Book Image

Getting Started with Paint.NET

Book Image

Getting Started with Paint.NET

Overview of this book

Paint.NET is a free, reliable program that rivals the most expensive photo editing programs currently on the market.Paint.NET supports plugins, which add image adjustments, effects, and support for additional file types. They can be programmed using any .NET programming language, though they are most commonly written in C#. This book will teach you everything you need to know to edit and manipulate images. Written with very clear walkthroughs, hands-on tutorials,and amazing resources, this book will turn you into a photo wizard with Paint.NET. The book starts with simple tool-based tasks, introduces you to the workpane and then builds up to more complex areas taking a deep dive into the commonly-used features of Paint.NET. With this book, you will learn how to do everything from making simple adjustments to full artistic rendering with tools not available in any other program. Starting with the very basics of photo editing, you will gain an understanding of the basic principles of manipulating images. From layering to special effects, this book will give you all the knowledge you need to create images that leave a lasting impression. This book has everything you need to make amazing, artistic photos using completely free software. Filled with fun exercises and valuable information, you will learn how to master every tool and every effect in Paint.NET. Within minutes, you will be able to resize images, make adjustments to brightness and contrast, and apply color correction. By the end of this book, you will be working with layers and effects to create images that rival some of the most advised and expensive pieces of software. With simple exercises and information, this book will take you from absolute novice to an accomplished photo editor quickly and easily.
Table of Contents (15 chapters)
Getting Started with Paint.NET
Credits
About the Authors
About the Reviewer
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
Index

Selection tools


Selection tools are designed to allow you to select specific areas within your document so that you can perform activities like the color correction of effects. The following screenshot shows the selection tools available in the toolbar:

For example, let's say you took a photo and want to increase the contrast on somebody's face without affecting the entire photo. You can use one of the selection tools to isolate the area and increase the brightness of the face without changing the rest of the photo. The selection tools consist of the Rectangle Select, Lasso Select, Ellipse Select, and the Magic Wand. When these selection areas are active, they appear as light blue areas surrounded by small dashes.

Rectangle Select (shortcut key S)

As its name suggests, the Rectangle Select tool allows you to select a rectangle shape in your document.

This is perfect for areas containing sharp edges that you wish to isolate and change. When you select the Rectangle Select tool, your cursor will...