Serif Drawplus X8

[Lara Preece]

Thisis a great technique aNDY.

I've read about it a few times before in relation to a certain other photo editing program. Unfortunately, Photoplus X2 doesn't have the pen tool so I've never tried this before.

However, your tut prompted me that the pen tool is available in DrawPlus X2 and so I can do it there. If you want to crop a JPG, TIFF, etc. you have to insert it as a picture first.

The really great thing about this technique is that you can amend the outline you draw with the pen. If you do a crop and think it needs to be adjusted you just CTRL-Z to go back, use the node tool to move/add/delete any of the points created by the pen tool, and then reapply the crop until you get it right.

It's a shame that the pen tool isn't available in PhotoPlus as I sometimes find I want to make a mask and end up having to use the magnetic lassoo, or somesuch, which isn't as flexible as the pen tool.

Thanks for the pointer (no pun intended).

John

ages ago(permalink)

I have said many times that in my opinion this is by far the best way to crop an image. The key thing is to familiarise yourself with the drawing tools in DrawPlus. It's back to basics I know but for me it was the best lesson I ever learnt.

You might like to give intersect a try rather that crop. The benefit is that if you cut to much off you can drag the shape to reveal more of the image.

Glad you like it, spread the word.

aNDY

ages ago(permalink)

Hi John

The Polygon Selection tool is almost as good as it lets you release the mouse button (for a rest) and it stays selected waiting for your next click - without auto closing a selection like the freehand selector does

I use it a lot and then transfer the cut out image into drawplus for further manipulations like crop to top etc and more usefully (to me) as imported bitmap images for fills

Sean

Originally posted ages ago. (permalink)

seanyriley45 (a group admin) edited this topic ages ago.

I'd suggest using smooth nodes so there are no polygons, but being that you instructed using many short segments, the resulting edge should not be too noticeable as a bunch of straight lines. In general, my own goal when tracing or creating "clipping paths" (the same thing you did here, but in the Adobe Photoshop dialect) is to create as few nodes as possible to accurately represent the smooth outline of an object.

Thanks for putting in the time on these tutorials. This type of thing should really improve the quality of this group, helping beginners looking for answers especially. Unfortunately the way forums go, if something doesn't show up as a new posting, people will probably ask the same question again, even if it is answered in an older post. In this way, forums are not an ideal format for tutorials. It would be nice to have a menu system that had all the tutorials categorized for easy access.

Phil

esotropiart.com

ages ago(permalink)

Thanks Phil, he he!

We have already encountered this problem and chewed over how we could remedy it...I think that is one of the main reasons we wanted to branch out in other directions as aNDY says with a place where we can acheive a collective of downloadable Tut's and possibly a store of objects etc etc for everyone to use and maybe contribute to also,

It is just finding the ideal vehicle and (for me personally anyhow) finding time to impliment it and keep it going with no existant finances :>( and no extra free time :>(

In an ideal world it would be feasable, but, I have found that even running/contributing to just 3 serif flickr sites I have no time to be creative with my own artistic pursuits. I often joke that I am on page 15 of every software manual that I own, but alas, it is true, I cannot cram enough hours into a day already without meeting my tail end coming back LOL!

We will have to see how it pans out, in any event we have a good crowd here as we are and it can only go upwards :>)

Sean (Not a Negative Nelly really! - just being honest)

ages ago(permalink)

I am pleased you brought that up Phil, I was just saying to our newest member in the welcome page that there is a lot of good stuff hidden in some of the older threads.

I like to go and take a look from time to time and often come across things I have forgotten about.

I don't think there is any objection at all with bringing back old topics if they are of interest

Links to Tutorials is a fab idea if we can get it together. I guess the easiest way for now would be a closed thread with the links to tuts we already have in this group, If that worked out OK we could add more from other sources.

aNDY

I must also add that as this is such an active group where new threads and posts are updated regularly, it is worth going back to make sure we have not missed out or let anything slip past.

As always if you have any suggestions or ideas for the group, or if something might work better if..... please say, it is after all your group.

Originally posted ages ago. (permalink)

indiandy edited this topic ages ago.

What I like about your Tutorials aNDY is that they are so simple, it is a great encouragement to read them, they encourage you to have a try for yourself.

My preference is to use PhotoPlus. Sean, I too like the Polygon lasso but approach cropping with a different, 'non-destructive' method.

In PhotoPlus I right-click the background layer and select 'promote to layer' option. I then click on the 'Add a Layer Mask' button at the bottom of the layers pallet. The foreground and background swatches in the colour tab change to black and white and a white square pops up alongside the mini picture in the layers tab. Select the black swatch and paint over the unwanted background of your picture. If you make a mistake and go over some of the part you wanted to keep, no problem, simply swap to the white swatch and paint back the part you want to keep. You'll notice the little white square next to your mini picture in the layers tab filling with black bits as you paint the mask in.

My daughter used this method to create a landscape collage for her Art homework this past weekend and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

If anyone's interested, I can post pictures of this process in action but will need some help with how to do make the post.

Ken

ages ago(permalink)

Hi Marcy

I am really pleased you are using the tuts and getting on OK, this just uses a different crop method.

Take your image and place your cut outs where you want them. I have just used two quick shapes eclipse for this. Drag your cursor over the entire thing, photo an all to select it then instead of the crop tool go to the right of the crop icon until you come to the "intersect tool" and click on it. Bingo, there you have it.

The intersect tool is a great tool tool to use when you only have one layer to cut through, one of its features is that once you have used it you can edit the cut. If all goes well try clicking on the edit tool and you will see the edit nodes. It you click and drag on any of them you will see what I mean.

Yummy Doughnuts.

aNDY

Oops, you may like to try combining the two shapes first. Group the two circles and use the combine tool next to the crop tool, this makes the two act as one shape.

Something else you may be interested in is multi shapes can be cropped out of any background simply buy (not combining) but selecting all the shapes and background and this time using the subtract tool instead of the intersect tool. You can even use shapes the extend beyond the background.

Seeing this I thought it would make a nice mask for an animated gif. All the action happens behind the image with only the cut outs showing through.

Originally posted ages ago. (permalink)

indiandy08 edited this topic ages ago.

Hi, aNDY,

Well, I must be missing something. I tried to use your doughnut example as a simple excercise. Here's what I did. (I'm not going to bother with trying to post images here...I'm hoping my description will be enough.)

I drew a quick shape elipsis, and then I put another one inside the first one, so I had a simple doughnut shape. Then I dragged my cursor over the whole doughnut, and clicked the Insert icon. The hole disappeared. So far, so good. I think I have the concept.

So then I go to my image, the Enterprise again. I had inserted an image and then cropped it successfully. There are two spaces within the image that should be transparent so that my background shows through, the way it would show through a doughnut hole. I outlined those with the pen tool, so now I have three objects, right?

But when I drag my cursor over the whole thing, the intersect icon is dithered.

I was wondering if it might have anything to do with the fact that I was using a cropped image?

Let me know if you need me to post some images.

Thanks for all your help, aNDY

ages ago(permalink)

Hi Marcy

I think I confused the issue by by adding the after thought at the end so I will try again.

Take your image and draw your shapes, from you description I think we are all right so far.

I think this is where things go a bit pear shape. Select the two shapes only, by dragging your cursor over the two shapes, then combine them using the button I have circled in Pink. This makes the two shapes act as one. (if you were to fill the shape with colour for example it would fill it as a coloured doughnut, not a filled circle, this can be very useful and worth remembering.)

Now select the shape and the image and now use the button I have circled. This is the intersect tool that will crop the shape for you.

Bingo, or even Ringo.

If this still makes no sense please never be frightened of asking, I always find it easier to do these things than to try and emplane them. A bit like giving directions to someone of a route you drive every day.

aNDY

ages ago(permalink)

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