Kingantz
Growing too fast.
- Joined
- Oct 6, 2007
- Messages
- 7,648
Please understand these “instructions” are from me just playing around with this program, not knowing the first thing about it. I am by NO MEANS an expert at using this thing. 
First things first. You will want to “fix” whatever pictures you are looking to use. I simply use Windows Photo Gallery, which in Vista (not sure about other Windows versions such as XP), you can click on Fix and then click the Auto Adjust and/or use the manual adjustments to fix the picture however you want. Of course, I also use the Crop Picture feature to crop the head, foot, cap, etc. of the cigar or whatever. Once all your pictures are set-up the way you want, open up Paint.Net
To add layers (pictures)
· Click on Layers in toolbar at the top
· Click on Import From File
· Find the picture you want on your computer, click Open.
· Again, repeat to add second, third, and so on layers repeating the process adjusting size/location.
To move/adjust previous layers (pictures)
· Go to the Layers window and highlight the picture you want to move/change.
· Go to Tools and click on the Rectangle Select icon (top left)
· Put cursor over picture (any) and click
· Go to Tools and click on the arrow with the + sign underneath, then move/adjust picture.
· You can also delete any picture by going to the Layers window, highlighting the picture, and clicking the red X at the bottom
· If you have a layer that extends too far over another layer and would prefer the layer behind to come forward, go to the Layers window and click either the small blue arrow pointing up or down, whichever brings it forward (or back).
To Pop Out a picture
· Add layer (picture)
· Click on Layers in the toolbar at the top and click Duplicate Layer. This will add a duplicate layer on top of your first layer (will appear in Layers window on the right).
· Make sure the top later is highlighted, then click on Adjustments in the toolbar at the top.
· Click on Hue/Saturation
· Move Saturation adjustment all the way to the left. This should make the top layer black and white.
· Go to the Tools window and click on the Eraser icon.
· Start “Erasing” over the part of the picture you want to “Pop Out”
· You can adjust the size by either clicking the – or + sign in Brush Width (bottom toolbar), or simply click on the down arrow and choose the size.
· You can also enlarge the picture to get more detailed edges by clicking on the Magnifying Glass with the + sign, or to make smaller the Magnifying Glass with the – sign. To simply adjust the picture back to normal, click on the down arrow between the Magnifying Glasses and click on Window.
To save, click File, Save As, Save As Type, and choose the type of file you want (jpeg is most common I think). Enter a File Name and click save. A Save Configuration window will pop up, just click OK, the click Flatten in the next window. You’re all set!
There’s lots of other gadgets to play with on this thing, however I haven’t explored much other than what I’ve got here….yet.
First things first. You will want to “fix” whatever pictures you are looking to use. I simply use Windows Photo Gallery, which in Vista (not sure about other Windows versions such as XP), you can click on Fix and then click the Auto Adjust and/or use the manual adjustments to fix the picture however you want. Of course, I also use the Crop Picture feature to crop the head, foot, cap, etc. of the cigar or whatever. Once all your pictures are set-up the way you want, open up Paint.Net
To add layers (pictures)
· Click on Layers in toolbar at the top
· Click on Import From File
· Find the picture you want on your computer, click Open.
*Now, here’s where my non-expertise comes in. I’ve found that if I open a picture I’ve adjusted (cropped), the size will automatically adjust to the size of that picture. So, what I do is I find a full picture that hasn’t been touched and Open it first. Once it is open, I then go to the small Layers window (right hand side) and click on the red X at the bottom to close out that picture, but the size of the background is adjusted to the correct size (at least for me). Again, I’m not sure if this is the best/correct way to get the background size set, but it works for me.
· Once the background is set, repeat to add another “layer” or picture, move it to where you want it on the background and adjust size/location.· Again, repeat to add second, third, and so on layers repeating the process adjusting size/location.
To move/adjust previous layers (pictures)
· Go to the Layers window and highlight the picture you want to move/change.
· Go to Tools and click on the Rectangle Select icon (top left)
· Put cursor over picture (any) and click
· Go to Tools and click on the arrow with the + sign underneath, then move/adjust picture.
· You can also delete any picture by going to the Layers window, highlighting the picture, and clicking the red X at the bottom
· If you have a layer that extends too far over another layer and would prefer the layer behind to come forward, go to the Layers window and click either the small blue arrow pointing up or down, whichever brings it forward (or back).
To Pop Out a picture
· Add layer (picture)
· Click on Layers in the toolbar at the top and click Duplicate Layer. This will add a duplicate layer on top of your first layer (will appear in Layers window on the right).
· Make sure the top later is highlighted, then click on Adjustments in the toolbar at the top.
· Click on Hue/Saturation
· Move Saturation adjustment all the way to the left. This should make the top layer black and white.
· Go to the Tools window and click on the Eraser icon.
· Start “Erasing” over the part of the picture you want to “Pop Out”
· You can adjust the size by either clicking the – or + sign in Brush Width (bottom toolbar), or simply click on the down arrow and choose the size.
· You can also enlarge the picture to get more detailed edges by clicking on the Magnifying Glass with the + sign, or to make smaller the Magnifying Glass with the – sign. To simply adjust the picture back to normal, click on the down arrow between the Magnifying Glasses and click on Window.
To save, click File, Save As, Save As Type, and choose the type of file you want (jpeg is most common I think). Enter a File Name and click save. A Save Configuration window will pop up, just click OK, the click Flatten in the next window. You’re all set!
There’s lots of other gadgets to play with on this thing, however I haven’t explored much other than what I’ve got here….yet.
