palette
The Tool Palette contains the buttons that correspond to the individual painting/editing tools.
The Tool Palette is toggled on and off with keystroke "P".Drawing Tools
PSP boasts an array of drawing tools from Paintbrushes to Pencils to the new Picture Tubes. Each tool comes with it's own array of options and most are accompanied by a paper texture setting.
The various options and settings for these tools will be covered in the next few pages.
Customizing Brushes
The Control Palette/Brush Tip Tab
Now that you've got your Palettes so that they'll open with the Tab key, you need to press the Paintbrush button on the Tool Palette so that the proper Control box will open with the Tab.
Brush Shapes
Your drawing tools come with various shapes and sizes as well as preset categories such as Pen, Pencil, Crayon etc. When a drawing tool is selected on the Toolbar, the Paper Textures menu will be available on the Tools Controls Tab. Paper Textures may be added to any drawing tool.
Custom Brushes
PSP allows custom brush tips to be added either through selecting a brush stored on your disk, or creating your own custom design. Custom designs aren't nearly as difficult as they sound, simply open the image and select the area you would like to use as your new brush. Open the Custom Brushes dialog box and click on the create button.
Mousehold Creations has an excellent tutorial on creating custom brushes in PSP 5 as well as a sizeable collection of links to custom brushes to download from around the Web.
Opacity Settings
Opacity can be fun as varying levels will let more or less of the background image show through. Adjust the slider to a lower number for greater transparency and a higher number for a more solid effect.
Density Settings
Density dictates how the paint flows onto the canvas. Lower settings allow less paint on the canvas while higher numbers allow more.
Hardness Settings
The Hardness settings adjust the focus of the Paintbrush. A setting of 1 gives a soft focus while 100 will give you sharp edges.
Size
Size is just what you would expect it to be... the size of the brush. Sizes vary from 1 (one pixel) all the way up to 200.
Lines
Activate the Line Tool by pressing the Line Tool button on the Tool Palette. Press the Tab key on your keyboard to open the Line Tool Control Palette.
The line Width can be set by adjusting the line width spinner or by typing the desired width in the space provided.
Bezier Lines
Two Clicks to Curves
Place your cursor to one side of the line, hold the primary button in and drag your mouse around. As soon as you click the button the line will jump over to the cursor and continue to follow the cursor around until you release the button.
With a little practice you can make a va
Airbrush Tool
The Airbrush Tool is exactly what it sounds like. With a Hardness setting of 0 (zero) it bears a remarkable resemblance to a real airbrush.
Select the Airbrush Tool from the Tool Palette and press the Tab key to open the Airbrush Control Palette. Press the Brush Tip tab to bring the Brush options to the front.
As with the other paint tools, the brush Shape, Size, Opacity, Hardness, Density and Step may be adjusted.
Notice how the Color Depth setting affects the way the paint flows onto the canvas. A Color Depth of 16 Million Colors flows smoothly; 256 Colors has more of a 'spritz' appearance.
In the example above I used a Paper Texture of Small Bricks combined with different Brush Tips to illustrate the varying effects that can be achieved.
Opacity levels may also be adjusted on the Airbrush Tool allowing more, or less, of the background image to show through the paint.
Text Box
Clicking the "A" on the Toolbar and then clicking on your active image window will open the Add Text Dialog Box. In it you will find all of the fonts loaded to your Windows\System directory as well as several options to apply to that text.
Style can be set from Regular to Bold to Italic, with Size options from 8 to 72. Larger sizes may be achieved by typing the number into the top Size box .
The Floating check box turns the Floating option on and off.
Text color is determined by the foreground color on the Color Palette. If you desire an opaque effect add your text to a separate layer rather than to the image background. You can then adjust the opaqueness with the Layer Opacity slider.
Adding text on a separate layer also allows for Rotating a line of text without affecting the other elements of the image.
The Floating Check Box
Having the Floating option checked will place text the color of your foreground color into your image. Having it unchecked will place your text into the image as a selection. But what good is that? Once you de-select the text is gone!
Text that has been placed with the Floating check box de-selected can be manipulated as well as having a variety of effects added to it.
You can adjust the Gamma Correction, making the text lighter or darker...
The possibilities are endless and you are limited only by your imagination!
Fill Tool
Select the Fill Tool from the Tool Palette and press the Tab key to open the Fill Tool Control Palette. Press the Tool Controls tab to bring it to the front.
The Fill Tool is used to fill the canvas or selected area with one click of a button. Several options are available including a Solid Color, Linear, Rectangular, Sunburst, or Radial Gradient or even a Pattern.
Fill can be applied to both selections and layers. The Fill Tool doesn't have an antialias option, but antialias may be applied with the Selection Tool and the Lasso Tool prior to using the Fill Tool. (The Magic Wand does not have an antialias option).
Tolerance and opacity settings can be adjusted to produce various effects. In the example, all ellipses were drawn on top of the rectangle. Note how the tolerance setting of 50 'stopped' the color from filling areas of drastic color change, ie. the whiter areas from the blue.
Each fill option has additional Blend Mode options, giving even greater control over the end results. Each oval in the example to the left was a red/blue linear gradient, with a tolerance and opacity of 100. The only difference in them was the blend mode setting.
Linear Gradient Fill
The Linear Gradient fills the selection or canvas with a gradation of the two active colors. The direction of the grade may be set in the Flood Fill Options Palette. It is not necessary to select the Flood Fill Style prior to opening the Options Palette; the Flood Fill Style may be changed from within the Options Palette.
The direction of your gradient can be set by clicking anywhere in the circle, dragging the control needle or typing the degrees in the Degree text box.
Non-linear Gradient Fills:
Rectangular, Sunburst & Radial
The Non-linear Gradient Fills require that you set the gradient's point of origin or the point from which the gradient will radiate. The active foreground color is painted as the point of origin with the colors blending outward to the active background color.
Point of origin is set by using the Vertical/Horizontal sliders or by typing the percentages into the Vertical and Horizontal text boxes.
Pattern Fill
Clicking with your primary mouse button inside of the selected area will fill the area with the pattern.
Gradient Fill
The Gradient Fill is an extension of the Paint Bucket, or Fill Tool. It has all of the features of the Fill Tool plus some neat additions.
Under the Options button you'll find the Flood Fill Options dialog box.
Fill Style allows you to choose from
- Solid
- Pattern
- Linear Gradient
- Rectangular Gradient
- Sunburst Gradient
- Radial Gradient
The Blend Mode drop down box gives you the full array of Blend Mode options to choose from.
There are 17 different Blend Modes. The example shows how changing the blend mode can affect the results of the gradient fill. All gradient fills were done with a blue foreground and red background color.
If you place your gradient fills on a layer above the area you want to fill you can further manipulate their appearance by adjusting the opacity and/or blend modes of the layer.
Picture Tubes
One of the most talked about new features of PSP is the Picture Tube. It's also the one causing the most confusion. Questions abound, "What are they?", "What are they good for?", "How do I make my own?". I don't intend to go into the last question at this time but perhaps at a future date I will add it. For now we're going to look at the Picture Tube Options and touch briefly on "What are tubes" and "What are they good for".
What Are Tubes?
Tubes are these fun little pictures that come in a "tube", so to speak. One click of your mouse button and you have an instant picture. Drag your mouse around and you've got... well... you've got lots of pictures.
Picture Tube Control Palette
Tubes may be selected from the dropdown box in the Picture Tube Control Palette. Tube size may be changed from 10% to 200% of their original size by adjusting the Scale Slider.
The Picture Tube Options Dialog Box
The Picture Tube Options dialog box is located behind the Options button on the Picture Tube Control Palette. The dialog box contains information about the selected Tube. Some of this information may be changed, some should not be.
Cell Arrangement shows how the Tube cells are arranged in the Tube file. (In English that means how many images are placed across and how many are placed down in the .tub file). These are the default settings and should not be altered.
The Placement Options Panel
- Placement Mode:
- Continuous - Images are placed at equal intervals.
- Random - Images are placed at random intervals.
- Step Size: Smaller numbers result in less space between images placed on the canvas; larger numbers result in more space.
- Selection Mode: Governs which Cell in a given Tube is painted to the canvas.
- Random - Selects random images, (Cells)
- Incremental - Starts with the first image and cycles through all of the Cells, starting over when the cycle is complete.
- Angular - Cells are selected dependent upon which direction you drag your mouse.
- Pressure - Used with a pressure sensitive pad. Images are selected according to the pressure applied to the pad.
- Velocity - Images are selected according to the speed with which you drag your cursor across the canvas.
What are Tubes good for?
The main advantage to Tubes, especially if you make your own of frequently used transparencies, is that they can be dropped on any color background without their drop shadow deteriorating the way they do when you change background colors.
Currently the selection of Tubes is rather slim but even with the choices at hand a passable logo or banner could be created with little effort. I feel sure that in the not too distant future we'll find a variety of free Tube files around the Web for download. Some additional Tubes are available now at the following locations:
- Jasc Software,Inc., Additional Picture Tubes and Resources - Scroll to the bottom of the page for the link to the zip file. This file contains the Spiders, Butterflies and Leaves used in the example below.
Using the Tube Tool, I added oak leaves and maple leaves, (Scaled to 59%), Spiders, (full size) and Butterflies, (Scaled to 59%), to the first layer. Name this layer Leaves.
Now we're ready to add our text, which is added directly to the Leaves layer rather than a new layer. Open the Add Text dialog box by selecting the "A" on the tool bar and then clicking directly in the middle of where you want your text to be positioned. Make sure the Antialias box is checked in the text effect box and the Floating is not checked. Select your Font, Size, type your text and click ok. If the text is not exactly where you want it, try again.
Once you're satisfied with the position of your text select Selections | Promote to Layer to promote the text to a layer of it's own. Name this layer Text.
To make the text stand out we'll need to apply some Cutout effects, but in order to retain the background colors inside the text we need to Float it. You'll find the Float option under Selections on the Menu Bar.
Now we're ready for the cutouts. Select Image | Effects | Cutouts... from the Menu Bar. We'll need to make two separate cutouts with the following settings:
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Press CTRL + D to deselect the text.
The Buttonize options were set to:
- Height & Width - 75
- Opacity - 100
- Transparent Edge
Change Blend Mode's for different effects
Blend Mode:
Text Layer - Luminance
Leaves Layer - Exclusion
Blend Mode:
Text Layer - Multiply
Leaves Layer - Dissolve
Deform Tool
Eraser Tool
The Eraser Tool does what it says...... it erases. But there are a few idiosyncrasies you should be aware of.
Note in the example, when I worked on layer 2, only that portion of the picture that was actually on that layer was erased. (A portion of the blue rectangle and it's shadow). The underlying layers were untouched. When I worked on layer 1 only portions of the red rectangle and it's shadow were erased. When I erased on the background layer the background color of the image was replaced by the background color on the Color Palette. (This is because my Background Layer was not transparent). The layers above the background were untouched by the operation.
The normal Brush options are available with the Eraser Tool. The example to the right shows a small selection of Opacity settings and Paper Textures applied with the Eraser Tool. Retouch Tool
There are 19 different Retouch Tools, which can be used for various purposes from spot touch ups to creation of entire images.
Al Dawson pushes this concept to the limit in his creation of digital 'oil paintings' known as Digitoils, created entirely in Paint Shop Pro using the Push and Smudge tools.
The Retouch Tool includes a Sharpen Mode and a Soften Mode for spot touch ups of images.
Many of the Retouch Modes are similar to the Blend Modes, so once again I will not go into all of the effects but will instead refer you to a more knowledgeable source.Eye Dropper Tool
Zoom Tool
Finally, you can zoom in on your image by using the Control Box. With the Zoom Tool selected on the Tool Palette, press the "O" key on your keyboard to open the Control Box.
Selecting Things
The ability to select objects and shapes greatly increases your ability to edit, transform and filter those areas within your image or within a separate layer without affecting other portions of the image or layer.
We will look at the different methods of selecting things as well as the options that may be applied to those selections in the next few pages.
Selections
Select the geometric shape of your choice from the Control Box Selection Type drop down menu. Feather may be adjusted from 0 to 200. An Antialias option is available for 'non-jagged' selections.
A selection will be displayed on your active window as a marquee or 'moving line of ants'. A selection may be copied, moved, or edited.
In the example to the right, the green oval was selected with the Feather adjusted to 200. The blue circle had the Feather adjusted to 5 and the red rectangle had no Feather setting. Each selection was filled in with a different color for display purposes.
Lasso Tool
There are three different Selection Types associated with the Freehand (Lasso) Tool; Freehand, Point to Point and Smart Edge. With all of the Selection Types, if the selection line crosses itself, everything that is enclosed by the line will be selected.
Freehand
The Freehand Selection Tool will allow you to either draw a new selection or can be used to add or remove from an existing selection. Pressing and holding the Shift key will add to a selection; pressing and holding the Ctrl key will remove from the selection.
A selection is made by placing the cursor over the image, and dragging your mouse while pressing and holding your primary mouse button. Selections need not be closed, PSP will close the selection with a straight line between the 'ending' point and 'starting' point.
Point to Point
The Point to Point Selection Tool is used for selecting areas that you want to enclose in straight lines. Position your cursor at your 'starting' point; click once. When you move to the second point within your selection you will notice a line connecting the starting point to your cursor. Single clicks of your primary button will anchor this line at various points within the image. Double clicking will release the tool. If you have left the selection open PSP will close it with a straight line between the ending and starting points. Pressing the Delete key will remove the last anchor point.
Smart Edge
The Smart Edge Selection Tool will not only select irregular areas but will "jump" to the line that follows the image each time you click. This allows you to make precise selections around detailed images. If the selection line isn't exactly where you want it, you have the option of pressing the Delete key to remove the last anchor point without clearing your entire selection. As an added bonus, you can add to or remove from a completed selection by using the Shift and Ctrl keys. (Shift to add, Ctrl to remove selection areas). Double click to complete the selection and release the tool.
The Lasso Tool's Smart Edge feature is a super new addition to PSP 5. With it you can make accurate selections of detailed or difficult to select areas.
First, select the Lasso Tool on the Tool Palette. Open the Control Box, (press Tab on your keyboard), and adjust the Lasso Tool settings. In the dropdown box choose the Smart Edge Selection Type and check Antialias. Don't worry about the Feather option just now. We'll adjust the Feathering later. Press Tab to close the Control Boxes.
Carefully trace around your image. Click your mouse button often, especially as you change directions. An extra click of the mouse will give a more accurate selection to difficult areas such as those with poor contrast or similar colors.
When you have your entire selection outlined, double click your mouse button to complete the selection and get the Lasso Tool to release your cursor.
To avoid the "cut-out / pasted on" look, adjust the Feather setting of your selection. Select Selections | Modify | Feather on the Menu Bar and adjust the Feather setting to 5.
Don't work on this image either, at least not directly. Press Ctrl + C to copy and Ctrl + L to paste the image back as a new Layer to the same image. The new layer is layer 1, and this is where we'll start working. Working on a layer as opposed to your background preserves the original image in the event you want to go back to it and start over. (I have this on good authority). :)
I decided my background (layer 1) was a little drab, so I've added a Spotlight Filter to it. I used Greg's Factory Output, Vol.2 - Spotlight, which can be downloaded from Greg's Factory Output Page
To add a Filter to your image first make sure the Layer you want the Filter applied to is the active Layer. You can check by pressing Tab on your keyboard to open the Control Boxes or press just the "L" key to open the Layer Control. Hold your mouse over each Layer button to activate a pop up window displaying the image on that Layer. Press the Layer button that displays the Layer to which you want to apply the Filter. In this case, there will only be one Layer besides the background Layer, so it won't be too difficult to choose.
Press Tab to open your control boxes. If Layer 2 is not above Layer 1, click on it and drag it so that it is. (We don't want our subjects hidden by the scenery).
Not bad, but it needs a little tweaking to finish it off to my satisfaction.
To add a little depth and to bring the subjects in as the main focus of the picture I adjusted the Brightness to 6 and the Contrast to 25 on layer 2. (To adjust the brightness and contrast select Colors | Adjust | Brightness/Contrast on the menu bar.
Magic Wand Selection Tool
The selection tools allow you to choose various different areas of your image. These areas can be manipulated, painted on and filtered without changing the appearance of the areas outside of the selection.
In the example, I opened my image and immediately Promoted the Background Layer to a layer. (Shift + A to Select All, Selections | Promote to Layer). Use the Layer Visibility Toggle buttons to turn off the Background and the Promoted Layer.
The next step was to add another layer which will act as a backdrop for our image. Change your foreground color on your Color Palette to R:250, G:199, B:198. Using the Fill Tool, fill this layer with the foreground color. Drag your Promoted Layer above this layer in the Layers Control dialog box.
Press Ctrl + D to release any selections.
Switch the foreground and background colors on your Color Palette.
Working on the Promoted Layer, I used the Magic Wand to select the dark 'background' areas of the photo. The amount of area involved in the selection is dependant on the Tolerance settings. A higher Tolerance setting will include more areas in the selection while a lower setting will include less. I used a Tolerance setting of 20 but due to the nature of the beast each image will require a different setting to achieve the desired results. Even the 'area' of the image where you click can affect the selection.
Notice how the selection line is inset into the lighter areas of the image. This is caused by having a Feather setting of 20 applied to the magic wand. Had the Feather been set to zero, the line would have been more nearly aligned along the exact break between the light and dark colors.
Again, note how the previous Feather setting has affected the function of the delete key. Instead of a hard line between the selected and non-selected areas, we have a soft fading from one to the other.
When the Magic Wand Feather option is set to a number other than zero, the Ctrl key can be used to de-select areas within the selected area. (It can be used even if the feather is set to zero, but the resulting area is so minute as to be indistinguishable).
To put the finishing touches on my image I used the Eraser Tool with the options set as follows:
- Opacity: 57
- Density: 100
- Size: 66
- Hardness: 50
- Step: 57
- Paper Texture: Small Brick
Having the Opacity set to a lower number, rather than 100, gives a nice blending effect.
Note: When working on a single layer, ie. the background rather than a multiple layer image, the Eraser Tool removes everything down to the canvas, including the image. Please see Eraser Tool for more detail.
Move Tool
The Move Tool will also move the selection marque to a different area, without moving the area that was originally selected. To move the marque with the Move Tool, right click anywhere inside of the selection, and while keeping the mouse button depressed, drag the marque to a new location.
In the example I have a background image which I copied and pasted as a new layer. I set the layer Blend Mode to Difference to display the moved second layer.
Crop Tool
 Precise Cursor |
 Standard Cursor |
As with all of the tools, there are two choices of cursor available. Cursors may be changed under the File | Preferences | General Program Preferences menu.
The Precise Cursor is easier to work with than the Standard, but if your eyes are as tired as mine are, the tiny dot in the center of the cursor can become mighty difficult to see when positioned over a detailed graphic.
If you prefer the Standard Cursor which displays the cursor as the current tool 'symbol' or brush size/shape, all is not lost. The Crop Tool bounding box may be adjusted by simply dragging the edges until they are positioned properly.
As an additional option, exact coordinates may be typed into the Crop Area dialog box. This is extremely handy if you have a series of the same size images that you need to crop to the exact same size. Crop the first image and on all subsequent images double click the Crop Tool icon on the Tool Palette to open the dialog box. The coordinates will already be in place and you can simply click ok for an exact crop. When the dialog box closes the image will display the cropping tool bounding box, a click within the box will complete the crop.The Color Replacer Tool
As with any of the paint tools, you can also draw a line with the Color Replacer Tool. Position the cursor where you want to start drawing the line, and click once. Press and hold the Shift key. Position the cursor where you want to end the line and click once. A line will appear between the two points. At this point you can continue drawing lines in any direction you please by pressing the Shift key again, moving the cursor and clicking.
Masks
A mask is a 256 color Grey Scale bitmap similar to a stencil. It has "open" areas that allow changes to the image and "closed" areas, that do not. White is a completely "open" area, black is completely "closed" and shades of grey allow varying degrees of changes to be made to the image. Masked areas are represented by an opaque red color.
Masks, in PSP 5, are easier to work with than they were in PSP 4, allow for greater flexibility due to the layer function and can now be saved to Disk or Alpha Channel.
Methods Of Applying A Mask
Source luminance: The pixel color luminance controls the amount of masking. Darker colors produce more masking while lighter colors produce less.
Any non-zero value: There is no gradation to the masking. Colored pixels are covered by the mask while pixels without color are not masked at all.
Invert mask data reverses the mask transparency causing black to become white, white to become black and shades of grey to become their mirror transparency.
Hide All: The entire layer is masked. Editing the mask results in uncovering masked areas.
Show All: A mask is created but will not display when the View Mask option is selected as the entire area is the non-masked portion of the mask. Editing the mask results in creating the masked portions.
An existing mask may also be applied to an image. Again, select Masks from the menu bar, but rather than New, go down the list to Load From Disk or Load From Alpha Channel. There are four ready to use From Disk masks installed by Jasc, or you can save your own masks to disk for later use.
To load a mask from an Alpha Channel you will first have to create your own mask.
Creating a Mask from a Channel
A mask may be created from any of the resulting images when you split an image into RGB, HSL, or CMYK channels.
- Select Colors | Channel Splitting from the menu bar.
- Select one of the Channel Splitting methods.
- Apply a new mask to one of your resulting images using the From Image option.
- Save the mask using the Save To Alpha Channel under the Mask menu.
But the fun doesn't stop here. Not only do we have masking functionality, but additionally we can edit the masks with a number of the paint tools.
Tools Work On Masks
Due to the fact that masks work off of black, white, and shades of grey, the functions of the different tools may vary.
Clone Brush - The source image must first be set to Grey Scale in order for this tool to work.
Paint Brush - Regardless of which button is used, black will add to the mask while white will remove the mask.
The same effect can be seen with the air brush tool.
Eraser Tool - When erasing with shades of grey, the primary button masks unprotected areas, the secondary button removes masking from the masked area.
Retouch:
- Smudge
- Lighten - to remove mask
- Darken - to replace mask
- Soften
- Sharpen
- Emboss
- Push
Tubes - You can create some really cool effects with Tubes and Masks.
For the example I started with a new window, then applied a mask to the window using the Hide All selection. Activating the Edit mask selection, I then switched to the Tubes tool and 'dropped' a few butterflies onto my mask. I de-activated the Edit Mask function, Inverted the mask and finished off by adding a Gradient Fill.
Gradient Fill
MasksLayers
With the addition of Layers, Paint Shop Pro has become a much more powerful graphics program. Layers are functional in 256 Grey Scale or 16 Million colors and up to 64 layers are possible, per image. The Layer Palette can be a little daunting, so let's take a look at it.
Clone Brush
My favorite use of the Clone Brush is for super-imposing one image over another, especially when I only want part of one image transferred. Some of those really super collage effects you see around the Web are done with the Clone Brush tool from one graphics program or another.
When you work with the Clone Brush, you are working in two separate areas, the Source and the Target. The Source is the area you are copying and the Target is the area you are transferring to. The Source and the Target may be in the same image or different images.
The first setting you need to concern yourself with when using the Clone Brush is the Aligned | Non-Aligned option. Once you are accustomed to it, the Non-Aligned option gives far greater flexibility, but can also cause the greatest frustration.
In the Aligned mode, the source area moves with you. If you release your mouse button and press it again, the brush will behave as if you had never stopped copying. In the Non-Aligned mode, the source area does not move with you. If you release your mouse button and press it again the brush will start back at the beginning selection on the source image.
Source | Target |
To use the Clone Brush, first start with your Source image. Right click on the area you want to use as your starting point.
Activate the Target image. While holding down the primary mouse button, move the cursor around the canvas.
Filter Browser
| PSP is fully compatible with third party plug-in filters, many of which can be downloaded for free from the Web.
Plug-in Filter Resources:
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|
Each of the spiders on this page is the same spider with a different Filter applied.
The Filters are found under their own category heading, (Blur, Edge, Noise, Sharpen, Other), in the Image Menu options. But they can all be found together under Image | Filter Browser on the Menu Bar. Transparent Backgrounds
Paint Shop Pro is great for creating transparent backgrounds for your Web graphics. Granted, in my opinion, they were easier to create in PSP 4, but they are not difficult in PSP 5 once you know where everything is hidden.
The first problem you'll probably run into is locating the "Set Palette Transparency" option. In PSP 4 it was conveniently located under the Options button right on the Save As dialog box. You'll go to save your image as a gif, press the Options button and... and no transparency settings! Undaunted you will go to File Format Preferences in the File Menu only to find there are only three formats listed, and gif isn't one of them. Now, all of this could change as PSP 5 is still in BETA, but until it does, just how do you set the transparent color?
Searching all over, you will finally locate the option under Colors on the Menu Bar. Defeated again... the option is greyed out and will not let you set the transparency. Panic is probably setting in about now, and it's such a pity because you're so close.
To save a transparent background you must first reduce the image's colors to 256. Go to Colors | Decrease Color Depth on the menu bar. Choose 256 (8 bit). This will open the Decrease Color Depth dialog box.
I've found the options I have selected in the Decrease Color Depth dialog box work well for me, so you might try duplicating those for now and play with different settings at your leisure.
Select Colors | Set Palette Transparency... from the Menu Bar. The Set Palette Transparency dialog box will open, giving you three choices. Select the "Set the transparency value to the current background color" option and click ok.
To view your transparency select Colors | View Palette Transparency from the Menu Bar. The background of your image will now appear as a white and gray checkerboard. You're now ready to save your gif.
Resizing Images
To change an image's size select Image | Resize... on the Menu Bar.
There are four different methods of changing the height and width of an image.
- Bicubic
- Bilinear
- Pixel Resize
- Smart Size
The Bicubic Method is for enlarging images. Through a process called interpolation, the Bicubic Method minimizes the raggedness normally associated with enlarging an image by estimating how the 'missing' pixels should appear, then filling them in with the appropriate color to smooth out the rough spots. Use the Bicubic Method to enlarge photographic type images and the Bilinear Method to shrink them.
The same image enlarged using the Pixel Resize method shows rough and jagged edges. This is due to the fact that this method duplicates or removes pixels to achieve the desired results. Pixel Resize should be used with hard-edge images such as line drawings.
The Smart Size Method chooses the best algorithm based on the current image characteristics.
Real World Example: Beveled Frame
Having done reasonably well with the Rainbow Logo, let's attempt to duplicate Creating A Custom Beveled Frame from the Photoshop tutorial.
Preparation and Outer Frame
Open an image. Immediately create a new layer by dragging the Background Layer button down to the Create New Layer button in the Layers Control box. Turn the original background off by pressing the Layer Visibility Toggle. Name the new layer Center Picture. Toggle the Center Picture Layer off.
Create yet another layer by dragging the Center Picture layer button to the Create New Layer button. Name this layer Outer Frame by right clicking on the Layer button and selecting Properties.
Repeat the process one more time, naming this layer Inner Frame. Toggle the Inner Frame Layer off.
Working on the Outer Frame layer, double click on the Rectangular Selection Tool button on the Tool Palette to open the Select Area dialog box. Enter the coordinates
- Left 8
- Top 8
- Right 244
- Bottom 190
Check the Custom size and position radio button and click ok. Press the delete key on your keyboard to remove the center of the image. (You may see the Transparency Checker Board rather than the white center in the example). Turn the Outer Frame Layer off.
In the Layers Control dialog box press the Inner Frame layer button. Double click on the Lasso Tool button on the Tool Palette to open the Select Area dialog box. Enter the coordinates
- Left 16
- Top 16
- Right 236
- Bottom 182
Activate the Outer Frame layer in the Layers Control dialog box. Press Ctrl + D on your keyboard to clear any selections. Click in the center of the image with the Magic Wand and Invert your selection by pressing Ctrl + Shift + I on your keyboard. Select Colors | Adjust | Brightness/Contrast from the menu bar. In the Brightness/Contrast dialog box set the Brightness to 0 (zero) and the Contrast to -50 (minus 50).
On the menu bar select Image | Noise | Add... In the Add Noise dialog box type 25% Noise, select Uniform and press OK.
Select Image | Blur | Gaussian Blur..., setting the Radius to 0.60.
To add a little color back into the frame select Colors | Colorize... setting the Hue to 149 and the Saturation to 202.
One more step to finish off the Outer Frame. Select Colors | Adjust | Brightness/Contrast on the menu bar. Adjust the Brightness to 10% and the Contrast to 0%.
Drag the Outer Frame above the Inner Frame in the Layers Control dialog box.
Inner Bevel and Finishing Touches
Select the Inner Frame layer button. If you find it easier to work without the distraction of the other layers, you can turn them off with their respective Layer Visibility Toggle buttons.
Press Ctrl + D on your keyboard to clear any selections. Click in the center of the image with the Magic Wand and Invert your selection by pressing Ctrl + Shift + I on your keyboard. Select Colors | Adjust | Brightness/Contrast from the menu bar. In the Brightness/Contrast dialog box set the Brightness to 0 (zero) and the Contrast to -50 (minus 50).
On the menu bar select Image | Noise | Add... In the Add Noise dialog box type 25% Noise, select Uniform and press OK.
Select Image | Blur | Gaussian Blur..., setting the Radius to 0.60.
To add a little color back into the frame select Colors | Colorize... setting the Hue to 149 and the Saturation to 202.
Creating the Bevels
The Inner Frame is a little different from the Outer Frame. We have to work on each side independently of the other sides in order to create the beveled effect.
Press Ctrl + D to clear any selections. Using the Lasso Tool, Selection Type: Point to Point, Feather: 0, Antialias: checked, trace out the top edge of the frame. I found it easiest to start in the top left inner corner (A), go across to the top right inner corner (B), angle up to the top right corner (C), back across to the top left corner (D) and finally back down to the left inner corner (A) where I started. Primary mouse click on each corner point,(A,B,C,D). Double-click to complete the selection (A).
The top edge of the Inner Frame is in the deepest shadow so we'll adjust the Brightness/Contrast accordingly. Select Colors | Adjust | Brightness/Contrast.... Set the Brightness to -40% (minus 40) and the Contrast to -20 (minus 20).
The selection process for the remaining three sides is basically the same as it was for the top bevel selection. As each side is selected, adjust it as follows before releasing the selection and moving on to the next side.
The left side of the frame isn't in quite as deep shadow so we'll adjust the Brightness/Contrast to Brightness -20% (minus 20) and the Contrast to -10% (minus 10).
The bottom bevel receives the most light and was adjusted to a Brightness of 60 and Contrast of 0.
The settings for the right bevel were Brightness 60, Contrast -15 (minus 15). Press Ctrl + D to release any selections.
Drag the Center Picture Layer below the two Frame Layers on the Layers Control Dialog Box, and toggle it on. To finish up, we'll tweak the center picture layer a little to draw focus to it by adjusting the RGB color values. Select Colors | Adjust | Red/Green/Blue... from the menu. In the Red/Green/Blue dialog box set the values as follows:
- Red - 14%
- Green - 11%
- Blue = 0%
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