Copyright: Made with Shalom Help Maker www.danish-shareware.dk/soft/shelpm/


Contents

 Paint Shop Pro

Paint Shop Pro 8 is a powerful graphic image edit work program. You can repair or change the appearance of a photo image beyond recognition. It is full of options that will help you edit your photo. A cracked damaged photo taken some 50 years ago can be made to look almost like new. You can revitalize colors lost in the original photo. Photos that were badly taken can be improved, out of focus sections can be sharpened, and that unsightly telegraph pole or hanging electricity wire or pylon in the background can be removed by pasting an adjacent area over the top of the offending poles or wires.

This is only a condensed Help file but it will help you especially if you are just starting out to edit photos. I have not covered all the various options available but those that I thought would get you started along the way. Once you get started, you will discover what you can do:
All you need is your imagination!

The following topics are available in this help file:

 Contents

 Overview

 About this help file

 Opening Paint Shop Pro

 The Main Window Work Area

 The Materials Palette

 The Main Window Work Area showing word document capture

 Capturing an image or part of it

 Capture Setup

 Copying and Pasting

 Importing from a scanner

 Selecting all or part of an area of a picture/photo to edit

 Sharpening a Photograph

 Red Eye Correction

 Copying - Layer Pasting on to another image or photo

 Scratch Removal Tool

 Adding Text to a Photo or Graphic

 Applying color to a Photo or an Image Area

 Adjust Brightness and Contrast

 Zooming in for a closer view to edit

 Resizing the Photo Image

 Flipping or Rotating the Photo Image

 Mirroring the Photo Image

 Saving your work

 The Web Toolbar for Compressing while Saving

 Important Tips I recommend

 Using The Batch Process to Convert Files

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Overview

Overview

Important! Please view About this help file to read the conditions concerning the use of my help file, and how to contact me.

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Note this Condensed Help file does not cover all the options that the program offers the user, I have written about the ones that I thought were absolutely necessary for a beginner to know, and or would be regularly used.

This is the Main Window in Paint Shop Pro 8.

Paint Shop Pro 8 is designed and built in full mind of today's digital photography, and is a necessity for serious digital photographic editing. It contains a multitude of professional editing features for both the Advanced and Novice user. Although certain options go unchanged from previous versions of Paint Shop Pro, new ones have been added or simplified. One of the many new options that I have written about is correcting red eyeballs. This is caused when at certain angles the flash hits the eyeballs. Various hue colorings are available for you to choose from in order to correct your picture as necessary: Besides the human eye, nature photography eye repair is also available.

Description

The program Main Window has a clean uncluttered look about it: Paint Shop Pro 8 has been redesigned with new vivid buttons tools which are thoughtfully grouped together, and menu names changed; the image menu offers options for the whole photo, and the adjust menu for adjusting etc., and it is full of new advanced editing features for the professional.

The Tool Palette on the side of the Main Window work area provides a variety of tools for use; down arrows are used to make groups of tools available for use. For example, the three selection tools the rectangular, freehand and the magic wand. The color palette has been renamed to Materials. This palette is now a shared palette, and is not only used for painting areas, but for text coloring when adding text to a photo: You can get to the formatting text options and other palettes via the View menu. The formatting text options toolbar (B i U and font size and style) will show automatically when the Text Entry box appears on the screen after you have chosen it, see adding text to a photo.

When you select the zoom option from the View menu, see Zooming in to view; the zooming in/out tool bar appears above the Main Window work area.

Getting your photos into the Main Window Work Area

There are several ways of getting a photo image into the Main Window work area, so that you can work on them: You can either open a saved photo from the File menu, or copy and paste it in and or capture the whole screen or part of an image from a document. Another option is to import your photos to the Main Window work area directly from either your desktop scanner, or via a digital camera.

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Some of the things you can do

Paint Shop Pro lets you edit a photo / image changing its characteristics completely, copying and pasting areas of one window and layering on the top of another picture, you can repaint, or apply paint, sharpen, blur, enhance and adjust coloring, brightness and contrast.

It lets you resize, mirror, flip and rotate images.

You can add text to your photo at will.

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Copying - Layer Pasting on to another image or photo: This photo was edited by copying the monkey and layer pasting it into the Rolls Royce. Text was added to the picture also, sometimes there is a need to add text. Paint shop Pro lets you copy part of an area of a picture image so that you can paste it as a layer within another Paint Shop Pro window. By doing this, you can repair and edit old photos, remove unsightly creases and personal markings whatsoever.

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Important tips: I recommend the use of the JPEG format for saving your photo. You can however, use the Batch Conversion to convert a BMP or other file formats to a Compuserve Graphics interchange *.gif. The gif format reduces the size of the colors to 256, and therefore the size of the file likewise. The gif format is excellent for Internet Web pages and e-mailing due to its reduced file size. Paint Shop Pro can save your edited photo in a variety of file types, even ready for opening on an Apple Macintosh Computer.

 A really fast saving option is to use The Web Toolbar, which compresses a copy of your photo; ideal for e-mailing.

About the Paint Shop Pro integrated program Help File:
The Paint Shop Pro 8 program Help file at first sight looks complex, but this is not so! The Program Help File that comes with the program contains easy to view Video Movies: viewing video is a new option not in previous versions: These videos when played, show you step by step how to work with the program. They explain the Toolbars and the various types of Palettes you can use. You can run them several times to acquaint yourself with the option that you want to do.

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About this Help file

About this help file

(Click here to go to Contents)

This is a condensed help version it doesn't cover all of the many features in Paint Shop Pro 8. However, I have included those that I thought to be some of the major ones in the program. Paint Shop Pro 8 is a wonderful user friendly program to use, and full of useful tools. This condensed help file may not conform to strict Microsoft Help file protocols.

My help files are made available as Freeware for private use only, note that I retain full rights on them! You may copy from them, and also distribute freely without charge, but what you must not do is alter the file in any way, or inhibit others from using them. Nor claim that you wrote or re-wrote my file in any way unless you got my permission first to do so, or sell it/them.

If you intend to use my condensed help files for commercial use, then you must make contact with me to discuss the matter of royalties.

Commercial users must pay me for using this condensed help file: I retain full copyright.

Please note: you use the help files at your own risk, and that you agree that I am not liable for loss, damage or any inconvenience that occurs/may occur/has occurred due to you using it. By downloading and or using them, or acting on any information within these files, means that you accept all liability on yourself for any loss, inconvenience and or damaged caused, and also that you agree to adhere to all my conditions for their use, and by downloading and using them you also agree that you have no right to redress compensation or claims in any court of law in any country whatsoever over accuracy of content whatsoever, loss, inconvenience caused by any inaccuracy, and that you have read this notice.

I made this help file with no ulterior motive it is freeware for private use only, feel free to pass it on to who you please.

If you have any comments as to accuracy, contents whatever please feel free to contact me.

I remind you that I accept no responsibility for accuracy, or any damage loss caused whatsoever. You use this help file at your own risk.

Paint Shop Pro 8 is a very well made program.

To make this help file I have used the superb freeware program created by Finn Ekberg Christiansen, which is easy to use and nicely designed. It has bright clear graphic icon buttons and is full of very useful features. It doesn't suffer with the annoying extra area spacing bug found in many other help authoring programs when inserting bullets, and or manually numbering lists. He has just upgraded his help authoring tool with new options and it is available for downloading.

(Click here to go to Contents.)

Finn Ekberg Christiansen has done his homework well, and produced a fabulous help maker.

 http://www.danish-shareware.dk/soft/shelpm/index.html

Moshe Brace © 17th October 2006

mbrace7@gmail.com
My Website is now available:  www.moshe.lee.co.il

Rishon Le Ziyyon
Israel

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Freehand Selection in use


Opening Paint Shop Pro 8

Opening Paint Shop Pro

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To open Paint Shop Pro do one of the following:

In Windows 98, 2000, and XP double click on the Short-cut desktop icon [image], or

In the Start Button All programs menu, click on the Paint Shop Pro shortcut.

Getting your photos into the Main Window Work Area

There are several ways of getting a photo image into the Main Window work area, so that you can work on them: You can either open a saved photo from the File menu, or copy and paste it in and or capture the whole screen or part of an image from a document. Another option is to import your photos to the Main Window work area directly from either your desktop scanner, or via a digital camera.

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Capturing an image or part of it

Capturing an image or part of it

Paint Shop Pro lets you capture an image or part of an image, or an object, or the entire window with or without the cursor being shown. (Before attempting to capture, see Important Tips.)

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To capture an area of the screen or an image do the following:

1. From the File menu, left click on Import and Screen Capture and Start; you are back in the previous document window/desktop, or by toggling to the window that you want to capture from (by pressing Alt and Tab together).

If you want to change the Capture Setup do it now:

(To go to Capture Setup Procedure)

To see the Capture Setup dialogue box left click on the above picture.

You may need to use a hotkey say F11 instead of the mouse to start the activate capture procedure: There are times when this is a necessity!
2. Place the mouse arrow pointer within either of the dead page scroll bar areas and click on the [image] right mouse button; the mouse cursor becomes a flashing on/off [image] Cross-hair - Gun sight capture tool.

3. Move the [image] to the outer upper left hand - side perimeter of the image

you want to capture by dragging the mouse. (Don't hold down any of the mouse buttons!)

Here you can see the Cross-hair-Gun-sight capture tool
at the upper left hand - side perimeter of the image.

Anything inside the oblong area line box will be captured and appear in the PSP window.

5. Click again the left [image] mouse button; the captured area appears in Paint Shop Pro.

To see a Word document captured into Paint Shop Pro 8

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To Contents.


Capture Setup

Capture Setup

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Paint Shop Pro lets you change the settings on how to perform a screen capture. There are times when you will need to use a Hot Key say F10 on the Keyboard to perform captures, or decide the type of capture you need: You may want to capture an area, or an object or a certain window.

To change the settings do the following:

 Left mouse button click on the File menu and go down it to Import, drag the mouse through Screen Capture and left mouse click again on Setup as shown in this picture.

Click on the above picture to see the setup dialogue box.

 Left mouse button click on the [image] Capture Now button to perform the capture.

To cancel: left click on the [image] Cancel button.

For Help while using this Capture Setup dialogue box Left mouse click on the [image] Help button.

After you have made your selections, Left mouse click the [image] OK button to confirm and close the box.

To return to Capturing an image or part of it procedure 2

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Capture Setup Dialogue Box

To go to the setup procedure
Left click on the above picture.


The Main Window Work Area

The Main Window Work Area
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At the top of the Main Window Work Area are the Main Menu Options and Icons, Icons can be added via the View Toolbars option at leisure.

On the left of The Main Window Work Area is the tool palette. You use these tools to select areas, paint, add text, magnify to inspect.

This is the Materials Palette. It can be hidden when required and brought back to the work area via the View menu and the Toolbars Palettes option.

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The Tool Palette Briefly Explained

You will find full explanation on how to use the Toolbar options in the program help file.


The Materials Palette

The Materials Palette is where you choose a color for painting an area, or coloring text.


Importing from a Scanner

Importing from a Scanner

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PSP lets you scan an image and import it into the PSP work area.

A brief explanation about Scanners

Scanners use the universal twain protocol, they are usually supplied with these twain protocol programs. The twain protocol allows programs like Paint Shop Pro and others to be able to open these programs and scan documents and images, then either insert them directly, or perform OCR optical character recognition for text editing purposes.

Note: If you plan to use the image later for OCR purposes, you must scan at a resolution not less than 300 dpi and save the scanned text imported into Paint Shop Pro as a Tiff (Tagged Information) file.

If you have more than one scanning item or a Web camera connected to your computer, you may have to select Scan source first.

To Select the scanner, do the following:

 From the File the menu as shown above left click on Select Source; the Scan source dialogue box appears as shown here.

 Select the scanner as shown above and left click on the Select Button; you are now ready to start the Acquire Scan procedure below.

To import the required image do one of the following:

1. Left click on the Twain Acquire Image (from Scanner) Button as shown here [image] (you may have to add this Icon to the top of the Main Window work area, see the Paint Shop Pro 8 Movie in Customizing Toolbars), or

 From the File menu as shown above and left click on Acquire; your scanner program will open and then follow the scanning procedures for your scanner.

2. Once you have scanned your pictures exit the scanner program to edit your pictures.

Note: While your scanner program is open you cannot use any options within Paint Shop Pro, you must close the scanner in order to continue using or editing in Paint Shop Pro.

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Red Eye Correction

Red Eye Correction

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Red eyes are caused by the angle of a camera flash gun hitting the pupil of the eye. You can repair this problem, automatically or manually. The program offers you a number of color shades that you can choose to correct the problem. The colors range from Browns to Greys, Blues and Greens. There is even a selection of Animal eye pupils to choose from.

To correct red eye, do the following:

First make a copy of your original photo that you want to correct! Do not use the original!
Secondly, make sure that no area of the photo copy you wish to correct is selected.

1. From the Adjust menu at the top of the Main Window, left mouse click on Red Eye Removal.

2. Place the mouse gun-sight cursor upon one of the eyes and left click; the cursor changes into a four headed arrow as shown below. If you are informed that you have to work manually, you will have to drag the mouse by one of the handles shown below.

3. Left click on Ok to confirm and repeat the process for the other eye.

4. Save your corrected photo copy, if you edited the original save it with a different file name.

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Sharpening the photo area

Sharpening the photo area

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You can sharpen a photo or part of it or you can blur / soften an area within your photo. The procedure for blurring / softening is very similar to sharpening, and the procedures are more or less the same.

To sharpen a photo, do the following:

A word of warning here, never edit your original photo, but a copy of it, or better still make several copies and work with them. The reasons are obvious! An e-mail attached photo not saved may be gone for ever, and not retrievable.

Click here to jump to the Sharpening procedure below if you have already selected the window or its area for sharpening, and are using a copy of your photo.

Three tools are available for selecting all or part of an area of a picture/photo to edit; they are the Rectangle, The Freehand, and The Magic Wand.

To select all the Photo either click on its window to make it live, or

 Left mouse click anywhere in the photo, and from the Selections menu Left click on Select All, or

 Press Ctrl + A; your photo will appear selected.

To select an area of a photo with the rectangular selection tool, do the following:

 Left click on the rectangular selection button (as shown here above selected), and drag the mouse over to the area of the photo.

 Left click once and drag the mouse over the area, then left click again; the area is selected for editing, or copying. Repeating the above operation will give you more than one selection.

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Below the rectangular area selector is the (Lasso) Freehand selector.

To select an area of a photo with the (Lasso) Freehand selector tool, do the following:

 Left mouse button click on the tool palette down arrow to access the Freehand tool and then select the Freehand tool, drag the mouse pointer that looks like a lasso over to the perimeter of the area you want to select.

 Left mouse button click and while holding down the left mouse button (Don't release it yet!) drag the Lasso Freehand cursor around the area you want to select, and then release the button; the selected area will be shown in your window. Repeating the above will give you more than one area selected.

This is a tricky operation and needs patience! You may have to repeat the procedure several times over: Tip zoom in on the area first for an accurate selection.

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Below the Freehand Selector tool on the tool palette is the Magic Wand tool.

To select an area of a photo with the Magic Wand selector tool, do the following:

 Left click on the Magic Wand selection button (as shown here above selected), and drag the mouse over to the area of the photo.

 Left click again in the area you want to select; the area is selected for editing, or copying. Each Left mouse click on a defined area automatically makes another selection as shown below. You can have multiple selections for editing.

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Continuing with the procedure after area selection:

1. Left click on the Adjust Menu, go down to Sharpness - then sideways drag the mouse down to Unsharp Mask and left click on it.

The Unsharp Mask dialogue box is displayed.

In it you see two preview boxes (Original and Sharpened - I've added the text). Decide the sharpness strength, and click on [image] to confirm; the picture is sharpened.

The Western Wall of King Solomon's Temple.

To cancel or undo, Left mouse click on the [image] Undo Button.

Remember to save your edited photo!

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Selecting

Selecting all or part of an area of a picture/photo to edit

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Three tools are available for selecting all or part of an area of a picture/photo to edit; they are the Rectangle, The Freehand, and The Magic Wand.

To select all the Photo either click on its window to make it live, or

 Left mouse click anywhere in the photo, and from the Selections menu Left click on Select All, or

 Press Ctrl + A; your photo will appear selected.

To select an area of a photo with the rectangular selection tool, do the following:

 Left click on the rectangular selection button (as shown here above selected), and drag the mouse over to the area of the photo.

 Left click once and drag the mouse over the area, then left click again; the area is selected for editing, or copying. Repeating the above operation will give you more than one selection.

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Below the rectangular area selector is the (Lasso) Freehand selector.

To select an area of a photo with the (Lasso) Freehand selector tool, do the following:

 Left mouse button click on the tool palette down arrow to access the Freehand tool and then select the Freehand tool, drag the mouse pointer that looks like a lasso over to the perimeter of the area you want to select.

 Left mouse button click and while holding down the left mouse button (Don't release it yet!) drag the Lasso Freehand cursor around the area you want to select, and then release the button; the selected area will be shown in your window. Repeating the above will give you more than one area selected.

This operation is not easy and needs patience! You may have to repeat the procedure several times over: Tip zoom in on the area first for an accurate selection.

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Below the Freehand Selector tool on the tool palette is the Magic Wand tool.

To select an area of a photo with the Magic Wand selector tool, do the following:

 Left click on the Magic Wand selection button (as shown here above selected), and drag the mouse over to the area of the photo.

 In the area you want to select, Left click again; the area is selected for editing, or copying. Each Left mouse click on a defined area automatically makes another selection as shown below. You can have multiple selections for editing.

Click here too return to Mirroring a Photo image procedure 2.

Click here to return to the Rotating Freely procedure.

If you intend to Layer paste your selection into another Paint Shop Pro 8 window see Copying - Layer Pasting on to another image or photo.

Click here for the Apply Paint Color Procedure.

Click here for the Sharpening a Photo Procedure.

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Copying - Layer Pasting

Copying - Layer Pasting on to another image or photo

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Paint Shop Pro lets you copy an area of a picture, or the whole picture and then lets you paste it as a new layer on top of the original. The importance of this option is that you can repair a copy of your original photo, which has a creased or damaged section that spoils the original photo.

A word of warning here, never edit your original photo, but a copy of it, or better still make several copies and work with them. The reasons are obvious! An e-mail attached photo not saved may be gone for ever, and not retrievable.

Left click here to go directly to the Paste Layer procedure, if you have already selected the area, or all the window.

Three tools are available for selecting all or part of an area of a picture/photo to edit; they are the Rectangle, The Freehand, and The Magic Wand.

To select all the Photo either click on its window to make it live, or

 Left mouse click anywhere in the photo, and from the Selections menu Left click on Select All, or

 Press Ctrl + A; your photo will appear selected.

To select an area of a photo with the rectangular selection tool, do the following:

 Left click on the rectangular selection button (as shown here above selected), and drag the mouse over to the area of the photo.

 Left click once and drag the mouse over the area, then left click again; the area is selected for editing, or copying. Repeating the above operation will give you more than one selection.

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Below the rectangular area selector is the (Lasso) Freehand selector. Click here to see an area copy using the Freehand Selection Tool.

To select an area of a photo with the (Lasso) Freehand selector, tool do the following:

 Left mouse button click on the palette down arrow to access the Freehand tool and then select the Freehand tool, drag the mouse pointer that looks like a lasso over to the perimeter of the area you want to select.

 Left mouse button click and while holding down the left mouse button (Don't release it yet!) drag the Lasso Freehand cursor around the area you want to select, and then release the button; the selected area will be shown in your window. Repeating the above will give you more than one area selected.

This operation is not easy and needs patience! You may have to repeat the procedure several times over: Tip zoom in on the area first for an accurate selection.

Below the Freehand Selector tool on the tool palette is the Magic Wand tool.

To select an area of a photo with the Magic Wand selector tool, do the following:

 Left click on the Magic Wand selection button (as shown here above selected), and drag the mouse over to the area of the photo.

 In the area you want to select, Left click again; the area is selected for editing, or copying. Each Left mouse click on a defined area automatically makes another selection as shown below. You can have multiple selections for editing.

To Copy your selection do one of the following:

 Left mouse click on the [image] Copy Icon button above the Main Window work area, or

 Press Ctrl + C, or Ctrl + Insert.

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The Paste as New Layer Procedure

1. Left click on your open second window that you want to paste a layer in.

2. From the Edit menu, go down to Paste and sideways and click on Paste As New Layer, or

 press Ctrl + L together; the selected area appears in the second window with a four headed arrow cursor on it.

Note: if you are pasting into a large picture you will have to search for this cursor; as it lands in the second window at random.

3. Left click on the four arrow head Mover tool in the Tool palette (as shown above), bring it over to the new area in your photo, and holding down the mouse button, drag the new layer with four headed arrow cursor over to the required position, and line it up carefully.

4. Save this second window (by pressing on F12 on the [image],) and selecting Save as, then you must close this photo window.

To Undo or Cancel, Left click on the [image] Undo button.

Undo to cancel, or close and save this window: To continue editing, you have to close and re-open this window. Note that other editing tools cannot be used!

Sometimes I have found that I had to close Paint Shop Pro and re-open it again reopening the file once more.

Don't be surprised if you also have to close Paint Shop Pro and re-open it again in order to continue working with the program. You may even find that you are informed that no item is on the clipboard: If this happens, close the program and reopen it again.

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Adding Text to a Photo or Graphic

Adding Text to a Photo or Graphic

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With Paint Shop Pro you can add text to a picture, see the above picture. You can format the text to appear as you want it to. You can choose the text font, the size and the style of it.

Version 8 uses the main Materials Color Palette to select the text color. It also automatically shows the text formatting tools if the View Menu - Palette - Tool Options have been selected.

To view the text formatting Palette Tool Options, do the following:

 From the View the menu as shown above left click on Tool options. The formatting tool options will appear when you open the Text Entry Box.

To add text to your photo, do the following;

A word of warning here, never ever edit your original photo, but a copy of it, or better still makes several copies and work with them. The reasons are obvious! An e-mail attached photo not saved may be gone for ever, and not retrievable.

1. In the Tool Palette on the left of the Main Window work area, Left Mouse click on the letter A; the Text Formatting tools will appear above the work area.

2. Drag the mouse [image] Gunsight Cursor to the area you wish you insert the text, and Left mouse click; the Text Entry Box appears on the work area.

3. Type in your text: Tick the Remember Text, if you want to use the same text again; as you type in the Text Entry box, you will see the text appear in your picture. It may appear too large for the picture, to correct this use the formatting size option, or

 Select your text, using the formatting tools above the Main Window work area format it. The formatting tools give you the choice of changing the Style of the font (letters), to Bold, Italic, and or Underline.

To change the color of the text, in the Text Entry Box select the text and left click on the materials palette.

4. Left mouse click on Apply to confirm and close the Text Entry box.

5. Place the mouse on the center of the text, the mouse cursor becomes a four headed arrow, see below. Use it to position the text.

To adjust the size of the text, place the mouse on the black box handles at the corners. Holding down the left mouse button and dragging it will resize the text for you, in to reduce size outward to increase the text size.

You must do the following:

 Save your edited copy of the original with its new text! Press F12, or

 From the file menu left click on Save As, and give your photo a new name save it as a JPEG to save space on your hard disk.

If you decide that the text is not what you want, or that the text is in the wrong position, then left click on the [image] Object Select tool and delete the text and start all over again or move it; the text area will be selected again allowing you to delete, or move it to a new position in your picture.

Before you close the photo window, check that you are satisfied with your work! Now close the window of the new edited copy of the original photo. When you close the window your text will be permanent.

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Applying color to a Photo or an Image Area

Applying Color or Repainting a Photo or an Image Area

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Colors often fade in a photo or you have crease to contend with: One option is to repaint the area. Paintshop Pro lets you use a paint dropper selection tool to select a match for the adjacent color. Once you have selected your area, then a variety of tools are available to paint in the selected area the matching color.

A word of warning here, never edit your original photo, but a copy of it, or better still make several copies and work with them. The reasons are obvious! An e-mail attached photo not saved may be gone for ever, and not retrievable.

Left click here, to jump directly to the repainting procedure below, if the area is already selected.

Selection Tools

Three tools are available for selecting all or part of an area of a picture/photo to edit; they are the Rectangle, The Freehand, and The Magic Wand.

To select all the Photo either click on its window to make it live, or

 Left mouse click anywhere in the photo, and from the Selections menu Left click on Select All, or

 Press Ctrl + A; your photo will appear selected.

To select an area of a photo with the rectangular selection tool do the following:

 Left click on the rectangular selection button (as shown here above selected), and drag the mouse over to the area of the photo.

 Left click once and drag the mouse over the area, then left click again; the area is selected for editing, or copying. Repeating the above operation will give you more than one selection.

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Below the rectangular area selector is the (Lasso) Freehand selector.

To select an area of a photo with the (Lasso) Freehand selector tool, do the following:

 Left mouse button click on the palette down arrow to access the Freehand tool and then select the Freehand tool, drag the mouse pointer that looks like a lasso over to the perimeter of the area you want to select.

 Left mouse button click and while holding down the left mouse button (Don't release it yet!) drag the Lasso Freehand cursor around the area you want to select, and then release the button; the selected area will be shown in your window. Repeating the above will give you more than one area selected.

This operation is not easy and needs patience! You may have to repeat the procedure several times over: Tip zoom in on the area first for an accurate selection.

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Below the Freehand Selector tool on the tool palette is the Magic Wand tool.

To select an area of a photo with the Magic Wand selector tool, do the following:

 Left click on the Magic Wand selection button (as shown here above selected), and drag the mouse over to the area of the photo.

 In the area you want to select, Left click again; the area is selected for editing, or copying. Each Left mouse click on a defined area automatically makes another selection as shown below. You can have multiple selections for editing.

To apply a color to the selected area, do the following:

After you have selected the area you want to paint, select the color to paint from the Materials palette using the dropper tool found in the Tool Palette on the left of the work area.

To use the dropper tool, do the following:

1. Left mouse click on the down arrow adjacent to the dropper tool as shown here.

2. Drag your mouse over to either a matching color within your photo that you want to apply to your photo, or to the Materials Palette and left click on the color required; the foreground color square on the right of the Main Window work area below the Materials Palette will be the color chosen. If you want to be specific about a color you can rapid click on the Materials to see a Materials color palette to choose from.

Select and use one of the various painting tools from the Tool Palette:

 The Flood Fill Tool is excellent for large areas or either Sprays, or The Paint Brush from the Tool Palette.

Note you may be asked to promote the photo area, this is a request to upgrade the amount of colors used in the photo - agree and click on the OK button and repeat area selection again.

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 To use the Flood Fill Tool, left click on it and drag it onto the selected area you want to paint; it appears in a circle. Left click again and the selected area is filled with the chosen color.

 To use the Brush Tool, left click on the down arrow and select your brush tool (there are 3 to choose from), and drag the brush around within the selected area; it appears in a circle.

Before you close the photo window, check that you are satisfied with your work! When you close the window the color will be permanent.

To Undo or cancel, click on the [image] Undo button in the icons: The color change only becomes permanent when you close the window. You have to close the window and save the changed picture / photo.

Save your edited photo copy!

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Dropper Tool in Use


Materials Color Palette


Paint Brush Tool in Use


Batch Conversion - Converting File Types

Batch Conversion - Converting File Types

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You can convert file formats saving the new format file in the folder of your choice.

To Convert a single file or several files, do the following:

1. Left Mouse click on the Batch in the File menu and drag the mouse to Process and Left click again; the Batch Conversion dialogue box appears.

2. In the upper section of the Batch Conversion dialogue box as shown here, look for the source folder and file to convert.

In the lower section, browse for the type of file to save the converted file and the folder to save to. In both sections there are scroll down lists of various file types for you to choose from.

3. If you have only one file to convert when you have found it, rapid left click on the file, select the file and left click on the Start button; and it will make a new converted file in the folder of your choice. If the file already exists you will be asked to confirm overwriting the file.

If you have several files to convert of the same type, left click on the Select All Button; all the files will be converted and saved to the folder of your choice.

4. Click on the [image] OK Button to confirm the completing the process.

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Zooming in for a closer view to edit

Zooming in for a closer view to edit

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You can zoom in to examine the photo / picture carefully, or Zoom out to see perspective. Two of the options available, are one to use the Magnifier which follows the cursor and magnifies the point of the arrow where it rests. This magnification can be adjusted to suite your requirements, and the other Zoom in / Zoom out by magnification times. Zooming out is similar to Zooming in.

To Zoom in on the photo for a closer look do one of the following:

To use the Magnifier Option:

 Left mouse click on the View menu option (as shown above) and go down to the View menu and Left click on the Magnifier, or press together Ctrl + Alt + M; the area Magnifier will appear.

 Drag your mouse around the area you wish to magnify.

To Cancel the Magnifier:

 Left mouse click on the Magnifier option in the View menu.

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To Zoom in By

1. Left mouse click on the View menu option (as shown above); the View menu is displayed.

2. Go down the View Menu, and Left click on the Zoom in by option (as shown above);

Using the Zooming Tool Buttons in the Tool Options Palette

 From the View the menu as shown above, left click on Palettes and drag the mouse sideways to Tool options and Left click on it; The Zooming tool buttons will appear.

 Left mouse click on the formatting tools as shown above to either zoom in or out.

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Resizing the Image

Resizing the Image

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Photographs often need to be resized and Paint Shop Pro lets you do this. You can resize the photo according to inch/centimeters, or percentage, or pixcel resolution. The locked - smart size retains the height to width proportion when resizing (see the Resize Dialogue Box below).

A word of warning here, never edit your original photo, but a copy of it, or better still make several copies and work with them. The reasons are obvious! An e-mail attached photo not saved may be gone for ever, and not retrievable.

To resize the image, do the following:

 Left mouse click anywhere in the photo, to select the photo, if you have more than one photo on the work area desktop.

1. Left mouse click on the Image menu option (as shown above); the Image menu is displayed.

2. Go down the Image Menu, and Left click on the Resize option (as shown above); the Resize dialogue box is displayed.

3. In the Resize box, select the new dimensions for the photograph; as you enter new measurements, the corresponding height or width measurement appears; the smart sizing retains proportion between height and width.

4. Left mouse click on [image] the OK button to confirm the change and close the dialogue box.

To Cancel, left click on the Undo Button [image].

5. Save your photo copy.

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Flip or Rotating the Photo Image

Flipping or Rotating the Photo Image

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Paint Shop Pro lets you flip or rotate the photo image. You can choose to automatically rotate it 90 degrees in either direction, or choose how much to rotate the picture freely. You can also rotate a section of the photo.

If you select an area of a picture you can rotate that area within a picture, you will have showing a background color in the empty areas. Tight selection after rotating the picture, and then copying and pasting to a new window; so that you have a complete new photo or to a white background as in a word processing program may help: Then using the capturing feature to place it in the Paint Shop Pro main window work area.

To Rotate the picture do one of the following.

Rotating 90 degrees Clockwise or Counter Clockwise:

 Left click on the Image Menu above. Drag the mouse down to Rotate and sideways to Rotate Clockwise 90 degrees, Left click on it as shown above; each time you Left click on Rotate Clockwise 90 the picture will rotate 90 degrees.

 If you Left click on Rotate Counter-Clockwise 90; the picture is rotated in the other direction 90 degrees.

To rotate the Photo freely, do the following:

 Left click on the Image menu option as shown above. Drag the mouse down the Image menu to Rotate and then sideways to Free Rotate, and Left click on Free Rotate, or

 Press Ctrl + R; the free rotate dialogue box will appear.

 In the Free Rotate Box enter by what amount you want to rotate the image, and click the rotation direction.

 Left click on the [image] OK Button; the picture will rotate accordingly.

To Flip the Image, do the following:

 Left click on the Image Menu above. Drag the mouse down to Flip and Left click on it as shown above; each time you Left click on Flip the picture will Flip 180 degrees.

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Mirroring the Photo Image

Mirroring the Photo Image

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The original photo.

There are times that you may need to Mirror the image, or a section of it as shown below. Paint Shop Pro lets you do this.

A word of warning here, never edit your original photo, but a copy of it, or better still make several copies and work with them. The reasons are obvious! An e-mail attached photo not saved may be gone for ever, and not retrievable.

To mirror the captured image within Paint Shop Pro:

1. Select the image by clicking on it, if you want to mirror an area of the picture select that area first.
2. From the Main Options, click on Image.

3. From the Image menu, click on Mirror; the image appears mirrored.

To revert back to normal view,  Click on Mirror in the Image menu once again.

4. Save your edited copy.

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Saving your work

Saving your work

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Saving your edited copy of the original, is of major importance, and should be done. Paint Shop Pro lets you save your photo / image in a variety of file formats. You can even prepare it for opening and viewing on a Apple Macintosh Computer.

A short explanation on saving your edited photo, scanned photo - graphic or captured photo - graphic. You should read it carefully, because file size especially when it comes to sending e-mails via a normal telephone fax modem is very time consuming and costly! Certain parts of the world as yet do not have Cable / DSL / T1 High speed Internet. Choosing the right format to save your photo or graphic in can save you transmission time and keep costs to a minimum, it can also save space on smaller sized Hard Disks.

Saving your work as a JPEG file, or a Tiff reduces the size of the file due to compression. When you press the key F12, or use the File Save/File Save As option you are automatically offered Save as Paint Shop Pro Image, while this may be an excellent format to work with. If for any reason you uninstall the Paint Shop pro program, you might not find that another program can open this type of file.

 The JPEG - Jiff Compliant Jpeg type file now in universal common use, is ideal for e-mailing photos. There is some discussion as to whether there is any quality loss, but this is debatable.

 The Compuserve Giff type file reduces the file size also to 256 colors and is ideal for Web pages.

 The Tiff type file is often used for Telephone Faxing, and if saved above 300 dots per inch when scanned ideal for OCR Optical Character Recognition of text. OCR is taking a page and using a text recognition program to recognize letters; it converts a picture of the text into editable word processing, then it saves it in .rtf format for opening with any word processor.

 BMP, WMF, are still in common use; they are used for high quality resolution.

 Paintshop Pro has its own file saving format that you can use. However, if you intend to send a picture saved in this format check first to see if the person receiving your picture can open this format.

You can save a number of files by using the Batch Process, which is used for converting and saving between formats, even if you didn't use Paint Shop Pro to originally save the picture.

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To Save your picture / photo image do one of the following:

 Press The Save Button above the Main Window work area (first save only); the Save As dialogue box will appear - see below, or

 Press the F12 on the Keyboard, or

1. Left mouse click on the File Menu above the Main Window work area, drag the mouse down to the Save As option and Left click on it; the Save As dialogue box is displayed.

2. In the Save As dialogue box, give your photo a name to save by and select the file format. (The left down arrow reveals formats).

3. Left click on the [image] OK button to confirm the save.

Paint Shop Pro may ask you to confirm the save due to the file format, do so left click Yes - OK.

 A really fast saving option is to use The Web Toolbar, which compresses a copy of your photo; ideal for e-mailing.

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Batch Process Dialogue Box


Adjust Brightness and Contrast

Adjust Brightness and Contrast
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Often photos are too dark, or too bright sometimes due to not backlighting at the time of shooting the picture. The color contrast may need correcting. Paint Shop Pro Lets you adjust the Brightness and Contrast. You can select how much to either lighten or darken your photo.

Click here to jump to the Adjusting Brightness and Contrast procedure below if you have already selected the window or its area, and are using a copy of your photo.

To adjust the Brightness and Contrast do one of the following:

A word of warning here, never edit your original photo, but a copy of it, or better still make several copies and work with them. The reasons are obvious! An e-mail attached photo not saved may be gone for ever, and not retrievable.

Three tools are available for selecting all or part of an area of a picture/photo to edit; they are the Rectangle, The Freehand, and The Magic Wand.

To select all the Photo either click on its window to make it live, or

 Left mouse click anywhere in the photo, and from the Selections menu Left click on Select All, or

 Press Ctrl + A; your photo will appear selected.

To select an area of a photo with the rectangular selection tool, do the following:

 Left click on the rectangular selection button (as shown here above selected), and drag the mouse over to the area of the photo.

 Left click once and drag the mouse over the area, then left click again; the area is selected for editing, or copying. Repeating the above operation will give you more than one selection.

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Below the rectangular area selector is the (Lasso) Freehand selector.

To select an area of a photo with the (Lasso) Freehand selector tool, do the following:

 Left mouse button click on the palette down arrow to access the Freehand tool and then select the Freehand tool, drag the mouse pointer that looks like a lasso over to the perimeter of the area you want to select.

 Left mouse button click and while holding down the left mouse button (Don't release it yet!) drag the Lasso Freehand cursor around the area you want to select, and then release the button; the selected area will be shown in your window. Repeating the above will give you more than one area selected.

This operation is not easy and needs patience! You may have to repeat the procedure several times over: Tip zoom in on the area first for an accurate selection.

Below the Freehand Selector tool on the tool palette is the Magic Wand tool.

To select an area of a photo with the Magic Wand selector tool, do the following:

 Left click on the Magic Wand selection button (as shown here above selected), and drag the mouse over to the area of the photo.

 In the area you want to select, Left click again; the area is selected for editing, or copying. Each Left mouse click on a defined area automatically makes another selection as shown below. You can have multiple selections for editing.

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Adjusting the Brightness and Contrast Procedure.

1. Left mouse click on the Adjust Menu, drag the mouse down the menu to Brightness / Contrast and Left click on it; the Brightness and Contrast dialogue box appears.

2. In the Brightness and Contrast box, place your mouse cursor on the right window; it becomes a hand, holding down the Left mouse button, drag the mouse in a direction that gives the best opportunity to see future results.

The Left window that you see below shows you the photo as is, and the Right window the results of the settings you choose. To Brighten / Contrast raise the numbers, to darken the picture, and have less contrast lower the numbers. A minus number will reduce the Brightness / Contrast lower. Adjusting Brightness and or Contrast is a matter of trial and error, you may need to do this several times.

3. Left click on [image] OK button to confirm the new settings and Save your work. Save a copy with a different file name.

To cancel, press [image] the Undo button.

The new settings will be permanent when you close the photo window.

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The Web Toolbar

The Web Tool Bar

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The Web Toolbar lets you save your file compressed for uploading to a Website. It is a fast ideal way to save your photo compressed for e-mailing. You have to trade off quality for size of file, the higher the compression the poorer the quality.

To add the Web Toolbar to the Main Window do the following:

 Left mouse click on the View menu option (as shown above) and go down to the View menu.

 Drag the mouse through Toolbars and Left click on the Web; the Web Toolbar is added to the Main Window.

To save your photo using the Web Toolbar do the following:

1. Left click on one of the buttons JPEG Optimizer, GIF Optimizer (I recommend either JPEG or GIF), or PNG Optimizer (often used for Help files); the optimizer box is displayed see below.

The Optimizer box lets you set the amount of compression. Note the higher the compression the smaller the size of the file, however the quality of the picture is reduced.

2. Left click on [image] OK button to confirm; the Save Copy As dialogue box is displayed.

3. In the Save Copy As dialogue box type in a name for your file and choose a folder to save it to.

The (green colored) Preview in Browser button, lets you preview your photo as it would be in an Internet Browser.

To Preview your photo image in a browser, do the following:

 Left click on the Preview in Browser button; the Preview in Browser dialogue box is displayed.

 In the box decide which format of your photo you wish to preview in your browser, and Left click on the Preview button; the photo will appear in your default Internet Browser.

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Copying and Pasting

Copying and Pasting

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Three tools are available for selecting all or part of an area of a picture/photo to edit; they are the Rectangle, The Freehand, and The Magic Wand.

To go to the Copy Procedure if you have already selected your photo.

To select all the Photo either click on its window to make it live, or

 Left mouse click anywhere in the photo, and from the Selections menu Left click on Select All, or

 Press Ctrl + A; your photo will appear selected.

To select an area of a photo with the rectangular selection tool, do the following:

 Left click on the rectangular selection button (as shown here above selected), and drag the mouse over to the area of the photo.

 Left click once and drag the mouse over the area, then left click again; the area is selected for editing, or copying. Repeating the above operation will give you more than one selection.

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Below the rectangular area selector is the (Lasso) Freehand selector.

To select an area of a photo with the (Lasso) Freehand selector tool, do the following:

 Left mouse button click on the palette down arrow to access the Freehand tool and then select the Freehand tool, drag the mouse pointer that looks like a lasso over to the perimeter of the area you want to select.

 Left mouse button click and while holding down the left mouse button (Don't release it yet!) drag the Lasso Freehand cursor around the area you want to select, and then release the button; the selected area will be shown in your window. Repeating the above will give you more than one area selected.

This is a tricky operation and needs patience! You may have to repeat the procedure several times over: Tip zoom in on the area first for an accurate selection.

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Below the Freehand Selector tool on the tool palette is the Magic Wand tool.

To select an area of a photo with the Magic Wand selector tool, do the following:

 Left click on the Magic Wand selection button (as shown here above selected), and drag the mouse over to the area of the photo.

 In the area you want to select, Left click again; the area is selected for editing, or copying. Each Left mouse click on a defined area automatically makes another selection as shown below. You can have multiple selections for editing.

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To Copy your selection do one of the following:

 Left mouse click on the [image] Copy Icon button above the Main Window work area, or

 Press Ctrl + C, or Ctrl + Insert.

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Pasting Procedure

Several paste options are offered, you can Paste as a new image in a new window ready for editing, or Layer Paste your selection.

If you intend to Layer paste your selection into another Paint Shop Pro 8 window see Copying - Layer Pasting on to another image or photo. A similar procedure to Pasting as a New Layer, is Pasting as a new Selection, see the picture below.

Pasting As A New Image in A New Window For Editing

 To Paste as a new Image: Press Ctrl +V, or Shift + Insert; your selection will appear in a new window on the working area.

To return to Sharpening Procedure.

To return to Adding Text.

To return to Applying Paint.

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To Paste as a new Selection within a second window or picture, select the second window and do the following:

 Left mouse click on the Edit Menu and go down to Paste as new selection and left click again.

You can drag the selected new insert about the photo area with the 4 headed Mover tool. After you close the window it will be permanent.

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Word Document shown in PSP 8

The Main Window Work Area showing word document capture


Moshe Brace


The Scratch Remover Tool

The Scratch Remover Tool
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As an alternative to copying and layer pasting, you can repair a scratch by blurring it. This is done when you use the Scratch Remover Tool on the Tool Palette on the left of the Main Window. (Note that this tool should be used only on small scratches, for larger areas use copying and layer pasting.)

To use the Scratch Removal Tool, do the following:

1. Left mouse click on the tool in the Tool Palette at the left of the Main Window working area, and drag on to the picture.

2. Left mouse click again and drag down the area of the scratched picture surface with short left click mouse movements, don't drag over large areas in one go; as you drag the tool over the area anything in the central area of the lines is blurred.

Play the Paint Shop Pro 8 Program Help - Scratch Removal Movie, see the tool in action.

3. Save your edited photo copy or copies.

To cancel left mouse click on the Undo button:

When you close the photo window the change will be permanent.

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Four Arrow Mover Tool


The Magic Wand Tool

Magic Wand tool


The Rectangular Selection Tool