Corel® PaintShop® Pro 2022

User Guide
Contents
Welcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
What’s new in Corel PaintShop Pro 2022 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Installing and uninstalling Corel programs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Starting and exiting the program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Registering Corel products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Updates and messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Corel Support Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
About Corel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Learning PaintShop Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Documentation conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Using the Help system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Corel PaintShop Pro 2022 User Guide PDF. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Using the Learning Center palette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Learning with video tutorials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Using Web-based resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Workspace tour. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Exploring workspace tabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Switching tabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Switching workspaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
About the Photography workspace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Choosing a workspace color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Using palettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Using toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Using tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Customizing toolbars and palettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Using dialog boxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Viewing images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Using shortcut keys. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Using context menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Contents i
 Using rulers, grids, and guides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Sea-to-Sky workspace (Ultimate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Sea-to-Sky workspace (Ultimate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Editing images in the Sea-to-Sky workspace (Ultimate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Getting started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Getting photos into PaintShop Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Connecting with image scanners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Opening and closing images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Saving images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Starting projects from a template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Starting from a blank canvas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Creating images from existing images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Viewing images and image information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Exporting the image editing history to a text file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Using Screenshot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Zooming and panning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Cutting, copying, and pasting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Copying images into other applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Undoing and redoing actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Repeating commands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Deleting images. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Files supported by PaintShop Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
How to open HEIC files from an iPhone or other device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Reviewing, organizing, and finding photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Using the Manage tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Browsing folders for photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Finding images on your computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Working with saved searches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Adding keyword tags to images. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Viewing photos by tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Using the calendar to find images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

ii PaintShop Pro
 Working with thumbnails in the Manage tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Capturing and applying edits to multiple photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Displaying and editing photo information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Using Quick Review to review photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Working with trays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Using Adjust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Showing the Adjust tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Working with the Adjust tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Tools and features in Adjust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Using depth information to select areas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

RAW photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Supported RAW file formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Using the Camera RAW Lab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Applying edits to multiple RAW photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Converting RAW photos to another file format. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Working with XMP files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

Adjusting images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Fixing common problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Rotating images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Cropping images. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Straightening images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Correcting photographic perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Making basic photo corrections automatically . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Brightening images. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Darkening images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Removing purple fringe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Removing digital noise. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Removing chromatic aberrations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Using Lens Correction to fix distortion, chromatic aberration, and vignetting . . . . . 132
Correcting lens distortions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Adjusting white balance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136

Contents iii
 Adjusting brightness, contrast, and clarity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Adjusting hue and saturation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Adding or removing noise. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Applying a depth of field effect with AI Portrait Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Controlling depth of field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Blurring images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Sharpening images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Softening images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Resizing images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Enlarging images by using AI-Powered upsampling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168

Retouching and restoring images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171

Removing red-eye. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Applying cosmetic changes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Removing scratches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Removing flaws and objects with the Clone Brush or Object Remover . . . . . . . . . . . 179
SmartClone retouching and design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Using Magic Fill to erase image areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Moving selected areas with Magic Move . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Erasing image areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Placing images in shapes with the Frame Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Cutting out image areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Changing portrait backgrounds with AI Background Replacement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Retouching image areas by using brushes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Recoloring image areas for a realistic effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Replacing colors, gradients, or patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Filling areas with colors, gradients, or patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Flipping and mirroring images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Adding borders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Scaling photos by using Smart Carver. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Scaling and transforming photos using the Pick tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Resizing the canvas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209

iv PaintShop Pro
Merging exposures and content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Understanding HDR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Taking photos for HDR processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Combining photos by using HDR Exposure Merge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Using Single RAW Photo to create an HDR effect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Merging batches of photos into HDR images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Combining photos with Photo Blend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220

Working with selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223

Creating selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Fine-tuning a selection with the Refine Brush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Hiding and displaying the selection marquee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Moving, clipping, and rotating selections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Modifying selections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Inverting and clearing selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Using feathering with selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Using anti-aliasing with selections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Modifying the edges of selections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Creating custom patterns from selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Saving and loading selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245

Working with layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249

Understanding layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Using layers with photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Using layers with illustrations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Using the Layers palette. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Creating layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Promoting the background layer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Deleting layers and clearing layer contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Duplicating and c opying layers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Renaming layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Viewing layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Finding layers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262

Contents v
 Organizing layers by color. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Changing the order of layers in an image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Moving layers on the canvas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Grouping layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Linking layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Blending layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Setting layer opacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Protecting transparent areas of raster layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Merging layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Using adjustment layers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Using layer styles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274

Working with masks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281

Understanding masks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Displaying masks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Creating masks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Deleting masks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Editing masks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Loading masks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Saving masks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289

Working with colors and materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291

Using the Materials palette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Choosing colors in the Material Properties dialog box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Choosing colors for paletted images. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Choosing colors from an image or the desktop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Using gradients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Editing gradients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Exporting and importing gradients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Applying a color or transparency gradient with the Gradient Fill tool . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Using patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Using textures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Working with custom color palettes and swatches. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309

vi PaintShop Pro
Applying effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Choosing effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Applying 3D effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Applying Art Media effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Applying Artistic effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
Applying environment maps and bump maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Applying Distortion effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Using the Displacement Map effect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
Applying Edge effects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Applying Geometric effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
Applying Illumination effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Applying Image effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Applying Photo effects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
Using Retro Lab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358
Applying a gradient with the Graduated Filter effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Creating vintage-style photos with the Time Machine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360
Applying film and filter effects to photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
Applying Reflection effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
Applying Texture effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368
Adding picture frames to images. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377
Creating your own effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379
Combining images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379
Using the Picture Tube tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381
Warping images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
Working with deformation maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387

Working with text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389

Applying text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389
Formatting text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391
Saving text presets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 395
Fitting text to a path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 396
Wrapping text within a selection or shape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 398

Contents vii
 Pasting and fitting text to a shape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 399
Moving text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400
Applying effects to text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400
Converting text to curves. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 401
Creating a text cutout filled with an image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 402
Filling text with image patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403
Sizing and transforming text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403
Displaying captions and info text on images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404

Drawing and editing vector objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407

Understanding raster and vector objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 408
Selecting vector objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 409
Drawing rectangles and squares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410
Drawing circles and ellipses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 411
Drawing symmetric shapes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 412
Creating preset shapes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413
Filling cutout shapes with images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 414
Editing shapes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 414
Saving shapes as presets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415
Working with nodes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416
Sizing, shaping, and rotating vector objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 420
Aligning, distributing, and arranging vector objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 421
Grouping and ungrouping vector objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 424
Converting objects to paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425
Adding and closing contours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425
Editing contours and paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 426
Drawing lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 428
Saving custom line styles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 430
Drawing curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 431
Modifying lines and curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 433
Copying and moving vector objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 435

Working with brushes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 437

viii PaintShop Pro

 Choosing brushes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 437
Choosing brush options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 438
Using brushes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 440
Customizing brush settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 441
Creating brush tips and presets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 442
Importing and sharing brush tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 444

Painting and drawing with the Art Media tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 447

Working with Art Media layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 447
Working with the Mixer palette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 448
Working with Art Media tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 451
Using the Oil Brush tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 453
Using the Chalk tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 454
Using the Pastel tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 455
Using the Crayon tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 455
Using the Colored Pencil tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 456
Using the Marker tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 457
Using the Watercolor Brush tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 457
Using the Palette Knife tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 458
Using the Smear tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 459
Using the Art Eraser tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 460

Working with advanced color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 461

Understanding color depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 461
Viewing color depth information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 462
Increasing the color depth of an image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 463
Decreasing the color depth of an image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 464
Understanding color reduction methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 468
Understanding palette options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 468
Working with image palettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 469
Understanding color and color models. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 473
Understanding how monitor colors and print colors differ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 475
Calibrating your monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 476

Contents ix
 Working with color management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 476
Using color channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 478

Customizing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 481
Viewing and hiding toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 482
Viewing and hiding tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 482
Using custom workspaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 483
Customizing the menu system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 484
Customizing toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 485
Creating custom toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 486
Customizing keyboard shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 487
Setting Undo preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 489
Setting View preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 490
Setting Display and Caching preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 490
Setting Palettes preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 492
Setting Units preferences. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 493
Setting Transparency and Shading preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 494
Setting Warnings preferences. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 495
Setting Auto Action preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 495
Setting Miscellaneous preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 496
Setting Manage tab preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 498
Setting Auto-Preserve preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 499
Setting workspace tab preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500
Setting file format preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 501
Setting file format associations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 504
Setting file locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 505
Managing resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 507
Setting plug-in preferences. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 509
Selecting Web browsers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 510
Setting Autosave preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 511
Resetting all preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 512
Switching languages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 513
Adjusting general viewing options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 513

x PaintShop Pro
 Accessing tools and commands from previous versions of PaintShop Pro . . . . . . . . 515
Protecting and restoring the PaintShop Pro database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 516
Importing content and plugins from previous versions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 517

Editing 360° photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 519

What you need to know about 360° photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 519
Removing a tripod from a 360° photo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 519
Straightening 360° photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 520
Correcting or applying effects to 360° photos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 521
Applying Planet Effects to 360° photos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 522
Creating a panorama-style image from 360° photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 523

Automating tasks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 525

Scripting basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 525
Working with scripting tools and features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 526
Recording and saving a script. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 528
Running saved scripts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 530
Stopping or undoing a script . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 532
Editing scripts in Corel PaintShop Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 532
Editing scripts using a text-editing application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 533
Troubleshooting a script . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 534
Assigning icons to scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 535
Using and creating presets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 536
Processing files in batches. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 537
Renaming files in batches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 539

Printing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 541
Printing images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 541
Creating layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 544
Editing templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 548
Editing and saving layouts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 550
Printing CMYK color separations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 552
Understanding printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 552

Contents xi
Sharing photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 555
E-mailing photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 555

Creating images for the Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 557

Saving images for the Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 557
Working with GIF files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 558
Working with JPEG files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 562
Working with PNG files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 564
Previewing images in Web browsers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 566
Slicing images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 567
Mapping images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 571
Creating image rollovers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 574
Using digital watermarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 575
Adding visible watermarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 578

xii PaintShop Pro

 Welcome

Corel® PaintShop® Pro 2022 is powerful image-editing software that helps anyone produce
stunning photos and creative designs.
This section presents the following topics:

• What’s new in Corel PaintShop Pro 2022

• Installing and uninstalling Corel programs
• Starting and exiting the program
• Registering Corel products
• Updates and messages
• Corel Support Services
• About Corel

The availability of features depends on the version of the software you have.

What’s new in Corel PaintShop Pro 2022

Corel PaintShop Pro 2022 is designed with performance, ease-of-use, and creativity at the
forefront. Highly effective features and tools powered by artificial intelligence (AI) make
creating something truly original, achievable.

NEW! Frame Tool

The all-new Frame Tool makes placing raster objects into shapes quick, easy and intuitive.
Draw frames to use as handy placeholders or draw frames over a selected object, image or
text for a polished result. For more information, see “Placing images in shapes with the Frame
Tool” on page 190.

New! AI Background Replacement

AI Background Replacement offers a fun new way to swap out the background in portraits
of people. Simply choose a portrait-style photo, and let the AI do the work of selecting the
background. You can then refine or customize the selection for the effect you want, and swap
in one of the preset backgrounds or use one or your own images for the background—from
your favorite beach scene, to cityscapes, landscapes, portrait-studio backgrounds, and more.

Welcome 1
For more information, see “Changing portrait backgrounds with AI Background
Replacement” on page 195.

New! AI Portrait Mode

Eliminate distractions and put the focus on the people in your photos. AI Portrait Mode offers
an easy way to apply a professional-looking depth of field effect to portrait-style photos. AI
automatically identifies the subject of the photo, leaving the perfect buffer for the blur,
bokeh, and focus settings you choose. For more information, see “Applying a depth of field
effect with AI Portrait Mode” on page 155.

Enhanced! Instant Effects—AI-Powered

Instant Effects offer even more ways to enhance your photos with Color Match and Smooth
Image controls for AI-Powered effects. Smooth Image lets you control the level of detail
when you apply an AI-Powered effect, preserving clear edges while blending areas of similar
color. Color Match lets you control the balance between the style color and the original
image colors.

Enhanced! Usability
The Welcome tab has been enhanced with you in mind, offering a helpful new Workspace
tab with built-in tutorials and learning content to help you master the product with ease. An
improved design and new thumbnail previews for recent files promotes intuitive navigation
and seamless experience.

NEW! HEIC/HEIF file Support

Enjoy new file support for HEIC and HEIF file format. Upload your images captured with an
Apple iPhone or iPad without converting the file format. For more information, see “How to
open HEIC files from an iPhone or other device” on page 76.

New! Creative Content

At the very core of PaintShop Pro is creativity. Which is why we’ve added new brushes, color
palettes, gradients, patterns, and picture tubes. Download the new patterns from the
Welcome tab, and find the rest of the new content already built into PaintShop Pro.

Exclusive Ultimate Bonus Software Collection

If you choose PaintShop Pro 2022 Ultimate, it includes the following bonus collection:
• Sea-to-Sky™ workspace: Experience an all-new photo editing workspace designed to
take your drone and underwater photography to new heights.
• PhotoMirage™ Express: Effortlessly transform any image into a mesmerizing animation
in a matter of minutes with PhotoMirage Express.

2 PaintShop Pro
• Painter® Essentials™ 8: This easy-to-learn painting program will transform your photos
into amazing oil, pastel or impressionist works of art. Or learn to paint, draw and sketch
from scratch in a welcoming environment, using pencils, pens, and particles.
• Corel® AfterShot™ 3: Quickly learn professional-grade RAW photo editing and take
control of very large photo collections with Corel AfterShot 3. Make easy corrections and
enhancements, and save time with batch processing tools that let you apply adjustments
to one or thousands of photos at once.
• Corel® Creative Collection: Expand your creative capabilities with dozens of brushes,
textures, and over 100 royalty-free backgrounds. Enhance your photo projects with
playful designs, flowers, sunsets, and more, along with an array of lively brushstrokes.
• Highlight Reel: Creating quick videos showing off the highlights of your latest adventure
just got a whole lot easier with new smart movie creator—Highlight Reel. Simply import
your photos/videos and Highlight Reel will analyze and extract the best parts and
compile them together for you, following the beat of the music. Creating videos to share
your everyday moments just got easier.
• MultiCam Capture™ Lite: Engage your viewers, grow your audience, and capture video
with MultiCam Capture Lite. Easily create how-to videos, gaming videos, record product
demos, and more, with one easy-to-use recording software.

Installing and uninstalling Corel programs

The Installer makes it easy to install Corel programs and components.
Before installing
• Close all open programs. Note that antivirus software and firewall applications may affect
installation.
• Ensure that you are logged in to your computer as Administrator or as a user with local
administrative rights.

64-bit and 32-bit installation options

PaintShop Pro can be installed on 64-bit operating systems. You can choose to install the 64-
bit version of PaintShop Pro (recommended), the 32-bit version of PaintShop Pro, or both.
The 64-bit version of the application offers best performance and all features. The 32-bit
version of the application can be installed if you want to use older plug-ins and other 32-bit
compatible software.
Note: If you install 64-bit and 32-bit versions, the programs are listed separately and
launched separately from the Windows Start menu or Start screen.

To install PaintShop Pro

1 Close any open applications.

Welcome 3
2 Insert the DVD in the DVD drive or double-click the associated .exe file that you
downloaded.
If the DVD setup does not start automatically, navigate to the DVD drive on your
computer, and double-click Setup.exe.
3 Follow the instructions on your screen.

To uninstall PaintShop Pro

1 Open the Windows Control Panel.

2 In the Programs category, click the Uninstall a program link.
3 In the Programs and Features window, click Corel PaintShop Pro 2022 in the list of
applications.
4 Click Uninstall/Change.
5 Follow the instructions on your screen.

Starting and exiting the program

You can start PaintShop Pro from the Windows taskbar or your desktop icon, and exit the
program from the File menu.

To start PaintShop Pro

• From the Start menu, choose Corel PaintShop Pro 2022 or use the
Corel PaintShop Pro 2022 application icon or tile on your desktop or Start screen.

If you associate specific file formats, such as JPEG and TIFF, with PaintShop Pro, you can
double-click the associated file to start the program. For information about setting file
format associations, see “Setting file format associations” on page 504

To exit PaintShop Pro

• Choose File  Exit.

Registering Corel products

Registering Corel products is important to ensure that you receive timely access to the latest
product updates, as well as valuable information about product releases. Registration also
gives you access to free downloads, articles, tips and tricks, and special offers.
You can register the program immediately after you install it. For more information about
registering a Corel product, visit www.corel.com/support/register.

4 PaintShop Pro
Updates and messages
Notification messages provide you with important information about your program.You can
turn automatic program updates and messaging on or off. You can choose to check for
updates and messages manually.

To turn notification messages on or off

1 Click Help > Message Preference.

2 Mark only the check boxes for the updates or messages that you want to receive.

To update your program

• Choose Help > Check for Updates.

To check for messages

• Click Help > Messages.

Corel Support Services

Corel® Support Services can provide you with prompt and accurate information about
product features, specifications, pricing, availability, services, and technical support. For the
most current information on available support and professional services for your Corel
product, please visit www.corel.com/support.

About Corel
Corel products enable millions of connected knowledge workers around the world to do
great work faster. Offering some of the industry's best-known software brands, we give
individuals and teams the power to create, collaborate and deliver impressive results. Our
success is driven by an unwavering commitment to deliver a broad portfolio of innovative
applications – including CorelDRAW®, MindManager®, Parallels® and WinZip® – to
inspire users and help them achieve their goals. To learn more about Corel, please visit
www.corel.com.

Welcome 5
6 PaintShop Pro
 Learning PaintShop Pro

You can learn how to use PaintShop Pro in various ways: by accessing the Help and videos,
by using the Learning Center palette, or by exploring the Corel Guide and by visiting the
Corel website (www.corel.com), where you can access tips, tutorials, and information about
training.
This section presents the following topics:

• Documentation conventions
• Using the Help system
• Corel PaintShop Pro 2022 User Guide PDF
• Using the Learning Center palette
• Learning with video tutorials
• Using Web-based resources

Documentation conventions
The following table describes important conventions used in the Help.
Convention Description Example
Menu  Menu A menu item followed by a menu Choose File  Open.
command command
drop-list A list of options that drops down Choose an option from the
when a user clicks a down arrow Selection Type drop-list on the
button Tool Options palette.
palette A window containing available Double-click the name of the
commands and settings relevant to group on the Layers palette.
a specific tool or task
mark and Terms that refer to enabling or To preserve the current print size,
unmark disabling check boxes by clicking mark the Maintain original print
them size check box.

Learning PaintShop Pro 7

Convention Description Example
Enter The Enter key on your keyboard To save this gradient as a swatch
that you can access later, click the
Add to swatches button, type a
name, and press Enter.
A note containing information that Although you can apply the
is important to the preceding steps. Texture Preserving Smooth
It may describe conditions under command to the entire image, the
which the procedure can be command works best when you
performed. select the problem area.
A tip containing suggestions for You can also right-click in the
performing the preceding steps. It image to set the source point for
may present alternatives to the the Clone tool.
steps, or other benefits and uses of
the procedure.

8 PaintShop Pro
Using the Help system
The Help that is available from within the program is the most comprehensive source of
information for PaintShop Pro. The Help system provides two ways to find information. You
can choose a topic from the Contents page, or use the Search page to search for specific
words and phrases. You can also print topics from the Help.

Online and local Help

If you are connected to the Internet, the application displays the online Help. When you are
online, you have access to the latest information, videos, and helpful links. If no Internet
connection is available, the application displays the local Help that is installed on your
computer.

To use the Help system

1 Do one of the following:

• Click Help  Help topics.
• Press F1.
2 In the Help window, do one of the following:
• Contents — browse through topics on the left side of the window. You can hide or
show the contents by clicking the Contents button
• Search — search the full text of the Help for a particular word or phrase (no quotation
marks required) by typing your search term in the Search box . For
example, if you are looking for information about a specific tool or command, you can
type the name of the tool or command, such as Backlighting, to display a list of
relevant topics.
You can also
Print a specific Help topic Open a Help topic, and click the Print
button
View Help for a dialog box Click Help at the bottom of the dialog box.

Corel PaintShop Pro 2022 User Guide PDF

You can download the Corel PaintShop Pro 2021 User Guide PDF to your computer or tablet,
or you can print the pages you want. You can find the PDF in Help menu (Help  User Guide
(PDF)).

Using the Learning Center palette

The Learning Center palette contains helpful information about PaintShop Pro tasks,
commands, and tools to help first-time users as well as experienced users get their work

Learning PaintShop Pro 9

done faster. You can use the Learning Center in one of two ways: from the Home page,
navigate through the task-based workflow, or simply click a tool in the Tools toolbar and
follow the corresponding instructions that appear in the Learning Center palette.
Each task appearing on the Home page has its own topics with instructions that describe its
related tools or commands. You can click a given topic to access a related tool or command.
In this way, you can perform a task as you learn about it. You can also access the Help from
the Learning Center palette to obtain additional information about a task.
Back button Home button

From the Learning Center Home page, click a task, and then click a topic.

To display or hide the Learning Center palette

Edit tab
• From the Edit tab, choose View  Palettes  Learning Center.

10 PaintShop Pro
To use the Learning Center palette
Edit tab
1 From the Home page, click a task.
The topics related to the task appear.
2 Click a topic.
The procedure related to the topic appears.
• For topics describing a tool, the tool becomes active. The Tool Options palette and any
other relevant palettes appear.
• For topics describing a command associated with a dialog box, the dialog box appears.
3 Read the procedure for using the tool or command.

Some tasks and commands are not available unless an image is open.

Learning with video tutorials

The Welcome tab and the Discovery Center window (English only) lets you find and view a
range of videos that help you learn about the application and photography.

You can also find video links within some topics in the online Help and by visiting
www.youtube.com/corelpaintshoppro.

To open the Discovery Center window

• Choose Help  Video Tutorials.

Using Web-based resources

From the PaintShop Pro Help menu and the Corel website, you can access a number of Web
pages dedicated to customer support and communities. You can find resources such as
downloads, tutorials, tips, newsletters, newsgroups, and other online resources.

Learning PaintShop Pro 11

To access Web-based resources

• From the Help menu, select one of the following website links:
• Corel Support — this link takes you to the Customer Support Web page
• Check for Updates — checks the Corel Update Service to see if there are updates to
your copy of PaintShop Pro

To access Corel learning resources

• Use your Internet browser to go to www.paintshoppro.com, and click the Learning tab.

12 PaintShop Pro
 Workspace tour

PaintShop Pro lets you choose between three main workspaces: Photography, Essentials and
Complete. The Complete workspace is the classic PaintShop Pro workspace and includes the
full set of tools for a wide range of projects. The Essentials workspace is a clean, easy-on-the-
eyes workspace that includes a core set of tools. The Photography workspace is a touch-
friendly, simple photo-editing workspace.
In addition to the main workspaces, you can choose a specialized workspace or you can
create and save a custom workspace.

The availability of features depends on the version of the software you have.
This section presents the following topics:

• Exploring workspace tabs

• Switching tabs
• Switching workspaces
• About the Photography workspace
• Choosing a workspace color
• Using palettes
• Using toolbars
• Using tools
• Customizing toolbars and palettes
• Using dialog boxes
• Viewing images
• Using shortcut keys
• Using context menus
• Using rulers, grids, and guides

Exploring workspace tabs

Tabs are a way of organizing features and content. The Photography, Essentials and
Complete workspaces show different tabs by default.

Workspace tour 13
• Welcome — available in Photography, Essentials and Complete
• Manage — displays in Complete
• Adjust (optional) — available in Complete, but not a default tab
• Edit — available in Photography, Essentials and Complete, but customized to suit the
editing profile of each workspace.
Each tab lets you access tools and controls to help you accomplish the task at hand quickly
and efficiently.
For information about hiding and showing tabs, and setting the default tab for your
workspace, see “Setting workspace tab preferences” on page 500.
Some workspaces (Complete, for example), let you save your current workspace
configuration and state, including all open images, magnifications and screen positions, as
well as positions and preferences of palettes, toolbars, dialog boxes, and windows. For more
information, see “Using custom workspaces” on page 483.

The Welcome tab

The Welcome tab lets you access default workspace settings, start a new project or open a
recent file, and it provides learning tools, offers, and important information about your
product.

Welcome

The Manage tab

In the Complete workspace, the Manage lets you access photo management features that
help you preview, organize, and streamline your photo-editing workflow.

14 PaintShop Pro
 Navigation palette Preview area Info palette

Organizer toolbar Thumbnails

Thumbnail mode
Manage consists of the following components:
• Navigation palette — helps you find and organize photos. You can use the Search box
or click the Collections tab or Computer tab to display the folders on your computer, or
you can sort photos by collection, tags, or ratings.
• Preview area — lets you choose between two views — a large single-image view or a
multi-thumbnail view (expanded Organizer palette).
• Info palette — displays information about the selected image. It consists of a camera-
style display of the settings used to take the photo and a tabbed area that lets you add
information, such as tags and ratings, and access a full list of EXIF or IPTC data.
• Organizer toolbar — offers a range of commands and options for managing photos.
You can hide or show the tools by clicking the button.
For more information about Manage, see “Reviewing, organizing, and finding photos” on
page 79.

The Edit tab

The Edit tab lets you access editing features. Depending on the workspace, it includes menus,
tools, and palettes that you can use to create and edit images.

Workspace tour 15
 Image window (Split View
Menu bar Standard toolbar by default)

Tools toolbar

(Photography workspace) A simplified, touch-friendly workspace, with a handy Split

View makes editing in the Photography workspace easy for beginners and ideal for
quick edits.

Menu bar Standard toolbar Tool Options palette Image window

Tools toolbar Status bar Learning Center palette

(Complete workspace) A photo displayed in Edit

16 PaintShop Pro
Edit includes the following components:
• Menu bar — displays commands for performing tasks. For example, the Effects menu
contains commands for applying effects to images.
• Toolbars — display buttons for common commands. For more information, see “Using
toolbars” on page 22.
• Palettes — display image information and help you select tools, modify options,
manage layers, select colors, and perform other editing tasks. For more information, see
“Using palettes” on page 21.
• Image window — displays open files. You can choose from a tabbed view or a window
view. For more information, see “Viewing images” on page 32.
• Status bar — displays information about the selected tool or menu command, as well as
information about image dimensions, color depth, and pointer position. The status bar
appears at the bottom of the window, and unlike other toolbars, it cannot be customized
or moved. For more information about viewing image information, see “Displaying and
editing photo information” on page 93.

Optional tabs: Adjust (Complete workspace)

Adjust is the place for quick edits. It lets you fix and enhance your photos by offering a set
of the most commonly-used tools.
Adjust palette Preview area Toolbar Instant Effects palette

Status bar Organizer palette Thumbnails Set Rating

A photo displayed in Adjust

The Adjust includes the following components:
• Adjust palette — displays tools and controls for adjusting photos

Workspace tour 17
• Preview area — displays the photo selected in the Organizer palette
• Toolbar — displays buttons for accessing common saving and viewing commands
• Instant Effects palette — displays preset effects that you can apply to your photo
• Status bar — displays information about the selected tool
• Organizer palette — this palette lets you select photos (as thumbnails) and includes a
toolbar with a range of commands and options for managing photos. You can hide or
show the tools by clicking the button.
• Set Rating control — lets you assign ratings to each photo, so that you can quickly find
your favorites

Switching tabs
PaintShop Pro lets you switch tabs quickly and easily so that you can accomplish your photo
managing and editing tasks in the most efficient manner.

To switch between tabs

• At the top of the application window, click one of the following tabs:
• Welcome (Home icon)
• Manage (in the Complete workspace)
• Adjust (*optional tab in the Complete workspace)
• Edit

Switching workspaces
You can switch between the Photography, Essential, Complete, specialized workspaces, or
choose a custom workspace. For information about creating custom workspaces, see “Using
custom workspaces” on page 483.

To switch workspaces

• Do one of the following:

• On the Welcome tab, in the Workspaces area, choose the workspace that you want to
use. Note: Custom workspaces are not listed on the Welcome tab.
• Choose File > Workspaces, and select the workspace you want to use from the
submenu.

18 PaintShop Pro
About the Photography workspace
The Photography workspace is a simplified, touch-friendly workspace, with a handy Split
View that makes editing easy for beginners. It is also ideal for making popular corrections
and enhancements.
Although the elements in this full screen workspace, including the icons, are simplified, the
tools found in the Photography workspace can also be found in the Complete workspace.
For information about specific tools or settings, search the Help for the tool name or setting.
Note: Split View is one feature that is not available in the Complete workspace. You can
toggle Split View on or off by clicking the Split View button on the Standard toolbar.

Tool settings in the Photography workspace

In the Photography workspace, some tools are one-click, while others have settings. If a
selected tool has settings, the settings display at the bottom of the window. You can click
Cancel (x icon) or Apply (check mark icon) when you are finished adjusting the settings.

An example of tool settings in the Photography workspace.

As in other workspaces, you can undo and redo your edits. Undo and Redo can be found
on the left side of the Tools toolbar.

AI features in the Photography workspace

The Photography workspace includes some AI (artificial intelligence) tools. The analysis for
these features takes a few moments. The processing time depends on the size of the image
and your computer system. You’ll notice an animated blue overlay displays while the AI
features are processing your image. At any time, you can click the Esc key if you want to
cancel processing.
AI Style Transfer works through the Instant Effects palette. When you click AI Style
Transfer, the Instant Effects palette displays (if not already open), and the AI-Powered
category is selected. Clicking a style thumbnail once applies the style to the preview; clicking
a style thumbnail twice applies it to your image. Styles cannot be layered—applying a new
style replaces the previous style.

Workspace tour 19
 An animated blue overlay appears while AI features are processing.

Choosing a workspace color

You can choose from a variety of workspace colors — from dark to light. You can also choose
a background color for the image window and preview windows.

To choose a workspace color

1 Click View  Workspace Color.

2 Choose one of the following colors:
• Dark Gray (default)
• Medium Gray
• Light Gray

You can also change the workspace color by choosing User Interface > Workspace
Color

To change the background color

1 Click View Background Color, and choose a color.

You can also change the background color by choosing User Interface > Background
Color

20 PaintShop Pro
Using palettes
PaintShop Pro contains many palettes that organize information and commands to help you
edit your images. Some palettes appear automatically, others appear when you activate
certain tools, and some palettes appear only when you choose to open them. You can easily
turn a palette on and off by choosing View  Palettes. Some palettes are available only from
specific tabs.
Palettes display information and may contain both controls and command buttons. Like
toolbars, palettes can be moved from their default docked position. For more information
about customizing palettes, see “Customizing toolbars and palettes” on page 28.
Palette Description
Brush Variance Lets you set additional brush options when you use a paint
brush or any other raster painting tool. This palette is
particularly useful when you use a pressure-sensitive tablet or
a four-dimensional mouse. For example, you can vary the
opacity of a brushstroke by applying pressure with the stylus.
Some options also work well with a mouse.
Histogram Displays a graph of the distribution of red, green, blue,
grayscale, hue, saturation, and lightness values in an image.
You can analyze the distribution of detail in the shadows,
midtones, and highlights to help you decide how to make
corrections.
History Lists the actions taken on the active image; lets you undo and
redo adjacent or nonadjacent actions; and lets you create a
Quickscript that can be instantly applied to other open images
Info palette (Manage tab) Displays information about the selected image.
It consists of a camera-style display of the settings used to
take the photo and a tabbed area that lets you edit and view
information, such as tags and ratings, EXIF and IPTC data, and
information about location.
Instant Effects Provides quick access to thumbnails of preset effects that you
can apply to your photos.
Layers Lets you view, organize, and adjust settings for image layers
Learning Center Displays information about workflow, tools, and commands to
help you complete common tasks quickly and efficiently
Materials Lets you choose colors and materials for painting, drawing,
filling, and retouching
Mixer Lets you place and mix pigments to use with the Oil Brush tool
and the Palette Knife tool, allowing you to create realistic
strokes with oil paints on Art Media layers

Workspace tour 21
Palette Description
Overview Displays a thumbnail of the active image; lets you set a zoom
level, and displays image information
Organizer Lets you gather and display photos from various folders so
that you can select, edit, e-mail, or print them. You can add,
remove, and rename custom trays within the palette to match
your workflow.
Script Output Displays a list of your actions and results when you run scripts
Tool Options Displays settings and controls for the active tool

To display or hide a palette

Edit tab
• Choose View  Palettes, and click the palette name.
Palettes that are currently displayed are denoted with a check mark .

You can display or hide a floating palette by pressing F2.

To resize a palette
Edit tab
• Drag the corner or edge of a palette.

You can also resize a docked palette by clicking the Minimize palette or Maximize
palette button in the upper-right corner of the palette’s title bar.

Using toolbars
The workspace includes toolbars with buttons that are useful for performing common tasks.
When you position the pointer over a button, its name appears in a tooltip, and the status
bar displays additional information about the command. In addition, in the Edit tab, the
Learning Center provides advice on using the tool.
The Edit tab is the main access point for the following toolbars:
• Effects — displays commands for applying effects to your images
• Photo — displays commands for enhancing photos
• Script — displays commands for creating and running scripts
• Standard — appears by default toward the top of the window and displays the most
common file-management commands, such as saving images, undoing a command, and
cutting and pasting items

22 PaintShop Pro
• Status — appears by default at the bottom of the window and displays information
about the selected tool
• Tools — contains tools for painting, drawing, cropping, typing text, and performing
other image-editing tasks
• Web — displays commands for creating and saving images for the Web

To display or hide a toolbar

Edit tab
• Choose View  Toolbars, and click the toolbar that you want to display or hide.
A check mark beside the toolbar name in the menu indicates that the toolbar is
displayed.

You can also display a toolbar by right-clicking any toolbar in the Edit tab, choosing
Toolbars, and then choosing the toolbar name.
To hide a specific toolbar, click the Close button on its title bar.
You can display or hide a floating toolbar by pressing F2.

Using tools
You can use the tools to perform a variety of image editing and creative tasks. When you hold
the pointer over a tool, a tooltip displays the tool name and shortcut key, and the status bar
displays hints for using the tool.
The Edit tab lets you access a wide selection of tools for advanced image creation and
editing. Some of these tools, such as the Crop, Move, and Text tools, reside in their own space
on the Tools toolbar. Most tools, however, are grouped with other tools that perform similar
tasks. A group of tools is denoted by a small flyout arrow on the right side of the active tool.

Flyout arrow

Some tools are grouped together in flyouts. You can access all tools in a flyout by
clicking the flyout arrow beside the active tool.

For information about hiding and showing tools, see “Viewing and hiding tools” on
page 482.
For information about moving, hiding, and displaying the Tools toolbar, see “Using toolbars”
on page 22.
Depending on the type of layer you are working on, some tools may not be available. For
example, the Paint Brush and Clone Brush tools work only on raster layers; the Pen tool works

Workspace tour 23
only on vector layers. For more information about raster and vector layers, see
“Understanding layers” on page 250.
The following table briefly describes each tool on the Tools toolbar of the Edit tab.
Tool Description
Pan Lets you control which part of the image is visible in the
image window
Zoom Zooms in when you click, or zooms out when you right-
click. You can drag to define an area for zooming.
Pick Moves, rotates, and reshapes raster layers, and selects
and modifies vector objects
Move Moves a raster layer or a vector layer on the canvas
Auto Selection Selects the edges of an area automatically when you
enclose the area in a selection rectangle.
Smart Selection Brush Selects the edges of an area automatically when you
brush over a sample area.
Selection Creates a geometrically shaped selection, such as a
rectangle, ellipse, or triangle
Freehand Selection Creates an irregularly shaped selection
Magic Wand Makes a selection based on pixel values within a
specified tolerance level
Dropper Lets you choose the foreground/stroke color by clicking
or the background/fill color by right-clicking
Crop Trims or eliminates unwanted edges. Floating Crop
toolbar also provides access to image enhancement
options.
Straighten Rotates a crooked photo to straighten it
Perspective Correction Squares the perspective of buildings or other objects
that appear to be leaning
Red Eye Quickly corrects the red-eye effect commonly seen in
photos
Makeover Provides five modes — Blemish Fixer, Toothbrush, Eye
Drop, Suntan, and Thinify™ — which let you apply
cosmetic fixes to subjects in your photos
Clone Removes flaws and objects by painting over them with
another part of the image
SmartClone A content-aware cloning tool that lets you blend a
source selection into a new background.

24 PaintShop Pro
Tool Description
Scratch Remover Removes wrinkles, wires, and similar linear flaws from
digital photos, and removes scratches from scanned
photos
Object Remover Covers unwanted elements of a photo with a
neighboring texture in the same photo
Paint Brush Lets you paint on your image with colors, textures, or
gradients
Airbrush Simulates painting with an airbrush or spray can
Lighten/Darken Lightens areas as you drag, or darkens areas as you
drag with the right mouse button. This effect is
stronger than the effects produced by the Dodge and
Burn tools.
Dodge Lets you lighten areas of a photo by clicking or darken
areas by right-clicking
Burn Lets you darken areas of a photo by clicking, or lighten
areas by right-clicking
Smudge Smears pixels by picking up new colors as you drag, or
pushes pixels by not picking up new colors as you drag
with the right mouse button
Push Pushes pixels by not picking up new colors as you drag,
or smears pixels by picking up new colors as you drag
with the right mouse button
Soften Softens pixels as you drag, or sharpens pixels as you
drag with the right mouse button
Sharpen Sharpens pixels as you drag, or softens pixels as you
drag with the right mouse button
Emboss Creates an embossed effect by suppressing color and
tracing edges as you drag
Saturation Up/Down Makes colors more vivid as you drag, or less vivid as
you drag with the right mouse button
Hue Up/Down Shifts pixel hue values up as you drag, or shifts them
down as you drag with the right mouse button
Change to Target Recolors pixels while retaining detail
Color Replacer Replaces the background/fill color with the
foreground/stroke color when you click and drag, or
replaces the foreground/stroke color with the
background/fill color when you right-click and drag
Eraser Erases raster layer pixels to transparency

Workspace tour 25
Tool Description
Background Eraser Erases around the edges of the areas you want to keep
in a photo
Flood Fill Fills pixels of a similar tolerance level with the current
foreground/stroke material when you click, or with the
current background/fill material when you right-click
Color Changer Changes the color of an object while preserving the
shading and luminosity of the original color
Gradient Fill Adds a gradient fill that can be adjusted interactively
on an image
Picture Tube Places picture tubes, theme-based artistic elements, in
your image
Text Places text on your image
Frame Tool Creates a container (frame) that you can fill with an
image
Preset Shape Adds predefined shapes (such as callouts, arrows, and
starbursts) to your image
Rectangle Creates a rectangle or square
Ellipse Creates an ellipse or circle
Symmetric Shape Creates symmetric or star-shaped objects
Pen Creates connected or unconnected lines, freehand
curves, and Bézier curve segments
Warp Brush Shrinks, grows, twists, or distorts pixels
Mesh Warp Distorts a photo by dragging points along an overlay
grid
Oil Brush Simulates oil brushstrokes on an Art Media layer
Chalk Simulates drawing with chalk on an Art Media layer
Pastel Simulates drawing with pastels on an Art Media layer
Crayon Simulates drawing with crayon on an Art Media layer
Colored Pencil Simulates drawing with colored pencil on an Art Media
layer
Marker Simulates drawing with an ink marker on an Art Media
layer
Watercolor Brush Simulates watercolor brushstrokes on an Art Media
layer

26 PaintShop Pro
Tool Description
Palette Knife Simulates applying oil paint with a knife (instead of a
brush) on an Art Media layer
Smear Smears whatever pigment you’ve applied to an Art
Media layer
Art Eraser Erases whatever pigment you’ve applied to an Art
Media layer

Workspace tour 27
Customizing toolbars and palettes
You can dock, float, resize, and move the toolbars and palettes to customize your workspace,
especially from the Edit tab. When docking is enabled, toolbars and palettes can be
automatically integrated. When docking is disabled, toolbars and palettes can float anywhere
on the screen without being integrated.
You can keep the open palettes and toolbars fully displayed or roll them up when you’re not
using them.

To set docking preferences

Edit tab
1 Choose View  Docking Options.
The Preferences dialog box appears.
2 In the Allow Docking Of group box, mark the palettes that you want to dock.

Even if a palette is set for docking, you can still place it anywhere without docking it by
dragging it while holding down Ctrl.

To dock a toolbar or palette

Edit tab
• Drag the toolbar or palette’s title bar to one edge of the window.
The toolbar or palette snaps into place.

You can also dock a toolbar or palette by double-clicking its title bar.

To float a toolbar or palette

Edit tab
1 Do one of the following:
• Place the pointer over the toolbar’s handle. The pointer becomes a four-sided mover
icon.
• Place the pointer in the palette’s title bar.
2 Drag the toolbar or palette away from the window edge.

The handle size and position vary, depending on the size of the toolbar and whether it
is vertical or horizontal.

You can also double-click the toolbar’s handle.

28 PaintShop Pro
To move a toolbar or palette
Edit tab
• Drag its title bar to a new position.

To resize a toolbar or palette

Edit tab
• Drag a side or a corner of the toolbar or palette.

To display all toolbars and palettes

Edit tab
• Press Ctrl + Shift + T.

To roll up a toolbar or palette

Edit tab

• Click the Auto Hide pushpin button on the toolbar or palette’s title bar.
When the Auto Hide pushpin is pointing down, the toolbar or palette remains fully
displayed.
When the Auto Hide pushpin is pointing to the left , the toolbar or palette rolls up
when you move your pointer away.

If you perform an action in which the toolbar or palette remains in focus, the toolbar or
palette remains displayed even after the pointer moves away. When you click anywhere
else or perform another action, the toolbar or palette rolls up.
When you click away from the palette or toolbar with the Auto Hide button activated,
it rolls up in one of two ways: If it’s floating, only the title bar is visible; if it’s docked, a
tab appears with the palette or toolbar name.
Clicking the Auto Hide button again prevents the palette from rolling up.

To display the palette again, position your pointer over the tab.

Using dialog boxes

Dialog boxes are windows that open when you choose certain PaintShop Pro commands.
You can use them to select and preview command options. All dialog boxes remember where
you last positioned them on the screen and re-open in the same location.
There are two styles of dialog boxes. The following Adjust and Effect filters use a larger layout
to make it easier to use interactive controls: Depth of Field, Digital Noise Removal, Graduated
Filter, Red Eye Removal, Retro Lab, Selective Focus, Smart Photo Fix, and Vignette.

Workspace tour 29
 Some Adjust and Effect dialog boxes use a larger layout.
For an example of the other style of dialog box, see “Choosing effects” on page 314.
Common features found in many dialog boxes include the following:
• Before and After panes — let you see the effect of the dialog box settings on your
image before the effect is applied
• Zoom and Pan controls — let you zoom in and out on the preview areas, and change
the current viewing area
• Presets — display saved settings, or scripts, that you can use to make quick changes to
images. For more information, see “Using and creating presets” on page 536.
• Reset to Default button — lets you reset dialog box settings to their initial values
• Numeric edit controls — let you select or enter numeric values
• Color boxes — let you select colors for a command setting
• Randomize parameters button — lets you preview random settings.

Using preview areas

Most dialog boxes that you use to correct images, apply effects, or modify selections contain
Before and After panes that show the image with changes applied.
In some dialog boxes, you can show or hide the Before and After panes by clicking the Show/
Hide Previews button:
— The Before and After panes are displayed.
— The Before and After panes are hidden.
When you hide the Before and After panes, you can still see the effects of the current settings
on the image by marking the Preview on Image check box in the upper-right corner of the
dialog box.

30 PaintShop Pro
Editing numeric values
To edit values in PaintShop Pro dialog boxes, you can use the numeric edit control to enter
values and change settings.

Using color boxes

In some dialog boxes, a color box displays the currently selected color for a given control.
When you move the pointer over the color box, the pointer changes to a dropper and
displays the RGB values.

Randomizing parameters
Many correction and effect dialog boxes contain a Randomize Parameters button that
lets you update settings with random values.

To zoom in or out of the image preview

• Set the value in the Zoom control.

Click and drag here
to increase or decrease
the zoom setting
Enter a zoom Click these buttons
setting here to
increase or decrease
the zoom setting

You can also expand the dialog box to create more room for the Before and After
panes.

To pan the image preview

Edit tab
1 Move the pointer into the After pane.
The pointer changes to a hand.
2 Drag the image.

You can also hold down the Pan button , and then center the selection rectangle
over the part of the image you want to display.

To proof changes in the main image window

Edit tab
• Mark the Preview on Image check box.
Any change to a dialog box setting will be applied to the main image window.

Workspace tour 31
To edit numeric values
Edit tab
• Perform a task from the following table.
To Do the following
Enter a specific value Click in the control, press Delete or
Backspace, and type a new value.
Increase or decrease the number by one Click the up or down arrow.
Choose an approximate value Click the slider.
Choose from the range of available settings Move the slider.

If you enter a value that is out of range for the control, it turns red.

You can also double-click the number to highlight it, and type a new value.

To choose a color from a dialog box

Edit tab
• Perform a task from the following table.
To Do the following
Select a color Click the color box, and select a color from
the Color dialog box.
Select from recently used colors Right-click the color box, and select a color
in the Recent Colors dialog box.

To randomize settings within a dialog box

Edit tab

• Click the Randomize parameters button .

You can try a variety of settings by continuing to click the Randomize parameters
button until you get the effect you want.

Viewing images
You can view images in a tabbed format, in which a tab appears at the top of the image
window. When you click a tab, the image in that window becomes the active image. You can
also view images in windows, which you can move, resize, or close. You can open the same
image in multiple tabs or image windows, which lets you see the image at different
magnification levels.

32 PaintShop Pro
 The Tabbed Documents mode (left) lets you maximize your image viewing space. To
view several images at the same time (right), turn Tabbed Documents mode off.

If you have multiple images open, you can arrange the image windows to view them side by
side or stacked in cascading order.
If the image is larger than the image window, you can pan to view different parts of the
image, or you can fit the window to the image. You can also see a thumbnail of the entire
image in the Overview palette. For more information, see “Using palettes” on page 21.
The title bar at the top of the image window shows the filename and the magnification
percentage. An asterisk after the filename indicates that the image has been modified and
that those changes have not been saved.
If the image has an embedded watermark, a copyright symbol is displayed in front of its
name. For more information, see “Using digital watermarks” on page 575.

To enable or disable the tabbed image window option

Edit tab
• Choose Window  Tabbed Documents.

To view another image, click its tab. If an image tab is not in the current view, click the
arrows in the upper-right corner of the image window to scroll left or right.
To close a tabbed-format image, click the Close button .

To move an image window

Edit tab
• Drag the title bar.

To resize an image window

Edit tab
• Drag a corner of the image window.

When you resize an image window, you are not changing the size of the image.

Workspace tour 33
To minimize or maximize an image window
Edit tab
• Perform a task from the following table.
To Do the following
Minimize the image window to display only Click the Minimize button .
the title bar
Maximize the image window to fill the area Click the Maximize button .
Restore the image window to its previous Click the Restore Up button .
size

To close an image window

Edit tab
• Choose File  Close.
If you have made unsaved changes to your image, you are prompted to save.

You can also click the Close button on the title bar.
To close all windows, choose Window  Close All.

To make a copy of the active image

Edit tab
• Choose Window  Duplicate.
A copy of the active image opens. You can edit the copy independently of the original
image.

You can also duplicate the active image by pressing Shift + D.

To open multiple views of the same image

Edit tab
• Choose Window  New Window.
A new window opens with another view of the active image. When you make changes in
one window, both windows are updated.

To arrange multiple windows

Edit tab
• Perform a task from the following table.

34 PaintShop Pro
To Do the following
Display cascading windows Choose Window  Cascade.
The windows cascade from the upper left to
the lower right of the window.
Display windows side by side vertically Choose Window  Tile Vertically.
Windows are resized to fit within the
window.
Display windows side by side horizontally Choose Window  Tile Horizontally.
Windows are resized to fit within the
window.

To view another area of the image

Edit tab
• Perform a task from the following table.
To Do the following
Pan the image On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pan tool
, and then drag in the image. If any other
tool is active, hold down the Spacebar, and
then drag in the image.
Change the view horizontally or vertically Drag the horizontal or vertical scroll bar.
Change the view by small increments Press the arrow keys.
Pan in the Overview palette Press F9 to display the Overview palette,
click the Preview tab, place the pointer
inside the panning rectangle, and drag. You
can also set the zoom level in the Preview
tab of the Overview palette.

To fit the image in the image window

Edit tab
• Perform a task from the following table.
To Do the following
Fit the window to the image Choose Window  Fit to Image.
Fit the image to the window Choose Window  Fit to Window.
Fit the image and the window to the screen Choose Window  Fit to Screen.

Workspace tour 35
Using shortcut keys
PaintShop Pro lets you use shortcut keys to execute menu commands, select tools, display
palettes, edit nodes on vector objects, and execute Organizer commands. All of the menu
commands, including those for opening palettes, list their shortcut keys. Shortcut keys for
tools are displayed when you move the pointer over a tool.
You can customize the shortcut keys. For more information, see “Customizing keyboard
shortcuts” on page 487.

To access menu commands by using shortcut keys

• Hold down Alt, and press the underlined letter in the menu item.
For example, press Alt + F to open the File menu.

You can also scroll through the menus by using the arrow keys.

To view all shortcut keys

Edit tab
Manage tab
• Choose Help  Keyboard Map.

Using context menus

Context menus provide quick access to commands that are specific to a tool, selection,
palette, or other item. You can open a context menu by right-clicking the item.

To view a complete list of context menus

Edit tab
1 Choose View  Customize.
The Customize dialog box appears.
2 Click the Menu tab.
3 Click the Select context menu drop-list.
All of the context menu names appear in the drop-list. If you want to open a specific
context menu, select it.

To use a context menu

1 Right-click an image, an empty area of a palette, a layer on the Layers palette, a

thumbnail in the Organizer, or a toolbar.
2 Choose a command.

36 PaintShop Pro
Using rulers, grids, and guides
The Edit tab displays the rulers by default. You can choose a ruler display in pixels, inches, or
centimeters, change the color of the rulers, or altogether hide them.

What is a grid?
A grid is a series of horizontal and vertical lines overlaying your image. Grid lines can help
you position image elements. You can display or hide grids and set grid preferences for
spacing and appearance. When you display grids, they appear in all open image windows.

What are guides?

Guides are horizontal or vertical lines you position to overlay your image. With the rulers
displayed, you drag guides onto your image to help with precision work, such as cropping,
moving image elements, selections, as well as text and brushstroke placement. While grids
place a series of horizontal and vertical lines at certain intervals, you place guides at the
locations you want.

Setting snapping
You can use snapping to align your brushstrokes and image elements precisely to the nearest
grid line or guide. The snap influence controls the distance, in pixels, that an element must
be from a guide or grid line in order to snap to it. An item’s center point snaps to a guide or
grid if the center point is the closest part of the item to a grid or guide.

To display the ruler, grid, or guides

Edit tab
• Choose the View menu, and select one of the following:
• Rulers
• Grid
• Guides

You must first display rulers before you can drag guidelines onto your image.

To set ruler properties

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  General Program Preferences.
The Preferences dialog box appears.
2 Choose Units from the list.
3 In the Rulers group box, choose an option from the Display Units drop-list.
4 Choose the ruler color by selecting one of the following options:

Workspace tour 37
 • Black on white — displays black hash marks and numbers on a white background
• Toolbar colors — displays black hash marks and numbers on a color background that
is used in toolbars and palettes
5 Click OK.

To set default or current grid properties

Edit tab
1 Choose View  Change Grid, Guide & Snap Properties.
The Grid, Guide & Snap Properties dialog box appears.
2 Click the Grid tab.
The Default settings group box shows the default settings for the grid. The Current
image settings group box shows settings for the grid in the current image.
3 Type or set a value in the Horizontal grids control to set the distance between horizontal
grid lines (starting from the top of the image).
4 Type or set a value in the Vertical grids control to set the distance between vertical grid
lines (starting from the left side of the image).
5 Choose a unit of measurement option from the Units drop-list.
6 Click OK.
You can also
Choose a grid color Click the Color box, and choose a color from the
color palette.
Set the snap influence level Type or set a value in the Snap influence control.

38 PaintShop Pro
To place a horizontal or vertical guide
Edit tab
1 If the rulers are not displayed, choose View  Rulers.
2 Choose View  Guides.
3 Do one of the following:
• To place a horizontal guide, click the top ruler, and drag a guide into position.
• To place a vertical guide, click the left ruler, and drag a guide into position.
As you drag, the Status bar displays the guide’s position (in pixels).
4 For further placement position, on a ruler, double-click a guide handle.
The Guide Properties dialog box appears.
5 Type or set a value in the Guide position control.
6 Click OK.

To change the color of a guide

Edit tab
1 On a ruler, double-click a guide handle.
The Grid, Guide & Snap Properties dialog box appears.
2 On the Guides tab, click the Color box, and choose a color from the color palette.
3 Click OK.

To set the default properties for guides

Edit tab
1 Choose View  Change Grid, Guide, and Snap Properties.
The Grid, Guide & Snap Properties dialog box appears.
2 Click the Guides tab.
The Default Settings group box shows the default settings for guides. The Current
Image Settings group box shows settings for the guides in the current image.
3 In the Default Settings group box, click the Color box, and choose a color from the
color palette.
If you want to choose a recently-used color, right-click the Color box, and choose a color
from the Recent Colors dialog box.
4 Type or set a value in the Snap influence control to specify the distance (in pixels) that
an item must be from the guide in order for it to snap.
5 Click OK.
Note: You must choose the Snap to Guide command in the View menu.

Workspace tour 39
To delete guides from an image
Edit tab
1 Choose View  Change Grid, Guide, & Snap Properties.
2 Click the Guides tab.
3 Mark the Delete guides check box.
4 Choose one of the following options:
• From current image only
• From all open images
5 Click OK.

You can also drag a guide’s handle until the guide is off the image area, or right-click
a guide handle and click Delete in the Guide Properties dialog box.

To snap to the nearest guide or grid line

Edit tab
• From the View menu, choose one of the following:
• Snap to Guides
• Snap to Grid

40 PaintShop Pro
 Sea-to-Sky workspace (Ultimate)

In the Ultimate version of PaintShop Pro, you can find Sea-to-Sky—a specialized workspace
designed to take your drone and underwater photography to new heights. Whether it’s
dealing with haze in aerial and landscape photos, color casts in underwater photos, or
improving images captured in challenging lighting conditions, the Sea-to-Sky workspace
offers a set of tools and presets to make impressive quick corrections and creative
improvements.
This section presents the following topics:

• Sea-to-Sky workspace (Ultimate)

• Editing images in the Sea-to-Sky workspace (Ultimate)

The availability of features depends on the version of the software you have.

Sea-to-Sky workspace (Ultimate)

Similar to the full screen and simplified user interface of the Photography workspace, Sea-
to-Sky is a touch-friendly workspace, with a handy Split View that makes it easy to compare
the original image with the edited image.
Although the elements in this full screen workspace, including the icons, are simplified, the
tools found in the Sea-to-Sky workspace can also be found in the Complete workspace. For
information about specific tools or settings, search the Help for the tool name or setting.
Note: Split View is one feature that is not available in the Complete workspace. You can
toggle Split View on or off by clicking the Split View button on the Standard toolbar.

Sea-to-Sky workspace (Ultimate) 41

 Image window (Split View
Menu bar Standard toolbar by default)

Tools toolbar preset categories

Sea-to-Sky workspace

To open the Sea-to-Sky workspace

• In PaintShop Pro Ultimate, do one of the following:

• On the Welcome tab, choose Sea-to-Sky in the Workspaces area.
• On the Edit tab, click File > Workspace > Sea-to-Sky.
If the Edit tab isn’t open, click it to access the editing features.

Editing images in the Sea-to-Sky workspace (Ultimate)

Editing images in the Sea-to-Sky workspace is easy. It is recommended that you crop or use
any of the other tools before you apply a preset. Although you can apply a preset before
using editing tools, you must undo if you want to reapply a preset.

To edit an image in the Sea-to-Sky workspace

1 From the File menu or the Standard toolbar, choose Open, and select a file that you
want to edit.
2 Apply any of the following transformation tools:
• Crop
• Flip Horizontal
• Flip Vertical

42 PaintShop Pro
 • Rotate Right
3 Choose one of the following preset categories:
• Corrective
• Scenic
• Low Light
• Creative
4 Click the thumbnail for the preset that you want to apply.
A purple progress bar displays below the image as the preview is updated.
If you want to try another preset, click another thumbnail; if you decide not to apply a
preset, click None.
Note: Presets are not cumulative—when you apply a new preset, it replaces the
previous preset.
5 Click Apply (check mark icon).

Sea-to-Sky workspace (Ultimate) 43

44 PaintShop Pro
 Getting started

You can bring your images into Corel PaintShop Pro in various ways: you can import photos
that you have transferred to your computer, scan images directly into the application,
capture images from the computer screen; or you can create an image.
After you bring your images into the application, you can access many basic commands that
help you view images and image information. You can perform basic actions such as cut,
copy, undo, and repeat.
This section presents the following topics:

• Getting photos into PaintShop Pro

• Connecting with image scanners
• Opening and closing images
• Saving images
• Starting projects from a template
• Starting from a blank canvas
• Creating images from existing images
• Viewing images and image information
• Exporting the image editing history to a text file
• Using Screenshot
• Zooming and panning
• Cutting, copying, and pasting
• Copying images into other applications
• Undoing and redoing actions
• Repeating commands
• Deleting images
• Files supported by PaintShop Pro
• How to open HEIC files from an iPhone or other device

Getting started 45
Getting photos into PaintShop Pro
After you transfer your photos to your computer (by using Windows or the software for your
camera), you can import your photos into PaintShop Pro. You import photos by browsing to
folders. The photos in the folders are then cataloged automatically in a database. This makes
it easy to find, edit, and update the information for your photos.

To import your photos into PaintShop Pro

Manage tab

1 In the Navigation palette, click the Collections tab, and click Browse More Folders.
2 In the Browse For Folder dialog box, navigate to the folder you want.
3 Click OK.
The folder is added to the folder list and all the images are cataloged in the application
database.

You can open the Navigation palette by clicking the Show/Hide Navigation button
on the Organizer palette.

Connecting with image scanners

Your scanning software may allow you to choose an application for scanning images. Many
TWAIN, WIA, and USB scanners are compatible with PaintShop Pro.

32-bit and 64-bit scanner compatibility

WIA (Microsoft Windows Image Acquisition) is supported by both the 32-bit and 64-bit
versions of PaintShop Pro.
TWAIN is supported by both the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of PaintShop Pro. However, to
work with the 64-bit version of PaintShop Pro, your scanner must support 64-bit applications
(in some cases, scanner drivers install to the 64-bit version of Windows, but do not support
interaction with 64-bit applications). How can you tell? After you install the 64-bit scanner
driver from the manufacturer, a file appears in the following location: Windows/twain_64. If
you do not see the twain_64 folder and a file within the folder, then the driver does not
support 64-bit applications. For more information, please refer to the scanner
manufacturer’s website.

To get images from a scanner

Edit tab
1 After installing the software that came with your scanner, connect your scanner to your
computer.

46 PaintShop Pro
2 In PaintShop Pro, choose File  Import, and click From Scanner or Camera (WIA option)
or TWAIN Acquire, depending on the type of scanner.
3 Use the scanner’s software to perform the scan.
If you have set up your scanner to work with PaintShop Pro, the image is displayed in the
application after it is processed. The scanner’s software may remain open, so you can
either continue to acquire images or exit the software.

After scanning multiple photos at the same time, you can quickly create individual
image files by using the Crop as New Image feature. For more information, see “To
create a new image by cropping” on page 119.
After cropping an image, you might notice that the Width and Height values on the
Tool Options palette are each set at 0.100. These settings do not reflect the cropped
image size. To see the image size dimensions after cropping, choose Image  Image
Information.

Opening and closing images

You can open most image formats in PaintShop Pro. You can open the images by using the
menu bar or from the Organizer palette. You can associate specific file formats with
PaintShop Pro, such as JPEG, TIF, or PNG, so that these files will open in PaintShop Pro when
you double-click them. For more information about setting file format associations, see
“Setting file format associations” on page 504.For a list of the file formats that you can open
in PaintShop Pro, see “Files supported by PaintShop Pro” on page 74. For information on
RAW files, see “Supported RAW file formats” on page 105.

To open an image
Edit tab
1 Choose File  Open.
2 In the Look in drop-list, choose the folder where the file is stored.
3 Click the name of the file that you want to open.
If you want to open multiple files, hold down Ctrl, and click the filenames.
4 Click Open.
You can also
View information about an image In the Open dialog box, click the filename,
and click Details.
View a thumbnail in the preview area In the Open dialog box, mark the Show
preview check box.

Getting started 47
You can also
Run a script on the files as they open In the Open dialog box, mark the Enable
Pre-processing check box, and choose a
script from the drop-list.

To open an image from the Organizer palette

1 In the Organizer palette, click the Show/Hide Navigation button to display the
Navigation palette.
2 In the Navigation palette, click one of the following tabs:
• Collections — displays a custom list of cataloged folders and a list of virtual collections
• Computer — displays a list of all folders and devices on your computer
3 Double-click a folder to display the subfolders it contains.
4 Click the folder that contains the photos that you want, and drag the corresponding
image thumbnail into the image window.

To open a recently viewed file

Edit tab
• Choose File  Recent Files, and choose the filename.

By default, the Recent Files menu lists four recently viewed files. You can choose to list
up to 10 files. For more information, see “To set the number of files that appear in the
Recent Files list” on page 496.

To open a RAW photo image

Edit tab
• Do one of the following:
• Choose File  Open.
• Double-click on a RAW image thumbnail.
• Hold down Ctrl, and click the filenames or thumbnails to open multiple files.
The Camera RAW Lab dialog box opens. This dialog box lets you adjust the settings that
are stored with the RAW photo file.

To close an image

• Choose File  Close.

48 PaintShop Pro
Saving images
Before you save an image, you need to consider the file format in which you want to save it,
and you must ensure that you don’t overwrite an original image that you may need in the
future.
The PspImage file format of PaintShop Pro supports layers, alpha channels, and other
features used in creating images. It is recommended that you save and edit your images as
PspImage files. You can then save the files to common file formats. You can also use the Save
for Office command if you want to optimize your images for placement in another
application, such as a page layout, e-mail, or Web page design application.
The following list provides basic information about common file formats:
• JPEG — a standard file format for digital photos that is suitable for e-mail and the Web.
It uses lossy compression, which ensures a small file size but entails a loss of image data
each time you save. For this reason, this format is not recommended for editing photos
unless a high quality setting is used. This file format supports EXIF and IPTC data, which
can be used to provide information about the photo, such as when a photo was taken.
• TIFF — a standard file format for printing and sharing images between programs. This
file format uses non-lossy compression. Although you do not lose image data when you
save the file, the larger file size is less suitable for e-mail and the Web. TIFF can save data
in the CMYK color mode for printing, and it supports EXIF and IPTC data.
• PNG — a file format widely used for Web images. It uses non-lossy compression to
reduce the file size without losing image data.
• RAW camera formats — a file format typically used by professional photographers.
RAW camera formats provide uncompressed, unprocessed image data and gives you the
most control over how an image is processed. You must have a camera that captures
digital image in a RAW format, and you need software that lets you open and work with
the file, such as PaintShop Pro.
You can save a PspImage file with or without compression. Both compression methods that
PaintShop Pro uses are lossless and reduce the file size without losing any image
information. Uncompressed files require more disk space.
PaintShop Pro uses the following compression methods:
• Run length encoding (RLE) — a fast compression method, which compresses most
multilayer images to about 75 percent of their original size. This method works well with
images that contain large areas of the same color.
• LZ77 compression — a slower compression method that compresses most images to
smaller sizes than with the RLE method. This method works well with photorealistic
images.
When you save a new image, PaintShop Pro lets you select its location, name, and file format.
When you save an image and then edit it, the image title bar displays an asterisk, or modifier

Getting started 49
tag, after the filename to indicate that the file has been modified. This tag disappears each
time you save your work.
You can also automatically save your files at specific intervals to avoid losing your work if
your computer shuts down unexpectedly. For more information, see “Setting Autosave
preferences” on page 511.
If you want to save a version of a file, you can save a copy of an image. This is useful when
you want to apply effects to an image but keep the original file.
Important! The Auto-Preserve Original preference setting can help you avoid overwriting
original images. By default, this feature is on. For more information on this preference
setting, see “Setting Auto-Preserve preferences” on page 499.

To save a new image

Edit tab
1 Choose File  Save.
The Save As dialog box appears.
2 From the Save in drop-list, choose the folder in which you want to save the file.
3 In the File name field, type a name for the file.
4 In the Save as type drop-list, choose a file format. The most commonly used formats are
listed first.
If you want to change the default settings for the file format (for example compression or
color profile), click Options, and choose the settings you want.
5 Click Save.

You can also save your work by clicking the Save As button on the Standard toolbar
to avoid overwriting your current file.
You can also adjust default settings for JPEG images by dragging the Compression
slider the first time you save a JPEG in your editing session.
You can save in the last-used file format by choosing File  Preferences  General
Program Preferences, and clicking Display and Caching from the list on the left side.
In the Presentation group box, mark the Re-use last type in the file save-as dialog
check box.

To save your work

Edit tab
• Choose File  Save.
If the Auto-Preserve Originals preference setting is enabled, and this is the first time
you’ve attempted to save changes to this image, you are prompted to save a copy of the

50 PaintShop Pro
 original unedited image. If Auto-Preserve Originals is not enabled, the original image is
overwritten by the modified image.

You can avoid overwriting the current file by using the Save As command.

You can also save your work by clicking the Save button on the Standard toolbar.

To save a copy of an image

Edit tab
1 Choose the File  Save Copy As.
The Save Copy As dialog box appears.
2 From the Save in drop-list, choose a folder in which to save the image.
If you want to create a new folder for the image, click the Create New Folder button.
3 In the File name box, type a name for the file.
If you want to save the file in a different format, select the format from the Save as type
drop-list. The most commonly used formats are listed first.
If you want to change the default settings for the file format (for example compression or
color profile), click Options, and choose the settings you want.
4 Click Save.

To save images for office applications

Edit tab
1 Choose File  Save for Office.
The Save for Office dialog box appears.
2 From the Save in drop-list, choose a folder in which to save the image.
If you want to create a new folder for the image, click the Create New Folder button .
3 From the Optimize drop-list, choose one of the following:
• Desktop Printing — sets the image resolution to 200 dpi. This option is ideal for when
you are working in a general page layout application and you want high-quality images
but not an overwhelming file size.
• Professional Printing — sets the image resolution to 300 dpi. This option is ideal for
when you need the highest image quality.
• Screen or e-mail — sets the image resolution to 96 dpi. This option is ideal for when
you want a smaller file size that can be shared or displayed quickly.
4 In the File name box, type a name for the file.
5 Choose a file format from the Save as type drop-list.
6 Click Save.

Getting started 51
You can also
Define the maximum image size Mark the Advanced Settings check box,
and then adjust the Width and Height
settings. Choose a unit of measure from the
drop-list on the right.
Adjust the image quality Mark the Advanced Settings check box,
and then choose a resolution from the
Image quality drop-list.
Use the most recent settings from the From the Optimize drop-list, choose Last
Save to Office dialog box Used.
Use the default settings for the From the Optimize drop-list, choose
Save to Office dialog box Default. The settings are the same as the
default Screen or e-mail settings.

Starting projects from a template

You can access a wide range of creative templates on the New From Template tab in the
New Image dialog box—from cards, to collages, brochures, and social media templates. You
can choose from a selection of free templates or you can purchase templates.

How the templates work

The templates use PaintShop Pro layers and masks to provide maximum flexibility—you can
customize the templates any way you like and save the customizations to a .pspimage file so
that you can use them again. The templates use placeholder images that you replace with

52 PaintShop Pro
your own images—all this is done in the Layers palette. For more information about layers,
see “Working with layers” on page 249.

To start a project from a template

1 Do one of the following:

• From the Welcome tab, click the Template button.
• From the Edit tab, click File > New From Template.
The New Image dialog box appears with the New From Template page displayed.
2 Choose a template.
If the template isn’t already installed, click Download or Buy.
3 Click OK.
The template opens in the image window and the Layers palette.
4 In the Organizer palette, select a photo that you think will work well in one of the
template frames, and drag the thumbnail to the Layers palette, under the mask layer (the
mask layers appear in black and white) for the frame that you want to fill.

It’s important to drag the image thumbnail under the black-and-white mask layer. The
pointer displays a plus sign and a line displays between the layers to indicate that you
are inserting an image layer.

The image is inserted as a layer and is selected (highlighted in blue).

5 On the Tools toolbar, click the Pick tool .
6 In the image window, adjust the zoom level (you can use the Zoom Out tool on the
Standard toolbar) until you can see the edges of the image layer if they extend beyond the
image window.

Getting started 53
 A marquee indicates the edges of the image layer. The red arrow and circle show a
corner node.

7 Drag a corner node to resize the image layer. You can move the image layer by
positioning the cursor in the middle of the image layer (a four-arrow cursor appears),
and dragging.
If you want to move the image to a different frame in the template, in the Layers palette,
drag the image layer under a different mask layer (might need to scroll in the Layers
palette).
8 When you are finished filling the template, make any additional changes you want (add
text etc...).
9 Click File > Save As and save the file as a .pspimage file to keep a layered, editable
version of the file.
10 If you want to share the final version, click File > Save As, and save the file to a shareable
file format, such as JPEG, PNG, or TIFF (for printing). Please note that most file formats
flatten the image (merge all layers to one layer).

If your image appears clipped and you see the transparency grid when you move or
resize the image layer, check to see if the mask group is selected in the Layers palette
rather than the image layer. If so, undo until the image is restored and then select the
intended layer.

The red x indicates the group layer. The red check mark indicates the image layer. You
must select the image layer before you adjust the layer in the image window.

54 PaintShop Pro
Starting from a blank canvas
Starting an image from a blank canvas lets you build custom projects, such as collages, and
painting or drawings.
You can choose a preset, such as a standard page, photo size, or Facebook timeline cover, or
you can create a custom image. The section below describes some of the settings available.
There are two types of computer graphics: raster and vector. With PaintShop Pro, you can
create both types of images. You can also create an image with both raster and vector layers.
It is important to understand the differences between these two data types before you begin
working with them.

Raster graphics
Raster images are composed of individual elements, called pixels, which are arranged in a
grid. Each pixel has a specific location and color. If you magnify raster data, you can see the
individual pixels as squares of colors. Raster images contain a fixed number of pixels, so when
you magnify the image you are magnifying the display size of the pixels. As a result, raster
images may display jagged rather than smooth edges when magnified on screen or when
printed at a large magnification.
An object in a raster image is defined by its pixels. For example, the front door in an image
of a house is made up of a mosaic of pixels at certain locations in the image. In bitmap
images, you edit pixels rather than objects or shapes.
Raster images can display subtle changes in tones and colors, so they are most often used
for images like photographs and digital artwork.

Vector graphics
Vector graphics use geometric characteristics — lines, curves, and their locations — to define
objects. For example, a door in a graphic of a house is made up of a rectangle that has a
certain width and height, is placed at a specific location, and is filled with a certain color. In
vector images, you edit objects or shapes rather than pixels.
Vector graphics do not lose clarity or detail when they are scaled or printed, regardless of the
change in size or resolution. For this reason, vector graphics are suited to technical
illustrations or corporate logos.

Choosing to work with raster or vector data

With PaintShop Pro, you create and edit raster and vector data on separate layers. With
some tools you create raster data (like brushstrokes with the Paint tool), and with other tools
(like the Text and Preset Shapes tools) you can choose whether you want to create raster or
vector data.

Getting started 55
In general, it is best to use a vector object if you need to edit it as an element separate from
other parts of the image. For example, if you add a star to an image, you may want to change
its size, color, or location. You can make these changes more easily if the star is a vector
object. You can create raster data on separate layers, which can be easily edited or moved.
To apply tools or commands to vector objects that work only on raster data (such as the
painting tools or the Effects commands), you can create a raster selection of a vector object
and then paste the selection to a new raster layer.

Understanding image size, resolution, and color depth

Before you create a new image, you need to consider how you will use it. For example, will
you display the image on a website, send it as an e-mail attachment, or print it? How you use
the image helps you determine its size, resolution, and color depth.
Image size is represented by the physical dimensions of the image. When you create a new
image or resize an existing image with PaintShop Pro, you can define image height and
width in pixels, inches, millimeters, or centimeters.
The following are guidelines for choosing a unit of measure:
• If you plan to print the images, use inches or centimeters. By starting with the final image
dimensions, you can produce an image that fits the page.
• If you plan to export the images to another application (such as a word-processing
application), and then resize and print them, you can use any of the options.
• If you plan to display the images on the screen, use pixels.
You can resize an image after creating it, but doing so may result in loss of image data. For
more information about resizing images, see “Retouching and restoring images” on
page 171.
Image Resolution is measured in pixels per inch (ppi) or pixels per centimeter. Low
resolution can cause pixelation, a problem in which large pixels produce coarse output. High
resolution can increase an image’s memory requirements without producing a proportional
increase in its quality.
Color Depth is measured according to the number of colors that a pixel can display. Each
pixel’s color information is stored in bits — from 1 to 48 bits. In a 1-bit image, each pixel can
display only one of two colors (black or white). In a 24-bit image, each pixel can display 1 of
16 million colors. Images with a color depth of 16 million colors look good, but they also
require more memory to store and edit. Not all computer monitors can display 16 million
colors, so some file formats limit the number of supported colors. For example, GIF images,
a popular format for the Web, contain up to 256 colors (8-bit depth).
Many of the commands in PaintShop Pro for applying effects and correcting images work on
16 million–color images only. Therefore, it’s best to create most images in 16 million colors.

56 PaintShop Pro
When you have finished working on the image, you can decrease its color depth and save it
in another format.
When you create a new image in PaintShop Pro, you can specify its dimensions, resolution,
and type. The options available depend on the type of graphic you want to create. If you’re
uncertain as to what type of graphic you need for your project, or which settings to choose,
review the information in the following procedure. For more information about creating Art
Media graphics, see “Painting and drawing with the Art Media tools” on page 447.

To create an image from a blank canvas

Edit tab
1 Choose File  New.
The New Image dialog box appears with the Blank Canvas page displayed.
2 To choose a preset, click one of the category buttons on the left, and choose a preset. To
adjust the preset, or to define a custom image, follow the steps below.
3 In the Image Dimensions group box, type or set values for the following controls:
• Units — specifies the unit of measure
• Width — specifies the width of the new image
• Height — specifies the height of the new image
• Resolution — specifies number of pixels contained in the chosen unit of measure
If you want to choose preset dimensions, choose an option from the Load Preset
drop-list.
4 In the Image Characteristics group box, choose one of the following options:
• Raster Background — suitable for most graphics and painting tasks
• Vector Background — suitable for vector graphics
• Art Media Background — lets you use the Art Media tools
5 Choose an option from the Color depth drop list.
If you chose the Raster Background option, you can choose a background color for the
image by clicking the color box and choosing a color from the Material Properties
palette. To choose a transparent background (for 8-bit or 16-bit images only), mark the
Transparent check box.
If you chose the Art Media Background option, you can choose a canvas texture from
the Select the canvas texture drop-list. If you want to choose a color for the canvas,
mark the Enable fill color check box, click the color box, and choose a color from the
Color dialog box.
6 Click OK.

The Memory Required field displays the amount of memory required for the image.
Your computer’s available memory should be at least two to three times the value

Getting started 57
 displayed in the Memory Required field. To reduce the memory requirement, you can
reduce the resolution or the dimensions of the image.
For more information on choosing colors or materials, see “Using the Materials palette”
on page 291.

Creating images from existing images

You can create an image by copying aspects of an existing image. When you use an existing
image as the source of your new image, you can copy the entire image (duplicate) or an
individual layer. You can also create an image from any graphic data copied to the Clipboard
from PaintShop Pro.

To duplicate an image
Edit tab
1 Open the image you want to duplicate.
2 Choose Window  Duplicate.
A new window containing a copy of the image appears in the workspace.

To create an image from a layer

Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, click the layer you want to copy.
2 Choose Edit, and click one of the following:
• Copy
• Cut
The current layer is placed on the Clipboard.
3 Choose Edit  Paste As New Image.
A new window containing the layer appears in the workspace.

To create a new image from a layered image

Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, click the layer you want to copy.
2 Choose Edit  Copy Special  Copy Merged.
All layers are copied to the Clipboard.
3 Choose Edit  Paste As New Image.
A new image window appears in the workspace. The new image contains all layers
merged into one raster layer.

58 PaintShop Pro
To create an image from the Clipboard contents
Edit tab
1 Copy a selection or layer of an image, or an item from another program.
2 Choose Edit  Paste As New Image.
The Clipboard contents are pasted as a new image.

If the Paste As New Image command is grayed out, then the data you have copied to
the Clipboard cannot be pasted as a PaintShop Pro image.
A dialog box may appear and request additional information, such as the width and
height of the new image window. You can change your preferences so that
PaintShop Pro does not prompt you for size and options when you paste data. For
more information about setting file format preferences, see “Setting file format
preferences” on page 501.

Viewing images and image information

When you open an image in PaintShop Pro, it appears in an image window. The title bar of
the image window displays the image filename and the level of magnification applied to the
image. An asterisk after the filename indicates that the image has been modified and that
the changes have not been saved.
You can view basic image information, such as the height and width of an image (in pixels)
and its color depth. You can also view detailed information for the image, such as its
resolution, color depth, layers and alpha channels, and EXIF data. You can also view the
number of unique colors in an image.
You can also view and edit image information in the Info palette that you can access from
the Manage tab. For more information, see “Displaying and editing photo information” on
page 93.
The EXIF Information tab of the Image Information dialog box lets you view EXIF data for
digital camera photos. When you take a photo with a digital camera, the camera attaches
information to the image, such as the date and time that it was captured, the exposure, and
the flash settings. When you load a photo from a digital camera into PaintShop Pro, you can
view this extra information.
You can expand the workspace to preview an image without the menus, toolbars, or palettes
visible.
The Status bar, which is located at the bottom of the application window, displays the cursor
position, height and width in pixels, and color depth for the current image.
When the Organizer palette is open, you can use Quick Preview to quickly view larger
versions of the thumbnails.

Getting started 59
If you have two monitors, you can use Dual Monitor to open the Manage tab on one
monitor and the Edit tab on a second monitor.

To view digital photo information

Edit tab
1 Open an image.
2 Choose Image  Image information.
• Click the Image Information tab to view the filename, file format, image dimensions,
resolution, color depth, modification status, number of layers and alpha channels, and
the amount of RAM and disk space used for the image. This page also displays the
image’s selections, masks, alpha channels, and Undo storage.
• Click the Creator Information tab to view or edit the image’s title, artist’s name,
copyright, description, date of creation, and date of modification.
• Click the Watermark Information tab to view and add information about Digimarc
watermarking.
• Click the EXIF Information tab to view information for images taken with digital
cameras. In the Section group box, mark the check boxes for the information you want
to display: Input Device, Artist, Date, Image, Shot Conditions, GPS, or Makernote.
Some items are editable (as denoted by an asterisk). To add customized text for an
editable item, click in the Value column, and then type your custom information.
• Click the Edit History tab to view a log file of the edits made to the image. Click Save
Edit History to export the log file to a .log or .txt file.

You can also add IPTC data to the image information by using the Advanced Creator
Information dialog box. This can be useful for photojournalists, for example, who may
need to record IPTC data about when and where a photo was shot, and how urgently
the photo needs to be reviewed. To access this dialog box, click the Creator
Information tab, and then click Advanced.

To view image color information

Edit tab
• Choose Image  Count Image Colors to display the number of unique colors in the
image.

To view layer color information

Edit tab
• Choose Layers  Count Layer Colors to display the number of unique colors in the
current layer.

60 PaintShop Pro
To view an image on the full screen
Edit tab
• Choose View  Full Screen Preview.
The workspace disappears, and the image appears at its current magnification.

To return to the PaintShop Pro workspace, press any key.

To view Organizer palette thumbnails with Quick Preview

1 In the Organizer palette, click a thumbnail.

2 Press the space bar to display a large preview of the selected thumbnail.

To activate or deactivate Dual Monitor mode

• Choose View > Dual Monitor.

A check mark displays when Dual Monitor mode is active.

Exporting the image editing history to a text file

You can track changes that you make to an image by exporting the list of changes (edit
history) to a text file. The edit history can be used for reference if you want to recreate a look
or create a tutorial. It can also be used as an official record of edits made to an image.
There are two ways to export the editing log for an image file:
• In the History palette, you can save a log file of the current editing session.
• In the Current Image Information dialog box, you can view and export the Edit history
for an image file.

To export an editing session from the History palette

1 In the History palette, click the Save session history to text file button .
2 In the Save As dialog box, choose a destination, type a filename for the .log file and click
Save.

To export an image edit history to a log file

1 Click Image > Image Information, and click the Edit History tab.
The edit log history displays.
2 Click Save Edit History.

Getting started 61
3 In the Save As dialog box, choose a destination, type a filename for the .log file and click
Save.

Using Screenshot
Screenshot is a tool within PaintShop Pro that lets you capture screen content (images known
as screen captures, screen grabs, or screenshots). After you capture a screenshot, you can
edit it with any of the PaintShop Pro tools. For example, you can annotate with drawing tools
or the Text tool, and add preset shapes, such as arrows. You can then, share the screenshots
through email or add them to documents such as reports, training guides, presentations, and
Web pages.
To initiate the capture process, you must choose settings and then press a hot key, right-click,
or set a delay timer. You can define your own hot key. You can also specify the delay period,
so that you can set up elements such as menu lists or flyouts before capturing.
You can specify the method of capture. For example you can capture by area, or specify full
screen, window, or object. You can also use Smart Capture, a flexible mode that auto-detects
screen elements or lets you drag to set the capture area. For example, you can capture the
active window, a menu, a button, an image, or a part of an image, or you can drag to capture
a specific area. You can also use presets to capture specific screen dimensions.
You can also capture a multiple images and set destination and file format options.
If you frequently capture screens, you can add Screenshot activation and Screenshot Setup
icons to your toolbar. You can also create presets for screenshots.

To specify the area that you want to capture

Edit tab
1 Choose File  Screenshot  Setup.
2 In the Method drop-list, choose one of the following options:
• Smart Capture — captures an object by auto-detecting screen elements (buttons,
menus, window areas) as you hover over the elements with the pointer
• Area — captures the area of the screen that you select
• Full screen — captures the entire screen
• Client Window — captures the contents of the active program
• Window — captures the active window
• Object — captures an object within the program that you select, such as a menu bar,
toolbar, icon, or document window
• Preset — captures preset area size. When you choose this option, you can select a
category from the Category drop-list, and select the preset size you want from the
Preset drop-list.

62 PaintShop Pro
3 If you want to modify other settings, click the Settings button , and navigate the
pages to adjust the settings you want.
4 Click Start.

For Preset captures, the Category list is based on the categories available in the New
Image dialog box.
Hot keys and right-clicking cannot be used to capture user-defined areas.

To specify screenshot activation method

Edit tab
1 Choose File  Screenshot  Setup.
2 Click the Settings button .
3 On the Activate Capture page (click the first dot along the bottom of the dialog box),
choose one of the following options:
• Hot key — lets you use a keyboard shortcut to capture screen contents. Choose a key
or key combination from the drop-list.
• Right-Click — lets you capture screen contents by right-clicking to activate the capture,
and clicking the selected area
• Print Screen key — lets you capture screen contents by pressing the Print Screen key
• Delay before capture (1-60 sec.) — lets you capture screen contents after a specified
delay. Type a number in the seconds box.

To set screenshot options

Edit tab
1 Choose File  Screenshot  Setup.
2 Click the Settings button .
3 On the Options page (click the second dot along the bottom of the dialog box), set any
of the following options:
• Include Cursor — lets you include the pointer in the capture
• Multiple Captures — lets you capture multiple images. Each capture is added as a new
image in PaintShop Pro.
• Hide PaintShop — automatically minimizes PaintShop Pro when the Screenshot tool
is active. Unmark this option if you want to capture PaintShop Pro.
• Highlight Color — lets you change the color of the capture area preview
• Add capture shortcut to toolbar — add an quick access icon to the toolbar
(Screenshot and Screenshot Setup ).
4 Click Start to apply the settings.

Getting started 63
 If you marked the Multiple captures check box, press the hot key, or right-click, for
each capture. When you are finished, click the PaintShop Pro icon on the Windows task
bar. The images appear in the workspace.

To set destination and format options for screenshots

Edit tab
1 Choose File  Screenshot  Setup.
2 Click the Settings button .
3 On the Destination page (click the fourth dot along the bottom of the dialog box), set
the following options:
• Open in PaintShop — adds the screenshot to PaintShop Pro as a new image
• Save to — lets you choose a save location for screenshots
• Format — lets you set a file format if you have marked the Save to option
• Clipboard — saves the screenshot to the Windows Clipboard

To create a preset for screenshots

Edit tab
1 Choose File  Screenshot  Setup.
2 Click the Settings button .
3 On the Presets page (click the third dot along the bottom of the dialog box), choose a
category from the Category drop-list.
4 In the Units drop-list, choose Pixels or Ratio.
5 Type values in the Width and Height boxes.
6 Click Add , and type a preset name, and click OK.

You can delete a preset by selecting the preset name on the Presets page and clicking
Remove .
For general information about preset Options, see “Using and creating presets” on
page 536.

Zooming and panning

By default, images that you open in PaintShop Pro appear at a magnification level that allows
the full image to appear in the workspace. You can zoom in to get a closer look at image
detail or zoom out to view a larger portion of the image. You can also magnify a specific area
of an image.

64 PaintShop Pro
You can view image areas that fall outside the current image window. For example, when you
are working at a high magnification level, you can pan or jump to a different image area
without having to adjust the magnification level. When an image is too large to fit within its
window, scroll bars appear on the bottom and right sides of the image.

You can use the Zoom tool to magnify your image (left) or you can use the Magnifier
command to view a specific area without changing the magnification of the image
(right).

To zoom
Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Zoom tool .

2 Click to magnify the area, or right-click to reduce the area.
The magnification changes to a preset percentage that appears in the Zoom (%) control
on the Tool Options palette.
You can also
Magnify the image by a specified On the Tool Options palette, type a value in
percentage the Zoom (%) control.
View the image at 100% Choose View  Zoom to 100%, or click the
Zoom to 100% button on the Tool
Options palette.

By default, when you zoom in or out, the image window automatically resizes to fit the
image.

You can also change the magnification when the Zoom tool is active by using the
scroll-wheel if one is included on your mouse or stylus.
You can also change the magnification of an image by choosing View  Zoom in and
View  Zoom out.

Getting started 65
To magnify an image area
Edit tab
1 Choose View  Magnifier to place the cursor in magnifier mode.
2 Position the cursor over the image area that you want to magnify.
The area under the cursor is displayed at 500%.

To turn off the magnifier mode, choose View  Magnifier again.

To pan around an image

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pan tool .

2 Drag within the image.
You can also
Pan while using another tool Hold down the Spacebar, and drag with the
other tool.
Pan around an image by using the Drag the preview rectangle on the
Overview palette Overview palette to a new position.

To fit the window to the image

Edit tab
• Choose Window  Fit to Image.

You can also fit the window to the image by clicking the Fit Window to Image button
on the Tool Options palette when the Pan tool or Zoom tool is active.

Cutting, copying, and pasting

You can select an entire image, part of an image, or an entire layer, and cut it or copy it to
the Clipboard. You can then paste the Clipboard content into the same image or another
image, or into another application, such as an e-mail program or word processor. The basic
commands for cutting, copying, and pasting are as follows:
• Cut — removes the selected content to the Clipboard and replaces it with the image
background color or transparency
• Copy — copies the selected content to the Clipboard
• Copy Merged — copies a flattened (merged) version of all the layers in a selection to the
Clipboard

66 PaintShop Pro
• Copy Special — provides three options for optimizing copied content for subsequent
pasting into another application
• Paste — pastes cut or copied content from the Clipboard into the same image or
another image
• Clear — deletes the selected content
• Empty Clipboard — erases the data from the Clipboard. Placing data on the Clipboard
for cutting and pasting can slow your computer’s performance. Emptying the Clipboard
can restore the performance speed of your computer. Once applied, this command
cannot be undone.
You can cut or copy a selection, layer, or vector object. You can paste the selected content as
a new image, a new layer, or a selection.
You can also copy a PaintShop Pro image into other applications, such as word-processing
or desktop-publishing applications. For information about exporting PaintShop Pro files to
other formats, see “Saving images” on page 49.

Why does the pasted image look out of proportion?

When you paste data into another image, the data keeps its original pixel dimensions. If one
image is much larger or smaller than the other, the pasted content may look out of
proportion. After you paste the selection, you can use the Pick tool to scale the pasted
content. For more information about using the Pick tool to correct perspective, see “Scaling
and transforming photos using the Pick tool” on page 207.
You can also resize the two images to make them a similar size before copying and pasting.
For more information, see “Resizing images” on page 164.

To cut a selection, layer, or vector object

Edit tab
1 Select the area, layer, or object you want to cut.
2 Choose Edit  Cut.

You can also cut by pressing Ctrl + X.

To copy a selection, layer, or vector object

Edit tab
1 Select the area, layer, or object you want to copy.
2 Do one of the following:
• To copy only the selection or the active layer, choose Edit  Copy.
• To copy all layers of the selected area, choose Edit  Copy Special  Copy Merged.

Getting started 67
 You can also press Ctrl + C to copy the active layer, or Ctrl + Shift + C to copy merged
layers.

To paste content as a new image

Edit tab
• Choose Edit  Paste As New Image.

You can also paste as a new image by pressing Ctrl + Shift + V.

To paste content as a new layer

Edit tab
1 Select the image in which you want to paste the selection.
2 Choose Edit  Paste As New Layer.

You can also paste a new layer by pressing Ctrl + V, or Ctrl + L.

To paste content as a selection

Edit tab
1 Select the image in which you want to paste a selection.
2 On the Layers palette, click the layer in which you want to paste the selection.
3 From the Edit menu, choose one of the following commands:
• Paste As New Selection — pastes the contents of the Clipboard as a floating selection
above the current layer. If the image already contains a floating selection, that selection
is defloated.
• Paste As Transparent Selection — lets you remove a specific color from the selection
you are pasting. Any pixels in the Clipboard data that exactly match the current
background color become transparent. The Clipboard contents are then pasted as a
floating selection above the current layer.
• Paste Into Selection — resizes the Clipboard contents and pastes them into the
current selection

Select the background color on the Materials palette before you paste.

To paste a vector object, choose Edit  Paste As New Vector Selection.

68 PaintShop Pro
To copy a multilayer image to the Clipboard
Edit tab
• Choose Edit  Copy Special  Copy Merged.

To empty the Clipboard

Edit tab
• Choose Edit  Empty Clipboard.

Copying images into other applications

The proliferation of high-resolution digital cameras and scanners has resulted in images with
very large file sizes. When copied to the Windows Clipboard, these images consume far
more memory than what is required after they are pasted into another application. You can
use the Copy Special commands to more efficiently place image data on the Clipboard for
pasting into office productivity software, such as word-processing, presentation, and e-mail
applications.

To copy images for use in other applications

Edit tab
1 Choose Edit  Copy Special.
2 In the Copy Special submenu, choose one of the following commands:
• Copy for Professional Printing — copies the current image to the Clipboard at 300
dpi
• Copy for Desktop Printing — copies the current image to the Clipboard at 200 dpi
• Copy for Screen or e-mail — copies the current image to the Clipboard at 96 dpi
Note: These three submenu commands all automatically flatten the current image to a
single layer and convert the image depth to
8-bit/channel RGB.
3 Switch to the application into which you want to paste the image, and press Ctrl+V.

If you want a wider range of resizing and file format options for images to be used in
other applications, choose File  Save for Office. For more information, see “To save
images for office applications” on page 51.

Undoing and redoing actions

You can undo single or multiple actions as you edit an image. For example, you can undo
brushstrokes, color adjustments, or effects that you have applied to the image. You can also
redo single or multiple actions to reapply commands that you have undone.
You can also revert to the last saved version of the image.

Getting started 69
The History palette lets you undo and redo actions selectively, regardless of their sequence.
Important! The Undo control does not undo the following actions: renaming files, saving
files, opening and closing files, emptying the Clipboard, making changes that are program-
wide and not specific to the current image (such as changes to color settings and
preferences), or using commands that do not change the image pixels (such as zooming or
scrolling).

Undo and redo controls on the History palette

You can undo multiple actions, as well as specific actions, by using the History palette. The
History palette lists all actions performed on the active image. The most recent action is at
the top of the list, and the first action performed is at the bottom of the list. Unlike the Undo
and Redo commands, the History palette lets you undo or redo actions selectively, regardless
of their sequence.
By default, the History palette lists the 250 most recently executed commands on the active
image. You can set the Undo preferences and specify a higher or lower number of
commands.
The table below lists the Undo/Redo controls on the History palette.
Undo to Here Undoes the selected action and all
subsequent actions. Clicking this button is
equivalent to clicking an item’s eye icon.
The undone actions are denoted by a blank
box .
Redo to Here Redoes the selected action and all undone
actions preceding it. Clicking this button is
equivalent to clicking an item’s yellow-X eye
icon.
Undo Selected Undoes a selected action. Clicking this
button is equivalent to holding down Ctrl
and clicking an item’s eye icon. Note:
Undoing a selected action may interfere
with subsequent actions and produce
unintended results.
Redo Selected Redoes a selected action. Clicking this
button is equivalent to holding down Ctrl
and clicking an item’s red-X eye icon.
Clear Selectively Undone Commands Converts all selectively undone actions into
commands that can no longer be undone
or redone. You are prompted to confirm
the performance of this action.

70 PaintShop Pro
 Show Non-Undoable Commands Shows or hides the non-undoable
commands. When shown, non-undoable
items are grayed out.
Empty Command History Converts all History palette items into non-
undoable commands. You are prompted to
confirm the performance of this action.
For more information about the History palette, “To undo and redo actions by using the
History palette” on page 72.

To undo an action
Edit tab
• Choose Edit  Undo.
If you want to undo multiple actions, repeat the Edit  Undo command.

The Undo command undoes multiple actions in the order in which they were
performed. To undo actions selectively, you can use the History palette.
If the action cannot be undone, the Undo command is unavailable.

You can also undo an action by clicking the Undo button on the Standard toolbar,
or by pressing Ctrl + Z.

To redo an action
Edit tab
• Choose Edit  Redo.

The Redo command redoes multiple actions in the order in which they were undone.
To redo actions selectively, you can use the History palette.
Only actions that have been undone can be redone.

You can also redo an action by clicking the Redo button on the Standard toolbar,
or by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Z.

To revert to the last saved version of an image

Edit tab
• Choose File  Revert.

Getting started 71
To undo and redo actions by using the History palette
Edit tab
• Choose an action on the History palette, and then perform one of the following actions.
To Do the following
Undo an action Click the Undo/Redo button for the
selected action, or click the Undo to Here
button . The undone actions are denoted
by a blank box .
Redo an undone action Click the Undo/Redo button for the
selected action, or click the Redo to Here
button . The selected action and all
preceding actions are redone and no
longer appear as blank icons. Note that
selectively undone actions (denoted with a
gray X) that precede the action you clicked
are not redone. These actions can be
redone only with the Redo Selected
command.
Selectively undo an action Hold down Ctrl, and click the Undo/Redo
button for the selected action, or click the
Undo Selected button . Selectively
undone actions are denoted by a gray X.
Redo a selectively undone action Hold down Ctrl, and click the Undo/Redo
button for the selected action, or click the
Redo Selected button .

To set Undo preferences

Edit tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  General Program Preferences.
2 From the left pane, click Undo.
3 Make sure that the Enable the undo system check box is marked.
Note: This check box must be marked if you want to undo actions in images that are
currently open. If the check box is not marked, you cannot undo any actions in an open
image after you click OK in the Preferences dialog box.
4 Mark or unmark the following check boxes:
• Limit undo/redo disk usage to n MBytes of storage per open image — lets you
specify the amount of hard disk storage available for Undo/Redo operations by typing
or setting a value in the control. The storage space needed depends on the current

72 PaintShop Pro
 image size and the type of operations you’re performing. If you have a large amount of
unused disk space, you don’t need to mark this option.
• Limit undo/redo to n steps per open image — lets you modify the default value of
250 steps. Decrease the value in the control if your unused disk space is less than 500
megabytes.
• Enable Fast Redo — lets you set the Redo command to work at optimal speed. Do not
mark this option if you want the Undo command to work at optimal speed.
5 Type or set a value in the Non-undoable steps in the History Palette control.
This value specifies the number of non-undoable steps (steps that cannot be undone or
redone) that are retained after the Undo/Redo limit has been reached. The default value
is 10.

Non-undoable steps cannot be undone or redone. However, they can be reapplied to

the current image or to other open images, saved to a Quickscript or to a regular
PspScript file, or copied to the Clipboard.

Repeating commands
The Repeat command lets you reapply the previously applied effect or correction without
having to re-access the corresponding dialog box.
The last command that can be repeated is always displayed in the Edit menu. If the previous
command cannot be repeated, the Repeat command is unavailable.

To repeat a command
Edit tab
• Choose Edit  Repeat.

You can repeat multiple commands by recording a script and running it on each image.
For information on using scripts, see “Scripting basics” on page 525.
You can also repeat a command by holding down Shift while selecting any toolbar
button or menu item. The last used settings are applied with the repeated command.

Deleting images
You can delete image files by using the Organizer palette.

To delete an image
Edit tab
• Right-click a thumbnail in the Organizer palette, and choose Delete from the context
menu.

Getting started 73
Files supported by PaintShop Pro
PaintShop Pro supports the file formats listed in the following table. An asterisk (*) after a
format indicates that the file format is supported in the 32-bit version of the application only.

Format Description Support

3FR Hasselblad RAW Read only
AI Adobe Illustrator Read/Write
ARW Sony RAW Read only
BMP Windows Bitmap Read/Write
CAL CALS Raster Read/Write
CGM Computer Graphics Metafile Read only
CLP Windows Clipboard Read/Write
CR2 Canon RAW Read only
CRW Canon RAW Read only
CT PaintShop Pro graphics Read/Write
CUR Windows Cursor Read only
CUT Dr. Halo Read/Write
DCR Kodak RAW Read only
DCX Zsoft Multipage Paintbrush Read only
DIB Windows DIB Read/Write
DNG Adobe Digital Negative Read only
DRW* Micrografx Draw Read only
EMF Windows Enhanced Metafile Read/Write
EPS Encapsulated PostScript Read/Write
ERF Epson RAW Read only
GEM Ventura/GEM Drawing Read only
GIF Compuserve Graphics Read/Write
Interchange
HDP HD Photo format Read/Write
HEIC High Efficiency Image Read only
Format (HEIF). HEIC is the
extension used for the
container file.
HPGL*, HGL*, HPG* HP Graphics Language Read only

74 PaintShop Pro
IFF Amiga Read/Write
IMG GEM Paint Read/Write
J2C JPEG 2000 Read/Write
J2K JPEG 2000 Read/Write
JIF JPEG Read/Write
JP2 JPEG 2000 Read/Write
JPG JPEG – JFIF Compliant Read/Write
JPS Stereo JPEG Read only
K25 Kodak Digital Camera File Read only
KDC Kodak Digital Camera File Read only
LBM Deluxe Paint Read/Write
MAC MacPaint Read/Write
MEF RAW format Read only
MOS Leaf RAW Image Read only
MPO Multiple Picture Object Read/Write
MRW Minolta RAW Read only
MSP Microsoft Paint Read/Write
NEF Nikon RAW Read only
NRW Nikon RAW Read only
ORF Olympus RAW Read only
PBM Portable Bitmap Read/Write
PCD* Kodak Photo CD Read only
PCT (PICT) Macintosh PICT Read/Write
PCX Zsoft Paintbrush Read/Write
PDF Adobe Portable Document Read only
File
PEF Pentax RAW Read only
PGM Portable Graymap Read/Write
PIC (Lotus) Lotus PIC Read only
PIC (PC Paint) PC Paint Read/Write
PNG Portable Network Graphics Read/Write
PNS Stereo PNG Read only
PPM Portable Pixelmap Read/Write
PS PostScript Read only

Getting started 75
PSD Photoshop Read/Write
PspImage PaintShop Pro Image Read/Write
PSP Animation Shop Read
RAF Fuji RAW Read only
RAS Sun Raster Image Read/Write
RAW RAW Graphics File Format Read/Write
RIFF Corel Painter Read/Write
RLE Windows or CompuServe Read/Write
RLE
RW2 LUMIX RAW Read only
SCT SciTex Continous Tone Read/Write
SR2 Sony RAW Read only
SRF Sony RAW Read only
SVG, SVGZ Scalable Vector Graphics Read only
TGA Truevision Targa Read/Write
TIF Tagged Image File Format Read/Write
UFO Ulead File Object Read only
WBM, WBMP Wireless Bitmap Read/Write
WDP Windows Media Read only
WEBP WebP Image Read/Write
WMF Windows Meta File Read/Write
WPG* WordPerfect Bitmap/Vector Read/Write
X3F Sigma RAW Read only

For an updated list of supported camera models and their RAW file formats, go to
www.paintshoppro.com/en/products/paintshop-pro/standard/#tech-specs.

How to open HEIC files from an iPhone or other device

PaintShop Pro lets you open and edit HEIC image files that you’ve captured on your iPhone
or other device. HEIC files are container files for the High Efficiency Image Format (HEIF).
HEIF is a based on HEVC encoding and compression. HEIF files tend to be much smaller and
have better image quality than a corresponding JPEG file.
The container file consists of one or more image files, as well as any sounds and image data.
For example, if you captured a Live Photo with your iPhone, the HEIC file would contain all
the components for the Live Photo.

76 PaintShop Pro
When you open an HEIC file in PaintShop Pro, only the key image for the container file is
available.
If you aren’t using a cloud service, then an easy way to transfer HEIC files (or any image files)
from the your phone or tablet to your computer is by using a cable in the same way you
would connect and download images from any other camera. The procedure below is a
simple manual way of transferring photos.
Note: Your phone or tablet settings determine what file format is used to capture, store, and
export image files. For more information, refer to the user guide for your device.

To transfer files from your iPhone to your computer

1 Connect your phone to your computer using a compatible USB cable (such as a
Lightning cable).
2 In Windows File Explorer, navigate to your phone, and choose Apple iPhone > Internal
Storage > DCIM.
Depending on your device settings, you might have subfolders.
3 Copy the images that you want from your phone to your computer.

Getting started 77
78 PaintShop Pro
 Reviewing, organizing, and
finding photos

The Manage tab lets you access a photo management features that let you preview,
organize, and streamline your photo-editing workflow.
This section presents the following topics:

• Using the Manage tab

• Browsing folders for photos
• Finding images on your computer
• Working with saved searches
• Adding keyword tags to images
• Viewing photos by tags
• Using the calendar to find images
• Working with thumbnails in the Manage tab
• Capturing and applying edits to multiple photos
• Displaying and editing photo information
• Using Quick Review to review photos
• Working with trays

Using the Manage tab

When you click the Manage tab, you’ll find the following four components: Navigation
palette, Preview area, Organizer palette, and the Info palette. For information about each of
these palettes, see “The Manage tab” on page 14.

Reviewing, organizing, and finding photos 79

 Navigation palette Preview area Info palette

Organizer palette Organizer toolbar Thumbnails

Preview mode
Depending on your specific needs, you can customize Manage by choosing the Preview or
Thumbnail mode, resizing, moving, or hiding the palettes, and selecting display and file
preferences. For more information, see “Setting Manage tab preferences” on page 498.

80 PaintShop Pro
 Navigation palette Preview area Info palette

Organizer toolbar Thumbnails

Thumbnail mode

To switch between Preview and Thumbnail modes

Manage tab
• In the upper-right corner, click one of the following buttons:
• Preview mode — displays a large preview area of a single image
• Thumbnail mode — expands and locks the Organizer palette content in the
preview area

To resize the Manage tab palettes

Manage tab
1 Position the pointer over the edge of the palette that you want to resize until the pointer
changes to a two-way arrow.
2 Drag to enlarge or shrink the panel.

When you customize the Manage tab, the program remembers the latest layout
settings and automatically saves them for your next session.

Reviewing, organizing, and finding photos 81

To hide or show the Navigation palette and Info palette
Manage tab
• In the Organizer palette, click any of the following buttons on the Organizer toolbar:
• Show/Hide Navigation — shows or hides the Navigation palette
• Image Information — shows or hides the Info palette

A convenient way to minimize the Organizer palette (or any palette) is to click the Auto
Hide button on the palette title bar. For more information, see “To roll up a toolbar
or palette” on page 29.

Browsing folders for photos

You can browse for photos on your computer by using the Collections and Computer tabs
in the Navigation palette:
• The Collections tab is your library of virtual and physical folders. It offers an easy way to
find and search for favorite photos because files that are accessed from the Collections
page are imported to the catalog (a type of indexing). This means you can take full
advantage of file management features such as tags, captions, and ratings when you
want to find and sort photos. You can add or remove folders from the Collections page
at any time.
• The Computer tab displays a complete list of all folders on your hard drive and desktop.
Files that you access from the Computer tab are not imported to the catalog, so you
can’t find or sort photos by using the file management features such as tags, captions,
and ratings. Why use the Computer tab? It is a quick way to access files from a location
that you don’t want to import to the catalog or don’t have time to import at the
moment. For example, if you want to access an image in a folder that has a large number
of files that you rarely use or if you want to access files in a temporary folder, the
Computer tab is a good option.
When you select a folder in the Navigation palette, the photos in this folder appear as
thumbnails in the Organizer palette.
For more information, see “Getting photos into PaintShop Pro” on page 46.
You can specify formats and folders to exclude from the cataloging process. For more
information, see “Setting Manage tab preferences” on page 498.

To view the photos in a folder

Manage tab
1 In the Navigation palette, click one of the following tabs:
• Collections — displays a custom list of cataloged folders and a list of virtual collections

82 PaintShop Pro
 • Computer — displays a list of all folders and devices on your computer
2 Double-click a folder to display the subfolders it contains.
3 Click the folder that contains the photos that you want to view.
The thumbnails of all supported photo files in the selected folder appear in the
Organizer palette.

You can also hide the list of subfolders in a folder by clicking the minus sign next to its
name.

To add a folder to the Collections page

Manage tab
1 In the Navigation palette, click the Collections tab.
2 In the Folders list, click the Browse More Folders button .
The Browse For Folder dialog box appears.
3 Navigate to the folder containing the images you want to add, and then click OK.
Note: All subfolders in the selected folder are cataloged, so select your folder carefully.
Adding your profile folder or a root folder on your computer is not recommended—it
can initiate a large amount of cataloging that you might not require.
The folder is added to the Folders list.

You can also create a folder on your computer by clicking the Make New Folder button
in the Browse for Folder dialog box.

To remove a folder from the Collections page

Manage tab
1 In the Navigation palette, click the Collections tab.
2 In the Folders list, right-click the folder that you want to remove.
3 Choose Remove From List.
Images within the folder retain their file management data (tags, ratings, captions), but
removing the folder from the Collections page removes the folder from the catalog, so
the photos aren’t searchable by their data.

To view all cataloged photos

Manage tab
1 In the Navigation palette, click the Collections tab.
2 In the Smart Collections list, click the All Photos button .

Reviewing, organizing, and finding photos 83

Finding images on your computer
When you import photos into PaintShop Pro by navigating to them from the Navigation
palette, they are cataloged automatically. Cataloged images can be searched for quickly
(real-time filtering) and easily from the Search box. You can do a simple text-based search,
use more advanced search options, or use a calendar to search for images associated with a
particular date or date range.
When you perform an advanced search, you can save the search rules and results as a Smart
Collection.

To search for images quickly

Manage tab
• In the Navigation palette, type a search term in the Search box.

The search results appear in the Organizer palette.

Note: Search terms may be filenames (including extensions), names of folders in which
images reside (including letters designating drives), tags, caption text, or image
metadata (EXIF or IPTC data).

For more information about the tags that you can assign to images, see “Adding
keyword tags to images” on page 86. For more information about caption text and
image metadata, see “Displaying and editing photo information” on page 93.

To do an advanced search
Manage tab
1 In the Navigation palette, click the Collections tab.
2 Double-click Smart Collections to open the list, and click Add Smart Collection.
The Smart Collection dialog box appears.
3 In the Find photos that match drop-list, select one of the following options:
• All — searches for images that match all of the specified rules
• Any — searches for images that match any of the specified rules
4 From the first drop-list on the left, select a search option.
5 From the next drop-list, select an option to refine the search further.
The options that appear in the drop-list depend on the search option that you chose in
the previous drop-list.
6 In the text field, type or choose a search term.
Note: The search term you type must correspond to the search option that you choose
in the first drop-list of the search rule. For example, if you choose Image date, modify

84 PaintShop Pro
 the month, date, and year displayed, or press the down arrow button and click a date on
the calendar that appears. If you choose Rating, click the number of stars matching the
rating assigned to the image.
7 Click Preview.
The search results appear in the Organizer palette.
You can also
Add an additional search rule Click the Add Rule button in the upper-
right corner of the dialog box.
Remove the last search rule Click the Remove Rule button .
Save the search as a Smart Collection Click Save in the Smart Collection dialog
box. In the Save as Smart Collection dialog
box, type a name, and click Save. The
collection appears in the Smart Collections
list.

Working with saved searches

After you save a custom set of search criteria as a Smart Collection, you can run the search
again simply by clicking it on the Collections tab. You can also edit, rename, or delete a saved
search.

To run a saved search

Manage tab
1 In the Navigation palette, click the Collections tab.
2 Double-click Smart Collections to open the list.
3 Click the Smart Collection you want to use for your search.

To edit a saved search

Manage tab
1 In the Navigation palette, click the Collections tab.
2 Double-click Smart Collections to open the list.
3 Right-click the Smart Collection, and click Edit.
The Smart Collection dialog box appears with the search criteria displayed.
4 Change the search parameters, and click Preview.
The search results appear in the Organizer palette.
5 Click Save.
The Save as Smart Collection dialog box appears, with the search name highlighted in
the text field.

Reviewing, organizing, and finding photos 85

6 Click Save.
The previous search is overwritten.

To avoid overwriting the previous search, type a new name for the edited search in the
text field, and click Save.

To rename a saved search

Manage tab
1 In the Navigation palette, click the Collections tab.
2 Double-click Smart Collections to open the list.
3 Right-click the Smart Collection, and click Rename.
The Rename Smart Collection dialog box appears with the search name highlighted.
4 Type a new name, and click Save.

To delete a saved search

Manage tab
1 In the Navigation palette, click the Collections tab.
2 Double-click Smart Collections to open the list.
3 Right-click the Smart Collection, and click Delete.

Adding keyword tags to images

Keyword tags let you assign descriptive, natural-language terms to images. By creating tags
such as “family,” “children,” or “birthday,” you can identify specific photos, and then simply
click a tag from the list to view thumbnails of photos associated with the tag. The tags that
you create are stored in a tags catalog accessible from the Navigation palette. You can create
and assign as many tags as you like to an image.

To add a keyword tag to the tags catalog

Manage tab
1 In the Navigation palette, click the Collections tab.
2 Double-click Tags to open the list.
3 In the Tags list, click the Add Tags button .
The Add Tag dialog box appears.
4 Type the tag text, and click OK.
The new tag appears in the Tags list.

86 PaintShop Pro
To delete a keyword tag from the tags catalog
Manage tab
1 In the Navigation palette, click the Collections tab.
2 Double-click Tags to open the list.
3 Right-click a tag, and click Delete.

To assign a keyword tag to one or more images

Manage tab
1 In the Navigation palette, click the Collections tab.
2 Double-click Tags to open the list.
3 In the Organizer palette, select one or more thumbnails of the images that you want to
tag.
4 Drag the thumbnails onto a tag in the Tags list.

You can also assign one or more tags to the selected thumbnails by typing the text in
the Tags box on the General page of the Info palette, and clicking the Add Tag button
to the right of the text field.

To remove keyword tags from one or more images

Manage tab
1 In the Organizer palette, select one or more thumbnails.
2 In the Info palette, click the General tab to view the tag information.
3 In the list that appears below the Tags box, click one or more tags that you want to
remove, and click the Delete Tag button that appears to the right of the tag name.

If the Info palette is not displayed, click the Image information button on the
Organizer toolbar.

Viewing photos by tags

After you assign a tag to an image, you can find the image simply by clicking on the tag.

To display photos by tags

Manage tab
1 In the Navigation palette, click the Collections tab.
2 Double-click Tags to open the list.
3 Click a tag.
Photos associated with the tag display as thumbnails in the Organizer palette.

Reviewing, organizing, and finding photos 87

 You can also type a tag name into the Search box at the top of the Navigation palette.
You can also display photos that have no tags by clicking the No Tags button in the
Tags list.

Using the calendar to find images

The Calendar Search lets you find photos according to the date they were taken. You can
search by a specific date or select a date range within a calendar month. The image creation
dates are highlighted on the calendar. To perform a search across several months or years,
see “To do an advanced search” on page 84.
Note: When you edit and save a photo, the modification date is also captured in the Calendar
Search.

To find images by using the calendar

Manage tab
1 In the Navigation palette, click the Collections tab.
2 Click the Calendar button .
The Calendar Search dialog box appears. Dates shown in red indicate images created on
those dates.
3 Choose one of the following options:
• For photos taken today, click the Today button .
• For a specific date and month, click the Previous (Year/Month) and Next
(Month/Year) buttons, and select a date.
• For a date range, use the Previous and Next buttons to select the month and year,
hold down Shift, click the first date in the range, and then click the last date in the
range.
• For multiple dates not in sequence, use the Previous and Next buttons to select the
month and year, hold down Ctrl, and click the dates.
When you click a date or a range, the Organizer palette displays thumbnails of the
photos that match the date criteria.
4 Click Close to close the Calendar Search dialog box.

Working with thumbnails in the Manage tab

The Manage tab makes it easy for you to preview and organize photos by using thumbnails.
For a larger view of photos, use Preview mode, zoom in and out on thumbnails, or use Quick
Review to view photos in full-screen mode. You can sort thumbnails by criteria such as name,

88 PaintShop Pro
rating, or date. You can also rotate photos by using thumbnails, or delete and rename the
files.
For multi-image shooting, you can use Auto Group and RAW/JPG Pairs to group and view
thumbnails according to bracketing settings or JPEG+RAW file pairs.
Thumbnails let you edit multiple photos by using Capture editing and Apply editing. For
more information, see “Capturing and applying edits to multiple photos” on page 91.
In addition, you can select one or more RAW file thumbnails to convert the files to another
format. For more information, see “Converting RAW photos to another file format” on
page 107.

To preview an image in Manage

• In the Organizer palette, click a thumbnail.

If you are not in Preview mode, click the Preview mode button in the upper-right
corner of the application window.
The photo is displayed in the Preview area.
You can also
Display the previous or the next image in Press the Left arrow or the Right arrow
the Preview area by using the keyboard keys.
Preview an image in full-screen mode Click View  Full Screen Preview, or
double-click a thumbnail to open Quick
Review. For more information, see “Using
Quick Review to review photos” on
page 95.

To zoom in or out on thumbnails

1 If the Manage tab is not in Thumbnail mode, click the Thumbnail mode button in the
upper-right corner of the Manage tab.
2 On the Organizer toolbar, move the Zoom slider to the left to zoom out, or to the right
to zoom in.

The Zoom slider is not available when the Manage tab is in Preview mode.

To sort thumbnails
Manage tab
1 On the Organizer toolbar, click the Sort by drop-list.
2 Choose a sorting option.

Reviewing, organizing, and finding photos 89

3 Choose one of the following options:
• Date Created - Newest — sorts thumbnails, from newest to oldest, by the date on
which the photo was taken
• Date Created - Oldest — sorts thumbnails, from oldest to newest, by the date on
which the photo was taken
• Date Modified — sorts thumbnails by the date on which the image was last modified
• Folder — sorts thumbnails alphabetically by folder name
• Filename — sorts thumbnails alphabetically by filename (image name)
• Rating — sorts thumbnails by image rating
• File Format — sorts thumbnails alphabetically by filename extension (for example, .psp
image, .jpg, or .tif)
• File Size — sorts thumbnails by the file size (in kilobytes) from smallest to largest
• Place — sorts thumbnails by the location that is associated with the photo

To group thumbnails according to shooting time

• On the Organizer toolbar, click Auto Group and set a time interval.
Photos that have been captured within the time interval are displayed as sets (dividers
appear between sets).

To control how RAW and JPEG pairs are displayed

1 On the Organizer toolbar, click the RAW/JPG Pairs button, and choose one of the
following options:
• ON - Show JPG Versions — shows the JPEG versions as thumbnails and hides the RAW
versions
• ON - Show RAW Versions — shows the RAW versions as thumbnails and hides the
JPEG versions
• OFF — shows thumbnails for both the RAW and JPEG versions of the files.

If you delete a thumbnail when the RAW/JPG Pairs option is turned on, both versions
of the files are sent to the Recycle Bin.

To select more than one thumbnail

Manage tab
• Do one of the following:
• To select adjacent thumbnails, hold down Shift, and click the first and the last
thumbnail in the sequence of thumbnails.
• To select nonadjacent thumbnails, hold down Ctrl, and click the thumbnails.

90 PaintShop Pro
To rotate one or more images in the Organizer palette
Manage tab
1 Select one or more thumbnails.
2 On the Organizer toolbar, click one of the following buttons:
• Rotate Right — rotates thumbnails 90 degrees clockwise
• Rotate Left — rotates thumbnails 90 degrees counterclockwise

You can also right-click a thumbnail and choose Rotate Right or Rotate Left from the
context menu.

To delete one or more photos in Manage

1 Select one or more thumbnails, and press Delete.

The Delete File dialog box or Delete Multiple Items dialog box appears.
2 Click Yes to send the images to the Recycle Bin.

You can also delete photos by selecting thumbnails, right-clicking a selected thumbnail,
and clicking Delete in the context menu.

To rename a file in the Manage tab

1 Right-click the thumbnail of the file that you want to rename and choose Rename.
2 In the Rename File dialog box, type the new filename, and click OK.

To open one or more images for advanced editing

Manage tab
• Select one or more thumbnails, and click the Edit tab.
The images open in the Edit tab.

You can also start the Edit tab by right-clicking one or more selected thumbnails and
clicking Edit Photo in the context menu.

Capturing and applying edits to multiple photos

You can copy the edits you make to one photo and apply them to as many photos as you
want. For example, you can easily apply a lighting correction to multiple photos, or apply the
same border and resizing options to a set of photos that you’re preparing for a website.

Reviewing, organizing, and finding photos 91

After you edit a photo in Edit, a small editing icon appears on the photo’s thumbnail. When
you return to Manage, you can access the Capture editing and Apply editing commands to
copy the changes to other photos.
Capture Editing
and Apply Editing

An icon in the lower-left corner of a thumbnail indicates that the edits to the photo can
be copied and applied to other photos.

You can capture and apply edits to most file types, but edits to RAW files can be applied only
to other RAW files. You can undo the edits you apply to one or more photos.

To capture edits

1 After editing an image, save the changes.

2 In the Organizer palette, select the thumbnail of the photo that you edited.
A pencil icon or RAW icon appears in the upper-left corner of the thumbnail to indicate
that the image has been edited.
3 Click the Capture Editing button on the Organizer toolbar.

You can capture the edits of both open or closed files for the current session only. When
you close the program, all captured edits are automatically deleted.

You can also capture the edits by right-clicking the selected thumbnail and choosing
Capture Editing.

To apply captured edits

Manage tab
1 In the Organizer palette, select one or more thumbnails.
2 Click the Apply Editing button on the Organizer toolbar.
3 Click OK in the Batch Progress dialog box.
For RAW files, the saved settings from the Camera RAW Lab dialog box are applied.

When you close the program, all captured edits are automatically cleared.

92 PaintShop Pro
 You can also apply the captured edits by right-clicking the selected thumbnails and
choosing Apply Editing.

To undo Apply Editing

1 In the Organizer palette, select one or more thumbnails.

2 Right-click a selected thumbnail, and choose Revert Current Editing from the context
menu.

You can also undo the editing to multiple photos by selecting the thumbnails of the
edited photos, right-clicking a selected thumbnail, and choosing Revert All Editing
from the context menu.

Displaying and editing photo information

The Info palette in the Manage tab lets you view, add, and edit information about your
photos, such as filename, size, and creation date, as well as EXIF and IPTC metadata. You can
also add tags and captions, and apply star ratings to photos. Adding and updating photo
information makes it easier to organize and search for your photos. For example, you can
search by caption text.
• For more information about adding keyword tags, see “Adding keyword tags to images”
on page 86.
• For information about how to display EXIF info on your images, see “Displaying captions
and info text on images” on page 404.
At the top of the Info palette there is a camera-style display that helps you quickly review the
camera settings and lens that were used for the selected photo.

White Balance Symbols

Custom Flash
Daylight Overcast
Fluorescent Shade
Tungsten Partial metering
Auto-white balance

Reviewing, organizing, and finding photos 93

Metering Symbols
Custom metering Spot metering
Averaged metering Multi-spot
metering
Center-weighted Pattern metering
metering

To display or hide the Info palette

Manage tab

• On the Organizer toolbar, click the Image Information button . The Info palette is
open by default but you can hide or display it depending on how much screen space you
need.

To assign a rating to one or more images

Manage tab
1 Select one or more thumbnails.
2 In the Info palette, click a star, starting from left to right, to set a rating. For example, if
you want to assign a five-star rating, click the right-most star and all stars will be
selected.
You can also
Assign a rating by using the context menu Right-click one or more selected
thumbnails, choose Set Rating, and then
click the number of stars that you want to
assign.
Assign a rating by using keyboard shortcuts Select one or more thumbnails, and press
Ctrl + the number of stars you want to
assign. For example, if you want to assign
one star, press Ctrl + 1.

To remove the rating of an image

Manage tab
• Right-click a thumbnail, choose Set Rating, and click the number of stars that are
currently assigned to the image. For example, to remove the rating of a three-star image,
you would choose Set Rating  * * *.

To add a caption to one or more images

Manage tab
1 Select one or more thumbnails.

94 PaintShop Pro
2 In the Info palette, click the General tab, and type text in the Caption box.

To delete a caption from one or more images

Manage tab
1 Select one or more thumbnails that have the same caption text.
2 In the Info palette, click the General tab.
3 Highlight the text you want to delete in the Caption box.
4 Press Delete.

To view advanced image information

Manage tab
• In the Info palette, click the EXIF or IPTC tab.
The EXIF or IPTC data for the image appears.
Note: You can edit only the EXIF or IPTC data that have entry fields.

Using Quick Review to review photos

You can use Quick Review to review images in full-screen mode. For example, after
downloading photos from your camera, you can use Quick Review to quickly review all
photos, delete the ones you don’t want, rotate photos, and apply star ratings.

To review images in full-screen mode

Manage tab
1 In the Organizer palette, double-click a thumbnail in the folder or tray that you want to
review.
The Quick Review window opens.
2 Perform a task from the following table.
To Do the following
View the next photo Click the Next Image button .
View the previous photo Click the Previous Image button .
Open the photo in Edit Click the Edit Photo button .
Apply a star rating Click a star below the photo, starting from
left to right, to set a rating.
Change the Zoom level Drag the Zoom slider, click the Zoom In
or Zoom Out buttons, or click the
Zoom to 100% button or the Fit to
Window button .

Reviewing, organizing, and finding photos 95

To Do the following
Delete a photo Click the Delete button .
Rotate a photo Click the Rotate Right button or the
Rotate Left button .
Exit Quick Review Click the Exit button , or press Esc.

You can also use the mouse wheel to change the Zoom level.

96 PaintShop Pro
Working with trays
You can use trays to gather images from various folders. The images remain in their original
location, but are referenced in the tray and can be accessed by clicking a thumbnail.
You can add, remove, and rename trays to suit your workflow. For instance, you can create a
tray for images you want to edit, use for a project, print, or e-mail. Trays are created in the
Organizer palette.
The default tray automatically displays the photos from the folder or collection that you
currently have selected in the Navigation palette. A custom tray, called My Tray, is a blank
tray that is created automatically.

To add a tray
Manage tab

1 In the Organizer palette, click the More Options button on the Organizer toolbar,
and click Add Tray.
2 Type a name for the new tray in the Name field, and click OK.

To rename a tray
Manage tab
1 In the Organizer palette, select the tray that you want to rename.
2 Click the More Options button on the Organizer toolbar, and click Rename Tray.
3 Type a new name for the tray in the Name field, and click OK.To remove a tray
Manage tab
1 In the Organizer palette, select the tray that you want to remove.
Note: Removing a tray does not delete the photos in the tray.
2 Click the More Options button on the Organizer toolbar, and click Remove Tray.

The default tray, “My Tray,” cannot be removed.

To add photos to a tray

Manage tab
1 In the Organizer palette, select the thumbnails of the photos that you want to add to the
tray.
2 Right-click a selected thumbnail and click Add to Tray.
The photos are added to My Tray.

To add photos to a custom tray, select the photo thumbnails, and drag them to the
custom tray tab in the Organizer palette.

Reviewing, organizing, and finding photos 97

To remove photos from a tray
Manage tab
1 In the Organizer palette, click a tray.
2 Select the photos that you want to remove.
3 Press Delete.

To save your tray content to a folder

1 In the Navigation palette, click the Collections tab.

2 Click Browse More Folders, navigate to the location you want, and click Make New
Folder.
3 Type a name for the folder, and click OK.
4 In the Organizer palette, select all the photos in a tray (you can use Ctrl + A).
5 Drag the photos to the new folder.

98 PaintShop Pro
 Using Adjust

Taking lots of photos with your digital camera is fun and easy. Sometimes, though, the effort
required to review them all, let alone edit them, can be laborious. The Adjust tab can make
this task enjoyable. You can perform basic corrections, such as cropping, straightening, color
correcting, and removing blemishes and red-eye. You can even apply star ratings and delete
photos. This rapid-edit mode lets you quickly complete the first cut of photos before doing
more detailed work on a select few.

Why use the Adjust tab?

The Adjust tab provides quick access to the most commonly used tools and features of
PaintShop Pro — you have the controls right in front of you.
If you prefer to work in the advanced editing mode to access the application’s entire range
of tools and features, you can simply click the Edit tab at the top of the application window.
The most recently displayed Adjust tab photo becomes the active image.
This section presents the following topics:

• Showing the Adjust tab

• Working with the Adjust tab
• Tools and features in Adjust
• Using depth information to select areas

Showing the Adjust tab

You can show the Adjust tab by enabling it in Preferences.

To show the Adjust tab

1 Click File > Preferences > General Program Preferences.

2 Click Tabs in the list of categories.
3 In the Visible Tabs area, mark the Adjust check box.
If you want to make Adjust your default tab, click the Set Adjust as default option.

Using Adjust 99
Working with the Adjust tab
The Adjust tab lets you edit photos, one at a time. Your changes are applied each time you
click a new tool or feature. You can also undo the changes. As you edit, you can flash back
for a view of the original image. After you finish editing a photo, you can easily move to the
next photo by clicking a thumbnail in the Organizer palette. You have the option to save each
time you click another photo or you can choose to save automatically by enabling Autosave
when you are prompted.

To edit or adjust photos in Adjust

• In the Adjust palette, do one of the following:

• Click a tool, and adjust the controls to edit the photo. The edits are applied when you
click the Apply button or when you click another tool or adjustment option.
• Click the name of the adjustment feature you want to use. The adjustment controls
display. The changes are applied when you click another feature.

To undo changes in Adjust

• Do one of the following:

• Click the Undo button on the toolbar.
• Click the Reset button at the bottom of the Adjust pane to undo all changes.

100 PaintShop Pro

 Adjust palette Preview area Toolbar Instant Effects palette

Status bar Organizer palette Thumbnails Set Rating

A photo displayed in the Adjust tab

To view original image

• At the bottom of the Adjust pane, click and hold the Show Original button.
Release the button to return to the edited version of the image.

Tools and features in Adjust

The table below provides a list of the features available from the Adjust tab and links to help
you find more information.
Tools Where to find more information
Crop tool “Cropping images” on page 114
Straighten tool “Straightening images” on page 119
Red Eye tool “To remove red-eye quickly” on page 172
Makeover tool “Applying cosmetic changes” on page 174
Clone Brush “Removing flaws and objects with the Clone Brush or
Object Remover” on page 179
Adjustment features

Using Adjust 101

Tools Where to find more information
Depth Selection “Using depth information to select areas” on page 102
Smart Photo Fix “Making basic photo corrections automatically” on
page 122
White Balance “Adjusting white balance” on page 136
Brightness/Contrast “Adjusting brightness, contrast, and clarity” on page 138
Fill Light/Clarity “Adjusting brightness, contrast, and clarity” on page 138
Vibrancy “Adjusting hue and saturation” on page 147
Local Tone Mapping “Adjusting brightness, contrast, and clarity” on page 138
High Pass Sharpen “Sharpening images” on page 161
Digital Noise Removal “Removing digital noise” on page 127
General commands and
shared features
Saving “Saving images” on page 49
Rotating “Rotating images” on page 113
Undoing and redoing “Undoing and redoing actions” on page 69
Deleting “Deleting images” on page 73
Viewing and zooming “Zooming and panning” on page 64
Setting ratings “To assign a rating to one or more images” on page 94
Organizer palette “The Edit tab” on page 15
Instant Effects palette “To choose an effect from the Instant Effects palette” on
page 316

Using depth information to select areas

If you have a camera that captures depth information (XDM metadata), you can apply
adjustments or Instant Effects to specific areas of photos by using the Depth Selection
feature available from the Adjust tab. The depth is based on the distance between a special
depth sensor on a camera and the objects captured in the photo.

102 PaintShop Pro

 Depth Selection was used with the original image (left) to apply an effect to the
background only (right).

To select an area based on depth information

1 Click the Adjust tab.

2 Use the Navigator in the Organizer palette to navigate to a photo that includes depth
information.
3 In the Adjust palette, click Depth Selection.
4 Click the Enable Selection check box to display a selection marquee.
5 Drag the markers on the Depth Range slider to set the minimum (Near) and maximum
(Far) distance for the selection. You can view the selection in the Preview area.
6 To fine-tune the selection, drag the Size slider to set a brush size and do any of the
following:
• Click Add and in the Preview area drag over the edge of the area that you want to
select.
• Click Remove and in the Preview area, drag over the selected areas that you want to
deselect.
If you want to invert the selection, mark the Invert Selection check box.

Using Adjust 103

104 PaintShop Pro
 RAW photos

Most DSLR cameras give you the option to take photos in RAW mode. RAW mode records
more image data than a typical JPEG.oooogm The RAW image data itself remains
uncompromised and uncompressed, making it similar to a photo negative that you can print
as you like. The Camera RAW Lab in PaintShop Pro acts like a digital darkroom and lets you
apply a personal touch to your RAW files.
After processing a RAW image, you can leave it as a read-only RAW file, or export it to a JPEG,
GIF, or PNG file so you can edit it. You can also read and save changes to XMP files.
This section presents the following topics:

• Supported RAW file formats

• Using the Camera RAW Lab
• Applying edits to multiple RAW photos
• Converting RAW photos to another file format
• Working with XMP files

Supported RAW file formats

Camera RAW Lab works with common RAW formats from the major camera manufacturers.
You can find an updated list in the Corel Knowledgebase.

To find supported RAW file formats

• Go to www.paintshoppro.com/en/products/paintshop-pro/standard/#tech-specs.

Using the Camera RAW Lab

The Camera RAW Lab lets you develop a RAW image by saving a variety of processing
settings. After processing a RAW image, you can leave it as a read-only RAW file, or from the
Edit tab, save it to a different file format, such as JPEG, GIF, or PNG.

RAW photos 105

 Camera RAW Lab

To launch the Camera RAW Lab

• Do one of the following:

• Click the Manage tab, select File  Open, choose a RAW image file and click Open.
• Click the Manage tab, right-click one or more thumbnails for RAW images, and choose
Edit RAW.
• Click the Edit tab, drag a RAW image thumbnail from the Organizer palette to the
image window, or double-click the thumbnail.
The Camera RAW Lab dialog box opens with the image.

To adjust settings for a RAW photo

1 In the Camera RAW Lab dialog box, click the Basic tab, and do any of the following:
• Drag the Brightness, Saturation, or Shadow sliders for a quick overall image
adjustment.
• In the White balance area, adjust color by clicking a preset lighting option from the
Scenario drop-list, or by clicking the preview area to set the white point with the
Dropper tool. You can also adjust or fine-tune color with the Temperature and Tint
sliders.
• In the Highlight recovery area, click an option in the drop-list. Highlight recovery
works particularly well on images that are overexposed — it can help restore detail in
blown-out areas.
• In the Reduce noise area, drag the Threshold slider to smooth digital noise.
You can preview the changes to the photo in the Preview area.
If you want to keep the settings for future use, check the Save image settings checkbox.

106 PaintShop Pro

 Click Reset at any time to clear all the settings.
2 Click one of the following:
• OK — applies the settings, and exits the Camera RAW Lab
• Cancel — exits the Camera RAW Lab without adjusting the photo’s settings
3 To correct lens issues, click the Lens tab. For information about Lens Correction options,
see “Using Lens Correction to fix distortion, chromatic aberration, and vignetting” on
page 132.

You can add more RAW photos to the Camera RAW Lab by clicking the Add more
photos button in the thumbnail row (maximum of 30).

Image settings for RAW images are saved to a database. Changes to the file name or
file location can be tracked in the database only if you make the changes in Corel
PaintShop Pro.

Applying edits to multiple RAW photos

A photographer is often faced with organizing and processing large numbers of photos,
especially if you use a DSLR camera. You may find that you’re downloading a batch of photos
taken under similar conditions, all with similar processing needs. With PaintShop Pro, you
can copy the edits you made to a photo in the Camera RAW Lab, and quickly apply the same
edits to a batch of photos. For more information about applying edits to multiple photos, see
“Capturing and applying edits to multiple photos” on page 91.

Converting RAW photos to another file format

The RAW file format is read-only and the settings for a RAW file are stored as a separate
header. It is these settings that you can adjust in the Camera RAW Lab. However, to use the
editing features accessible from the Edit tab, you need save the RAW file to a different file
format, such as JPEG, TIFF, or the native format, .pspimage. To quickly convert the file, you
can use Convert RAW.

To convert a RAW file to another file type

Edit tab
1 In the Organizer palette, select one or more RAW file thumbnails.
2 Right-click a selected thumbnail, and click Convert RAW.
3 In the Batch Process dialog box, choose a file format from the Type drop-list.
If you want to change the default conversion settings, click Options, and adjust the
settings.
4 Click Browse and choose a folder in which the converted file will be saved.

RAW photos 107

5 Click Start.

You can rename converted files by clicking Modify, choosing an option from the
Rename Options list, and clicking Add.

Working with XMP files

XMP files are metadata sidecar files that accompany RAW files. They are a standard way of
saving edits without changing the original RAW file. If you plan to use another RAW image-
editor with your files, XMP files will let you work between the applications more easily. You
can read, save, copy, and paste XMP metadata for your RAW files.

To read and import metadata in XMP files

• Click the Manage tab, right-click one or more RAW photo thumbnails, and choose RAW
Metadata > Read Metadata from File.

To save edits to XMP files

• Click the Manage tab, right-click one or more RAW photo thumbnails, and choose RAW
Metadata > Save Metadata To File.

To copy and paste metadata between XMP files

1 Click the Manage tab, right-click the thumbnail of the RAW image that has the metadata
that you want to copy.
2 Choose RAW Metadata > Copy.
3 Select one or more RAW photo thumbnails to which you want to apply the metadata.
4 Right-click the selected thumbnails and choose RAW Metadata > Paste.

108 PaintShop Pro

 Adjusting images

When you view your photos in PaintShop Pro, you may notice problems that you want to
correct. In some photos, the problems are obvious, such as when the subject is too dark. In
other photos, you may sense the need for improvement but not know what to fix. With
PaintShop Pro, you can correct specific aspects of a photo or allow the program to make
basic photo adjustments.
This section presents the following topics:

• Fixing common problems

• Rotating images
• Cropping images
• Straightening images
• Correcting photographic perspective
• Making basic photo corrections automatically
• Brightening images
• Darkening images
• Removing purple fringe
• Removing digital noise
• Removing chromatic aberrations
• Using Lens Correction to fix distortion, chromatic aberration, and vignetting
• Correcting lens distortions
• Adjusting white balance
• Adjusting brightness, contrast, and clarity
• Adjusting hue and saturation
• Adding or removing noise
• Applying a depth of field effect with AI Portrait Mode
• Controlling depth of field
• Blurring images
• Sharpening images
• Softening images

Adjusting images 109

• Resizing images
• Enlarging images by using AI-Powered upsampling

Fixing common problems

PaintShop Pro provides many fast and powerful commands and tools to help you correct
some common photographic problems. You can use the table below as a starting point for
making your photos as good as they can be. Some correction commands open a dialog box
in which you can choose options and modify the correction.
If you intend to crop or resize the photo, you should perform this action first and then apply
a correction from the following table.
Problem How to solve it from the Edit tab
The overall photo should look better. To apply a set of basic photo corrections
automatically, choose Adjust  One Step
Photo Fix. To fine-tune and apply a set of
basic photo corrections, choose Adjust 
Smart Photo Fix.
Part of the photo is too dark To apply a quick adjustment to a photo’s
(underexposed). dark regions, choose Adjust  Fill Flash or
Adjust  Brightness and Contrast  Fill
Light/Clarity. To apply a comprehensive set
of adjustments, choose Adjust  Smart
Photo Fix. To access commands for
correcting brightness and contrast, choose
Adjust  Brightness and Contrast. In
particular, try the Curves and Levels
commands.
Part of the photo is too light (overexposed). To apply a quick adjustment to a photo’s
light regions, choose Adjust 
Backlighting. To apply a comprehensive set
of adjustments, choose Adjust  Smart
Photo Fix. To access commands for
correcting brightness and contrast, choose
Adjust  Brightness and Contrast. In
particular, try the Curves and Levels
commands.

110 PaintShop Pro

Problem How to solve it from the Edit tab
A specific part of the photo is too dark or Carefully using a selection tool, select only
too light. the overexposed or underexposed part of
the photo. Then, apply one of the
adjustments previously described in this
table.
Note: The One Step Photo Fix and Smart
Photo Fix commands work on the entire
image, even if you’ve made a selection. For
more information, see “Working with
selections” on page 223.
The photo’s contrast is too low or too high. To adjust the contrast and optionally adjust
other settings, choose Adjust  Smart
Photo Fix. Or, choose Adjust  Brightness
and Contrast  Brightness/Contrast.
You have a set of bracketed digital photos, Choose File  HDR  Exposure Merge, and
but need a way to merge them into one. use this command to combine the best
details from two to nine bracketed photos
into one photo.
The photo has a color cast or To remove a color cast, choose Adjust 
other unnatural colors resulting from its Brightness and Contrast  Curves. To
being taken indoors without a flash. apply a comprehensive set of adjustments,
choose Adjust  Smart Photo Fix. To
access commands for making various
brightness and contrast corrections, choose
Adjust  Brightness and Contrast.
Someone in the photo has unnatural- To adjust the photo’s tonal balance, choose
looking skin tones. Adjust  White Balance.
A scanned photo has scratches or tears. On the Tools toolbar, choose the
Scratch Remover tool , the Makeover
tool ., or the Clone Brush tool . For
more information, see “Retouching and
restoring images” on page 171.
Tiny specks (noise) of unnatural color can To apply noise correction automatically,
be seen, especially on a magnified view. choose Adjust  One Step Noise Removal.
To use advanced options for noise
correction, choose Adjust  Digital Noise
Removal or AI Denoise.
To remove artifacts from compressed JPEG
images, choose Adjust  Add/Remove
Noise > AI Artifact Removal.

Adjusting images 111

Problem How to solve it from the Edit tab
Purplish fringe and other color aberrations To remove purple fringe automatically,
can be seen on edges in the photo. choose Adjust  One Step Purple Fringe
Fix. To use advanced options for correcting
chromatic aberrations, choose Adjust 
Chromatic Aberration Removal.
Someone in the photo has red-eye. To remove red-eye quickly, choose the Red
Eye tool . To use advanced options for
red-eye removal, choose Adjust  Red Eye
Removal.
Someone in the photo has skin blemishes, On the Tools toolbar, choose the Makeover
unpolished teeth, or washed out skin tone. tool . On the Tool Options palette, set
the mode to Blemish Fixer , Toothbrush
, or Suntan .
The photo appears foggy or hazy. To improve a poorly exposed image,
choose Adjust  Brightness and Contrast 
Levels. To improve overall clarity, choose
Adjust  Brightness and Contrast  Local
Tone Mapping.
The photo doesn’t appear sharp. To apply high-frequency sharpening,
choose Adjust  Sharpness  High Pass
Sharpen. To apply other forms of
sharpening, choose Adjust  Sharpness
and choose a command.
The photo needs to be straightened. On the Tools toolbar, choose the
Straighten tool . For more information,
see “Retouching and restoring images” on
page 171.
The perspective of objects in the photo On the Tools toolbar, choose the
appears incorrect. Perspective Correction tool . For more
information, see “Retouching and restoring
images” on page 171.
The photo quality is affected by a lens Choose Adjust  Barrel Distortion
distortion. Correction, Adjust  Fisheye Distortion
Correction, or Adjust  Pincushion
Distortion Correction. For more
information about lens distortions, see
“Correcting lens distortions” on page 135.
An unwanted pattern appears on a scanned Choose Adjust  Add/Remove Noise 
image. Moire Pattern Removal.
A scanned photo appears old and faded. Choose Adjust  Color  Fade Correction.

112 PaintShop Pro

Rotating images
You can rotate an image by 90 degrees to change its orientation to landscape (horizontal) or
portrait (vertical). If your camera contains sensors that tag photos taken in portrait
orientation, your photos are automatically rotated to the correct orientation.

You can rotate an image in PaintShop Pro.

You can also rotate an image to any angle by specifying a degree of rotation or by rotating
it interactively on the canvas. For information about rotating an image to straighten it
according to reference points within the image, such as the horizon, see “Straightening
images” on page 119.
You can also apply lossless rotation to JPEG images from the Manage tab while retaining all
of the original image data.

To rotate an image
Edit tab
• Select an image, and perform a task from the following table.
To Do the following
Rotate an image 90 degrees clockwise or Choose Image  Rotate Right, or choose
counterclockwise Image  Rotate Left.
Rotate an image to a specific angle Choose Image  Free Rotate. In the Free
Rotate dialog box, choose either the Right
option or the Left option to set the
direction of rotation. In the Degrees group
box, choose the Free option, and type or
set a value in the control.
Rotate an image interactively On the Tools toolbar, choose the
Pick tool . Rotate the image by dragging
the rotation handle (the square connected
by a line to the rotation pivot point). The
cursor changes to two curved arrows when
it is positioned over the rotation handle.

Adjusting images 113

 You can also rotate an image by clicking the Rotate Right or Rotate Left button
on the Standard toolbar.
If you want to change the center of rotation before you interactively rotate the image,
hold down Ctrl, and drag the rotation pivot point (the circle at the center of the image)
to a new position.

Cropping images
You can remove unwanted portions of an image to create stronger compositions or to draw
attention to another area of the image. PaintShop Pro helps you crop by providing presets
to common image ratios, such as 1:1, 2:3, 3:4, and 16:9.
Cropping reduces the amount of hard drive memory required for storing the image. In
addition, cropping can improve color corrections by eliminating extraneous areas of color. If
a photograph requires both cropping and color correction, you should crop the image first
and then apply the color correction.
Before printing an image, you can crop it to a specific print size. In addition, you can select
an area within the image and then crop the image to the selection borders. You can also
create a new image from the cropped area.

Floating toolbar for the Crop tool

You can rotate the image relative to the crop rectangle to straighten an image or angle the
image for artistic reasons.

114 PaintShop Pro

You can crop an image based on its opaque (nontransparent) areas. Cropping in this way is
useful when you want to eliminate transparent areas at the edges of the image. You can also
set the crop area to cover the opaque area of a single layer or of an entire image.

Composition guides
To further strengthen your composition when you crop, you can use composition guides.
Composition guides include Rule of Thirds, Golden Spiral, Golden Ratio, Diagonal, Triangle,
and a standard grid.

The Golden Spiral composition guide can be used to find a pleasing balance between
the main focal point and any secondary focal points or negative (non-focal) space.

Enhance photo options

You can apply the following image enhancement options directly from the Floating Crop
toolbar:
• One Step Photo Fix
• Depth of Field
Important! Cropping permanently removes the image area outside the crop rectangle. To
preserve the original photo, use the Save As command, and save the cropped version of your
image to a new filename.

To crop an image
Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Crop tool .

Adjusting images 115

 By default, the crop rectangle appears on the image, and the area outside the crop
rectangle is shaded.
2 Adjust the crop area size by dragging any of the handles or edges. To reposition the crop
rectangle, place the cursor inside and drag.
You can use a preset crop size by choosing an option from the Presets drop-list on the
floating toolbar for the Crop tool, or from the drop-list on the Tool Options palette.
If you want to use a composition guide, on the floating toolbar click the Composition
Guide button (this button toggles the guide on and off), and choose a guide from the
drop-list.
3 When you’re ready to crop the image, click the Apply button on the Tool Options
palette or on the floating toolbar for the Crop tool.
You can also
Apply the crop by using your mouse or Double-click inside the crop rectangle, or
keyboard press Enter.
Set the size of the crop rectangle on the Specify the Pixel Dimensions values in the
Tool Options palette Width and Height controls or the
Document size values in the Width,
Height and Units controls.
Constrain the crop area to its Mark the Maintain aspect ratio check box
current proportions on the Tool Options palette. This option is
available only for custom-defined crop
rectangles.
Rotate the crop rectangle by 90 degrees Click the Rotate Crop Rectangle button
on the floating toolbar.
Rotate the image relative to the crop Specify the degree of rotation in the Angle
rectangle by a specific angle controls on the Tool Options palette.
Freely rotate the image relative to the crop Drag the square end of the rotation handle
rectangle or a corner point. This feature can be
helpful when, for example, you want to
straighten and then crop a crookedly
scanned photo.
Move the rotation axis point of the image Specify the X and Y coordinates under
relative to the crop rectangle Pivot on the Tool Options palette or hold
down Ctrl, and then drag the axis point of
the rotation handle (the circular end of the
handle) to a new position.
Move the rotation axis point to the center Click the Center Pivot button on the
of the crop rectangle Tool Options palette.

116 PaintShop Pro

You can also
Modify the crop shading area Choose File  Preferences  General
Program Preferences, choose
Transparency and Shading from the list,
and specify the settings for Color and
Opacity in the Shading group box.
Turn off the shading option Choose File  Preferences  General
Program Preferences, choose
Transparency and Shading from the list,
and unmark the Enable crop shade area
check box in the Shading group box.
Turn off the floating toolbar for the Crop Choose File  Preferences  General
tool Program Preferences, choose
Transparency and Shading from the list,
and unmark the Enable floating crop
toolbar check box in the Shading group
box.
Choose not to display the crop rectangle Choose File  Preferences  General
when the tool is selected Program Preferences, choose
Transparency and Shading from the list,
and unmark the Automatically display
crop rectangle check box in the Shading
group box.
Clear the crop area Click the Clear button on the floating
toolbar for the Crop tool.

After cropping an image, you may notice that the Width and Height values on the Tool
Options palette are each set at 0.100. These settings do not reflect the cropped image
size. To see the image size dimensions after cropping, choose Image  Image
Information.
When rotating, the crop rectangle can extend beyond the bounds of the image. The
area outside the original image will be transparent or filled with the background,
depending on which layer you are working on. If you want to fill in these areas, Magic
Fill is a good option. For more information, see “Using Magic Fill to erase image areas”
on page 184.

To apply Enhance Photo options to an image when you crop

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Crop tool .

2 Do any of the following before you crop the image:
• Turn One Step Photo Fix on or off by clicking the corresponding icon.

Adjusting images 117

 • Turn Depth of Field on or off by clicking the corresponding icon. To set the area you
want in focus, click and hold the icon to display a grid, click the area of the grid where
you want to maintain focus, and adjust the Blur and Size sliders.
3 Drag on the image to set your crop area, using any of the other crop settings you want.
4 When you’re ready to crop the image, click the Apply button on the floating toolbar
for the Crop tool.

To crop an image for printing

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Crop tool .

2 Define the crop area by dragging within the image.
3 On the Tool Options palette, mark the Specify Print Size check box.
Note: If the Specify Print Size check box is marked, the image resolution changes when
you change the values in the Height and Width controls of either the Pixel Dimensions
or the Document size. The current resolution appears to the right of the Units drop-list.
4 In the Units drop-list, select Inches or Centimeters.
Note: The Pixels option is unavailable for this method of cropping.
5 Type or set the dimension values in the Height and Width controls.
The final crop area is sized as specified, and the image resolution is reduced or increased
as needed.
6 Click the Apply button on the Tool Options palette, or on the floating toolbar for the
Crop tool.

To crop to a selection in an image

Edit tab
1 Make a selection in the image.
2 Choose Image  Crop to Selection.

The selection can be any shape. PaintShop Pro positions a crop area rectangle around
irregularly shaped selections.
If you crop to a selection that is feathered, the current background color fills in the
feathered region of the selection.

You can also crop to the selection by choosing the Crop tool and clicking Current
Selection in the Snap crop rectangle to group box on the Tool Options palette.
Adjust the crop area, and click Apply .

118 PaintShop Pro

To crop to an opaque area in a layer or an image
Edit tab

1 Click the Crop tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, select one of these options from the Snap Crop Rectangle
To group box:
• Layer Opaque — selects opaque areas in the current layer
• Merged Opaque — selects opaque areas in all layers
3 Adjust the crop area.
4 Click the Apply button on the Tool Options palette, or on the floating toolbar for the
Crop tool.

If any layer has a solid-color (nontransparent) background, the entire layer or image is
selected as the crop area.
Opaque areas that are not rectangular may have transparent areas remaining after
cropping.

To create a new image by cropping

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Crop tool .

2 Define the crop area by dragging within the image.
3 Click the Crop as new image button on the Tool Options palette, or on the floating
toolbar for the Crop tool.
A new image is created, but the cropped image remains unchanged, and remains the
active image.

This feature offers a useful method of creating individual images from a scan of multiple
images. For example, if you scan four photos in one scanning session, you can use this
feature to quickly separate each photo into an individual image file.

Straightening images
You can easily straighten crooked images by aligning a straightening bar with an image
feature. PaintShop Pro rotates the image so that this straightening bar is perfectly horizontal
and vertical. This feature is especially useful when an image has a strong vertical or horizontal
feature, such as a building or horizon.

Adjusting images 119

 The Straighten tool lets you position a straightening bar within an image.

To straighten an image
Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Straighten tool .

A straightening bar with end handles appears on the image.
2 Drag each handle of the straightening bar to align it with the part of the image that you
want to straighten.
3 On the Tool Options palette, choose one of the following options from the Mode drop-
list:
• Auto — automatically straightens the image based on the position of the straightening
bar
• Make vertical — rotates the image to make the straightening bar vertical
• Make horizontal — rotates the image to make the straightening bar horizontal
4 Click the Apply button .
You can also
Straighten a single layer Before clicking the
Straighten tool, click
the layer name on the
Layers palette.
Straighten all layers in Mark the Rotate all
the image layers check box on the
Tools Options palette.
Choose a specific angle Type or set a value in
for the straightening the Angle control on
bar the Tools Options
palette.

120 PaintShop Pro

You can also
Crop the edges of the Mark the Crop image
image to make it check box on the Tools
rectangular after Options palette.
straightening
Fill the edge areas of Unmark the Crop
your image with the image check box on
background color the Tools Options
palette.

You can also double-click the image to apply the command.

Correcting photographic perspective

When you take pictures of tall or wide objects, the resulting photographs may have
perspective distortion — that is, the objects may seem to be leaning or angled. This
distortion occurs when the camera is at an angle to the subject.
By using the Perspective Correction tool, you can fix perspective distortion, such as the
angled sides of a building. You can also fix photographic perspective in an entire layer by
using the Pick tool.

Using the Perspective Correction tool changes the angle of the building.

To correct perspective in a photo

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Perspective Correction tool .

A bounding box with corner handles appears on the image.
2 On the Tool Options palette, choose settings for the following controls:
• Grid lines — lets you type or set the number of gridlines to display
• Crop image — recrops the image to a rectangular shape after the perspective is
applied
Note: Marking the Crop image check box deletes the areas of the image that fall
outside the rectangle.

Adjusting images 121

3 Drag each handle to the corner of the object that should be rectangular.
4 Click the Apply button .

You can also apply the command by double-clicking the image.

To reset the perspective correction box to the original rectangle, click Cancel on the
Tool Options palette.

To correct perspective in an image layer

Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, select the layer to correct.
2 Choose View  Grid to display the gridlines.
The gridlines help you correct lines in your photograph that should be vertical or
horizontal.
Note: To adjust the grid settings, choose View  Change Grid, Guide & Snap
Properties, and then use the controls on the Grid page of the dialog box.
3 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pick tool .
A bounding box appears around the entire layer.
Note: It may be helpful to expand the image window so that you can see all of the
corner handles of the current layer. To expand the image window, drag from a corner or
side.
4 Hold down Ctrl, and drag a corner handle on the selected layer.
The image is updated when you finish dragging. Continue adjusting the perspective until
the image looks correct.

If the correction causes some image data to fall outside the image canvas, you can
restore that data by increasing the size of the canvas. For more information about
changing the canvas size, see “Resizing the canvas” on page 209.

Making basic photo corrections automatically

If you are not sure what adjustments to make to a photo, you can apply either the One Step
Photo Fix command or the Smart Photo Fix command and see if you like the results. The One
Step Photo Fix command automatically applies a predetermined set of color balancing and
sharpening corrections to your photo — all you need to do is select the command. If you
want the option of fine-tuning the same corrections before applying them, you can use the
Smart Photo Fix command.

122 PaintShop Pro

 You can use the One Step Photo Fix command to improve the exposure and white
balance of images quickly and easily.

The advanced options of the Smart Photo Fix feature let you adjust white balance by
identifying the neutral areas in the photo (black, gray, and white), which are used as sampling
points. The advanced options also let you modify the darkest and lightest pixels of the photo
without affecting the photo’s white balance.

Neutral sampling points identified by using the advanced options of the Smart Photo
Fix command

To apply basic corrections with One Step Photo Fix

Edit tab
• Choose Adjust  One Step Photo Fix.
After a brief pause, several basic corrections are applied to your photo.

The corrections applied are identical to what would be applied by accepting the
suggested settings of the Smart Photo Fix feature.

If you are not satisfied with the changes made to your photo, choose Edit  Undo. Then,
choose Adjust  Smart Photo Fix, and adjust the available settings. You can also try
using other Adjust menu commands, such as Brightness and Contrast  Curves or
Brightness and Contrast  Levels.

Adjusting images 123

To fine-tune basic corrections with Smart Photo Fix
Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Smart Photo Fix.
The Smart Photo Fix dialog box appears. In the upper portion of the dialog box, the
Before pane shows the original photo. The After pane shows how the photo would
appear after applying the suggested set of basic adjustments.
2 Perform one or more tasks from the following table, and click OK.
To Do the following
Brighten or darken the photo In the Brightness group box, type or set a
value in the Overall, Shadows, and
Highlights controls, or adjust their
corresponding sliders.
Note: Positive settings brighten the photo,
and negative settings darken the photo.
Increase or decrease saturation Type or set a value in the Saturation
control, or adjust the slider.
Note: Positive settings make colors more
vibrant; negative settings make colors less
vibrant.
Sharpen the edges of the photo Type or set a value in the Focus control, or
adjust the slider.

You can reset all settings to their initial values by clicking Suggest Settings, or to null
settings by clicking the Reset to Default button .
To use advanced settings of the Smart Photo Fix feature, mark the Advanced Options
check box.

To use the advanced options of Smart Photo Fix

Edit tab
1 In the Smart Photo Fix feature dialog box, mark the Advanced Options check box.
Additional controls appear in the dialog box.
2 Perform one or more tasks from the following table, and click OK.

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To Do the following
Use sampling points for color balancing Mark the White Balance check box. The
photo’s neutral areas (black, gray, and
white) are identified in the Before pane.
Note: Some photos have no black, gray, or
white areas, so no sampling points are
identified.
Ignore the photo’s sampling points Unmark the White Balance check box. Re-
marking the check box restores the
sampling points.
Add sampling points Click areas in the Before pane that should
be black, gray, or white. The After pane is
updated.
Delete a sampling point Click the sampling point in the Before pane.
Both the Before and After panes are
updated.
Darken the darkest pixels in the photo Drag the Black slider to the right, or specify
a value in the control beside the slider.
Lighten the lightest pixels in the photo Drag the White slider to the right, or
specify a value in the control beside the
slider.

To avoid introducing errors in white balance when you add sampling points, do not click
any color other than black, white, or gray (for example, do not click a region that you
know is blue). Click only the points that you know should be black, white, or gray.
Sampling points cannot be dragged or moved.
The histogram is for display only — you cannot drag or adjust any part it. The gray
portion represents the original (Before) photo, and the red overlay portion reflects the
adjustments. The black triangle moves in tandem with the Black slider, and the white
triangle moves in tandem with the White slider. For more information about the
Histogram, see “Adjusting brightness, contrast, and clarity” on page 138.

Brightening images
Lighting problems are common in photography. Photos taken in bright light often lack detail
in the shadow areas. If your photo’s background is too dark, or if the difference between the
photo’s light and dark areas is too great, you can lighten the darker, underexposed areas. You
can adjust saturation, which is the purity or vividness of a color.
For more information about other brightening features, including Fill Light/Clarity, see
“Adjusting brightness, contrast, and clarity” on page 138.

Adjusting images 125

To brighten a photo
Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Fill Flash.
2 Type or set a value from 0 to 100 in the Strength control to determine how much to
lighten the darker areas.
3 Type or set a value in the Saturation control to determine the overall saturation of the
photo’s colors.
Values less than 0 reduce saturation; values greater than 0 increase saturation.
4 Click OK.

If a photo has areas that are too light as well as areas that are too dark, choose Adjust
 Fill Flash, and then choose Adjust  Backlighting.

Darkening images
Sometimes photos have too much lighting from the background, which essentially washes
out the entire image. A similar problem involves photos with too much flash on the subject.
You can darken the bright, overexposed areas of a photo.

To darken a photo
Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Backlighting.
2 Type or set a value from 0 to 100 in the Strength control to determine how much to
darken the lighter areas.
3 Type or set a value in the Saturation control to determine the overall saturation of the
photo’s colors.
Values less than 0 reduce saturation; values greater than 0 increase saturation.
4 Click OK.

If a photo has areas that are too light as well as areas that are too dark, choose Adjust
 Fill Flash, and then choose Adjust  Backlighting.

Removing purple fringe

A common problem of digital photos is the presence of purple halos surrounding
overexposed areas of a color photo. This problem, which is called fringing, is often quite
evident when a bright sky appears in the background of a photo and faint purple halos
appear on the edges of the photo subject. With PaintShop Pro, you can quickly identify this
problem and remove it from your photo.

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To remove purple fringe from a photo
Edit tab
• Choose Adjust  One Step Purple Fringe Fix.
After a brief pause, your photo is automatically adjusted.

Removing digital noise

The term “noise” as it relates to photos refers to small specks of color that interfere with
image clarity. These specks are usually caused by poor lighting conditions or the limitations
of the sensor in your digital camera. For example, when you zoom in on a photo of a clear
blue sky, you may see tiny specks of orange, red, purple, green, or other colors.
PaintShop Pro gives you three powerful commands for removing noise from your photos:
One Step Noise Removal, AI Denoise, and Digital Noise Removal. When you use a noise
removal command, the program analyzes your photo, identifies the noise artifacts, and
applies corrections based on these identified areas, while preserving the important edge
details of your photo.

The image on the left looks grainy because of digital camera noise. The image on the
right appears smoother and less grainy after the noise has been removed.

• One Step Noise Removal: You can automatically apply noise correction to your photo
with the One Step Noise Removal command.
• AI Denoise: You can use artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze the noise in your image. By
choosing Enhanced, you can specify the strength of the noise correction.
• Digital Noise Removal: Lets you control more precisely how corrections are applied.

Digital Noise Removal command

The Digital Noise Removal command gives you more control over the removal of digital
camera noise in your photos.
Photos taken with the same camera tend to have noise in the same areas. You can create a
preset to apply the same corrections to all of these photos.
This command could be an ideal solution in the following scenarios:

Adjusting images 127

• For photos that most likely contain excessive noise (such as a video whiteboard capture),
using the command with low settings can help make the overall image clearer without
excessive blurring.
• For photos taken with normal settings, this command is best used only on key areas
needing correction, such as image artifacts surrounding the subject area.
• For photos containing areas that you want to exclude from the noise correction, you can
specify the color ranges to preserve or discard. For example, you may want to protect
skin tones in a photo from having any correction applied to them. You can define as
many of these protected regions as you like.

To remove digital noise quickly

Edit tab
• Choose Adjust  One Step Noise Removal.
After a brief pause, the noise is automatically removed.

To use AI Denoise to analyze and remove noise

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust > AI Denoise.
2 Do one of the following:
• Choose Simple for a fast fix.
• Choose Enhanced, and drag the Strength slider to set the level of denoise applied.
If you know that using GPU improves processing time, mark the GPU Acceleration check
box.
3 Click OK.
The green progress bar at the bottom of the application window lets you track the
progress of the AI analysis.

To use advanced options for removing digital noise

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Digital Noise Removal.
The Digital Noise Removal dialog box appears.
Note: The three crosshairs appear on the image preview in the Remove Noise tabbed
area. The crosshairs represent noise samples located in the image’s light, midtone, and
dark areas. You can move a crosshair by dragging the bounding box in the before pane,
which moves the sampling region accordingly.
2 In the Remove Noise tabbed area, mark the Link detail sizes check box to adjust the
Small, Medium, and Large settings in proportion to each other.
3 Type or set values in the Small, Medium, and Large controls.

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 These controls define the amount of correction to apply to small, medium, and large
noise patterns.
4 Type or set a value in the Correction blend control to determine to what degree the
corrected image will be blended in with the original.
The blending values range from 0.0 (no noise reduction) to 100.0 (full processing of the
entire image). The default value is 70.
5 Type or set a value in the Sharpening control to determine the degree of sharpening, if
any, to apply to the image after the noise reduction is applied.
The default value is 0.
6 Click OK.
You can also
Set corrections for light, midtone, and dark Unmark the Link detail sizes check box,
areas independently and type or set values in the Small,
Medium, and Large controls.
View close-ups of sampling regions Click a crosshair to see the area close up in
the Before and After panes.
Add a sampling region crosshair Drag in the Before pane.
Delete a sampling region crosshair In the Before pane, drag a corner of the
correction box to its diagonally opposite
corner.

You can have a maximum of 10 sampling regions.

You should avoid sampling an image edge, or pure black or pure white regions of the
image, which can result in excessive smoothing.
The Digital Noise Removal command is not designed to remove moire patterns. For
information about removing moire patterns, see “To remove moire patterns” on
page 153.

To save settings as a preset specific to an image and camera, mark the Camera preset
check box and click the Save Preset button . When the Camera preset check box is
marked, the Load Preset drop-list displays only previously saved camera presets, not
the standard presets. To save settings as a standard preset, unmark the Camera preset
check box, and click the Save Preset button.
For best results when working with JPEG images, choose Adjust  Add/Remove Noise
AI Artifact Removal before using a noise removal command.

To protect image areas from noise corrections

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Digital Noise Removal.

Adjusting images 129

 The Digital Noise Removal dialog box appears.
2 Click the Protect Image tab.
3 In the Before pane, pan and zoom as necessary so that you can view the region you want
to protect.
4 Hold down Ctrl, and drag over the region you want to protect.
Note: Holding down Ctrl does not create a corresponding crosshair in the image
window of the Remove Noise tabbed area.
5 In the Selected hue range group box, type or set values in the Hue and Range controls.
Note: The existing settings reflect the area sampled. You can manually adjust the hue
knob by dragging it inside the ring.
6 In the Protect selected hue range group box, drag any of the seven graph handles
downward to apply less correction and smoothing to the corresponding segment of the
hue range.
For example, dragging just the middle graph handle to the bottom of the graph
completely suppresses the midtone of that hue range.
Note: The graph handles cannot be dragged laterally.
7 Click OK.

You can remove color adjustments for a selected color range by clicking Reset Current.
To remove all color adjustments, click Reset All.

Removing chromatic aberrations

Chromatic aberration occurs when the camera records incorrect colors within the image. In
conventional film cameras, chromatic aberration is usually caused by a lens defect. In digital
cameras, several factors can contribute to chromatic aberration, including the following:
• The inherent lens aberration in the camera may cause fuzziness at image edges. Photos
taken with telephoto and zoom lenses are more prone to contain chromatic aberrations
because of the way in which digital cameras capture light rays far from the optical axis.
• The auto-exposure feature of the camera, which estimates the correct exposure setting,
may cause sensor blooming.
• Different colors may be caught by different camera sensor elements, and they may
combine to make one pixel. This process is called demosaicing.
• Activities such as artifact removal, noise removal, and sharpening may occur inside the
camera after processing.
In your own digital photos, you may notice chromatic aberrations in photos with the
following content:
• the sky seen through tree branches or leaves
• the edges of interior doors or windows through which bright light enters
• fireworks or city lights

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• fluorescent light fixtures or bare lightbulbs
• sun or light reflections on water
• reflections on chrome
• the edges of backlit objects
• sunlit white shirts against a dark background
After identifying these types of color defects, you can reduce or eliminate them.

To remove chromatic aberrations from a photo

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Chromatic Aberration Removal.
The Chromatic Aberration Correction dialog box appears.
2 Ensure that the Before and After panes are visible at the top of the dialog box.
3 Set the zoom control in the dialog box to at least 200%.
The zoom control is located below the Before and After panes. Zooming to 200% helps
target the problem areas in the photo.
4 Click the Pan button , and pan the image to set a viewable image area in the Before
pane.
5 In the Before pane, drag to define the area needing correction.
Note: The area needing correction is called the sample box. You can create up to 10
sample boxes. Each sample box is represented as “Sample n” (where n is a number from 1
to 10) in the List of Samples area in the center of the dialog box. Each sample listing has
a color swatch to the left, indicating a color average for the sampled area.
6 Choose a sample entry from the List of Samples area.
7 Type or set a value in the Range control to determine the color range of the active
sample, which affects the pixel range to be corrected.
The range you specify is represented in the color box directly above the Range control.
8 Type or set a value in the Radius control to determine the size of the sample’s aberration.
Note: The default value is 10. Values from 4 to 20 usually produce the most acceptable
results. Values greater than 10 are useful on sampling areas that enclose sensor blooming
aberrations. Values less than 10 are useful when you are removing 1- or 2-pixel
aberrations caused by demosaicing, as well as when you are working on images of less
than one megapixel. Set the Radius control to the smallest setting that effectively
removes the aberration.
9 Click OK.
You can also
Resize a sample box Drag a sample box handle.
Delete a sample box button in the dialog Click a sample box, and click Remove.
box

Adjusting images 131

You can also
Delete a sample box Drag a corner onto its diagonally opposite
corner, and stop dragging when the
corners meet.
Display the affected image areas Mark the Show Differences check box. The
affected areas appear in the After pane as
white areas on black. Brighter areas
represent greater degrees of correction.
Preview the results on the image Mark the Show Differences check box, and
make sure the Preview on Image check
box is marked.

To create more than 10 sample boxes, you can apply the corrections and then restart
the effect.

You can automatically create a new layer on which the corrected image resides by
marking the Result on New Layer check box. This option protects your original image
on its own layer. If you do not mark this check box, the corrections are applied on the
same layer as the original image.
You can limit the number of “false corrections” by making a selection and then marking
the Result on New Layer check box. You can also use this command on separate layers
of an image.

Using Lens Correction to fix distortion, chromatic aberration,

and vignetting
Lens Correction is a collection of controls that lets you fix a range of lens-related issues in
your photos. You can use Lens Correction with photos saved to JPEG, TIFF, and RAW formats.

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 Lens Correction can be used to fix a variety of issues, including Barrel distortion (above).

Distortion
While zoom lenses with a large range of focal lengths show the greatest lens distortion, even
fixed-focal length, or “prime” lenses, can cause some types of distortion. Barrel and Pin
Cushion distortion are caused from nonuniform magnification of the image from the outside
of the image (perimeter) to the center. Barrel distortion refers to a rounded effect in an image
caused by diminished lens magnification towards the edges. Pin cushion distortion refers to
a pinched or narrowed appearance at the sides of an image. Each lens has its own Barrel and
Pin Cushion characteristics, and by analyzing a set of images from a lens at all focal lengths,
this distortion can be removed. Corel PaintShop Pro includes profiles for several hundred
lens and camera combinations.

Chromatic aberration
Chromatic aberration is also a type of distortion (known as CA distortion) caused by the
nonuniform bending of light as it passes through a lens. The result is a color fringe (often
appears purple) and uneven colors around edge details in high contrast scenes, such as
branches of a tree silhouetted against a bright sky. Zoom lenses, particularly at their widest
and longest focal lengths, exhibit the most severe distortion. CA distortion can be removed
by adjusting the data for the colors that show the most distortion.

Vignetting
Vignetting is the darkening of corners of an image due to light fall-off, and can be caused by
optics (the lens itself), the sensor (many sensors are less sensitive to light that hits the sensor
at an angle), or from other causes like a filter or lens hood that shades the corners of an

Adjusting images 133

image. Vignetting can be corrected by brightening the corners of an image. In some cases,
photographers chose to add a vignette effect to their photos to draw focus to the central
subject. You can use Lens Correction to remove an unwanted vignette or add a vignette.
When you add a vignette, it is always performed on the cropped portion of the image, while
correcting vignette is applied to the entire original frame.
You can use the Automatic or the Manual controls to correct issues.
Automatic lets correct your images based on camera and lens profiles built into
PaintShop Pro.
• Enable correction — toggles Lens Correction on or off
• Auto crop — scales the image to fill the image frame
• Manufacturer drop-list — automatically displays the camera manufacturer (if the image
has metadata) or you lets you set it manually
• Model drop-list — automatically displays the camera model (if the image has metadata)
or lets you set it manually
• Lens drop-list — automatically displays the lens used to capture the photo (if the image
has metadata).
Important! In some cases the application chooses the closest match, based on data. You
can change incorrect guesses by selecting the correct manufacturer, camera model, and
lens in the lists. These determine which profile to use when removing distortion.
• Focal Length — shows the focal length setting for the lens at the time the image was
taken (if the image has metadata) or you can set it manually
Manual lets you manually enter correction parameters instead of using correction
parameters from profiles built into the application. This is useful for lenses that are not yet in
the lens correction database.
If you want more information about lens correction parameters in general, and how to
determine them, you can visit the following third-party site: http://wiki.panotools.org/
Lens_correction_model.
Chromatic Aberration correction includes the following controls:
• R / C — controls the shift of colors along the Red/Cyan color axis
• B / Y — controls the shift of colors along the Blue/Yellow color axis
Vignette correction includes the following:
• Enable vignette correction — toggles vignette correction on or off. This control is
independent of other types of lens correction.
• Strength — controls how light (positive or right) or dark (negative or left) the correction
will be
• Radius — controls how far into the image the correction should extend

134 PaintShop Pro

To use Lens Correction

1 Do one of the following:

• For RAW images, open the image in the Camera RAW Lab, and click the Lens tab.
• For JPEG and TIFF images, click Adjust > Lens Correction.
2 Click Automatic or Manual, and modify the settings you want.

Correcting lens distortions

Camera lenses can create distortions in photos. These distortions appear most often in wide-
angle photos, in close-up photos taken with cameras with fixed focal ranges, and in photos
taken with cameras that have low-quality lenses (such as disposable cameras).
Important! It is strongly recommended that you correct the lens distortion in a photo
before cropping it.

Types of lens distortion

PaintShop Pro can correct three common types of lens distortion, all of which make straight
lines appear curved:
• Barrel distortion — Photo looks pushed out at the centre. For distortion corrections to
work properly, the axis of the camera lens must coincide with the centre of the image.
• Fisheye distortion — Photo looks as though it has been pasted onto a sphere or blown
up like a balloon. The edges of the photo look compressed.
• Pincushion distortion — Photo looks pushed in at the center

To correct barrel distortion

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Barrel Distortion Correction.
The Barrel Distortion Correction dialog box appears.
2 Look for curved lines in the image, and straighten them by typing or setting an
appropriate value in the Strength control.
3 Click OK.

By marking the Preserve central scale check box, you can add or remove pixels from
the image, which changes the scale at the center of the picture. Changes to the width
and height of the original image are displayed in the Result Size group box.

To correct fisheye distortion

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Fisheye Distortion Correction.

Adjusting images 135

 The Fisheye Distortion Correction dialog box appears.
2 Remove the distortion by typing or setting an appropriate value in the Field of View
control.
3 Click OK.

By marking the Preserve central scale check box, you can add or remove pixels from
the image, which changes the scale at the center of the picture. Changes to the width
and height of the original image are displayed in the Result Size group box.

To correct pincushion distortion

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Pincushion Distortion Correction.
The Pincushion Distortion Correction dialog box appears.
2 Look for lines in the image that are curved, and type or set a value in the Strength
control until they become straight.
3 Click OK.

By marking the Preserve central scale check box, you can add or remove pixels from
the image, which changes the scale at the center of the picture. Changes to the width
and height of the original image are displayed in the Result Size group box.

Adjusting white balance

You can often improve a photo dramatically by adjusting the colors. Different types of
lighting, cameras, and the processing that occurs inside the camera can cause incorrect
coloring in photos. Scanned images may have unnatural color casts.
To create natural-looking colors and remove any color cast in your image, you can use the
various color-balancing commands in PaintShop Pro. By applying the commands to a
selection or an entire image, you can do the following:
• tonally balance a photo’s colors without affecting the luminance of the photo
• increase or decrease the red, blue, or green color channel by a percentage of the given
channel
• restore color and contrast to faded photos
• create a photographic negative by replacing each pixel color with its opposite (for
example, replace blue with yellow, black with white, yellow with blue, white with black,
and so on)
• adjust the amount of red, green, and blue in your image as a way to make color
corrections by changing the overall color cast

136 PaintShop Pro

To adjust white balance
Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  White Balance.
The White Balance dialog box appears.
2 Mark the Smart White Balance check box.
This allows PaintShop Pro to evaluate and make minor corrections to the image
automatically.
3 Drag the temperature slider to the left for cooler colors (more blue), or to the right for
warmer colors (more orange).
4 Click OK.

If you know what color temperature the photo should be, you can set precise tonal
balance values by marking the Advanced Options check box and typing or setting the
temperature values in the Temperature and Tint controls in the White Balance group
box. You can tweak the colors by adjusting values in the Temperature and Tint controls
in the Enhance White Balance group box.

To mix color channels

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Color  Channel Mixer.
The Channel Mixer dialog box appears.
2 Do one of the following:
• To maintain a color image, select a color channel to edit from the Output channel
drop-list.
• To change the image to monochrome (which looks like grayscale but has a color depth
of 16 million colors), mark the Monochrome check box. Grey appears in the Output
channel drop-list.
3 In the Source Channels group box, type or set values in the Red, Green, and Blue
controls, or adjust the corresponding sliders, to change the percentage of that color in
the channel.
For example, if you are editing the Red channel and set the Red control to 50%, the
amount of red in the image is reduced to 50% of its original amount.
4 Adjust the Constant slider.
The slider is originally set at zero. If you want to darken the color channel, drag the slider
to the left. If you want to brighten the color channel, drag the slider to the right.
5 Click OK.

Adjusting images 137

To correct faded colors
Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Color  Fade Correction.
Drag in the Before pane to center an important part of the image (such as a face).
2 Adjust the value in the Amount of correction control until the image looks the most
natural.
The default value is 45.
Note: Use the minimum value that produces a good correction. If you apply too much
correction, highlight and shadow areas may lose detail, and objects may blend together.
3 Click OK.

To create a photographic negative

Edit tab
• Choose Image  Negative Image.

To change color cast

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Color  Red/Green/Blue.
The Red/Green/Blue dialog box appears.
2 In the Red, Green, and Blue controls, type or set a value to change the percentage for
each color.
A value of 0% preserves the original value. To add more of a color, use a positive number.
To remove some of a color, use a negative number.
Note: Reducing the amount of blue adds a yellow cast to the image, reducing the
amount of green adds a magenta cast to the image, and reducing the amount of red
adds a cyan cast to the image.
3 Click OK.

Adjusting brightness, contrast, and clarity

PaintShop Pro lets you adjust the brightness, contrast, and clarity in your photos. Contrast is
the difference between the photo’s lightest and darkest pixels. Clarity lets you adjust the level
of detail in the image by analyzing contrast within localized areas.
By applying the commands to a selection or an entire image, you can do the following:
• manually adjust the brightness and contrast
• give your photo a crisp, focused look to make the subject more prominent
• adjust the individual brightness values in your image
• adjust the highlights, midtones, and shadows to provide smooth tonal transitions
• correct the exposure

138 PaintShop Pro

• distribute the lightness values of pixels more evenly across the lightness spectrum from
black to white
• increase the overall contrast when the histogram does not cover the entire lightness
spectrum
• make adjustments to the brightness, contrast, and gamma in the image
• create a purely black-and-white image

Histograms
A histogram lets you display the tonal range of an image and redistribute the balance of
highlights, midtones, and shadows. In other words, the histogram can reveal whether your
photo is underexposed, overexposed, or exposed properly.
Many digital cameras offer a histogram display on the camera’s LCD, and some cameras even
let you adjust the scene’s histogram before you take the photo.
PaintShop Pro has various commands that display the histogram in the dialog box. These
commands include Curves, Levels, the advanced mode of Smart Photo Fix, and Histogram
Adjustment.

Example of histograms (right) for three different exposures.

Note the following when you look at a histogram:
• The left portion of the histogram reveals how much of the photo is black or nearly black.
• The right portion of the histogram reveals how much of the photo is white or nearly
white.
The graph in the Histogram Adjustment dialog box displays the number of pixels for each
value of the selected channel. The vertical axis represents the number of pixels and ranges
from zero to the highest number of pixels in the graph. The horizontal axis represents the
value of the selected channel, from 0 to 255.

Adjusting images 139

You can display a Histogram for an image at any time by choosing View  Palettes 
Histogram.

To change brightness or contrast

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Brightness and Contrast  Brightness/Contrast.
The Brightness/Contrast dialog box appears.
2 Type or set a value in the Brightness control.
A positive number lightens the photo; a negative number darkens the photo. A value of
zero preserves the original setting.
3 Type or set a value in the Contrast control.
A positive number increases contrast; a negative number decreases contrast. A value of
zero preserves the original setting.
4 Click OK.

You can use the zoom control in the dialog box to set your view of the image in the
Before and After panes.

To brighten dark areas and adjust clarity

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Brightness and Contrast  Fill Light/Clarity.
The Fill Light/Clarity dialog box appears.
2 Type or set a value in the Fill Light control.
Higher values lighten the darkest areas of the photo; a value of zero preserves the
original setting.
3 Type or set a value in the Clarity control.
A positive number increases detail; a negative number decreases detail and focus. A
value of zero preserves the original setting.
4 Click OK.

To enhance depth and clarity

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Brightness and Contrast  Local Tone Mapping.
The Local Tone Mapping dialog box appears.
2 Type or set a value in the Strength control.
Use the smallest value that produces a satisfying result. Values that are too high cause
unwanted artifacts to appear in the photo.

140 PaintShop Pro

3 Click OK.

You can use the zoom control in the dialog box to set your view of the image in the
Before and After panes.

To change color channel brightness

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Brightness and Contrast  Curves.
The Curves dialog box appears.
2 In the Channel drop-list, select one of the following color channel options:
• RGB — lets you edit the red, green, and blue channels in a combined histogram
• Red — lets you edit the red channel only
• Green — lets you edit the green channel only
• Blue — lets you edit the blue channel only
3 Drag points on the graph to adjust the relationship between the input levels (the
brightness of the original pixels) and the output levels (the brightness of the corrected
pixels).
As you drag a curve point, the point’s original and modified values for pixel lightness are
displayed in the upper-left corner of the histogram graph. The original or input value
appears on the left), and the modified or output value appears on the right.
4 Click OK.
You can also
Add a point to the curve Click where you want to add the point to
the curve.
Note: Adding more points to the curve lets
you adjust its shape more precisely.
Remove a curve point Drag the point to the left or right off the
graph.
Move the active curve point more precisely Press or hold down the Arrow keys.
Automatically adjust the photo’s contrast Click the Contrast button in the Auto
group box.
Note: You can use this button when you’re
satisfied with the photo’s colors but want to
improve the contrast.
Automatically adjust the photo’s white Click the Color button in the Auto group
balance box.
Note: You can use this button to find a
black point and a white point in the photo
automatically.

Adjusting images 141

You can also
Automatically adjust both the contrast and Click the Levels button in the Auto group
the color box.
Set your own black, gray, or white point Click the black, gray, or white dropper in
the Colors group box to activate the
dropper color. Then, move the cursor into
the Before pane and click what you know to
be a black, gray, or white point.
The After pane (and the image window if
the Preview on Image check box is
marked) is updated.
Automatically determine the appropriate Hold down Alt, and position the cursor in
black, gray, or white point the Before pane (or in the image window).
As you move the cursor over dark, medium,
and light areas, the appropriate color
dropper becomes active. Click to set that
point.
Specify histogram clipping limits for the Click the Options button. In the Auto Color
Auto Contrast, Color, and Levels buttons Options dialog box, set percentage values
for the Lower Limit and Upper Limit
controls, and for the Strength control.
Note: For the Lower Limit and Upper Limit
controls, higher values result in stronger
automatic settings, and lower values result
in weaker automatic settings. Lower
Strength values result in less clipping.
Reset all modified values to the original Click the Reset button located near the
values Colors droppers.
You can also click the Reset to Default
button located next to the Save Preset
button.

You can use the zoom control in the dialog box to set your view of the image in the
Before and After panes.

To adjust a photo’s highlights, midtones, and shadows

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Brightness and Contrast  Highlight/Midtone/Shadow.
The Highlight/Midtone/Shadow dialog box appears.
2 Choose one of the following options:

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 • Absolute adjustment method — sets the absolute positions of the 25% histogram
point (Shadows), the 50% histogram point (Midtones) and the 75% histogram point
(Highlights). Typical values are about 35 for Shadow, 50 for Midtone, and 65 for
Highlight, but they vary, depending on the photo. Increasing the value lightens the
region, and decreasing the value darkens the region.
• Relative adjustment method — adjusts the lightness levels relative to their original
states. Positive values lighten the region, and negative values darken it.
3 Type or set values in the Shadow, Midtone, and Highlight controls.
4 Click OK.

You can use the zoom control in the dialog box to set your view of the image in the
Before and After panes.

To correct exposure by using the histogram

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Brightness and Contrast  Histogram Adjustment.
The Histogram Adjustment dialog box appears.
2 In the Edit group box, choose one of the following options:
• Luminance — lets you set the lightness values of the image to correct contrast
• Colors — lets you choose a color channel to edit
If you choose the Colors option, you must choose a color from the drop-list.
3 In the Load Preset drop-list, choose Default.
The default values represent no adjustment to the image.
4 Adjust the Low slider.
On the left side of the histogram, look for a gap between the left edge and the point
where the graph starts to rise. A gap shows that the darkest pixels in the image are not
completely black. Drag the Low slider (the black triangle) to the point where the graph
rises. The Low control displays the low position (from 0 to 254). The bottom control
displays the percentage of pixels that are between zero and the low value; contrast for
these pixels will be lost. As a general rule, keep the Low value lower than 0.1%.
5 Adjust the High slider.
On the right side of the histogram, look for a gap between the right edge of the window
and the point where the graph decreases to zero pixels. If there is a gap, drag the High
slider (the white triangle) to that point on the graph. This action changes the lightest
pixels in the image to white. As a general rule, keep the High value lower than 0.1%.
6 Adjust the Gamma slider.
If the overall image is too dark or too light, adjust the gamma, which is a standard
measure of change in an image’s contrast. To lighten the image, increase the gamma by

Adjusting images 143

 dragging the Gamma slider (the gray triangle) to the right. To darken the image,
decrease the gamma by dragging the Gamma slider to the left.
7 Adjust the Midtones slider.
Note: If the graph has peaks on the left and right sides and contains low points in the
center, the midtones need to be compressed. Shadows and highlights must be expanded
to reveal the information they contain. Photography subjects that are too close to the
camera appear brightly illuminated against a dark background. To compress the
midtones, drag the Midtones slider up.
If the graph peaks in the center and has a low number of pixels at the left and right sides,
expand the midtones by dragging the Midtones slider down.
8 Click OK.

You can create artistic effects by using the Output Max and Output Min controls on
the left side of the histogram. The Max slider is the white circle within a gray square;
the Min slider is the black circle within a gray square. To darken the image’s lightest
pixels, drag the Max slider down. To lighten the image’s darkest pixels, drag the Min
slider up. Even though you are dragging sliders along the vertical axis, the Max and
Min values (from 0 to 255) affect the horizontal axis. All pixels outside the range are
converted so that they fall within the range. You can choose another color component
from the Edit drop-list and make similar adjustments.

To distribute lightness across a photo

Edit tab
• Choose Adjust  Brightness and Contrast  Histogram Equalize.

To increase contrast by stretching the histogram

Edit tab
• Choose Adjust  Brightness and Contrast  Histogram Stretch.

The Histogram Stretch command pulls the darkest pixel down to black and the lightest
pixel up to white. This command does not affect images that already span from pure
black to pure white. If the original image has pixels that are very close to black and
white, using this command will have a very small effect. If the original image is very flat
(nothing close to black or white), using this command will have a strong effect.

To adjust brightness, contrast, and gamma simultaneously

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Brightness and Contrast  Levels.
The Levels dialog box appears.
2 In the Levels group box, choose the color channel to adjust from the Channel drop-list:

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 • RGB — lets you edit the red, green, and blue channels in a combined histogram
• Red — lets you edit the red channel only
• Green — lets you edit the green channel only
• Blue — lets you edit the blue channel only
3 Adjust the black, gray, or white diamond sliders, or set values in the controls beneath
them.
• To darken the darkest pixels in the photo, drag the black diamond slider to the right (or
set a value in the numeric control).
• To adjust the photo’s midtones, drag the gray (middle) diamond to the left or right (or
set a value in the numeric control).
• To lighten the lightest pixels in the photo, drag the white diamond slider to the left (or
set a value in the numeric control).
Note: To see which pixels are being clipped as you drag either the black or white
diamond slider, hold down Ctrl as you drag. The After pane displays the clipped colors.
4 Click OK.
You can also
Automatically adjust the photo’s contrast Click the Contrast button in the Auto
group box.
Note: You can use this button when you’re
satisfied with the photo’s colors but want to
improve the contrast.
Automatically adjust the photo’s white Click the Color button in the Auto group
balance box.
Note: You can use this button to find a
black point and a white point in the photo
automatically.
Automatically adjust both the contrast and Click the Levels button in the Auto group
the color box.
Set your own black, gray, or white point Click the black, gray, or white dropper in
the Colors group box to activate that
dropper color. Then, move the cursor into
the Before pane (or into the image
window), and click what you know to be a
black, gray, or white point.
The After pane (and the image window if
the Preview on Image check box is
marked) is updated.

Adjusting images 145

You can also
Automatically determine the appropriate Hold down Alt, and position the cursor in
black, gray, or white point the Before pane (or in the image window).
As you move the cursor over dark, medium,
and light areas, the appropriate color
dropper becomes active. Click to set that
point.
Specify histogram clipping limits for the Click the Options button. In the Auto Color
Auto Contrast, Color, and Levels buttons Options dialog box, set percentage values
for the Lower Limit and Upper Limit
controls and for the Strength control.
Note: For the Lower Limit and Upper
Limit controls, higher values result in
stronger automatic settings, and lower
values result in weaker automatic settings.
Lower Strength values result in less
clipping.
Reset all modified values to the original Click the Reset button located near the
values Colors droppers.
You can also click the Reset to Default
button located next to the Save Preset
button.

Changes you make in the Auto Color Options dialog box are applied when you use the
Contrast, Curves, and Levels buttons in the Auto group box of the Curves dialog box.

You can use the Levels command to spread out the histogram for a photo taken with
an improper exposure. You may find it helpful to use this command before using the
Curves command.
You can use the zoom control in the dialog box to set your view of the image in the
Before and After panes.

To convert a photo’s pixels to black and white

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Brightness and Contrast  Threshold.
The Threshold dialog box appears.
2 Type or set a value for pixel lightness in the Threshold control to specify which pixels to
change to white (those above the threshold) and which pixels to change to black (those
below the threshold).
Values range from 1 to 255. Lower values produce more white pixels; higher values
produce more black pixels.

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3 Click OK.

You can use the zoom control in the dialog box to set your view of the image in the
Before and After panes.

Adjusting hue and saturation

Saturation is the purity or vividness of a color, expressed as the absence of white. A color with
100% saturation contains no white. A color with 0% saturation corresponds to a shade of
gray. A hue is the property that defines a particular color. For example, blue, green, and red
are all hues.
Hue refers to the actual color (such as red or yellow). Saturation is the vividness of the color.
Imagine bright orange, which is a highly saturated color. As the saturation is reduced
(keeping the hue and lightness unchanged), the orange color becomes brownish, then
taupe, and finally a middle neutral gray (after the saturation has been reduced to zero).
Reducing the saturation drains the color away, leaving just the grayscale component. Taupe
and mauve are low-saturation colors because they are quite neutral, with just a touch of
color. Apple red and banana yellow are high-saturation colors. Saturation is a measure of
how different a color is from a neutral gray of the same brightness.
In digital images, increasing the saturation can give the image brilliant color and “punch,” but
too much saturation distorts colors and causes problems such as unnatural-looking skin
tones. You can use the Vibrancy control to target only those areas that are low on saturation
without affecting the rest of the image. For example, you can boost color in less saturated
parts of an image without significantly altering skin tone.
PaintShop Pro gives you four ways to alter the hue and saturation of a selection or of an
entire image:
• You can replace all colors with a single color and saturation while leaving the lightness
values unchanged. You can create sepia tones, like the brownish tones seen in old
photographs, and other single-color effects.
• You can shift all colors and change their strength and lightness. Changing the hue shifts
all pixels in an image to a different point on the color wheel. For example, if you change
the red pixels to green, the green pixels turn to blue, and the yellow pixels turn to cyan.
Adjusting the saturation changes the amount of gray in a color. (The level of gray
increases as the saturation decreases.) Adjusting the lightness changes color brightness.
• You can replace one or more colors. For example, you can shift all greens to blues. You
can also change the saturation or the lightness. When you adjust these values, all colors
(both original and shifted colors) are adjusted.
• You can adjust only the least saturated colors in the image using the Vibrancy control
and thus leave unaltered those pixels that are already relatively saturated. The result is

Adjusting images 147

 that you will get a general improvement in the saturation in the colors of an image but
not to the extent where colors become unrealistically bright. The Vibrancy control is
recommended for adding saturation to portraits as it offers some protection for skin
tones and is less likely to oversaturate and destroy the subject’s skin color.

To create a duotone photo

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Hue and Saturation  Colorize.
The Colorize dialog box appears.
Note: To create a duotone with more subtle color changes, do the following before
choosing the Colorize command: Choose Image  Greyscale, and then choose Image 
Increase Color Depth  RGB - 8 bits/channel.
2 Type or set values in the following controls:
• Hue — specifies the hue to which all current colors are changed
• Saturation — specifies the saturation of the selected hue
3 Click OK.

To adjust hue, saturation, and lightness

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Hue and Saturation  Hue/Saturation/Lightness.
• The Hue/Saturation/Lightness dialog box appears. The outer color ring in the dialog
box represents the original values of colors in the image. The adjusted values will
appear on the inner color ring.
2 In the Edit drop-list, do one of the following:
• To edit all colors simultaneously, choose Master.
• To edit a specific color range, choose Reds, Yellows, Greens, Cyans, Blues, or
Magentas.
If you choose to edit a color range, you can use the control ring that appears between
the inner and outer color rings to modify the range to be edited. To change the range
width, drag the two outer points on the control ring. To change the area in which the
adjustment builds to full effect, drag the two inner bars (the full effect will be applied
between the bars). To move the adjustment area, drag the white circles.
3 Adjust the Hue slider.
The Hue value represents the change from the original pixel color as the number of
degrees of rotation around the 360-degree color wheel. A positive value indicates a
clockwise rotation, and a negative value indicates a counterclockwise rotation. For
example, when the Hue value is 180, blue becomes yellow, and green becomes magenta.
4 Adjust the Saturation slider.

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 Dragging the slider up increases the saturation; dragging it down decreases the
saturation. Values range from –100 to 100. A value of 0 preserves the original setting.
5 Adjust the Lightness slider.
Dragging the slider up increases the lightness; dragging it down decreases the lightness.
Values range from –100 to 100. A value of 0 preserves the original setting.
6 Click OK.

You can turn an image into a duotone (two-color) image by marking the Colorize
check box, which converts the image to grayscale. To colorize the image, you can select
a hue and adjust the saturation and lightness values.

To shift colors
Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Hue and Saturation  Hue Map.
The Hue Map dialog box appears.
Note: In the Hue Shift group box, the top row of color boxes shows 10 original colors,
and the bottom row of color boxes shows the shifted colors. Each color is represented as
degrees of rotation around the 360-degree color wheel.
2 Adjust the slider for each color that you want to shift.
3 Click OK.
You can also
Change the saturation of all colors Type or set a value from –100 to 100 in the
Saturation shift control.
Change the lightness of all colors Type or set a value from –100 to 100 in the
Lightness shift control.
Reset the colors to their default settings In the Load Preset drop-list, choose
Default.

To boost the color of the least saturated parts of an image

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Hue and Saturation  Vibrancy.
The Vibrancy dialog box appears.
2 Click the arrow next to Preview to open the Preview panel.
If you want to preview the result directly in the image, mark the Preview on Image check
box.
3 Adjust the Strength slider.

Adjusting images 149

 Dragging the slider to the right increases the saturation of the least saturated colors
while leaving highly saturated colors unaltered; dragging it to the left decreases the
saturation.
Values range from –100 to + 100. A value of 0 preserves the original settings of the
image.
4 Click OK.

Adding or removing noise

The term “noise” in photography refers to unwanted single pixels or groups of pixels that do
not belong in the photo. The noise can be caused various factors. Usually, the problems are
either introduced electronically by the camera itself or caused by file formats such as JPEG.
Noise appears as colored specks within the photo. You can display the noise best by
zooming in. For example, you might see specks of red, pink, green, and yellow in a photo of
a clear blue sky.
PaintShop Pro gives you many ways to remove various types of noise, and it even lets you
add noise to an otherwise “clean” photo. You can make the following corrections by applying
them to a selection or an entire image:
• You can reduce the detail in an image and add a grainy texture. By adding a small
percentage of noise to an image, you can reduce the appearance of small imperfections
and scratches that cannot be removed with other tools.
• You can find and eliminate small scratches that are either lighter or darker than the
surrounding area.
• You can remedy a common problem seen in video capture images in which even- and
odd-numbered scan lines are recorded at different rates. The problem is usually noticed
if the subject was moving when the image was captured. Note that removing scan lines
may make noise more visible.
• You can restore a JPEG image to its original appearance. When you save a file to the
JPEG format from any software package (such as scanning software), the file information
is compressed to create a smaller file. The compression may produce any of the
following artifacts: halos or color leakage beyond the edges of objects, checkerboard
patterns on smooth backgrounds, or blocky areas.
• You can remove undesirable patterns from scanned images. This problem sometimes
occurs in scanned photographs printed on textured paper.
• You can remove single-pixel specks that are mostly white or black. The brightness of
each pixel is analyzed and then compared to the surrounding pixels to determine
whether it should be removed.
• You can remove noise in a photo without losing details in edges within the photo. For
example, you can preserve the edges of facial features while correcting a blotchy
complexion.

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• You can remove small random specks or areas of noise that are distinctly different from
the surrounding area. The intensity of each pixel is adjusted to the median intensity of
surrounding pixels. (The median intensity is the middle value, not the average,) in the
range of values.) To preserve object edges, you can use the Median Filter command.
With this command, you can apply more adjustment to a pixel that differs greatly from
surrounding pixels than to a pixel that is similar to surrounding pixels. You can specify the
number of surrounding pixels to use in the calculation. If you choose a large number of
pixels, more noise is removed, so more detail is lost.
• You can remove multipixel black or white specks, such as those caused by dust on film or
video.
• You can remove noise or specks in an image while preserving details in textures. For
example, you can preserve textures in clothing while removing noise from another area
(such as a person’s face).
In addition, you can use the One Step Noise Removal and the Digital Noise Removal
commands. For more information, see “To remove digital noise quickly” on page 128 and “To
use advanced options for removing digital noise” on page 128.

To add noise
Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Add/Remove Noise  Add Noise.
The Add Noise dialog box appears.
2 Choose a noise pattern option:
• Random — creates a granular effect that adds texture
• Uniform — changes the color of the noise to resemble the original pixels
• Gaussian — makes most of the noise resemble the original pixels more than the
Uniform option
3 Type or set a value in the Noise control to set the percentage of noise to add.
4 Click OK.

You can use black-and-white noise pixels by marking the Monochrome check box. To
use colored pixels, unmark the check box.

To remove scratches automatically

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Add/Remove Noise  Automatic Small Scratch Removal.
The Automatic Small Scratch Removal dialog box appears.
2 Mark one or both of the following check boxes:
• Remove dark scratches — removes scratches that are darker than the background

Adjusting images 151

 • Remove light scratches — removes scratches that are lighter than the background
3 In the Local Contrast Limits group boxes, type or set values in the Lower and Upper
controls to set the contrast between a scratch and its background.
Increase the Lower control setting to just below where scratches reappear. Decrease the
Upper control setting to just above where the scratches reappear.
4 In the Strength group box, choose an option to set the strength of the scratch removal:
• Mild
• Normal
• Aggressive
Note: Select the lowest setting that removes scratches. Examine all areas of the image to
make sure that important details are not lost.
5 Click OK.

To limit the correction to a specific area, make a selection. The command works better
when applied to a selection than when applied to an entire image.

To sharpen video capture images

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Add/Remove Noise  Deinterlace.
The Deinterlace dialog box appears.
2 In either the Before or After pane at the top of the dialog box, drag to pan to the image
area where the scan lines are most apparent.
3 In the Scanlines to retain group box, choose an option that specifies whether to retain
the odd-numbered or even-numbered scan lines.
4 Click OK.

You should apply the Deinterlace command before you resize the image. Resizing adds
or removes pixels from the image, which makes it more difficult to identify scan lines.
If your image has already been resized, you must return it to the original size as closely
as possible so that each scan line is 1 pixel high. Using the zoom control in the dialog
box, you can zoom until you can see how many pixels make up one scan line, and then
you can resize the image so that each scan line is 1 pixel high. For example, if the
enlarged image has scan lines that are 2 pixels high, you would resize it by 50 percent.
Note that resizing the image causes it to lose clarity.

To remove artifacts from JPEG images

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Add/Remove Noise  AI Artifact Removal.
• Click OK.

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 It might take a few moments to complete the AI (artificial intelligence) analysis and apply
the results, depending on the size and complexity of the image and your computer
system.
The green progress bar at the bottom of the application window lets you track the
progress of the AI analysis.

You can apply the AI Artifact Removal command to a file in any format. For example,
if you have saved a JPEG file to the PaintShop Pro (.pspimage) format, you can still
apply the command.
Because JPEG compression discards image information, the ability to restore JPEG
images is limited.

To remove moire patterns

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Add/Remove Noise  Moire Pattern Removal.
The Moire Pattern Removal dialog box appears.
2 Type or set a value in the Zoom control to magnify the image until you can see the fine
patterns clearly.
3 Type or set a value in the Fine details control to set the level of pattern removal.
Change the value one number at a time until the pattern disappears. Higher values may
blur the image, so use the lowest value that removes the pattern.
4 Use the zoom control in the dialog box to reduce the image magnification until you can
see bands or color blotches clearly in the After pane.
Note: Although bands or blotches may be visible when the image is displayed at a
setting of 100%, they may be easier to see at lower settings.
5 Change the value one number at a time in the Remove bands control until any color
bands or blotches become less visible (they may not disappear completely). To avoid
desaturation of small objects, use the lowest value possible.
6 Click OK.

After you have removed the moire pattern, you may be able to use the Sharpness
commands in the Adjust menu to restore detail and remove blurriness without
reintroducing the pattern. The Sharpness commands work best when you choose a
Fine details setting in the Moire Pattern Removal dialog box that is slightly higher than
needed to remove the pattern.

To remove single-pixel specks

Edit tab
1 Select the area in the photo that contains the specks.

Adjusting images 153

2 Choose Adjust  Add/Remove Noise  Despeckle.
The selection is despeckled.

To remove noise while preserving edges

Edit tab
1 Select the area that contains the noise you want to remove.
2 Choose Adjust  Add/Remove Noise  Edge Preserving Smooth.
The Edge Preserving Smooth dialog box appears.
3 Type or set a value in the Amount of smoothing control.
Choose the smallest amount of smoothing that removes the specks while retaining
image detail. You cannot enter a value lower than 1.
4 Click OK.

Although you can apply the Edge Preserving Smooth command to the entire image,
the command works best when you select the problem area.

To remove distinct areas of noise

Edit tab
1 Select the area that contains the noise you want to remove.
2 Choose Adjust  Add/Remove Noise  Median Filter.
The Median Filter dialog box appears.
3 Type or set a value in the Filter Aperture control to choose the number of surrounding
pixels to include in determining the median pixel intensity.
Values range from 3 to 31 in odd-numbered increments.
Note: To preserve image details, choose the smallest filter that removes the noise. For
single-pixel colored specks, set the filter to 3.
4 Click OK.

Although you can apply the Median Filter command to the entire image, the
command works best when you select the problem area.

To remove multipixel specks

Edit tab
1 Select the area that contains the specks.
2 Choose Adjust  Add/Remove Noise  Salt and Pepper Filter.
The Salt and Pepper Filter dialog box appears.
3 Type or set a value in the Speck size control to set the minimum size, in pixels, of the
largest speck that can be completely removed. The value is always an odd number.

154 PaintShop Pro

4 Type or set a value in the Sensitivity to specks control to set how different an area must
be from its surrounding pixels to be considered a speck.
5 Click OK.

Although you can apply the Pepper Filter command to the entire image, the command
works best when you select the problem area.

You can remove all specks that are smaller than the Speck size value by marking the
Include all lower speck sizes check box.
You can intensify the strength of the correction by marking the Aggressive action
check box.

To remove noise while preserving textures

Edit tab
1 Select the area that contains the noise you want to remove.
2 Choose Adjust  Add/ Remove Noise  Texture Preserving Smooth.
The Texture Preserving Smooth dialog box appears.
3 Type or set a value in the Amount of correction control to set a value for the strength of
the correction.
At lower values, a small amount of noise is removed, but textured areas are preserved. At
higher values, more noise is removed, but textured areas may not be fully preserved.
4 Click OK.

Although you can apply the Texture Preserving Smooth command to the entire
image, the command works best when you select the problem area.

Applying a depth of field effect with AI Portrait Mode

AI Portrait Mode uses artificial intelligence (AI) to detect people in your photos and apply
a natural-looking depth of field effect to the background. You can control the depth of field
effect by adjusting the amount of blur, the bokeh style, the focus range, and feather.

Adjusting images 155

 AI Portrait Mode was used to draw attention to the family in the photo and reduce
background distractions by applying a pleasing depth of field effect that blurs the
background.

To apply a depth of field effect to portraits with AI Portrait Mode

1 Open a portrait-style photo.

2 Click Adjust > Artificial Intelligence > AI Portrait Mode.
It will take a few moments for the AI to analyze the image and to open the AI Portrait
Mode window.
3 Review the red overlay that appears on the background areas.
Note: A buffer area appears around the subject. This buffer helps maintain clear edges
for the subject when the blur is applied to the background.

4 If you need to fine-tune the selection, in the Brush Mode area, choose one of the
following:
• Add to Subject — removes the red overlay from the subject

156 PaintShop Pro

 • Remove from Subject — adds the red overlay to areas that you want to identify as
background
If you want to adjust the buffer area globally, drag the Expand Border slider.
For information about all the available controls, see “Fine-tuning a selection with the
Refine Brush” on page 231.
Note: To change the brush size, drag the Brush Size slider or hold down Alt while
dragging in the preview window.
5 When you are satisfied with the selection, click Next.
6 If you want to change the default result, you can adjust any of the following controls:
• Blur — lets you adjust the amount of blur
• Aperture shape — lets you choose between Circular Aperture Shape or
Hexagonal Aperture Shape for pleasing bokeh effects in images that have points
of light
• Feather edge — lets you adjust the softness of the edge along the subject
• Focus range — lets you fine-tune the size of the area in focus. This can be used to
create a sense of background depth.
7 Click Done.
A new layer is created for the resulting image.

You can switch between the Add to Subject and Remove from Subject brush modes
by right-clicking as you drag.

Controlling depth of field

You can control the depth of field to create an area of focus that draws attention to the
subject in your photo. For example, in a photo of a person surrounded by a field of flowers,
you can defocus (blur) the surrounding flowers while retaining a clear focus on the person.

Adjusting images 157

 You can apply the Depth of Field effect to draw attention to the subject in your photo.

In photography, depth of field refers to the area that appears to be in focus. Different factors
affect the depth of field, including the distance between the camera and your subject, the
lens speed, and your camera’s aperture setting. Most automatic cameras use the smallest
aperture setting possible to ensure that most of the image is in focus.

Selecting an area of focus

In PaintShop Pro, you can quickly choose an area of focus by creating a circular or
rectangular selection, or you can trace around an area to create an irregularly shaped
selection. You can also invert a selection. For more information about selections, see
“Creating selections” on page 223.

Adjusting the blurred area

You can control the amount of blur applied to the area outside the selection, and you can
adjust the transition between the area in focus and the blurred areas. PaintShop Pro also lets
you choose between circular or hexagonal aperture shapes. The aperture shape can affect
light patterns that appear in the out-of-focus areas. This effect is called bokeh, and it is most
noticeable in small pinpoints of light on a dark background.

To create an area of focus by using the Depth of Field effect

Edit tab
1 From the Edit tab, select the area that you want to keep in focus.
For information about selecting image areas, see “Creating selections” on page 223.
2 Click Adjust  Depth of Field.
The Depth of Field dialog box appears.

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3 Move the Blur slider to adjust the amount of blur applied to the out-of-focus area.
You can also
Invert the selected area Mark the Invert check box.
Control the aperture shape for the blurred Click one of the following buttons:
area • Circular Aperture Shape
• Hexagonal Aperture Shape
Adjust the transition between the area in Move the Feather edge slider. Moving the
focus and the blurred area slider to the right increases the feathering;
moving the slider to the left decreases the
feathering. Note that a setting of 0
produces a hard, undefined edge, which is
probably not what you want. In general, do
not set this slider to less than 2 or 3.
Fine-tune the size of the area in focus Move the Focus range slider to the left to
shrink the area in focus. Move the slider to
the right to expand the area in focus to the
edge of the selection.

If you don’t have a pre-existing selection, you can select an area of focus using any of
the selection tools in the Depth of Field dialog box: Circular , Freehand ,
Rectangular , or Raster Selection .

Make your selection slightly larger than the area you want to keep in focus, and then
fine-tune the edge of the selection by using the Focus range slider.

Blurring images
PaintShop Pro provides several commands that let you apply a blurring effect to your
images. You can apply the following corrections to a selection, a layer, or an entire image:
• You can remove noise that occurs throughout an image by adjusting the intensity of
each pixel to the average intensity of its surrounding pixels. You can also remove color
dithering that results from increasing the color depth of a paletted image to 24-bit.
• You can remove noise by applying smooth transitions and decreasing the contrast in
your image.
• You can adjust the strength of the blurring effect by blending a specific number of pixels
incrementally, following a bell-shaped curve. The blurring is dense in the centre and
feathers at the edges.
• You can use a fixed exposure time to simulate taking a picture of a moving object.
• You can simulate a photo taken while spinning a camera in circles, or while zooming in
quickly at a very slow shutter speed.

Adjusting images 159

Why would I blur an image on purpose?
You can use blurring commands to soften a selection or an image, to retouch a photo, or to
remove noise in an image. The Blur commands smooth transitions and decrease contrast by
averaging the pixels near the edges and near areas of significant color transitions. You can
apply any of the Blur commands multiple times to the same image to increase the blurring
effect.

To apply blurring based on nearby pixel intensity

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Blur  Average.
The Average dialog box appears.
2 Type or set a value in the Filter aperture control.
Values range from 3 to 31 in odd-numbered increments. The higher the value, the
greater the blur.
3 Click OK.

To apply minimal blurring

Edit tab
• Choose Adjust  Blur  Blur.

To double the effect, choose the command again.

To apply moderate blurring

Edit tab
• Choose Adjust  Blur  Blur More.

To double the effect, choose the command again.

To apply Gaussian blurring

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Blur  Gaussian Blur.
The Gaussian Blur dialog box appears.
2 Type or set a value in the Radius control to specify the distance (radius) within which
dissimilar pixels are blurred.
Values range from 0.00 to 100.00.
3 Click OK.

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To apply motion blurring
Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Blur  Motion Blur.
The Motion Blur dialog box appears.
2 In the Angle group box, drag the angle dial, or type or set a value in the control, to set
an angle from which the blurring is applied.
3 Type or set a value in the Strength control.
Values range from 1 to 100%. Lower values lessen the effect; higher values intensify the
effect.
4 Click OK.

To apply radial blurring

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Blur  Radial Blur.
The Radial Blur dialog box appears.
2 In the Blur Type group box, choose one of the following options:
• Spin — blurs pixels circularly around the image center
• Zoom — blurs pixels away from the center
• Twirl — blurs pixels in a spiraling manner. You can set the degree of the twirl by typing
or setting a value in the Twirl degrees control.
3 In the Blur group box, type or set a value in the Strength control.
Lower values lessen the effect; higher values intensify the effect.
If you need to squeeze the radius to fit the image, mark the Elliptical check box. This
option produces elliptical blurring on rectangular images and has no effect on square
images. Circular blurring is produced when the check box is unmarked.
4 In the Center group box, type or set a value in the following controls to affect the center
of the image:
• Horizontal offset % — lets you set the horizontal center point of the blur
• Vertical offset % — lets you set the vertical center point of the blur
• Protect center % — lets you determine how much to diminish blurring at the image
center. Higher values increase the radius of the unblurred center area.
5 Click OK.

Sharpening images
Most digital photos need some level of sharpening because of the softness introduced in the
capturing process of digital cameras. Camera movement at the moment of capture can also

Adjusting images 161

produce photos in need of sharpening, and digital cameras are more prone than film
cameras to producing slightly out-of-focus photos. In most cases, this problem is easy to fix.
Color, tonal, and resizing corrections tend to soften your photo, so it is best to apply any
necessary sharpening before you print, share, or archive your photos.
PaintShop Pro provides sharpening commands that improve blurry photos by increasing the
contrast of adjacent pixels. The following sharpening commands can be applied to a
selection, a layer, or the entire photo:
• You can sharpen high-frequency details, such as edges, while ignoring low-frequency
details, such as large structures, gradients, and background colors.
• You can improve image focus and clarity by increasing the contrast between adjacent
pixels, particularly along edges in the photo.
• You can sharpen the mid- to high-contrast edges in the image without enhancing noise,
as is often done with professional color correction.

To apply high-frequency sharpening

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Sharpness  High Pass Sharpen.
The High Pass Sharpen dialog box appears.
2 Type or set a value from 0.00 to 250.00 in the Radius control to specify the distance
(radius) within which dissimilar pixels are sharpened.
Note: Photos with close-up subjects and softer details usually require higher Radius
settings; photos with lots of fine detail usually require lower Radius settings.
3 Type or set a value from 0 to 100 in the Strength control to specify the overall strength of
the command.
4 In the Blend mode drop-list, choose one of the following options to determine how the
high-frequency sharpened areas are blended into the original image area:
• Overlay — removes the neutral tones in the image and makes edge details stand out
• Hard Light — produces greater contrast than the Overlay option
• Soft Light — produces a softer-looking photo
5 Click OK.

To apply minimal sharpening

Edit tab
• Choose Adjust  Sharpness  Sharpen.

To double the effect, choose the command again.

162 PaintShop Pro

To apply moderate sharpening
Edit tab
• Choose Adjust  Sharpness  Sharpen More.

To double the effect, choose the command again.

To apply low-frequency and high-frequency sharpening

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Sharpness  Unsharp Mask.
The Unsharp Mask dialog box appears.
2 Type or set a value from 0.01 to 100.00 in the Radius control to specify the distance
(radius) within which dissimilar pixels are sharpened.
Note: Photos with close-up subjects and softer details usually require higher Radius
settings; photos with lots of fine detail usually require lower Radius settings.
3 Type or set a value from 1 to 500 in the Strength control to specify the overall strength of
the command.
4 Type or set a value from 0 to 100 in the Clipping control to specify the lightness values
that adjacent pixels must have in order to be sharpened.
5 Click OK.

Softening images
Softening a photo creates a dreamy, glossy effect that mimics the effect produced by a high-
quality soft-focus lens. This effect is often used for magazine covers and glamour photos.
Crisp, sharp photos appear warmer when you add a soft focus.
PaintShop Pro provides the following softening methods:
• You can apply a soft-focus camera lens effect to the photo or selection.
• You can apply a uniform, soft blur to the photo or selection.

To apply a soft focus to a selection or image

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Softness  Soft Focus.
The Soft Focus dialog box appears.
2 In the Focus group box, type or set a value in the following controls:
• Softness — determines the strength of the adjustment. At lower percentages, the
photo is softened by only a small amount. At higher percentages, the photo appears
blurred.

Adjusting images 163

 • Edge importance — determines how much softening to apply to edge details within
the photo. At lower percentages, the edges are softened. At higher percentages, the
edge details are retained, so less softening is applied to them.
3 In the Halo group box, type or set a value in the following controls:
• Amount — determines the strength of the halo effect. At lower values, the halo is
added only to very bright areas in the photo. At higher values, a halo effect is created
around all bright areas.
• Halo size — determines the size of the halo. At lower values, the halo is small. At
higher values, the halo effect is large.
• Halo visibility — determines the strength of the halo visibility. At lower values, the halo
effect is subtle. At higher values, the halo effect is more obvious.
4 Click OK.

You can soften bright areas in the photo’s background by marking the Include
scattered light check box.

To apply minimal softening

Edit tab
• Choose Adjust  Softness  Soften.

To apply moderate softening

Edit tab
• Choose Adjust  Softness  Soften More.

Resizing images
After you adjust your image, you can resize it. It’s important to understand how resizing
affects image pixels.

Effect of resizing on image resolution

Pixels have no set physical size. Each pixel represents one sample of a single color. When an
image is resized, the number of pixels in the image may be reduced or increased, which
causes the image to be resampled. Resampling changes the file size.
Print resolution is defined as the number of pixels per inch (ppi). A higher print resolution
creates smaller printed pixels and therefore a smaller printed image. A lower print resolution
creates larger printed pixels and a larger printed image. Resizing can be used to do the
following
• change the print resolution and print size while preserving the number of pixels and file
size (no resampling)

164 PaintShop Pro

• change the number of pixels and file size while preserving the print resolution and print
size (resampling)
• change the print resolution, print size, number of pixels, and file size (resampling)
Consider these guidelines when you resize your images:
• Increasing the image size can cause a loss of detail and sharpness. Choose AI-Powered
(artificial intelligence technology) options for best results. For more information, see
“Enlarging images by using AI-Powered upsampling” on page 168.
• Resize an image only once. If you resize the image incorrectly, undo it and try again.
• Correct and retouch images before resizing.

Resampling methods
The Resample option lets you specify how pixels are changed in an image. The Bicubic
method is the slowest method, but it usually produces the best results.
The resampling types available in PaintShop Pro are described in the following table.
Resampling type Description
AI-Powered Available when you enlarge images (New
size is larger than Original), this resampling
type uses artificial intelligence (AI) to retain
detail. For more information, see “Enlarging
images by using AI-Powered upsampling”
on page 168
Smart Size Chooses the best algorithm based on the
new pixel dimensions you set
Bicubic Minimizes the jaggedness that often results
from expanded, irregular, or complex
images
Bilinear Uses the two nearest pixels around each
existing pixel to determine the appearance
of newly created pixels
Pixel Resize Duplicates or removes pixels to achieve the
selected width and height of the image
(recommended for hard-edged images and
simple graphics)
Weighted Average Uses a weighted-average color value of
neighboring pixels to determine the
appearance of newly created pixels (useful
for reducing photorealistic, irregular, or
complex images)

Adjusting images 165

What happens to pixels when you resample an image?
When you use the Resize command to increase the image dimensions, additional pixels must
be interpolated from information in the existing pixels. Imagine that you have an image of
100  100 pixels, and that you want to enlarge the image by increasing the number of pixels
to 200  200. You begin with 10,000 pixels and after resizing end up with 40,000 pixels. Thus,
three-fourths of the final pixels are “made up.” Most methods of making up pixels involve
interpolating the interpixel gaps produced by stretching the image dimensions. The Pixel
Resize method copies the color of the nearest pixel. The Bilinear method is based on an
average of four neighboring pixels (from a 2  2 pixel neighborhood). The Bicubic method is
more sophisticated and uses 16 neighboring pixels (from a 4  4 pixel neighborhood). This
larger neighborhood provides more information about how the color is changing in that
particular part of the image and therefore can improve the colors in the made-up pixels.
When you use the Resize command to decrease the image dimensions, the pixel colors are
averaged together. Imagine that you want to decrease an image from 100  100 pixels to 50
 50 pixels. The result contains 2,500 pixels, which is one-fourth of the pixels used to
represent the original image. The different resampling methods determine how much weight
is given to the original pixels when they are averaged together.

Are there other ways to resize an image?

In addition to using the Resize command, you can also change the image size by changing
the canvas size, cropping the image, printing at a different size, using the Copy Special
command, or using the Save for Office command.
Increasing the canvas size adds pixels at the edge of the image. Decreasing the canvas size
hides pixels at the edges of the image (full layer information is kept). For more information,
see “Resizing the canvas” on page 209.
Cropping an image deletes the pixels outside the selected crop area. For more information,
see “Cropping images” on page 114.
You can resize an image that you add to the Print Layout window by dragging its selection
handles. Resizing the image in this way does not change the image file, which is helpful if
you want to print the image at various sizes. For more information, see “To resize an image
in print layout” on page 550.
The Copy Special command lets you copy the image to the Clipboard in one of three sizes,
depending on whether you are copying the image to print professionally, to print from your
desktop, or to copy to your computer screen or an e-mail message. After copying the image
to the Clipboard, you can paste the resized image in a file in another application, such as a
word processor. For more information, see “Copying images into other applications” on
page 69.

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The Save for Office command provides resizing options that are similar to those provided
by the Copy Special command, except that you can save the file to disk as well as specify
image size and resolution. For more information, see “To save images for office applications”
on page 51.

To resize an image
Edit tab
1 Choose Image  Resize.
The Resize dialog box appears.
2 Choose one of the following resizing options:
• By Pixels — lets you specify a size in pixels by typing values in the Width and Height
boxes. You can also choose from a drop-list of standard sizes.
• By Percentage — lets you change the size by a percentage (of the original) by typing a
percentage into the Width or Height box.
• By Print Size —lets you specify a size in inches, centimeters, or millimeters by typing
values in the Width and Height boxes. You can also choose from a drop-list of
standard sizes and set the Resolution value.
• Based on One Side —based on pixels, you can specify the size of either the Width or
Height and the image will be resized, using the current proportions.
3 For further adjustments, mark the Advanced and AI-Powered Settings check box, and
adjust any of the following.
You can also
Resample image pixels Mark the Resample using check box, and
choose a resampling method.
Note: Resampling changes the image’s
pixel dimensions and lets you change the
resolution setting independently from the
width and height settings.
Sharpen the resized image Mark the Resample using check box, and
choose Bicubic from the drop-list. Set the
Sharpness control at approximately 100 to
shrink an image; or at approximately 50 to
enlarge an image.
Note: When the Sharpness control is set to 0,
the sharpness of the resized image does not
change.
Preserve the brightness of the resized In the Miscellaneous options of the
image General Program Preferences dialog box,
mark the Preserve image brightness when
resizing check box.

Adjusting images 167

You can also
Unlock the aspect ratio Unmark the Lock aspect ratio check box.
Resize only the selected layer Unmark the Resize all layers check box.

When you unmark the Resample using check box, the Width, Height, and Resolution
controls work together — a change to one control causes the other controls to change.
When you use this method, the pixel dimensions of the image remains unchanged.
Changing the aspect ratio distorts the image by stretching or contracting it in one
dimension more than the other. A lock icon next to the Width and Height boxes
indicates if the aspect ratio is locked.

You can preserve the image’s current print size by marking the Maintain original print
size check box.

Enlarging images by using AI-Powered upsampling

When you use the PaintShop Pro Resize window to enlarge an image (upsample), AI-
Powered options become available. AI-Powered options use artificial intelligence (AI) to
analyze the pixels in your image so that newly added pixels provide a crisper more detailed
result than standard upsampling methods. This can help you salvage low-resolution images
that you might not otherwise be able to use. For example, you might have a photo that has
been cropped to an area of interest, but the resulting resolution is too low to print, or you
might have older JPEG images that were captured with a low-resolution camera.
Note: GPU Acceleration can sometimes improve the speed performance of the AI analysis.
Results will vary according to your computer system, so experiment to see which setting
works best.
Note: The maximum pixel dimensions for AI-Powered upsampling is 10,000 x 10,000 pixels—
you cannot apply this option if the dimensions exceed the limit (settings are disabled).

To enlarge an image by using AI-Powered upsampling

Edit tab
1 Choose Image  Resize.
The Resize dialog box appears.
2 Enlarge the image by choosing one of the following options:
• By Pixels — lets you specify a size in pixels by typing values in the Width and Height
boxes. You can also choose from a drop-list of standard sizes.
• By Percentage — lets you change the size by a percentage (of the original) by typing a
percentage into the Width or Height box.

168 PaintShop Pro

 • By Print Size —lets you specify a size in inches, centimeters, or millimeters by typing
values in the Width and Height boxes. You can also choose from a drop-list of
standard sizes and set the Resolution value.
• Based on One Side —based on pixels, you can specify the size of either the Width or
Height and the image will be resized, using the current proportions.
3 Mark the Advanced and AI-Powered Settings check box.
4 Mark the Resample using check box, and in the drop-list, choose AI-Powered.
5 From the Mode area, choose one of the following options:
• Photorealistic: Choose this options for photos.
• Illustration: Choose this option for drawings and other illustrations.
6 Set the amount of Noise Reduction you want to apply. Drag the slider to the left to
maintain finer pixel details; drag the slider to the right for smoother edges.
7 Mark or unmark the GPU Acceleration check box, according to what works best for your
computer system.
8 Click OK.
The green progress bar at the bottom of the application window lets you track the
progress of the AI analysis.

Adjusting images 169

170 PaintShop Pro
 Retouching and restoring images

PaintShop Pro provides you with many ways to retouch your images. Whether you want to
remove a small scratch, erase the entire background, or simply correct red-eye, you’ll find
the tools you need.
This section presents the following topics:

• Removing red-eye
• Applying cosmetic changes
• Removing scratches
• Removing flaws and objects with the Clone Brush or Object Remover
• SmartClone retouching and design
• Using Magic Fill to erase image areas
• Moving selected areas with Magic Move
• Erasing image areas
• Placing images in shapes with the Frame Tool
• Cutting out image areas
• Changing portrait backgrounds with AI Background Replacement
• Retouching image areas by using brushes
• Recoloring image areas for a realistic effect
• Replacing colors, gradients, or patterns
• Filling areas with colors, gradients, or patterns
• Flipping and mirroring images
• Adding borders
• Scaling photos by using Smart Carver
• Scaling and transforming photos using the Pick tool
• Resizing the canvas

Retouching and restoring images 171

Removing red-eye
Red-eye in photos is a common problem. When light from the camera’s flash reflects off the
retina of a photo subject, a red-eye effect is captured in the photo. PaintShop Pro has two
methods of removing red-eye from a color photo.
The fastest method of removal is to use the Red Eye tool. A more powerful method is to use
the advanced Red Eye Removal command, which lets you change the eye color.

The Red Eye tool replaces the red color in the subject’s pupil with a dark gray color,
restoring a natural look.

To remove red-eye quickly

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Red Eye tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, adjust the Size of Red-Eye control so that the pointer is
about twice the size of the red area needing correction.
3 Position the pointer directly over the eye, and click.

You can zoom in on the photo, if necessary, for better control of the Red Eye tool.
You can size the pointer interactively by holding down Alt while dragging the Red Eye
tool over the eye area.

To use advanced options for red-eye removal

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Red Eye Removal.
2 In the After preview area, drag to center the red eyes of the subject. If necessary, use the
Zoom control to see the eyes in more detail.
3 Choose a color variation option from the Hue and Color drop-lists.
Note: The Hue drop-list is available only for the Auto Human Eye method.
4 From the Method drop-list, choose one of the following correction methods:
• Auto Human Eye — automatically selects the correction area and chooses settings
appropriate for a human eye
• Auto Animal Eye — automatically selects the correction area and chooses settings
appropriate for an animal eye. This method lets you rotate the selection.
• Freehand Pupil Outline — lets you use the Freehand Selection tool to select the
correction area for human or animal eyes

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 • Point-to-Point Pupil Outline — lets you use the Point-to-Point Selection tool to
select the correction area for human or animal eyes
When more careful correction is needed, such as for a partially obscured pupil, it is best
to use the Freehand Pupil Outline method or the Point-to-Point Pupil Outline method.
5 In the Before preview area, perform one of the following tasks:
• For the Auto Human Eye or Auto Animal Eye method, click inside the red area of the
eye to select the eye automatically, or drag from the center of the eye to the outside
edge of the red area.
• For the Freehand Pupil Outline method, drag around the edge of the red area of the
pupil until you reach the beginning point of the selection.
• For the Point-to-Point Pupil Outline method, click around the edge of the red area of
the pupil, and double-click when you reach the beginning point. You can reverse a click
by right-clicking.
After you select the eye, a circle appears around the selected area, and a control box for
making adjustments encloses the circle. The After preview area displays the corrected
eye.
Note: If you choose the Freehand Pupil Outline method or the Point-to-Point Pupil
Outline method, confine the selection area to the pupil of the eye (the small dark circle
at the eye’s center). These methods are designed to correct the pupil area, where red-eye
occurs, without changing the surrounding iris.
6 Set the following controls to fine-tune the red-eye correction:
• Pupil lightness — specifies the amount of lightness in the pupil so that the corrected
eye matches the natural eye color
• Iris size — specifies the size of the iris. Increasing the iris size decreases the pupil size.
• Glint lightness — specifies the lightness of the glint. Lower values darken the glint;
higher values lighten it.
• Glint size — specifies the size of the glint
• Feather — adjusts the edges of the corrected eye so that they appear to blend into the
surrounding image areas or appear more defined. Lower values make the edges more
defined; higher values blend the edges into the surrounding image areas.
• Blur — blends the eye with surrounding pixels when the photo has a grainy
appearance. You can increase the setting one unit at a time until the eye blends
naturally with the rest of the image.
7 Click OK.
You can also
Move the glint to the center of the pupil Mark the Center glint check box.
Rotate a selection for an animal eye Drag the center rotation handle.
Reshape a selection Drag the side handles of the selection.
Delete a selection Click Delete Eye.

Retouching and restoring images 173

 The Refine slider helps you correct red-eye when the eye is partially obscured in the
original photo. For example, if the eyelid covers part of the eye in the original photo, it
should also cover that part of the eye in the corrected photo. Dragging the slider to the
left reduces the correction and minimizes its overlap with the surrounding skin.

Applying cosmetic changes

You can quickly improve the appearance of the subjects in your photos by performing the
following cosmetic changes:
• removing blemishes — by using the Blemish Fixer mode of the Makeover tool
• whitening teeth — by using the Toothbrush mode of the Makeover tool
• fixing bloodshot eyes — by using the Eye Drop mode of the Makeover tool
• adding a suntan — by using the Suntan mode of the Makeover tool
• thinning a photo subject — by using the Thinify mode of the Makeover tool
• removing wrinkles — by using the Scratch Remover tool
• smoothing skin tone quickly — by using the Skin Smoothing command in the Adjust
menu

You can remove blemishes, whiten teeth, and apply a suntan.

To remove facial blemishes

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Makeover tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, choose the Blemish Fixer mode.
The pointer changes to concentric circles.
3 On the Tool Options palette, adjust the Size control to the smallest size that allows the
inner circle to enclose the blemish.
The outer circle is for the material used to cover the blemish.
4 On the Tool Options palette, adjust the Strength control.
Values range from 1 to 100. Higher values apply more of the source material (enclosed in
the outer circle) to the blemish area (enclosed in the inner circle).

174 PaintShop Pro

5 Click directly over the blemish.

You can zoom in on the photo for better control of the Makeover tool.

To whiten teeth
Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Makeover tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, choose the Toothbrush mode.
3 On the Tool Options palette, adjust the Strength control as desired.
Higher settings produce more intense whitening but may also produce an unnatural
appearance.
4 Click directly over the teeth.
If the teeth are separated or partially obscured, you may need to apply this tool to each
tooth individually.

The Toothbrush mode of the Makeover tool works only with color photos.

To apply whitening eye drops

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Makeover tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, choose the Eye Drop mode.
3 Type or set a value in the Strength control.
Higher values whiten more of the eye area but may spread the whitening beyond the
affected area of the eye.
4 Zoom in as necessary, and then carefully click over the bloodshot portion of the eye.

To apply a suntan
Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Makeover tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, choose the Suntan mode.
3 Type or set a value in the Size control.
4 Type or set a value in the Strength control.
Higher values produce a darker tan.
5 Carefully drag over the skin of the photo subject.

Retouching and restoring images 175

To apply a thinning effect
Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Makeover tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, choose the Thinify mode.
3 Type or set a value in the Strength control.
Higher values compress more pixels in the horizontal axis.
4 Click the middle of the photo subject.
The pixels compress on either side of the point you click. You can continue clicking to
enhance the thinning effect.

To remove facial wrinkles

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Scratch Remover tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, choose either the square edge or the beveled edge
selection box.
3 Type or set a value in the Width control so that the wrinkle fits inside the inner portion of
the selection box you drag.
4 Position the pointer just outside the wrinkle, and carefully drag over the wrinkle so that
the wrinkle is enclosed in the inner rectangle.
The wrinkle is covered by the surrounding skin texture.

If you need to start again, you can undo the correction, adjust the Width control, and
redrag.
For wrinkle lines that are not straight, correct just one portion at a time.

To smooth skin tone

Edit tab
1 Choose Adjust  Skin Smoothing.
2 In the Skin Smoothing dialog box, adjust the Amount slider.
Moving the slider to the right applies more smoothing; moving the slider to the left
applies less smoothing.

176 PaintShop Pro

 The Skin Smoothing command smooths skin tones and diminishes the appearance of
wrinkles and blemishes quickly.

The Skin Smoothing command automatically detects and smooths skin tones without
affecting eyes or lips. However, if other areas in your photo are affected because they
are similar in color to the skin tone, you can use a selection to isolate the area you want
to smooth. For more information about selections, see “Creating selections” on
page 223.

Removing scratches
The Scratch Remover tool lets you remove scratches, cracks, and other unwanted image
areas from photos.

You can repair individual scratches by using the Scratch Remover tool.

Retouching and restoring images 177

You can use the tool to enclose the flawed area and fill it with the surrounding content that
you want to keep. If the background is relatively smooth, the result is usually satisfying.
Scratches on a textured or more complex background may be more effectively removed with
the Clone Brush tool. For information about the Clone Brush tool, see “Removing flaws and
objects with the Clone Brush or Object Remover” on page 179.
For images containing many small scratches, you can use the Automatic Small Scratch
Remover command. For more information, see “To remove scratches automatically” on
page 151.

To remove scratches
Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, select the layer that contains the area you want to remove.
2 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Scratch Remover tool .
3 On the Tool Options palette, choose one of the following options to define the shape of
the Scratch Remover tool:
• square edge — corrects scratches that are perpendicular to object edges, in an open
area, or of uniform color
• beveled edge — corrects scratches that are at an angle to object edges
4 Position the pointer just outside the scratch on one end, hold down the left mouse
button, and drag to set a selection box over the scratch.
5 Release the mouse button.
The enclosed area is replaced with the surrounding pixels.
You can also
Move the selection box starting point in Before releasing the mouse button, press
1-pixel increments an Arrow key.
Increase or decrease the width of the Before releasing the mouse button, press
selection box in 1-pixel increments Page up or Page down.
Use surrounding pixels to fill the area Before releasing the mouse button, press
perpendicular to the edge of the selection Shift.
box This technique is ideal for photos in which
the background contains areas with defined
borders and lines, such as a brick wall.

To avoid removing important details from areas surrounding the scratch, you can limit
the correction by creating a selection. For information about creating selections, see
“Creating selections” on page 223.
If you are not satisfied with the result, click the Undo button , reselect the scratch,
and try varying the width of the tool.

178 PaintShop Pro

 If the scratch extends over several different backgrounds, you can try removing the
scratch one section at a time.

Removing flaws and objects with the Clone Brush or Object

Remover
Cloning to copy or fix image areas
The Clone Brush tool is a versatile correction and copy tool that lets you paint over one area
of an image (target) with another part of the image (source). The paint source can be a part
of the same layer, another layer in the image, a merged image, or a layer from another image.
By default, a semi-transparent overlay (Show Overlay option) of the source material displays
as you hover over a target area. The overlay serves as a preview that helps you confirm the
source as you work.

The Clone Brush tool was used to remove the cracks on the wall from the photo on the
left.

Removing objects with the Object Remover

The Object Remover tool lets you remove objects when the surrounding area is fairly uniform
in color and texture. This tool is similar to the Clone Brush tool in that it lets you identify the
area to remove and then choose a background for covering that area.

Retouching and restoring images 179

 The Object Remover tool was used to remove one boat from the water.

To clone a part of an image

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Clone Brush tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, choose the brush tip, size, opacity, and other settings.
If you want the Clone Brush tool to reset the source point each time you resume
painting, mark the Aligned mode check box. You can continue dragging over the target
area to fill in the source image. Unmark the check box if you want every stroke to copy
the same data from the original source point.
If you want to clone data from all layers merged together, mark the Use all layers check
box. If you want to clone data from the current layer only, unmark the check box.
3 On the source image, right-click the center point of the source area.
If the image has more than one layer, click the name of the layer on the Layers palette
before you define the source area.
4 Drag in the image where you want to paint the cloned area.
If you want to hide or show the clone source overlay, click the Show Overlay check box
on the Tool Options palette or press Ctrl + Alt + C.

When you clone an image area, you must select a source area with data.
If your image contains a selection, you must right-click within the selection to set your
clone source. If you are using a pen tablet, you can achieve the same result by holding
down Shift.

You can also hold down Shift and click the image to set the source point.
You can resize the brush interactively by pressing Alt while dragging in the image
window.

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To remove objects from a photo
Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Object Remover tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, choose the Selection Mode button .
3 Drag around the object that you want to remove.
4 On the Tool Options palette, choose the Source Mode button.
A rectangle is displayed in the image window.
5 Position the rectangle over the area that will replace the previous selection.
6 Drag the handles on the rectangle to resize it, or drag the rotation handle on the
rectangle to rotate it.
It is recommended that you make the rectangle as large as, or slightly larger than, the
area you are removing.
7 On the Tool Options palette, click the Apply button .
8 Choose Selections  Select None to deselect the selection.
You can also
Feather a selection made with the Before making the selection, adjust the
Freehand Selection tool Feather control on the Tool Options
palette.
Adjust the opacity of the source material Before clicking the Apply button, adjust the
Opacity control on the Tool Options
palette.
Choose source material from all layers or Mark the Use all layers check box to
from the current layer choose source material from all layers as
though they were merged. Do not mark this
check box if you want to choose source
material from the current layer only.
Blend edges and use the object’s tonal Choose the Smart Blending option on the
ranges when applying the source material Tool Options palette.

You can also create a selection by using any of the selection tools before you activate
the Object Remover tool.
You can deselect the selection by pressing Ctrl + D.

SmartClone retouching and design

SmartClone is a content-aware cloning tool that lets you blend a source selection into a new
background. Like the Clone Brush, SmartClone can be used for retouching (covering an
unwanted area), but it can also be used to create simple collage images and textured effects.

Retouching and restoring images 181

 Retouching: Temporary tattoo removal in a few clicks with SmartClone in Original
mode.

Copying: The swan (left) was saved as a SmartClone image, then resized and the
SmartClone tool was used to place it into the scene (right), beside the original swan,
with one click.

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 Collage: Using a selection on the woman’s face produces a precise result when the
SmartClone leopard image source is applied.

Blend modes let you choose how your source selection blends with the new background:
• Original — Blends the source selection into the new destination, maintaining most of the
original source color.
• Blend — Blends the source selection into the new destination, merging the colors of
both the source and destination.
• Black and White — Desaturates the source selection so that the destination colors are
not affected. This option works well for cloning textures.
Experiment with the different modes to see which one provides the best results for your
project.

Adjusting size and rotation with SmartClone images

Saving a source selection as a SmartClone image lets you modify the size and rotation of the
source and save the source for future projects. SmartClone images are saved to a library that
is accessed from a drop-list on the Tool Options palette (similar to the brush tip or Picture
Tube library).

Tips for SmartClone success

• Selection edges: When creating a SmartClone source selection (for immediate use or to
save in the SmartClone library), it’s best to keep the selection marquee inside the edges
of the area that you want to select—more uniform colors provide more natural results.
• Color consistency: If you’re looking for a seamless cloning result, choose a source and
destination that share the same color palette. If you’re getting creative, then experiment
with the Blend mode on different colored backgrounds for unique effects.
• Using layers and selections: Duplicating a layer for SmartClone and/or applying a
selection (Selection tool) to the area where you want to apply a SmartClone image gives

Retouching and restoring images 183

 you more control over the final result. A layer gives you the ability to erase parts of the
SmartClone or to adjust the transparency of the entire layer.

To use the SmartClone tool

1 In the Tools toolbar, choose the SmartClone tool (in the Clone Brush flyout).
2 Do one of the following:
• To select a source from the current image, on the Tool Options palette, choose a
Selection type: Ellipse, Rectangle, or Freehand. Drag around the area that you want
to select as a source.
If the image has more than one layer, click the name of the layer on the Layers palette
before you define the source area.
• To select a SmartClone image from the library, on the Tool Options palette, click the
SmartClone drop-list, and choose the image you want. You can adjust the Size and
Rotation of SmartClone images before you apply them.
3 On the Tool Options palette, choose a Mode: Original, Blend, or Black and White.
4 In the document window, click to apply the SmartClone source to an open image (raster).
You can undo and redo to experiment with different blend modes.

To save a source selection to the SmartClone library

1 In the Tools toolbar, choose the SmartClone tool (in the Clone Brush flyout).
2 On the Tool Options palette, choose a Selection type: Ellipse, Rectangle, or Freehand.
3 Drag around the area that you want to select as a source.
If the image has more than one layer, click the name of the layer on the Layers palette
before you define the source area.
4 On the Tool Options palette, click the SmartClone drop-list, and click the Create
SmartClone image from selection button .
5 In the Create SmartClone dialog box, type a name in the Name box, fill in any optional
fields, and click OK.
The source selection is saved as an image in the SmartClone library.

Using Magic Fill to erase image areas

Magic Fill is a content-aware feature that can make unwanted elements of your photos
vanish. Use your favorite selection tools to select an area or object that you want to remove
and apply Magic Fill to replace the selection with a background that matches the
surrounding area—even when the surrounding area is textured or varied. For more
information about selections, see “Working with selections” on page 223.

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To erase an image area with Magic Fill

1 In the Tools toolbar, choose one of the following selection tools:

• Selection Tool
• Freehand Selection
2 On the Tool Options palette, adjust the settings you want.
3 In the image, select the area that you want to erase. You don’t need to be precise. Magic
Fill works best when some of background is included in the selection.
4 On the Tool Options palette, click the Magic Fill button .
The selected area is filled with the color and texture sampled from the background.
If you don’t get the results that you expect the first time, it’s easy to undo the fill and
readjust the selection, or simply create a new selection and reapply Magic Fill only to the
areas that you want to touch up.

Moving selected areas with Magic Move

Magic Move lets you move part of an image to a new position and automatically fills the
remaining empty area so that it matches the surrounding background—even if the
background is textured or varied. This content-aware feature works with your favorite
selection tools.

Retouching and restoring images 185

To move a selected area with Magic Move

1 In the Tools toolbar, choose one of the following selection tools:

• Selection Tool
• Freehand Selection
2 On the Tool Options palette, adjust the settings you want.
Note: Adjusting the Feather amount (for example, try a setting of 5-20) can improve
how the selection blends into the new background.
3 In the image, select the area that you want to move. You don’t need to be precise. Magic
Move works best when some of background is included in the selection.
4 On the Tool Options palette, click the Magic Move button .
5 In the Image window, drag the selected area to a new position.
The remaining empty area is filled with a content-aware fill that matches the surrounding
background.

If you don’t get the results that you expect the first time, try these tips:
• It’s easy to undo and readjust the selection, and reapply Magic Move.
• You can use the Clone Brush to touch up areas
• You can blend areas using retouch tools, such as Smudge or Soften

Erasing image areas

You can use the Eraser tool to erase areas of a layer to transparency or semi-transparency. A
gray-and-white checkerboard pattern indicates transparent areas.

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 You can quickly remove the background from an image by using the Background
Eraser tool.

You can use the Background Eraser tool to erase pixels selectively. For example, in a photo
of a mountain range, you can erase the sky, or you can isolate an object from the surrounding
image area.

The difference between undoing and erasing

When you undo an action in PaintShop Pro, the detail from the original image is restored. To
understand the difference between undoing and erasing, consider the example of paint
strokes. If you make a mistake with a paint stroke and erase it, the image detail under the
stroke is lost. You can erase paint when you want to make certain pixels transparent. You can
also erase to create an effect, such as when you want one layer to show through another
layer.

Settings for the Background Eraser tool

You can adjust the default settings for the Background Eraser tool on the Tool Options
palette. For example, you can change the opacity, color tolerance, and sample area settings.
You can set the following controls when you use the Background Eraser tool:
• Opacity — specifies the level of opacity. A setting of 100% erases pixels to complete
transparency, and a lower setting erases pixels to partial transparency.
• Tolerance — determines how closely the selected pixels match the sampled pixel. The
range of values is 0 to 512. At lower settings, only pixels with very similar colors are
erased. At higher settings, more pixels are erased. (This option is unavailable if the Auto
Tolerance check box is marked.)
• Sharpness —specifies how much the softness of the erased edge depends on the color
difference between the object and the background. The range of values is 0 to 100. You
can use lower settings when the edges that you are erasing form a gradient (a more

Retouching and restoring images 187

 gradual color transition); you can use higher settings when the edges that you are
erasing have a more abrupt color transition.
• Sampling — specifies the basis on which pixels are erased. This control has the following
options:
Once — samples the point at which you first click and then erases all matching pixels for
the duration of the stroke. This setting erases similar colors and preserves the areas you
want to keep.
Continuous — samples continuously and erases all matching pixels. If the area to erase
is quite variable, you can use this option and set the Step value low, so that the area is
sampled frequently as you erase. The tool can erase any color it encounters, including
foreground colors if the sampled pixel falls into the foreground area.
BackSwatch — erases all pixels that match the current background color on the
Materials palette
ForeSwatch — erases all pixels that match the current foreground color on the Materials
palette
• Limits — specifies whether erased pixels are adjacent to each other. This control has the
following options:
Discontiguous — erases all pixels in the tool’s path that match the sampled pixels, even
if they are nonadjacent. You can use this mode to correct areas in which the background
shows through holes in the image.
Contiguous — erases only contiguous pixels that match sampled pixels. You can use this
mode when the background pixels are of a color that is similar to that of the edges of the
object you want to isolate.
FindEdges — uses the edge information to restrict the erasing
Auto Tolerance — determines the tolerance based on the pixels in the tool’s path. The
tolerance may change continuously as the tool moves over different parts of the layer.
You can unmark this check box to specify a Tolerance setting.
Use all layers — samples data from all layers merged together. Only pixels in the current
layer are erased. To sample data from the current layer only, you can unmark the check
box.
Ignore Lightness — ignores sharp differences in color lightness and saturation. You can
mark this check box when the colors in the object that you want to isolate are strongly
saturated and the background is unsaturated, or vice versa.

Should I use automatic or manual tolerance?

You should start by marking the Auto Tolerance check box. If you find that too much or too
little is erased from the image, you can unmark the Auto Tolerance check box and increase
or decrease the value in the Tolerance box.

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To erase an image area
Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Eraser tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, choose the brush options you want.
For more information about setting brush options, see “Choosing brush options” on
page 438.
3 Drag in the image to erase.
You can also
Restore erased pixels Hold down the right mouse button, and
drag over the erased area.
Erase a straight line Click at the beginning of the line, hold
down Shift, and click the end of the line. To
continue erasing the line, move to the next
point, hold down Shift, and click again.

If you erase the background layer, the Eraser tool erases to transparency, and the layer
is automatically promoted to a raster layer.

To erase the background area of an image

Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, click the layer that contains the image element that you want to
isolate.
2 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Background Eraser tool .
3 On the Tool Options palette, choose the brush options you want.
For more information about setting brush options, see “Choosing brush options” on
page 438.
4 Drag around the edges of the image area that you want to isolate.
Slow, careful strokes give you the best results. Keep the center of the brush on regions
you want to erase, while keeping the edges of the brush on regions you want to
preserve.
You can also
Restore erased pixels Right-click and drag.
Erase a straight line Click once at the beginning point, hold
down Shift, and click the endpoint. To
continue erasing the line, move to the next
point, hold down Shift, and click again.

Retouching and restoring images 189

You can also
Switch to the Eraser tool Hold down the Backspace key while you
drag the mouse.

The background layer is automatically promoted to a raster layer when you work on it
with the Background Eraser tool.

You can preserve the transparent background (when you want to place the visible
content on another layer or background) by saving your file in the following file
formats: PSPImage, PNG, GIF.

Placing images in shapes with the Frame Tool

The Frame Tool lets you place images in shapes, such as rectangles, ellipses, squares, and
circles. It offers a fast and easy way to place images into a layout. The frame and image can
then be moved and sized as a unit, or adjusted separately. Images added to frames can be
extracted and changed easily, making frames ideal for layout placeholders.

The Frame tool was used to fill this template with photos in just a few moments. Note:
The original template was also created in PaintShop Pro (using layers, shapes, and
picture tubes).

When you create a frame, a Frame Group is added to the Layers palette. When you drag an
image to the frame, the image appears in the Layers palette as part of a Frame Group. It’s
helpful to have the Layers palette open when you work with frames—it makes it easy to
select the element that you want to adjust.

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 In this example, starting at the top, you can see the Frame Group layer, which you can
collapse or expand to access the Frame layer and the image layer (shows the full
image). At the bottom is the original Background layer.

You can also convert a shape drawn with the Rectangle or Ellipse tool into a frame.

To place an image in a shape with the Frame Tool

1 On the Tools toolbar, click the Frame Tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, choose one of the following shapes:
• Rectangle
• Ellipse
3 Drag in the Image window (on the Background or a Raster layer) to draw a frame.
If you want to constrain the shape to a square or circle, hold down Shift as you drag.
4 To fill the frame with an image, do one of the following:
• Click File > Embed Image, and navigate to the image that you want to use.
• From the Organizer palette, drag an image thumbnail into the frame.
• From Windows File Explorer, drag an image file into the frame.
The image automatically fills the frame according to the longest edge, maintaining the
image aspect ratio. Both the frame and the bounding box for the image are displayed.
Note: At this point, the image is active, and you can simply drag the image or an image
node to reposition or resize the image. For full editing options, continue to the next step.

Retouching and restoring images 191

 In the example above, a square frame is filled with a rectangular image. A bounding
box indicates the area of the image that exceeds the frame.

5 Do any of the following to adjust the frame or image:

• To reposition the image, in the Layers palette, select the image layer in the Frame
Group, and in the Image window drag the center node for the image to the position
you want.
• To resize the image, in the Layers palette, select the image layer, and in the Image
window drag a node on the image bounding box.
• To reposition or resize both the frame and the image, double-click inside the frame (or
select the Frame Group layer in the Layers palette), and drag the center node to a new
position or drag a node on the bounding box to resize it.
• To reposition the frame only, in the Layers palette, select the Frame layer, and in the
Image window, drag the center node to a new position.

If at any time you experience issues selecting or creating a frame, check to see what is
active in the Layers palette. If adding multiple frames, it can be helpful to select the
original layer (such as the Background layer) before adding a new frame.

To extract an image from a frame

1 On the Tools toolbar, click the Frame Tool .

2 Right-click the image that you want to remove from a frame, and choose Extract Image
from the context menu.
The image is removed from the frame group and appears as an independent layer that
you can keep or delete. You can now drag a new image to the frame.

To convert a rectangle or ellipse shape to a frame

1 Do one of the following to select a shape previously created with the Rectangle or
Ellipse tool:
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Pick tool , and click a shape.

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 • In the Layers palette, click a vector layer for the shape that you want to select.
If there are multiple vector shapes, you might need to expand the vector layer group so
that you can select a specific shape.
A marquee indicates that the shape is active.
2 On the Tools toolbar, click the Rectangle or Ellipse tool.
3 In the image window, right-click the active shape and choose Convert to Frame Object
from the context menu.
4 Drag an image to the frame.

Cutting out image areas

You can use the Object Extractor to cut out an image area from the surrounding background.
You can then edit the cutout separately from the background, display it against a different
background, or combine it with other images.

1 2 3

4 5
Object Extractor workflow: (1) Outline the edges of the image area; (2) add a fill; (3)
preview the cutout, and touch it up if necessary; (4) bring the cutout into the image
window; (5) place the cutout against a different background image (optional).

To cut out an image area

Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, click the layer that contains the image area that you want to cut
out.
2 Choose Image  Object Extractor.
The Object Extractor dialog box appears, with the Brush tool activated by default.
3 Adjust the brush size by moving the Brush size slider.
4 In the preview area, draw a line along the edges of the image area that you want to cut
out.
Ensure that the selection outline slightly overlaps the surrounding background and
completely surrounds the area in a closed ring.

Retouching and restoring images 193

5 Choose the Fill tool , and click inside the area you want to cut out.
An overlay covers the image area that you clicked.
Note: If the selection outline is not closed, the fill covers the entire image. If this is the
case, click the Eraser tool to clear the fill, and then complete the selection outline with
the Brush tool.
6 Click Process to preview the result.
If you are not happy with the result, click Edit Mask to return to the previous view and
touch up the cutout.
You can also
Erase parts of the selection outline Choose the Eraser tool , and drag over
the selection marquee that you want to
delete.
Refine the edge detail in the final result Move the Accuracy slider to a higher value
if the object has an intricate or complex
outline.
The Accuracy slider is available only after
you click Process.
Revert to the original image Click Reset. The Reset button is available
only before you click Process and clears
both the fill and the selection outline.
Hide the fill overlay and the edge outline Mark the Hide Mask check box.
Specify an exact size for the brush or eraser Type or set a value in the Brush size box.
nib
Zoom in and out Type or set a value in the Zoom box.
Display an image at its actual size Click the Zoom to 100% button .
Display an image in the entire preview area Click the Fit Image to Window button .
Pan to another area of the image Using the Pan tool , drag the image until
the area you want to see is visible.

The background layer is automatically promoted to a raster layer when you use the
Object Extractor command.

You can switch from the Brush tool to the Eraser tool by right-clicking and dragging in
the preview area.

194 PaintShop Pro

Changing portrait backgrounds with AI Background
Replacement
AI Background Replacement uses artificial intelligence (AI) to select people in portrait and
group photos and extract the background so that you can replace it with one of many preset
background images or a custom image. For example, you can easily replace a distracting or
unwanted background with a studio-style backdrop, a beach scene, a mountain view, or a
famous landmark. You can also choose to output your subject with a transparent
background.

The original background (left) was replaced with a custom image (right) by using AI Background
Replacement.
After you replace the background, the resulting image is output with layers for the subject,
the new background, and the original image.

To maintain maximum editability, layers are used for the subject (top layer), the new
background (middle layer), and the original image (bottom layer).

Tips for background replacement success

• Choose portrait photos where the subject is fully in the foreground—it is best if no
background area is in front of the subject.

Retouching and restoring images 195

• Group photos can be used but results will vary depending on the complexity of the
image. It is best if subjects are closely grouped together with few gaps.
• After you output the result, you can apply effect or adjustment filters to the subject layer
or background layer to match the color and tone of the layers. For example, select the
subject layer, and choose Effects > Photo Effects > Film and Filters to warm, cool, or
tint the layer. You can also apply a flattering Glamour effect to your subjects. For more
information, see “Applying film and filter effects to photos” on page 363.

To change a background by using AI Background Replacement

1 Open a portrait photo.

2 Click Adjust > Artificial Intelligence > AI Background Replacement.
It will take a few moments for the AI to analyze the image and to open the AI
Background Replacement window.
3 Review the red overlay that appears on the background areas. If you need to fine-tune
the selection, in the Brush Mode area, choose any of the following:
• Refine — lets you drag along the edge of the selection to create a more precise result
and lets you include complex edge detail, such as fly-away hair
• Feather — lets you soften edge areas
• Add to Subject — removes the red overlay from the subject
• Remove from Subject — adds the red overlay to areas that you want to identify as
background
4 Adjust the Brush Size slider, and drag in the preview area, changing brush modes as
needed to get the result you want.
If you want to adjust the brush size interactively, hold down Alt while dragging in the
preview window.
For information about all the available controls, see “Fine-tuning a selection with the
Refine Brush” on page 231.
5 When you are satisfied with the selection, click Next.
6 In the Select from area, choose one of the following options:
• Preset — choose a category from the drop-list and click a thumbnail to apply a new
background from a selection of included images
• Custom — click the Browse button and navigate to the image that you want to use as
a background
• Original — does not change the background, but creates two new layers when you
output: a layer with the subject and a layer with the background
• Transparent — removes the background content and outputs the subject as a layer
with a transparent background

196 PaintShop Pro

 If you choose a Preset or Custom background, you can use the Scale slider (below the
preview window) to resize the background and you can drag in the preview window to
reposition the background.
7 Click Done.

You can switch between the Add to Subject and Remove from Subject brush modes
by right-clicking as you drag.

Retouching image areas by using brushes

You can retouch images by applying brushstrokes. Some retouch brushes mimic
photographic effects, while others change pixels based on their lightness, saturation, hue, or
color values. Some retouch brushes create effects that are similar to those produced with the
color-correction commands. The retouch brushes are described in the following table.
Brush Effect
Lighten/Darken Increases or decreases brightness; affects
the RGB or Lightness value of pixels
Dodge Lightens and brings out details of areas that
are in shadow (mimics the traditional
photographic darkroom technique of
holding back light to produce lighter areas
in printed photos)
Burn Darkens areas of the image that are too
light
Smudge Spreads color and image details from the
starting point and picks up new color and
image details as it moves, as though
smearing paint
Push Spreads color and image details from the
starting point but does not pick up any new
color or image details
Soften Smooths edges and reduces contrast
Sharpen Heightens edges and accentuates contrast
Emboss Causes the foreground to appear raised
from the background by suppressing color
and tracing edges in black
Saturation Up/Down Increases or decreases saturation; affects
the HSL value of pixels

Retouching and restoring images 197

Hue Up/Down Increases or decreases hue; affects the HSL
value of pixels
Change to Target Changes pixels based on a characteristic of
the current foreground color on the
Materials palette: color, hue, saturation, or
lightness
• If you choose the color as the target, the brush
applies the foreground color without affecting
the luminance.
• If you choose the hue, saturation, or lightness
as the target, the brush applies the hue,
saturation, or lightness value of the foreground
color without changing the other values.
Color Replacer For information about the Color Replacer
tool, see “Replacing colors, gradients, or
patterns” on page 201.

To use a retouch brush

Edit tab
1 On the Tools toolbar, choose a retouch brush.
2 On the Tool Options palette, set the brush controls.
3 Drag in the image to apply the tool.
You can also On the Tool Options palette
Reverse the tool behavior Mark the Swap mouse button check box
when using the Lighten/Darken ,
Saturation Up/Down , or Hue Up/Down
tools.
Retouch data from all layers Mark the Use all layers check box when
using the Smudge , Push , Soften ,
Sharpen , or Emboss tools.
Lighten or darken an image with the Choose RGB or Lightness from the Mode
Lighten/Darken tool based on the drop-list.
lightness or RGB values
Choose a characteristic of the foreground Choose an option from the Mode drop-list.
color to target with the Change to Target
tool
Apply brush strokes only to specific areas Mark the Smart Edge check box.
that match the brush stroke sample area

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You can also On the Tool Options palette
Limit the changes to shadows, midtones, or Choose an option from the Limit drop-list.
highlights with the Dodge and Burn
tools

For more information about setting brush options, see “Choosing brush options” on
page 438.

You can apply the opposite effect of a retouch brush by right-clicking as you apply the
brush to the image.

Recoloring image areas for a realistic effect

You can use the Color Changer tool to realistically recolor an object or a region in an image.
What sets the Color Changer tool apart from other tools and commands (such as the Flood
Fill tool, some of the retouching brushes, or the Colorize, Hue/Saturation/Lightness, or Hue
Map commands) is that it takes into account the shading of the specified color. The Color
Changer tool detects and analyzes variations in image brightness and applies the recoloring
based on that illumination.
It lets you adjust Tool Options palette settings for Tolerance and Edge Softness, and it
updates the current recoloring as you modify settings on the Tool Options palette or modify
the color in the Materials palette.
The Color Changer tool works best on matte objects such as clothing, carpet, and painted
objects that are a solid color. It may not work as well on shiny or reflective objects and is not
designed to work with gradients or patterns.

One click can change the color of the girl’s dress.

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To recolor by using the Color Changer tool
Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Color Changer tool .

The Color Changer tool is grouped with the Flood Fill tool .
2 On the Materials palette, click the Color button on the Style drop-list, and choose a
solid color.
If the Materials palette is not displayed, choose View  Palettes  Materials.
For realistic-looking colors, set the Saturation value (in the Material Properties dialog
box) closer to 100 than to 255 (full saturation).
3 Position the Color Changer pointer over the color you want to change in the image, and
then click to recolor with the Foreground/Stroke color, or right-click to recolor with the
current Background/Fill color.
4 Click Apply to set the color change on the object.
You can also
Use a color from the current image Choose the Dropper tool , click the color
you want in the image, and then choose the
Color Changer tool to reactivate it.
Instantly change the color you want to Before clicking Apply, click a color on the
apply Materials palette.
Adjust the color application Before clicking Apply, adjust any of the
following controls on the Tool Options
palette:
• Tolerance — determines how closely the current
color needs to match similar colors for recoloring
to be applied. Higher settings cause more pixels
to be recolored.
• Edge Softness — determines how pixels that
border the recolored pixels are affected. Higher
settings cause more “bleeding” of the recoloring.

While using the Color Changer tool, you can undo and redo actions such as adjusting
colors or adjusting settings on the Tool Options palette.

To isolate the area you want to recolor, you can create a selection. For more
information about creating selections, see “Creating selections” on page 223.
To prevent the Color Changer from affecting areas of the photo that you do not want
to change, you can duplicate the layer on which the photo resides, apply the Color
Changer to the new layer, and use the Eraser tool to erase the areas of changed color
that you want to restore. You can then merge the layers.

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Replacing colors, gradients, or patterns
You can use the Color Replacer tool to replace one color in a selection or layer with another
color. You can use brushstrokes to replace only those pixels that the brush touches, or you
can replace all pixels of a certain color in a selection or layer.
You can set a tolerance value so that the Color Replacer tool changes within a given color
value range. The Color Replacer tool also works with gradients and patterns.
You can also use the Flood Fill tool to replace all pixels of a certain color in a selection or a
layer. For information about the differences between the Color Replacer tool and the Flood
Fill tool, see “Filling areas with colors, gradients, or patterns” on page 202.

Why does nothing happen when I apply the Color Replacer tool?
You must select a foreground or background color that appears in the image. If there are no
pixels that match your selected color, then no pixel colors are replaced.
For more information about picking a foreground or background color directly from the
image, see “Choosing colors from an image or the desktop” on page 297.

To replace a color, gradient, or pattern

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Color Replacer tool .

2 Choose the material (color, gradient, or pattern) that you want to replace. Click the
material to apply it as the Foreground/Stroke, or right-click the material to apply it as the
Background/Fill.
3 Choose a material to use as a replacement material. The replacement material can be
any material in the current image, or you can choose one from the Materials palette.
• If the material you want to replace is the current Foreground/Stroke material, right-click
the replacement material to set it as the Background/Fill.
• If the material you want to replace is the current Background/Fill material, click the
replacement material to set it as the Foreground/Stroke.
4 In the Tolerance box, set a value from 0 to 200 to specify how closely the replacement
material should match the material you are replacing.
At lower Tolerance settings, only pixels with very similar colors are replaced; at higher
settings, more pixels are replaced.
5 Position the cursor over the area of a selection or layer that contains the material you
want to replace, and perform a task from the following table.

Retouching and restoring images 201

To Do the following
Swap all occurrences of a background or Double-click to swap the Background/Fill
foreground material material with the Foreground/Stroke
material; double-click the right mouse
button to swap the Foreground/Stroke
material with the Background/Fill material.
Replace all matching pixels with the current On the Tool Options palette, click the
Foreground/Stroke material Replace all pixels button .
Replace materials by using brushstrokes On the Tool Options palette, choose the
rather than replacing all pixels in the layer brush tip, size, opacity, and other options.
Drag in the image to replace the
Background/Fill material with the
Foreground/Stroke material; drag with the
right mouse button to replace the
Foreground/Stroke material with the
Background/Fill material.

To limit changes to a specific area, make a selection in the image before using the Color
Replacer tool.

Filling areas with colors, gradients, or patterns

You can fill a selection or a layer with the foreground or background color, gradient, or
pattern. You can fill all pixels or fill only those pixels that match the options you specify. When
you click in the image, the Flood Fill tool finds and fills all contiguous pixels that match the
pixel you select.
Contiguous pixels are like continuous chains of matching pixels radiating from the initial pixel
you click. When the Flood Fill tool finds a pixel that does not match the selected pixels, the
chain breaks. Even if a pixel is only one pixel away from a matching pixel, it is treated as
discontiguous.

What is the difference between the Flood Fill tool and the Color Replacer
tool?
The Flood Fill tool can fill pixels that match certain criteria (such as RGB value); in this way, it
is similar to the Color Replacer tool.
The Flood Fill tool fills matching pixels that are contiguous to the initial pixel you click,
whereas the Color Replacer tool changes pixels either within its brushstrokes or in the entire
layer.
The Color Replacer tool changes the color of pixels based on RGB value. The Flood Fill tool
changes pixels based on RGB, hue, brightness, or opacity values.

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To fill an area with a color, gradient, or pattern
Edit tab
1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Flood Fill tool.
2 Choose the foreground or background color, gradient, or pattern with which to fill the
area.
3 From the Match Mode drop-list on the Tool Options palette, choose one of the
following options:
• None — fills all pixels
• RGB Value — fills pixels that match the red, green, and blue values of the pixel you
click
• Color — fills pixels that match the shading variations of the pixel you click
• Brightness — fills pixels that match the perceptual lightness value of the pixel you click
• Perceptual — fills pixels that match the perceptual shading variation and lightness of
the pixel you click
• Traditional — fills pixels that match red, green, and blue values, with a bias toward
lightness variations. This match mode is therefore more discriminating than the RGB
Value match mode.
• All Opaque — fills all pixels that are not completely invisible (that is, having an opacity
value of 1 or greater). Choosing this option disables the Tolerance control.
• Opacity — fills pixels that match the opacity value of the pixel you click
4 Type or set a value from 0 to 200 in the Tolerance control to specify how closely the
selected pixels match the initial pixel you click.
At lower settings, only pixels with very similar colors are filled; at higher settings, more
pixels are filled.
5 Choose an option from the Blend Mode drop-list to specify how filled pixels are
blended with pixels of underlying layers.
The blend modes are the same as the layer blend modes.
6 Type or set a value in the Opacity control to specify the opacity of the fill.
At 100 percent opacity, the paint covers everything; at 1 percent opacity, the paint is
almost completely transparent.
7 Position the cursor over the area of the selection or image that you want to fill, and
either click to fill with the foreground material or right-click to fill with the background
material.

To limit changes to a specific area, make a selection in the image before you apply the
Flood Fill tool. For information about selections, see “Working with selections” on
page 223.
You can limit the flood fill to matching pixels of the current layer only by unmarking the
Use all layers check box.

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 For more information about using blend modes, see “Blending layers” on page 266. For
more information about choosing brush options, see “Choosing brush options” on
page 438.

Flipping and mirroring images

You can flip or mirror an image so that the left side becomes the right side or the top
becomes the bottom. When you choose Flip, layers or selections are flipped in position.
When you choose Mirror, layers or selections are flipped along their horizontal (left to right)
or vertical (top to bottom) axis.

To flip a selection, layer, or image

Edit tab
• Click Image > Flip, and choose one of the following:
• Flip Horizontal — the left side switches to the right side
• Flip Vertical — the top switches to the bottom

Flipping a selection converts it into a floating selection, leaving the original layer
unchanged.

To mirror a selection or layer

• Click Image > Mirror, and choose one of the following:

• Mirror Horizontal — flips the selection or layer along the horizontal axis (left to right)
• Mirror Vertical — flips the selection or layer along the vertical axis (top to bottom)

Adding borders
You can add a colored frame or border around an image. When you add a border to an
image, the dimensions of the image are expanded to the border.
For multilayer images, PaintShop Pro prompts you to flatten the image before adding the
border; however, you can also add a border without flattening the image by changing the
canvas size. For more information, see “Resizing the canvas” on page 209.

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 It’s easy to add a border around your image.

To add a border to an image

Edit tab
1 Choose Image  Add Borders.
The Add Borders dialog box appears.
2 Do one of the following:
• To create an equal-width border on all sides, mark the Symmetric check box.
• To create borders of varying widths, unmark the Symmetric check box, and set border
width values in the controls in the Size In Pixels group box.
3 Click the Color box to choose a color for the border.
4 Click OK.

You can change the units of measurement for the border by choosing an option from
the drop-list in the Original Dimensions group box.

Scaling photos by using Smart Carver

Smart Carver™ lets you make a photo narrower, wider, shorter, or longer without distorting
the content. By automatically detecting and removing zones in the picture that have little
structural detail, this feature lets you change the aspect ratio without noticeably changing
the image. You can also target a specific zone to remove from the photo, regardless of its
level of detail, or preserve specific objects or image areas.

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 Smart Carver lets you selectively remove or protect areas when you scale an image.

To remove or preserve an object by using Smart Carver

Edit tab
1 Choose Image  Smart Carver.
The Smart Carver dialog box opens.
2 To remove or preserve an object or area from a photo, do one or both of the following:
• Click the Remove button and apply the Remove brush to the areas of the photo
that you want to remove.
• Click the Preserve button and apply the Preserve brush to the area of the photo
that you want to protect.
In the Object Removal area, you can move the Brush Size slider to the left to decrease
the size of the brush, or to the right to increase the size of the brush.
3 Scale the photo by applying one or more of the Smart Carving options.
You can also
Delete brushstrokes Click the Eraser button , and apply it to
the brushstrokes that you want to erase.
Zoom in or out In the Zoom box, enter a magnification
level, or use the slider or the arrows to
adjust the zoom level.
Pan to view hidden areas of the photo Click the Pan button , and drag in the
preview area.
Hide the brushstrokes in the preview area Mark the Hide Mask check box.
Reset the photo to its original state Click Reset.

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To scale a photo by using Smart Carver
Edit tab
1 Choose Image  Smart Carver.
The Smart Carver dialog box opens.
2 In the Smart Carving area, perform one or more tasks from the following table, and click
OK.
You can view the scaling results in the preview area.
To Do the following
Set a photo width Type or set a value in the Width box.
Note: The maximum width is double the
width of the original photo.
Set a photo height Type or set a value in the Height box.
Note: The maximum height is double the
height of the original photo.
Reduce the photo width by 1-pixel Click the Contract the image horizontally
increments button until the image is the desired
width.
Reduce the photo height by 1-pixel Click the Contract the image vertically
increments button until the image is the desired
height.
Increase the photo width by 1-pixel Click the Expand the image horizontally
increments button until the image is the desired
width.
Increase the photo height by 1-pixel Click the Expand the image vertically
increments button until the image is the desired
height.
Reduce the photo width by automatically Click the Auto-contract horizontally
removing the areas to which you have button to remove red-painted areas.
applied the Remove brush
Reduce the photo height by automatically Click the Auto-contract vertically
removing the areas to which you have button to remove red-painted areas.
applied the Remove brush

Scaling and transforming photos using the Pick tool

The Pick tool lets you transform images interactively in the following ways:
• Scaling resizes an image horizontally, vertically, or proportionally.
• Shearing skews an image vertically or horizontally.
• Distorting an image stretches or contracts it in any direction.

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• Applying perspective to an image corrects the perspective or applies a false perspective.
For information about correcting image perspective, see “Correcting photographic
perspective” on page 121.
• Rotating an image moves it around a pivot point. For information about rotating images,
see “Rotating images” on page 113.
When you transform an image, the transformations are applied to the layer on which the
image resides. You can apply transformations to any raster layer or selection.

Setting scaling and transformation options

You can precisely control many of the deform settings. The following options appear on the
Tool Options palette when the Pick tool is active:
• Pivot X, Pivot Y — sets the X and Y coordinates of the rotation pivot point
• Position X, Position Y — sets the X and Y coordinates of the top left corner handle
• Scale X (%), Scale Y (%) — sets the percentage of change for the horizontal (X) and
vertical (Y) resizing
• Shear — sets the offset of a side. Positive values shear to the right, and negative values
shear to the left.
• Angle — sets the rotation around the pivot point. The image is rotated clockwise, from 0
to 360 degrees.
• Reset Rectangle button — resets the deformation rectangle to its original shape but
keeps any current deformations
• Perspective X, Perspective Y — adjusts the perspective of the deformation
Note: The best way to create and adjust perspective is by dragging the control handles.
When you create a perspective effect with the control handles, you manipulate many
variables. Changing the values in the Perspective X and Perspective Y controls may affect
the scale, shear, and position values.
Important! The Pick tool works on grayscale and 16 million– color images only. For more
information about increasing the color depth of an image, see “Increasing the color depth
of an image” on page 463. For more information about deforming vector objects or text, see
“Sizing, shaping, and rotating vector objects” on page 420 or “Sizing and transforming text”
on page 403.

To scale or transform a selection, layer, or image

Edit tab
1 Choose a selection, layer, or image by clicking its name on the Layers palette.
2 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pick tool .
A bounding box with handles appears.
3 Perform one or more tasks from the following table.

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To Do the following
Resize while keeping the current Drag a corner handle.
proportions
Resize while changing the current Right-click and drag one of the corner or
proportions edge handles.
Change the center of rotation Drag the rotation pivot point.
Rotate the image Drag the rotation handle.
Change perspective symmetrically Hold down Ctrl, and drag a corner handle
horizontally or vertically.
Change perspective asymmetrically Hold down Ctrl + Shift, and drag a corner
handle horizontally or vertically.
Shear the image Hold down Shift, and drag a side handle.
Distort the image Hold down Ctrl + Shift, and drag a side
handle.

By default, you must hold down Ctrl + Shift to distort an image. To distort an image
without holding down keys, choose a different Mode setting on the Tool Options
palette. The Scale mode is the default setting, so you must hold down a key or keys.
The Shear mode lets you shear without holding down Shift. The Perspective mode lets
you change perspective without holding down Ctrl. The Free mode lets you distort
without holding down Ctrl + Shift.

When the Pick tool is active, you can scale and transform precisely by setting values in
any of the boxes on the Tool Options palette.

Resizing the canvas

The image canvas is the work area of the image and defines the image dimensions — for
example, 200  300 pixels. If you need more space to add elements to an image, you can
increase the canvas size, or you can resize the canvas to make it smaller.
If you want to resize by adjusting the image size, see “Resizing images” on page 164.

What is the difference between reducing the canvas size and cropping an
image?
Reducing the canvas size is not always the same as cropping an image. For images with
layers, reducing the canvas size does not delete the pixels outside the new canvas area — it
just shows less of the layer. Background layer information is always deleted, even when there
are other layers in the image.

Retouching and restoring images 209

To change the canvas size
Edit tab
1 Choose Image  Canvas Size.
The Canvas Size dialog box appears.
2 In the New Dimensions group box, mark the Lock aspect ratio check box.
3 Set or type values in the Width and Height controls.
4 In the Placement group box, click a button to set the placement of the image in the new
canvas, or set values in the Top, Bottom, Left, and Right controls.
The values show the amount of canvas added or subtracted from each edge.
5 Click OK.

If you increase the canvas size, you can choose a color for the added canvas area by
clicking the Background box and choosing a color.
You can resize the height and width independently by unmarking the Lock aspect ratio
check box, and setting values in the Height and Width controls.
You can change the units of measurement for the border by choosing an option from
the drop-list in the New Dimensions group box.

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 Merging exposures and content

When you combine two or more photos, you can achieve some impressive results. What
can you do?
• Use HDR (high dynamic range) Exposure Merge to create a perfectly exposed image.
• Seamlessly replace unwanted areas (cars, people, birds that flew into your frame) with
the correct background.
• Creatively combine elements from multiple photos into one image.
If you have a DSLR camera, you likely have features that can help you take multiple photos
of the same scene.
This section presents the following topics:

• Understanding HDR
• Taking photos for HDR processing
• Combining photos by using HDR Exposure Merge
• Using Single RAW Photo to create an HDR effect
• Merging batches of photos into HDR images
• Combining photos with Photo Blend

Understanding HDR
In photography, HDR refers to “high dynamic range”. Dynamic range is the range of
luminance that can be captured in a photo, from the darkest shadows to the brightest
highlights.
Unlike the human eye, digital camera sensors (or film in traditional cameras), can only
capture a limited dynamic range when photographing scenes with both very bright and very
dark areas, such as an interior with a large window. HDR processing creates a 32-bit image
which has twice as much information, and therefore many more steps between tones, than
an ordinary JPG. This HDR image is then evenly exposed, resolving details in the darkest
areas, without losing definition in the brightest areas. And when pushed beyond the
“corrective” boundaries, HDR can produce an unreal, plastic, or even “hyper-real” tone, and
as such has become a creative technique in itself. Typically, an HDR file needs to be converted
back to a 16-bit image format for final output.

Merging exposures and content 211

 The photos along the top were taken with different exposure levels, and then they were
combined to create a single beautifully exposed image.

Taking photos for HDR processing

If you are new to HDR processing, the information below can help you get started.

What camera features work well with HDR?

You can use automatic exposure bracketing if your camera offers it or use the aperture
priority mode and adjust the shutter speed to achieve different exposures. Avoid aperture
changes because the depth of field may shift enough to cause blurring in some of the
photos. Review the user manual for your camera for information about bracketing options
and aperture priority mode.

How many photos should I take for my HDR set?

Usually, three photos is a good base (minimum is two), but to capture a very high contrast
scene, take five or more (up to a maximum of nine).

What exposure settings should I use?

Try an initial setting of 2.0 exposure value (EV) between photos. If you are taking a greater
number of photos, you can set the exposure at lower increments, but make sure that the
number of shots is enough to cover a wide range of exposure. If you’re using auto-
bracketing, your camera might limit the EV interval (sometimes to a maximum of +/- 1.0).

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Should I use a tripod?
Yes, it’s best to use a tripod, but at the very least, you need to ensure that you have a steady
hand (for example, stabilized against a wall). Using a tripod means that you are less likely to
have alignment issues with the photos when you use HDR processing.

Combining photos by using HDR Exposure Merge

You can use Exposure Merge to combine two or more photos by using HDR (high dynamic
range) processing.

Exposure Merge (Step 1 window)

For more information about taking photos that work well with Exposure Merge, see “Taking
photos for HDR processing” on page 212.
Exposure Merge uses a three-step process:
• Merge — Choose your merge settings, and if required, apply custom editing.
• HDR Adjustments — After merging your photos, you can adjust them and save the
results to an editable HDR file before finalizing the merge and fine-tuning.
• Fine-Tune — Refine your image, with noise-reduction and sharpening options, along
with some other familiar tools. When you’re done, you can save to a standard file format
and close Exposure Merge.
Please see the topics below for more detailed information about each step.

Step 1: Merge
Merge settings include:
• Camera response curve profile — applies a curve adjustment to the image, based on
the known characteristics of the sensor in your camera
• Alignment — Choose between Feature-based (detects features in the photos) or Edge-
based (detects edges within the photos).

Merging exposures and content 213

• Custom editing — Choose which areas you want to keep (Brush in) or remove (Brush
out) from each photo. Often, custom editing is applied to remove “ghosting” — the
semitransparent effect caused by merging photos that captured moving objects.

Step 2: HDR Adjustments

After you merge your photos, you can adjust the resulting HDR image by applying a preset,
customizing a preset, or creating the look you want from scratch. The key is to experiment.
You can save your custom settings as a new preset. You can manage your presets by saving,
loading, deleting or resetting them.
All the adjustment options in the HDR Adjustments window let you work on an HDR, 32-bit
file. You can save the HDR file with all settings, so you can reopen and modify it again in the
future. When you are finished with Step 2 and move to Step 3, the final step, the application
prepares the image for output by saving it to a 16-bit image.

Step 3: Fine-Tune
The final step is fine-tuning the merged image before you exit Exposure Merge. The controls
in the Fine-Tune window are based on the controls found when you click the Adjust tab. For
more information, see “Using Adjust” on page 99.
Some fine-tuning tips:
• Digital Noise Removal is a great tool for cleaning up noise that can result from merging
photos.
• High Pass Sharpen can help reduce blurred areas that may result from movement
between photos.
• Smart Photo Fix and White Balance let you tweak the colors.
• To brighten the entire image, try adjusting Brightness/Contrast. To brighten only the
dark areas, try Fill Light/Clarity.
• Local Tone Mapping and Fill Light/Clarity can be used to further enhance details in the
image.

To choose merge options for Exposure Merge (Step 1)

1 Click the Manage tab, and select the thumbnails for the photos that you want to merge.
An orange outline appears around the thumbnails of selected photos.
2 Click File  HDR  Exposure Merge.
3 In the Step 1: Merge window, choose a profile from the Camera response curve profile
drop-list.
If you are not sure what to choose, select Auto Select.
If the EV interval slider appears, set the exposure value that you used between photos.
4 In the Alignment area, choose an alignment type from the Method drop-list.

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 If you want to crop any edges that don’t overlap, mark the Auto crop check box.
5 Click Align.
To see the results, enable the Preview Alignment check box (near the bottom of the
panel).
6 If you want to keep or remove specific areas from individual photos, use the controls in
the Custom editing area. See “To brush in or brush out artifacts in Exposure Merge” on
page 215.
7 Click Process.
The merge settings are applied and the Step 2: HDR Adjustments window appears.
If you want to tweak your merge settings, click Back to return to the Step 1 window.

HDR Exposure Merge and Photo Blend are part of the same merge utility and therefore
cannot be opened simultaneously.
If your photos were not taken with a tripod or steady rest, there is likely some
misalignment between shots. If the misalignment is significant, you may not be able to
use the photos for HDR.

You can also add photos to or remove photos from the merge tray by clicking the Add
Photos button or Remove Photos button in the tray at the bottom of the
Exposure Merge window.

To brush in or brush out artifacts in Exposure Merge

1 In the tray that appears below the Step 1: Merge preview area, click a thumbnail.
2 In the Custom editing area, do any of the following:
• Click Brush in, and in the preview area, drag over the area that you want to preserve.
You don't need to be exact.
• Click Brush out, and in the preview area, and drag over the area that you want to
remove.
• Click Auto brush if you want the application to auto-detect and remove ghosting. Auto
brush works well for removing ghosting along feature edges in photos taken without a
tripod. It is not recommended for larger ghost objects, such as cars and people.
3 Repeat the process for each of the photos that you want to edit.
You can also
Change the brush size Drag the Brush size slider.
Refine or erase brushstrokes Click Eraser, and drag across a brushstroke
in the preview area.
Remove all brushstrokes Click Clear.

Merging exposures and content 215

You can also
Change the color of brushstrokes Click the arrow beside the Brush in or
Brush out color swatch and click a new
color.
Hide or display brushstrokes in the preview Mark or unmark the Show brushstrokes
area check box.

To adjust HDR images in Exposure Merge (Step 2)

1 In the Step 2: HDR Adjustments window, do any of the following to achieve the look you
want.
• In the Presets area, click a preset thumbnail.
• Mark the White Balance check box, click Auto or click the Dropper tool , and click
the image to set the white point. Drag the Temperature slider to warm or cool the
colors in the image and drag the Tint slider to fine-tune the color.
• Drag the Contrast, Highlights, Midtones, and Shadows sliders to adjust the overall
tone and contrast.
• Drag the Vibrancy slider to saturate or desaturate the colors.
• From the Detail drop-list, choose Natural detail or Creative detail, and drag the
respective sliders to adjust the amount of local detail.
If you want to focus on black-and-white processing, click the B&W tab below the presets
area. To re-enable color processing, click the Color tab.
2 To save your HDR image for further editing, click Create HDR file, navigate to the folder
you want, type a file name, and click Save.
This saves the image content. You can also save your adjustments as a preset.
3 Click Process.
The settings are applied to the image and it is saved as a 16-bit file in preparation for the
final output. The Step 3: Fine-Tune window appears.

To manage presets in Exposure Merge

• In the Presets area of the Step 2: HDR Adjustments window, perform a task from the
following table.
To Do the following
Save your adjustments as a preset Click the Save Preset button , and type
a name in the Save Preset dialog box. A
thumbnail is added to the preset area.
Import a preset file Click the Preset Options button , click
Load, and navigate to the file.

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To Do the following
Delete a preset Click the thumbnail for the preset, click the
Preset Options button, and click Delete.
Restore the default presets list Click the Preset Options button and click
Reset. Click Yes in the confirmation dialog
box. All custom presets are deleted.
Hide or display presets Click the arrow on the Presets bar.

To fine-tune and save an HDR-processed image (Step 3)

1 In the Step 3: Fine-Tune window, apply any of the tools or adjustment options to adjust
the final image.
2 Do one of the following:
• Click the Edit tab to continue editing the photo. The Exposure Merge window remains
open.
• Click Save and close to save the file, close Exposure Merge, and return to the
workspace you were last using.

When the size of a zoomed-in image exceeds that of the preview area, you can click
the Pan tool and move the rectangle to choose a preview area.

Merging exposures and content 217

Using Single RAW Photo to create an HDR effect
You can split a single RAW photo into three exposures and recombine the exposures to
create an HDR effect. Although this is not “true” HDR (you aren’t extending the tonal range
by combining multiple photos), you can still optimize the tonal range of a single photo with
powerful HDR tools.

Single RAW Photo was used to create an HDR effect to optimize the tonal range of the
photo.

To create an HDR effect by using Single RAW Photo

1 Click the Manage tab, and select the thumbnail of a RAW photo.
An orange outline appears around the thumbnail of the selected photo.
2 Click File  HDR  Single RAW Photo.
3 In the Step 1: Split Photo window, choose a profile from the Camera response curve
profile drop-list.
If you are not sure what to choose, select Auto Select.
4 Drag the EV Interval slider to set the simulated exposure interval. This value is used to
split the photo into three versions.
If you don’t want the middle exposure to be set at 0, drag the Center Exposure slider to
set a new value.
5 Click Split Photo to break the photo into three versions. Three thumbnails appear in the
tray.
6 If you’re happy with the results, click Process.

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 You can now optimize the photo using the HDR controls in the Step 2 and Step 3
windows. For more information, see “To adjust HDR images in Exposure Merge (Step 2)”
on page 216 and “To fine-tune and save an HDR-processed image (Step 3)” on page 217.

You can also use Single RAW Photo with camera-generated TIFF files (not saved as
TIFF in image-editor).

Merging batches of photos into HDR images

If you use auto-bracketing on a regular basis, you may accumulate many sets of photos that
can be processed as HDR (high dynamic range) images. You can use the Batch Merge feature
to quickly merge each of your bracketed sets into HDR images. You can then evaluate which
sets make good candidates for the more powerful HDR tools in the Exposure Merge feature.
In some cases, Batch Merge might be the only HDR processing you need to do.
Batch Merge organizes photos into sets, based on the time between photos (within a defined
timeframe) or a defined number of photos per set.

To merge batches of photos into HDR images

1 Click the Manage tab, and select the thumbnails for the photos that you want to merge.
An orange outline appears around the thumbnails of selected photos.
2 Click File  HDR  Batch Merge.
The photos are sorted into groups of three by default.
3 In the Presets area, click a thumbnail to set a processing style. For more information on
presets, see “To manage presets in Exposure Merge” on page 216.
If you want to the application to perform the standard HDR processing instead of
applying preset adjustments, skip this step.
4 Click the folder icon beside the Save processed files in box, and browse to the folder
where you want to save the processed files.
5 Choose a file type from the Save as drop-list.
If you choose JPEG, drag the JPEG quality slider to set the file size and quality for the
processed images.
If you want to save .hdr versions of the processed files (so you can edit them in Exposure
Merge), mark the Save .hdr file check box.
6 In the Group photos by drop-list, choose one of the following:
• Sets — lets you choose a number in the Photos per set box. This option works well if
you consistently shoot bracketed photos in predetermined batches.
• Time — lets you choose a time interval in the Seconds per group box. This option
works well if you vary the number of photos in a bracketed set.

Merging exposures and content 219

7 If the photos were taken without a tripod, enable the Auto-align check box and choose
an alignment option form the Method drop-list.
If you want to crop unaligned edges along the borders of the photos, mark the Auto
crop check box.
8 Click Process.
Processing might take a few moments, depending on the size and number of photos.
You can now navigate to the location where you saved your process files and evaluate
them.

To remove thumbnails from the Batch Merge window, select the photos and press
Delete.

Combining photos with Photo Blend

Photo Blend lets you combine two or more photos of the same scene and choose exactly
what you want to keep or remove from the scene. Here are some examples:
• Remove moving objects, such as people or cars, from a photo — you can create an
empty street in a busy city.
• Fix a group shot in which one person blinks or looks away — simply swap in a better
pose from another photo.
• Get creative by showing the same person multiple times in a single photo.

Photo Blend can be used to create perfect group shots.

How do I take photos that work with Photo Blend?

From a tripod or with a steady rest, shoot two or more photos a few seconds apart. Use the
same camera settings for all the photos.

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 Photo Tip: Use the manual setting on your camera to ensure that the photos have the
same size, aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.

To use Photo Blend

1 Click the Manage tab, and select the set of photos that you want to blend.
2 Click File  Photo Blend.
3 In the Alignment area, click Align.
To see the results, enable the Preview Alignment check box (near the bottom of the
panel).
If you want to crop unaligned edges along the borders of the photos, mark Auto crop.
4 Click a thumbnail in the tray.
The corresponding photo displays in the preview area.
5 In the Custom editing area, do any of the following:
• Click Brush in, and in the preview area, drag over the area that you want to preserve.
You don't need to be exact.
• Click Brush out, and in the preview area, drag over the area that you want to remove.
• Click Auto brush if you want the application to auto-detect the differences between
the images. Leave the brushmarks as they are to remove ghosting and other
differences, or use it as a starting point for custom brushstrokes.
• Enable the Include moving objects check box, and click Auto brush to auto-detect
and preserve the differences between photos (for example, if you want to create a
multi-pose image).
6 Repeat the editing process for other photos by clicking thumbnails in the tray and
applying brushstrokes.
7 Click Process.
Review the results in the preview area. If you want to adjust your settings or continue
editing, click Back.
8 In the Step 2: Fine-Tune window, use any of the tools or adjustment controls to fine-tune
the image. For more information, see “Using Adjust” on page 99.
9 Do one of the following:
• Click Edit to continue editing the photo. The Photo Blend window remains open.
• Click Save and close to save the file, close the Photo Blend window, and return to the
workspace.
You can also
Change the brush size Drag the Brush size slider.
Refine or erase brushstrokes Click Eraser, and drag across a brushstroke
in the preview area.

Merging exposures and content 221

You can also
Remove all brushstrokes Click Clear.
Change the color of brushstrokes Click the arrow beside the Brush in or
Brush out color swatch and click a new
color.
Hide or display brushstrokes in the preview Unmark or mark the Show brushstrokes
area check box.

For best results, in the tray of the Step 1 window, click the thumbnail of the image that
will change the least, and click the lock button to use the selected image as
background. To unlock the background, click the lock button again.

222 PaintShop Pro

 Working with selections

Selecting the parts of images to edit is an important step in your workflow. By creating a
selection, you can edit an area while leaving the rest of the image unchanged. You can use
drawing or painting tools to modify selected areas of your image. You can also apply
commands to flip, copy, crop, or perform other actions on the selected areas.
The border of a selection is identified by a selection marquee, which is a series of black and
white dashes that outlines the selection.
This section presents the following topics:

• Creating selections
• Fine-tuning a selection with the Refine Brush
• Hiding and displaying the selection marquee
• Moving, clipping, and rotating selections
• Modifying selections
• Inverting and clearing selections
• Using feathering with selections
• Using anti-aliasing with selections
• Modifying the edges of selections
• Creating custom patterns from selections
• Saving and loading selections

Creating selections
You can create a selection when you want to isolate part of an image. For example, you can
use a selection to adjust or retouch one area of a photo, or to copy a portion of a photo and
paste it into another photo. The way you make a selection depends on whether you are
working on a raster layer or a vector layer.

Working with selections 223

 You can create a selection by using a Selection tool shape (left), by creating a freehand
selection (center), or by using the Magic Wand tool to select specific areas of color or
opacity (right).

The following selection tools can be used to create raster selections:

• Auto Selection tool — lets you create a smart selection by enclosing an image area
in a rectangle that automatically snaps to the edges it detects.
• Smart Selection Brush — lets you create a selection by brushing over a sample area.
The selection expands automatically to the edges based on the information that is
sampled by the brush.
• Selection tool — lets you create a selection of a specific shape, such as a rectangle,
square, ellipse, circle, or star.
• Freehand Selection tool — lets you create a selection around the edges of an object,
such as petals of a flower or fingers on a hand. You can make four types of selections
with the Freehand tool:
• Edge Seeker — finds the edges between two areas with color differences when you
click on the edges of irregularly shaped areas
• Freehand — lets you quickly select an area by dragging
• Point to Point — lets you draw straight lines between points to create a selection with
straight edges
• Smart Edge — automatically finds the edges of irregularly shaped areas when you click
along the edges
• Magic Wand tool — makes a selection based on the color, hue, brightness, or
opacity of an object. This tool is designed to select an area that has distinctly different
pixels than those in other areas of an image — for example, a pink rose surrounded by
green leaves, or a dark area in an otherwise bright image.

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The selection tools can also be used on vector layers to create selections from vector objects.
For example, if you copy a selection and paste it as a new image, it is copied to a raster layer
as individual pixels rather than as a vector object.
For information about vector text, see “Applying text” on page 389.
You can make a selection with one tool and then switch to another tool to add to or subtract
from the selection. For more information, see “Modifying selections” on page 237.
You can also use the Paint tool to create a selection. For more information, see “Working with
brushes” on page 437.
You can use text selections to apply effects to text; for example, when you create a text
selection on a solid-color layer and then delete the selection, the letters appear transparent
and outlined with the layer’s solid color.
By creating a raster selection on a vector object, you can use raster-only tools and commands
to edit the vector object.
You can create a selection from a mask, which lets you omit the masked (black) areas and
select the non-masked (non-black) areas. The selection is clipped to the canvas. For more
information, see “Working with masks” on page 281.

To create a selection by using the Auto Selection tool

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Auto Selection tool .

2 Drag across the image to enclose the area that you want to select.
3 Release the mouse button to view the auto-selection.
If you want to redo the selection, press Ctrl + D and reselect an area. If you want to
refine the selection, on the Tools toolbar, choose another selection tool, and add or
remove areas from the auto-selection.

Working with selections 225

To create a selection by using the Smart Selection Brush
Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Smart Selection Brush .

2 On the Tool Options palette, adjust the Size setting. You can also adjust any of the
following settings:
• Mode — specifies whether to replace, add, or remove an existing selection. Replace is
the default setting.
• Feather — softens the edges of a selection by specifying a fade width (0 to 200 pixels)
• Anti-alias — applies a smooth edge to a selection by making the pixels along its edges
semitransparent
• Tolerance — controls how closely the selected pixels match the pixel you click in the
image. At low settings, only similar pixels are chosen; at high settings, a wider range of
pixels is selected.
• Use all layers — searches for an edge in all layers of the selected area. This option is
available when you enable Smart Edge on multilayer images.
3 Drag the brush across the image area that you want to select. You don’t need to be
precise; the selection expands automatically to the edges based on the image
information that is sampled by the brush.
4 Release the mouse button to review the smart selection.
If you want to refine the selection, you can press Shift and drag to add to the selection
or press Ctrl and drag to remove from the selection.

You can use the Smart Selection Brush in manual mode by unmarking the Smart Edge
check box on the Tool Options palette.

Drag the Smart Selection Brush across the area that you want to select (left). If required,
refine the selection in Add mode or unmark Smart Edge and brush over the areas
precisely (center) to add or remove areas (right).

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To create a selection by using the Selection tool
Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Selection tool .

2 Check the settings of the following controls on the Tool Options palette, and modify
them if necessary:
• Selection Type — specifies the shape of the selection area
• Mode — specifies whether to replace, add, or remove an existing selection. Replace is
the default setting.
• Feather — softens the edges of a selection by specifying a fade width (0 to 200 pixels)
• Anti-alias — applies a smooth edge to a selection by making the pixels along its edges
semitransparent
• Selection style — lets you choose from three styles: Normal is a free form style, Fixed
Size lets you specify values in the Width and Height boxes, and Fixed Ratio maintains
only the proportions set in the Width and Height boxes.
3 Drag to make the selection.
As you drag, a border indicates the selection. When you finish dragging, the selection’s
border becomes a selection marquee.
You can also
Create a selection of a specific size On the Tool Options palette, click the
Custom Selection button . In the
Custom Selection dialog box, specify the
selection position, in pixels, for the left, top,
right, and bottom edges.
Replace an existing selection by placing a Choose the Selection tool, and click the
rectangular selection around it Current selection button .
Create a rectangular selection around all Click the Layer opaque button .
nontransparent areas of the current layer
Create a rectangular selection around all Click the Merged opaque button .
nontransparent areas of all layers within the
image

After you create a selection, changes to the settings on the Tool Options palette apply
to the next action, not to the current selection. You can modify the options for the
current selection by choosing Selections  Modify and choosing a command from the
menu.

Working with selections 227

To create a selection by using the Freehand Selection tool
Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Freehand Selection tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, choose one of the following from the Selection Type drop-
list:
• Edge Seeker
• Freehand
• Point to Point
• Smart Edge
3 Check the settings of the following controls on the Tool Options palette, and modify
them if necessary:
• Feather — softens the edges of a selection by specifying a fade width (0 to 200 pixels)
• Smoothing — specifies the amount of smoothing to apply to the selection border
• Anti-alias — applies a smooth edge to a selection by making pixels semitransparent
• Use all layers — searches for an edge in all layers of the selected area. This option is
available when you use the Edge Seeker or the Smart Edge selection type on multilayer
images.
4 Depending on the selection type you chose, perform a task from the following table.
To Do the following
Make a Freehand selection Drag to select an image area.
Make an Edge Seeker selection Click precisely along the edge of the area
you want to select, and double-click or
right-click to complete the selection.
Make a Smart Edge selection Click along the edge of the area that you
want to select, ensuring that the
rectangular cursor encloses the edge.
Double-click or right-click to complete the
selection.
Make a Point to Point selection Click around the area you want to select,
and double-click or right-click to complete
the selection.

When making an Edge Seeker selection, you can set the distance used to search for an
edge by typing a value in the Range control on the Tool Options palette.
You can increase the accuracy of Edge Seeker and Smart Edge selections by clicking
more frequently along the edge you are following.
You can delete a previous point by pressing Delete.

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To create a selection by using the Magic Wand tool
Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Magic Wand tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, choose a Match mode option:
• None — selects all pixels
• RGB Value — selects pixels that match the red, green, and blue values of the pixel you
click
• Color — selects pixels that match the shading variations of the pixel you click
• Brightness — selects pixels that match the perceptual lightness value of the pixel you
click
• Perceptual — selects pixels that match the perceptual shading variation and lightness
of the pixel you click
• Traditional — selects pixels that match red, green, and blue values, with a bias toward
lightness variations. This match mode is therefore more discriminating than the RGB
Value match mode.
• All Opaque — selects all pixels that are not completely invisible (that is, having an
opacity value of 1 or greater). Choosing this option disables the Tolerance control.
• Opacity — selects pixels that match the opacity value of the pixel you click.
3 Check the settings of the following controls on the Tool Options palette, and modify
them if necessary:
• Tolerance — controls how closely the selected pixels match the pixel you click in the
image. At low settings, only similar pixels are chosen; at high settings, a wider range of
pixels is selected.
• Feather — softens the edges of a selection by specifying a fade width (0 to 200 pixels)
• Use all layers — searches for matching pixels across all layers in the image
• Contiguous — selects only pixels that connect to the pixel you click
• Anti-alias — produces a smooth-edged selection by partially filling in pixels along the
edge, making them semitransparent. You can use this option inside or outside the
selection marquee.
4 Click the image area that contains the pixels you want to match.
The selection marquee surrounds all matching pixels.

You can change the number of pixels you select by undoing the selection, adjusting the
Tolerance setting, and making a new selection.

To create a selection by using a Painting tool

Edit tab
1 Choose Selections  Edit Selection.

Working with selections 229

 A selection layer is added to the Layers palette.
2 Select a painting tool from the Tools toolbar.
3 Choose settings for the painting tool on the Tool Options palette and the Brush Variance
palette.
4 Paint on the image.
A ruby-colored overlay displays the brush strokes. The selection changes according to
the following:
• Painting with white adds to the selection.
• Painting with black subtracts from the selection.
• Painting with shades of gray adds to or subtracts from the selection, depending on the
level of gray.
5 Choose Selections  Edit Selection.
The selection marquee surrounds the selected area.

You can also click the Edit Selection button on the Layers palette instead of
choosing Selections  Edit Selection.

To create a selection by using the Text tool

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Text tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, choose Selection from the Create as drop-list to create a
selection shaped like the text.
3 Click where you want to start the text selection.
4 Set the text formatting controls, and type the text.
5 Click the Apply changes button .

To create a raster selection from a vector object

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pick tool , and select one or more vector objects.
2 Choose Selections  From Vector Object.
A selection marquee surrounds each vector object.

After you create a raster selection from a vector object, you can copy and paste the
selection as needed. The original vector objects remain unchanged.

230 PaintShop Pro

To select all pixels in a layer or an image
Edit tab
• Choose Selections  Select All.
A selection marquee appears around the layer on the canvas.

You can also select all pixels in a layer or an image by pressing Ctrl + A.

To select all non-masked areas

Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, select the mask layer.
2 Choose Selections  From Mask.
The selection marquee surrounds the non-masked areas.

If you saved a mask to an alpha channel, you can load it as a selection by choosing
Selections  Load/Save Selection  Load Selection From Alpha Channel.

Fine-tuning a selection with the Refine Brush

The Refine Brush feature lets you fine-tune the edges of a selection to pick up details like
hair or fur that are notoriously difficult to select. The Refine Brush window includes a brush
tool as well as sliders, for more global adjustments.

The wolf selection on the right was created with the Smart Selection Brush, then fine-
tuned with Refine Brush. Previewing the selection with the White background helps
reveal the edge details.

Working with selections 231

Start with the brush
In most cases, simply dragging across the image with the brush is the most effective way to
refine your selection, including areas with fly-away hair strands and edges that vary. Brush
modes include Refine (used in most situations), Feather, Add, and Remove.

Optional sliders for global adjustments

Although you don’t need to use the sliders in most cases, they can be used to make global
adjustments if the selection edges are fairly consistent, for example, if you are refining a
selection of an animal with short fur.
• Border Width — lets you specify the area that will be refined (along the edges of the
selection)
• Expand Border — lets you expand the border area to the inside or outside.
• Smooth — reduces variation in the edge by smoothing from the outer border edge
inward
• Feather — applies a blur effect to the border area

Previewing your selection

As you work, previewing your selection against different backgrounds is helpful. Starting with
Overlay helps you see the areas to select, Black and White lets you identify the outline and
semi-transparent areas, and Black, White, or Transparent help you see what your final
selection will look like.
In addition, you can mark or unmark the Hide/Show Results check box to view the changes
made to the original selection by the Refine Brush.
If at any point you want to undo or redo some work, you can open the History palette for
the Refine Brush and review your actions. For information about history palettes, see “To
undo and redo actions by using the History palette” on page 72.

Output
When you are finished, you can output your refined selection in a number of ways, including
selection, mask, and layer options.

What kind of images work best?

• Sharp images where the entire selection is in focus

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• Images with consistent lighting where there is good contrast between the subject you
want to select and the background

To fine-tune a selection with the Refine Brush

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose any of the selection tools and create a selection.
2 On the Tool Options palette, click the Refine Brush button.
3 In the Refine Brush window, choose Overlay from the Preview drop-list.
4 Ensure the Brush Mode is set to Refine, and adjust the Brush Size slider so that you can
easily follow the edge of the selection.
5 In the document window, drag the brush over the details that you want to include in the
selection.
6 In the Preview drop-list, choose a background that helps you evaluate the results.
7 If required, you can change the Brush Mode to soften the edge (Feather), add areas to
the selection (Add), or remove areas from the selection (Remove).
8 When you are satisfied with the selection, choose one of the following options from the
Output drop-list:
• Selection — selection displays on the image; no additional layers
• Mask — the selection displays on a transparent background; no additional layers
• New Layer — the selection displays on a new layer with a transparent background; the
original image appears on a separate layer
• New Mask Layer — a mask group is created with three layers: a layer with the selection
(transparent background), a mask layer (alpha), and the original image layer
9 Click Apply.

An example of New Mask Layer output

If your selection is fairly uniform, you can use the global sliders to refine the selection.
You can also use a combination of the sliders and the brush.
You can resize the brush interactively by pressing Alt while dragging in the image
window.

Working with selections 233

Hiding and displaying the selection marquee
The selection marquee is visible by default. When you work with a selection, it is sometimes
helpful to hide the selection marquee temporarily without disabling the selection. For
example, you may want to see the results of pasting a selection or of feathering a selection’s
edges.

To hide or display the selection marquee

Edit tab
• Choose Selections  Hide Marquee.

When you hide the selection marquee, it does not deselect or clear the selection. The
tools and commands you use while the selection marquee is hidden apply only to the
selected area.

You can also hide or display the selection marquee by pressing Ctrl + Shift + M.

Moving, clipping, and rotating selections

You can move, clip, or rotate a selection. If you want to change the selection area, you can
also move the selection marquee.
When you move a selection, you can leave the space empty or you can move a copy of the
selection and leave the original unchanged. When you move a selection, it becomes a
floating selection. When you perform a new action, PaintShop Pro automatically promotes
the floating selection to a new layer.
You can also float a selection, which creates a copy of the selection that you can move or
modify without changing the original image. A floating selection temporarily rests above the
image or layer on the Layers palette, and an icon indicates that the layer contains a floating
selection. After you edit the floating selection, you can defloat it.
You can also move a selection to a separate layer. When you do this, the original selection
contents are unchanged, and a copy of the selection becomes the new layer. You can edit
this new layer without changing the original image.
Important! This command works on 16 million–color and grayscale images only. For more
information about increasing the color depth of an image, see “Working with colors and
materials” on page 291.
After making a selection, you can move the selection anywhere on the image, or off the
canvas. If you expand the image window to show the off-canvas gray area, you can see the
selection you moved. You can also clip a selection to remove the portion that is not within
the image borders.

234 PaintShop Pro

To move the selection marquee
Edit tab
• Using the Selection tool, right-click and drag the selection marquee to a new position.

You can also move the selection marquee by right-clicking and dragging with the Move
tool .

To move a selected image area

Edit tab
• Perform a task from the following table.
To Do the following
Move the selection any distance In the Tool Options palette set Mode to
Replace, and then drag the selection with
one of the selection tools (Selection,
Freehand, or Magic Wand tool).
Move the selection 1 pixel Press an arrow key.
Move the selection 10 pixels Hold down Ctrl, and press an arrow key.
Move the selection 50 pixels Hold down Shift, and press an arrow key.
Move the selection 100 pixels Hold down Shift and Ctrl, and press an
arrow key.

To copy and move a selected image area

Edit tab
• With the Selection tool active, set the Mode control to Replace, hold down Alt, and
drag the selection.
You can also
Copy and move the selection 1 pixel Hold down Alt, and press an arrow key.
Copy and move the selection 10 pixels Hold down Alt and Ctrl, and press an arrow
key.
Copy and move the selection 50 pixels Hold down Alt and Shift, and press an
arrow key.
Copy and move the selection 100 pixels Hold down Alt, Shift, and Ctrl, and press an
arrow key.

Working with selections 235

To float a selection
Edit tab
• Choose Selections  Float.

To defloat a selection
Edit tab
• Choose Selections  Defloat.

To promote a selection to a layer

Edit tab
1 Create a selection in the image.
2 Choose Selections  Promote Selection to Layer.
The new Promoted Selection appears above the original layer.

To place a selection as a layer within another image, copy the selection, open the other
image, and choose Edit  Paste As New Layer.

To clip a selection to the canvas

Edit tab
1 Move part of the selection off the image canvas.
If necessary, expand the image window to reveal the gray area that appears outside the
image borders.
2 Choose Selections  Defloat.
The selection is defloated, which makes more edit options available.
3 Choose Selections  Clip to Canvas.
The selection area outside the image borders is removed.

To rotate a selection
Edit tab
1 Choose Image  Free Rotate.
The Free Rotate dialog box appears.
2 In the Direction group box, choose either Right or Left to specify the rotation direction.
3 In the Degrees group box, set the number of degrees to rotate.
If you want to type a value between 0.01 and 359.99, mark the Free option.
4 Unmark the All layers check box.
5 Click OK.

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 When you rotate a selection, the selection becomes a floating selection, and the
original image remains unchanged.

You can also rotate a selection interactively by using the Pick tool . Before the
rotation is applied, the selection is promoted to a layer.

Modifying selections
Selections can be modified in various ways. You can modify a selection by adding image
content to it or by subtracting image content from it. For example, in a picture of a person
carrying a large sign, you can select the sign by using the rectangular Selection tool and then
add the person to the selection by using the Freehand Selection tool.

After you create a selection, you can add to it.

You can also expand or contract a selection by a specific number of pixels.
You can add or remove a color from a selection, or from the selection border. When the color
is added or removed, the selection border changes.
You can also add pixels to a selection based on color values.
If specks or holes appear in a selection, you can remove them by defining an area in square
pixels. For example, if your image is 20 pixels wide by 20 pixels high, you can define an area
of 5 pixels multiplied by a scale factor of 100 to cover an area of 500 pixels. Because the image
covers an area of only 400 pixels (20  20 = 400), all specks and holes will be removed.
You can also modify a selection by using tools and effects.

To add to or subtract from a selection

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose a selection tool (Selection , Freehand Selection ,

Magic Wand tool, or Smart Selection Brush ).
2 Choose settings for the tool on the Tool Options palette.
3 Perform a task from the following table.

Working with selections 237

To Do the following
Add to a selection From the Mode drop-list, choose Add, and
select the image areas that you want to add
to the selection. The areas do not need to
be adjacent.
Subtract from a selection From the Mode drop-list, choose Remove,
and select the image areas that you want to
remove from the selection.

You can also add to a selection by holding down Shift while clicking the image areas
that you want to add, or subtract from a selection by holding down Ctrl while clicking
the image areas that you want to remove.

To expand a selection by a specific number of pixels

Edit tab
1 Choose Selections  Modify  Expand.
The Expand Selection dialog box appears.
2 Specify a value in the Number of pixels control by which to expand the selection.
3 Click OK.
The selection marquee expands while retaining its original shape.

To contract a selection by a specific number of pixels

Edit tab
1 Choose Selections  Modify  Contract.
The Contract Selection dialog box appears.
2 Specify a value in the Number of pixels control by which to contract the selection.
3 Click OK.
The selection marquee contracts while retaining its original shape.

To add pixels to a selection according to color values

Edit tab
1 Choose Selections  Modify  Select Similar.
2 Check the settings of the following controls on the Tool Options palette, and modify
them if necessary:
• Tolerance — specifies how closely pixels must match the colors of the initial selection.
At lower settings, the values are closer, and more pixels are excluded from the selection.

238 PaintShop Pro

 At higher settings, the values do not need to be as close, and more pixels are included
in the selection.
• Sample Merged — selects matching pixels in the merged image. If the check box is
unmarked, only pixels in the active layer are selected.
• Anti-alias — produces a smooth-edged selection by partially filling in pixels along the
edge, making them semitransparent. Mark the Inside or Outside options, depending
on whether you want the areas inside or outside the selection marquee to be anti-
aliased. To retain the original edges, unmark the Anti-alias check box.
• Contiguous — selects all pixels of a similar color in adjacent areas
• Discontiguous — selects all pixels of a similar color anywhere within the image
3 Click OK.
The selection changes to include similar pixels.

The Select Similar command produces the best results when the selection is not anti-
aliased.

To add or remove a color from a selection

Edit tab
1 Choose Selections  Modify  Select Color Range.
2 Choose one of the following options:
• Add color range
• Subtract color range
3 Click a color in the image that you want to add or remove from the selection.
4 In the Tolerance box, specify a color tolerance value (0 to 256).
Shades of the color or related colors are added or removed from the selection.
5 In the Softness box, specify the amount of softness for the referenced color.
6 Click OK.
The selection borders change to add or exclude the color you specified.

You can click the Toggle Selection button in the Select Color Range dialog box to
toggle between a preview of only the selection and a preview of the selection with the
rest of the image.
You can also choose a color to add or remove by clicking in the Reference color box
in the Select Color Range dialog box.
To remove a color from a selection, you can also choose Edit  Paste As Transparent
Selection as you paste a selection. This command removes only the color you specify
as the background color.

Working with selections 239

To remove holes and specks from a selection
Edit tab
1 Choose Selections  Modify  Remove Specks and Holes.
The Remove Specks and Holes dialog box appears.
2 Choose one of the following options:
• Remove Specks
• Remove Holes
• Remove Specks and Holes
3 In the Square area smaller than boxes, enter the number of pixels and the scale factor.
Start at low values, and increase them as necessary until the specks and holes are
removed.
4 Click OK.
The holes and specks in the selection are removed.

You can click the Toggle Selection button in the Remove Specks and Holes dialog
box to toggle between a preview of only the selection and a preview of the selection
with the rest of the image.

To modify a selection by using tools and effects

Edit tab
1 Choose Selections  Edit Selection.
A ruby overlay appears in the selected area.
2 Apply a tool or effect to the selection area.
3 When you are finished editing the selection, choose Selections  Edit Selection to
display the selection marquee.

You can also modify a selection by clicking the Edit Selection button .

Inverting and clearing selections

Sometimes, the easiest way to make a complicated selection is to select the part of the image
that you don’t want and then invert the selection. For example, in a picture of a person
against a solid-color background, you can select the background and then invert the
selection, so that the person is selected instead of the background.

240 PaintShop Pro

 By selecting a solid background (left) and inverting the selection, you can isolate a
complex, multicolored foreground (right).

You can also clear a selection, which removes the selection marquee and integrates the
selection back into the image. After clearing the selection, you can resume your editing of
the entire image.

To invert a selection
Edit tab
• Choose Selections  Invert.
The selection marquee now encloses the previously unselected image area and excludes
the previously selected image area.

To clear a selection
Edit tab
• Choose Selections  Select None.

If you deselect a floating selection, the selection is defloated and placed in the
underlying layer if the layer is a raster layer. If the underlying layer is a vector layer or
an Art Media layer, a new raster layer is created, and the selection is defloated to it.

You can also clear a selection by right-clicking in the image outside the selection
marquee or by pressing Ctrl + D.

Using feathering with selections

Feathering softens the area between a selection and the rest of the image by gradually
increasing the transparency of the pixels along the edge of the selection. You can specify the
width of the feathered area.

Working with selections 241

When you copy or move a selection, feathering helps blend the selection into the
surrounding area so that the image appears more natural. The higher the feathering value
is, the softer the edges are. A feathering value of 0 creates a selection with distinct edges.

An unfeathered selection (left) and a feathered selection (right)

You can apply feathering as you make a selection, or you can apply it after the selection is
created. The level of feathering and its position around the selection marquee can be
adjusted after the selection is created. For more information about creating selections, see
“Creating selections” on page 223.

To change the amount of feathering in a selection

Edit tab
1 Choose Selections  Modify  Feather.
2 Type a pixel value in the Feather amount control.
The feathering is applied both inside and outside the selection.
3 Click OK.

To adjust the position of feathering

Edit tab
1 Choose Selections  Modify  Inside/Outside Feather.
2 Mark one of the following options to set the position of the feathering:
• Inside
• Outside
• Both
3 Type a value in the Feather amount control to set the feathering width (in pixels).
4 Click OK.

242 PaintShop Pro

 You can click the Toggle Selection button in the Inside/Outside Feather dialog box
to toggle between a preview of only the selection and a preview of the selection and
the rest of the image.

To unfeather a selection
Edit tab
1 Choose Selections  Modify  Unfeather.
2 Type a value in the Threshold control to specify the amount of feathering you want to
remove.
3 Click OK.

Using anti-aliasing with selections

Anti-aliasing produces a smooth-edged selection by partially filling in pixels along the edge,
making them semitransparent. You can apply anti-aliasing to selections as you create them.
For more information about creating selections, see “Creating selections” on page 223.
After a selection is created, you can apply anti-aliasing based on the selection’s shape. You
can also restore the original anti-aliasing of an object that was pasted into an image.
Restoring anti-aliasing is useful if you made the selection without anti-aliasing and you want
to smooth the edges of the selection.

To apply anti-aliasing based on shape

Edit tab
1 Choose Selections  Modify  Shape Based Anti-alias.
The Shape Based Anti-alias dialog box appears.
2 Mark one of the following options:
• Inside — applies anti-aliasing to the inside of the selection marquee
• Outside — applies anti-aliasing to outside of the selection marquee
3 Click OK.
The selection edges are anti-aliased.

To recover anti-aliasing
Edit tab
1 Choose Selections  Modify  Recover Anti-alias.
The Recover Anti-alias dialog box appears, with the anti-aliased selection displayed in
the After preview area.
2 Mark one of the following options:

Working with selections 243

 • Inside — applies anti-aliasing inside the selection marquee
• Outside — applies anti-aliasing outside the selection marquee
3 Click OK.

To apply anti-aliasing to all layers in the selection, mark the Use all layers check box.
To apply anti-aliasing and copy the result to a new layer, mark the Result on new layer
check box.

Modifying the edges of selections

You can modify the edges of a selection by smoothing its boundary or by adding a border.

To smooth the boundary of a selection

Edit tab
1 Choose Selections  Modify  Smooth.
The Smooth Selection dialog box appears.
2 Mark or unmark the following options:
• Anti-alias — smooths the edges of the selection
• Preserve Corners — preserves the shape of the corners. Unmark this check box if you
want to smooth the corners.
3 Specify values for one or both of the following controls:
• Smoothing amount — specifies the amount of smoothing to apply around the
selection
• Corner scale — specifies the amount of smoothing to apply around the corners of the
selection. This control is not available when the Preserve Corners check box is not
marked.
4 Click OK.

You can click the Toggle Selection button in the Smooth Selection dialog box to
toggle between a preview of the selection and a preview of the selection and the rest
of the image.

To add a border to a selection

Edit tab
1 Choose Selections  Modify  Select Selection Borders.
The Select Selection Borders dialog box appears.
2 Mark one of the following options to set the position of the feathering:
• Inside

244 PaintShop Pro

 • Outside
• Both
3 Type a value in the Border width box.
If you want to smooth the edges of the selection border, mark the Anti-alias check box.
4 Click OK.

Creating custom patterns from selections

You can convert a selection into a seamless custom pattern, which you can use for painting,
adding text, or creating Web page backgrounds.

To create a custom pattern

Edit tab
1 Make a selection.
2 Choose Effects  Image Effects  Seamless Tiling.
The Seamless Tiling dialog box appears.
3 Choose an option from the Tiling Method group box.
4 Choose an option from the Direction group box.
If you choose Bidirectional, you need to choose a setting from the Corner Style group
box.
5 Modify any of the settings in the Settings group box.
6 Click OK.

Saving and loading selections

You can save complicated selections that you may want to reuse. You can also save selections
as files or as alpha channels.
When you save a selection, it is saved as a separate file with a .PspSelection filename
extension. When you load a selection into an image, PaintShop Pro creates a selection based
on luminance, non-black pixels, or opacity.
Alpha channels in images are data storage areas that hold selections and masks. When you
save a selection as an alpha channel, the selection is stored as part of the image on which it
was originally created, rather than as a separate file. Selections and masks stored in alpha
channels have no effect on the look of an image.
When you save the image in a file format other than the PspImage file format, its alpha
channels are not saved. Therefore, it is best to keep a master copy of your image in PspImage
format.
When you save a selection to an alpha channel within a PspImage image, you can load that
selection from the alpha channel into the same image or into any other image.

Working with selections 245

If you saved selections to alpha channels that you no longer need, you can delete them. Only
alpha channels from the current image can be deleted.

To save a selection to a file

Edit tab
1 Choose Selections  Load/Save Selection  Save Selection to Disk to open the Save
Selection to Disk dialog box.
The Selection Files group box displays selection files in ...Documents\Corel PaintShop
Pro\2022\Selections. To change the default folder, or to add another folder, click the File
Locations button in the Selection Files drop-list.
2 In the File name box, type a name for the selection.
3 Click Save.

To load a selection file from disk

Edit tab
1 Choose Selections  Load/Save Selections  Load Selection From Disk.
The Load Selection from Disk dialog box appears.
The Selection group box shows selection files in all folders. To change the default folder
for locating selections, click the File Locations button in the Selection drop-list.
2 Choose a selection from the Selection drop-list.
3 In the Operation group box, choose one of the following options:
• Replace selection
• Add to current selection
• Subtract from current selection
4 In the Create Selection From group box, choose one of the following options:
• Source luminance
• Any non-zero value
• Source opacity
5 Click Load.

To save a selection to an alpha channel

Edit tab
1 Choose Selections  Load/Save Selections  Save Selection to Alpha Channel.
The Save Selection to Alpha Channel dialog box appears.
2 Choose an image from the Add to document drop-list in the Alpha Channels group
box.

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 Any existing alpha channels in the image are shown in the preview box below the drop-
list.
3 Click Save.
The selection is saved to the alpha channel.
You can also
Save a selection to the alpha channel of Select the image name in the Add to
another image document drop-list, and click Save.
Note: The second image must be open in
PaintShop Pro for it to appear in the Add to
document drop-list.
Change the default name for the new alpha Type a new name in the Name box.
channel
Move the selection to the upper-left corner Mark the Move to upper left of canvas
of the image canvas check box.
Note: This option is useful when a selection
does not appear on the canvas because it is
larger than the image.

To load a selection from an alpha channel

Edit tab
1 Choose Selections  Load/Save Selection  Load Selection From Alpha Channel.
The Load Selection from Alpha Channel dialog box appears.
If you want to show the area around the selection as either transparent or black, click the
Toggle transparency checkerboard button in the Preview group box.
2 From the Load From Document drop-list, choose the filename of the image that
contains the alpha channel you want to load.
Note: The image must be open in PaintShop Pro for it to appear in the Load From
Document drop-list.
3 In the Operation group box, choose one of the following options:
• Replace selection
• Add to current selection
• Subtract from current selection
A message in the Operations group box indicates how the alpha channel intersects the
canvas of the current image.
Note: If the alpha channel does not intersect the image canvas or intersects it only
partially, you can move the selection onto the image canvas by marking the Move to
upper left check box.
4 In the Options group box, choose one or more of the following options:

Working with selections 247

 • Move to upper left
• Clip to canvas
• Invert selection
5 Click Load.
You can also
Clip the selection wherever it extends In the Options group box, mark the Clip to
beyond the image canvas canvas check box.
Select everything outside the original In the Options group box, mark the Invert
selection image check box.

To delete an alpha channel

Edit tab
1 Choose Image  Delete Alpha Channel.
The Delete Alpha Channel dialog box appears.
2 Choose the alpha channel you want to delete from the drop-list in the Alpha Channels
group box.
If you want to delete all alpha channels, mark the Delete all alpha channels check box.
3 Click Delete.

248 PaintShop Pro

 Working with layers

When you work with layers in PaintShop Pro, you can add elements to your images, create
artistic effects and illustrations, and edit your images more easily. You can add or delete
layers, rearrange the order in which they are stacked, and blend their pixels in various ways.
Unless you merge the layers, you can edit each one independently of the others.
This section presents the following topics:

• Understanding layers
• Using layers with photos
• Using layers with illustrations
• Using the Layers palette
• Creating layers
• Promoting the background layer
• Deleting layers and clearing layer contents
• Duplicating and copying layers
• Renaming layers
• Viewing layers
• Finding layers
• Organizing layers by color
• Changing the order of layers in an image
• Moving layers on the canvas
• Grouping layers
• Linking layers
• Blending layers
• Setting layer opacity
• Protecting transparent areas of raster layers
• Merging layers
• Using adjustment layers
• Using layer styles

Working with layers 249

Understanding layers
When you create or import an image in PaintShop Pro, the image has a single layer.
Depending on the type of image you create or import, the single layer is labeled as
Background, Raster, Vector, or Art Media. When you open a photo, scan, or screen capture,
the single layer is labeled as Background on the Layers palette.
For most simple corrections and retouching, you do not have to add layers to an image.
However, it is a good practice to duplicate the single layer before making image corrections,
so that you preserve the original image on its own layer. If you intend to do more complex
work, such as creating a collage with text and other elements or creating a photo
composition with layers of effects — the use of layers is highly recommended.

Layers are like separate sheets that you combine to create a final composition.

Each layer you add begins as a transparent sheet over the background. As you add
brushstrokes, vector objects, or text, you cover up parts of the Background layer. Transparent
areas let you see the underlying layers. You can stack multiple layers to create artistic
compositions, photo collages, or complex illustrations.
There are ten types of layers: Background, Raster, Vector, Art Media, Mask, Adjustment,
Group, Frame, Selection, and Floating Selection. For more information about Frame layers,
see “Placing images in shapes with the Frame Tool” on page 190. For information about
selections, see “Working with selections” on page 223.
Only grayscale and 16 million–color images can have multiple raster-based layers (Vector
layers are the only non raster-based layers). When you add a new raster-based layer to an
image of another color depth, such as a 256-color indexed image, PaintShop Pro
automatically converts the layered image to 16 million colors.
PaintShop Pro supports up to 500 layers. The actual number of layers allowed in an image
may be limited by the available memory in your computer.
You can create layer groups or promote selections to layers. For information about
promoting selections to layers, see “Moving, clipping, and rotating selections” on page 234.

250 PaintShop Pro

Background layers
The background layer is the bottom layer of an image. When you import JPEG, GIF, or
PNG images into PaintShop Pro, they have only this single layer, which is named
“Background” on the Layers palette.
The background layer contains raster data and is promoted to a raster layer when you
change its properties, such as its blend mode or opacity. You cannot change its stacking
order unless you promote it to a raster layer.
To position a background layer higher in the layer stack, you can promote it to a regular
raster layer. For information about promoting the background layer, see “Promoting the
background layer” on page 259.
If you create a new image with a transparent background, it does not have a background
layer, and its bottom layer is a raster layer named “Raster 1.” You can move this layer
anywhere within the stacking order. You can also change its opacity and blend mode.
PaintShop Pro supports transparency on layers other than the background. To create an
image without transparent areas, you can choose a solid-colored background. The image
contains a background layer as the bottom layer.
To create a new image with transparent areas, choose a transparent background. The image
contains a raster layer as the bottom layer. For more information, see “Starting from a blank
canvas” on page 55.

Raster layers
Raster layers are layers with raster data only. Raster data is composed of individual
elements, called pixels, arranged in a grid. Each pixel has a specific location and color.
Photographic images are composed of raster data. If you magnify raster data, you can see
the individual pixels as squares of colors.
Raster layers let you display subtle changes in tones and colors. Some tools, options, and
commands apply only to raster layers. For example, the painting tools and the commands
that are used to add effects can be applied only on raster layers. If you try to use a raster tool
while a vector layer is selected, PaintShop Pro prompts you to convert the vector layer into
a raster layer.
For more information about raster and vector data, see “Understanding raster and vector
objects” on page 408.

Vector layers
Vector layers are layers with only vector objects (lines and shapes), vector text, or vector
groups. Vector objects and text are composed of geometric characteristics — lines, curves,
and their locations. When you edit vector objects and text, you edit these lines and curves,

Working with layers 251

rather than the individual pixels. Vector graphics and vector text maintain their clarity and
detail at any size or print resolution.
Objects or text created with vector layers can be easily edited. Images of any color depth can
include multiple vector layers. Each vector layer contains a list of all individual vector objects
on that layer. You can expand or collapse the group to view the individual objects. For more
information, see “To expand or collapse layers” on page 256. Vector objects can be moved
from their layer group to another vector group.
You cannot move a vector object to a nonvector layer; vector objects must be placed on
vector layers. If you create a vector object while a raster layer is selected, PaintShop Pro
creates a vector layer just above the selected layer.
For more information about raster and vector data, see “Understanding raster and vector
objects” on page 408.

Art Media layers

Art Media layers are automatically created when you use any of the Art Media tools.
When creating a new image, you can choose to create the image with an Art Media layer.
Art Media layers can be converted to raster layers, but not to vector layers.

Mask layers
Mask layers show or hide portions of underlying layers. A mask is an adjustment layer
that modifies opacity. You can use masks to create sophisticated effects, such as a picture
frame that fades away at the center to reveal the subject.
Mask layers cannot be bottom layers. You cannot delete other layers if deleting them would
cause a mask layer to become the bottom layer.
For more information about working with masks, see “Working with masks” on page 281.

Adjustment layers
Adjustment layers are correction layers that adjust the color or tone of underlying layers.
Each adjustment layer makes the same correction as an equivalent command on the Adjust
menu, but unlike the command, the adjustment layer does not change image pixels.
Adjustment layers cannot be the bottom layer. You cannot delete other layers if deleting
them would cause an adjustment layer to become the bottom layer. For more information,
see “Using adjustment layers” on page 273.

Using layers with photos

When you open a digital photo or a scanned image, the image appears on the background
layer. For most photographic enhancements, such as cropping, correcting colors, or

252 PaintShop Pro

retouching, you do not need to add additional layers. By adding layers as you work, however,
you can create interesting effects and make corrections more easily. The following table
provides examples.
To Do the following
Preserve the original image Make a duplicate of the background layer by choosing
before making changes Layers  Duplicate. To work on the duplicate layer, make it
the active layer by clicking it on the Layers palette.
Make color and tonal Use adjustment layers instead of changing the image
corrections directly. For more information about using adjustment
layers, see “Using adjustment layers” on page 273.
Add text or graphics Create text and graphics, such as lines and shapes, on
vector layers to make them easier to edit. For more
information about adding text, see “Working with text” on
page 389. For more information about vector graphics,
see “Drawing and editing vector objects” on page 407.
Create effects Duplicate the background layer, apply an effect to the
duplicate, and then blend the two layers by changing the
opacity or blend modes of the layers.
Create a painting Choose an Art Media tool from the Tools toolbar and
mark the Trace check box on the Tool Options palette (an
Art Media layer is created automatically). Use the Art
Media brushes to create impressionistic effects.
Combine photos to create a Open the photos that you want to combine and decide
photo collage which image to use as your base image. Copy the other
images into the base image by clicking an image,
choosing Edit  Copy, clicking the base image, and
choosing Edit  Paste As New Layer. Position each layer
with the Move tool .
Use the opacity setting and blend mode to control how
much of each layer shows through. Use a mask layer to
hide parts of a layer or to create soft edges around it.
Create a panoramic photo Take a series of photos with overlapping subject matter.
Create an image with a canvas large enough to display a
panorama, and then copy each photo onto a separate
layer. Decrease the opacity of one layer so that you can
see through it, and use the Move tool to match up the
edges of the next layer. After all layers have been
positioned, return their settings to 100 percent opacity.

Working with layers 253

Using layers with illustrations
Using layers is invaluable when you work with illustrations. The following table provides
examples.
To Do the following
Make changes easier Create individual components on separate
layers to make them easier to edit. For
example, for an illustration of a car
speeding down a highway in the
mountains, create the car, the driver, the
highway, and the mountains on separate
layers.
For more information, see “Creating layers”
on page 257.
Move multiple layers together on the image Link or group layers that need to move
canvas together. For example, link the car and the
driver in the previous example so that when
you move the car, the driver moves with it.
For more information, see “Linking layers”
on page 265.
Edit graphical elements Create vector objects on vector layers for
objects that you need to fine-tune or edit.
For more information, see “Creating layers”
on page 257.
Apply raster-only commands and effects to Create a new layer with raster copies of the
vector objects vector objects. To do this, duplicate the
vector layer, and then convert it to a raster
layer. Turn off the visibility of the vector
layer to work on the raster layer.
For more information about duplicating
layers, see “Duplicating and copying layers”
on page 260. For more information about
hiding layers, see “To show or hide all
layers” on page 262.
Experiment with changes Make a copy of a layer, and make changes
to it. Copy other layers, and make changes
to them. Turn the visibility of layers off and
on to find which layer works best for the
overall image.
Save work in progress Keep a copy of the intermediate steps of
transformations, and then turn off the
visibility of those layers. Keeping a copy lets
you retrace your steps later if you need to.

254 PaintShop Pro

Using the Layers palette
The Layers palette lists all layers in an image. The order of layers on the palette is the order
of layers in the image. The top layer is listed first, and the bottom layer is listed last. You can
change the stacking order of layers on the Layers palette, depending on the layer types.
For information about layer types, see “Understanding layers” on page 250.

Quick Search
Active layer settings

Layer type
Layer name
indicator
(customizable)

Layer
visibility
toggle

Layer thumbnail

New layer drop-list

The Layers palette
You can create layer groups to organize the Layers palette. You can also link layers or groups
so that they move together when you use the Move tool in the image.
By default, a thumbnail view of the layer’s contents appears to the left of the layer name. You
can set the size of the thumbnail or turn the thumbnail off. By default, the settings of the
active layer appear above the topmost thumbnail preview, but you can modify the
appearance of these settings. For more information about changing the appearance of the
Layers palette, see “To modify the look of the Layers palette” on page 256.
The Layers palette displays the names of layers and layer groups. You can customize the
names of layers in the palette (see examples in the illustration above). It also indicates the
types of layers (background, raster, vector, art media, mask, adjustment, group, selection, or
floating selection) and lets you toggle the layer visibility on or off. If there are too many layers
for the palette to display at one time, you can use the scroll bars on the right side to move
the list up or down.
The Layers palette toolbar, positioned along the bottom edge of the palette, includes
controls for tasks such as adding new layers, grouping and deleting layers, and provides a
quick access button for setting preferences.
At the top of the Layers palette are controls that let you change the blend mode and opacity
of layers, collapse or expand all layers, display the Quick Search, enable Edit Selection, display
Layer Effects, link layers, lock transparency, and access layer styles.

Working with layers 255

You can display or hide the Layers palette or move it anywhere on the screen. For more
information about moving, docking, and undocking the Layers palette, see “Using palettes”
on page 21.
If an image has more than one layer, you must select the layer that you want to work on.
Changes to the image affect only the selected layer (also called the active layer). You can
select only one layer at a time.
The Layers palette displays its components as a “tree” of folders and subfolders. Items with
subcomponents have a down-facing arrow in front of them when expanded, and a right-
facing arrow in front of them when contracted. You can expand a vector layer or layer group
to see the names of its subcomponents, or contract a vector layer or layer group to navigate
the Layers palette more easily.

To display or hide the Layers palette

Edit tab
• Choose View  Palettes  Layers.
This command toggles the display of the Layers palette on and off.

To select a layer
Edit tab
• On the Layers palette, click the name of a layer.

To expand or collapse layers

Edit tab
• On the Layers palette, perform a task from the following table.
To Do the following
Expand the group Click the right-facing arrow in front of
the layer or layer group name.
Collapse the group Click the down-facing arrow in front of
the layer or layer group name.
Expand all layer groups Click the Expand All Layers button .
Collapse all layer groups Click the Collapse All Layers button .

To modify the look of the Layers palette

Edit tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  General Program Preferences.
The General Program Preferences dialog box appears.

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2 On the left pane of the dialog box, choose Palettes.
3 Perform a task from the following table, and click OK.
To Do the following
Resize thumbnails In the Layers palette group box, mark the
Palette thumbnails check box, and type or
set a value in the Size control. (The default
setting is 50 pixels.)
Turn off thumbnails and display the right In the Layers palette group box, unmark
pane the Palette thumbnails check box, and
mark the Right Pane check box. (This is
how the Layers palette appeared in earlier
versions of the application.)
Resize the right pane With the right pane of the Layers palette
displayed, drag the pane flyout control
horizontally.
Display layer settings at the top of the In the Layers palette group box, unmark
palette the Right Pane check box.

You can hide the right pane by clicking when the arrow on the vertical divider points to
the right. When the arrow points to the left, clicking the control restores the right pane
to its previous view.

Creating layers
You can create a layer from the Layers palette. When you create a layer, you can specify
properties such as the layer type, opacity, or blend mode. These properties can be modified
as you work with the layer. You can create layers from selections, vector objects, or other
images.
Layers are created automatically when you use the Text tool, Art Media tools, or vector
drawing tools, such the Pen tool or the Preset Shape tool.
You can also create layers by merging existing layers. For more information, see “Merging
layers” on page 271.

To create a layer from the Layers palette

Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, click the layer above which you want create a layer.
2 From the drop-list on the toolbar of the Layers palette, choose a layer type:
• New Raster Layer
• New Vector Layer

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 • New Art Media Layer
• New Layer Group
• New Mask Layer
• New Adjustment Layer
3 Adjust the available controls for the layer properties.
4 Click OK.
The new layer is added above the active layer. It is named with the layer type and a
number, such as “Vector 1.”

For more information about renaming layers, see “Renaming layers” on page 261.
Only grayscale and 16 million–color images can have multiple raster-based layers
(Vector layers are the only non raster-based layers). When you add a new raster-based
layer to an image of another color depth, such as a 256-color indexed image,
PaintShop Pro automatically converts it to 16 million colors.

You can create a layer quickly by holding down Shift, and choosing an option from the
New Layer drop-list.

To create a raster layer from a selection

Edit tab
• Choose Selections  Promote Selection to Layer.
The new layer is named “Promoted Selection.”

When you promote a selection, some pixels surrounding the selection border may be
included, especially if the selection is anti-aliased or feathered. For information about
cleaning up a selection before you copy or promote it, see “Modifying selections” on
page 237.

You can also create a raster layer by choosing Edit  Copy and then choosing Edit 
Paste As New Layer. The name of the new layer contains “Raster” plus a number, for
example, “Raster 1.”

To create a vector layer from vector objects

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pick tool , and select one or more vector objects.
2 Choose Edit  Copy.
3 Choose Edit  Paste As New Layer.

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To create a layer from another image
Edit tab
1 In the image window, click the image you want to copy for the new layer, and choose
Edit  Copy.
2 Click the image on which you want to paste the new layer, and choose Edit  Paste As
New Layer.
The layer is pasted on the center of the canvas in the second image.

You can also drag a layer from the Layers palette and drop it onto an image.

Promoting the background layer

To have the Background layer to function like other layers, you can promote it to a regular
raster layer. Raster layers support transparency and can be moved anywhere within the
stacking order. For more information about the background layer, see “Understanding layers”
on page 250.

To promote the background layer to a regular raster layer

Edit tab
• Choose Layers  Promote Background Layer.

You can also right-click on the layer and choose Promote Background Layer.

Deleting layers and clearing layer contents

You can remove a layer from an image or clear the contents of a layer. Clearing a layer’s
contents keeps the layer within the image; raster and vector layers become transparent, and
the background layer is filled with the current background color and material.

To delete a layer
Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, select the layer or layer group you want to delete.
2 Click the Delete Layer button .
You can also
Delete a selected layer from the Layers Choose Layers  Delete.
menu
Delete a selected layer by right-clicking Right-click on the Layers palette, and
choose Delete.

Working with layers 259

You can also
Delete a selected layer by dragging Drag the layer to the Delete Layer button.

To clear the contents of a layer

Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, click the name of the layer you want to clear.
Make sure that nothing is selected outside the layer.
2 Choose Edit  Clear.

You can also clear a layer by pressing Delete.

Duplicating and copying layers

You can duplicate a layer within an image. You can use the duplicated layer as a starting point
for a new layer, or you can try out edits and effects on the duplicated layer while keeping the
original layer intact. You can also copy a layer to another image by copying and pasting or
by dragging the layer into another image.

To duplicate a layer within an image

Edit tab
• Select the layer you want to duplicate, and choose Layers  Duplicate.
The duplicated layer is added just above the selected layer.

You can also right-click the layer name and choose Duplicate.
You can also choose Edit  Copy to copy the layer and then choose Edit  Paste As
New Layer.

To copy a layer to another image

Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, select the layer you want to copy.
2 Choose Edit  Copy.
3 Open the image in which you want to paste the layer.
If the image has layers, click a layer. When the copied layer is pasted, it will appear above
the selected layer.
4 Choose Edit  Paste As New Layer.
The layer is pasted on the center of the canvas.

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To copy a layer and drag it into another image

1 Choose the Edit tab, open both images.

2 In the Layers palette, drag the layer that you want to copy from one image to the tab of
the other image, and when the other image becomes active, drop the layer in the
position you want in the Layers palette.

The Edit tab must be in Tabbed Documents mode (Window > Tabbed Documents)
to drag and drop layers between images.

Renaming layers
As you add layers to an image, you may find it convenient to rename them so that they are
easy to identify on the Layers palette.

To rename a layer
Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, click the layer you want to rename, pause a moment, and click
again.
The name appears highlighted in a box.
2 Type the new name in the box, and press Enter.

You can also rename a layer by double-clicking the layer to display the Layer Properties
dialog box and typing a new name in the Name box.

Viewing layers
You can make layers, layer groups, or vector objects visible or invisible in the image. The
invisible layers remain in the image but are hidden from view. You can also invert visible and
hidden layers.

To display or hide a layer

Edit tab
• Click the Visibility Toggle button for the layer that you want to display or hide.
— Visibility Toggle button when the layer is displayed
— Visibility Toggle button when the layer is hidden

Hiding a layer group hides all layers within that group.

To show the selected layer only, choose Layers  View  Current Only.

Working with layers 261

To show or hide all layers
Edit tab
• Perform a task from the following table.
To Do the following
View all layers Choose Layers  View  All.
Hide all layers Choose Layers  View  None.

To invert visible and hidden layers

Edit tab
• Choose Layers  View  Invert.
All previously visible items are hidden, and all hidden items become visible.

Finding layers
When you have a complex project that has many layers and layer groups, you can use Quick
Search to find a specific layer by its layer name.

To search for a layer by layer name

1 On the Layers palette, click the Show/Hide Quick Search button to display the Quick
Search box at the top of the palette.
2 Type a search word.
All layers are hidden except for the layers or sublayers that match the search word.
3 Click the X in the Quick Search box to clear the search results and display all layers.

Organizing layers by color

To organize the Layers palette visually, you can specify highlight colors for layers and layer
groups. The highlight color appears as the background of the icon to the left of the layer or
group name. It has no effect on the image itself.
In a layer group, layers that have not been assigned individual highlight colors inherit the
color of the parent layer. You can use the same highlight color for all layers in a layer group
and different colors for layers in other layer groups.

To set a highlight color for a layer icon

Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, double-click the layer to open the Layer Properties dialog box.
2 Mark the Highlight in Layers Palette check box.

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3 Click the color box next to the check box.
4 Choose a color, and click OK.
5 In the Layer Properties dialog box, click OK.
The icon appears with the highlight color.

To choose a highlight color for recently used colors, right-click the color box, and click
a color.

Changing the order of layers in an image

The order of layers within an image is critical to the appearance of the image. To rearrange
layers in the image, you can easily change the stacking order of layers in the Layers palette.
If a layer or a layer group has components, such as vector objects or grouped layers, all of
the components move with the layer or layer group when its position in the stacking order
is changed.

To move a layer or layer group

Edit tab
• On the Layers palette, select the layer or layer group, and drag it to a new position in the
stack.
A gray line shows the layer’s position as you drag.

When you drag a layer, the cursor changes to a hand. A cursor displaying a null symbol
indicates that the selected item cannot be moved to a particular position.

You can also move a layer or layer group by choosing Layers  Arrange and then
choosing an option.

Moving layers on the canvas

You can move the contents of an entire layer anywhere within the image canvas. If you move
part of a layer off the canvas, the layer is not cropped — you can move it back to the canvas
or increase the canvas size to display the hidden area. For more information, see “Resizing
the canvas” on page 209.

To move a layer on the canvas

Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, select the layer that you want to move.
2 On the Tools toolbar, click the Move tool .

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3 Drag in the image to move the layer to a new position.

You can also select and move layers with the Pick tool .

Grouping layers
You can create layer groups to group multiple layers together. Layer groups let you
• organize the Layers palette
• set layer properties, such as opacity and blend mode, for the whole group
• limit the effect of adjustment and mask layers to the layers underneath the active layer
rather than to the entire image
• move all grouped layers together in the stacking order
• move linked layers together on the image canvas
• delete all layers in the group
Layer groups can contain raster, vector, art media, mask, and adjustment layers and must
contain at least one layer. Layer groups can also contain other layer groups, called nested
groups. If you move all of the layers out of a layer group, PaintShop Pro deletes the layer
group.
For information about viewing layer groups, see “To expand or collapse layers” on page 256.

To create a layer group

Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, select the first layer you want to include in the layer group.
2 From the drop-list on the toolbar of the Layers palette, choose New Layer Group.
The layer group is created, and the selected layer becomes part of the layer group. By
default, the layer group name contains “Group” plus a number (for example, “Group 1”).
You can also
Add a layer to a layer group from the On the Layers palette, drag a layer into the
Layers palette layer group. (A black line shows the layer’s
position as you drag.)
Add a layer to a layer group from the Choose Layers  Arrange  Move Into
Layers menu Group.
Position a layer group within another layer On the Layers palette, drag a layer group
group into another layer group. (A black line
shows the layer group’s position as you
drag.)

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You can also
Move a layer to the bottom of a layer group Drag the layer to the second-to-bottom
position, and then drag the bottom layer
up one level.
Note: Dragging a layer directly to the
bottom of a layer group positions it below
the group rather than within it.
Create a layer group from the Layers menu Choose Layers  New Layer Group, set the
necessary controls in the Layer Properties
dialog box, and click OK.

To remove a layer from a group

Edit tab
• Drag the layer to a new position outside the layer group.

You can also remove a layer from a group by choosing Layers  Arrange  Move Out
of Group.

To ungroup layers
Edit tab
• Select the layer group that you want to ungroup, and choose Layers  Ungroup Layers.

Linking layers
You can link layers to have them move together on the image canvas when you move one
layer with the Move tool.
You can link grouped layers, which allows all layers within a layer group to move together on
the image canvas. You can also link individual layers from different layer groups and move
them together without moving other layers in the layer group.

Does linking affect the stacking order?

Linking does not affect the stacking order; it affects only the movements you make with the
Move tool on the image canvas. The only way to move layers together in the stacking order
is to group them. When you move a layer group in the stacking order, all layers move,
regardless of whether the group is linked or unlinked.

Working with layers 265

To link layers
Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, select the layers that you want to link, and click the Link/Unlink
button .

To unlink layers
Edit tab
• On the Layers palette, select the layer you want to unlink, and click the Link/Unlink
button .
The link icon is removed from the layer.

To link or unlink a layer group

Edit tab
• On the Layers palette, select the layer group you want to link or unlink, and click the
Link/Unlink group button .
The button appears highlighted on the toolbar when a linked group is selected; the
button is not highlighted when you select an unlinked group.

You can also link or unlink a group by double-clicking the layer group to display the
Layer Properties dialog box, marking or unmarking the Group is linked check box, and
clicking OK.

Blending layers
You can create interesting effects by changing the way the pixels on one layer blend with
pixels on underlying layers. PaintShop Pro offers a variety of blend modes. By default, the
image displays the blended pixels while the individual layers remain unchanged.
When layers are blended, each layer has a blend mode of Normal, which blends pixels based
on the opacity of the selected layer. The selected layer is blended with all underlying layers,
not just the layer directly beneath it.
You can set the blend range of a layer in addition to its blend mode. By default, the blend
mode applies to all pixels. The blend range limits the pixels that the blend mode affects.
Blend ranges set the opacity based on brightness or color channel, so that colors drop out
of the selected layer and other colors show through.

Understanding blend modes

The table below describes each of the blend modes.
Blend mode Result

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Normal Displays pixels of underlying layers based
on the opacity of pixels on the selected
layer. If the selected layer is fully opaque, no
pixels show through. As the opacity
decreases, more pixels from underlying
layers show through.
Darken Displays pixels in the selected layer that are
darker than the underlying layers. Pixels
lighter than the underlying layers disappear.
Lighten Displays pixels in the selected layer that are
lighter than the underlying layers. Pixels
darker than the underlying layers disappear.
Hue Applies the hue of the selected layer to the
underlying layers (without changing the
saturation or lightness).
Hue (Legacy) Functions similarly to the Hue blend mode.
This blend mode is retained for the sake of
compatibility with earlier versions of the
program.
Saturation Applies the saturation of the selected layer
to the underlying layers, without affecting
the hue or lightness. This blend mode is
available for 16 million–color images only.
Saturation (Legacy) Functions similarly to the Saturation blend
mode. This blend mode is retained for the
sake of compatibility with earlier versions of
the program.
Color Applies the hue and saturation of the
selected layer to the underlying layers
(without affecting the lightness). This blend
mode is available for 16 million–color
images only.
Color (Legacy) Functions similarly to the Color blend
mode. This blend mode is retained for the
sake of compatibility with earlier versions of
the application.
Luminance Applies the luminance (or lightness) of the
selected layer to the underlying layers,
without affecting the hue or saturation. This
blend mode is available for 16 million–color
images only.

Working with layers 267

Luminance (Legacy) Functions similarly to the Luminance blend
mode. This blend mode is retained for the
sake of compatibility with earlier versions of
the program.
Multiply Combines the colors of the selected layer
with the underlying layers to produce a
darker color. Multiplying any color with
black produces black; multiplying any color
with white leaves the color unchanged. This
blend mode produces the same result
regardless of the order in which the layers
are stacked on the Layers palette.
Screen Lightens the colors of underlying layers by
multiplying the inverse of the selected layer
and of the underlying layers. The result is a
color that is the same or a lightened version
of the selected layer. This blend mode
produces the same result regardless of the
order in which the layers are stacked on the
Layers palette.
Dissolve Randomly replaces the colors of some
pixels on the selected layer with those of
the underlying layers to create a speckled
effect. The opacity of the selected layer
determines the number of pixels replaced:
the lower the opacity, the greater the
number of pixels replaced.
Overlay Combines the Multiply and Screen blend
modes. If the color channel value of
underlying layers is less than half the
maximum value, the Multiply blend mode is
used. If the color channel value is greater
than or equal to half the value, the Screen
blend mode is used. The Overlay blend
mode shows patterns or colors of the
selected layer while preserving the shadows
and highlights of underlying layers.

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Hard Light Combines the Multiply and Screen blend
modes. If the color channel value of the
selected layer is less than 128, the Multiply
blend mode is used. If the color channel
value is greater than or equal to 128, the
Screen blend mode is used. You can use the
Hard Light blend mode to add highlights or
shadows.
Soft Light Combines the Burn and Dodge blend
modes. If the color channel value of the
selected layer is less than 128, the Burn
blend mode is used. If the color channel
value is greater than or equal to 128, the
Dodge blend mode is used. You can use the
Soft Light blend mode to add soft
highlights or shadows.
Difference Subtracts the color of the selected layer
from the color of the underlying layers. This
blend mode produces the same result
regardless of the order in which the layers
are stacked on the Layers palette.
Dodge Lightens the image by using the lightness
values of the colors in the selected layer to
lighten the colors of underlying layers. Light
colors produce the most lightening; black
has no effect.
Burn Darkens the image by using the lightness
values of the selected layer to reduce the
lightness of underlying layers.
Exclusion Creates an effect similar to, but softer than,
the Difference blend mode. The Exclusion
blend mode produces the same result
regardless of the order in which the layers
are stacked on the Layers palette.

To set the blend range of a layer

Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, double-click the layer to open the Layer Properties dialog box.
2 Click the Blend Ranges tab.
3 In the Blend Channel drop-list, select a channel to use when blending layers.

Working with layers 269

 Select Grey Channel to base opacity on the lightness values of layers. Select Red
Channel, Green Channel, or Blue Channel to base opacity on the respective color
values.
4 Drag the upper arrows to set the values at which the opacity is 100 percent.
For example, you can set a layer’s opacity at 100 percent between the lightness values of
43 and 126, with the opacity falling off at the lightest and darkest areas.
5 Drag the lower arrows to set the values at which the opacity is 0 percent.
6 Click OK.

Setting layer opacity

To create interesting effects, you can vary the opacity of a layer from the default of 100
percent (fully opaque) down to 0 percent (fully transparent). When a layer is partially
transparent, the underlying layers show through.
You can also change the opacity of a layer group.
The Opacity setting on the Layers palette determines the opacity of each layer. The overall
opacity of a layer and the opacity of individual pixels are independent of each other. For
example, if a pixel starts at 50 percent opacity and the layer is set to 50 percent opacity, the
pixel appears as 25 percent opaque. If the layer is in a layer group that is set to 50 percent
opacity, then the pixel appears as 12.5 percent opaque.

To set the opacity of a layer

Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, select the layer or layer group.
2 Drag the Opacity slider to the desired percentage.

You can also set layer opacity by double-clicking the layer, changing the Opacity
setting in the Layer Properties dialog box, and clicking OK.

Protecting transparent areas of raster layers

To apply tools and effects only to certain areas of a raster layer with data, you can use the
Lock Transparency feature. Transparent areas remain protected when you paint, apply
effects, paste selections, or make other modifications.
Important! The Lock Transparency feature applies to raster layers only. You cannot lock
the transparency of vector, art media, adjustment, mask, or group layers. Background layers
do not support transparency.

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To lock or unlock transparent areas of a raster layer
Edit tab

• On the Layers palette, select the layer, and click the Lock/Unlock button .
The Lock/Unlock button appears on the layer when transparency is locked. Click the
button again to unlock the transparency. The icon on the layer disappears when the layer
is unlocked.

You can also lock or unlock transparent areas by double-clicking the layer, marking or
unmarking the Lock transparency check box in the Layer Properties dialog box, and
clicking OK.

Merging layers
Merging layers in an image is also referred to as “flattening” an image. You can choose to
merge all layers or only selected layers in an image. Merging layers decreases the memory
requirements for the image. Layers are merged according to blend modes, vector data and
vector text are converted to raster data, and transparent areas of the background layer are
replaced with white.
You can also merge existing layers to create a new layer.
Many file formats, such as JPEG, GIF, and TIF, do not support multilayer images. When you
save images to these formats, PaintShop Pro merges all layers into a single background layer.
When you save to the PSD (Photoshop) format, the image maintains raster and adjustment
layers, but vector layers and art media layers are converted to raster layers.
The following table describes how layer types are merged.
Top layer Merged with Results in
Any layer Raster layer Raster layer
Vector layer Vector layer Vector layer
Art Media layer Background Background
Mask layer Mask layer Mask layer
Any layer Background Background
Important! You should always make a backup copy of the original PspImage image before
you merge layers. After you merge layers, you cannot edit the layers separately.

To merge two layers together

Edit tab
1 Make sure that one layer is located directly above the other on the Layers palette.
2 Select the top layer.

Working with layers 271

3 Choose Layers  Merge  Merge Down.

To merge all layers, choose Layers  Merge  Merge All (Flatten).

To merge selected layers

1 On the Layers palette, select the layers that you want to merge.
You can Ctrl-click to select non-consecutive layers.
2 Choose Layers  Merge  Merge Selected.

You can also merge selected layers by right-clicking one of the selected layers and
choosing Merge  Merge Selected.

To merge selected layers to a new layer

1 On the Layers palette, select the layers that you want to merge to a new layers.
You can Ctrl-click to select non-consecutive layers.
2 Choose Layers  Merge  Merge Selected To New Layer.

You can also merge selected layers to a new layer by right-clicking one of the selected
layers and choosing Merge  Merge Selected To New Layer.

To merge all visible layers

Edit tab

1 On the Layers palette, click the Visibility Toggle button for each layer that you do
not want to merge.
When the layer is hidden, the Visibility Toggle button changes to .
2 Choose Layers  Merge  Merge Visible to merge all visible layers into one raster layer.

Invisible layers are not affected. The merged layer, which maintains the transparency
information of the original layers, appears at the position of the active layer.
If the selected layer is in a group, only the visible layers in that group are merged. If the
layer group is marked as invisible (making all layers within the group invisible), then
none of the layers within the group are merged.

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To merge visible layers to a new layer

1 On the Layers palette, click the Visibility Toggle button to hide each layer that you
do not want to merge.
When the layer is hidden, the Visibility Toggle button changes to .
2 Choose Layers  Merge  Merge Visible to New Layer to create a new layer from the
visible layers.

To merge all layers in a group

Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, select the layer group, or the layer within the group, that you want
to merge.
2 Choose Layers  Merge  Merge Group to merge all layers in the group into one raster
layer.

Using adjustment layers

Adjustment layers are correction layers that adjust the color or tone of underlying layers
without modifying the image layers themselves. You can add adjustment layers to test
various color corrections or combinations of corrections. You can hide, delete, or edit
adjustment layers.
An adjustment layer affects all layers below it. If an adjustment layer is in a layer group, it
affects only the layers that are below it in the group. To apply an adjustment layer to a single
layer without affecting the underlying layers, you can create a layer group with one layer and
then add the adjustment layer above the layer in the group. Only the layer in the layer group
is affected.

To add an adjustment layer

Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, click a layer.
When the adjustment layer is added, it will appear above the selected layer.
2 From the drop-list on the palette toolbar, choose New Adjustment Layer, and select an
adjustment layer type.
In the dialog box that appears, the preview areas show the image before and after you
make changes.
To reset the values to default settings, choose Default from the Load Preset drop-list.
3 Click the Adjustment tab, and set the controls for the adjustment layer.
4 Click OK.

Working with layers 273

 You can also add an adjustment layer by choosing Layers  New Adjustment Layer.
You can also reset the values to the default by double-clicking the adjustment layer and
clicking the Reset to Default button in the Properties dialog box.

To hide or view the adjustment layer overlay

Edit tab
• Choose Layers  View Overlay.

You can also hide or display the adjustment layer overlay by clicking the Highlight
mask area button on the Layers palette.

To edit an adjustment layer

Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, double-click the name of the adjustment layer that you want to
edit.
The Layer Properties dialog box appears.
2 Click the Adjustment tab, and modify the color or tonal correction settings.
3 Click the General tab to modify the general layer properties such as layer name, blend
mode, and opacity.
4 On the Overlay tab, adjust the color and opacity of the overlay.
The default overlay is a reddish, mask-like layer with 50 percent opacity.
5 Click OK.

You can also open the Layer properties dialog box by choosing Layers  Properties.

Using layer styles

You can apply a variety of effects, either alone or in combination, by using the Layer Styles
tabbed area of the Layer Properties dialog box. With this feature, you can create visually
interesting and creative effects to a layer in real time, and you can fine-tune the effect before
applying it. The Layer Styles feature provides six effects: Reflection, Outer Glow, Bevel,
Emboss, Inner Glow, and Drop Shadow.
When you apply these effects on a separate layer and save the resulting file in a layer-capable
file format (such as the PspImage format), your original image remains unedited on its own
layer. In this sense, layer styles are similar to adjustment layers. They differ, however, in that
layer styles are applied not to the underlying canvas, but just to the boundaries of the
individual layer.

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If you resize a layer with one or more layer styles applied to it, the effects are resized
proportionally.
Layer styles can be applied only to raster and vector layers.
Some layer styles (such as Drop Shadow) are applied outside the layer’s data. Some layer
styles won’t be seen unless the layer includes areas of transparency.
You can save layer styles as a preset and you can copy and paste layer styles between
different layers in the same project. This makes it easy to apply the same drop shadow, glow,
or reflection effect across text or objects on different layers.

Why is there a “Layer” check box?

When marked, this check box lets you show the layer data with the effects applied. When
unmarked, this check box lets you turn off the layer data and just show the effects.
Unmarking the Layer check box makes the original layer data behave as if a mask were
applied to it.

Is there a reason for the check box order?

Yes. The effects need to be composited in a particular order to obtain sensible results. For
example, you would not want a Drop Shadow effect placed on top of its source object, nor
would you want an Outer Glow effect placed under a Drop Shadow effect. Thus, the
Reflection effect is placed on top, followed by the Outer Glow effect, the Bevel effect, and so
on. The Drop Shadow effect is applied last.

What happens when I edit layers with effects?

Whether you edit a vector layer by adding new text or shapes, or edit a raster layer by
painting with a brush tool, the effects previously applied to the layer are applied to any
modifications you make.

Layers Styles examples

Working with layers 275

To apply a Reflection layer style
Edit tab

1 Click a layer, and click the Layer Styles button .

2 In the Layer Properties dialog box, click the Layer Styles tab.
3 In the group box that lists the effects, mark the Reflection check box.
The After pane is updated to show the initial Reflection effect. If you want to preview the
changes on the actual image, mark the Preview on Image check box.
Note: The Reflection effect may create data that extends beyond the viewable image
canvas, so you may need to expand the canvas to see the entire effect.
4 Drag the Size slider to set the speed with which the reflection fades in comparison with
the original layer data.
5 Drag the Opacity slider to set the intensity of the reflection’s overall lightness.
6 Drag the red Reflection Distance control line to set the horizontal axis about which all
layer data is reflected.
7 Click OK.

You can save Layer Styles settings as a preset and then apply them at any time to
another layer. For more information on saving and applying presets, see “Using and
creating presets” on page 536.

To apply an Outer Glow layer style

Edit tab

1 Click a layer, and click the Layer Styles button .

2 In the Layer Properties dialog box, click the Layer Styles tab.
3 In the group box that lists the effects, mark the Outer Glow check box.
The After pane is updated to show the initial Outer Glow effect. If you want to preview
the changes on the actual image, mark the Preview on Image check box.
Note: The Outer Glow effect may create data that extends beyond the viewable image
canvas, so you may need to expand the canvas to see the entire effect.
4 Drag the Size slider to set how far the glow extends outside the layer data.
5 Drag the Opacity slider to set the lightness intensity and visibility of the glow.
6 In the rainbow color picker, click a glow color. The current color appears along the
bottom row of the color picker.
7 Click OK.

You can save Layer Styles settings as a preset and then apply them at any time to
another layer. For more information on saving and applying presets, see “Using and
creating presets” on page 536.

276 PaintShop Pro

To apply a Bevel layer style
Edit tab

1 Click a layer, and click the Layer Styles button .

2 In the Layer Properties dialog box, click the Layer Styles tab.
3 In the group box that lists the effects, mark the Bevel check box.
The After pane is updated to show the initial Bevel effect. If you want to preview the
changes on the actual image, mark the Preview on Image check box.
4 Drag the Size slider to set the distance from the outer edge of the layer data to the
extent of the bevel.
5 Drag the Opacity slider to set lightness intensity and visibility of the bevel.
6 Drag the two-dimensional lighting control to set the direction and distance of the
light applied to the effect.
7 In the rainbow color picker, click a bevel color. The current color appears along the
bottom row of the color picker.
8 Click OK.

You can save Layer Styles settings as a preset and then apply them at any time to
another layer. For more information on saving and applying presets, see “Using and
creating presets” on page 536.

To apply an Emboss layer style

Edit tab

1 Click a layer, and click the Layer Styles button .

2 In the Layer Properties dialog box, click the Layer Styles tab.
3 In the group box that lists the effects, mark the Emboss check box.
The After pane is updated to show the initial Emboss effect. If you want to preview the
changes on the actual image, mark the Preview on Image check box.
4 Drag the Size slider to set the distance from the outer edge of the layer data to the
extent of the embossing.
5 Drag the Opacity slider to set lightness intensity and visibility of the embossing.
6 Drag the two-dimensional lighting control to set the direction and distance of the
light applied to the effect.
7 Click OK.

You can save Layer Styles settings as a preset and then apply them at any time to
another layer. For more information on saving and applying presets, see “Using and
creating presets” on page 536.

Working with layers 277

To apply an Inner Glow layer style
Edit tab

1 Click a layer, and click the Layer Styles button .

2 In the Layer Properties dialog box, click the Layer Styles tab.
3 In the group box that lists the effects, mark the Inner Glow check box.
The After pane is updated to show the initial Inner Glow effect. If you want to preview the
changes on the actual image, mark the Preview on Image check box.
4 Drag the Size slider to set how far glow extends inside the layer data.
5 Drag the Opacity slider to set the lightness intensity and visibility of the glow.
6 In the rainbow color picker, click a glow color. The current color appears along the
bottom row of the color picker.
7 Click OK.

You can save Layer Styles settings as a preset and then apply them at any time to
another layer. For more information on saving and applying presets, see “Using and
creating presets” on page 536.

To apply a Drop Shadow layer style

Edit tab

1 Click a layer, and click the Layer Styles button .

2 In the Layer Properties dialog box, click the Layer Styles tab.
3 In the group box that lists the effects, mark the Drop Shadow check box.
The After pane is updated to show the initial Drop Shadow effect. If you want to preview
the changes on the actual image, mark the Preview on Image check box.
Note: The Drop Shadow effect may create data that extends beyond the viewable image
canvas (particularly on a layer the same size as the Background layer), so you may need
to expand the canvas to see the entire effect.
4 Drag the Size slider to set the distance between the layer data and the shadow.
As you increase the size, the shadow becomes more blurred.
5 Drag the Opacity slider to set lightness intensity and visibility of the shadow.
6 Drag the two-dimensional lighting control to set the direction and distance of the
light applied to the effect.
7 In the rainbow color picker, click a shadow color. The current color appears along the
bottom row of the color picker.
8 Click OK.

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 You can save Layer Styles settings as a preset and then apply them at any time to
another layer. For more information on saving and applying presets, see “Using and
creating presets” on page 536.

To adjust the layer data visibility

Edit tab

1 Click a layer that has effects applied, and click the Layer Styles button .
Note: When you modify the visibility of layer data, you are not changing the visibility of
the effects applied to the layer.
2 In the Layer Properties dialog box, click the Layer Styles tab.
3 In the group box that lists the effects, mark the Layer check box.
The After pane is updated to show the effect of marking the box. If you want to preview
the changes on the actual image, mark the Preview on Image check box.
Drag the Opacity slider to set the light intensity and visibility of the layer data.
4 To turn off layer data visibility, unmark the Layers check box.
5 Click OK.

To display or hide layer effects

Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, click a layer that has effects applied.
2 Click the Layer Effects Visibility Toggle button to display or hide the effects.
A layer effect icon displays on the layer when the effect is visible. The icon disappears
when the effect is hidden.

To copy and paste layer styles

Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, right-click the layer that has the style you want to copy and
choose Copy Layer Styles.
2 On the Layers palette, right-click the layer to which you want to apply the style and
choose Paste Layer Styles.

Working with layers 279

280 PaintShop Pro
 Working with masks

In PaintShop Pro, you can use masks to hide or show parts of a layer, fade between layers,
and create other special effects.
This section presents the following topics:

• Understanding masks
• Displaying masks
• Creating masks
• Deleting masks
• Editing masks
• Loading masks
• Saving masks

Understanding masks
Masks are grayscale raster layers that cover parts of the layers in your image, either
completely or with varying levels of opacity. You can use masks to fade between layers, or to
create special effects with precision. For example, you can mask the details around the main
subject in a photo, or you can use a mask to create a fading navigation bar for a Web page.
Mask pixels display 256 shades of gray, with each shade corresponding to levels of opacity.
White pixels show underlying layers, black pixels hide underlying layers, and gray pixels show
varying amounts of underlying layers.
Mask layers cannot be the bottom layer in the image or in a layer group. If the mask layer is
at the main level (rather than in a layer group), the mask applies to all layers below it in the
stacking order. If a mask layer is in a layer group, it applies only to layers within the group
that are lower in the stacking order.

Displaying masks
A mask overlay is displayed over protected areas to make it easy to differentiate between
masked and unmasked areas. The mask overlay is a red-tinted, transparent sheet. If you
adjust the transparency of a mask in certain areas, the degree of red displayed by the mask
overlay in those areas varies accordingly.

Working with masks 281

When you paint or modify the mask, the mask overlay shows what is painted or changed.
You can hide or show a mask layer while you edit an image.

To display or hide the mask overlay

Edit tab
• On the Layers palette, click the Highlight mask area button in the upper right corner
of the palette.
The button appears highlighted when the overlay is displayed.

You can also display or hide the mask overlay by choosing Layers  View Overlay.

To change the mask overlay color and opacity

Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, right-click the mask layer and choose Properties.
2 Click the Overlay tab.
3 Click the Overlay color area, and choose a color.
4 Drag the Opacity slider to set the level of opacity.
5 Click OK.

To display or hide a mask

Edit tab
• Click the Visibility Toggle button on the Layers palette.
— Visibility Toggle button when the mask is displayed
— Visibility Toggle button when the mask is hidden

Creating masks
You can create a mask from an image by loading the image file from disk. When you use an
image as a mask for another image, PaintShop Pro applies the mask as a grayscale image.
The source image is not altered. You can also create a mask by customizing one of the
sample masks included with PaintShop Pro.

An example of an image used as a mask

282 PaintShop Pro

You can use a selection to create a mask that shows or hides the selection. You can use this
mask as a starting point for creating artistic effects.

An example of a selection used as a mask

You can also create a mask from a channel by first splitting an image into its RGB, HSL, or
CMYK channels. PaintShop Pro creates a grayscale image for each channel. You can use one
of these channel images to create a mask for the original image or for another image.

An example of the grayscale channel used as a mask

To create a mask layer

Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, choose the layer that you want to mask.
2 Choose Layers  New Mask Layer, and choose one of the following options:
• Show All — shows all underlying pixels
• Hide All — hides all underlying pixels
You can also
Display the mask on the image On the Layers palette, click the Highlight
mask area button .
View the image as it will appear in print or Choose View  Palettes  Overview.
online (without the transparency grid or the
mask overlay)
Reorder the layers on which the mask is Drag the mask layer on the Layers palette
applied to a new position in the stacking order.

To apply the mask layer to all underlying

layers, drag it from the layer group to the
main level.

You can paint on the image to show portions of the underlying layer. For information
about editing the mask, see “Editing masks” on page 286.

Working with masks 283

 For information about stacking layers, see “Changing the order of layers in an image”
on page 263.

To create a mask from an image

Edit tab
1 Open the image that you want to use as a mask.
2 On the Layers palette, choose the layer that you want to mask.
3 Choose Layers  New Mask Layer  From Image to open the Add Mask From Image
dialog box.
4 Open the Source Window drop-list, and choose the image.
5 In the Create Mask From group box, choose one of the following options:
• Source luminance — determines the degree of masking based on the luminance value
of the pixel color. Lighter colors produce less masking; darker colors produce more
masking. Transparent areas completely mask the layer.
• Any non-zero value — applies masking without gradation. Pixels with an opacity
between 1 and 255 pixels become white; transparent pixels become black. Transparent
areas completely mask the layer.
• Source opacity — determines the degree of masking based on the opacity of the
image. Fully opaque pixels produce no masking; partially transparent pixels create more
masking; transparent pixels produce full masking.
If you want to reverse the transparency of the mask, mark the Invert mask data check
box.
6 Click OK.

The mask layer and the selected layer are added to a new layer group. The mask layer
applies to the selected layer only.
For information about editing a mask, see “Editing masks” on page 286.

To display the mask on the image, click the Highlight mask area button on the
Layers palette.
To apply the mask layer to all underlying layers, drag it from the layer group to the main
level on the Layers palette.

To create a mask from a selection

Edit tab

1 Make a selection on a layer by using the Selection tool , the Freehand Selection tool
, or the Magic Wand tool .
2 Do one of the following:
• To mask the selection, choose Layers  New Mask Layer  Hide Selection.

284 PaintShop Pro

 • To mask everything except the selection, choose Layers  New Mask Layer  Show
Selection.
You can also
Display the mask on the image On the Layers palette, click the Highlight
mask area button .
Apply the mask layer to all underlying On the Layers palette, drag the mask layer
layers from the layer group to the main level.

If you apply a mask layer to the background, the background is automatically converted
to a raster layer.
The mask layer and the selected layer are added to a new layer group. The mask layer
applies to the selected layer only.
For information about editing masks, see “Editing masks” on page 286.

To create a mask from a channel

Edit tab
1 Choose Image  Split Channel, and choose one of the following:
• Split to RGB
• Split to HSL
• Split to CMYK
2 Select the grayscale image in which you want to create the mask.
3 Choose Layers  New Mask Layer  From Image to open the Add Mask From Image
dialog box.
4 In the Source Window drop-list, choose the channel that you want to use for the mask.
5 In the Create Mask From group box, choose the Source luminance option.
If you want to reverse the transparency of the mask data, mark the Invert mask data
check box.
6 Click OK.
The mask layer and the selected layer are added to a new layer group. The mask layer
applies to the selected layer only.
You can also
Display the mask on the image On the Layers palette, click the Highlight
mask area button .
Apply the mask layer to all underlying On the Layers palette, drag the mask layer
layers from the layer group to the main level.

For information about editing the mask, see “Editing masks” on page 286.

Working with masks 285

 For information about color channels, see “Working with colors and materials” on
page 291.

Deleting masks
You can delete a mask from an image, or you can merge it with the underlying layer and then
delete the mask layer. However, if you merge the mask with the underlying layer, you can no
longer edit the mask independently from the layer.

To delete a mask
Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, right-click the mask layer, and choose Delete.
A message appears asking if you want to merge the mask with the underlying layer.
2 Choose one of the following:
• Yes — merges the layers and deletes the mask layer
• No — deletes the mask layer without affecting the underlying layer

You can also delete a mask by choosing Layers  Delete.

Editing masks
When you edit a mask, you change either its area or the degree of masking. For example,
painting over an object to mask it changes the area, whereas applying a gradient fill changes
the degree of masking.
You can invert the transparency of a mask, so that black pixels become white, white pixels
become black, and shades of gray become their mirror value, which is the maximum value
(255) minus the current value.
You can use a gradient, pattern, or texture mask to create interesting effects. A gradient mask
varies the opacity of an image from fully hidden to fully transparent by fading the image in
or out. A pattern or texture mask varies the image opacity in a repeated pattern throughout
the image.

Using a gradient mask

286 PaintShop Pro

 Using a pattern mask
You can edit the layer properties of a mask, such as the name, visibility, or opacity. For more
information, see “Working with layers” on page 249.

To invert a mask
Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, click a mask layer.
2 Choose Layers  Invert Mask/Adjustment.

To create a gradient, pattern, or texture mask

Edit tab
1 Create a new mask.
2 Click the Highlight mask area button on the Layers palette to display the mask
overlay.
3 On the Tools toolbar, click the Flood Fill tool .
If you want to fill all pixels in the mask, set the Match mode control on the Tool Options
palette to None.
4 On the Materials palette, choose a gradient, texture, or pattern.
5 Click the mask to apply the foreground material; right-click the mask to apply the
background material.

For information about creating masks, see “Creating masks” on page 282.
For information about gradients, patterns, or textures, see “Using gradients” on
page 298, “Using patterns” on page 305, or “Using textures” on page 307.

Loading masks
When you save a mask to an alpha channel within an image that is saved in PspImage format,
you can load that mask from the alpha channel into the same image or into any other image.
The Masks folder of the PaintShop Pro program folder contains sample masks that you can
load into images, such as gradients and several types of circles and squares that frame
images. Mask files have a .PspMask filename extension.

Working with masks 287

To load a mask from an alpha channel
Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, choose the layer that you want to mask.
2 Choose Layers  Load/Save Mask  Load Mask From Alpha Channel to open the Load
Mask from Alpha Channel dialog box.
3 In the Load from Document drop-list, choose the image that contains the alpha channel
that you want to load. Choose only open images with existing alpha channels.
4 In the drop-list under the document name, choose the alpha channel that contains the
mask.
5 In the Orientation group box, choose one of the following options:
• Fit to canvas
• Fit to layer
• As is
6 In the Options group box, choose one of the following options:
• Hide all mask — hides pixels surrounding a loaded mask that is smaller than the
current image canvas
• Show all mask — shows pixels surrounding a loaded mask that is smaller than the
current image canvas
If you want to invert the transparency of the mask image, mark the Invert transparency
check box.
7 Click Load.
The mask layer and the selected layer are added to a new layer group.

The mask layer applies to the selected layer only. To apply the mask layer to all
underlying layers, drag it from the layer group to the main level.

To load a mask from disk

Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, click the layer that you want to mask.
2 Choose Layers  Load/Save Masks  Load Mask From Disk to open the Load Mask
From Disk dialog box.
3 In the Mask group box, click the drop-list to choose from mask and image files.
The Preview group box displays the selected mask on the image canvas.
4 In the Orientation group box, choose one of the following options:
• Fit to canvas — adjusts the mask to fit the current image canvas (stretching or
contracting as needed)

288 PaintShop Pro

 • Fit to layer — adjusts the mask to fit the current layer data (stretching or contracting as
needed). If the layer has not been shifted beyond the edges of the canvas, this option
produces the same results as the Fit to Canvas option.
• As is — positions the mask in the upper-left corner of the current layer. This option
does not change the mask proportions. If the mask image is smaller than the current
layer, PaintShop Pro masks all pixels outside of the mask image boundaries.
5 In the Options group box, choose an option to specify whether any pixels PaintShop Pro
surrounding the loaded mask data are shown or hidden. These options affect the mask
only if the Orientation option is As Is and the loaded mask is smaller than the current
image canvas.
• Invert transparency — inverts the transparency of the mask image
• Hide all mask — makes surrounding pixels black to hide underlying pixels
• Show all mask — makes surrounding pixels white to show underlying pixels
• Use image value — makes surrounding pixels white or black, depending on whether
the Show All Mask option or the Hide All Mask option was applied to the original mask.
6 Click Load.

PaintShop Pro adds the mask layer and the selected layer to a new layer group. The
mask layer applies to the selected layer only. To apply the mask layer to all underlying
layers, drag it from the layer group to the main level.

Saving masks
PaintShop Pro saves masks as separate files in PspMask format. You can load a mask into
another image without opening the original image. After the mask is loaded, it is
automatically saved with the image in PspImage format. If you want to share a mask or use
it in another image, you can save the mask to your hard drive or to an alpha channel.
An alpha channel is a data storage area within an image. Masks and selections stored in alpha
channels have no effect on the appearance of an image. You can save a mask to an alpha
channel within the current image or within another image. For more information on saving
or loading selections in alpha channels, see “Saving and loading selections” on page 245.
Important! When you save the image to a file format other than PspImage format, the
alpha channels are not saved. To retain the alpha channels, you should always save a
master copy of your image in PspImage format.

To save a mask to disk

Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, click the mask layer.
2 Choose Layers  Load/Save Mask  Save Mask to Disk to open the Save Mask To Disk
dialog box.

Working with masks 289

 The Mask Files group box displays the filenames of the masks in the default Masks folder.
The New Mask group box displays the current mask.
3 Click Save.

By default, mask files are stored in ...Documents\Corel PaintShop Pro\2022\Masks. For

information about setting file locations, see “Setting file locations” on page 505.

To save a mask to an alpha channel

Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, click the mask layer.
2 Choose Layers  Load/Save Mask  Save Mask To Alpha Channel to open the Save
Mask to Alpha Channel dialog box.
3 In the Add To Document drop-list, choose an alpha channel.
If you want to save a mask to an alpha channel in another image, open the other image
in PaintShop Pro, and click it to make it active.
If you want to change the name of the alpha channel, type a new name in the Name
group box.
4 Click Save.

290 PaintShop Pro

 Working with colors and
materials

Whether you are applying color to an image, creating Web projects, or designing scrapbook
pages, it’s important to understand how to choose and manage colors and materials in
PaintShop Pro.
This section presents the following topics:

• Using the Materials palette

• Choosing colors in the Material Properties dialog box
• Choosing colors for paletted images
• Choosing colors from an image or the desktop
• Using gradients
• Editing gradients
• Exporting and importing gradients
• Applying a color or transparency gradient with the Gradient Fill tool
• Using patterns
• Using textures
• Working with custom color palettes and swatches

Using the Materials palette

PaintShop Pro lets you paint, draw, and fill with a variety of styles and materials.
• A style is a color, gradient, or pattern.
• A material is the style plus an optional texture.
Both styles and materials can be selected from the Materials palette.
You can display the Materials palette at any time. You can leave it open while you work, or
you can display it only when you need it.
You can also reverse the foreground and background colors or materials.

Working with colors and materials 291

 The Materials palette
1 Swatches tab
1 2 3 4 5 2 HSL Map tab
3 Sliders tab
4 Foreground and Stroke Properties
16 5 Background and Fill Properties
6
6 Foreground and Background color boxes
7 7 Swap Colors button
15
8 Transparent option
14 8
9 Texture button
9
13 10 Style — Color, Gradient, Pattern
12 10 11 Recently Used
12 Sample Color tool
11 13 Add to Palette and Remove from Palette
14 Set to Black and White
15 Current palette
16 Palette selection menu

Main components of the Materials palette

• Swatches tab — displays swatches for the currently selected palette. Swatches are
materials you can save to use again. For more information about swatches, see “Working
with custom color palettes and swatches” on page 309.
• HSL Map tab — displays a Saturation and Lightness box that you can click to adjust the
currently selected color or click to adjust a new color that you select by dragging the
slider on the Color (hue) bar.
• Sliders tab — displays sliders and value boxes that you can use to set a color in the
following color spaces: RGB, HSL, CMYK, Lab, Web safe. You can also set a shade using
Grayscale.
• Foreground and Stroke and Background and Fill Properties boxes — display the
current foreground and background materials, which consist of the style (color, gradient,
or pattern) and optional texture. You can click either box to display the Material
Properties dialog box, in which you can set material options. These boxes can be used in
the following ways:
• You can use foreground materials for brush strokes and background materials for fills.
• When you apply strokes with a brush (including the fill tools), clicking lets you paint
with the foreground material, and right-clicking lets you paint with the background
material.
• When you are using the Art Media tools, you can set the foreground color for the
pigment that you apply to the canvas.

292 PaintShop Pro

 • For text and vector shapes, you can set the foreground color for the stroke (or outline)
of the text or shape, and the background color for the fill of the text or shape. For more
information about changing the color of text and vector objects, see “To modify vector
object properties” on page 415.
• Foreground and Background Color boxes — display the current foreground and
background color and let you set colors regardless of current material
• Style button — shows which style is currently selected: color , gradient , or
pattern . To change between the most recently selected color, gradient, and pattern,
you can click the Style button and select a new style from the drop-list. Note that these
options are disabled for the Art Media tools, which use only solid colors.
• Texture button — turns the current texture on or off
• Set to Black and White button — sets the foreground to black and the background
to white. This is helpful when you use the Edit Selection command.
• Transparent button — specifies whether the foreground or background material is
transparent. You use a transparent material primarily with vector objects and text. A
transparent foreground has no outline (only the objects or letters are filled), and a
transparent background has no fill (only the objects or letters are outlined). This button is
unavailable for tools that require a foreground or background material.
• All tools check box — specifies whether the selected foreground and background
materials apply to all tools. If the check box is unmarked, the selected materials apply
only to the active tool.

Why does the Materials palette have both properties and color boxes?
You can select colors by clicking the Foreground and Background Properties boxes, so you
may wonder why the Materials palette also includes color boxes. The color boxes provide a
quick way to change colors without changing the other materials. This means that you can
select a new color even when the properties box displays a gradient or pattern.
If the properties boxes and the color boxes on the Materials palette are showing different
colors, the brush paints with the gradient, texture, or pattern shown in the properties boxes
rather than with the color in the color boxes. The colors shown in the color boxes become
active when you select Color from the Style buttons for the Foreground and Background
Properties boxes.

To display or hide the Materials palette

Edit tab
• Choose View  Palettes  Materials.

You can also close the palette by clicking the Close button in the palette’s title bar
or by pressing F2.

Working with colors and materials 293

To swap the foreground and background colors or materials
Edit tab
• From the Materials palette, click the Swap Colors button or click the Swap Materials
button .

Choosing colors in the Material Properties dialog box

When you edit images in PaintShop Pro, you often need to choose a color before painting,
drawing, or filling, making manual color corrections, or choosing a background for a new
raster image. The Color page in the Material Properties dialog box is the most versatile tool
for choosing colors, especially if you’re building a custom color palette. The color harmonies
help you choose colors that look great together.
The Color page appears when you click the Foreground/Stroke Properties box, the
Background/Fill Properties box, or one of the two smaller Color boxes. It also appears when
you click a Color box found in other dialog boxes.

Material
Color buttons
harmonies

Color Lightness bar

wheel

Color
indicator

Color HTML color

indicator code
swatches
Add to Palette
button

The Color page in the Material Properties dialog box

The appearance of the Color page depends on the color depth of the active image (16 bits/
channel, 8 bits/channel, 256 colors, 16 colors, or 2 colors). For example, for paletted colors,
the Wheel, Slider, and Color Harmonies options are not available—swatches display.
The Color page offers many ways to select colors:
• Wheel — clicking the Wheel button displays the Color (hue) wheel and the Lightness
bar.
• Slider — clicking the slider button displays a color space drop list and the corresponding
sliders and value boxes. You can select RGB, HSL, CMYK, Lab, Web safe, Grayscale.

294 PaintShop Pro

• Swatch — clicking the Swatch button displays a palette of color swatches. The Standard
Palette displays by default, but you can choose any custom palettes from the drop-list.
• Color Harmonies — clicking one of the following color harmony settings helps you
choose multiple colors that look good together: Complementary, Triad, Tetrad,
Analogic, Accented. The Mono setting is the default for a single color.

The associated color swatches appear in the lower left corner of the Color page. Click a
swatch and click Add to Palette to add one or more color swatches to a custom palette.
• HTML color code lets you enter HTML color values.
For more information about color and how it is perceived, displayed, and printed, see
“Understanding color and color models” on page 473.

To choose a color in the Material Properties dialog box

Edit tab
1 On the Materials palette, do one of the following:
• To choose a foreground color, click the Foreground and Stroke Properties box or the
Foreground Color box.
• To choose a background color, click the Background and Fill Properties box or the
Background Color box.
The Material Properties dialog box appears.
Click the Color button to display the Color page.
2 Do one of the following:
• Click Wheel, and click a color on the color wheel to select the approximate color. Drag
the color indicator from the center of the circle to the outer edge to adjust the
saturation. Darken or lighten the color by dragging the slider on the Lightness bar that
appears to the right of the color wheel.
• Click Slider, and choose a color space from the drop-list. Adjust the corresponding
sliders or type values in the boxes to set the color you want.
• Click Swatch, choose a palette from the drop-list, and click a color swatch.
• In the HTML box, enter a hex color value.
The current and previous color swatches appear in the lower right corner of the dialog
box.
3 Click OK.

Working with colors and materials 295

You can also
Choose more than one color by using color Click one of the following color harmony
harmonies. buttons: Complementary, Triad, Tetrad,
Analogic, Accented. The associated color
swatches appear in the lower left corner of
the Color page. Drag the color indicator in
the color wheel to adjust the colors. Click a
swatch and click Add to Palette to add one
or more color swatches to a custom palette.

You can also choose a color directly on the Materials palette.

To use the current colors with all tools, mark the All tools check box on the Materials
palette. If you unmark this check box, the current materials are used by the active tool
only.

Choosing colors for paletted images

Paletted images are images that have a color depth between 2 and 256 colors. With paletted
images, you must choose foreground and background colors from the Materials palette
rather than from the Color page.

To choose colors for paletted images

Edit tab
1 On the Materials palette, do one of the following:
• To choose the foreground color, click the Foreground and Stroke Color box.
• To choose the background color, click the Background and Fill Color box.
Clicking a color box opens the Color page and displays the palette.
2 In the Sort order drop-list, select the way in which the colors are sorted:
• Palette — sorts by order of colors in the palette
• Hue — sorts by color
• Luminance — sorts by lightness
3 Click a color.
4 Click OK.

To ensure that only the colors available for paletted images are displayed in the
Materials palette, the Show document palette option must be enabled. Choose File 
Preferences  General Program Preferences, click Palettes in the list, and choose the
Show Document Palette option. For more information, see “Setting Display and
Caching preferences” on page 490.

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Choosing colors from an image or the desktop
You can choose a foreground or background color from any open image, or from any color
within PaintShop Pro (such as a color on a toolbar). This feature is useful when you want to
use the color of a specific icon, or when you want to match the Windows desktop colors. You
can also choose a color from other applications or from Web pages displayed in a browser.
You can enable Sample and Fill mode to sample a color in an image and click another area
or another image to apply the color as a fill.

To choose a color from the active image with the Dropper tool
Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Dropper tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, set the options you want:
• Sample Size drop-list — specifies the pixel area for sampling
• Use all layers check box — mark this check box to sample from all image layers
3 Click a color in the image to make it the foreground color, or right-click to make it the
background color.

You can also choose a color from the image while using brush tools, such as the Paint
Brush or the Eraser tool, by holding down Ctrl and clicking in the image to choose a
foreground color or right-clicking to choose a background color.

To sample and fill with a color selected with the Dropper tool

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Dropper tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, click the Sample and Fill button .
3 In the image window, click the color you want to sample.
The tool icon changes to a fill icon automatically.
4 Click the area that you want to fill with the sampled color.
Note: The last settings for the Flood Fill tool determine how the fill spreads and
interacts with the background. For more information, see “To fill an area with a color,
gradient, or pattern” on page 203.

To choose a color from the desktop

Edit tab
1 Make sure that the color you want is displayed on the screen.
2 In the Materials dialog box, click the Sample Color button
3 Position your pointer over the area of the desktop that has the color you want. This
includes other open windows or displayed Web pages.

Working with colors and materials 297

4 Click to select the color.
The selected color appears in the active color or properties box.

When positioned over areas that can be sampled, the Sample Color dropper icon
displays.

Using gradients
Gradients are gradual blends between two or more colors. You can paint, draw, or fill with
gradients to create interesting effects or color transitions. You can use gradients to create
Web buttons with shadows and highlights, to make objects look shiny or glowing, or to add
dimension to objects. You can also use gradients to fade Web page graphics into other
content, and you can use a black-to-white gradient as a mask.

Gradient
preview
drop-list

Gradient
presets

Gradient
Editor
Add to Palette
button

The Gradient page in the Material Properties dialog box lets you choose and edit
gradients.

For information about editing, creating, and sharing gradients, see “Editing gradients” on
page 301 and “Exporting and importing gradients” on page 303.
Important! Gradients are available for grayscale and 16 million color–images only. For
more information about increasing the color depth of an image, see “Increasing the color
depth of an image” on page 463.

To apply the current gradient

Edit tab

• On the Materials palette, click the Gradient button on the Style drop-list for the
Foreground and Stroke Properties box or the Background and Fill Properties box.
The most recently chosen gradient becomes active.

298 PaintShop Pro

To choose a gradient
Edit tab
1 On the Materials palette, do one of the following:
• To choose a foreground gradient, click the Foreground and Stroke Properties box.
• To choose a background gradient, click the Background and Fill Properties box.
The Material Properties dialog box appears.
2 Click the Gradient button.
3 If necessary, choose a gradient category from the Category drop-list containing the
desired gradients.
4 Click a gradient thumbnail.
5 Choose one or more of the following options:
• Style — lets you choose a Linear , Rectangular , Sunburst , or Radial
gradient.
• Angle — specifies the angle or direction of the gradient, from 0 to 359 degrees. This
option applies to linear, rectangular, and radial gradients only.
• Repeats — sets the number of times (from 0 to 999) to repeat the gradient pattern
• Invert — inverts the colors of the gradient
• Center Point — determines the horizontal and vertical coordinates of the point from
which the gradient disperses or radiates. The distance is measured as a percentage of
the fill area’s width. You can change the center point to create fills in circles or other
shapes in which the center of the gradient is not at the center of the object. This option
applies to rectangular, sunburst, and radial gradients only.
• Focal Point — determines the horizontal and vertical coordinates of the point where
the foreground color of the gradient begins. The distance is measured as a percentage
of the fill area’s width. You can change the focal point to create fills in circles or other
shapes in which the effective light source is not at the center of the object. This option
applies to rectangular and sunburst gradients only, and is available only when the Link
check box is unmarked.
• Link center and focal points — assigns the same values to the center and focal points.
Unmark the check box to edit the focal point separately from the center point. This
option applies to rectangular and sunburst gradients only.
6 Click OK.
You can also
Save this gradient as a swatch that you can Click the Add to Palette button.
access later
Apply the current materials to all tools On the Materials palette, mark the All tools
check box. If you unmark this check box,
the current materials are applied to the
active tool only.

Working with colors and materials 299

 You can also move the center point by dragging the control needle or crosshairs shown
in the gradient preview. If you unmark the Link check box, you can move the focal point
by dragging the crosshairs on the gradient.

To save an edited gradient

Edit tab
1 On the Gradient page, click Save.
The New Gradient dialog box appears.
2 Enter a unique name for the gradient, and then click OK.

To create a gradient
Edit tab
1 On the Gradient page, click the New Gradient button .
The New Gradient dialog box appears.
2 Type a name for the new gradient, and click OK.

The gradient is created with two markers at 0% and 100% that use the custom color.

For more information about gradients, see “Using gradients” on page 298.

To rename a gradient
Edit tab

1 On the Gradient page, click the More Options button , and choose Resource
Manager.
2 In the Resource Manager dialog box, click the gradient that you want to rename.
3 Click Rename, type a name in the Rename Resource dialog box, and click OK.

To delete a gradient
Edit tab
1 On the Gradient page, click a gradient that you have created.
2 Click the Delete Gradient button .
3 When you are prompted to confirm the deletion, click Yes.

300 PaintShop Pro

Editing gradients
You can change the colors, transition points, and transparency of gradients. You can edit
default gradients or create your own gradients. You can also rename, delete, and save
gradients.
The colors, transition points, and transparency of a gradient are indicated by markers and
midpoints on the Gradient Editor:
• Markers — transparency markers appear along the top of the gradient bar. Color
markers appear below the gradient bar.
• Midpoints — indicate the positions where two colors are equally blended or the 50%
opacity position. Each pair of markers has a midpoint that can be located anywhere
between the markers.

The Gradient Editor

You can add and delete markers, as well as change the transparency, color, or position of a
marker. You can also change the position of a midpoint.
Important! When you edit and save a default gradient, you permanently change the
gradient. To maintain default gradients, save changes to a new gradient file. For more
information about saving a gradient, see “To save an edited gradient” on page 300. For
more information about restoring default settings, see “Installing and uninstalling Corel
programs” on page 3.

To change the location of a marker or a midpoint

Edit tab
• Drag the marker or midpoint to a new location on the Gradient Editor.

You can also click the marker or midpoint to select it, and then enter a value in the
Location field.

To add a marker
Edit tab
• On the Gradient Editor, click a position under the gradient bar to add a color marker or
click above the gradient bar to add a transparency marker.

The marker is created with the currently highlighted Fore, Back, or Custom color on the
gradient bar.

Working with colors and materials 301

To delete a marker
Edit tab
• On the Gradient Editor, drag a marker away from the gradient bar.

To change the color for a marker

Edit tab
1 On the Gradient Editor, click a marker below the gradient bar to select it.
The triangle at the top of the marker turns black.
2 Perform one of the following tasks, and click OK.
To Do the following
To use the foreground color Click the Fore button .
To use the background color Click the Back button .
To use the currently defined custom color Click the User button .
To choose a new custom color Click the swatch beside the User button
and select from the Color page, or right-
click to select from recently used colors.
To select a color from within the gradient Click the gradient bar.
itself

When you next apply the gradient that contains the foreground or background color,
it uses the current foreground and background colors of the image (gradient colors are
dynamic). To create a gradient that always contains the same colors (gradient colors
are static), use custom colors from the User swatch for all markers.

To change the transparency of a marker

Edit tab
1 On the Gradient Editor, click the marker above the gradient bar to select it.
2 Type or set a value in the Opacity control.
Values range from 0% (completely transparent) to 100% (opaque). At 100%, the
underlying pixels are covered completely.

To edit a gradient applied to a vector object and view changes in real-time

1 On the Tools toolbar, click the Pick Tool , and in the image window, select a vector
object that has a gradient applied.
2 On the Materials palette, click the Background and Fill Properties swatch to open the
Material Properties dialog box.

302 PaintShop Pro

3 Click the Gradient tab, and adjust any of the gradient settings. Changes appear in real-
time in the image window.

Exporting and importing gradients

After creating a new gradient, you may want to export it to use in another program. The
default gradients are stored in the GRD file format, which is commonly used in other
applications.
You can also import gradients in the GRD file format.

To export a gradient
Edit tab
1 On the Gradient page, select the gradient that you want to export.
2 Click the More Options button , and choose Export.
The Export dialog box appears.
3 Select the folder in which you want to save the gradient.
The default gradients are stored in the Gradients folder within the PaintShop Pro
program folder.
4 In the File name field, type a name for the new gradient.
5 Click Save.

To import a GRD gradient

Edit tab

1 On the Gradient page, click the More Options button , and choose Import.
The Import dialog box appears.
2 Select the folder that contains the gradient you want to import.
All GRD files are listed in the folder.
3 Select the gradient’s filename, and click Open.

Applying a color or transparency gradient with the Gradient Fill

tool
The Gradient Fill tool lets you interactively apply a gradient to the canvas, a selection, or
shape. You can adjust the colors, gradation, and transparency, as well as the direction,
directly in the image window.
By default, the Gradient Fill tool applies the last gradient selected in the Material Properties
> Gradient page, and modifies it with the current settings in the Tool Options palette.

Working with colors and materials 303

You can adjust the overall transparency of a color gradient by creating the gradient on a new
layer and adjusting the transparency of the layer. For more information, see “Setting layer
opacity” on page 270.
You can adjust the transparency of individual nodes (opacity stops).

An interactive gradient fill line appears onscreen when you use the Gradient Fill tool.

To apply a color gradient with the Gradient Fill tool

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, click the Gradient Fill tool (grouped in a flyout with the Flood
Fill tool).
2 In the image window, drag across the canvas, a selection, or an object, to set the gradient
line.
Note: By default, the last foreground gradient selected on the Gradient page of the
Material Properties dialog box is applied.
If you right-click and drag, the last gradient selected for the background swatch is
applied.
3 Do any of the following to customize the color of the gradient:
• To adjust the angle of the gradient, drag the rotation handle .
• To add a color, drag a color swatch from the Materials palette to the gradient line.
• To remove a color, drag a swatch away from the gradient line.
• To change a color, click a swatch on the gradient line (a blue swatch outline indicates
that it is selected), and from the Materials palette, drag a new color swatch to the
selected swatch, or click the Color Picker on the Tool Options palette, and choose a
color.
• To adjust the transition between colors, drag the swatches along the length of the
gradient line.
• To change the gradient type or to invert the gradient, adjust the controls on the Tool
Options palette.
Note: If you can’t see the end of the gradient line, zoom out.

304 PaintShop Pro

4 To adjust the transparency of the gradient, on the Tool Options palette, mark the
Opacity stop check box, and do any of the following:
• On the gradient line, click an opacity stop, and adjust the Opacity setting on the Tool
Options palette.
• To add an opacity stop, click the gradient line.
• To remove an opacity stop, drag the selected node away from the gradient line.
• To change the transition between opacity stops, drag the node along the length of the
gradient line.
5 To return to color swatch editing, on the Tool Options palette, mark the Color stop check
box.

If you want to adjust the overall transparency of the gradient fill, in the Layers palette,
you can create a new layer before you apply the gradient fill, and drag the Opacity
slider to the desired percentage.

Using patterns
You can paint, draw, or fill patterns to create interesting effects. PaintShop Pro includes many
patterns that you can choose from (such as bricks, stained glass, and zebra stripes). You can
also create patterns from an image or part of an image.
Patterns add creative flair to your images. You can apply patterned brush strokes, create
objects with patterned fills or edges, and create patterned text. You can use patterns to
create stationery or to create tiled images for Web pages. Patterns are especially helpful for
projects that require interesting backgrounds such as CD covers, calendars, or greeting cards.
Important! Patterns are available for grayscale and 16 million–color images only. For more
information about increasing the color depth of an image, see “Increasing the color depth
of an image” on page 463.

What is the difference between patterns and textures?

On the Materials palette you can select both a pattern and a texture as part of a material.
What is the difference between the two?
A pattern is an opaque, repeated image with specific colors and details. A pattern is a style,
just like a solid color or gradient. Patterns do not use the current foreground or background
colors. For example, if you select the Bricks pattern and apply brush strokes with the Paint
Brush tool, each brush stroke paints the brick pattern.
A texture gives the effect of having textured canvas or paper. Textures use the current style
(such as a solid color). For example, if you select the Crumpled Paper texture and if the
foreground color is yellow, each brush stroke paints yellow with the texture of crumpled
paper.

Working with colors and materials 305

Textures can be applied at the same time you apply a solid color, gradient, or pattern. This
means that you can have both a pattern and a texture selected at the same time.

To apply the current pattern

Edit tab

• On the Materials palette, click the Pattern button on the Style drop-list for the
Foreground and Stroke Properties box or the Background and Fill Properties box.
The most recently chosen pattern becomes active.

To choose a pattern
Edit tab
1 On the Materials palette, do one of the following:
• To choose a foreground pattern, click the Foreground and Stroke Properties box.
• To choose a background pattern, click the Background and Fill Properties box.
The Material Properties dialog box appears.
2 Click the Pattern button.
3 On the Pattern page, click a pattern thumbnail.
4 Adjust the following controls:
• Angle — specifies the angle (or direction) of the pattern, from 0 to 359 degrees
• Scale — specifies the scale (from 10 to 250) of the image’s actual size. At smaller values,
the image is repeated more frequently throughout the pattern. At larger values, the
image may be cropped, or may lose detail and become blurry.
5 Click OK.
You can also
Save this pattern as a swatch that you can Click the Add to Palette button.
access later
Apply the current materials to all tools On the Materials palette, mark the All tools
check box. If you unmark this check box,
the current materials are applied to the
active tool only.

You can also change the angle of the pattern by dragging the control needle on the
pattern preview on Pattern page.

To use the active image or a selection as a pattern

Edit tab
1 Open the image you want to use.

306 PaintShop Pro

2 To select a part of the image as the pattern, make a selection in the image.
The pattern appears in the Pattern thumbnails on the Pattern page of the Material
Properties dialog box.

To save an image as a pattern

Edit tab
1 Create an image in PaintShop Pro or another application.
2 Save the image file in the Patterns folder of the PaintShop Pro program folder, or in the
...Documents/Corel PaintShop Pro/2022/Patterns folder.
The pattern appears in the Pattern drop-list on the Pattern tab of the Material Properties
dialog box.

To change the default location of pattern files, click the More Options button , and
choose File Location. For more information about setting file locations, see “Setting file
locations” on page 505.

Using textures
You can paint, draw, or fill with a texture to create the effect of a textured canvas or paper.
You can use textures with the current color, gradient, or pattern for foreground and
background strokes or fills. PaintShop Pro includes many textures you can choose from, such
as clouds, cracked cement, and old paper. You can also create your own textures from an
image.
For information about the difference between patterns and textures, see “Using patterns” on
page 305.

To apply the current texture

Edit tab

• On the Materials palette, click the Texture button on the Foreground and Stroke
Properties box or the Background and Fill Properties box.
The most recently chosen texture becomes active.

To choose a texture
Edit tab
1 On the Materials palette, do one of the following:
• To choose a foreground texture, click the Foreground and Stroke Properties box.
• To choose a background texture, click the Background and Fill Properties box.
The Material Properties dialog box appears.

Working with colors and materials 307

2 Click the Texture button.
3 On the Texture page, mark the Add Texture check box.
4 Click a texture thumbnail.
5 Adjust the following controls for the texture:
• Angle — specifies the angle (or direction) of the texture, from 0 to 359 degrees
• Scale — specifies the scale (from 10 to 250) of the image’s actual size. At smaller values,
the image is repeated more frequently throughout the texture. At larger values, the
image may be cropped or may lose detail and become blurry.
As you adjust these controls, the Current preview box displays the resulting material (the
style plus the texture).
6 Click OK.
You can also
Change the style of the material Click the Color, Gradient, or Pattern button
and adjust the controls.
Apply the current materials to all tools On the Materials palette, mark the All tools
check box. If you unmark this check box,
the current materials are applied to the
active tool only.

You can apply strokes or fills multiple times to gradually darken and fill in the texture.
You can also change the angle of the texture by dragging the control needle in the
texture preview on the Pattern page.

To save an image as a texture

Edit tab
1 Create an image in PaintShop Pro or another application.
2 Save the image as a BMP file in the Textures folder of the PaintShop Pro program folder
or in the ...Documents/Corel PaintShop Pro/2022/Textures folder.
The texture appears in the Texture thumbnails on the Texture page of the Material
Properties dialog box.

The texture thumbnails include all the available files in the Textures folder of the
PaintShop Pro program folder.

To change the default location of texture files, click the More Options button , and
choose File Location. For more information about setting file locations, see “Setting file
locations” on page 505.

308 PaintShop Pro

Working with custom color palettes and swatches
When you save swatches, you save them to a custom palette. You can create multiple
palettes. For example, you can save all the colors and materials for a particular project on a
custom palette. You can delete palettes that you no longer need.
You can also load a custom color palette created in PaintShop Pro. For example, a business
can share corporate color by using a palette with custom swatches, artists drawing the same
cartoon characters can share palettes, or graphic designers can take inspiration from one of
the pre-loaded palettes.

Swatches
Swatches are styles or materials created from colors, gradients, patterns, or textures that you
can save to use again. Swatches offer a way to save your favorite colors, styles, and materials
so that you can access them quickly when you are working on projects.
You can select, create, edit, delete, and rename swatches. You can also change the way
swatches are displayed.
Palettes are saved as folders, with the collection of swatch files (.pspscript) within the folder.
By default, they are saved in the following location: [C]:\Users\[user name]\Documents\Corel
PaintShop Pro\2022\Swatches\...

To choose a color palette

1 On the Materials palette, click the Swatches tab .

2 Click the Palette selection menu and choose a palette from the drop-list.

The swatches for the selected palette display on the Materials palette.

To create a palette

1 On the Materials palette, click the Swatches tab .

2 Click the More Options button , and choose New Palette.

Working with colors and materials 309

3 Type a name for your palette and click OK.
The palette is added to the drop-list above the swatches. You can now add swatches to
the palette. By default, the palette is saved in [C]:\Users\[user name]\Documents\Corel
PaintShop Pro\2022\Swatches\...

To delete a palette

1 On the Materials palette, click the Swatches tab .

2 From the palette drop-list, choose the palette you want to delete.
3 Click the More Options button , and choose Delete Palette.

To import a palette of swatches

Edit tab
1 Do one of the following:
• Copy the palette folder (contains the .pspscript files for each swatch in the palette) to
the default user location: [C]:\Users\[user name]\Documents\Corel PaintShop
Pro\2022\Swatches
• Copy the palette folder ((contains the .pspscript files for each swatch in the palette) to
the location of your choice and choose File > Preferences > File Locations, click
Swatches in the File types list, and click Add to navigate to the location where you
stored the palette folder.

To create a swatch
Edit tab

1 On the Materials palette, click the Swatches tab .

2 Click the Add to Palette button .
3 In the Add to Palette dialog box, choose a palette and click OK, or click New to create a
palette.
4 In the New Swatch dialog box, type a name for your swatch.
This name appears as a tooltip when you hold the pointer over the swatch on the
Materials palette.
5 Click OK.
The swatch appears on the Materials palette.

You can also click the More Options button on the Materials palette, and choose
New Swatch.

310 PaintShop Pro

To select a swatch
Edit tab

1 On the Materials palette, click the Swatches tab .

2 Do one of the following:
• To select a swatch as the foreground material, click the swatch.
• To select a swatch as the background material, right-click the swatch.

To edit a swatch
Edit tab

1 On the Materials palette, click the Swatches tab .

2 Double-click the swatch you want to edit.
The Material Properties dialog box appears.
3 Edit the style (color, gradient, or pattern) or the texture for the material.
4 Click OK.

You can also click the swatch, click the More Options button , and then choose Edit
Swatch.

To delete a swatch from a palette

Edit tab

1 On the Materials palette, click the Swatches tab .

2 Click the swatch you want to delete.
3 Click the Remove from Palette button .

You can also click the More Options button , and choose Delete Swatch.

To rename a swatch
Edit tab

1 On the Materials palette, click the Swatches tab .

2 Click the swatch you want to rename.
3 Click the More Options button , and choose Rename Swatch.

To change how swatches are displayed

Edit tab

• On the Materials palette, click the Swatches tab , and perform a task from the

Working with colors and materials 311

 following table.

To Do the following
Select which swatch types are displayed Click the More Options button , choose
View, and then choose the swatch type to
display.
Change how swatches are sorted Click the More Options button , choose
Sort By, and then choose Style or Name.
By default, the swatches are sorted by style.
Change swatch thumbnail sizes Click the More Options button , and
choose Small Thumbnails, Medium
Thumbnails, or Large Thumbnails.
Medium thumbnails are displayed by
default.

312 PaintShop Pro

 Applying effects

PaintShop Pro has many special effects that you can apply to your images, including 3D,
artistic, illumination, reflection, and photographic effects. You can also add frames to your
images, paint with images, or warp image areas to create unique effects.
This section presents the following topics:

• Choosing effects
• Applying 3D effects
• Applying Art Media effects
• Applying Artistic effects
• Applying environment maps and bump maps
• Applying Distortion effects
• Using the Displacement Map effect
• Applying Edge effects
• Applying Geometric effects
• Applying Illumination effects
• Applying Image effects
• Applying Photo effects
• Using Retro Lab
• Applying a gradient with the Graduated Filter effect
• Creating vintage-style photos with the Time Machine
• Applying film and filter effects to photos
• Applying Reflection effects
• Applying Texture effects
• Adding picture frames to images
• Creating your own effects
• Combining images
• Using the Picture Tube tool
• Warping images
• Working with deformation maps

Applying effects 313

Choosing effects
You can choose effects by using the Effects menus, the Instant Effects palette, or the Effect
Browser.
You can customize most effects by adjusting their settings in dialog boxes. The dialog boxes
for applying effects contain several common features:
• The Before pane shows the original image, and the After pane lets you preview the
image with the current settings applied.
• The Load Preset drop-list is set by default to Last Used. Presets let you apply the same
settings to multiple images.
To save and load your own presets for effects, see “Using and creating presets” on page 536.

Show/Hide Preview on
Preview Image check
button box

Randomize
Zoom control Parameters
for preview button
panes
Reset to Default
Load Preset button
drop-list

Color box

An example of a dialog box for an effect.

Using the Instant Effects palette

You can quickly apply preset effects by using the Instant Effects palette. It is an easy way to
apply an effect when you don’t want to adjust controls. When you create a preset in any
effects dialog box, your preset automatically displays in the Instant Effects palette in the User
Defined category. In the AI Style Transfer category, you can control the effect with Strength,
Color Match, and Smooth Image controls.

314 PaintShop Pro

 Instant Effects palette

Using the Effect Browser

You can use the Effect Browser when you want to preview multiple effects before applying
them to your image. The Effect Browser displays the presets that come with PaintShop Pro
as well as any that you create.
To display the thumbnail previews that you see in the Effect Browser, PaintShop Pro applies
an effect’s default preset and any presets that you saved to the image. The preset is saved as
a script in the file format for PaintShop Pro (PspScript).

The Effect Browser displays thumbnails that let you preview and choose effects.

To choose an effect from the Effects menu

Edit tab
1 From the Effects menu, choose an effect category, and choose an effect. (For example,
choose Effects  Distortion Effects  Twirl.)
For most effects, a dialog box appears.

Applying effects 315

2 Specify the desired settings, or choose a preset from the Load Preset drop-list.
You can preview the effect in the After pane.
Note: Presets are not available for all effects.
3 Click OK.
You can also
Save settings for reuse Click the Save Preset button , type a
name in the Preset name box, and click
OK.
Reset settings to default values From the Load Preset drop-list, choose
Default.
Limit an effect to a specific area Make a selection before choosing the
effect.
For information about creating selections,
see “Creating selections” on page 223.

To choose an effect from the Instant Effects palette

1 In the Instant Effects palette, choose a category from the drop-list below the preview at
the top of the palette.
If the Instant Effects palette is not displayed, choose View  Palettes  Instant Effects.
2 Click a thumbnail to apply the effect to the preview in the palette.
3 To apply the effect to the active image or the selected images, double-click a thumbnail.
With the exception of the AI-Powered effect, effects are cumulative; each time you
double-click, the new effect is added to the previous effect.
To undo an effect, click the Undo button (Adjust and Edit tabs).

From the Manage tab, if you apply effects to an image that is in a RAW file format, a
JPEG version of the image is created.
Custom presets (saved in any effect dialog box) appear in the User Defined category in
the Instant Effects palette the next time that you launch the application.

To choose an effect from the Effect Browser

Edit tab
1 Choose Effects  Effect Browser.
The Effect Browser appears.
2 From the hierarchical list in the left pane, do one of the following:
• To preview all effects applied to the image, click the Presets folder.
• To preview an effect category, click a subfolder of the Effects folder (for example, 3D
Effects, Artistic Effects, or Photo Effects).

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 PaintShop Pro scans the selected folder and creates thumbnails of the image with each
effect applied to it.
3 Click a thumbnail image to choose an effect preset.
4 Click Apply.
You can also
Modify the selected preset Click Modify, and adjust the settings in the
dialog box for the effect.
Note: This button is unavailable for effects
that cannot be adjusted.
Resize the thumbnail preview Choose File  Preferences  General
Program Preferences, and click Display
and Caching along the left side. In the
Effect browser thumbnails group box, set
a value in the Size (Pixels) control.
Limit an effect to a specific area Make a selection before choosing the
effect.
For information about creating selections,
see “Creating selections” on page 223.

The thumbnail previews displayed in the Effect Browser for a given effect include the
default preset and any presets that you have saved. Presets are saved as script files (with
a .PspScript filename extension) and are located in the Presets folder of the main
program folder. You can change the location for storing preset files. For information
about changing where preset files for effects are stored, see “To change file locations
for resources” on page 506.

Applying 3D effects
You can create images or selections that appear to have three dimensions by using the 3D
effects. These effects are particularly useful for Web page images.

Buttonize
Edit tab

You can use the Buttonize effect to simulate square or rectangular buttons created from any
selection, layer, or flattened image. With this effect, a 3D border is applied to makes the
image or selection appear raised. You can access the Buttonize dialog box by choosing
Effects  3D Effects  Buttonize.
The Buttonize dialog box contains the following controls:
• Height — specifies the height of the button in pixels
• Width — specifies the width of the button in pixels

Applying effects 317

• Opacity — specifies the opacity of the shading applied to the edges of the button
• Transparent — produces a rounded effect by applying soft shading to the edges of the
button
• Solid — produces sharp, distinct edges by applying a solid color to the edges of the
button. To create a button with a colored edge, you can select the solid color before
choosing the Buttonize command.
• Color — lets you apply a specific color to the edges of the button. You can click the color
box to choose a color from the Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to choose a
color from the Recent Colors dialog box.

Chisel
Edit tab

The Chisel effect adds a three-dimensional border around a selection or layer to make it
appear as though it were cut out of stone. You can make the chiseled area transparent,
allowing the underlying colors to show through, or you can create the chiseled area be from
the background color. You can access the Chisel dialog box by choosing Effects  3D Effects
 Chisel.

The Chisel dialog box contains the following controls:

• Size — sets the size of the chiseled area in pixels
• Transparent — allows the underlying colors to show through
• Solid color — makes the chiseled area a solid color
• Color — lets you choose a background color for the chiseled area. You can click the color
box to access the Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent
Colors dialog box.

Cutout
Edit tab

The Cutout effect creates the illusion that part of the image has been removed, allowing you
to see through the image to a lower level.
Although a selection is not required, you can select part of the image before applying this
effect. You can access the Cutout dialog box by choosing Effects  3D Effects  Cutout.
The Cutout dialog box contains the following controls:
• Vertical — determines the vertical position of the interior and outline. Increase the
setting to move the interior toward the bottom of the image, and decrease the setting to
move the interior toward the top.

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• Horizontal — determines the horizontal position of the interior and outline. Increase the
setting to move the interior toward the right, and decrease the setting to move the
interior toward the left.
• Opacity — controls the shadow’s opacity
• Blur — sets the shadow’s blur. As you increase the blur level, the shadow widens and its
edges soften.
• Shadow color — lets you choose a shadow color. You can click the color box to choose a
color from the Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to choose a color from the
Recent Colors dialog box.
• Fill interior with color — fills the interior with the currently selected color. To choose a
different color, you can click the color box to access the Color dialog box, or right-click
the color box to access the Recent Colors dialog box. When unmarked, this check box
fills the cutout with the image.

Drop Shadow
Edit tab

The Drop Shadow effect adds a shadow behind the current selection. It is most often used
to give text a three-dimensional appearance.
To add a drop shadow to the entire image, you must first create white space around the
image. You can do this by choosing the Add Borders command or the Canvas Size command
from the Image menu. You can access the Drop Shadow dialog box by choosing Effects 
3D Effects  Drop Shadow.
The Drop Shadow dialog box contains the following controls:
• Vertical — determines the height of the shadow. You can also set the height by dragging
the crosshair end of the offset indicator line in the left side of the dialog box.
• Horizontal — determines the width of the shadow. You can also set the width by
dragging the crosshair end of the offset indicator line in the left side of the dialog box.
• Opacity — determines the shadow’s opacity. As this value decreases, the drop shadow
fades.
• Blur — determines the blur of the shadow
• Color — lets you choose the color of the drop shadow. You can click the color box to
choose a color from the Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to choose a color
from the Recent Colors dialog box.
• Shadow on new layer — places the drop shadow on a separate raster layer
You can apply an effect similar to the Drop Shadow effect by choosing the Border with drop
shadow script from the Script drop-list on the Script toolbar.

Applying effects 319

Inner Bevel
Edit tab

You can apply the Inner Bevel effect to give a 3D appearance to the inside edges of a
selection, or to an object surrounded by a transparency. This effect does not increase the size
of the object. When you use the Inner Bevel effect, you can set the options yourself, use one
of the preset effects included with the program, or start with a preset effect and then modify
its settings.
The Inner Bevel command is available when an image has a transparent background, has a
colored background that contains a selection, or has a colored background and a layer. If a
layer does not contain a selection or transparent area, the effect is applied to the edges of
the layer. You can promote a selection, paste a selection as a new layer, or use the Eraser Tool
to create a layer with transparency. You can access the Inner Bevel dialog box by choosing
Effects  3D Effects  Inner Bevel.
The Inner Bevel dialog box contains the following controls:
• Bevel — specifies the bevel shape
• Width — specifies the width in pixels
• Smoothness — controls the slope (sharpness) and thickness of the edge. As this value
increases, the edges become more rounded. As it decreases, the edges appear thinner
and steeper.
• Depth — controls the height of the edge. As this value increases, the edge becomes
more pronounced.
• Ambience — adjusts the overall brightness of the image
• Shininess — determines how reflective the surface appears. A higher value produces a
glossy image and makes the highlights more evident. A lower value makes the highlights
diminish.
• Color — determines the color of the light shining on the image. To change the light
color, you can click a color in the image, click the color box to access the Color dialog
box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent Colors dialog box.
• Angle — affects which edges appear light and shadowed. The needle points to the
direction of the light source, measured in degrees of rotation around the circle. To set the
value, you can click in the circle, drag the needle, or set or type a number in the control.
• Intensity — adjusts the brightness of the directional light. Note that the Ambience value
determines the brightness of the entire image before the Intensity value is applied.
• Elevation — shows the angle of elevation of the light source above the image. At a
setting of 90 degrees, the light source is positioned directly overhead. As you lower the
value, the light source moves closer to the image, producing longer shadows.

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Outer Bevel
Edit tab

The Outer Bevel effect gives a selection a three-dimensional look by creating the appearance
of raised edges. It expands the size of the selection by the width of the bevel.
You must first make a selection in the image before choosing the Outer Bevel command
from the Effects menu. You can access the Outer Bevel effect dialog box by clicking Effects
 3D Effects  Outer Bevel.

The Outer Bevel dialog box contains the following controls:

• Bevel — specifies the bevel shape
• Width — specifies the width of the beveled edge in pixels
• Smoothness — controls the slope (sharpness) and thickness of the edge. As this value
increases, the edges become more rounded. As it decreases, the edges appear thinner
and steeper.
• Depth — controls the height of the edge. As this value increases, the edge becomes
more pronounced.
• Ambience — adjusts the overall brightness of the image
• Shininess — determines how reflective the surface appears. A higher value produces a
glossy image and makes the highlights more evident. A lower value makes the highlights
diminish.
• Color — determines the color of the light shining on the image. To change the light
color, you can click a color in the image, click the color box to access the Color dialog
box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent Colors dialog box.
• Angle — affects which edges appear light and shadowed. The needle points to the
direction of the light source, measured in degrees of rotation around the circle. To set the
value, you can click in the circle, drag the needle, or set or type a number in the control.
• Intensity — adjusts the brightness of the directional light. Note that the Ambience value
determines the brightness of the entire image before the Intensity value is applied.
• Elevation — shows the angle of elevation of the light source above the image. At a
setting of 90 degrees, the light source is positioned directly overhead. As you lower the
value, the light source moves closer to the image, producing longer shadows.

Applying Art Media effects

You can apply Art Media effects to make an image look painted or drawn. You can simulate
the use of traditional art media, including with pencil, charcoal, and chalk.

Applying effects 321

Black Pencil
Edit tab

The Black Pencil effect is similar to the Charcoal effect, but it uses thinner strokes and
produces a more detailed image. You can access the Black Pencil dialog box by choosing
Effects  Art Media Effects  Black Pencil.

The Black Pencil dialog box contains the following controls:

• Detail — controls the number and darkness of the strokes
• Opacity — controls the strength of the effect. As the value increases, the image displays
more of the effect and less of its original appearance.

Brush Strokes
Edit tab

The Brush Strokes effect makes your image look like an oil or watercolor painting. You can
access the Brush Strokes dialog box by choosing Effects  Art Media Effects  Brush Strokes.

The Brush Stroke dialog box contains the following controls:

• Softness — determines the amount of blur in the image
• Bristles — specifies the number of bristles in the brush
• Width — controls the width of the brush
• Opacity — determines the strength of the effect
• Length — specifies the length of the brushstrokes
• Density — specifies the number of strokes in the image
• Angle — affects which edges appear light and shadowed. The needle points to the
direction of the light source, measured in degrees of rotation around the circle. To set the
value, you can click in the circle, drag the needle, or set or type a number in the control.
• Color — lets you choose a color for the light shining on the edges of the forms. You can
click the color box to access the Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to access
the Recent Colors dialog box.

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Charcoal
Edit tab

The Charcoal effect is similar to the Black Pencil effect, but the thicker strokes produce an
image containing less detail. You can access the Charcoal dialog box by choosing Effects 
Art Media Effects  Charcoal.

The Charcoal effect dialog box contains the following controls:

• Detail — controls the number and darkness of the strokes
• Opacity — controls the strength of the effect. As the Opacity value increases, the image
displays more of the effect and less of its original appearance.

Colored Chalk
Edit tab

The Colored Chalk effect uses the colors in the image to make the image appear drawn in
colored chalk. Wider strokes appear with this effect than with the Colored Pencil effect.
You can access the Colored Chalk dialog box by choosing Effects  Art Media Effects 
Colored Chalk.

The Colored Chalk dialog box contains the following controls:

• Detail — controls the number and darkness of the strokes
• Opacity — controls the strength of the effect. As the Opacity value increases, the image
displays more of the effect and less of its original appearance.
You can produce an effect similar to the Colored Chalk effect by using the Chalk tool found
on the Tools toolbar.

Colored Pencil
Edit tab

The Colored Pencil effect uses the colors in the image to make it appear drawn in colored
pencil. The effect is similar to the Colored Chalk effect, but it uses thinner strokes. You can

Applying effects 323

access the Colored Pencil dialog box by choosing Effects  Art Media Effects  Colored
Pencil.

The Colored Pencil dialog box contains the following controls:

• Detail — controls the number and darkness of the strokes
• Opacity — controls the strength of the effect. As the Opacity value increases, the image
displays more of the effect and less of its original appearance.

Pencil
Edit tab

The Pencil effect enhances and colors the edges in the image to make the image look like a
pencil drawing. You can access the Pencil dialog box by choosing Effects  Art Media Effects
 Pencil.

The Pencil dialog box contains the following controls:

• Luminance — adjusts the overall brightness of the image
• Blur — determines the softness of the image. As you increase the value, the image
becomes less sharp.
• Color — lets you choose a color for the background, or non-edge area, of the image. To
change the light color, you can click a color in the image, click the color box to access the
Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent Colors dialog box.
• Intensity — controls the contrast between the background and the edges. As you
increase the contrast, more detail appears.

Applying Artistic effects

You can apply Artistic effects to age a photograph or to create a variety of artistic results.
Balls and Bubbles, Colored Foil, and Solarize are among the effects included in this group.

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Aged Newspaper
Edit tab

The Aged Newspaper effect applies a warm brown tone and blurs the image so that it
resembles a newspaper that has yellowed with age. This effect works best with images that
contain text.
For best results, you should convert your image into grayscale and then increase the color
depth to 16 million colors before applying this effect. You can access the Aged Newspaper
dialog box by clicking Effects  Artistic Effects  Aged Newspaper.

The Aged Newspaper dialog box contains the following control:

• Amount to age — lets you select the intensity of the effect by dragging the slider or
typing a number in the box.

Balls and Bubbles

Edit tab

The Balls and Bubbles effect lets you create sophisticated multilayered spherical objects. You
can use environment maps and bump maps with this effect. For more information, see
“Applying environment maps and bump maps” on page 335.
You can access the Balls and Bubbles dialog box by choosing Effects  Artistic Effects  Balls
and Bubbles.

The Balls and Bubbles dialog box has four tabs: Shape, Surface, Maps, and Illumination.
The Shape page contains the following controls:
• Automatic multiple balls or bubbles — applies an assortment of bubbles to your
image. This option also lets you specify the coverage, average size, size variation, and
type of the bubbles.
• Coverage — determines how much of the canvas is filled with bubbles or balls
• Average size — sets a standard size for the bubbles or balls

Applying effects 325

• Size variation — determines how dissimilar in size the largest and smallest bubbles can
be. A value of 0 forces all the bubbles to be uniform. A value of 100 allows the bubbles be
as random as possible.
• Balls or Bubbles type — lets you choose nonintersecting, intersecting, or overlapping
balls and bubbles
• Randomize — randomly sets the size and placement of the bubbles
• Seed — determines the strength of the effect
• Single ball or bubble — applies a single ball or bubble instead of multiple ones
• Maximum possible size — makes a single ball or bubble the largest possible size. You
can choose another size by dragging a bounding box in the Before pane.
The Surface page contains the following controls:
• Material — lets you choose the color, gradient, and pattern for the surface material of
the balls and bubbles. You can combine each of these elements with choices from the
Textures panel of the Material Properties dialog box. Note that when you select the
Textures option, the material becomes semitransparent.
• Opacity — sets the maximum opacity for the object. The default is 15% for bubbles. A
solid object would have a setting of 100%.
• Shininess — determines how the light is absorbed or reflected from the surface. This
control interacts with the setting for the Gloss control.
• Gloss — determines how the light is absorbed or reflected from the surface. This control
interacts with the setting for the Shininess control.
The Maps page contains the following controls:
• Bump map — lets you add surface texture to your balls and bubbles by activating the
bump map controls
• Smoothness — determines the smoothness of the effect
• Depth — determines the depth of the effect. The greater the value, the more recessed
the black areas on the map appear and the more raised the white areas appear. Negative
values reverse this effect.
• Fit bump map — automatically resizes the map to wrap around the sphere. You can
unmark the check box to change the size of the map.
• Size — lets you set the size of the map when the Fit bump map check box is unmarked.
• Environment map check box — lets you add surface details to your balls and bubbles by
activating the environment map controls
• Opacity — controls the strength of the effect. As the opacity increases, the image
displays more of the effect and less of its original appearance.
• Environment map option and swatch — let you choose an image from the Environment
Maps folders or the current image
• Current Image — wraps the current image around the spherical objects

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• Diffraction map — wraps a rainbow-style light pattern around the spherical objects. To
change the pattern, adjust the Fringe spacing and Type settings.
• Type — sets randomness of the origins, direction, and paths of the bands
The Illumination page contains the following controls:
• Maximum — sets the maximum value for the overall lighting of the object
• Minimum — sets the minimum value for the overall lighting of the object
• Add and Remove buttons and Lights menu — let you add or remove individual lights.
By default, a single light with a highlight appears just above and to the left of the center.
• Position — lets you move the focus of the light by clicking on the highlight and dragging
it to a new location
• Back light — redirects the light so that it comes from behind the object. You can drag
back lights, but they are visible only around the perimeter of the sphere.
• Bubble light — scatters the illumination as though it were passing through a
semitransparent object. This option is available only when the Opacity setting is less than
100%.
• Color — lets you choose the color for each light. The default color is white.
• Highlight size — lets you control the size of each highlight

Chrome
Edit tab

The Chrome effect gives an image a metallic look. It works best with images that have distinct
areas of contrast. You can access the Chrome dialog box by choosing Effects  Artistic
Effects  Chrome.

The Chrome dialog box contains the following controls:

• Flaws — sets the number of creases, or folds. Each fold is a transition between light and
dark areas.
• Brightness — sets the brightness of the chrome
• Use original color — applies the image’s color for the chrome
• Color — makes the chrome a uniform color. You can choose a color by unmarking the
Use original color check box, and then clicking the color box to access the Color dialog
box. You can also right-click the color box to access the Recent Color dialog box. The
default color is white.

Applying effects 327

Colored Edges
Edit tab

The Colored Edges effect makes an image look retouched by enhancing and coloring its
edges. You can access the Colored Edges dialog box by choosing Effects  Artistic Effects 
Colored Edges.

The Colored Edges dialog box contains the following controls:

• Luminance — adjusts the overall brightness of the image
• Blur — determines the softness of the image. As you increase the value, the image
becomes less sharp.
• Color — lets you choose a color for the edges. To change the edge color, you can click a
color in the original image, click the color box to access the Color dialog box, or right-
click the color box to access the Recent Colors dialog box.
• Intensity — controls the intensity of the effect. As you increase the value, more edges
are colored, and more color is applied to the edges.

Colored Foil
Edit tab

The Colored Foil effect adds a sculpted look to the edges and applies several colors to an
image. You can access the Colored Foil dialog box by choosing Effects  Artistic Effects 
Colored Foil.

The Colored Foil dialog box contains the following controls:

• Blur — determines the softness of the image. As you increase the value, the image
becomes less sharp.
• Detail — controls the amount of the effect applied. As you increase the value, color is
applied to more areas of contrast.
• Color — lets you choose a color for the light shining on the image. To change the light
color, you can click a color in the original image, click the color box to access the Color
dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent Colors dialog box.

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• Angle — affects which edges appear light and shadowed. The needle points to the
direction of the light source, measured in degrees of rotation around the circle. To set the
value, you can click in the circle, drag the needle, or set or type a number in the control.

Contours
Edit tab

The Contours effect reproduces the look of a topographical map by covering the image with
contour lines. You can access the Contours dialog box by choosing Effects  Artistic Effects
 Contours.

The Contours dialog box contains the following controls:

• Luminance — adjusts the overall brightness of the image
• Blur — determines the softness of the image. As you increase the value, the image
becomes less sharp.
• Detail — controls where the color is applied. As you increase the value, the color is
applied to more areas of contrast.
• Intensity — controls the amount of color applied to each area. As you increase the
value, more color is applied.
• Color — lets you choose a color for the contour lines. To change the color, you can click
a color in the original image, click the color box to access the Color dialog box, or right-
click the color box to access the Recent Colors dialog box.

Enamel
Edit tab

The Enamel effect applies the look of a shiny, hard surface to the image. You can access the
Enamel dialog box by clicking Effects  Artistic Effects  Enamel.

The Enamel dialog box contains the following controls:

• Blur — determines the softness of the image. As you increase the value, the image
becomes less sharp.

Applying effects 329

• Detail — controls the scale of the relief. Low values produce fewer levels of relief and a
softer, less defined effect.
• Density — controls the number of areas of relief. Low values produce fewer larger areas
and a softer look. Higher values add relief to smaller areas, producing a denser effect.
• Angle — affects which edges appear light and shadowed. The needle points to the
direction of the light source, measured in degrees of rotation around the circle. To set the
value, you can click in the circle, drag the needle, or set or type a number in the control.
• Color — lets you choose a color for the light shining on the edges of the forms. To
change the light color, you can click a color in the original image, click the color box to
access the Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to open the Recent Colors dialog
box.

Glowing Edges
Edit tab

The Glowing Edges effect makes the image appear to have been created from neon tubes.
The edges in an image become brightly colored, while the remaining portions turn black. You
can access the Glowing Edges dialog box by choosing Effects  Artistic Effects  Glowing
Edges.

The Glowing Edges dialog box contains the following controls:

• Intensity — sets the brightness of the edges. As you increase the value, more edges are
displayed, and they become brighter.
• Sharpness — controls the tightness of the edges. As you increase the value, the edges
narrow and become more defined.

Halftone
Edit tab

The Halftone effect applies a series of dots to the image, rather than a continuous tone.
Halftone images can be printed easily and are therefore typically used in newspapers and
magazines. You can choose different sizes, colors, and shapes for the Halftone effect. Larger
dots produce darker, more dense areas of the image, whereas smaller dots produce lighter
areas. You can access the Halftone dialog box by choosing Effects  Artistic Effects 
Halftone.

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The Halftone dialog box contains the following controls:
• Halftone pattern — lets you choose a line, round, or square pattern
• Size — lets you choose a size for the pattern cell
• Screen angles — lets you choose the angles for the screen. In the case of a grayscale
image, you can choose only one angle. For an RGB image, you can choose an angle for
each color channel.
• Use as overlay — lets you adjust the strength of the effect and apply blending
• Blend mode — lets you choose from a wide variety of blending effects
• Opacity — controls the strength of the effect. As the opacity increases, the image
displays more of the effect and less of its original appearance.
• RGB — processes the red, green, and blue channels independently
• Greyscale — lets you choose pattern and background colors
• Ink — lets you choose the color for the pattern
• Background — lets you the choose the color of the background
• Transparent — makes the original image visible in the effect background. Unmark this
check box if you want to choose a color for the background.

Hot Wax Coating

Edit tab

The Hot Wax Coating effect makes the image appear coated in a layer of hot wax. The current
Foreground/Stroke color is used for the wax. You can apply the Hot Wax Coating effect by
choosing Effects  Artistic Effects  Hot Wax Coating.

Magnifying Lens
Edit tab

The Magnifying Lens effect lets you bring attention to a portion of your image by placing a
magnifying lens over it. You can use environment maps and bump maps with this effect. For
more information, see “Applying environment maps and bump maps” on page 335.

Applying effects 331

The Magnifying Lens dialog box has four tabs: Shape, Properties, Illumination, and Frame.
You can access the Magnifying Lens dialog box by clicking Effects  Artistic Effects 
Magnifying Lens.

The Shape page contains the following controls:

• Magnification — sets the strength of the magnification
• Refraction — controls the degree of refractive distortion
• Defocus — blurs the magnified image
• Darkness — sets the darkness of the image surrounding the magnified frame
• Spherical — uses a round magnifying lens
• Cylindrical vertical — uses a cylindrical lens to produce a magnified image that is wider
than it is long
• Cylindrical horizontal — uses a cylindrical lens to produce a magnified image that is
longer than it is wide
The Properties page contains the following controls:
• Material swatch — lets you choose the colors, gradients, and patterns for the surface
material of the magnified image. You can combine each of these elements with choices
from the Textures panel of the Material Properties dialog box. Note that when you select
the Textures option, the material becomes semitransparent.
• Opacity box in the Material panel — sets the maximum opacity for the surface material.
At higher values, you can see more of the material and less of the original image.
• Shininess — determines how the light is absorbed or reflected from the surface. This
control interacts with the setting for the Gloss control.
• Gloss — determines how the light is absorbed or reflected from the surface. This control
interacts with the setting for the Shininess control.
• Environment map check box — lets you add surface details to your magnified image by
activating the Environment map controls
• Opacity box in the Environment Map panel — sets the opacity of the environment map
that covers the magnified image. Higher values let you see more of the environment
map.
• Current image — uses the current image as an environment map
• Environment map option and swatch — let you choose an image from the Environment
Maps folders
The Illumination page contains the following controls:

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• Maximum — sets the maximum value for the overall lighting of the object
• Minimum — sets the minimum value for the overall lighting of the object
• Add and remove buttons and Lights menu — let you add or remove individual lights. By
default, a single light with a highlight appears just above and to the left of the center.
• Position — lets you move the focus of the light by clicking on the highlight and dragging
it to a new location
• Back light — redirects the light so that it comes from behind the object. You can drag
back lights, but they are visible only around the perimeter of the sphere.
• Color — lets you choose the color for each light. The default color is white.
• Highlight size — lets you control the size of each highlight
The Frame page contains the following controls:
• Circular — provides a curved frame edge
• Rounded square — provides a rounded square frame edge
• Thickness — specifies the thickness of the frame
• Material — lets you choose the material for the frame
• Color — lets you choose the color for the frame

Neon Glow
Edit tab

The Neon Glow effect gives an image a three-dimensional appearance by applying a neon
effect and heightening the contrast of the edges. You can access the Neon Glow dialog box
by choosing Effects  Artistic Effects  Neon Glow.

The Neon Glow dialog box contains the following controls:

• Detail — controls the number of colors and the brightness of colors. Increasing the
detail level increases the number of strokes and the strength of the contrast between
light and dark areas.
• Opacity — controls the strength of the effect. As the opacity increases, the image
displays more of the effect and less of its original appearance.

Posterize
Edit tab

The Posterize effect reduces the number of bits for each color channel, which decreases the
number of colors and levels of lightness in the image or selection. The result is a flatter-

Applying effects 333

looking image that has bands of color rather than smooth gradients. You can access the
Posterize dialog box by choosing Effects  Artistic Effects  Posterize.

The Posterize dialog box has the following control:

• Levels — divides the range of lightness levels (from 2 to 255) into a chosen number of
equal increments. As the number of levels decreases, the image or selection appears
flatter.

Solarize
Edit tab

The Solarize effect lets you convert all colors in an image or selection above a specific
lightness value into their inverse on the scale from 1 to 254. The threshold level is the
lightness value above which all colors are inverted. You can access the Solarize dialog box by
choosing Effects  Artistic Effects  Solarize.

The Solarize dialog box contains the following control:

• Threshold — sets the threshold level. As the level increases, increasingly lighter colors
are inverted.

Topography
Edit tab

The Topography effect gives an image a three-dimensional look so that the image appears
to have been created from a system of terraces. You can access the Topography dialog box
by choosing Effects  Artistic Effects  Topography.

The Topography dialog box contains the following controls:

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• Width — controls the size of each terrace or layer
• Density — sets the number of terraces
• Angle — affects which edges appear light and shadowed. The needle points to the
direction of the light source, measured in degrees of rotation around the circle. To set the
value, you can click in the circle, drag the needle, or set or type a number in the control.
• Color — lets you choose a color for the light shining on the sides of the terraces. To
change the light color, you can click a color in the original image, click the color box to
access the Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent Colors
dialog box.

Applying environment maps and bump maps

When using the Balls and Bubbles effect or the Magnifying Lens effect, you can apply
optional environment maps or bump maps. An environment map lets you add reflections,
surface detail, and nuances. A bump map treats the source image like a three-dimensional
surface, in which pixel luminance values determine height.

To apply an environment map

Edit tab
1 Choose Effects  Artistic Effects, and select one of the following effects:
• Balls and Bubbles
• Magnifying Lens
2 Do one of the following:
• In the Balls and Bubbles Effect dialog box, click the Maps tab.
• In the Magnifying Lens Effect dialog box, click the Properties tab.
3 Mark the Environment map check box.

To apply a bump map

Edit tab
1 Choose Effects  Artistic Effects  Balls and Bubbles.
The Balls and Bubbles Effect dialog box appears.
2 Click the Maps tab.
3 Mark the Bump map check box.

Applying Distortion effects

You can apply Distortion effects to an image and produce interesting results. Curlicues,
Pixelate, and Warp are examples of effects that let you distort your image.

Applying effects 335

Curlicues
Edit tab

The Curlicues effect turns an image into a series of rows and columns composed of curls. You
can access the Curlicues dialog box by choosing Effects  Distortion Effects  Curlicues.

The Curlicues dialog box contains the following controls:

• Number of columns — sets the number of curls in each row
• Number of rows — sets the number of curls in each column. If the number of columns is
set at 5 and the number of rows is set at 4, then each of the four rows will have five
curlicues.
• Symmetric — links the Rows and Columns values so that changing one changes the
other. Mark this check box if you want an equal number of rows and columns.
• Radius — sets the radius of the curls. This value is a percentage of the smallest
dimension — either the column width or the row height.
• Strength — controls the amount of rotation of each curl
• Clockwise — sets the direction of the curls

Displacement Map

You can warp, or displace, one image based on the contents of another image. For
information about using the Displacement Map effect, see “Using the Displacement Map
effect” on page 342.

Lens Distortion
Edit tab

The Lens Distortion effect simulates barrel, fisheye, or pincushion distortion in an image. You
can access the Lens Distortion dialog box by choosing Effects  Distortion Effects  Lens
Distortion.

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The Lens Distortion dialog box contains the following controls:
• Horizontal — positions the center of the distortion horizontally in the image. Increasing
the value moves the center of the distortion to the right. Decreasing the value moves the
center of the distortion to the left.
• Vertical — positions the center of the distortion vertically in the image. Increasing the
value moves the center of the distortion toward the bottom. Decreasing the value moves
the center of the distortion toward the top.
• Distortion type — lets you specify whether to choose Barrel, Fisheye, Fisheye
(Spherical), or Pincushion distortion
• Strength — determines the strength of the Barrel or Pincushion effects
• Field of view — determines the strength of the Fisheye or Fisheye (Spherical) effect
• Wrap — makes the image appear as though it were a tile repeating in each direction
• Repeat — finds the edge pixel of each side and repeats it outward infinitely
• Color — lets you choose a color to represent out-of-bounds pixels. You can click the
color box to access the Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent
Colors dialog box.
• Transparent — makes out-of-bounds pixels transparent (available only with layered
images).

Pinch
Edit tab

The Pinch effect is a deformation that makes the image or selection appear pinched by
pushing the contents in toward the center. You can access the Pinch dialog box by choosing
Effects  Distortion Effects  Pinch.

The Pinch dialog box contains the following control:

• Strength — determines how much of the image is pushed toward the center

Applying effects 337

Pixelate
Edit tab

The Pixelate effect divides an image into rectangles or squares of a specified size. You can
access the Pixelate dialog box by choosing Effects  Distortion Effects  Pixelate.

The Pixelate effect dialog box contains the following controls:

• Block width — sets the width of the blocks in pixels
• Block height — sets the height of the blocks in pixels
• Symmetric — creates square blocks. You can create rectangular blocks by clearing the
check box.

Polar Coordinates
Edit tab

The Polar Coordinates effect changes pixels by mapping them from Cartesian to polar
coordinates, or from polar to Cartesian coordinates. You can access the Polar Coordinates
dialog box by choosing Effects  Distortion Effects  Polar Coordinates.

The Polar Coordinates dialog box contains the following controls:

• Rectangular to polar — maps pixels from Cartesian to polar coordinates
• Polar to rectangular — maps pixels from polar to Cartesian coordinates
• Wrap — makes the image appear as though it were a tile repeating in each direction
• Repeat — finds the edge pixel of each side and repeats it outward infinitely
• Color — lets you choose a color to represent out-of-bounds pixels. You can click the
color box to access the Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent
Colors dialog box.
• Transparent — makes out-of-bounds pixels transparent.

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Punch
Edit tab

The Punch effect is a deformation that makes an image or selection appear punched out
from behind so that the contents in the center expand toward the outer edges. You can
access the Punch dialog box by choosing Effects  Distortion Effects  Punch.

The Punch dialog box contains the following control:

• Strength — determines how much of the image is pushed out toward the edges

Ripple
Edit tab

The Ripple effect is a deformation that creates concentric rings similar to those produced by
dropping a pebble in water. You can access the Ripple dialog box by choosing Effects 
Distortion Effects  Ripple.

The Ripple dialog box contains the following controls:

• Horizontal — moves the central point of the ripples. The value is a percentage of the
width of the image or selection. The default position, 50, corresponds to the center of the
image or selection.
• Vertical — moves the central point of the ripples. The value is a percentage of the height
of the image or selection. The default position, 50, corresponds to the center of the
image or selection.
• Amplitude — controls the amplitude of each ripple, or the distance from the trough to
the crest
• Wavelength — controls the distance from the crest of one ripple to the crest of the next
• Color — lets you choose a color to represent out-of-bounds pixels. You can click the
color box to access the Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent
Colors dialog box.
• Transparent — makes out-of-bounds pixels transparent (available only with layered
images)

Applying effects 339

Spiky Halo
Edit tab

The Spiky Halo effect is a deformation that you can use to create a radical pattern of waves
or ripples. You can access the Spiky Halo dialog box by choosing Effects  Distortion Effects
 Spiky Halo.

The Spiky Halo dialog box contains the following controls:

• Horizontal — moves the central point of the ripples. The value is a percentage of the
width of the image or selection. Negative values move the halo to the left, and positive
values move the halo to the right.
• Vertical — moves the central point of the ripples. The value is a percentage of the height
of the image or selection. Negative values move the halo up, and positive values move
the halo down.
• Amplitude — sets the apparent height of the waves. Lower values produce smoother
ripples.
• Frequency — sets the number of rays for each quarter-circle
• Radius — sets the distance of the waves from the center. Lower numbers cause the
waves to begin closer to the center.
• Color — lets you choose a color to represent out-of-bounds pixels. You can click the
color box to access the Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent
Colors dialog box.
• Transparent —makes out-of-bounds pixels transparent (available only with layered
images)

Twirl
Edit tab

The Twirl effect distorts an image by twisting or whirling it around its center. You can twirl an
image up to two rotations in either direction. You can access the Twirl dialog box by choosing
Effects  Distortion Effects  Twirl.

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The Twirl dialog box has the following control:
• Degrees — sets the direction and amount of twirl. Positive values create a clockwise twirl;
negative values create a counter-clockwise twirl.

Warp
Edit tab

The Warp effect makes a circular area of the image appear at a higher or lower zoom level.
The area is distorted as if viewed through a convex or concave lens. You can access the Warp
dialog box by choosing Effects  Distortion Effects  Warp.

The Warp dialog box has the following controls:

• Horizontal — moves the central point of the warp horizontally. The value is a percentage
of the width of the image or selection. Negative values move the center to the left, and
positive values move the center to the right.
• Vertical — moves the central point of the warp vertically. The value is a percentage of
the height of the image or selection. Negative values move the center up, and positive
values move the center down.
• Size — sets how far the effect continues from the center. The value is a percentage of the
image size. As you lower the number, less of the image appears distorted.
• Strength — sets the level of the distortion. Positive values make the distorted image area
appear closer, and negative values make it appear farther away.

Wave
Edit tab

The Wave effect distorts an image by creating undulating lines. You can determine the
amount of distortion by setting the size of the wave. You can access the Wave dialog box by
choosing Effects  Distortion Effects  Wave.

The Wave dialog box contains the following controls:

Applying effects 341

• Amplitude (in the Horizontal displacement group box) — sets the distance from the
trough to the crest for horizontal ripples
• Amplitude (in the Vertical displacement group box) — sets the distance from the trough
to the crest for vertical ripples
• Wavelength (in the Horizontal displacement group box) — sets the distance from the
crest of one horizontal ripple to the crest of the next
• Wavelength (in the Vertical displacement group box) — sets the distance from the crest
of one vertical ripple to the crest of the next
• Color — lets you choose a color to represent out-of-bounds pixels. You can click the
color box to access the Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent
Colors dialog box.
• Transparent — makes out-of-bounds pixels transparent (available only with layered
images)

Wind
Edit tab

The Wind effect blurs an image to make it look as though it has been blown by wind coming
from either the left or the right. You can access the Wind dialog box by choosing Effects 
Distortion Effects  Wind.

The Wind dialog box contains the following controls:

• Wind direction group box — lets you choose From left or From right for the wind
direction
• Wind strength — controls the strength of the deformation. Increasing the strength
increases the blurriness of the image.

Using the Displacement Map effect

You can warp, or displace, one image (the displacement map) based on the contents of
another image (the source image). For example, you can apply text to an image that depicts
something with an uneven surface, making it look like the text was there all along.

To apply a displacement map

Edit tab
1 Open the images you want to use as the displacement map and the source image.

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2 Make the source image the active image.
3 Choose Effects Distortion Effects  Displacement Map.
4 In the Displacement map group box, click the image drop-list, and choose an image to
use as the displacement map.
If the displacement map and the source image don’t have the same dimensions, choose
either the Stretch map to fit image option, or the Tile map to cover image option.
5 Type or set a value in the Blur control to set the amount of blur to apply to the
displacement map.
Lower values produce jittery, pointillistic effects; higher values produce smoother
warping effects.
6 In the Displacement properties group box, choose one of the following options:
• 2D offsets — uses the red and green channels to displace the image
• 3D surface — treats the source image as though it were a 3D surface in which pixel
luminance values determine height
7 Type or set a value in the Intensity control to set the amount of displacement.
Lower values result in less change to the image; higher values yield greater deformation.
8 Type or set a value in the Rotation control to determine the rotation of the displacement
data.
9 In the Edge mode group box, choose one of the following options to determine how to
handle out-of-bounds displacement:
• Wrap — treats the image as though it were a tile repeating in each direction
• Repeat — finds the edge pixel of each side and repeats it outward infinitely
• Color — lets you choose a color to represent out-of-bounds pixels. You can click the
color box to access the Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the
Recent Colors dialog box.
• Transparent — makes out-of-bounds pixels transparent (available only with layered
images)

Applying Edge effects

Edge effects are applied to the edges in an image or selection. You can dilate, enhance,
erode, find, and trace the edges in an image to create interesting results.
Important! These effects work on grayscale and 16 million–color (24-bit) images only. For
more information about increasing the color depth of an image, see “Increasing the color
depth of an image” on page 463.

Applying effects 343

Dilate
Edit tab

The Dilate effect enhances the light areas of an image or selection. You can apply the Dilate
effect by choosing Effects  Edge Effects  Dilate.

Enhance
Edit tab

The Enhance effect increases the contrast along the edges in an image. You can apply the
Enhance effect by choosing Effects  Edge Effects  Enhance.

Enhance More
Edit tab

The Enhance More effect applies a stronger contrast to the edges in an image than the
Enhance effect does. You can apply the Enhance More effect by choosing Effects  Edge
Effects  Enhance More.

Erode
Edit tab

The Erode effect enhances the dark areas in an image. You can apply the Erode effect box by
choosing Effects  Edge Effects  Erode.

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Find All
Edit tab

The Find All effect enhances the contrast between light and dark in an image by darkening
the image and then highlighting the edges. You can apply the Find All Edges effect by
choosing Effects  Edge Effects  Find All.

Find Horizontal
Edit tab

The Find Horizontal effect enhances the contrast between light and dark in an image by
darkening the image and then highlighting the horizontal edges. You can apply the Find
Horizontal edges by choosing Effects  Edge Effects  Find Horizontal.

Find Vertical
Edit tab

The Find Vertical effect enhances the contrast between light and dark in an image by
darkening the image and then highlighting the vertical edges. You can apply the Find Vertical
edges effect by choosing Effects  Edge Effects  Find Vertical.

Applying effects 345

High Pass
Edit tab

The High Pass effect emphasizes color transitions between highlight and shadow colors. You
can use it with other imaging operations to create or enhance special effects such as
embossing or line-drawing effects. The High Pass effect preserves the contrast of edges and
areas of high detail while leaving the rest of the image a neutral gray. You can access the High
Pass dialog box by choosing Effects  Edge Effects  High Pass.

The High Pass dialog box contains the following controls:

• Radius — sets the radius of the blur effect as a percentage
• Desaturate — removes all color, leaving a gray result. The results of the High Pass effect
are close to monochrome, even when this check box is unmarked. You can mark this
check box, however, to prevent subtle color shifts that can occur when sharpening is
applied to an image. This option works by removing any color artifacts that remain after
sharpening.

Trace Contour
Edit tab

The Trace Contour effect traces a series of single-pixel lines around areas of contrast and
turns the remaining pixels white. You can apply the Trace Contour effect by choosing Effects
 Edge Effects  Trace Contour.

Applying Geometric effects

You can change the shape or perspective of an image by applying Geometric effects. For
example, you can turn an image into a sphere or cylinder, skew it, or change its vertical or
horizontal perspective.

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Circle
Edit tab

The Circle effect deforms your image or selection by turning it into a sphere. You can access
the Circle dialog box by choosing Effects  Geometric Effects  Circle.
The Circle dialog box contains the following controls:
• Wrap — treats the image as though it were a tile repeating in each direction
• Repeat — finds the edge pixel of each side and repeats it outward infinitely
• Color — lets you choose a color to represent out-of-bounds pixels. You can click the
color box to access the Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent
Colors dialog box.
• Transparent — makes out-of-bounds pixels transparent (available only with layered
images)

Cylinder–Horizontal
Edit tab

The Cylinder–Horizontal effect stretches the image or selection as though wrapping it

around a horizontal cylinder. You can access the Cylinder–Horizontal dialog box by choosing
Effects  Geometric Effects  Cylinder–Horizontal.
The Cylinder–Horizontal dialog box has the following control:
• Strength — determines how much of the image appears wrapped

Cylinder–Vertical
Edit tab

The Cylinder–Vertical effect is a deformation that stretches the image or selection as though
wrapping it around a vertical cylinder. You can access the Cylinder–Vertical dialog box by
choosing Effects  Geometric Effects  Cylinder–Vertical.
The Cylinder–Vertical dialog box has the following control:
• Strength — determines how much of the image appears wrapped

Pentagon
Edit tab

The Pentagon effect deforms your image or selection by turning it into a pentagon. You can
access the Pentagon dialog box by choosing Effects  Geometric Effects  Pentagon.
The Pentagon dialog box contains the following controls:
• Wrap — treats the image as though it were a tile repeating in each direction
• Repeat — finds the edge pixel of each side and repeats it outward infinitely

Applying effects 347

• Color — lets you choose a color to represent out-of-bounds pixels. You can click the
color box to access the Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent
Colors dialog box.
• Transparent — makes out-of-bounds pixels transparent (available only with layered
images)

Perspective–Horizontal
Edit tab

The Perspective–Horizontal effect creates a perspective along the horizontal axis by

narrowing the left or right side of the image or selection. You can access the Perspective–
Horizontal dialog box by choosing Effects  Geometric Effects  Perspective–Horizontal.
The Perspective–Horizontal dialog box contains the following controls:
• Distortion — sets the length of the shortened edge to the unchanged edge. Moving the
slider to the left or typing a negative number reduces the length of the left side of the
image. Moving the slider to the right or typing a positive number reduces the length of
the right side of the image.
• Wrap — treats the image as though it were a tile repeating in each direction
• Repeat — finds the edge pixel of each side and repeats it outward infinitely
• Color — lets you choose a color to represent out-of-bounds pixels. You can click the
color box to access the Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent
Colors dialog box.
• Transparent — makes out-of-bounds pixels transparent (available only with layered
images)

Perspective–Vertical
Edit tab

The Perspective–Vertical effect creates a perspective along the vertical axis by narrowing the
top or bottom of the image or selection. You can access the Perspective–Vertical dialog box
by Effects  Geometric Effects  Perspective–Vertical.
The Perspective–Vertical dialog box contains the following controls:
• Distortion — sets the length of the shortened edge to the unchanged edge. Moving the
slider to the left or typing a negative number reduces the length of the upper side of the
image. Moving the slider to the right or typing a positive number reduces the length of
the bottom side of the image.
• Wrap — treats the image as though it were a tile repeating in each direction
• Repeat — finds the edge pixel of each side and repeats it outward infinitely

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• Color — lets you choose a color to represent out-of-bounds pixels. You can click the
color box to access the Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent
Colors dialog box.
• Transparent — makes out-of-bounds pixels transparent (available only with layered
images)

Skew
Edit tab

The Skew effect tilts an image or selection along its horizontal or vertical axis up to
45 degrees in either direction. You can access the Skew dialog box by choosing Effects 
Geometric Effects  Skew.
The Skew dialog box contains the following controls:
• Horizontal — tilts the image to the left or right, depending on the Skew Angle setting
• Vertical — tilts the image up or down, depending on the Skew Angle setting
• Skew angle — sets the tilt angle. When the Horizontal option is selected, positive
numbers tilt the image to the right, and negative numbers tilt it to the left. When the
Vertical option is selected, positive numbers lower the left side and raise the right side,
and negative numbers raise the left side and lower the right side.
• Wrap — treats the image as though it were a tile repeating in each direction
• Repeat — finds the edge pixel of each side and repeats it outward infinitely
• Color — lets you choose a color to represent out-of-bounds pixels. You can click the
color box to access the Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent
Colors dialog box.
• Transparent — makes out-of-bounds pixels transparent (available only with layered
images)

Spherize
Edit tab

The Spherize effect wraps a selection or layer around a sphere. You can access the Spherize
dialog box by choosing Effects  Geometric Effects  Spherize.
The Spherize dialog box contains the following controls:
• Strength — determines the strength of the effect
• Circle — wraps the selection or layer around a circular sphere
• Ellipse — wraps the selection or layer around an elliptical sphere

Applying effects 349

Applying Illumination effects
You can use an Illumination effect to apply a sunburst or spotlights to images.
Important! These effects work on grayscale and 16 million–color (24-bit) images only. For
more information about increasing the color depth of an image, see “Increasing the color
depth of an image” on page 463.

Lights
Edit tab

The Lights effect uses up to five spotlights to apply lighting to an image. You can set the
intensity, direction, color, and origin of the light source. You can access the Lights dialog box
by choosing Effects  Illumination Effects  Lights.
The Lights dialog box contains the following controls:
• Darkness — determines the darkness of the non-illuminated areas of the image
• Light source buttons — lets you choose the spotlights you want to apply. You can also
click the light dots on the image in the Before pane.
• On — lets you turn individual spotlights on or off. To turn a spotlight off, you can click the
light source button (or the spotlight in the Before pane) and then unmark the On check
box.
• Color — lets you choose a color for the spotlight. You can click the color box to access
the Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent Colors dialog box.
• Intensity — sets the brightness of the spotlight
• Direction — sets the lighting direction. The needle points to the direction of the light
source, measured in degrees of rotation around the circle. To set the value, you can drag
the needle, click in the circle, set or type a number in the control, or click the spotlight in
the Before pane and drag its center arm.
• Horizontal — positions the light source horizontally. For each light, a value of 0 indicates
the center of the image. Positive values produce movement to the right, and negative
values produce movement to the left.
• Vertical — positions the light source vertically. For each light, a value of 0 indicates the
center of the image. Positive values produce upward movement, and negative values
produce downward movement.
• Scale — controls the size of the image area that is covered by light
• Smoothness — determines the smoothness of the transition from the light area to the
dark area at the edge of the cone. At lower settings, the edge is sharp. Increasing the
value produces a more gradual transition.
• Cone size — sets the width of the light, or cone size. As you increase the size to 89, the
cone widens. You can also alter the width by dragging either handle of the light source in
the Before pane.

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• Asymmetry — lengthens or shortens the asymmetry

Sunburst
Edit tab

The Sunburst effect simulates the appearance of an image and light source viewed through
a camera lens. You can adjust the light origin, the amount of radiating light, and the
brightness of the halos, or glare spots. You can access the Sunburst dialog box by choosing
Effects  Illumination Effects  Sunburst.
The Sunburst dialog box contains the following controls:
• Color — lets you choose a color for the effect. You can click the color box to access the
Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent Colors dialog box.
• Brightness in the Light spot group box — controls the strength of the light source
• Horizontal — indicates the horizontal location of the light origin. A value of 0
corresponds to the far left side of the image, and a value of 100 corresponds to the far
right side of the image. You can also set this value by dragging the crosshairs in the
Before pane.
• Vertical — indicates the vertical location of the light origin. You can also set this value by
dragging the crosshairs in the Before pane.
• Density — determines how many rays of light radiate from the light source
• Brightness in the Rays group box — controls the lightness of the light rays
• Brightness in the Circles group box — controls the visibility of the halos, or glare spots

Applying Image effects

You can apply an Image effect to your image. This group of effects lets you offset an image,
curl the corners of an image, or tile an image.

Offset
Edit tab

The Offset effect shifts the image on the canvas so that pixels are wrapped around to the
opposite edge as they move off the canvas. You can access the Offset dialog box by choosing
Effects  Image Effects  Offset.
The Offset dialog box has the following controls:
• Horizontal offset — lets you move the image horizontally on the page when the
Custom option is selected
• Vertical offset — lets you move the image vertically on the page when the Custom
option is selected
• Center — positions the image so that one corner is exactly in the middle of the page

Applying effects 351

• Custom — lets you adjust the position of the image horizontally and vertically on the
page
• Wrap — treats the image as if it were a tile repeating in each direction
• Repeat — finds the edge pixel of each side and repeats it outward infinitely
• Color — lets you choose a color to represent out-of-bounds pixels. You can click the
color box to access the Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent
Colors dialog box.
• Transparent — makes out-of-bounds pixels transparent (available only with layered
images).

Page Curl
Edit tab

The Page Curl effect makes the image appear as though a corner of it has been rolled up.
You can access the Page Curl dialog box by choosing Effects  Image Effects  Page Curl.
The Page Curl dialog box contains the following controls:
• Color in the Curl settings group box — lets you select a color for the curled-back corner
of the image page. You can click the color box to access the Color dialog box, or right-
click the color box to access the Recent Colors dialog box.
• Radius — determines the amount of the curl. As you increase the value, the curl loosens.
• Corner buttons — let you select which corners to curl
• Width — determines the width of the curl. You can also specify the desired width by
dragging the arm in the Before pane.
• Height — determines the height of the curl. You can also specify the desired height by
dragging the arm in the Before pane.
• Color in the Edge mode group box — lets you select a color for the background
underneath the curled area of the page. You can click the color box to access the Color
dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent Colors dialog box.
• Transparent — makes out-of-bounds pixels transparent (available only with layered
images)

Seamless Tiling
Edit tab

The Seamless Tiling effect helps you convert a selection into a seamless custom pattern,
which you can use for painting, adding text, or creating Web page backgrounds. You can
access the Seamless Tiling dialog box by choosing Effects  Image Effects  Seamless Tiling.
The Seamless Tiling dialog box contains the following controls:
• Show tiling preview — opens a preview area that displays the tile you are designing
• Edge — blends the edges of the image

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• Corner — blends the image at the corners
• Mirror — mirrors the edges of the image
• Horizontal — places the tiles horizontally on the image
• Vertical — places the tiles vertically on the image
• Bidirectional — places the tiles both horizontally and vertically on the image. If you
choose Bidirectional, you must choose a setting from the Corner style group box.
• Horizontal offset — positions the center of the tiling effect horizontally in the image.
The position is a percentage of the width of the image. At 50, the tiling starts at the
center of the image. You can increase the value to move the center to the right and
decrease the value to move the center to the left.
• Vertical offset — positions the center of the tiling effect vertically in the image. The
position is a percentage of the height of the image. At 50, the tiling starts at the center of
the image. You can increase the value to move the center toward the bottom and
decrease the value to move the center toward the top.
• Width — sets the width of the tile
• Transition — lets you determine the degree of blending when the Edge option is
selected
• Linear — lets you choose a linear corner when the Corner option is selected
• Curved — lets you choose a curved corner when the Corner option is selected

Applying Photo effects

You can apply different Photo effects to your images to simulate some traditional photo
techniques and processes.

Time Machine
The Time Machine lets you recreate some popular photographic styles from the past. It lets
you choose from seven styles, which range from the year 1839 to the 1980s. For information
about the Time Machine, see “Creating vintage-style photos with the Time Machine” on
page 360.

Film and Filters

PaintShop Pro lets you experiment with effects that are inspired by different types of camera
film and filters. For information about applying film and filter effects, see “Applying film and
filter effects to photos” on page 363.

Black and White Film

You can simulate taking a photo with black-and-white film. To modify the effect, you can
apply a wide range of RGB values as well as adjust image brightness and clarity.

Applying effects 353

 Filter color adjustments in the Black and White Film dialog box can create very different
results from the original photo (left-most image in top tow).

Infrared Film
You can simulate the look created when you take a photo with black-and-white infrared film
and an infrared pass lens filter on the camera. To enhance the effect, you can adjust settings
for film grain and flare.

Original photo (left) and the same photo with the Infrared Film effect applied (right)

Sepia Toning
You can simulate the look created when you take a photo with sepia film. Sepia-toned
images are similar to black-and-white photos (also known as grayscale photos), except the
tones are brown instead of gray.

Selective Focus
You can create a quick miniature effect (also known as a tilt-shift effect) so that the scene in
a photo resembles a miniature model or toy. The illusion is created by adjusting the depth
of field, usually across a specified horizon line, and increasing the saturation of the photo.

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 An urban scene (left) appears to be transformed into a miniature model (right).

You can also use Selective Focus to apply a quick depth of field effect to any photo. For
general information about depth of field, see “Controlling depth of field” on page 157.
Photo tip: Photos taken from high vantage points usually make the best candidates for a
miniature effect.

Vignette
You can fade the edges of a photo to create a vignette effect. You can control the appearance
of the edges by choosing a shape and color (light or dark), and adjusting the amount of blur,
glow, and feathering.

Retro Lab
Inspired by photos taken spontaneously with a vintage-style pocket camera, such as LOMO,
Diana, or Holga, the Retro Lab lets you apply a fun retro effect. For more information, see
“Using Retro Lab” on page 358.

Graduated Filter
You can apply a color gradient to your photos to simulate the effect achieved by using a
graduated filter on your camera lens. For more information, see “Applying a gradient with
the Graduated Filter effect” on page 359.

Applying effects 355

To apply the Black and White Film effect
Edit tab
1 Choose Effects  Photo Effects  Black and White Film.
The Black and White Film dialog box appears.
2 Modify the settings you want and click OK.
You can also
Adjust the RGB filter color In the Filter Color group box, click or drag
inside the color spectrum to set the RGB
filter color.
The Red, Green, and Blue values and the
After pane are updated.
Simulate shooting the photo without a filter In the Filter Color group box, place the
filter toward the middle of the color
spectrum, or click the Reset to Default
button below the After pane.
Use an automatic filter setting In the Filter Color group box, click
Suggest Color.
Adjust overall brightness In the Adjustments group box, drag the
Brightness slider, or type or set a value in
the control.
Adjust overall clarity In the Adjustments group box, drag the
Clarify slider, or type or set a value in the
control.

To apply the Infrared Film effect

Edit tab
1 Choose Effects  Photo Effects  Infrared Film.
The Infrared Film dialog box appears.
2 Type or set a value in the Strength control to determine the overall strength of the
Infrared effect.
Higher settings make greens appear brighter and blues appear darker. Setting the value
to 0 creates a grayscale image.
3 Type or set a value in the Flare control to apply a halo effect to lighter areas in the photo.
Higher settings intensify the halation effect, producing soft edges throughout the photo.
Lower settings minimize the halation effect.
4 Type or set a value greater than 0 in the Grain control to add a more realistic infrared
graininess to the photo.
5 Click OK.

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To apply the Sepia Toning effect
Edit tab
1 Choose Effects  Photo Effects  Sepia Toning.
The Sepia Toning dialog box appears.
2 Type or set a value in the Amount to age control to determine the strength of the effect.
Higher settings increase the effect by increasing the amount of brown in the image.

To apply a miniature effect by using Selective Focus

Edit tab
1 Choose Effects  Photo Effects  Selective Focus.
The Selective Focus dialog box appears. You can maximize the dialog box to increase the
size of the Before and After panes of the preview area.
2 In the Area of focus, click one of the following tools:
• Planar Selection Tool — the default tool for setting a linear area of focus. It is
effective at setting an area of focus along a road, bridge, or other linear element that
isn’t along the edge of your photo.
• Half Planar Selection Tool — lets you set a linear area of focus along the edge of a
photo
• Radial Selection Tool — lets you set a circular area of focus
3 In the Before pane of the preview area, when your pointer displays the move cursor ,
drag the area of focus to the position you want.
4 Drag the rotation handle (the box at the end of the short line) to rotate the area of focus.
5 Drag a sizing handle (on the solid lines) to set the edges for the area of focus.
6 Fine-tune the results by dragging any of the following sliders:
• Blur amount — determines the amount of blur outside the area of focus
• Feather edge — determines the softness of the transition between the area in focus
and the blurred areas. You can also adjust feathering interactively by dragging a
feathering handle (on the dotted lines) in the Before pane.
• Saturation — determines the intensity of the colors in the photo. Increasing saturation
can help simulate the vivid paint colors used for models and toys.

Applying effects 357

 Interactive elements in the Before pane: (1) Center line (for Planar Selection Tool), (2)
Rotation handle, (3) Sizing handle, (4) Feathering handle

You can use the Selective Focus effect to apply a quick depth of field effect. Adjust the
settings to achieve a natural look.

To apply a Vignette effect

Edit tab
1 Click Effects  Photo Effects  Vignette.
2 In the Area of focus, choose a selection tool and drag in the Before pane to set the edge
for the effect.
3 Drag the Dark/Light slider to set an edge color.
4 Fine-tune the results by dragging any of the following sliders:
• Blur — determines the amount of blur outside the area of focus
• Diffuse glow — adds a luminescent brightening effect and softens details in the entire
photo
• Feather edge — determines the softness of the transition between the area in focus
and the edge effect

Using Retro Lab

Inspired by photos taken spontaneously with a vintage-style pocket camera, such as LOMO,
Diana, or Holga, the Retro Lab lets you apply a fun retro effect. Sometimes referred to as a
“toy camera” effect, this photo style is often characterized by colors and contrast that are
pushed beyond their natural appearance with blurred or vignette edges.
For a quick effect, apply a preset. Want to dig deep? You can access a complete set of
controls that let you create and save your own presets.

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 Original photo (left); photo after using Retro Lab (right). The Surreal preset was applied,
then the Range controls and the Saturation slider were used to customize the effect.

To use Retro Lab to create a toy camera effect

1 Click Effects  Photo Effects  Retro Lab.

If you want to apply a preset, click a preset in the Settings drop-list. Click OK to apply
and exit the dialog box, or continue to the next step to create a custom effect.
2 To create a custom effect, do any of the following:
• In the Range area, click an Area of focus tool and drag in the Before pane of the
Preview area to select an area of focus.
• Adjust the settings in the Range area to adjust the vignette effect. For information
about individual controls, see “To apply a Vignette effect” on page 358.
• In the Color Adjust area, drag the sliders to get the color effect you want.
• In the Curves area, click and drag the diagonal line to adjust the tone or choose a color
from the Channel drop-list and drag the diagonal line to adjust individual color
channels. For more information about Curves, see “To change color channel
brightness” on page 141.
If you want to save your settings, click the Save Preset button , type a name in the
Preset name box, and click OK.

Applying a gradient with the Graduated Filter effect

You can apply a color gradient to your photos to simulate the effect achieved by using a
graduated filter on your camera lens. Graduated filters often consist of a single color that
fades to transparent. This lets you adjust the color in a specific area of the photo. For
example, in a photo where you want an otherwise too bright sky to have more blue, you can
use a blue graduated filter to increase the blue of the sky without affecting the lower part of

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the photo. If you want to push your creativity, the Graduated Filter effect lets you choose
from different gradient shapes and dual-color options.

The Graduated Filter effect was applied to the original photo (left) to create a sunset
effect and to intensify the blue of the water.

To apply a gradient with the Graduated Filter effect

1 Click Effects  Photo Effects  Graduated Filter.

The Graduated Filter dialog box appears.
2 Click a Style button to determine the shape of the gradient.
The default option, Linear Graduated Filter, best simulates traditional graduated filters.
3 Drag in the Before pane to set the size and direction of the gradient. A line displays as
you drag.
4 In the Preset drop-list, choose a type of blend.
5 In the Color area, click a color swatch to set a color.
If you want to change the direction of the color or transparency, click the Swap Colors
button .
6 In the Settings area, adjust any of the following sliders:
• Opacity — specifies the transparency of the colors. Lower values are more transparent.
• Blend — specifies how gradual the color transition is. Higher values produce a softer
blend.
• Rotate — specifies the angle of the gradient in degrees.

If you want to fine-tune specific areas of your photo, you can paste your finished
version as a layer over the original version. You can then use the Eraser tool to reveal
original colors and detail.

Creating vintage-style photos with the Time Machine

The Time Machine lets you recreate some vintage photographic styles. It lets you choose
from seven styles, which range from the year 1839 to the 1980s.

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The table below describes each style.
Daguerreotype — Widely used from 1839 to 1855, the
daguerreotype was the first popular form of
photography. Images were captured directly on a thin
piece of silver-plated copper. Because no negative was
produced, copies could not be made, so each image
was unique. Daguerreotypes are often characterized
by their reflective quality, a darkening at the edges,
and a dark blue-gray or brown-black color.
Albumen — Widely used from 1855 to the 1890s, this
inexpensive photographic method produced paper-
based photos. Negatives were captured on glass, and
the print was then created on paper that used albumen
from egg whites to bind the light-sensitive chemicals
to the paper. Albumen photos are often characterized
by their glossy finish, and soft, warm, brown tones.
Cyanotype — Invented in 1841, this simple,
inexpensive photographic method became popular
from the late 19th century to the early 20th century.
The images are created when ultraviolet light converts
the light-sensitive chemicals on the paper to Prussian
blue. Cyanotypes are characterized by their brilliant
blue color. Although this process did not lend itself to
portrait photography, the permanence of the images
made them popular for scientific and engineering
purposes. For example, this method was used for
creating blueprints.
Platinum — Popular from 1873 to 1920, this
photographic method used platinum-based
developing materials and placed the paper in direct
contact with the negative. Although the resulting high-
quality prints remained stable over time, the high price
of platinum made this method expensive. Platinum
prints are often characterized by their wide tonal range
and silvery-black colors. This method was revived by
artists in the 1960s.
Early Color — Autochrome was a popular method of
producing early color photographs. This method was
developed by the Lumière brothers (Auguste and Louis
Lumière) in 1904. It used potato starch granules, dyed
red, green, and blue, to create colored images on
glass, similar to a slide. Autochromes are often
characterized by softer colors and a slightly grainy
quality.

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 Box camera — The box camera was popular from 1900
to the 1960s. The simplicity and portability of the
camera meant that anyone could take photos. Photos
taken with box cameras have different characteristics,
which reflect the age of the camera, the type of film,
and the skill of the photographer.
Cross Process — Cross-processing is a modern
photography technique that creates unique color
effects by mismatching the film and the chemicals
used to develop the film. For example, you can achieve
this effect by processing slide film in chemicals
designed for color negative film. Cross-processed
photos are often characterized by skewed colors, high
saturation, and extreme highlights.

Time Machine settings

The Time Machine dialog box includes thumbnails that let you preview each effect on your
photo. It also contains an information box that gives you a brief description of the effect.

The photo on the left is the original photo, and the photo on the right has the Time
Machine’s Daguerreotype style applied to it.

You can adjust each effect by using the Intensity slider in the Time Machine dialog box. The
Intensity slider changes the appearance of the effect in different ways, depending on the
effect you choose. For example, the Intensity slider may adjust the color, brightness, or
contrast.
You can apply edges to your photos that simulate the look of the edge of the paper on
vintage-style photos. For example, the Photo Edges feature can simulate the dark edges of
daguerreotypes, the uneven blue edges of cyanotypes, and the decorative edges that were
popular during the box camera era. Photo Edges are added to the outside edge of a photo.
You can also apply edge and frame effects by using the Picture Frame dialog box. For more
information, see “Adding picture frames to images” on page 377.

To create vintage-style photos with the Time Machine

Edit tab
1 Choose Effects  Photo Effects  Time Machine.

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2 Click one of the thumbnails above the timeline to choose an effect.
3 Move the Intensity slider to adjust the appearance of the effect.

You can add or remove edge effects for photos. Unmark the Photo Edges check box
below the Intensity slider to remove the edges, or mark the check box to apply the
edges.

Applying film and filter effects to photos

Whether you are a novice or an experienced photographer, you can experiment in
PaintShop Pro with effects that are inspired by different types of camera film and filters. You
can choose from a list of preset film effects, called Film Looks, or you can choose from a list
of preset filter effects, called Creative Filters. You can also combine a film effect with a filter
effect to create a unique style.

Film Looks
Film Looks are inspired by the effects achieved when you use different types of film in a
traditional camera. Film Looks are described by the type of effect they achieve, rather than a
film name, which makes them easier to identify. You can experiment with them even if you’ve
never worked with different types of film. Unlike the Creative Filters, which apply a color to
the entire photo, Film Looks can change what is emphasized in a photo by making some
colors more dramatic or more subtle. Some Film Looks also change the contrast or softness
of photos.

The Vibrant Foliage Film Look enhances blues and greens.

The following Film Looks are available:
Film Look Purpose Description
Vivid General purpose Increases the saturation and contrast in a
photo to make the colors more vivid
Vivid skin tones Portraits Enhances skin tones
Muted reds General purpose, Makes reds more subtle
changes emphasis
Enhanced reds General purpose, Emphasizes reds
changes emphasis

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Film Look Purpose Description
Vibrant foliage Landscapes Enhances blues and greens
Warm earth tones Landscapes Enhances reds, oranges, and yellows
Glamour Portraits Creates a soft glow
You can also apply the following film effects:
• Black-and-white — For more information, see “To apply the Black and White Film effect”
on page 356.
• Sepia toning — For more information, see “To apply the Sepia Toning effect” on
page 357.
• Infrared — For more information, see “To apply the Infrared Film effect” on page 356.

Creative Filters
Creative Filters simulate the effect achieved when you use color filters on the lens of your
camera. Although the color is applied across the entire photo, PaintShop Pro maintains the
luminance of the image, to achieve a color toning effect. You can use a preset color or choose
a custom color.

The Sunset filter adds a warm orange tone to your photos.

The following Creative Filters are available:
Creative Filter Description
Night effect Applies a dark blue filter to make a photo look like it was
taken at dusk or in moonlight
Cooling Cools image colors
Warming Applies a subtle warming effect
Orange Warms colors to intensify photos with fall colors or other
warm tones
Champagne Applies a subtle warming effect that works well with portraits,
especially when combined with the Glamour Film Look.
Sunset Simulates the orange-red lighting conditions that occur at
sunset
Custom Lets you choose a filter color

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To apply film and filter effects to a photo
Edit tab
1 Choose Effects  Photo Effects  Film and Filters.
2 In the Film and Filters dialog box, perform one or more tasks from the following table,
and click OK.
To Do the following
Apply a Film Look Choose a style from the Film looks drop-list.
Apply a filter Choose a filter from the Creative filters drop-list.
Choose a custom filter Click the Filter color swatch, and choose a color from the
color Color dialog box.
Change the amount of Type a value in the Density box. Higher numbers increase the
color applied by a filter amount of color; lower numbers decrease the amount of
color.

Applying Reflection effects

The reflection effects include such effects as a kaleidoscope or an intricate pattern.

Feedback
Edit tab

The Feedback effect makes the image appear reflected in concentric squares or circles. You
can access the Feedback dialog box by choosing Effects  Reflection Effects  Feedback.
The Feedback dialog box contains the following controls:
• Opacity — controls the strength of the effect. As the Opacity increases, the image
displays more of the effect and less of its original appearance.
• Intensity — sets the number of image repetitions
• Horizontal offset — positions the center of the feedback effect horizontally in the
image. The position is a percentage of the width of the image. At 50, the feedback effect
starts at the center of the image. Increasing the value moves the center to the right.
Decreasing the value moves the center to the left.
• Vertical offset — positions the center of the feedback effect vertically in the image. The
position is a percentage of the height of the image. At 50, the feedback effect starts at
the center of the image. Increasing the value moves the center toward the bottom.
Decreasing the value moves the center toward the top.
• Elliptical — makes the feedback elliptical (oval). You can unmark the check box to return
to the rectangular (default) shape of the feedback.

Applying effects 365

Kaleidoscope
Edit tab

The Kaleidoscope effect turns a pie-shaped area of an image or selection into a circular
pattern. The result is similar to the pattern seen in a kaleidoscope. You can access the
Kaleidoscope dialog box by choosing Effects  Reflection Effects  Kaleidoscope.
The Kaleidoscope dialog box contains the following controls:
• Horizontal offset — determines the horizontal origin of the effect. Negative values
move the pie origin to the left. Positive values move the pie origin to the right. The values
are a percentage of the width of the range.
• Vertical offset — determines the vertical origin of the effect. Negative values move the
pie origin up. Positive values move the pie origin down. The values are a percentage of
the height of the image.
• Rotation angle — affects which edges appear light and shadowed. The needle points to
the direction of the light source, measured in degrees of rotation around the circle.
• Scale factor — controls how much of the pie-shaped area is enlarged or reduced when
you create the kaleidoscope pattern. As you decrease the scale, the pattern repeats itself
more frequently.
• Number of petals — determines the repetitions of the pattern. The number of
repetitions controls the width of the pie. When you enter a lower value, the arc is
repeated fewer times.
• Number of orbits — sets the number of times the circles of the pattern repeat
• Radial suction — controls where in the pie the image information is used to create the
pattern. As you increase the value, this area is pushed toward the outer edge of the pie.
• Wrap — treats the image as though it were a tile repeating in each direction
• Repeat — finds the edge pixel of each side and repeats it outward infinitely
• Color — lets you choose a color to represent out-of-bounds pixels. You can click the
color box to access the Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent
Colors dialog box.
• Reflect — reflects the edge pixel on each side

Pattern
Edit tab

The Pattern effect turns any image or selection into an intricate geometric pattern. You can
use these patterns to create seamless tiles for the background of your Web page. You can
access the Pattern dialog box by choosing Effects  Reflection Effects  Pattern.
The Pattern dialog box contains the following controls:

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• Horizontal offset — determines the horizontal origin of the effect. Negative values
move the origin to the left. Positive values move the origin to the right. The values are a
percentage of the width of the range.
• Vertical offset — determines the vertical origin of the effect. Negative values move the
origin up. Positive values move the origin down. The values are a percentage of the
height of the image.
• Rotation angle — affects which edges appear light and shadowed. The needle points to
the direction of the light source, measured in degrees of rotation around the circle.
• Scale factor — controls the size of the pattern. The default of 0 uses the original scale of
the image. As you decrease the scale, the pattern repeats itself more frequently.
• Number of columns — sets the number of times the pattern is repeated from the left
side to the right side of the image at a scale factor of 0
• Number of rows — sets the number of times the pattern is repeated from the top to the
bottom of the image at a scale factor of 0
• Horizontal shift — moves the pattern with the image window. You can place a specific
section of the pattern at the center. You can use this box along with the Scale factor box
to create a seamless pattern.
• Vertical shift — moves the pattern with the image window. You can place a specific
section of the pattern at the center. You can use this box along with the Scale factor box
to create a seamless pattern.

Rotating Mirror
Edit tab

The Rotating Mirror effect reflects an image or selection along a radial angle. You can access
the Rotating Mirror dialog box by choosing Effects  Reflection Effects  Rotating Mirror.
The Rotating Mirror dialog box contains the following controls:
• Horizontal offset — moves the center point of the reflection line away from the image
center. The value is a percentage of the width of the image. Negative horizontal values
move the reflection line to the left, while positive values move it to the right. The
horizontal offset does not affect horizontal lines.
• Vertical offset — moves the center point of the reflection line away from the image
center. The value is a percentage of the height of the image. Negative values raise the
reflection line, and positive values lower it. The vertical offset does not affect vertical
lines.
• Rotation angle — sets the angle of the rotation line. The angle corresponds to the
degrees of a circle, so entering 0 and 180 creates reflection along a vertical line. Entering
90 and 270 creates reflection along a horizontal line. You can create diagonal lines
between the corners by entering 45, 135, 225, and 315.
• Wrap — treats the image as though it were a tile repeating in each direction

Applying effects 367

• Repeat — finds the edge pixel of each side and repeats it outward infinitely
• Color — lets you choose a color to represent out-of-bounds pixels. You can click the
color box to access the Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent
Colors dialog box.
• Reflect — reflects the edge pixel on each side

Applying Texture effects

You can apply the Texture effects to your images. These effects make the surfaces of your
images resemble those of various materials, such as leather, mosaic tiles, and polished stone.

Blinds
Edit tab

The Blinds effect makes the image appear to be drawn on vertical or horizontal window
blinds. You can access the Blinds dialog box by choosing Effects  Texture Effects  Blinds.

The Blinds dialog box contains the following controls:

• Width — sets the width of the blinds
• Opacity — controls the strength of the effect. As the Opacity increases, the image
displays more of the effect and less of its original appearance.
• Color — lets you choose a color other than the default of black. You can click the color
box to access the Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent
Colors dialog box.
• Horizontal — makes the blinds horizontal. You can unmark the check box to return the
blinds to the default, vertical orientation.
• Light from left/top — lets you reverse the direction of light from the default setting,
which is from the right side for a vertical orientation or the bottom for a horizontal
orientation. The hard edge of the blinds is opposite to the light direction.

Emboss
Edit tab

The Emboss effect converts the image into a bas-relief. The effect highlights the areas of
contrast with black or white pixels, and it colors the low-contrast areas a medium gray. Color
appears in areas of higher contrast. You can apply the Emboss effect by choosing Effects 
Texture Effects  Emboss.

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Fine Leather
Edit tab

The Fine Leather effect makes the image appear embossed on fine-grained leather. You can
access the Fine Leather dialog box by choosing Effects  Texture Effects  Fine Leather.

The Fine Leather dialog box contains the following controls:

• Color — lets you choose a color for the light shining on the image. To change the light
color, you can click a color in the original image, click the color box to access the Color
dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent Colors dialog box.
• Angle — affects which edges appear light and shadowed. The needle points to the
direction of the light source, measured in degrees of rotation around the circle. To set the
value, you can click in the circle, drag the needle, or set or type a number in the control.
• Blur — determines the softness of the image. As you increase the value, the image
becomes less sharp.
• Transparency — controls how much of the original image is visible. As you increase the
value, more of the image shows through the furrows.
• Number of furrows — controls how many leather furrows, or lines, are applied
• Length of furrows — controls the length of the furrows, or lines

Fur
Edit tab

The Fur effect gives the image the appearance of being covered in fur or bristles. You can
access the Fur dialog box by choosing Effects  Texture Effects  Fur.

The Fur dialog box contains the following controls:

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• Blur — determines the softness of the image. As you increase the value, the image
becomes less sharp.
• Density — controls the strength of the effect. Increasing the value adds more fur to the
image.
• Length — sets the length of the individual strands of fur
• Transparency — controls how much of the image is visible. As you increase the value,
the fur effect becomes more transparent, letting more of the image show through.

Mosaic–Antique
Edit tab

The Mosaic–Antique effect makes an image appear to be created from antique tiles. You can
access the Mosaic–Antique dialog box by choosing Effects  Texture Effects  Mosaic–
Antique.

The Mosaic–Antique dialog box contains the following controls:

• Number of columns — sets the number of columns of tiles. As you increase the number,
you reduce the size of the tiles.
• Number of rows — sets the number of rows of tiles. As you increase the number, you
reduce the size of the tiles.
• Symmetric — links the values for the numbers of rows and columns so that changing
one value changes the other value. You can unmark this check box to have an unequal
number of rows and columns.
• Tile diffusion — sets how much of the original image shows through the tiles. Increasing
the opacity blurs the tiles.
• Grout width — sets the number of pixels between the tiles
• Grout diffusion — sets the opacity of the pixels between the tiles
• Locked transparency fill color — sets the fill color for the transparency

Mosaic–Glass
Edit tab

The Mosaic–Glass effect makes the image appear to be created from glass tiles. You can
access the Mosaic–Glass dialog box by choosing Effects  Texture Effects  Mosaic–Glass.

370 PaintShop Pro

The Mosaic–Glass dialog box contains the following controls:
• Number of columns — sets the number of columns of tiles. As you increase the number,
the tiles become smaller.
• Number of rows — sets the number of rows of tiles. As you increase the number, the
tiles become smaller.
• Symmetric — links the values for the numbers of rows and columns so that changing
one value changes the other value. You can unmark this check box to have an unequal
number of rows and columns.
• Glass curvature — sets the distortion of the tiles and the width and opacity of the area
between them. As you increase the value, each tile displays a larger area of the image.
The effect is similar to that produced by using the zoom-out setting of a camera lens.
• Edge curvature — sets the distortion of the area around the edges of the tiles. Larger
values produce rounder edges and increase the zoom-out effect.
• Grout width — sets the number of pixels between the tiles
• Grout diffusion — sets the opacity of the pixels between the tiles
• Lock transparency fill color — sets the fill color for the transparency

Polished Stone
Edit tab

The Polished Stone effect makes the image appear carved on a hard, shiny surface. You can
access the Polished Stone dialog box by choosing Effects  Texture Effects  Polished Stone.

The Polished Stone dialog box contains the following controls:

• Blur — determines the softness of the image. As you increase the value, the image
becomes less sharp.
• Detail — controls the scale of the relief. As you increase the value, smaller areas of
contrast are shown in relief.
• Polishing — controls the size of the polished area. As you increase the value, the
roughness decreases and the surface appears smoother.

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• Angle — affects which edges appear light and shadowed. The needle points to the
direction of the light source, measured in degrees of rotation around the circle.
• Color — lets you choose a color for the light shining on the edges of the forms. To
change the light color, you can click a color in the original image, click the color box to
access the Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent Colors
dialog box.

Rough Leather
Edit tab

The Rough Leather effect makes the image appear embossed on leather with a coarse grain.
You can access the Rough Leather dialog box by choosing Effects  Texture Effects  Rough
Leather.

The Rough Leather dialog box contains the following controls:

• Light color — lets you choose a color for the light shining on the leather surface. To
change the light color, you can click a color in the original image, click the color box to
access the Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent Colors
dialog box.
• Leather color — lets you choose a color for the leather background. To change the
leather color, you can click a color in the original image, click the color box to access the
Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent Colors dialog box.
• Angle — affects which edges appear light and shadowed. The needle points to the
direction of the light source, measured in degrees of rotation around the circle.
• Luminance — adjusts the overall brightness of the image
• Contrast — controls the roughness of the leather and the colors
• Sharpness — controls the sharpness of the edges in the image
• Blur — determines the blur of the original image

Sandstone
Edit tab

The Sandstone effect makes the image appear as though it is carved from sandstone. You
can access the Sandstone dialog box by choosing Effects  Texture Effects  Sandstone.

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The Sandstone dialog box contains the following controls:
• Blur — determines the softness of the original image
• Detail — controls the scale of the relief. As you increase the setting, the smaller areas of
the contrast are shown in relief.
• Luminance — adjusts the overall brightness of the image
• Angle — affects which edges appear light and shadowed. The needle points to the
direction of the light source, measured in degrees of rotation around the circle.
• Color — lets you choose a color for the light shining on the edges of the forms. To
change the light color, you can click a color in the original image, click the color box to
access the Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent Colors
dialog box.

Sculpture
Edit tab

The Sculpture effect accentuates the edges of the image so that they appear embossed or
sculpted and overlays the result with a colored pattern. The patterns are 24-bit RGB images
stored in the Patterns folder. You can access the Sculpture dialog box by choosing Effects 
Texture Effects  Sculpture.

The Sculpture dialog box contains the following controls:

• Pattern — lets you select the pattern. The image’s color is the result of the pattern color
combined with the light color.
• Size — resizes the pattern to a percentage of its original dimensions. You can decrease
the value to make the pattern tiling more pronounced and increase the value to enlarge
the pattern.
• Smoothness — controls the slope (sharpness) and thickness of the edges
• Depth — controls the height of the sculpting
• Ambience — adjusts the overall brightness of the image
• Shininess — determines how reflective the surface appears

Applying effects 373

• Color — lets you choose the color of the light shining on the image. The pattern color
and saturation affect the light color. To change the light color, you can click a color in the
original image, click the color box to access the Color dialog box, or right-click the color
box to access the Recent Colors dialog box.
• Angle — affects which edges appear light and shadowed. The needle points to the
direction of the light source, measured in degrees of rotation around the circle.
• Intensity — adjusts the brightness of the directional light. Note that the Ambience value
determines the brightness of the entire image before the intensity is applied.
• Elevation — shows the angle of elevation of the light source above the image. At a
setting of 90 degrees, the light source is positioned directly overhead. As you lower the
value, the light source moves closer to the image, producing longer shadows.

Soft Plastic
Edit tab

The Soft Plastic effect makes the image look as though it were molded from plastic. You can
access the Soft Plastic dialog box by choosing Effects  Texture Effects  Soft Plastic.

The Soft Plastic dialog box contains the following controls:

• Blur — determines the softness of the original image
• Detail — controls the scale of the relief
• Density — controls the number of areas of relief. Lower values produce fewer larger
areas and a softer look. Higher values add relief to smaller areas, producing a denser
effect.
• Angle — affects which edges appear light and shadowed. The needle points to the
direction of the light source, measured in degrees of rotation around the circle.
• Color — lets you choose a color for the light shining on the edges of the forms. To
change the light color, you can click a color in the original image, click the color box to
access the Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent Colors
dialog box.

Straw Wall
Edit tab

The Straw Wall effect makes the image look like it is covered in straw. You can access the
Straw Wall dialog box by choosing Effects  Texture Effects  Straw Wall.

374 PaintShop Pro

The Straw Wall dialog box contains the following controls:
• Blur — determines the softness of the original image
• Density — controls the number of straws covering the image
• Length — determines the length of the straws
• Width — determines the width of the straws
• Transparency — controls how much of the image is visible
• Color — lets you choose a color for the light shining on the edges of the forms. To
change the light color, you can click a color in the original image, click the color box to
access the Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent Colors
dialog box.
• Angle — affects which edges appear light and shadowed. The needle points to the
direction of the light source, measured in degrees of rotation around the circle.

Texture
Edit tab

The Texture effect makes the image appear three-dimensional, as though it had a textured
surface. You create the textures by using seamless tiles of 8-bit grayscale images that are
stored in the Textures folder. You can access the Texture dialog box by choosing Effects 
Texture Effects  Texture.

The Texture dialog box contains the following controls:

• Texture swatch — lets you choose the texture
• Size — resizes the texture to a percentage of its original dimensions. You can decrease
the scale to make the tiling more pronounced and increase the scale to enlarge the
texture.
• Smoothness —controls the slope (sharpness) and thickness of the edges
• Depth — controls the height of the edges
• Ambience — adjusts the overall brightness of the image
• Shininess — determines how reflective the surface appears

Applying effects 375

• Color — lets you choose a color for the light shining on the image. To change the light
color, you can click a color in the original image, click the color box to access the Color
dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent Colors dialog box.
• Angle — affects which edges appear light and shadowed. The needle points to the
direction of the light source, measured in degrees of rotation around the circle.
• Intensity — adjusts the brightness of the directional light. Note that the Ambience value
determines the brightness of the entire image before the Intensity effect is applied.
• Elevation — shows the angle of elevation of the light source above the image. At a
setting of 90 degrees, the light source is positioned directly overhead. As you lower the
value, the light source moves closer to the image, producing longer shadows.

Tiles
Edit tab

The Tiles effect makes the image appear to be created from tiles. The tiles can be of varying
shape, depth, and shininess. You can access the Tiles dialog box by choosing Effects 
Texture Effects  Tiles.

The Tiles dialog box contains the following controls:

• Tile Shape — lets you select a triangular, square, or hexagonal tile
• Tile Angularity — reshapes the tiles. As you increase the value, the original tile shape
changes to multiple shapes that align more closely with the edges of the image.
• Tile Size — lets you increase or decrease the size of the tiles
• Border Size — controls the grout, which is the width of the space between tiles. Note
that the grout is always black.
• Smoothness — controls the slope (sharpness) and thickness of the edges
• Depth — controls the height of the edges
• Ambience — adjusts the overall brightness of the image
• Shininess — determines how reflective the surface appears
• Color — lets you choose a color for the light shining on the image. To change the light
color, you can click a color in the original image, click the color box to access the Color
dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent Colors dialog box.
• Angle — affects which edges appear light and shadowed. The needle points to the
direction of the light source, measured in degrees of rotation around the circle.
• Intensity — adjusts the brightness of the directional light. Note that the Ambience value
determines the brightness of the entire image before the Intensity effect is applied.

376 PaintShop Pro

• Elevation — shows the angle of elevation of the light source above the image. At a
setting of 90 degrees, the light source is positioned directly overhead. As you lower the
value, the light source moves closer to the image, producing longer shadows.

Weave
Edit tab

The Weave effect makes an image appear to be created with a woven pattern. You can weave
the strands loosely or tightly. You can also fill the gaps between strands with any color. You
can access the Weave dialog box by choosing Effects  Texture Effects  Weave.

The Weave dialog box contains the following controls:

• Gap size — sets the pixel size of the area between the woven strands
• Width — sets the pixel width of the woven strands
• Opacity — controls the strength of the effect
• Weave color — lets you choose a weave color. You can click a color in the original
image, click the color box to access the Color dialog box, or right-click the color box to
access the Recent Colors dialog box.
• Gap color — lets you choose a gap color. You can click the color box to access the Color
dialog box, or right-click the color box to access the Recent Color dialog box.
• Fill gaps — fills the area that appears between the strands with a color. You can unmark
the check box to fill the gap area with the image.

Adding picture frames to images

You can add picture frames to your images to provide an eye-catching final touch. You can
choose square or oval frames, modern or classic frames, mats or photo edges, or a variety
of other styles.The frame is applied on a separate layer, which can be edited like any other
layer.

Applying effects 377

 You can add a frame around your image.

To add a picture frame to an image

Edit tab
1 Choose Image  Picture Frame.
The Picture Frame dialog box appears.
2 In the Picture Frame group box, choose a frame from the drop-list.
3 In the Orientation group box, choose one of the following options:
• Frame canvas — sizes the frame to the canvas. The frame layer is named “Picture
Frame” on the Layers palette. Successive frames reside on layers named “Picture Frame
1,” “Picture Frame 2,” and so on.
• Frame current layer — sizes the frame to the current layer (which may have a different
size than the canvas). For example, if you are creating a collage of photos for a
scrapbook and each photo is on a separate layer, you can frame each photo by
choosing this option. The frame layer is named after the original layer with the words
“Picture Frame” appended to the name.
4 Choose one of the following options:
• Frame inside of the image — resizes the frame to fit within the image canvas
• Frame outside of the image — increases the canvas size to accommodate the frame.
The added canvas uses the current background color if the frame is applied to the
Background layer. If the frame is applied to any other layer, the extra canvas is
transparent.
5 Mark any of the following check boxes:
• Flip frame — reverses the frame along its horizontal axis
• Mirror frame — reverses the frame along its vertical axis
• Rotate frame right — lets you rotate the frame clockwise when the image is taller than
it is wide
6 Click OK.

378 PaintShop Pro

 If the width and height differ by a considerable amount, the frame appears thicker
along the shorter sides.

If you select a frame in step 2 that contains transparent areas, you can choose to keep
these frame area transparent, or you can substitute a color. To maintain frame
transparency, mark the Keep transparent check box. To substitute a color, unmark the
check box, and choose a color from the color box.

Creating your own effects

You can create your own effects (or filters), which you can save and reuse.

To create your own effects

Edit tab
1 Choose Effects  User Defined Filter.
The User Defined Filter dialog box appears.
2 In the Load Preset drop-list, select a filter to use as a starting point.
3 In the Filter matrix group box, type or set values in the controls to modify the
coefficients that process pixels to create the effect.
4 Click OK.
PaintShop Pro applies the effect to the image.
You can also
Use random values to create an effect Click the Randomize Parameters button
to automatically adjust the coefficients.
Save a user-defined effect Click the Save Preset button , type a
name in the Save Preset dialog box, and
click OK.
Reuse a user-defined effect In the Load Preset drop-list, select the
user-defined effect.

Combining images
PaintShop Pro lets you combine two images into a third image. The new image is the product
of the color data from the two source images combined on a pixel-by-pixel basis according
to the arithmetical function you select, such as Add, Subtract, Multiply, or Difference.
If you want to combine images without these functions, you can simply use layers to paste a
second image over a background image, and use masking to adjust the transparency. For

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information about copying and pasting images as layers, see “Cutting, copying, and pasting”
on page 66. For information about masking, see “Working with masks” on page 281.

To combine images by using the Arithmetic command

Edit tab
1 Open the two images you want to combine.
2 Choose Image  Arithmetic.
The Image Arithmetic dialog box appears.
3 In the Image #1 and Image #2 drop-lists, select the images to combine.
Note: The size of the image you choose in the Image #1 drop-list determines the size of
the new image.
4 In the Function group box, choose one of the following options for combining the
images:
• Add — Image 1 Value + Image 2 Value
• Subtract — Image 1 Value – Image 2 Value
• AND — Binary And
• Average — (Image 1 value + Image 2 Value) / 2
• Multiply — Image 1 Value x Image 2 Value
• Difference — Absolute Value of (Image 1 Value – Image 2 Value)
• OR — Binary Or
• Darkest — Minimum of (Image 1 Value, Image 2 Value)
• Lightest — Maximum of (Image 1 Value, Image 2 Value)
• XOR - Exclusive Or
The color data from the two images is combined on a pixel-by-pixel basis according to
the function you choose.
5 From the Channel group box, do one of the following:
• To produce a 24-bit image, mark the All channels check box to use all the color
channels in both images to produce a 24-bit image
• To produce a grayscale image, choose a color channel option for each image. In the
Modifiers group box, type or set values in the following controls:
• Divisor — divides the color values by the value you specify. This value can reduce the
effects of the other selections.
• Bias — shifts each color value by amount you specify.
These modifiers are applied to the color values produced by the Formula and the
Channel selections.
6 Mark or unmark the Clip color values check box to determine how PaintShop Pro
handles final color values that are greater than 255 and less than 0.

380 PaintShop Pro

 When the Clip color values check box is marked, color values less than 0 become 0, and
color values greater than 0 become 255.
When the Clip color values check box is unmarked, color values less than 0 are
calculated as 256 plus the value, and color values greater than 0 are calculated as 256
minus the value.
7 Click OK.

Using the Picture Tube tool

You can use the Picture Tube tool to paint with a collection of objects. For example, you can
add butterflies and beetles to a picnic setting or frame a picture with flowers. You can use
one of the picture tubes included with PaintShop Pro or create your own.

The Picture Tube tool lets you apply various preset images to your photos to create
unique effects.

Picture tubes are PspTube files. Each picture tube file is made up of a series of images
arranged in rows and columns, called cells. Picture tubes may have any number of cells. As
you paint with the Picture Tube tool, PaintShop Pro paints one image from the picture tube
after another. Many picture tubes create discrete images (such as zoo animals), and others
create the effect of a continuous image (such as grass).

Each picture tube file contains a series of images.

To make picture tube elements easier to edit, it is helpful to paint them on a separate layer.
For example, you can apply adjustment or effect filters to layers with picture tubes so that
they blend in better with the background image.
Important! You cannot use the Picture Tube tool on vector layers.

Applying effects 381

Where can I get more picture tubes?
You can create your own picture tubes. You can use picture tubes from a previous version of
the application. For more information, see “To use picture tubes from previous versions of
the application” on page 384.
You can also download free picture tubes from the Web by checking the Corel website
(www.corel.com) or by using the keyword phrase “free picture tubes” in an online search
engine.
Important! This tool works only on raster layers in grayscale and 16 million–color images.
Using this tool on a 256-color or lower raster image automatically promotes the image to
the appropriate color depth. To convert a vector layer to a raster layer, choose Layers 
Convert to Raster Layer. For more information about increasing the color depth of an
image, see “Increasing the color depth of an image” on page 463.

Picture Tube settings

When you click the Settings button on the Tool Options palette, the Picture Tube Settings
dialog box appears. You can use this dialog box to update the current Tool Options palette
settings and to modify the look of the current picture tube. However, you can also make the
settings permanent by marking the Save as default for this Picture Tube option.
• Current Picture Tube name and path — The name and path of the picture tube appear
at the top of this dialog box.
• Cell arrangement — The Cells across and Cells down fields display the current cell
layout of the tube. The ranges for these values depend on how the tube was created. The
Total cells field shows the product of multiplying the Cells across value by the Cells
down value.
• Placement options — Modifying any of these settings updates the corresponding
setting on the Tool Options palette. Note that the Scale setting is only available for some
picture tubes.
• Save as default for this Picture Tube — Mark this check box if you want to save any
modifications made in the Picture Tube Settings dialog box. If you do not mark this check
box, the changes affect only the current use of the picture tube.

To paint with a picture tube

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Picture Tube tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, select a picture tube from the Picture Tube drop-list.
Note: Most picture tube previews show the first image rather than all images in the
picture tube. To view all images, select the desired picture tube and then paint with it, or
open the .PspTube file in PaintShop Pro.
3 If necessary, adjust the following:

382 PaintShop Pro

 • Scale — determines the percentage (10% to 250%) for reducing or enlarging each
image in the picture tube and scaling the step
• Step — determines the distance in pixels (1 to 500) between the centers of each picture
tube cell that you paint
• Placement mode — determines how the images are placed. Choose Continuous to
space the images evenly by step size, or choose Random to randomly space the
images, with intervals ranging from 1 pixel to the step size.
• Selection mode — determines how PaintShop Pro selects images from the cells within
the picture tube file. Angular selects images based on the direction you drag;
Incremental selects images one by one from top left to bottom right; Pressure selects
images based on the pressure you apply on a pressure-sensitive tablet; Random selects
images randomly; and Velocity selects images based on the speed with which you
drag.
• Create as a new raster layer — creates a layer for each click or brushstroke. This is very
helpful when you want to move or adjust individual elements with the Pick Tool later.
4 In the image window, click to paint with one picture tube image, or drag to paint with
multiple picture tube images.

You can make further changes to the behavior of the current picture tube by clicking
the Settings button on the Tool Options palette and adjusting settings in the
Picture Tube Settings dialog box.

To create a picture tube

Edit tab
1 Choose View  Change Grid, Guide & Snap Properties.
2 Click the Grid tab.
3 In the Current image settings group box, type or set the Horizontal grids and Vertical
grids, and click OK.
Note: Values for the grid positions are the values in pixels for the width and height of
the cells. Images must be no larger than this cell size.
4 Choose File  New.
The New Image dialog box appears.
5 Set the following options:
• Image Dimensions — sets a width and height (in pixels) that are multiples of the
horizontal and vertical grid spacing. The width and height of the image determine the
total number of cells in the image. For example, if the grid spacing is 100 pixels, you can
create an image that is 400 pixels wide by 300 pixels high. These dimensions would
produce 12 cells (four across and three down).
• Image Characteristics — Choose Raster Background as the layer type, 8 bits/
channel or 16 bits/channel as the Color depth, and mark the Transparent check box.

Applying effects 383

6 Click OK.
If the grid is not visible, choose View  Grid.
7 Create one image in each grid square. These squares are the picture tube cells.
To change the size of cells, change the grid size, and then use the Canvas Size
command.
8 Choose File  Export  Picture Tube.
The Export Picture Tube dialog box appears.
9 Set the following options:
• Cell arrangement — Enter the number of cells across and down. Set these fields to
match your arrangement of images in step 7. The Total cells field should match the
number of images you placed in the tube file.
• Placement options — Choose the default options for this picture tube. You can
change these options when you apply the picture tube.
• Tube name — Enter the filename of the tube. The extension .PspTube is automatically
added to the filename.
10 Click OK.

You can make further changes to the behavior of the current picture tube by clicking
the Settings button on the Tool Options palette and adjusting settings in the
Picture Tube Settings dialog box.
If you want to use one image as a paint brush, export the image as a picture tube. Use
a cell arrangement of one cell across by one cell down. The image must contain one
raster layer that is not the background. To promote the background to a layer, choose
Layers  Promote Background Layer. Choose the Picture Tube tool, and select the new
picture tube you created.

To use picture tubes from previous versions of the application

Edit tab

1 Choose the Picture Tube tool from the Tools toolbar.

2 On the Tool Options palette, click the Presets drop-list, and click the File Locations
button .
3 In the File Locations dialog box, choose Picture Tubes from the File types list.
4 Click the Add button.
The Browse for Folder dialog box appears.
5 Choose the folder where the previous versions of the picture tubes are stored, and click
OK.
The folder path is added to the Picture Tube folders list.
6 Click OK.

384 PaintShop Pro

Warping images
You can distort image areas by using the warp brushes on image pixels to produce a warping
effect. You can twirl areas of images, contract or expand parts of images, and create many
interesting effects. The effect of the Warp Brush is often time-dependent, which means that
the longer you hold the brush over an area, the more the brush produces the effect.

The Warp Brush tool can be used to create caricatures.

You can also warp images by using a grid. When you use the Mesh Warp tool, a grid or mesh
is placed on the image. The grid intersections have mesh points, or nodes, that you drag to
create deformations.
For more information about warping by using a grid, see “To warp image areas by using a
grid” on page 386.

To warp image areas by using a brush

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Warp Brush tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, choose the type of warp in the Warp Modes group box:
• Push — pushes pixels in the direction of the stroke for an effect similar to smearing
paint. This warp mode is time-independent.
• Expand — pushes pixels away from the center of the brush
• Contract — pulls pixels into the center of the brush
• Right Twirl — rotates pixels clockwise around the center of the brush
• Left Twirl — rotates pixels counterclockwise around the center of the brush
• Noise — causes random movements of pixels under the brush
• Iron Out — removes unapplied warps. This warp mode is time-independent.
• Unwarp — removes unapplied warps
3 Specify the brush options, such as size and hardness.
Note: Unlike other brushes, the size of the Warp Brush tool can be adjusted only by
using the control on the Tool Options palette, not by using the keyboard.

Applying effects 385

4 Type or set a value in the Strength control to determine the strength of the warping
effect.
Full strength is 100%; minimum strength is 1%.
5 Choose settings for the Edge mode, Draft quality, and Final apply controls.
6 Drag in the image.

For more information about setting brush options, see “Choosing brush options” on
page 438.

For the time-dependent warp modes, you can also place the pointer at one position
(instead of dragging) and hold down the mouse button to repeat the effect in one area.
To unwarp an area, click the Iron Out button or Unwarp button on the Tools Options
palette, and click over the area that you want to restore.

To warp image areas by using a grid

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, select the Mesh Warp Tool .

2 Drag the nodes in one of the following ways to deform the image:
• Drag a node to move it.
• Press Shift while dragging a node to move the entire row or column.
• Press Ctrl while dragging a node to deform the row or column into a smooth curve.
3 Choose settings from the Tool Options palette:
• Mesh horizontal and Mesh vertical — specifies the number of mesh lines within the
frame. The border lines are not counted. You can change the grid size as you work.
Entering new Mesh values reconfigures the grid and returns it to the original position.
The image retains any deformations you have made.
• Symmetric — creates a grid that evenly covers the image. If your image is not square,
there will be different values for Mesh horizontal and Mesh vertical. Unmark this check
box to adjust the Mesh horizontal and Mesh vertical settings independently.
• Show mesh — hides and shows the mesh warp grid.
• Draft Quality — specifies the quality of the preview that appears while you edit the
mesh nodes. Increasing the quality can slow the warping process in large images.
• Final Apply — determines the quality of the applied effect. Unmark the Best Quality
check box to create a finished mesh warp at the lower quality of the mesh preview.
4 Click Apply on the Tool Options palette.

You can save the position of the mesh nodes (the deformation map) to apply the
deformation to other images. For information about saving and loading deformation
maps, see “Working with deformation maps” on page 387.

386 PaintShop Pro

 You can also double-click the image to apply the effect.
Choose Edit  Undo to undo changes to the mesh as you edit. To cancel the mesh warp
before it is applied, click Cancel.

Working with deformation maps

You can save the deformations you create with the Mesh Warp tool to warp other images.
PaintShop Pro creates a deformation map file that contains the positions of the nodes and
the number of mesh lines. You can save the mesh during the warping process or after you
have applied the deformation. After you save a deformation map, you can load it into other
images.

To save a deformation map

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Warp Brush tool .

2 Drag the cursor across the image.
3 On the Tool Options palette, in the Deformation map group box, click the Save
deformation map button .
The Save Deformation Map dialog box appears.
4 In the New deformation map group box, type a name for the map file.
5 In the Deformation map group box, choose a deformation map style from the drop-list.
6 In the Checkerboard size drop-list, choose a checkerboard size to help you to preview
the deformation effect.
Note: This information is not saved with the map file.
7 Click Save.
The file is added to the default Deformation Maps folder.

To load a deformation map

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Warp Brush tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, choose one of the following options from the Edge mode
drop-list:
• Background — fills areas between the edge of the image and the edge of the warp
with the current background color
• Fixed — fills areas between the edge of the image and the edge of the warp with
replicated edge pixels
• Wraparound — fills areas between the edge of the image and the edge of the warp
with material from the opposite side of the image

Applying effects 387

3 On the Tool Options palette, click the Open deformation map button .
The Load Deformation Map dialog box appears.
4 In the Deformation map group box, choose a deformation map style from the drop-list.
5 In the Operation group box, choose one of the following options:
• Replace current map — replaces the existing mesh nodes with the new map. Any
adjustments you have made but not applied are lost.
• Add to current map — adds the settings from the new deformation map to the mesh
nodes. Any adjustments you have made are retained.
6 In the Mapping group box, choose one of the following options:
• Fit to canvas — adjusts to fit the image canvas
• Fit to layer — adjusts to fit the current layer
• Current size centered on — retains original map size and positions it in the center of
the canvas or layer
7 In the Preview group box, choose a checkerboard size from the drop-list to obtain the
best preview of the deformation.
8 Click Load.

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 Working with text

PaintShop Pro lets you add text to images and create interesting text effects.
This section presents the following topics:

• Applying text
• Formatting text
• Saving text presets
• Fitting text to a path
• Wrapping text within a selection or shape
• Pasting and fitting text to a shape
• Moving text
• Applying effects to text
• Converting text to curves
• Creating a text cutout filled with an image
• Filling text with image patterns
• Sizing and transforming text
• Displaying captions and info text on images

Applying text
PaintShop Pro lets you apply different types of text to your images. You can apply vector text,
raster text, and text as a selection. The type of text you apply depends on the effect you want
to create.

Vector text
Vector text, which is used in most instances, is the most versatile type of text because you
can edit the text characters at any time. For example, you can change the words, font type,
style, and alignment. Unlike raster text, vector text retains its crisp, sharp edges when you
resize it. For more information about vector objects, see “Drawing and editing vector objects”
on page 407.

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 You can add text to your photos.
When you use raster-only tools, such as the Mesh Warp tool, or apply raster-only commands,
such as an effect, the vector text is converted to a raster layer, and it can no longer be edited
as text.

Raster text
You cannot edit raster text after you apply it. Therefore, you should not apply it unless you
know you won’t need to change the words and formatting. You create raster text as a floating
selection on a new raster layer, so you can easily move and transform it before you apply it
to your image. When you defloat raster text, the text is merged with the underlying raster
layer. If a vector layer is active when you defloat the raster text, PaintShop Pro creates a new
raster layer.

Text selection
You can create a selection in the shape of text and edit it as you would any other selection.
You can use a text selection to create special effects; for example, you can fill the characters
in a text selection with an image. You an also fill text with an image by using the Text Cutter.
For more information, see “Creating a text cutout filled with an image” on page 402. As with
raster text, you cannot edit selection-based text. For more information about selections, see
“Working with selections” on page 223.

Text formatting options

When you create text, you can specify formatting options such as font, font size, and
alignment, as well as character and line spacing. For more information about text formatting
options see “Formatting text” on page 391.
You can delete vector, raster, or selection-based text at any time.

To create text
Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Text tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, choose a font, font size, units, font style, font color and
stroke width and color.

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 Note: The Units drop-list offers two options — Points (for print output) and Pixels (for
Web output).
3 On the Tool Options palette, choose one of the following text types from the Create As
drop-list:
• Vector — creates fully editable text that resides on a vector layer. This text type is the
default and is used in most instances.
• Selection — creates a selection marquee in the shape of the text characters. The
marquee is filled with the underlying layer.
• Floating — creates raster text as a floating selection. The selection can be moved, but
the text characters cannot be edited.
4 In the image window, click where you want the text to appear, type the text, and click the
Apply button on the Tool Options palette.
A bounding box appears around the text.
5 Do any of the following to adjust the text position:
• Position the pointer in the centre of the bounding box until the pointer changes its
shape to a four-way arrow, and drag the text to the desired location.
• Position the pointer over a corner of the bounding box until the pointer changes its
shape to a two-way arrow, and drag up and down to rotate the text.

For information about using the Materials palette to choose colors for the text outline
and fill, see “Using the Materials palette” on page 291.

You can also apply the text after you have typed it by double-clicking the area outside
the text object.

To delete text
Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pick tool .

2 Click the vector text you want to delete to select it.
3 Press Delete.

You can also use the following text selection methods: double-click a word to select it,
triple-click a line to select it, and quadruple-click in the text or press Ctrl + A to select
the entire text.

Formatting text
The text formatting options in PaintShop Pro let you control the appearance of text. You can
set these options when you create vector, raster, or selection text. If you create vector text,

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you can reformat the text at any time by changing your text formatting settings. You cannot
change the characters or formatting of raster text. You can modify raster text only by using
the Pick tool.
You can use the following text options to format your text:
• Font, Size, Units, Font Style, and Text options — let you choose a typeface, type size,
units based on intended output (print or Web), type style (bold, italic, underline, or
strikethrough), and text options (Superscript, Subscript)
• Font color — lets you set the font fill color
• Stroke width and Stroke color — lets you set a font outline width and the color of the
outline
• Alignment — lets you center multiple lines of text or align them on a left or right margin
and apply justification
• Direction — lets you set the horizontal or vertical direction of the text
• Kerning — lets you change the space between characters
• Leading — lets you change the line spacing
• Tracking — lets you set equal spacing between characters
• Anti-alias — lets you smooth the edges of text characters
You can customize which controls display on the Tool Options palette and which controls are
hidden in the More Options drop-list.
For information about using the Materials palette to choose colors for the text outline and
fill, see “Using the Materials palette” on page 291.

How can you identify vector text?

Vector text, like other vector objects, can be identified by the vector icon that appears next
to the text in the Layers palette.

To change font attributes

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Text tool .

2 Select the vector text characters you want to change by dragging over them.
Note: You can also select the entire text by pressing Ctrl + A.
3 On the Tool Options palette, perform a task from the following table, and click the Apply
changes button .

To Do the following
Change the font Choose an option from the Font drop-list.
Change the font size Choose an option from the Size drop-list.

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To Do the following
Change the units of measurement for the From the Units drop-list, choose Points for
font print output or Pixels for Web output.
Apply bold formatting to text Click the Bold button .
Apply italic formatting to text Click the Italic button .
Underline the text Click the Underline button .
Apply a line through text Click the Strikethrough button .
Apply superscript or subscript In the Text options area, click the
Superscript or Subscript button
Set the font fill color Click the Font color swatch and choose a
color.
Set font outline width In the Stroke width box, type a value for
the font outline. Type 0 for no outline.
Set the font outline color Click the Stroke color swatch and choose a
color.

To change text alignment

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Text tool .

2 Select the text object you want to align by dragging over it.
Note: You can also select the entire text by pressing Ctrl + A.
3 On the Tool Options palette, choose one of the following buttons:
• — aligns the left edge of each text line to the initial cursor position
• — centers each text line on the initial cursor position
• — aligns the right edge of each text line to the initial cursor position
• — Justify extends the text to the edges of the text, without changing inter-
character spacing
• — Force Justify extends the text to the edges of the text box, including the last line
by adjusting inter-character spacing if required.
4 On the Tool Options palette, click the Apply button .

To set text direction

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Text tool .

2 Select the text object you want to reposition by dragging over it.

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 Note: You can also select the entire block of text by pressing Ctrl + A.
3 On the Tool Options palette, choose one of the following options from the Direction
drop-list:
• Horizontal and Down — positions text horizontally, with subsequent lines below
the top line
• Vertical and Left — positions each character vertically, with subsequent lines to the
left of the top line
• Vertical and Right — positions each character vertically, with subsequent lines to
the right of the top line
4 On the Tool Options palette, click the Apply button .

To change horizontal spacing between characters

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Text tool .

2 Select the text characters whose spacing you want to change by dragging over them.
Note: You can also select the entire text by pressing Ctrl + A.
3 On the Tool Options palette, type or set a value in the Kerning control.
Note: If you don’t see the control on the palette, click More Options .
Positive values increase the spacing; negative values decrease the spacing.
4 On the Tool Options palette, click the Apply button .

Kerning values are expressed as 1 being equal to one em space — the width of capital
letter M for a given font and font size.

You can use the built-in kerning values for the current font by marking the Auto Kern
check box.

To change vertical spacing between lines of text

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Text tool .

2 Select the text lines whose spacing you want to adjust by dragging over them.
Note: You can also select the entire block or text by pressing Ctrl + A.
3 On the Tool Options palette, type or set a value in the Leading control.
Note: If you don’t see the control on the palette, click More Options .
Positive values increase the spacing; negative values decrease the spacing.
4 On the Tool Options palette, click the Apply button .

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To set equal spacing between characters
Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Text tool .

2 Select the text characters whose spacing you want to adjust by dragging over them.
Note: You can also select the entire text by pressing Ctrl + A.
3 On the Tool Options palette, type or set a value in the Tracking control.
Note: If you don’t see the control on the palette, click More Options .

4 On the Tool Options palette, click the Apply button .

To smooth jagged edges in text

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Text tool .

2 Select the text object whose edges you want to adjust by dragging over it.
Note: You can also select the entire text by pressing Ctrl + A.
3 On the Tool Options palette, choose an option from the Anti-alias drop-list:
• Off — applies no anti-aliasing (edges appear jagged)
• Sharp — applies a slight degree of edge smoothing
• Smooth — applies a stronger degree of edge smoothing
4 On the Tool Options palette, click the Apply button .

Anti-aliasing may increase the number of colors in an image, which may cause stray
colors to appear along the edges of text. Anti-aliasing may also make it difficult to
reduce the file size and to maintain image quality.

To customize the Text Tool Options palette

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Text tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, click More Options .

3 Click Customize, and in the Show/Hide Options dialog box, mark the check boxes for
the controls that you want to see on the palette. Unmark the check boxes for the controls
that you want to display only in the More Options drop-list.
4 Click Close.

Saving text presets

You can save formatted text as text presets. For example, if you annotate screenshots in
PaintShop Pro regularly, you can create an annotation text style that includes your preferred
font, text size, color, and other settings, and save it as a preset for quick access. Likewise if

Working with text 395

you create collage pages or flyers and use the same text styles each time—presets help you
keep the pages consistent.

To save a text style as a preset

Edit tab
1 Create and select the formatted text that you want to save as a preset.
2 On the Tool Options palette, click the Presets drop-list, and click the Save preset button
to display the Save Preset dialog box.
3 Type a name for the preset.
Note: You cannot use “Default” or “Last Used” as the name for a preset.
If you want to enter additional preset information or customize which settings are
included, click Options.
4 Click OK.

You can delete, rename, copy, or move a preset text style by clicking the Resource
Manager button in the Presets drop-list, clicking a text style in the list, and clicking
the corresponding button for the action that you want to perform. For more general
information about presets, see “Using and creating presets” on page 536.

To apply a preset text style

Edit tab

1 With the Text tool , select the text that you want to format.
2 On the Tool Options palette, click the Presets drop-list, and hover over the text styles to
see a live preview of the style on your text.
3 Click the text style that you want to apply.

Fitting text to a path

Every vector object has a path that defines its shape. You can fit vector text to a path to create
fun and interesting effects.
PaintShop Pro aligns the text along the path, starting from the spot where you click to insert
it. You can also set the alignment style for the text: left-aligned text starts where you click;
centered text is centered on the spot where you click; and right-aligned text ends where you
click. When you fit your text to a path, you can adjust the distance between the text and the
path.

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Text is displayed differently on open and closed paths. Open paths are lines on which the
start and end nodes do not meet; closed paths are shapes such as circles, squares, and
rectangles. On open paths, text that is longer than the path hangs from the end. The angle
of the last line segment determines the direction in which the text hangs. On closed paths,
text that is longer than the path wraps around itself. For more information about lines and
shapes, see “Editing shapes” on page 414.

To fit text to a path

Edit tab
1 Create a vector line or shape.
2 Click the Text tool .
3 On the Tool Options palette, choose Vector from the Create As drop-list, and set the
other text controls.
If the Materials palette is not displayed, choose View  Palettes  Materials.
4 On the Materials palette, click the Foreground and Stroke properties box, and choose a
color for the text outline.
5 Click the Background and Fill properties area, and choose a color for the text fill.
6 Click the line or shape.
Note: To position the text on a vector object or path without attaching it to the object or
path, hold down Alt and click the path or shape.
7 Click on the image where you want the test to appear, and type the text.
8 On the Tool Options palette, click the Apply button .

If you want to warp the text around the curved section of a path, mark the Warp text
check box on the Tool Options palette. If the path is not curved, the effect is not
apparent. Warping is set on a per-character basis, so you can warp specific characters
in a text block.

To attach an unattached text object to a path

Edit tab

1 Choose the Pick tool .

2 Select the vector object.
3 Hold down Shift, and select the vector text.
Both the text and the vector object are selected.
4 Choose Objects  Fit Text to Path.

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 After you align text to a vector object, you can make the object invisible. On the Layers
palette, click the Visibility Toggle button next to the object.

To detach text from its associated path

Edit tab

1 Choose the Pick tool .

2 Select the text.
3 Choose Objects  Detach Object from Path.
Note: The Detach Object from Path command is available only if you have selected a
text object that is fitted to a path.

To adjust the position of text fitted to a path

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Text tool .

2 Select the text whose position you want to adjust by dragging over it.
Note: You can also select the entire text by pressing Ctrl + A.
3 On the Tool Options palette, set a value in the Offset control.
Positive values position the text above the path; negative values position the text below
the path.
4 On the Tool Options palette, click the Apply button .

Wrapping text within a selection or shape

You can wrap text inside a selection or a vector shape. For example, you can draw a closed
shape with the Freehand Selection tool by tracing along a silhouette in a photo and fill the
selection with text or you can draw a heart with the Preset Shape Tool and fill the shape with
text.

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 You can wrap text inside a selection (top) or inside a vector shape (bottom).

To wrap text inside a selection or a vector shape

Edit tab
1 In the Tools toolbar, click a selection tool or a vector shape tool, and in the image
window, drag to create a selection or vector shape.
Note: If you are drawing a selection, ensure that it is a closed selection.
2 Click the Text Tool and in the image window, click inside the selection or vector
shape, at the start position for your text.
3 Type your text.
The text automatically wraps to stay within the shape or selection, unless there is too
much text for the space. Extra text appears outside the shape or selection.

Pasting and fitting text to a shape

The Paste-to-Fit command lets you automatically fit Clipboard text to a shape in a PaintShop
Pro project. The text can be copied from a Web page or other document, and expands to fit
the vector shape, such as a shape created with the Preset Shape, Rectangle, Ellipse, or
Symmetric Shape tools.

To fit Clipboard text to a shape

Edit tab
1 From your browser or another program, copy your source text to the Clipboard.
2 In PaintShop Pro, choose an existing vector shape, or create a vector shape.
3 Choose the Text tool , and click inside the vector shape.
4 Right-click and choose Paste-to-Fit from the context menu.
The text will automatically adjust to fit the shape. Note that simple shapes work best.

Working with text 399

Moving text
You can move vector and raster text anywhere in an image. You can move the text after it is
fitted to the path by selecting it and dragging it along the path. PaintShop Pro aligns text
based on the nearest point where the text meets the path.
Important! To move raster text that is on a layer with other raster information, such as
raster shapes or brushstrokes, you must isolate the text. You can use a selection tool, such
as the Magic Wand tool, to select and move the text. For more information about making
selections, see “Creating selections” on page 223.

To move text
Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pick tool .

2 Click the text you want to move.
A bounding box surrounds the text.
3 Position your cursor over the selected text, until it changes its shape to a four-way arrow
, and drag the text anywhere in the image.

You can also move text to another layer by cutting and pasting it onto another layer.

To move text along a path

Edit tab

1 Choose the Pick tool .

2 Click the text you want to move.
A bounding box appears around the text.
3 Position your cursor over the selected text, until it changes its shape to a four-way arrow
, and drag the text to the desired location.
Note: As you drag the text, a small, square icon moves with it. This icon indicates one of
the following:
• the start of the text if the text was left-aligned
• the midpoint of the text if the text was centered
• the end of the text if the text was right-aligned

Applying effects to text

You can use raster text to create an unlimited variety of text effects. For example, you can
apply a drop shadow or a beveled edge, transform text into brushstrokes, or apply a colored-
chalk effect. To apply an effect to vector text, you must first convert the vector text to raster
text.

400 PaintShop Pro

To apply effects to raster text
Edit tab
1 Apply raster text to a transparent layer on an image.
2 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Magic Wand tool .
3 Select the text.
4 Choose the Effects menu, and select an effect.

For information about layers, see “Working with layers” on page 249. For information
about applying text to images, see “Applying text” on page 389.

To apply effects to vector text

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pick tool .

2 Select the text.
3 Choose Selections  From Vector Object.
4 Choose Edit  Paste As New Layer.
5 On the Tool Options palette, choose the Magic Wand tool .
6 Select the text.
7 Choose the Effects menu, and select an effect.

Converting text to curves

You can edit vector text by converting it to curves and then adding, deleting, and moving
nodes. Nodes are the tiny squares that appear along the object’s outline.
You can convert letters to individual curve objects, or you can convert the entire string of text
into one curve object, with each letter as a separate contour within the object path.

To convert vector text to curves

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pick tool .

2 Select the text.
3 Do one of the following:
• To convert the entire text object into one vector object, choose Objects  Convert Text
to Curves  As Single Shape. This command produces one path containing a contour
for each letter.

Working with text 401

 • To convert each letter to a separate vector object with its own path, choose Objects 
Convert Text to Curves  As Character Shapes. A vector layer is created for each letter,
and the layers are grouped in the Layers palette.

If you convert each letter to a separate vector object, you must select the letters
individually in order to edit the nodes.
You can edit a curve object by using the Pen tool in Edit mode. For more
information, see “Adding and closing contours” on page 425.

Creating a text cutout filled with an image

You can use the Text Cutter option to create a text cutout that is filled with the underlying
photo or imagery. The effect is similar to using a clipping mask, except the cutout object is
created as a new file with a transparent background—perfect for collage, scrapbook, or
other creative photo projects.

You can use the Text Cutter option to create a text cutout that is filled with the
underlying photo or imagery.

To create a text cutout

1 From the Edit tab, open an image that you want to use as a fill.
2 On the Tools toolbar, click the Text tool .
3 On the Tool Options palette, set the text options.
4 In the image window, click where you want to position the text, and type the text.
If you resize or reposition the text with the Pick Tool , reactivate text mode by clicking
the Text Tool and clicking inside the text.
5 On the Tool Options palette, click the Cutter Preview button .
A semi-transparent mode is activated that lets you preview the cutout. You can now
adjust the position, size, or rotation of the proposed cutout using the control handles for
the object.
6 On the Tool Options palette, click the Text Cutter button .
The text cutout is filled with the underlying imagery and is created as a new file with a
transparent background. A layer and mask is also created on the current image.

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Filling text with image patterns
You can fill text with one image or you can fill it with repeated images to create a pattern.

To fill text with one image

Edit tab
1 Open a copy of the image.
2 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Text tool .
3 On the Tool Options palette, choose Selection from the Create As drop-list, and set the
other text controls.
4 In the image window, click where you want to create the text selection, and type the text.
5 On the Tool Options palette, click the Apply changes button .
6 Copy the text selection to a new image.

For information about applying text, see “Applying text” on page 389.

To fill text with a repeated image

Edit tab
1 Open the image you want to use to fill the text.
2 On the Materials palette, click the Background and Fill properties box.
3 In the Material properties dialog box, click the Pattern tab.
4 Choose the image from the drop-list.
5 Apply text to the image.

For information about applying text, see “Applying text” on page 389.

Sizing and transforming text

You can transform raster and vector text interactively. For example, you can resize, rotate,
shear, distort, or apply perspective to text.
You can also resize and reshape vector text by editing its nodes and contours. For more
information, see “Working with nodes” on page 416.
Edit tab
1 Open a copy of the image.
2 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Text tool .
3 On the Tool Options palette, choose Selection from the Create As drop-list, and set the
other text controls.
4 In the image window, click where you want to create the text selection, and type the text.

Working with text 403

5 On the Tool Options palette, click the Apply changes button .
6 Copy the text selection to a new image.

To resize and transform text

Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, choose a layer.
2 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pick tool , and select the text.
A bounding box with handles appears on the selection or the layer.
3 Drag a corner handle to resize the text.
If you want to change the current proportions, right-click and drag a handle.
4 Perform any of the actions in the following table to transform the text.
To Do the following
Move the entire text block Drag the bounding box.
Change the center of rotation Drag the rotation pivot point.
Rotate the text Drag the rotation handle
Change the perspective symmetrically Hold down Ctrl and drag a corner handle
horizontally or vertically.
Change the perspective asymmetrically Hold down Shift and drag a corner handle.
To shear text Hold down Shift while dragging a side
handle.
To distort text Hold down Ctrl and Shift while dragging a
handle.

To make the deform handles on a layer easier to see, drag the corner of the image
window to make it larger than the image.

Displaying captions and info text on images

You can display text on your images based on captions and EXIF data, such as the date the
photo was captured, the camera used, or the camera settings. When you use the Add Info
dialog box, the text is added to your images as a separate layer. You can access Add Info
from the File menu or you can applying the settings to multiple photos by accessing it in the
Batch Process wizard. For more information about batch processing, see “Processing files in
batches” on page 537. You can format the text, add a drop shadow for better visibility, and
set the position for the text.

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 You can display caption and EXIF text on your images.

To add info text to an image

Edit tab
1 Click File > Add Info.
If you want to see more controls, click the Maximize button in the upper right corner of
the dialog box.
2 In the Caption box, type any text you want to add.
3 In the Add EXIF info to caption box, select any EXIF info that you want to display and
click the Add button (plus sign). You can add spacing or other characters between EXIF
data tags in the Caption box.
4 In the Font Properties area, set the font, style, size, and color for your text.
5 Set the Opacity for the text.
6 If you want to add a drop shadow to the text (for better visibility), enable the Drop
Shadow check box and set the properties for the drop shadow. For more information
about drop shadow settings see “To apply a Drop Shadow layer style” on page 278.
7 In the Position area, click a check box to indicate where you want the text to display. You
can fine-tune the position by dragging the Horizontal and Vertical sliders in the Offset
X | Offset Y area.

When you save to a file format that doesn’t support layers, the info text is merged with
the image.

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406 PaintShop Pro
 Drawing and editing vector
objects

You can use PaintShop Pro drawing tools to create any type of object — from simple lines
and shapes to complex illustrations.
This section presents the following topics:

• Understanding raster and vector objects

• Selecting vector objects
• Drawing rectangles and squares
• Drawing circles and ellipses
• Drawing symmetric shapes
• Creating preset shapes
• Filling cutout shapes with images
• Editing shapes
• Saving shapes as presets
• Working with nodes
• Sizing, shaping, and rotating vector objects
• Aligning, distributing, and arranging vector objects
• Grouping and ungrouping vector objects
• Converting objects to paths
• Adding and closing contours
• Editing contours and paths
• Drawing lines
• Saving custom line styles
• Drawing curves
• Modifying lines and curves
• Copying and moving vector objects

Drawing and editing vector objects 407

Understanding raster and vector objects
When you draw raster objects, you are really painting on a raster layer. Even though you
create a raster object in the same way as a vector object, the result is a pixel-based shape.
You can edit the pixels with raster editing tools.
Important! You can only draw raster objects on raster layers. If you draw a raster object
on a vector layer, PaintShop Pro creates a new raster layer for your object.
A vector object’s properties — such as its outline color, fill color, size, and location — can be
easily changed. You can also edit the paths, contours, line segments, and nodes that make
up vector objects.
Important! You can only draw vector objects on vector layers. If you try to draw a vector
object on a raster layer, PaintShop Pro creates a new vector layer for the vector object.
For more information on vector and raster objects, see “Starting from a blank canvas” on
page 55. For information about vector, floating, and selecting text, see “Working with text”
on page 389.

The anatomy of a vector object

In order to understand vector objects, you must be familiar with the following terms.
• Object — anything you create with the Pen or Preset Shape tool. Each object is
represented by its own bounding box. An object has properties you can control such as
line style and fill color. Each object contains one path made up of contours and nodes.
For more information, see “Aligning, distributing, and arranging vector objects” on
page 421.
• Path — includes all of the contours in an object. The properties of the path are
controlled by the object’s properties. A path’s direction flows from its start to its end
point. Some paths are closed, in which their start and end points are the same.

An example of a closed path

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 An example of an open path
• Contour — contains at least one line segment. A contour can be open or closed. Some
of a contour’s properties are determined by the object’s properties, such as the line style,
fill color, and anti-aliasing.
• Node — a point on a path or contour that lets you define its shape. For more
information about nodes, see “Working with nodes” on page 416.

An example of a contour
• Line Segment — the straight or curved line between two nodes. For more information,
see “Drawing lines” on page 428.

Selecting vector objects

You must select a vector object in order to edit it. You can select one or more objects on the
same layer, or you can select objects on different layers. You can select vector objects by
using the Pick tool or by using the Layers palette. The Pick tool lets you select one or more
vector objects quickly. The Layers palette lets you select vector objects regardless of whether
they overlap or are currently showing in the image window. For more information about
showing and hiding layers, see “Viewing layers” on page 261.

To select vector objects with the Pick tool

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pick tool .

2 Click the object you want to select.

If you want to select multiple objects, hold down Shift, and click the objects.

To select vector objects from the Layer palette

Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, click the plus sign (+) next to a layer to view all of its objects.
2 Click the layer name for the vector object.

Drawing and editing vector objects 409

 The layer name appears in bold type.

If you want to select multiple objects, hold down Shift and click each object name.

Drawing rectangles and squares

You can draw squares and rectangles.

To draw a rectangle or square

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, select the Rectangle tool .

Note: If you want to place the rectangle or square on the current vector layer, mark the
Create on Vector check box on the Tool Options palette. If no vector layer exists,
marking this check box creates one for the rectangle or square. If this check box is
unmarked, the rectangle or square is placed on a raster layer. Placing a rectangle or
square on a vector layer makes it easier to edit.
2 On the Materials palette, click the Background and Fill properties box, and choose a fill
color.
3 Click the Foreground and Stroke properties box, and choose an outline color.
4 On the Tool Options palette, click one of the following buttons:
• Draw Rectangle
• Draw Square
If you want to display the shape’s nodes, mark the Show Nodes check box.
5 Drag to draw the shape.
6 Click the Apply button .
You can also
Set the radii for the shape’s corners Type or set values in the Horizontal Radius and
Vertical Radius controls.
Choose a line style and width Choose an option from the Line Style drop-
list, and type or set a value in the Width
control beside the drop-list.
Smooth the shape’s edges Mark the Anti-alias check box.
Change the way the line segments join Choose an option from the Join drop-list. If
you choose Miter join, you can also type or
set a value in the Miter Limit control.
Size the shape Mark the Show nodes check box. Type or
set values in the Width and Height
controls.

410 PaintShop Pro

You can also
Move the shape Mark the Show nodes check box. Type or
set values in the Left and Top controls.

You can save your settings as a preset. For more information, see “Using and creating
presets” on page 536.

Drawing circles and ellipses

You can draw circles and ellipses.

To draw a circle or ellipse

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, select the Ellipse tool .

Note: If you want to place the circle or ellipse on the current vector layer, mark the
Create on Vector check box on the Tool Options palette. If no vector layer exists,
marking this check box creates one for the circle or ellipse. If this check box is unmarked,
the circle or ellipse is placed on a raster layer. Placing a circle or ellipse on a vector layer
makes it easier to edit.
2 On the Materials palette, click the Background and Fill properties box, and choose a fill
color.
3 Click the Foreground and Stroke properties box, and choose an outline color.
4 On the Tool Options palette, click one of the following buttons:
• Draw Circle
• Draw Ellipse
If you want to display the shape’s nodes, mark the Show Nodes check box.
5 Drag to draw the shape.
6 Click the Apply button .
You can also
Set the radii Mark the Show Nodes check box. Type or
set values in the Radius X and Radius Y
controls.
Set the center horizontal (center X) and Mark the Show Nodes check box. Type or
vertical (center Y) position set values in the Center X and Center Y
controls.

You can save Tool Options palette settings as presets. For more information, see “Using
and creating presets” on page 536.

Drawing and editing vector objects 411

 If you have not displayed nodes in the shape, you can still set the radii and the center
horizontal and vertical positions by clicking the Edit Mode button on the Tools
Options palette.

Drawing symmetric shapes

You can draw polygons and stars.

To draw a symmetric shape

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, select the Symmetric Shape tool .

Note: If you want to place the symmetric shape on the current vector layer, mark the
Create on Vector check box on the Tool Options palette. If no vector layer exists,
marking this check box creates one for the symmetric shape. If this check box is
unmarked, the symmetric shape is placed on a raster layer. Placing a symmetric shape on
a vector layer makes it easier to edit.
2 On the Materials palette, click the Background and Fill properties box, and choose a fill
color.
3 Click the Foreground and Stroke properties box, and choose an outline color.
4 On the Tool Options palette, click one of the following buttons:
• Draw Polygon
• Draw Stellated
If you want to display the shape’s nodes, mark the Show Nodes check box.
5 Type or set a value in the Number of sides control.
6 Drag to draw the shape.
7 Click the Apply button .
You can also
Apply rounded outer corners to the shape Mark the Rounded Outer check box.
Apply rounded inner corners to the Mark the Rounded Inner check box.
stellated shape
Set the radius for the stellated shape Type or set a value in the Radius control.

You can save Tool Options palette settings as presets. For more information, see “Using
and creating presets” on page 536.
You can also choose line style options such as style, stroke width, and join and miter
limit settings. For more information, see “Drawing lines” on page 428.

412 PaintShop Pro

Creating preset shapes
You can draw preset shapes such as callouts, arrows, flowers, and gears.

To draw a preset shape

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Preset Shape tool .

Note: If you want to place the preset shape on the current vector layer, mark the Create
on Vector check box on the Tool Options palette. If no vector layer exists, marking this
check box creates one for the preset shape. If this check box is unmarked, the preset
shape is placed on a raster layer. Placing a preset shape on a vector layer makes it easier
to edit.
2 On the Tool Options palette, choose an option from the Shapes List drop-list.
If you want to filter the options, choose a category from the Category drop-list.
3 Drag to create the shape.
Note: If you want to apply a custom fill, unmark the Retain style check box. On the
Materials palette, click the Background and Fill properties box, and choose a fill color.
Click the Foreground and Stroke properties box, and choose an outline color. If you do
not want the line segments to have a fill, click the Transparent button .
4 Drag to draw the shape.
You can also
Choose a line style Select an option from the Line Style drop-
list.
Choose a stroke width (in pixels) Type or set a value in the Width control.
Smooth the appearance of a shape Mark the Anti-alias check box.
Apply a join style Choose an option from the Join drop-list. If
you choose Miter Join, type or set a value
in the Miter limit control to set the degree
of pointedness. The higher the value, the
more pointed the join is.
Create a shape with the same aspect ratio Hold down Shift while you drag.
as the one in the Shapes list list
Place the centerpoint of the shape where Right-click and drag.
you click

You can save a Tool Options palette settings as presets. For more information, see
“Using and creating presets” on page 536.

Drawing and editing vector objects 413

Filling cutout shapes with images
You can use vector shapes, such as Preset Shapes, to create cutouts that are filled with the
background imagery. The effect is similar to using a clipping mask, except the cutout object
is created as a new file with a transparent background—perfect for collage, scrapbook, or
other creative photo projects.

To create a shape cutout

1 Open a copy of the image that you want to use as a fill.

2 On the Tools toolbar, choose one of the following tools:
• Preset Shape
• Rectangle
• Ellipse
• Symmetric Shape
3 On the Tool Options palette, set the options for your shape.
4 In the image window, drag where you want to create the shape.
5 On the Tool Options palette, click the Cutter Preview button .
A semi-transparent mode is activated that lets you preview the cutout. You can now
adjust the position, size, or rotation of the proposed cutout using the control handles for
the object.
6 On the Tool Options palette, click the Shape Cutter button .
The cutout is filled with the underlying imagery and is created as a new file with a
transparent background. A layer and mask is also created on the current image.

To help determine the best size and position for the shape cutout, in the Layers palette,
reduce the Opacity setting for the shape so that you can see the underlying image.

Editing shapes
You can edit the basic properties of vector objects, such as the line width, line style, and anti-
aliasing. You can also rename an object in the Layers palette. You can also hide or display
vector objects.

414 PaintShop Pro

To modify vector object properties
Edit tab
1 Select the vector object you want to edit.
If you want to edit multiple objects, choose the Pick tool , hold down Shift, and
marquee select the objects.
2 On the Tool Options palette, click the Properties button .
The Vector Property dialog box appears.
3 Adjust any of the settings.
4 Click OK.

To edit a shape by using the Tool Options palette

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, select the Pen tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, click Edit Mode button .
3 Click the shape you want to edit.
4 Adjust any of the available settings on the Tool Options palette.

Edit mode lets you edit shapes in a variety of ways; however, you can also edit shapes
by using the Pick tool to move, rotate, align, and stretch shapes.

Saving shapes as presets

You can also save any vector object as a preset. Preset shapes are stored in shape libraries,
in the ...Documents/Corel PaintShop Pro/2022/Preset Shapes folder. You can also store
shape libraries in a different folder. For more information, see “Setting file locations” on
page 505.

To save a shape as a preset

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pick tool .

2 Select the shape you want to save as a preset.
If you want to save multiple shapes, marquee select the shapes.
3 Choose File  Export  Shape.
The Export Shape Library dialog box appears.
4 Type a name for the library file, and click OK.
The library file is saved in the default Preset Shapes folder.

Drawing and editing vector objects 415

To delete a shape library
Edit tab
1 Choose a library file from the Preset Shapes folder.
2 Press Delete.

Working with nodes

Nodes are square points on line and curve objects. You can change the shape of a line or
curve object by dragging one or more of its nodes.
Nodes have zero, one, or two control arms. The length and direction of the control arms
determine the shape of the contour at the node. The straight or curved line between two
nodes is a line segment. There are four types of nodes: symmetrical, asymmetrical, cusp, and
smooth.

You can use symmetrical nodes to create smooth, flowing curves on either side of a
node. Any adjustments to one control arm are mirrored by the other.

You can use asymmetrical nodes to obtain a different amount of curve on each side of
the node, but keep a smooth flow through the node. You can adjust the length of each
control arm, but the not the direction.

You can use cusp nodes to create extreme changes in direction. You can adjust the
length and direction of each control arm independently.

416 PaintShop Pro

 You can use smooth nodes to create a smooth transition between straight and curved
line segments.

You can select a node to edit, or you can move it. Moving a node alters the shape of a vector
object. If an object has more than one contour, you can move all of its nodes. You can also
move the path to move the entire object. You can edit the contour of a vector object by
adding, merging, or deleting nodes anywhere along a path.
You can merge nodes on a contour while retaining the line segments on each side. The line
segments are combined into one line segment between remaining nodes. If the contour is
curved at the node, PaintShop Pro attempts to retain the curve.
You can also delete a node to remove the node and the line segments on each side.

To select a node
Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, select the Pen tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, click Edit Mode button .
3 Click a vector object.
The object's nodes appear.
4 Click the node.
The selected node appears with a solid gray fill.
You can also
Select multiple nodes Hold down Shift, and click the nodes.
Select all nodes on a contour Double-click one node. If the object has
only one contour, this selects all nodes in
the path.
Select all nodes in a path (all nodes in the Right-click a node, and choose Edit  Select
object) All.
Select the next or previous node on a Hold down Shift, and press [ or ].
contour
Deselect a selected node Hold down Shift, and click the node.

Drawing and editing vector objects 417

 To view the selected node more easily, click the Visibility icon on the Layers palette
next to the vector object you are working on. This hides the fill and outline for the
object. For more information about showing and hiding layers, see “Viewing layers” on
page 261.

Start and end nodes are easy to find. The cursor displays “START” or “END” when you
hold it over the node. If the shape is closed, the cursor displays “CLOSE.”

To move a node
Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, select the Pen tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, click Edit Mode button .
3 Select a node, and then drag it to a new position.

You can constrain a node’s line segments to 45-degree increments by holding down
Shift as you drag.

To add a node on a contour

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, select the Pen tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, click one of the following buttons:
• Edit Mode
• Knife Mode
3 Click the contour.
4 Hold down Ctrl, and click where you want to add a node.
The cursor displays “+ADD.”

To add a new start or end node

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, select the Pen tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, click the Drawing Lines and Polylines button .
3 Select the start or end node of the contour.
4 Click to add another node.
The contour automatically connects to the new node.

418 PaintShop Pro

To merge one or more nodes
Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, select the Pen tool .

2 Select the node you want to merge.
If you want to select multiple nodes, hold down Shift and click.
3 Right-click a node, and choose Edit  Merge.

To transform nodes
Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, select the Pen tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, click the Edit Mode button .
Note: If you cannot see all of the options on the Tool Options palette, click the More
button .
3 Select one or more nodes.
4 Choose Objects  Transform Selected Nodes, and choose one of the following
commands:
• Flip — moves selected nodes along the vertical axis (those on top go the bottom and
vice versa). On a single node, the command flips the node’s control arms.
• Mirror — moves selected nodes along the horizontal axis (those on the left go to the
right and vice versa). On a single node, the command mirrors the node’s control arms.
• Rotate — rotates the selected nodes by the current rotation setting. Applied to a single
node, the control arms (if any) will rotate.
• Skew X — moves selected nodes to the left or right (along the horizontal axis) using
the current skew setting
• Skew Y — moves selected nodes to the left or right (along the vertical axis) using the
current skew setting
• Contract — moves the selected nodes closer to each other by the current contraction
setting. This command cannot be applied to a single node.
• Expand — moves the selected nodes away from each other by the current expansion
setting. This command cannot be applied to a single node.
5 Where applicable, type a value for the selected transformation setting.
6 Click the Apply button .

To adjust a curve using a node’s control arms

Edit tab
1 Select a node to display its control arms.
Note: Cusp nodes may have no control arms.

Drawing and editing vector objects 419

2 Move the cursor over a control handle until the cursor changes to two rotating arrows.
3 Drag the handle.

To constrain the control arms to fixed angles (45-degree increments), hold down Shift
as you drag.

To straighten a curve between two nodes

Edit tab
1 Select two consecutive nodes.
2 Right-click one node, and then choose Node Type  Convert to Line.

To delete a node
Edit tab
1 Select a node.
2 Press Delete.

If you delete a node in the middle of an open contour, the vector object becomes two
separate contours. If you delete a node in a closed contour, the contour opens.

Sizing, shaping, and rotating vector objects

You can transform vector objects and vector text interactively. For example, you can drag the
handles on a bounding box to size, shape, or rotate objects. You can also transform vector
objects by editing their nodes. For more information, see “Working with nodes” on page 416.
You can also size vector object to make them the same width, height, or both.

To size and shape a vector object

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pick tool .

2 Select the object.
3 Perform any of the steps in the following table.
To Do the following
Size a vector object Drag a corner or edge handle.
If you want to resize while changing the
current proportions, right-click and drag a
handle.
Change perspective symmetrically Hold down Shift, and drag a corner handle.

420 PaintShop Pro

To Do the following
Shear a vector object Hold down Shift, and drag a side handle.
Distort a vector object Hold down Ctrl + Shift, and drag a handle.

To rotate vector objects

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pick tool .

2 Select an object.
3 Drag the rotation handle.

To change the center of rotation, hold down Ctrl, and drag the rotation pivot point to
a new location.

To make vector objects the same size

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pick tool .

2 Select the first vector object.
Note: The first object controls how all the other vector objects are resized.
3 Hold down Shift, and click the other objects you want to resize.
4 On the Tool Options palette, choose one of the following options from the Same Size
group box:
• Make Same Height
• Make Same Width
• Make Same Width and Height

To change the object’s proportions while resizing, select the object with the Pick tool
, and then right-click and drag a corner handle.

Aligning, distributing, and arranging vector objects

You can align, distribute, and arrange vector objects on the canvas. For example, you can
align their edges, distribute them evenly, center them on the image canvas, or arrange their
order (from top to bottom) on a layer. Each object you draw on a layer is stacked on top of
the next.

Drawing and editing vector objects 421

To move a vector object
Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pick tool .

2 Select the object.
If you want to move multiple objects, hold down Shift and select the objects.
A bounding box surrounds the selected objects.
3 Drag the object or objects to a new position.
You can also
Move an object one pixel at a time Press an arrow key.
Move an object 10 pixels at a time Hold down Ctrl, and press an arrow key.
Move an object 50 pixels at a time Hold down Shift, and press an arrow key.
Move an object 100 pixels at a time Hold down Shift + Ctrl, and press an arrow
key.

To align vector objects

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pick tool .

2 Select the first vector object.
3 Hold down Shift, and select the other objects you want to align.
4 In the Tool Options palette, click one of the following buttons in the Object Alignment
group box:
• Align Top
• Align Bottom
• Align Left
• Align Right
• Align Vertical Center
• Align Horizontal Center

To move an object, select it on the Layers palette, and drag it up or down in the list.

To evenly distribute objects

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pick tool .

2 Hold down Shift, and marquee select the objects.

422 PaintShop Pro

 Note: You must have three or more objects selected to distribute them in relation to
each other.
3 In Tool Options palette, click one of the following buttons in the Object Distribution
group box:
• Distribute Vertical Top
• Distribute Vertical Center
• Distribute Vertical Bottom
• Distribute Horizontal Right
• Distribute Horizontal Center
• Distribute Horizontal Left

To align vector objects to the canvas

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pick tool .

2 Select an object.
If you want to align multiple objects, hold down Shift and marquee select the objects.
3 In the Tool Options palette, click one of the following buttons in the Position On Canvas
group box:
• Center in Canvas
• Align Horizontally Center in Canvas
• Align Vertically Center in Canvas

To distribute vector objects on the canvas

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pick tool .

2 Select an object.
If you want to distribute multiple objects, marquee select the objects.
3 In the Tool Options palette, click one of the following buttons in the Position On Canvas
group box:
• Space Evenly Horizontal
• Space Evenly Vertical

To arrange vector objects

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pick tool .

2 Select an object.

Drawing and editing vector objects 423

3 Right-click the object, choose Arrange, and select one of the following options:
• Bring to Top — moves an object to the top
• Send to Bottom — moves an object to the bottom
• Move Up — moves an object up one position
• Move Down — moves an object down one position

You can also arrange vector objects by dragging them up or down in the Layer palette.

Grouping and ungrouping vector objects

You can group several objects or groups of objects to move, resize, reshape, and change
their lines and materials.
When you group objects on different layers, PaintShop Pro automatically moves them to the
layer of the first object you select. Each group is labeled on the Layers palette and the objects
in the group are shown as components.

To group or ungroup vector objects

Edit tab

To Do the following
Group objects Using the Pick tool , select the objects
you want to group. On the Tool Options
palette, click the Group button .
Ungroup objects Using the Pick tool , select the group. On
the Tool Options palette, click the Ungroup
button .

To group objects by using the Layers palette

Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, click the first object you want to group.
2 Hold down Shift, and click each object you want to add to the group.
3 Right-click, and choose Group.

If you group objects from several layers, PaintShop Pro moves them to the layer of the
first object you selected.

Click the plus sign (+) next to the group name to show the group’s components.

424 PaintShop Pro

To remove an object from a group
Edit tab
• On the Layers palette, drag the object to another group or layer.

Converting objects to paths

You can convert any selected vector object, including text, to a fully editable path (as though
it were created by the Pen tool). This allows you to use the Pen tool’s full complement of
node-editing commands to modify the converted object.

This example shows graphics Converted to paths.

To convert a vector object to an editable path

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pick tool .

2 Select an object.
If you want to convert multiple objects to paths, marquee select the objects.
3 Right-click the objects, and choose Convert to Path.

Adding and closing contours

You can add new contours to any existing object. The new contour will have the same
properties, including color, material, line style, and so on, as the selected object. You can also
duplicate contours.

To add a contour to an object

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, click the Pen tool .

2 In the Tool Options palette, click the Edit Mode button .
3 Select an object.
4 Click one of the following buttons:
• Draw Lines and Polylines

Drawing and editing vector objects 425

 • Draw Point-to-point Bézier Curves
• Draw Freehand
5 Drag on the object to create the contour.

To close a contour
Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, select the Pen tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, click the Edit Mode button .
3 Select a contour.
4 Click the Close selected open contours button .

When you close a contour, PaintShop Pro draws a segment from the contour’s start
node to its end node.

Editing contours and paths

You can edit the contours and paths of vector objects. You can join contours by connecting
their end points. You can also reverse the direction of paths and contours. The direction of a
contour flows from the start node to the end node. When you place the cursor over the start
node, a “START” message appears next to the cursor. When you place the cursor over the
end node, an “END” message appears. If the object has a closed path, a “CLOSE” message
appears.
You can duplicate contours.
For more information about the different types of nodes, see “Modifying lines and curves”
on page 433.

To join two contours

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, select the Pen tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, click the Edit Mode button .
3 Select one of the contours you want to join.
All of the nodes in the object are displayed.
4 Select the start or end node of the first contour you want to join.
Note: You can only join contours in the same object.
5 Hold down Shift, and select the start or end node of the second contour.
6 Right-click, and choose Edit  Join.

426 PaintShop Pro

 You can also join contours manually. Drag a node on the first contour over the second
contour’s start or end node. When the cursor displays “JOIN,” release the mouse
button.

To break a contour at a node

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, select the Pen tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, click the Edit Mode button .
3 Select the node where you want to break the contour.
4 Right-click the node, and choose Edit  Break.

The path or contour breaks and a new node is added on top of the current node. The
node square changes to a node-on-node indicator .

To move a path
Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, select the Pen tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, click the Edit Mode button .
3 Drag any contour in the path.

To move a contour
Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, select the Pen tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, click the Edit Mode button .
3 Hold down Shift, and move the cursor over the contour until the cursor displays “SUB.”
4 Drag the contour.

You can also move a contour by double-clicking a node to select all nodes, and then
dragging one of the nodes.

To reverse a path or contour

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, select the Pen tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, click the Edit Mode button .
3 Click on a contour or path.

Drawing and editing vector objects 427

4 Select a node.
If you want to reverse multiple contours, select one node from each contour.
5 Right-click the path or contour, choose Edit, and then choose one of the following:
• Reverse Path
• Reverse Contour

To duplicate a contour
Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, select the Pen tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, click the Edit Mode button .
3 Select one or more nodes.
4 Choose Objects  Edit, and select one of the following options:
• Duplicate — copies the selected contour and pastes it directly on top of the original
contour
• Duplicate & Offset — copies the selected contour and pastes it at an offset from the
original contour. The default offset is 10 pixels in the X and Y directions.

You can adjust the offset from the original contour by adjusting the settings in the
Duplication X and Duplication Y controls on the Tool Options palette.

To delete a contour
Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, select the Pen tool .

2 In the Tool Options palette, click the Edit Mode button .
3 Click on a contour.
4 Double-click one node to select all nodes.
5 Press Delete.

You cannot delete a path. A path is deleted with its object or when all of its contours
are deleted.

Drawing lines
You can draw straight lines, freeform lines, and line segments. You can edit the nodes in a
line to create curves.
You can also adjust the line options of existing vector objects.

428 PaintShop Pro

To draw a line segment
Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pen tool .

Note: If you want to place the line segment on the current vector layer, mark the Create
on Vector check box on the Tool Options palette. If no vector layer exists, marking this
check box creates one for the line segment. If this check box is unmarked, the line
segment is placed on a raster layer. Placing a line segment on a vector layer makes it
easier to edit.
2 On the Materials palette, click the Foreground and Stroke properties box, and choose a
color for the outline.
3 If you are drawing connected line segments and you want to apply a fill, click the
Background and Fill properties box, and choose a color for the text fill. If you do not
want the line segments to have a fill, click the Transparent button .
Note: If you are drawing a single, unconnected line segment, it is not necessary to
choose settings from the Background and Fill properties box.
4 On the Tool Options palette, click the Draw Lines and Polylines button .
5 Choose a line style from the Line Style drop-list.
6 Type or set a line width (in pixels) value in the Width control.
7 Drag in the image window to create the line.
8 On the Tool Options palette, click the Apply button .
You can also
View the object’s nodes while drawing Mark the Show Nodes check box.
Smooth the appearance of the line Mark the Anti-alias check box.
Choose a join setting Select an option from the Join drop-list. If
you select Miter Join, you can type or set a
value in the Miter limit control to set the
degree of pointedness.
Create a vertical, horizontal, or 45-degree Hold down Shift while dragging.
line
Connect each line segment Mark the Connect Segments check box.

You can save your settings in the Tool Options palette settings for subsequent use. For
more information about saving settings as presets, see “Using and creating presets” on
page 536.

To draw a curved or straight line

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pen tool .

Drawing and editing vector objects 429

2 On the Tool Options palette, click the Draw Point to Point button .
3 Drag in the image window to create the line.
4 Do one of the following:
• To create a straight line, click where you want the next node.
• To create a curved line, click and drag. When the curve is the right shape, release the
mouse button.
If you want to draw lines at fixed angles (45 degree increments), hold down Shift as you
drag.

To draw a free-form line

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pen tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, click the Draw Freehand button .
3 Drag in the image window to create the line.

To draw line segments

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pen tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, click the Draw Line and Polylines button .
3 Drag in the image window to create the line.

Saving custom line styles

You can design your own line styles and save them as presets.

To design and save a custom line style

Edit tab
1 On the Tools toolbar, choose one of the following tools:
• Pen tool
• Rectangle tool
• Ellipse tool
• Symmetric Shape tool
• Preset Shape tool
• Text tool
2 On the Tool Options palette, click the Line Style drop-list, and click Custom.

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 If you want to copy an existing line style, choose that style from the Line Style drop-list,
and click Custom.
3 In the Styled Line Editor dialog box, choose settings from any of the following controls:
• First cap — lets you pick a style for the first segment in the line
• Last cap — lets you pick a style for the last segment in the line
If you want to specify a size for the cap, click the Size button, and type or set a value in
the Width and Height controls. To make the height and width equal, mark the Link axes
check box.
4 Do one of the following:
• If you are creating a new line, click Save as New. Type a name in the Styled Line Name
field, and click OK.
• If you are editing an existing line, click Save.
You can also
Undo the changes Click the Undo button .
Reset the line to the original style Click the Reset button .
Create separate end caps for the middle Mark the Different segment caps check
dashes in the line box, and choose settings from the
Segment Start and Segment End group
boxes.
Add dashes or gaps Type or set a value in the Length control,
and click Add.
Delete dashes or gaps Select a dash or gap, and click Delete.
Remove all dashes and gaps Click Clear.

The preview area at the bottom of the Styled Lines Editor dialog box displays the
changes you make to the line. The edit area has a ruler you can use to size dashes and
gaps (in pixels).
Saved styles appear in the Line Style drop-list on the Tool Options palette.

Drawing curves
You can draw Bézier and freehand curves.

To draw an object with Bézier curves

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pen tool .

Note: If you want to place the line segment on the current vector layer, mark the Create
on Vector check box on the Tool Options palette. If no vector layer exists, marking this

Drawing and editing vector objects 431

 check box creates one for the line segment. If this check box is unmarked, the line
segment is placed on a raster layer. Placing a line segment on a vector layer makes it
easier to edit.
2 On the Materials palette, click the Foreground and Stroke properties box, and choose a
color for the outline.
If you want to apply a fill to the curve, click the Background and Fill properties box, and
choose a color. If you do not want to apply a fill to the curve, click the Transparent
button .
3 In the Tool Options palette, click the Draw Point to Point button .
4 Mark the Show Nodes check box.
5 Click where you want to place the first node, and drag.
As you drag, the arrow-end of the control arm handle points in the same direction.
Release the mouse button when the first control arm reaches the desired length.
6 Click where you want to place the second node, and drag.
As you drag, the curve segment appears on the image canvas.
Note: If you marked the Connect Segments option, you can continue adding segments
in this manner.
7 On the Tool Options palette, click one of the following buttons to complete the Bézier
curve object:
• Start New Contour button — creates an open shape where the first and last
segments are not connected
• Close Selected Open Contours button — creates a closed shape where the first
and last segments are connected
8 Click the Apply button .
You can also
Automatically connect each curve segment Mark the Connect Segments check box.
Choose a line style Choose an option from the Line Style
drop-list.
Set a line width Type or set a value in the Width control.
Smooth the line’s edges Mark the Anti-alias check box.

You can save Tool Options palette settings as presets. For more information, see “Using
and creating presets” on page 536.

To draw a freehand curve

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pen tool .

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 Note: If you want to place the line segment on the current vector layer, mark the Create
on Vector check box on the Tool Options palette. If no vector layer exists, marking this
check box creates one for the line segment. If this check box is unmarked, the line
segment is placed on a raster layer. Placing a line segment on a vector layer makes it
easier to edit.
2 On the Materials palette, click the Foreground and Stroke properties box, and choose a
color for the outline.
If you want to apply a fill to the curve, click the Background and Fill properties box, and
choose a color. If you do not want the curve to have a fill, click the Transparent button
.
3 On the Tool Options palette, click the Draw Freehand button .
If you want to display the curve’s nodes, mark the Show Nodes check box.
4 Type or set a value in the Tracking control to set the distance in pixels between nodes.
Higher values create smoother, less precise lines with fewer nodes; lower values create
more segmented, precise lines with more nodes.
5 Drag to create the curve.
6 Click the Apply button .
You can also
Connect multiple curve objects Mark the Connect Segments check box.
Smooth the curve’s edges Mark the Anti-alias check box.
Choose a join setting Select an option from the Join drop-list. If
you selected Miter Join, you can type or
set a value in the Miter limit control to set
the degree of pointedness.
Choose a line style Choose an option from the Line style drop-
list.
Set a line width Type or set a value in the Width control.

Modifying lines and curves

You can edit the properties of lines and curves. You can reshape a curve by changing its
nodes the shape of the contour at a node by changing the node type, by modifying its line
segments on either side of a node, or by connecting line segments. You can also cut a line
segment. When you cut a closed path or contour, you open it. When you cut an open path
or contour, you create two separate contours.

Drawing and editing vector objects 433

To edit a line or curve
Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pen tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, click the Edit Mode button .
3 Select the shape.
4 Modify any of the settings on the Tool Options palette.

You can also edit the curve by clicking the Pick tool , selecting the curve, and
modifying any of the settings on the Tool Options palette.

To adjust a line segment by changing the nodes

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pen tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, click the Edit Mode button .
3 Right-click a node, choose Node Type, and select one of the following options:
• Convert to Line — straightens the segment before and after the node
• Line Before — straightens the segment before the node
• Line After — straightens the segment after the node
• Curve Before — curves the segment before the node
• Curve After — curves the segment after the node

To connect multiple line segments

Edit tab
1 Create as many connected line segments as you want.
2 On the Tool Options palette, click one of the following buttons:
• Start New Contour — connects line segments in an open shape
• Close Selected Open Contours — connects line segments in a closed shape
3 Click the Apply button .

You can save a set of Tool Options palette settings as presets. For more information, see
“Using and creating presets” on page 536.

To cut a line segment

Edit tab

1 From the Tools toolbar, choose the Pen tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, click the Knife Mode button .

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3 Drag across the contour where you want to cut it.

When you click the Knife Mode button, you can cut through all selected contours in
an object.

Copying and moving vector objects

You can copy and move vector objects by using Cut, Copy, and Paste commands. For more
information about moving objects precisely, see “To move a vector object” on page 422.

To copy or move a vector object

Edit tab

1 On the Tools toolbar, select the Pen tool .

2 On the Tool Options palette, click the Edit Mode button .
3 Click on a contour, and then double-click one node to select all nodes.
4 Choose Objects  Edit and select one of the following commands:
• Copy — copies the selected contour to the Windows clipboard
• Cut — removes the selected contour to the Windows clipboard. If the object has only
one contour, the command removes the entire object.
5 Click where you want to copy or move the contour.
6 Choose Edit and choose one of the following options:
• Paste As New Vector Selection — pastes vector objects within the same layer
• Paste As New Layer — pastes vector objects as a new layer
• Paste As New Image — pastes vector objects as a new image

Drawing and editing vector objects 435

436 PaintShop Pro
 Working with brushes

Brush tools offer countless ways to work creatively with your images. For example, you can
apply soft- or hard-edged brushstrokes of any color or material, paint with another image as
a source, retouch images to correct colors or contrast, replace colors, or paint with picture
tubes. You can also erase pixels by making them transparent.
Brush tools work only on raster layers, and they produce the best results when applied to
grayscale or 16 million–color images. They are less effective when applied to images of other
color depths.
You can also work with painting tools within a selection so that only the selected pixels are
affected. For more information about making selections, see “Working with selections” on
page 223.
This section presents the following topics:

• Choosing brushes
• Choosing brush options
• Using brushes
• Customizing brush settings
• Creating brush tips and presets
• Importing and sharing brush tips

Choosing brushes
You can choose from the following brush tools:
• Paint Brush — creates strokes of color that simulate strokes from an artist’s paintbrush.
Brushstrokes can have hard or soft edges. The Paint Brush is a multipurpose tool that can
be used to edit an image by applying color to areas as small as a single pixel. This tool
can be used to adjust transparency in specific areas or to create a selection. For more
information, see “To create a selection by using a Painting tool” on page 229.
• Airbrush — simulates an airbrush or spray can. The longer you apply the brush to an
area, the more pronounced the effect becomes.

Working with brushes 437

• Warp Brush — produces a warping effect on image pixels. You can twirl areas of the
image, contract or expand parts of the image, and create other interesting effects. For
more information, see “Warping images” on page 385.
• Picture Tube — lets you paint with a collection of preset objects. For example, you can
add butterflies and beetles to a picnic setting, fill an aquarium with fish, or frame a
picture with holly. You can use the picture tubes included with PaintShop Pro or create
your own. For more information, see “Using the Picture Tube tool” on page 381.
• Eraser — causes pixels to become transparent. For more information, see “Erasing image
areas” on page 186.
• Background Eraser — erases pixels selectively. For more information, see “Erasing image
areas” on page 186.
• Clone Brush — lets you edit your image by using parts of the image, or parts of another
image, as a paint source. For more information, see “Removing flaws and objects with the
Clone Brush or Object Remover” on page 179.
• Color Replacer — replaces a color in a selection or layer with another color. For more
information, see “Replacing colors, gradients, or patterns” on page 201.
• Retouch Brushes — let you retouch images. Some retouch brushes mimic photographic
effects. Others change pixels based on lightness, saturation, hue, or color values. Some
retouch brushes are similar to color correction commands in the effects they produce.

Choosing brush options

The brush options help you create hundreds of different brushstrokes. You can experiment
with the options until you achieve the effect you want.
You can further customize the basic brush settings by specifying additional options on the
Brush Variance palette. For more information about using the Brush Variance palette, see
“Customizing brush settings” on page 441.
The following options are available on the Tool Options palette for painting tools:
• Shape — specifies the shape of the brush tip. You can create a rectangular, elliptical, or
angled brush tip by starting with the round or square shape and modifying it with the
Thickness and Rotation options.
• Last Used — when you switch from one brush tip to another, Last Used lets you retain
the last settings you used with a brush rather than apply the settings that are saved with
the brush tip (such as Size and Step settings)
• Size — determines the size of the brush in pixels. You can adjust the Size value by using
the keyboard as well as by setting the Size control in the Tool Options palette. For more
information, see “To adjust the brush size by using the keyboard” on page 452.
• Hardness — determines the sharpness of the brush edges. A setting of 100 produces the
sharpest edge; lower values produce an increasingly softer, fading edge.

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• Step — determines the time interval that elapses between applications of paint, with
each application defined as a single, continuous brushstroke. Lower values produce a
smoother, more continuous appearance; higher values create a choppier appearance.
• Density — determines the evenness of coverage produced by the brushstroke (or for the
Eraser tool, the evenness of the erasure). Higher values produce more even coverage;
lower values produce spottier coverage, which resembles a spray-painted effect. When
using the Airbrush tool, you should set Density to values lower than 100.
• Thickness — determines the width of the brushstroke. A setting of 100 produces a brush
tip that is completely round or completely square, depending on the Shape setting. As
the Thickness setting decreases, the brush becomes increasingly narrow.
• Rotation — applies rotation to a noncircular brush tip
• Opacity — determines how well the paint covers the image surface. At 100% opacity, the
painted brushstroke completely covers the surface beneath it. At 1% opacity, the paint
stroke is almost completely transparent. For the Eraser tool, this setting determines the
level of erasing, so that a setting of 100% produces the most transparent result.
• Blend mode — determines how painted pixels are blended with pixels on underlying
layers. The blend modes are the same as layer blend modes. With the Paint Behind blend
mode, for example, painting is done behind the image on the active layer. No paint is
visible when the topmost layer and the active layer are both fully opaque. For more
information about blend modes, see “Blending layers” on page 266.
• Rate — determines the rate at which the Airbrush tool applies paint (from 0 to 50). A
value of 0 applies a consistent amount of paint even when the speed of the brushstroke
varies. Higher values apply more paint when the brush slows down or pauses.
• Stroke — lets you build up paint on existing paint strokes that were applied with the
Continuous check box marked. If the Continuous check box is not marked, or if the check
box is marked but no strokes have been made, the Stroke button is grayed (unavailable).
• Continuous — specifies whether paint builds up when multiple brushstrokes are applied
over the same area with opacity set at less than 100%. If this check box is marked,
painting produces a continuous color, and repainting an area has no effect. To repaint an
area, you must click the Stroke button. If the Continuous check box is unmarked (the
default), each brushstroke over the same area applies more paint; the color darkens until
it reaches 100% opacity.
• Wet Look Paint — mimics wet paint, with soft color inside and a darker ring near the
edge. The effect is more visible with lower values for the Hardness setting.
• Smart Edge — uses content-aware technology to sample the brush stroke area and
apply a brush stroke only to areas that match the underlying pixels. This makes it easier
to apply brush strokes to or around specific elements in your image. For example, you
can use Smart Edge with retouch brushes, such as the Dodge, Burn, or Sharpen, to help
you edit specific areas of the face, lips, or eyes. Note: Enabling Smart Edge can affect the
brush speed.

Working with brushes 439

Using brushes
When you choose a brush, you can modify its settings to achieve the effect you want. You
can also reset the brush to its default settings.
When applying paint, you can undo and redo multiple brushstrokes.

To use a brush
Edit tab
1 On the Tools toolbar, choose a brush tool.
2 On the Materials palette, choose the foreground and background colors and materials.
3 On the Tool Options palette, choose a tool from the Presets drop-list.
4 Choose a preset brush tip from the brush tip drop-list .
5 Specify the brush options, such as shape, size, opacity, hardness, thickness, and rotation.
6 Do one of the following:
• To apply the foreground color or material, drag in the image.
• To apply the background color or material, hold down the right mouse button, and
drag in the image.

With the Airbrush tool, you can build up color in one area by clicking and holding the
mouse at one position.
To paint a straight line, click once at the beginning point, press Shift, and then click the
end point. To continue the straight line, move to the next point, press Shift, and then
click again.

To reset a brush to its default settings

Edit tab
1 On the Tool Options palette, click the Presets drop-list.
2 Click the Reset to Default button .

To undo the most recent brushstroke

Edit tab

• Click the Undo button on the Standard toolbar.

You can also press Ctrl + Z or use the History palette to undo the stroke.

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To undo multiple brushstrokes
Edit tab

• Click the Undo button on the Standard toolbar multiple times.

You can also press Ctrl + Z multiple times or use the History palette to undo multiple
strokes.
You can redo strokes by clicking the Redo button on the Standard toolbar, by
pressing Ctrl + Alt + Z, or by using the History palette.

Customizing brush settings

The Brush Variance palette lets you customize the settings in the Tool Options palette for
particular brush options. You can also make random adjustments by increasing the Jitter
percentage.
You may find the most benefit to using Brush Variance palette settings if you use a pen tablet
or a 4D mouse.

To customize brush settings

Edit tab
1 Choose View  Palettes  Brush Variance.
2 On the Tools toolbar, choose a brush tool.
3 On the Tool Options palette, set the brush options.
4 On the Brush Variance palette, set the brush variance for each option (Color Blend, Hue,
Saturation, Lightness, Size, Opacity, Thickness, Rotation, Density):
• Normal — applies no variance
• Pressure — applies variance to the selected brush attribute according to the pressure
from a tablet stylus
• Tilt Angle — applies variance based on the angle between the tablet stylus and the
tablet
• Tilt Direction — applies variance based on the rotation angle of the brush tip
• Orientation — applies variance based on the rotation angle around the stylus (for 4D
mouse only)
• Fingerwheel — lets you control the variance in the brush attribute by using the wheel
on an airbrush stylus
• Z-Wheel — lets you control the brush attribute by using a 4D mouse wheel that is set
to behave according to the current application
• Direction — controls brush variation based on the angle between consecutive mouse
points on a path
• Fade In — fades the brush impression from small to large

Working with brushes 441

 • Repeating Fade In — repeatedly fades the brush impression from small to large
• Fade Out — fades the brush impression from large to small
• Oscillating Fade — repeatedly fades the brush impression in and out by oscillating
between small and large
Note: Options marked with an asterisk (*) in the Brush Variance palette are available
only to users with pressure-sensitive tablets. The options available depend on the type of
tablet being used.
5 Type or set a value in the Fade rate (pixels) control to select a threshold for the number
of pixels over which the fading in and fading out occurs.
Lower values produce faster fading; higher values produce slower fading.
6 Type or set a value in the Position Jitter (%) control to select a percentage for randomly
adjusting the brush impression location, relative to the document size.
Mark the Scale check box if you want the jitter to scale proportionally when you change
the brush size.
7 Type or set a value in the Impressions per step control to indicate how many brush
impressions per step are made of the brushstroke

To reset brush variance options to their default values, click the Reset Brush Variance
palette button .
If you have a variance loaded with a brush and then load another brush without loading
its variance, the new brush can take on the variance settings from the previous brush.
Click the Reset Brush Variance palette button to clear any leftover variance
settings.
You can save your modified brush as a brush tip or as a preset. For more information
about saving brushes and presets, see “Creating brush tips and presets” on page 442.

Creating brush tips and presets

By modifying the brush options, you can create your own brush tips to use with the painting
tools. When you create a brush tip, all options selected for the brush are saved, including the
brush shape, step, density, thickness, size, hardness, and rotation settings. You can also
include the variance settings in creating a brush tip. The settings that you save can be applied
to any tool that has a brush tip control in the Tool Options palette.
You can also make a selection, and then use the selection to create a custom brush with a
width and height of up to 999  999 pixels.
In addition to brush tips, you can create brush presets. When you create a preset, all settings
specified for a particular tool are saved, including all of the parameters and variance settings.
The tool preset is available only when you select that particular tool.

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To create a brush tip
Edit tab
1 On the Tools toolbar, choose a painting tool.
2 On the Tool Options palette, modify the settings for the brush.
3 Click the brush tip drop-list to display current brush tips.
4 Click the Create Brush Tip button in the brush tip drop-list.
5 Complete the fields in the Create Brush Tip dialog box.
6 Click OK.
The new brush appears in the brush tip drop-list. You can use the new brush with any of
the painting tools that display this drop-list.

You can also open the Create Brush Tip dialog box by choosing File  Export  Custom
Brush.
To save the new brush in a folder other than the default Brushes folder, click Edit Paths
in the Create Brush Tip dialog box. For more information on changing file locations, see
“Setting file locations” on page 505.

To create a brush tip from a selection

Edit tab
1 Make a selection of the area you want to convert into a custom brush.
2 On the Tools toolbar, choose a painting tool.
3 On the Tool Options palette, click the brush tip drop-list to display current brush tips.
4 Click the Create Brush Tip from Selection button .
A preview of the new brush appears in the Create Brush Tip dialog box.
5 Enter a name for the brush in the Name box.
6 Select a step value.
7 Click OK.
The new brush appears in the brush tip drop-list. You can use the new brush with any of
the painting tools that appear in the drop-list.

To save the new brush in a folder other than the default Brushes folder, click Edit Paths
in the Create Brush Tip dialog box. For more information on changing file locations, see
“Setting file locations” on page 505.

To create a brush preset

Edit tab
1 Choose a painting tool and modify any of the tool options.

Working with brushes 443

2 On the Tool Options palette, click the Presets drop-list.
3 Click the Save preset button .
The Save Preset dialog box appears.
4 Type a name for the brush preset.
Note: You cannot use the names “Default” or “Last Used.”
5 To enter additional preset information, click Options, and then enter information in the
Author, Copyright, and Description fields.
6 Click OK.

You can exclude any of the current brush settings from the preset by clicking the Save
icon associated with those settings in the Preset Includes list. A white “X” appears
over the icon, indicating that this brush setting will not be saved with the preset.

Importing and sharing brush tips

You can import custom brushes or create your own. For information about creating custom
brushes, see “Creating brush tips and presets” on page 442.
After you create a custom brush tip, you can share it with others by sending them the brush
file. If the brush uses a custom shape, you must share both the brush file and the custom
shape file for that brush.

To import a custom brush

Edit tab
1 Choose File  Import  Custom Brush.
The Import Custom Brush dialog box appears.
2 Click Open.
3 In the Open dialog box, navigate to the brush file that you want to import, and click
Open.
4 In the Import Custom Brush dialog box, select the custom brushes that you want to
import, and click Add.
If you want to import multiple brushes, click Add All.
5 Click OK to import the custom brushes.

To share brush tips

Edit tab
1 Navigate to ...Documents\Corel PaintShop Pro\2022\Brushes.
Navigate to the folder in which you saved your custom brushes if it is different from the
default Brushes folder.

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2 Share the brush files (those with .PspBrush or .PspScript extensions) — for example, by
attaching them to an e-mail message.
The recipient should save the brush files to ...Documents\Corel PaintShop
Pro\2022\Brushes, or to the folder that contains custom brushes.

If you are sharing brushes created from selections, you must share both the PspBrush
file and the associated PspScript file.

Working with brushes 445

446 PaintShop Pro
 Painting and drawing with the
Art Media tools

The Art Media tools let you create digital artwork that closely mimics real-world media,
pigments, paints, and artists’ tools.
This section presents the following topics:

• Working with Art Media layers

• Working with the Mixer palette
• Working with Art Media tools
• Using the Oil Brush tool
• Using the Chalk tool
• Using the Pastel tool
• Using the Crayon tool
• Using the Colored Pencil tool
• Using the Marker tool
• Using the Watercolor Brush tool
• Using the Palette Knife tool
• Using the Smear tool
• Using the Art Eraser tool

Working with Art Media layers

Art Media layers are automatically created when you use the Art Media tools. You can also
convert Art Media layers to raster layers.
You can choose to create a new image with an Art Media layer. You can also choose a canvas
texture on which to apply the Art Media pigment, and you can apply a fill color or a canvas
color to the texture. To add to the effect, you can dry or wet an Art Media layer at any time.

To create an Art Media layer

Edit tab
• Choose Layers  New Art Media Layer.
A new Art Media layer appears in the Layers palette.

Painting and drawing with the Art Media tools 447

 You can also create a new Art Media layer by clicking the New Layer drop-list on the
toolbar of the Layers palette, and choosing New Art Media Layer.

To dry or wet an Art Media layer

Edit tab
• Choose Layers, and click one of the following options:
• Dry Art Media layer
• Wet Art Media layer

The Dry Art Media layer command and the Wet Art Media layer command can be
selectively undone in the History palette.

To modify Art Media layer properties

Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, double-click the Art Media layer to display the Layer Properties
dialog box.
2 Click the Canvas Texture tab.
3 Modify any of the layer’s properties.

Working with the Mixer palette

You can use the Mixer palette to blend colors and create paint swatches similar to those you
would create by using a traditional artist’s palette. Once you have created a color, you can
use the Art Media brushes to apply it to the canvas.
If you blend colors too much, you can undo the 20 most recent Mixer Tube tool or Mixer
Knife tool actions. You can also redo color mixing actions.
Important! The history of the actions in the Mixer palette is lost when you close the
program; however, you can close the Mixer palette at any time while the program is open
and not lose your changes.
By default, the Mixer pages you create are 500 × 500 pixels. However, you can also create
larger, custom mixer pages. You can also save the Mixer area as a Mixer page, which you can
reload and use in another PaintShop Pro session.

To mix colors
Edit tab
1 On the Materials palette, set the Foreground and Stroke Property box to Color, and
choose a color from the Frame, Rainbow, or Swatch tab.

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 Note: When any Art Media tool is active, the mode buttons below the Foreground and
Stroke Property and Background and Fill Property boxes are inactive.
2 On the Mixer palette, select the Mixer Tube tool .
3 In the Mixer area, drag to apply paint strokes.
If you want to change the width of the stroke, change the setting in the Size box.
Note: You can choose another color by repeating step 1.
4 Choose the Mixer Knife tool , and drag in the Mixer area to smear colors together.

You can toggle between the Mixer Knife tool and the Mixer Tube tool by using the
right-mouse button. For example, you can apply paint by holding down the left mouse
button and dragging; and you can mix the paint by holding down the right mouse
button and dragging.

To undo and redo color mixing

Edit tab
• On the Mixer palette, click one of the following buttons:
• Unmix — lets you undo a Mixer Tube tool or Mixer Knife tool action
• Remix — lets you redo a Mixer Tube tool or Mixer Knife tool action

You cannot undo or redo Mixer Tube and Mixer Knife tool actions by choosing Edit 
Undo or Edit  Redo, by clicking the Undo and Redo buttons on the Standard toolbar,
or by pressing Ctrl + Z or Ctrl + Alt + Z.

To use Mixer palette colors

Edit tab
1 On the Mixer palette, choose the Mixer Dropper tool , and click a color in the Mixer
area.
Note: Dragging around the Mixer area on the Materials palette updates the Foreground
and Stroke property box with the current sampling position.
2 On the Tools toolbar, choose an Art Media tool.
3 Begin painting.
Note: The strokes will be applied on an Art Media layer. If this layer type is not the active
layer, one is created automatically once you begin using the Art Media tool.
4 To choose another color, use the Mixer Dropper tool to choose the desired color from
the Mixer area.
You can also
Pan to other areas of the Mixer page Hold down the Navigate button to
display the entire Mixer page. Drag to
enclose the desired area of the page.

Painting and drawing with the Art Media tools 449

You can also
Clear the Mixer page On the Mixer palette, choose Clean Page.

The size of the Dropper tool is determined by the Size setting on the Tool Options
palette.
You can dry the Art Media layer, or make it wet again by choosing Layers  Dry Art
Media layer or Layers  Wet Art Media layer. For more information on each Art Media
tool, see “Working with Art Media tools” on page 451.

To create a custom Mixer page

Edit tab
1 Choose File  New to display the New Image dialog box.
2 In the Image Dimensions group box, type values to set the dimensions for the Mixer
page.
Note: The width and height must be at least 500 pixels.
3 In the Image Characteristics group box, click the Art Media Background option.
4 Click the texture swatch in the Select canvas texture area, and choose a texture from the
menu.
Note: The texture acts like an invisible surface on which Art Media pigments are applied.
5 Click OK.
Note: At this point you can apply Art Media pigment to the image.
6 On the Standard toolbar, click the Save button to display the Save As dialog box.
7 Navigate to X: Program Files(x86)\Corel\Corel PaintShop Pro 2020\Corel_19 for 32-bit
or X: Program Files\Corel\Corel PaintShop Pro 2020 (64-bit)\Corel_19 for 64-bit,
where “X” indicates the drive on which PaintShop Pro is installed.
8 Save the new image in the .pspimage file format.
You can also
Save the Mixer area as a page On the Mixer palette, choose Save Page or
Save Page As, and type a name for the
page.

You can also access Mixer pages from your user folder, ...Documents\Corel PaintShop
Pro\2020\Mixer Pages.

You can fill the Mixer page with a color by marking the Enable fill color check box in
the New Image dialog box, clicking the Color box, and choosing a fill color. Be aware,
however, that you cannot sample this color, nor will the Art Media tools affect the color.

450 PaintShop Pro

To load Mixer area pages
Edit tab
1 Click the Load Mixer Page button .
2 Click the Mixer page you want, or navigate to the folder where the Mixer page is stored.
Note: By default, Mixer pages are saved in ...Documents\Corel PaintShop
Pro\2020\Mixer Pages.

You can also load a mixer page by clicking the Mixer Menu icon and choosing Load
Page.

Working with Art Media tools

You can use the Art Media tools when working on Art Media layers. The Art Media tools let
you simulate the rich, expressive results you get when working on physical pigment media
such as paint, chalk, pastel, and pencil.
Important! Although the Art Media tools support Presets, they do not support custom
brush tips like the Paint Brush tool and other raster painting tools.

The wet pigment media tools

The Oil Brush, Watercolor Brush, and Marker tools simulate the effect of painting with real
wet pigment and tools. The Oil Brush even creates the effect of running out of paint at the
end of a stroke. To get more paint, simply release the mouse button, and then drag more
paint strokes.
The Oil Brush tool and the Palette Knife tool let you produce strokes with multiple colors on
the brush head. This simulates the effect you can achieve by using a real painting palette and
multiple wet pigments. Additionally, you can dry the wet strokes you have applied. For more
information, see “To dry or wet an Art Media layer” on page 448.

The dry pigment media tools

The Chalk, Pastel, Crayon, and Colored Pencil tools let you create effects that simulate
artwork that you create with dry pigment media. Unlike the Oil Brush tool, the dry tools don’t
run out of pigment media. Furthermore, the pigment applied with these tools has less
volume than that which is applied by using the Oil Brush tool.

The Palette Knife, Smear, and Art Eraser tools

You can use the Palette Knife to apply and smear art media pigments. You can also use the
Smear tool blend pigments as though you are using a finger or a cloth.
You can use the Art Eraser tool to erase pigment. However, if you are using the Art Eraser
tool to erase pigment created with multiple paint strokes (such as those applied by the Oil

Painting and drawing with the Art Media tools 451

Brush tool), it may take multiple strokes to clean the area. If you are using the tool to erase
pigment created with the Chalk tool or the Colored Pencil tool, you’ll achieve results with
fewer strokes.

Creating artistic rendering of photos

You can give a photograph image the look of a painting or drawing. By dragging the Artistic
Media tool over a color, you select the pigment or paint color by sampling the data below
the center of the brush regardless of the layer type. When you hold down the mouse button
to begin the stroke, note that a single sample is performed, and the resulting color is used
for the duration of the stroke.

To use an Art Media tool

Edit tab
1 On the Tools palette, choose one of the following tools:
• Oil Brush
• Chalk
• Pastel
• Crayon
• Colored Pencil
• Marker
• Watercolor Brush
• Palette Knife
• Smear
• Art Eraser
2 On the Tool Options palette, click the Presets button and choose a preset brush.
If you want to adjust the preset brush, change any of the settings on the Tool Options
palette.

To adjust the brush size by using the keyboard

Edit tab

To Do the following
Increase or decrease brush size interactively Hold down Alt, and drag.
Increase brush size by 1 pixel Hold down Alt, and press C.
Increase brush size by 20 pixels Hold down Shift + Alt, and press C.
Decrease brush size by 1 pixel Hold down Alt, and press X.
Decrease brush size by 20 pixels Hold down Shift + Alt, and press X.

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To create an artistic rendering of a photo
Edit tab
1 With the image open, choose an Art Media tool that applies paint or pigment.
2 Mark the Trace check box on the Tool Options palette.
3 Place the cursor over the image where you want to sample an underlying color and drag
to apply a stroke using the sampled color.
The resulting color is used for the duration of the stroke.

You can experiment with your results by adjusting the brush size and zoom level.
You can achieve accurate results by creating a color-based selection by using the Magic
Wand tool, and applying the pigment or paint to the color sampled area.

Using the Oil Brush tool

You can use the Oil Brush tool to simulate a dense medium that blends color by mixing with
a thick medium, rather than through an overlay function. You can load the Oil Brush tool
with multiple colors. You can smear and blend colors by mixing them with oil that is already
on the canvas.
There are a number of options for managing the reloading of the Oil Brush tool head
between strokes. You can
• reload the brush with a solid color
• reload the brush by sampling from the Mixer page
• reload the brush with its current contents and optional amounts of color from the Mixer
page
• leave the brush unloaded, and dip into the palettes or canvas after each stroke
Paint strokes applied by the Oil Brush tool are wet in terms of how strokes interact with other
strokes by smearing or mixing together. For more information see “To dry or wet an Art
Media layer” on page 448.

Oil Brush tool options

Edit tab

Oil Brush tool options include

• Shape — defines the shape of the brush tip
• Size — defines the size of the tool head in pixels
• Thickness — defines the aspect ratio of the tool head. This setting is active only when
the Fixed angle Head Tracking option is chosen.
• Rotation — defines the angle of head rotation in degrees

Painting and drawing with the Art Media tools 453

• Head Tracking — determines whether the tool head bends around the path of the user’s
stroke, or remains at a fixed angle
• Head Loading — defines the percentage of material on the brush at the start of the
stroke
• Viscosity — defines the rate at which the material on the brush is applied, and thus the
length of the stroke before your paint runs out
• Firmness — defines the amount of splay in the brush, how the rendered line gets wider
with more pressure, and how well it penetrates the surface on to which it is painting
• Bristle size — affects the underlying noise function for texture and application of paint
• Auto Clean check box — cleans the brush and reloads it with fresh paint at the start of a
new stroke
Note: When unmarked, the brush head is not cleaned at the start of the stroke. Instead,
the dirty head has a small amount of the current color added to whatever dirty head
state exists from the previous stroke.
• Clean button — cleans the head and start the next stroke with fresh paint or pigment
• Trace check box — allows the current Art Media tool to select the pigment or paint color
by sampling the data below the center of the brush regardless of the layer type.
Important! When you hold down the mouse button to begin the stroke, note that a single
sample is performed and the resulting color is used for the duration of the stroke.

Using the Chalk tool

The Chalk tool lets you create consistent, dry media over the course of a stroke. The
pigment penetrates the canvas texture according to the pressure setting you choose. The
Chalk tool does not have a bristle component to the stroke; instead, it is applied with a flat
or angled edge that is affected by the texture of the canvas.

Chalk tool options

Edit tab

Chalk tool options include

• Shape — defines the shape of the chalk tip
• Size — defines the size of the tool head in pixels
• Thickness — defines the aspect ratio of the tool head
• Rotation — defines the angle of head rotation in degrees
• Head Tracking — defines whether the tool head bends around the path of the stroke, or
whether it remains at a fixed angle

454 PaintShop Pro

• Trace check box — allows the Chalk tool to select the pigment color by sampling the
data below the center of the tool regardless of the layer type. (This feature works much
the same way as the Clone Brush’s Sample Merged tool option).
Important! When you hold down the mouse button to begin the stroke, note that a single
sample is performed and the resulting color is used for the duration of the stroke.

Using the Pastel tool

Pastel is a dry media, softer than chalk, but like chalk it has infinite brush loading. Applied
with the Pastel tool , its dry pigment tends to penetrate the canvas texture proportional
to the pressure with which you apply it. Pastel pigments have a fixed viscosity that is slightly
less than chalk, meaning the strokes you apply leave some volume on the canvas as they
break from the pigment stick. Pastels do not have a bristle component to the stroke, instead
presenting a flat or angled surface of the stick. The stroke edges fall off and break up based
on the texture of the canvas.
Pastel is slightly shiny, interacts with itself by smearing slightly, and dirtying the tool head
slightly when applied with light pressure. It loads the canvas more than chalk, breaking up
more when applied, and this gives the appearance of volume to the surface.

Pastel tool options

Edit tab

Pastel tool options include

• Shape — defines the shape of the pastel tip
• Size — defines the size of the tool head in pixels
• Thickness — defines the aspect ratio of the tool head
• Rotation — defines the angle of head rotation in degrees
• Head Tracking — determines whether the tool head bends around the path of the user’s
stroke, or remains at a fixed angle
• Trace check box — allows the Pastel tool to select the pigment color by sampling the
data below the center of the tool regardless of the layer type.
Important! When you hold down the mouse button to begin the stroke, note that a single
sample is performed and the resulting color is used for the duration of the stroke.

Using the Crayon tool

Crayon is a dry media similar to chalk but with a wetter feel that prevents powdering. The
tool has infinite pigment loading. As applied by the Crayon tool , its dry pigment tends to
penetrate the canvas texture proportional to the pressure with which you apply it. This is due
to PaintShop Pro mimicking a solid tool head. The pigment leaves a slightly waxy volume that
can smear for a short distance as it is painted over. Crayons do not have a bristle component

Painting and drawing with the Art Media tools 455

to the stroke, instead presenting a flat or angled tool surface. The body of the stroke tends
to have a fall-off and break up affected strongly by the canvas texture. However, crayon
pigment is less transparent than chalk and does not powder.
Crayon is a little more shiny than pastel, smears itself slightly less, but does apply a tiny
amount of matter to the canvas and can smooth over bumps if used repeatedly. This is
because the volume that is laid down is viscous enough to fill dents but also dense enough
to prevent large-range smearing.

Crayon tool options

Edit tab

Crayon tool options include

• Shape — defines the shape of the crayon tip
• Size — defines the size of the tool head in pixels
• Thickness — defines the aspect ratio of the tool head
• Rotation — defines the angle of head rotation in degrees
• Head Tracking — controls whether the tool head bends around the path of the user’s
stroke, or remains at a fixed angle
• Trace check box — allows the Crayon tool to select the pigment color by sampling the
data below the center of the tool regardless of the layer type.
Important! When you hold down the mouse button to begin the stroke, note that a single
sample is performed and the resulting color is used for the duration of the stroke.

Using the Colored Pencil tool

The Colored Pencil tool lets you apply dry pencil strokes that blend when you apply light
pressure, and overlay when you apply firm pressure. The Colored Pencil tool does not apply
bump to a surface, and it will only smear when you apply pressure to the canvas. You can use
the Smear tool to blend colored pencil strokes.

Colored Pencil tool options

Edit tab

Colored Pencil tool options include

• Shape — defines the shape of the pencil tip
• Size — defines the size of the tool head in pixels
• Thickness — defines the aspect ratio of the tool head
• Rotation — defines the angle of head rotation in degrees
• Head Tracking — controls whether the tool head bends around the path of the user’s
stroke, or remains at a fixed angle

456 PaintShop Pro

• Style — determines the behavior of the Colored Pencil tool tip when using a stylus
Choose Tilt to change the style through a linear progression based upon the stylus tilt.
Choose Tip to mimic using the very tip of a pencil. Choose Edge to mimic using the
pencil’s edge.
• Softness — defines the softness of the pencil lead, controlling how easily pressure or
velocity break up the lead and cause it to powder into the canvas dents, or to smudge
when applied
• Trace check box — allows the Colored Pencil tool to select the pigment color by
sampling the data below the center of the tool
Important! When you hold down the mouse button to begin the stroke, note that a single
sample is performed and the resulting color is used for the duration of the stroke.

Using the Marker tool

The Marker tool lets you apply pigment that resembles drawing with a marker on a
canvas. Marker pens are a slightly wet medium, though generally not wet enough to interact
with other wet media. The pigment goes on the canvas with a multiply function, simulating
the interaction of using a pen repeatedly on the same spot. Pens generally have a very sharp
fall-off at the stroke edge, and there is full canvas penetration even at light pressure.

Marker tool options

Edit tab

Marker tool options include

• Shape — defines the shape of the marker tip
• Size — defines the size of the tool head in pixels
• Thickness — defines the aspect ratio of the tool head
• Rotation — defines the angle of head rotation in degrees
• Head Tracking — controls whether the tool head bends around the path of the stroke,
or whether it remains at a fixed angle
• Trace check box — allows the Marker tool to select the pigment color by sampling the
data below the center of the tool, regardless of the layer type
Important! When you hold down the mouse button to begin the stroke, note that a single
sample is performed and the resulting color is used for the duration of the stroke.

Using the Watercolor Brush tool

You can use the Watercolor Brush tool to simulate the transparent strokes of watercolor
painting. Watercolor brushstrokes reveal the canvas texture and are wet in terms of how they
interact with other strokes when you smear or mix them together. For more information see
“To dry or wet an Art Media layer” on page 448.

Painting and drawing with the Art Media tools 457

To reload the Watercolor Brush tool with color, you can
• reload the brush with a solid color
• reload the brush by sampling from the Mixer page

Watercolor Brush tool options

Edit tab

Watercolor Brush tool options include

• Shape — defines the shape of the brush tip
• Size — defines the size of the tool head in pixels
• Thickness — defines the aspect ratio of the tool head. This setting is active only when
the Fixed angle Head Tracking option is chosen.
• Rotation — defines the angle of head rotation in degrees
• Head Tracking — determines whether the tool head bends around the path of the user’s
stroke, or remains at a fixed angle
• Viscosity — defines the rate at which the material on the brush is applied, and thus the
length of the stroke before your paint runs out
• Firmness — defines the amount of splay in the brush, how the rendered line gets wider
with more pressure, and how well it penetrates the surface on to which it is painting
• Bristle size — affects the underlying noise function for texture and application of paint
• Auto Clean check box — cleans the brush and reloads it with fresh paint at the start of a
new stroke
Note: When unmarked, the brush head is not cleaned at the start of the stroke. Instead,
the dirty head has a small amount of the current color added to whatever dirty head
state exists from the previous stroke.
• Clean button — cleans the head and start the next stroke with fresh paint or pigment
• Trace check box — allows the current Art Media tool to select the pigment or paint color
by sampling the data below the center of the brush regardless of the layer type.

Using the Palette Knife tool

The Palette Knife tool interacts with the medium on the canvas. Generally, you use it with
strokes placed by the Oil Brush tool as this is the only tool that applies large amounts of its
medium. As the mass of the medium reduces in a spot, there is less to smear and using the
Palette Knife tool has less effect. This means that the Crayon tool, which applies very little
medium, is only slightly affected by the Palette Knife tool.
The method of loading or cleaning the Palette Knife tool is similar to the Oil Brush tool. You
can clean it automatically after each stroke, retain the color picked up from the canvas, or
allow manual cleaning. You can use the Palette Knife tool to apply pigment or smear it.

458 PaintShop Pro

Paint strokes applied by the Palette Knife tool are wet in terms of how strokes interact with
other strokes by smearing or mixing together. For more information, see “To dry or wet an
Art Media layer” on page 448.

Palette Knife tool options

Edit tab

Palette Knife tool options include

• Shape — defines the shape of the knife tip
• Size — defines the size of the tool head in pixels
• Thickness — defines the aspect ratio of the tool head
This setting is only active when the Fixed angle Head Tracking option is enabled.
• Rotation — defines the angle of head rotation
• Head Tracking — controls whether the tool head bends around the path of the user’s
stroke, or remains at a fixed angle
• Head Loading — defines the percentage of material on the brush at the start of the
stroke
• Auto Clean check box — cleans the tool and dips it into fresh paint at the start of a new
stroke
• Clean button — cleans the head and start the next stroke with fresh paint or pigment.
This button is only active when the Auto Clean check box is not marked.
• Trace check box — allows the Palette Knife tool to select the pigment or paint color by
sampling the data below the center of the tool regardless of the layer type.
Important! When you hold down the mouse button to begin the stroke, note that a single
sample is performed and the resulting color is used for the duration of the stroke.

Using the Smear tool

The Smear tool lets you smear existing pigment, including pigment that has no volume
on the canvas, such as pencil strokes. The tool simulates the effects of dragging a cloth or
finger through chalk or pencil strokes on a canvas.
You can use the Smear tool to create a smudging effect on dry pigment, or to create a
smearing effect on wet pigment.

Smear tool options

Edit tab

Smear tool options include

• Shape — defines the shape of the tool tip
• Size — defines the size of the tool head in pixels

Painting and drawing with the Art Media tools 459

• Thickness — defines the aspect ratio of the tool head
• Rotation — defines the angle of head rotation in degrees
• Head Tracking — controls whether the tool head bends around the path of the stroke,
or whether it remains at a fixed angle

Using the Art Eraser tool

The Art Eraser tool lets you erase art media from an image. While this tool is not strictly
realistic, it does provide you with the flexibility to erase mistakes, rather than undoing entire
strokes.

Art Eraser tool options

Edit tab

Art Eraser tool options include

• Shape — defines the shape of the eraser tip
• Size — defines the size of the tool head in pixels
• Thickness — defines the aspect ratio of the tool head
• Rotation — defines the angle of head rotation in degrees
• Head tracking — controls whether the brush head bends around the path of the stroke,
or whether it remains at a fixed angle

460 PaintShop Pro

 Working with advanced color

PaintShop Pro has many advanced color features that let you work with color in many ways.
For example, you can change the color depth of your images to prepare them for printing
or the Web. You can control how your monitor displays colors and manage colors for output.
You can also split images into color channels.
This section presents the following topics:

• Understanding color depth

• Viewing color depth information
• Increasing the color depth of an image
• Decreasing the color depth of an image
• Understanding color reduction methods
• Understanding palette options
• Working with image palettes
• Understanding color and color models
• Understanding how monitor colors and print colors differ
• Calibrating your monitor
• Working with color management
• Using color channels

Understanding color depth

Color depth, also called bit depth, refers to the number of colors each pixel in an image can
display. As the color depth increases, the number of colors an image can display increases.
Each pixel’s color information is stored in a certain number of computer bits — from 1 bit to
48 bits. In a 1-bit image, each pixel can display only one of two colors — black or white. In
images with greater bit depth, each pixel can display one of an increasingly large number of
colors. High-end digital camera photos saved in the camera’s RAW format contain the most
colors, but they also require more hard drive space, and more system memory to display and
work on them.
In PaintShop Pro, you can use the following color depths:

Working with advanced color 461

• 2 colors
• 16 colors
• 256 colors
• 8-bit per channel RGB
• 8-bit per channel Grey
• 16-bit per channel RGB
• 16-bit per channel Grey
Before you change the color depth of your image, consider the following:
• Many effect and correction commands work on higher color depth images only. After
you finish working on an image, you can decrease its color depth and save it in another
format.
• Computer monitors also have a color depth that is determined by the monitor’s
capabilities as well as the selected color setting. If you display an image with a higher
color depth than the monitor can display, the image has some color distortion.
• Some file formats limit the number of supported colors so that images display correctly
on a variety of monitor types. For example, GIF images, a popular format for the Web,
contain up to 256 colors (8-bit depth).

Viewing color depth information

You can use PaintShop Pro to view the color depth information for images. You can also
check the color depth of a monitor to ensure it supports the color depth of the images with
which you are working.
The number of colors actually used in an image is usually less than the color depth. For
example, a 16 million-color image is capable of displaying that many colors, but may only
use 50,000 colors. You can use PaintShop Pro to view the number of colors used in an image
or layer.

To view the color depth of an image

Edit tab
• Choose Image  Image Information.
The Current Image Information dialog box appears. The color depth value for the image
is displayed in the Pixel Depth/Color field in the Image group box.

You can also view the color depth information on the Status bar. The color depth
information appears after the two numbers that display the pixel dimensions of the
image.
You can also view color depth information on Overview palette by pressing F9, clicking
the Info tab, and viewing the Color Depth field.

462 PaintShop Pro

To view the color depth of a monitor
Edit tab
1 Choose Help  About PaintShop Pro.
2 Click System Info.
3 Scroll down to the Video Driver Information section, and view the Number of Colors
field.

To view the number of colors in an image

Edit tab
• Choose Image  Count Image Colors.

To view the number of colors in a layer

Edit tab
1 On the Layers palette, click the layer that you want to check.
2 Choose Layers  Count Layer Colors.

Increasing the color depth of an image

If an image has a color depth of less than 24-bit, you may want to increase the color depth
so you can use a wider range of effect and correction commands, many of which only work
on images with 16 million colors. Depending on the color depth of your image, you can also
increase an image to 16 colors (4-bit) or 256 colors (8-bit).

To increase the color depth of an image

Edit tab
• Choose Image  Increase Color Depth, and choose one of the following:
• 16 color palette
• 256 color palette
• RGB - 8 bits/channel
• RGB - 16 bits/channel
Color depths not available for the active image are grayed out.

If your image has a palette, for example if you have a 256 color (8-bit) image, and you
need to maintain the palette colors, you can save the palette before increasing the
color depth. After editing the image, you can reload the palette. For more information,
see “Working with image palettes” on page 469.
If you are increasing or decreasing several images to the same color depth, you can
add a button to the toolbar that you can click to automatically set color depth. For more
information, see “Customizing toolbars” on page 485.

Working with advanced color 463

Decreasing the color depth of an image
If you are creating an image for on-screen viewing, you can decrease the number of colors
to reduce the file size and ensure the image displays properly.
Before decreasing the color depth, consider the following:
• Most PaintShop Pro effect and correction commands work on 16 million-color and
grayscale images only.
• When you decrease the color depth, PaintShop Pro flattens the image, which merges the
data on all layers. However, you can add vector layers to images of any color depth.
If you are creating images for the Web, we recommend that you work with 16 million color
(24-bit) images in the PspImage file format. After editing the images, you can reduce the
color depth of the images and prepare them for the Web by exporting the images using the
GIF optimizer, JPEG optimizer, or PNG Optimizer.
Depending on the current color depth of your image, you can decrease its color depth to the
color depths described below.

2 colors (1-bit)
You can create a black-and-white image by decreasing the color depth of an image to 2
colors. For example, if your image is already black-and-white, you can change the color
depth to two colors to reduce the file size.

16 Colors (4-Bit)
When you have an image that has only a few colors, you can decrease the color depth of an
image to 16 colors (4-bit). This color depth is useful for simple graphics on Web pages that
you want to load quickly. The resulting image has an image palette that contains 16 specific
colors. You can change any of those colors by editing the image palette. For information, see
“Working with image palettes” on page 469.

256 colors (8-Bit)

When you decrease the color depth of an image to 256 colors (8-bit), you can choose a Web-
safe palette to ensure your image displays as expected regardless of the Web browser or
monitor used to view the image. You can only convert color images to 256 Colors (8-bit). For
information about converting images to 8-bit grayscale, see “To create an 8-bit grayscale
image” on page 467.

Grayscale (8-bit)
You can convert a color image to an 8-bit grayscale image that uses up to 256 shades of gray.

464 PaintShop Pro

32K and 64K Colors (24-Bit)
You can reduce the number of colors used in a 24-bit image by decreasing the color depth
to 32K (32,000) or 64K (64,000) colors. Displaying images with 32K or 64K colors on older
monitors results in better refresh rates than displaying 24-bit images with 16 million colors.

Decreasing color depth to a selected number of colors

You can decrease the number of colors used in an image by specifying the number of colors
that you want to use. When you specify the number of colors, PaintShop Pro converts the
image to the appropriate color depth. For example, if you specify 16 or fewer colors, the
image is saved as a 4-bit image. If you specify 17 to 256 colors, the image is saved as an 8-
bit image. Specifying the number of colors is advantageous when saving to some file
formats, such as GIF, because the file compression is sensitive to the number of colors in the
image. For example, by using 100 colors instead of 256 colors, a smaller GIF file is created,
even though both files are 8-bit images. Smaller files result in faster download times.

To decrease the color depth to 2 colors

Edit tab
1 Choose Image  Decrease Color Depth  2 Color palette.
2 In the Palette Component group box, choose the color channel to use for the final
image.
Choosing the Grey values option produces the best results in most cases. However, if the
image consists mainly of a single color, selecting that color channel may produce the
best results.
3 In the Reduction Method group box, choose a color reduction method.
For more information about color reduction, see “Understanding color reduction
methods” on page 468.
4 In the Palette Weight group box, select an option:
• Weighted — weighted palettes produce less dithering and sharper edges
• Non-weighted — non-weighted palettes produce more dithering and softer edges
Note: Dithering places pixels of different colors or gray levels next to each other to
simulate missing colors or grays.
5 Click OK.

You can also create a black-and-white image by choosing Adjust  Brightness and
Contrast  Threshold. With this command, the color depth does not change. For more
information, see “To convert a photo’s pixels to black and white” on page 146.

Working with advanced color 465

To decrease the color depth to 16 colors
Edit tab
1 Choose Image  Decrease Color Depth  16 Color palette.
2 In the Palette group box, choose a palette option.
For more information about setting Palette options, see “Working with image palettes”
on page 469.
3 In the Reduction Method group box, choose a color reduction method.
For more information about color reduction, see “Understanding color reduction
methods” on page 468.
Note: The Ordered Dither option is available only for the Windows color palette.
4 In the Options group box, mark or unmark these check boxes:
• Boost marked colors by — when you have a selection in your image, this option lets
you make the colors in the selection more important by a factor of the value you enter
• Reduce color bleeding — makes the left-to-right bleed effect of colors less noticeable
when you choose the Optimized Median Cut or the Optimized Octree palette and the
Error Diffusion reduction method
5 Click OK.

If you want to emphasize the importance of certain colors in the conversion, create a
selection of the area that you want to use before you decrease the color depth.

To decrease the color depth to 256 colors

Edit tab
1 Choose Image  Decrease Color Depth  256 Color palette.
2 In the Palette group box, choose a palette option. For more information about setting
Palette options, see “Working with image palettes” on page 469.
3 In the Reduction Method group box, choose a color reduction method.
For more information about reducing colors, see “Understanding color reduction
methods” on page 468.
Note: The Ordered Dither option is available only for the Standard/Web-safe color
palette.
4 In the Options group box, choose any of the following options:
• Boost marked colors by — when you have a selection in your image, this option lets
you make the colors in the selection more important by a factor of the value you enter
• Include Windows’ colors — lets you include the 16 standard Windows colors in the
converted image palette when you choose the Optimized Median Cut or the
Optimized Octree palette option

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 • Reduce color bleeding — makes the left-to-right bleed effect of colors less noticeable
when you chose the Optimized Median Cut or the Optimized Octree palette and the
Error Diffusion reduction method
5 Click OK.

If you want to emphasize the importance of certain colors in the conversion, create a
selection of the area that you want to use before you decrease the color depth.

To create an 8-bit grayscale image

Edit tab
• Choose Image  Greyscale.

To decrease the color depth to 32K or 64K colors

Edit tab
1 Choose Image  Decrease Color Depth, and choose one of the following:
• 32K Colors (8 bits/channel) — reduces the number of colors to 32,000
• 64K Colors (8 bits/channel) — reduces the number of colors to 64,000
2 In the Reduction Method group box, select a color reduction method.
For more information about reducing colors, see “Understanding color reduction
methods” on page 468.
3 Click OK.

To decrease the color depth to a selected number of colors

Edit tab
1 Choose Image  Decrease Color Depth  X Colors (4/8-bit).
2 Type or set the number of colors (from 2 to 256) in the Number of colors control.
3 In the Palette group box, select the palette options.
For more information about setting Palette options, see “Working with image palettes”
on page 469.
4 In the Reduction Method group box, choose a color reduction method.
For more information about reducing colors, see “Understanding color reduction
methods” on page 468.
5 In the Options group box, choose any of the following options:
• Boost marked colors by — when you have a selection in your image, this option lets
you increase the colors in the selection by a factor of the value you enter
• Include Windows’ colors — lets you include the 16 standard Windows colors in the
converted image palette when you choose the Optimized Median Cut or the
Optimized Octree palette

Working with advanced color 467

 • Reduce color bleeding — reduces the left-to-right bleed effect when you choose the
Optimized Median Cut or the Optimized Octree palette and the Error Diffusion
reduction method
6 Click OK.

If you want to emphasize the importance of certain colors in the conversion, create a
selection of the area that you want to use before you decrease the color depth.

Understanding color reduction methods

When you decrease the color depth of an image, you must select a color reduction method.
Depending on the color depth you select, two or three of these methods are available:
• Nearest Color — replaces the original color of a pixel with the color in the newly
generated palette that is closest to the original RGB value. This method eliminates
dithering and produces a high-contrast image. This method works well with most simple
graphics.
• Error Diffusion — replaces the original color of a pixel with the most similar color in the
palette, but spreads the discrepancy between the original and new colors to the
surrounding pixels. As it replaces a color (working from the top left to the bottom right of
the image), it adds the “error,” or discrepancy, to the next pixel, before selecting the most
similar color. This method produces a natural-looking image and often works well for
photos or complex graphics. With the Error Diffusion method, you select the Floyd-
Steinberg, Burkes, or Stucki algorithm for the dithering pattern.
• Ordered Dither — adjusts adjacent pixels so that two colors give the illusion of a third
color and intermingles pixels to produce patterns based on a known palette. You can use
this method to give the image the appearance of containing more colors than it actually
does. Images may appear to be composed of cross-hatches and dots and may have
distinct light and dark areas.
When you decrease an image’s color depth, don’t be intimidated by the mathematical
algorithms that make up the color reduction methods and the palette options. It’s
recommended that you start with the default settings. If you like the result, try out several
other combinations of settings. It take can take some experimentation to find the right
options.

Understanding palette options

When you decrease the color depth of an image, you must select a palette option.
Depending on the color depth you select, two or three of these methods are available:
Optimized Median Cut — measures and ranks each color by how frequently it occurs in the
image, then uses the most frequently occurring colors to determine the new palette. Even if

468 PaintShop Pro

your image contains fewer colors than the palette that is generated, this method may not
represent each color exactly. The method, therefore, is not as accurate as the Optimized
Octree method, but it is better at weighting color importance.
Optimized Octree — creates an eight-level “tree” with eight branching nodes totaling 256
individual “leaves” or colors to determine the new palette. This method attempts to
reproduce each color in the original image, so if your image contains fewer colors than the
palette that is generated, every color in the image is represented. This method is faster and
more accurate than Optimized Median Cut, but is not as good at weighting color
importance.
Windows — changes each pixel’s color to the nearest color in the Windows palette
Standard/Web-Safe Palette — changes each pixel’s color to the nearest color in the
standard Web-safe palette. You can use this method to create images for the Web that can
be viewed without color distortion on most monitors.

Working with image palettes

An image palette is a collection of colors that an image uses — similar to a painter’s palette.
An image palette is a subset of all the colors your monitor can display. Not all images have
image palettes — only images with color depths between 16 and 256 colors have palettes
that you can fine-tune and edit.
Images with a color depth of 16 million colors do not have an image palette because they
can contain all the colors your computer can display. For these images, you can load an
image palette to decrease the image’s color depth to 256 colors (8-bit). Loading a palette
produces the same result as decreasing color depth, except that you are controlling which
colors are used in the converted image. For more information about color depth, see
“Understanding color depth” on page 461.
You can also create and save your own palettes. Preset palettes are located in the Palettes
folder of the PaintShop Pro program folder. When you save a palette, you can load it into
other images. This is a good way to maintain consistent colors across several images. Saving
a palette is also useful if you are making many color changes and want to save a backup copy
of the palette.
If you are using a palette with the current image only, you don’t need to save it as a separate
file because the palette colors are saved with the image itself.

Editing the palette of a grayscale image

If you edit the color palette for a grayscale image, you are prompted to change the image
to 8-bit indexed color. This allows you to add color to your grayscale image.

Working with advanced color 469

Using the Web-Safe color palette
PaintShop Pro includes a Web-safe, 256-color palette, the Safety palette. Images using this
palette can be viewed without color distortion on most computer monitors. There are three
ways to use this palette on an image:
• You can load the Safety palette into your image. For 16 million color (24-bit) images, this
flattens the layers and reduces the image’s color depth to 256 colors (8-bit), which limits
the available commands.
• You can decrease the image’s color depth to 256 colors and select the Standard/Web-
Safe Palette option. Decreasing the color depth also flattens layers and makes some
commands unavailable.
• You can edit the image in 16 million colors (saving it to the PspImage file format), then
use the GIF Optimizer or PNG Optimizer to export a copy of the image. These optimizers
use the Web-safe palette by default and decrease the color depth in the saved image.
This is recommended because it does not change the color depth or flatten the layers of
your original PspImage file. For more information about saving optimized images, see
“Saving images for the Web” on page 557.

Making a palette color transparent

Paletted images (those with 256 or fewer colors) do not support transparent backgrounds,
but you often need a way to make part of your image transparent when you are using an
image on a Web page. For example, you may have a round logo and you want the
background of the Web page to display around the logo.
Most Web browsers can choose not to display one color, effectively making it transparent. In
PaintShop Pro, you have two ways to make a color transparent:
• You can make one color in an image palette transparent. The color can be the
background color or any color from the image. To set a transparent color, the image
must have only one layer and use an image palette, which means the image must have a
color depth less than 16 million colors (24-bit).
• You can edit a 16 million-color image, save it to the PspImage file format, then use the
GIF or PNG optimizer to export a copy of the image. With these optimizers you can set
the transparency of the image. This is recommended because it does not change the
color depth or flatten the layers of your original PspImage file. For more information
saving optimized images, see “Saving images for the Web” on page 557.

To edit an image palette of 16 to 256 color images

Edit tab
1 Choose Image  Palette  Edit Palette.
This command is not available for 16 million color images.
2 Perform one or more tasks from the following table, and click OK.

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To Do the following
Change the sort order of the colors Select an option from the Sort Order drop-
list.
Replace a color Double-click the color, choose a color from
the Color page, and click OK.
Reset the palette to the original colors In the Edit Palette dialog box, click Revert.

To save an image palette

Edit tab
1 Choose Image  Palette  Save Palette.
The Save Palette dialog box appears.
2 Type a name for the palette in the Filename box.
3 Click Edit Paths.
The File Locations dialog box appears.
4 Choose the folder where you want to save the palette in the Palette Folder group box.
If you save the palette in the Palettes folder of the PaintShop Pro program folder, you can
access the palette as a preset.
5 Click OK.
6 In the Save palette as group box, select a palette format option:
PSP palette — the default palette format
Microsoft palette — palette format used for other applications
7 Click Save.
PaintShop Pro automatically adds the .PspPalette filename extension when you save the
file.

To load an image palette

Edit tab
1 Choose Image  Palette  Load Palette.
The Load Palette dialog box appears.
2 In the Palette drop-list, click the File Locations button .
The File Locations dialog box appears.
3 Choose the folder which contains the palette you want to load, and choose a palette.
Preset image palettes are stored in the Palettes folder of the PaintShop Pro program
folder.
4 Click OK.
5 In the Apply Palette Using group box, select one of the following options:

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 • Nearest color matching — changes each image color to the color in the palette that is
the closest match
• Error diffusion dithering — attempts to maintain the image appearance by dithering
colors that are not in the palette. Dithering places pixels of different colors next to each
other to simulate missing colors.
• Maintain indexes — assigns each color in the palette a sequential index number and
does the same for each color in the image. Each color in the image is then changed to
the like-numbered color in the palette.
6 Click Load.
The palette is loaded and the image colors are updated.

If you load a palette and do not like the results, you can revert to the original image by
pressing Ctrl + Z to undo the action.

To load the Web-safe color palette

Edit tab
1 Choose Image  Palette  Load Palette.
The Load Palette dialog box appears.
2 In the Palette drop-list, click the File Locations button .
The File Locations dialog box appears.
3 Navigate to the Palettes folder in the PaintShop Pro program folder, and choose Safety.
4 In the Apply Palette Using group box, choose one of the following options:
• Nearest color matching — changes each image color to the color in the palette that is
the closest match.
• Error diffusion dithering — attempts to maintain the image’s appearance by dithering
colors that are not in the palette. Dithering places pixels of different colors next to each
other to simulate missing colors.
• Maintain indexes — assigns each color in the palette a sequential index number and
does the same for each color in the image, then changes each color in the image to the
like-numbered color in the palette. This option is not available for 16 million-color
images.
5 Click Load.

To make one image color transparent

Edit tab
1 Choose Image  Palette  Set Palette Transparency.
If you are prompted to reduce the color depth and number of layers, click Yes to
continue and then choose the options for decreasing color depth.

472 PaintShop Pro

2 On the Set Palette Transparency dialog box, choose one of the following options:
• Set the transparency value to the current background color — makes the
background color transparent
• Set the transparency value to a palette entry — specifies a color to be transparent.
Click the color in the image, or click the color box to select from the current color
picker.
If you want to view the transparency, click Proof.
3 Click OK.
The color is now transparent; however, it may still be displayed until you hide it.

To view or hide the transparency of a color

Edit tab
• Choose Image  Palette  View Palette Transparency.

Understanding color and color models

We usually think of color as a quality inherent in an object — for example a red car or a green
frog. But color is really what we see as a result of three factors interacting: light, the object,
and the observer. As rays of light hit the object, the object absorbs some light and reflects
some light. We see the reflected light and perceive it as color. Different colors reflect light of
different wavelengths. Human eyes are able to perceive thousands of colors in the visible
spectrum of light.
When you apply ink to paper, the colors we see result from the light that the ink reflects.
Computer monitors use emitted light rather than reflected light. The colors we see result
from light emitted from the screen.
To describe how color is produced or perceived, we use color models. Computer monitors
display colors by producing varying amounts of red, green, and blue light — the RGB color
model. Human eyes perceive color by its hue, saturation, and lightness levels — the HSL
color model. With PaintShop Pro you can select colors using either the RGB or HSL color
model. You can also output images using the CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) model,
which is used for high-end printing applications.
RGB is the default color model in PaintShop Pro. For information about changing the default
color model, see “To set Palettes preferences” on page 492. PaintShop Pro uses your
preferred color model (RGB or HSL) whenever color values are displayed. When you select
colors from the Color page, you are able to enter RGB or HSL values regardless of your
preference setting. The color model used to display color values on-screen has no effect on
how colors are printed.

Working with advanced color 473

RGB model
All colors on your computer screen are created by mixing red, green, and blue light in varying
proportions and intensities. When these primary colors are mixed in equal proportions, they
create yellow, cyan, and magenta. Adding all the colors together creates white.
Each primary color (red, green, and blue) is assigned a value from 0 (none of the color
present) to 255 (the color at full strength). For example, pure red is produced by combining
a red value of 255, a green value of 0, and a blue value of 0. Yellow is a combination of a red
value of 255, a green value of 255, and a blue value of 0. Setting all three values to 255
produces white; setting all three values to 0 produces black. When all three colors are set to
the same value, the result is gray.

HSL model
The HSL model is based on how the human eye perceives color using the characteristics of
hue, saturation, and lightness. Each characteristic is assigned a value from 0 to 255. The three
characteristics are described as follows:
• Hue — the color reflected from an object, such as red, yellow, or orange. Each hue value
is assigned based on its position on the color wheel. On the Color page’s Color wheel,
colors are assigned counter-clockwise from the top. Red is at the top (value 0) and as you
move around the wheel the colors go through orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and
back to red.
• Saturation — the purity or vividness of the color. Saturation represents the amount of
gray in the color, from 0 (entirely gray) to 255 (fully saturated color).
• Lightness — the perceived amount or intensity of light in the color. Lightness ranges
from 0 (no light, or black) to 255 (total lightness, or white). At 50 percent lightness, or a
value of 128, a color is considered pure. For example, pure red has a hue of 255, a
saturation of 255 (100 percent) and a lightness of 128 (50 percent). For pure blue, the hue
is 170, saturation is 255 and lightness is 128.

CMYK model
The CMYK model is based on the fact that ink on paper both absorbs and reflects light. As
white light strikes the ink, part of the color spectrum is absorbed and part is reflected back
to your eyes (resulting in the color you see).
In this model, the primary colors cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) combine in varying
proportions to produce a variety of colors. When the three colors are combined, they
produce black. Because impurities in the ink make it difficult to produce a true black, a fourth
color, black (K), is added.
Combining inks in this way is called four-color process printing. It is used by printing services
and high-end color printers.

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Although you cannot create images in PaintShop Pro using the CMYK model, you can
produce color separations that can be printed on CMYK printers. There are two ways to do
this: You can split the images into CMYK channels, or you can print color separation pages.
CMYK channels are simply four separate grayscale images that represent the percentage and
location of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black in the image. For more information about
working with color channels, see “Using color channels” on page 478.
When you print CMYK separations, PaintShop Pro prints a separate grayscale page for each
primary color. You can then use these pages as “color plates” when working with a printing
service. For more information about CMYK color separations, see “Printing CMYK color
separations” on page 552.

Understanding how monitor colors and print colors differ

Computer monitor colors and printed colors may often be quite different — which is a
challenge when you are trying to match a certain color. Colors can also appear different from
monitor to monitor.
Image colors on a monitor are influenced by a variety of factors:
• the color range, called the color gamut, of the input device (such as the scanner or
camera)
• the manufacturer and age of the monitor
• the monitor’s brightness and contrast settings
When you print an image, you introduce other factors that influence color:
• the quality and absorption properties of the paper
• the color gamut of the printer
• the conversion of RGB values from the monitor to the CMYK values of the printer’s ink
This conversion is a challenge because of the different approaches to color between
monitors and printers. Because monitors use light to display color, they use additive colors—
when you add them together, they produce white. Conversely, when you remove all monitor
colors you produce black. Because printers use ink to display color, they use subtractive
colors—when you remove colors, you produce white, and when you add all printer colors
you produce black. As a result, monitors and printers have different color gamuts. Although
they share many of the same colors, there are some colors a monitor can display that a
printer can’t print and some colors a printer can print that a monitor can’t display.
Given all the factors that go into producing colors, how do you go about making colors
accurate and consistent? Try these options:
• You can calibrate your monitor every few months.
• You can get to know the differences between your monitor’s colors and your printer’s
colors so you can adjust your images as needed. You can do this by printing out several

Working with advanced color 475

 photos or other images and comparing them to the image on-screen. For example, your
printer may always print colors darker than your monitor displays them. Knowing this,
you can modify the lightness of your images accordingly.
• You can use Windows Color Management, which helps to improve color consistency
across devices.

Calibrating your monitor

It is important that the colors represented on your monitor are reasonably accurate and
meaningful. For example, red should really look red and not like a shade of orange or purple,
and 50% gray shouldn’t look like light gray or dark gray.
In PaintShop Pro, you can use a wizard that walks you through the process of calibrating your
monitor so it displays accurate colors. At the end of the process, you can save a color profile
for your monitor and apply the adjustments.

To calibrate your monitor

Edit tab
1 Choose File  Color Management  Monitor Calibration.
The Monitor Calibration wizard appears.
2 Click the Maximize button .
Maximizing the dialog box eliminates distracting background colors.
3 Follow the instructions in the wizard, and click Finish to exit the wizard.
4 In the Save As dialog box, type a name for your monitor profile in the File Name box, and
click Save.
If you have Administrator privileges for your computer, the profile becomes the active
monitor profile.
If you do not have Administrator privileges for your computer, a message appears
informing you to contact your System Administrator to install the profile.

You can also calibrate red, green, and blue tones for your monitor by marking the
Advanced options check box when it appears on a wizard page.
You can clear the calibration settings for a wizard page by clicking Reset.

Working with color management

If you are preparing professional quality digital images, you can enable or disable color
management settings. Additionally, every RGB image in PaintShop Pro has a profile
associated with it. By default, these advanced color settings are enabled, allowing the
application to make use of a consistent color working space. You can define advanced
features for color working spaces and profiles. For example, you can set a CMYK profile that

476 PaintShop Pro

determines how CMYK images are processed when you split or combine CMYK channels, or
when you output to a CMYK TIF file.

To set up profiles for color management

Edit tab
1 Close any open images.
2 Choose File  Color Management  Color Management.
The Color Management dialog box appears.
Note: The recommended working space for PaintShop Pro is sRGB.
If necessary, mark the Enable Color Management check box to access the controls in
this group box.
3 Choose the Basic color management option to access controls for your monitor and
printer.
4 In the Monitor Profile drop-list, choose the monitor profile you want to use.
If you’re using multiple monitors with your computer, the profile you choose only applies
to the primary display.
5 In the Printer Profile drop-list, choose the printer profile you want to use.
If you’re using multiple printers with your computer, the profile you choose only applies
to the primary printer.
6 In the Rendering Intent drop-list, choose the setting that matches your intended output.
This setting affects how the option you choose in the Printer Profile drop-list is used.
7 Click OK.

Only valid and correctly installed profiles appear in the profile lists.
If you have Administrator privileges for your computer, the profile you save becomes
the active monitor profile. If you are a restricted user, you must contact your System
Administrator to install the profile.

You can set your printer to simulate a printing press by choosing the Proofing option,
choosing a device in the Emulated Device Profile drop-list, and choosing the
appropriate option in the Rendering Intent drop-list.

To define a color working space and CMYK profile

Edit tab
1 Close any open images.
2 Choose File  Color Management  Color Working Space.
The Color Working Space dialog box appears.
Note: The recommended working space for PaintShop Pro is sRGB.

Working with advanced color 477

3 In the Color Working Space drop-list, choose a color space.
4 In the CMYK Profile drop-list, choose a profile to be used for the CMYK-related
operations in the application.
The drop-list includes the default CMYK profile and any profiles that you have added.
5 Click OK.

Using color channels

Image files store color information in channels, or planes, of colors. You can separate an
image into RGB, HSL, or CMYK color channels. An RGB image has three channels: red, green,
and blue. An HSL image has three channels: hue, saturation, and lightness. Although you
cannot create or edit an image using the CMYK model, you can still split the image into four
channels: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.
You can create a new grayscale image for each color channel; the original image is not
affected. For example, an HSL image is split into separate grayscale images named “Hue,”
“Saturation,” and “Lightness.” Each grayscale image represents the percentage and location
of a color (such as red) or a characteristic (such as lightness) within the image.
You can edit the grayscale images and use them to create interesting effects or masks. You
can then combine them again. If you split an image into CMYK channels, you can then send
the four grayscale images to a printing service. You can also print CMYK separations directly.
You can split images into RGB, HSL, or CMYK color channels regardless of the type of color
model (RGB or HSL) you choose as a display preference.
Color channels give you increased image-editing options. You can create a color shift by
splitting an image into HSL channels, modifying the Hue channel, then combining the
channels. You can also use a channel grayscale to create a selection.

To split an image into color channels

Edit tab
1 Choose Image  Split Channel, and choose one of the following:
• Split to RGB
• Split to HSL
• Split to CMYK
A new grayscale image opens for each color channel.

To combine color channels

Edit tab
1 Open each color channel file.
2 Choose Image  Combine Channel, and choose one of the following:

478 PaintShop Pro

 • Combine from RGB
• Combine from HSL
• Combine from CMYK
3 For each Channel Source drop-list, select the name of the file that contains that channel.
For example, in the Combine RGB dialog box, select the file Red1 as the red channel
source.
Note: If you are combining channels that you split with the Split Channel command,
mark the Sync check box to have PaintShop Pro automatically fill in the Channel Source
boxes with matching file names.
4 Click OK.
A new file is created from the selected channels.

Working with advanced color 479

480 PaintShop Pro
 Customizing

In PaintShop Pro, you can customize workspaces, the menu system, toolbars, keyboard
shortcuts, application preferences, file format preferences and associations, resources, and
viewing options. You can even choose another language in which to use the application.
This section presents the following topics:

• Viewing and hiding toolbars

• Viewing and hiding tools
• Using custom workspaces
• Customizing the menu system
• Customizing toolbars
• Creating custom toolbars
• Customizing keyboard shortcuts
• Setting Undo preferences
• Setting View preferences
• Setting Display and Caching preferences
• Setting Palettes preferences
• Setting Units preferences
• Setting Transparency and Shading preferences
• Setting Warnings preferences
• Setting Auto Action preferences
• Setting Miscellaneous preferences
• Setting Manage tab preferences
• Setting Auto-Preserve preferences
• Setting workspace tab preferences
• Setting file format preferences
• Setting file format associations
• Setting file locations
• Managing resources
• Setting plug-in preferences

Customizing 481
• Selecting Web browsers
• Setting Autosave preferences
• Resetting all preferences
• Switching languages
• Adjusting general viewing options
• Accessing tools and commands from previous versions of PaintShop Pro
• Protecting and restoring the PaintShop Pro database
• Importing content and plugins from previous versions

Viewing and hiding toolbars

You can choose which toolbars are displayed.

To select which toolbars are displayed

Edit tab
1 Click View  Customize to display the Customize dialog box.
2 Click the Toolbars tab.
3 Mark the check box next to the name of the toolbar you want to display.

You cannot hide the Menu bar.

You can also open the Customize dialog box by right-clicking the Menu bar, Tool
palette, or Tool Options palette, and choosing Customize.

Viewing and hiding tools

You can choose which tools are displayed by using the Quick Customize button on the Tools
toolbar.

To hide or show tools in the Tools toolbar

1 On the Tools toolbar, click the Quick Customize button + .

2 Mark the check box beside the name of the tools you want to show; unmark the check
box beside the name of the tools you want to hide.
If you want to reset the toolbar to its original settings, click the Reset Toolbar button.

482 PaintShop Pro

Using custom workspaces
The PaintShop Pro workspaces consist of tabs, palettes, toolbars, and open images. You may
find that the way you arrange the workspace while editing photos may differ from the
arrangement while using the Web tools. Fortunately, PaintShop Pro lets you save and use any
number of workspace arrangements.
Important! Workspace files do not include an actual copy of any open images. Workspace
files only reference the name and location of an image. If you delete an image from your
computer, the image will not appear in the workspace.

Saving custom workspaces

When you save a workspace, PaintShop Pro saves the information in a PSPWorkspace file.
The following information is stored:
• ruler, grid, and guide information
• menu, palette, and toolbar settings, locations, and docking status
• full screen edit mode status
• open images, including zoom levels and scroll bar locations

Loading workspaces
You can load a custom workspace. Tool, menu, and palette positions change to reflect the
workspace you are loading.
If you had two windows open for the same image when you saved the workspace, they both
open again. If an image from the workspace is already open, PaintShop Pro applies the
workspace settings to the open image.

Deleting saved workspaces

If you no longer want to use a saved workspace, you can delete it.

To save the current workspace

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Workspace  Save.
The Save Workspace dialog box appears.
2 In the New Workspace Name field, type a name for the new workspace.
3 Click Save.

If your workspace contains any modified images that you have not saved, you are
prompted to save the changes to your image. To save the image changes and the
workspace, click Yes. To save the workspace, but not the image changes, click No. To
cancel saving the workspace and the image changes, click Cancel.

Customizing 483
 You can open the Save Workspace dialog box by pressing Shift + Alt + S.
You can save the workspace in a folder other than the program default folder, by
clicking the File Locations button in the Save Workspace dialog box. For more
information about editing paths, see “Setting file locations” on page 505.

To load a workspace
Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Workspace  Load.
The Load Workspace dialog box appears.
2 Click one of the following:
• Yes — saves the current workspace before loading another one
• No — does not save the current workspace before loading another one
3 Select the workspace file you want to load.
4 Click Load.

You can open the Load Workspace dialog box by pressing Shift + Alt + L.
You can load the workspace from a folder other than the program default folder, by
clicking the File Locations button in the Load Workspace dialog box. For more
information about editing paths, see “Setting file locations” on page 505.
You can also load a recently used workspace by choosing it from the list of recent
workspaces located at the bottom of the File  Workspace menu.

To delete a saved workspace

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Workspace  Delete.
The Delete Workspace dialog box appears.
2 Select the workspace file you want to delete.
3 Click Delete.

You can open the Delete Workspace dialog box by pressing Shift + Alt + D.

Customizing the menu system

When you display the Customize dialog box, the entire PaintShop Pro workspace transforms
into customize mode. You can choose which menus are displayed and how a menu opens
when you select it. You can also reset the menus to the default settings.

484 PaintShop Pro

To animate the menu system
Edit tab
1 Choose View  Customize.
The Customize dialog box appears.
2 Click the Menu tab.
3 In the Select context menu drop-list, select the menu that you want to modify.
4 From the Menu animations drop-list, choose one of the following animation styles for
menu opening:
• None — applies no animation effect
• Unfold — opens the menu starting from its top-right corner to its bottom-left corner
• Slide — opens the menu from top to bottom
• Fade — gradually opens the entire menu, from a faded look to fully visible
5 Click Close.

To reset the menus

Edit tab
1 Choose View  Customize.
The Customize dialog box appears.
2 Click the Menu tab.
3 In the Application Frame Menus group box, click Reset.

Customizing toolbars
When you display the Customize dialog box, the entire PaintShop Pro workspace transforms
into customize mode. You can click and drag almost any menu command or tool to any other
menu or toolbar. You can add or delete commands from the menus on the Menu bar.

To move a toolbar button

Edit tab
• With the Customize dialog box displayed, drag the item to another toolbar.

To add a command button to a toolbar

Edit tab
1 Choose View  Customize.
The Customize dialog box appears.
2 Click the Commands tab.
3 From the Categories list, select a category.

Customizing 485
 Note: PaintShop Pro groups related commands into categories. For example, click the
File category to display all File menu commands. To list all PaintShop Pro commands at
once, choose All Commands.
4 From the Commands list, drag a command to a toolbar.

To remove a command button from a toolbar

Edit tab
1 With the Customize dialog box displayed, drag the item to an empty workspace area or
an empty area outside a toolbar.
2 Release the mouse button when you see the cursor change to this shape: .

To reset all toolbars

Edit tab
1 Choose View  Customize.
The Customize dialog box appears.
2 Click the Toolbars tab.
3 Click Reset All.
All toolbars revert to the default settings.

You can reset a specific toolbar to its default settings by choosing it from the Toolbars
list and clicking Reset.
You can also open the Customize dialog box by right-clicking the Menu bar, Tool
palette, or Tool Options palette, and choosing Customize.

You can rearrange a button in relation to the separator by dragging the button to the
desired location.
You can also open the Customize dialog box by right-clicking the Menu bar, Tool
palette, or Tool Options palette, and choosing Customize.

Creating custom toolbars

You can create a custom tool bar with your favorite commands and tools.

To create a custom toolbar

Edit tab
1 Choose View  Customize.
The Customize dialog box appears.
2 Click the Toolbars tab.

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3 Click New.
The Toolbar Name dialog box appears.
4 Type a name for the new toolbar, and click OK.
A small, empty toolbar appears, and the new toolbar is added to the Toolbar list.
Note: Drag the new toolbar off to the side of the Customize dialog box so you can see it
better.
5 Click the Commands tab.
6 In the Categories list, click a menu.
7 From the Commands list, drag command icons to the new toolbar.
8 When you are finished adding commands, click Close.

You can add separator bars, if necessary, to place commands into desired groups. For
more information about customizing toolbars, see “Customizing toolbars” on
page 485.
You can also open the Customize dialog box by right-clicking the Menu bar, Tool
palette, or Tool Options palette, and choosing Customize.

To delete a custom toolbar

Edit tab
1 Choose View  Customize.
The Customize dialog box appears.
2 Click the Toolbars tab.
3 In the Toolbars list, select the name of the custom toolbar you want to delete.
4 Click Delete.
5 Click Close.

Customizing keyboard shortcuts

You can view existing keyboard shortcuts, assign a keyboard shortcut to menu commands,
bound scripts, and tools, and even modify keyboard shortcuts.

To view the default keyboard shortcut

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose Help  Keyboard Map.
The Help Keyboard dialog box appears.
2 In the Category drop-list, select a category.

Customizing 487
 Note: PaintShop Pro groups related commands into categories. For example, if you pick
the File category, all the commands in the file menu are displayed. To list all commands
at once, choose All Commands.
The commands and their shortcut keys are displayed in the list, sorted by command
name. Click any column heading (Command, Keys, or Description) to sort alphabetically
by that column.

You can print the list of the current category of shortcut keys by clicking the Print
button on the toolbar of the Keyboard Map dialog box. You can also copy information
about commands to the Clipboard by selecting information on the Keyboard Map and
then clicking the Copy button.

To assign a keyboard shortcut

Edit tab
1 Choose View  Customize.
The Customize dialog box appears.
2 Click the Keyboard tab.
3 In the Category drop-list, select a category.
Note: PaintShop Pro groups related commands into categories. For example, if you pick
the File category, all the commands in the file menu are displayed. To list all commands
at once, choose All Commands.
4 In the Commands list, select a command name.
The description of the command and any assigned shortcut keys are displayed.
5 Click in the Press New Shortcut Key field.
6 Press the new keyboard shortcut you want to assign to the command.
The shortcut appears in the Press New Shortcut Key field. If the shortcut is already
assigned to another command, a message is displayed above the field.
7 Click Assign.
8 Assign more shortcut keys, or click Close.

To modify a keyboard shortcut

Edit tab
1 Choose View  Customize.
The Customize dialog box appears.
2 Click the Keyboard tab.
3 In the Category drop-list, choose the menu associated with the command, script, or tool
for which you want to modify the keyboard shortcut.
4 In the Commands list, click the item for which you want to modify the keyboard shortcut.

488 PaintShop Pro

5 In the Current Keys field, click the shortcut.
6 Click Remove.
7 Click inside the Press New Shortcut Key field so the cursor is blinking, and press the
keyboard keys you want to assign as the new shortcut.
If the keyboard combination you entered is already assigned, a message is displayed
above this field. If the keyboard combination is not assigned, “Assigned to: [Unassigned]”
is displayed above the field.
8 Click Assign.
9 Click Close.

Setting Undo preferences

The Undo settings control some behavior of the Undo and Redo commands, as well as one
option for the History palette.

To set Undo and Redo preferences

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  General Program Preferences.
2 From the left pane, choose Undo.
3 To enable PaintShop Pro to undo actions, mark the Enable the undo system check box.
This enables you to set all the items in this area of the Undo page.
4 Perform one or more of the following tasks and click OK.
To Do the following
Set the amount of disk space undo and Mark the Limit undo/redo disk usage to
redo steps can use check box, and type or set a value in the
control.
Set the number of undo and redo steps for Mark the Limit undo/redo to check box,
each open image and type or set a value in the control.
The default is 250.
Make the redo process faster Mark the Enable fast redo check box. This
may slightly slow down the undo process,
so if you rarely perform a redo, but use
undo frequently, you may want to unmark
this check box.
Set the number of non-undoable steps Type or set a value in the Non-undoable
retained after the last non-undoable step steps in History Palette control.
limit has been reached

Customizing 489
Setting View preferences
The View settings lets you control some image window behaviors. You can choose how the
image window and magnification level behave when you resize an image.

To set View preferences

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  General Program Preferences.
2 From the left pane, choose View.
3 Perform one or more of the following tasks and click OK.
To Do the following
Resize an image window when you zoom in In the Zooming group box, mark the Fit
image to window when zooming in check
box.
The image window resizes to include as
much of the image as will fit.
Resize an image window when you zoom In the Zooming group box, mark the Fit
out image to window when zooming out
check box.
The image window resizes to include as
much of the image as will fit.
Automatically reset the magnification level In the New images group box, mark the
to display an entire image on opening Auto size check box.
Automatically resize the image window In the After changing size group box, mark
when you resize an image the Fit window to image check box.
Automatically reset the magnification level In the After changing size group box, mark
to display an entire image after resizing the Auto size check box.

Setting Display and Caching preferences

You can change the display options for certain parts of the program. For example, you can
change the appearance of tool cursors, reset the scaling quality of the Zoom, and set
thumbnail sizes for the Effects Browser. You can also specify preferences for saving an image
cache and setting a scratch disk.

Scratch disks
Setting a scratch disk (sometimes called a “swap disk”) enables the application to distribute
operations across your main disk and a secondary disk. This extends the memory available
to the application when working on several large files at one time. Your best option is to
choose a drive on a second internal hard disk (SCSI, SSD, IDE, SATA) that has more than 500

490 PaintShop Pro

MB of free space. Avoid using the main drive where the application is installed if possible.
Removable drives are not supported and the configuration of the drive determines if it is
available as a scratch disk.
Important! If you set your main drive as a scratch disk, ensure that you have more than 2
GB of free disk space. On some systems, using the main drive for a scratch disk causes
performance issues. Unmark the scratch disk check box if this occurs.

Display settings in Windows

The Display settings in Windows affect PaintShop Pro and other applications on your
computer system. PaintShop Pro is optimized for the 100% display option in Windows. If you
see text cut off or elements of the user interface cut off (truncated), please check your Display
settings in Windows (Control Panel  Appearance and Personalization  Display).

To set Display and Caching preferences

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  General Program Preferences.
2 From the left pane, choose Display and Caching.
3 Perform one or more of the following tasks, and click OK.
To Do the following
Automatically use the last file format used In the Presentation group box, mark the
to save an image Re-use last type in file save-as dialog
check box.
Hide Dropper tool color information In the Presentation group box, unmark the
Display all color dropper tooltips check
box.
Use a crosshair cursor for all tool cursors In the Presentation group box, mark the
Use precise cursors check box.
A crosshair cursor is displayed instead of
the tool button shape.
Make a brush tool cursor reflect its size and In the Presentation group box, mark the
shape Show brush outlines check box.
Determine the rescaling quality for the Adjust the Zoom / Rescaling Quality slider.
Zoom tool
Set thumbnail sizes for the Effect Browser In the Effect browser thumbnails group box,
set or type a value in the Size (Pixels)
control.
Save an image cache of your entire merged In the Caching group box, mark the
image Merged Image check box.

Customizing 491
To Do the following
Save an image cache of all the layers below In the Caching group box, mark the
the active one Merged Below Active Layer check box.
Save an image cache of the merged image In the Caching group box, mark the
for each group Merged Group check box.
Save an image cache of all the group layers In the Caching group box, mark the
below the active one Merged Below Active Layer check box.
Set a scratch disk In the Scratch disk group box, mark the
Enable scratch disk check box and choose
a disk from the drop-list.

Setting Palettes preferences

You can control the behavior of palettes, such as how palettes dock, as well as some
properties of the Materials and Layers palettes. For more information about Layers palette
settings, see “To modify the look of the Layers palette” on page 256.

To set Palettes preferences

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  General Program Preferences.
2 From the left pane, choose Palettes.
3 Perform one or more of the following tasks, and click OK.
To Do the following
Set the color mode in which to display color In the Materials palette group box, choose
information either the Display colors in RGB format
option or Display colors in HSL format
option.
This determines how color information is
displayed in the Materials palette and
Dropper tool.
Set how color values are displayed in In the Materials palette group box, choose
ToolTips or in a Color dialog box either the Decimal display option or the
Hexadecimal display option.
Set how paletted images display available In the Materials palette group box, choose
colors in the Rainbow tab or in a Color either Show rainbow picker or Show
dialog box document palette. Note that this option
only applies to images with 256 or fewer
colors.

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To Do the following
Show 16-bit color values in ToolTips Mark the Display 16-bit values check box.
Note that this option only applies to 16-bit
images.
Make palettes undockable In the Allow docking of group box, unmark
check boxes for the palettes you want to
make undockable.
Set whether palettes appear automatically In the Automatically show palettes group
box, choose one of the following:
• Always — displays palettes appropriate to the
tools and commands you are using. For
example, if you perform a layers-related action,
the Layers palette is displayed.
• Never — displays palettes only when you
choose to open them
• With Learning Center — displays palettes
appropriate to the topics accessed in the
Learning Center palette. This is the default
setting.
Set display options for the Layers palette In the Layers palette group box, choose
any of the following:
• Tooltip thumbnails — sets the size at which
a layer’s thumbnail appears in the tooltip
• Palette thumbnails — displays a layer’s
thumbnail within the palette. Mark this check
box, and then set the desired size.
• Right pane — displays a layer’s settings on
the right side of the palette

Setting Units preferences

You can set ruler options and the default resolutions for images that do not contain
resolution information, such as scanned images. You can also set snapping for vector
coordinates and enable document-aware tool sizing that lets you set the maximum tool size
relative to the document size.

To set Units preferences

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  General Program Preferences.
2 From the left pane, choose Units.
3 Perform one or more of the following tasks, and click OK.

Customizing 493
To Do the following
Choose a unit of measurement for the In the Rulers group box, choose a unit of
rulers measurement option from the Display
units drop-list.
Display rulers in black and white In the Rulers group box, choose the Black
on White option.
Display rulers in color In the Rulers group box, choose the
Toolbar colors option.
The ruler color matches the toolbar color.
Snap vector objects to the pixel’s center In the Vector coordinates group box, mark
the Snap to center of pixel while moving
check box.
Set the default resolution for images that In the Default Resolution group box,
do not contain resolution information choose the unit of measure from the drop-
list and enter a value in the control.
Adjust the maximum tool size relative to In the Tool size area, mark the Enable
the document size. relative tool size check box, and set a
percentage to adjust the maximum tool size
relative to the document.

Setting Transparency and Shading preferences

You can choose the grid size and color scheme. You can also choose a color and opacity for
the shaded areas that falls outside of the selected area when using the Crop tool.

To set Transparency preferences

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  General Program Preferences.
2 From the left pane, choose Transparency and Shading.
3 Perform one or more of the following tasks, and click OK.
To Do the following
Customize grid colors In the Grid group box, choose a color
scheme from the Scheme drop-list, and
click the color boxes to set the grid colors.
Set the grid size In the Grid group box, choose a size option
from the Grid size drop-list.

494 PaintShop Pro

To set Crop tool and Shading options
Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  General Program Preferences.
2 From the left pane, choose Transparency and Shading.
3 In the Shading group box, mark the Enable crop shade area check box to activate
shading outside the crop rectangle.
4 Click the Color box, and choose a shading area color.
5 Type or set a value in the Opacity control to set how opaque the shading area color is.
6 If you want the crop rectangle to appear every time you use the tool, mark the
Automatically display crop rectangle check box.
7 If you want the floating crop toolbar to appear every time you use the tool, mark the
Enable floating crop toolbar check box.

Setting Warnings preferences

You can control how warning dialog boxes are displayed.
By default, PaintShop Pro displays a warning dialog box whenever you are about to perform
an operation that will result in the loss of information or one that cannot be applied to the
image in its current state.

To set Warnings preferences

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  General Program Preferences.
2 From the left pane, choose Warnings.
3 Perform one or more of the following tasks, and click OK.
To Do the following
Prevent a specific warning from appearing Unmark the check box beside the warning
description.
Prevent all warnings from appearing Click Disable All.

Setting Auto Action preferences

You can automate actions that must be performed in order to further edit an image.
For example, some commands can be performed only on images with a bit depth of at least
8 bits per pixel. When you choose a command for an image with a bit depth lower than 8
bits per pixel, the Auto Actions dialog box appears with the message that the image must be
converted to a higher bit depth in order to proceed with the command.

Customizing 495
To set Auto Action preferences
Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  General Program Preferences.
2 From the left pane, choose Auto Action.
3 Select an action from the Auto Action Prompt list, and choose one of the following
options:
• Never — prevents the action from happening
Note: Choosing Never makes certain menu commands inactive if the action is required
to complete the command. Some items in the list do not have this option available.
• Always — performs the action silently without prompting you
• Prompt — asks if you want to perform the action
4 Click OK.

You can set all actions in the list to a certain option by clicking Always All, Prompt All,
or Never All.
You can reset all the actions in the list to the default settings by clicking Reset.

Setting Miscellaneous preferences

You can control a variety of preferences on the Miscellaneous page of the Preferences dialog
box.

To set the number of files that appear in the Recent Files list
Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  General Program Preferences.
2 From the left pane, choose Miscellaneous.
3 Type or set a value in the Recently used file list control.

You must restart PaintShop Pro before the new settings take effect.

You can view the list by choosing File  Recent Files.

To set tolerance to background color when pasting a transparent selection

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  General Program Preferences.
2 From the left pane, choose Miscellaneous.

496 PaintShop Pro

3 Type or set a value in the Tolerance to background color when pasting a transparent
selection control.

When you paste data as a transparent selection, PaintShop Pro adds it to the current
image, defines it as a selection, and deselects all the pixels that match the current
background color. The tolerance value you enter determines how closely the
background color must match the transparent color for it to become transparent. The
tolerance scale is 0% (only image pixels with a perfect match to the current background
color are made transparent) to 100% (all image pixels are made transparent).

To set Clipboard data preferences

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  General Program Preferences.
2 From the left pane, choose Miscellaneous.
3 From the Clipboard data on Exit list, choose an option to determine how any
information on the Clipboard is handled when you exit the program:
• Ask — asks what you want to do with the Clipboard data
• Delete — deletes Clipboard data when you exit the program
• Leave — leaves data in the Clipboard when you exit the program

To redraw when you move an object

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  General Program Preferences.
2 From the left pane, choose Miscellaneous.
3 Mark the Force full window redraw when positioning image elements check box.
The information in the active window is redrawn whenever you move objects in the
image.

To hide the program splash screen on startup

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  General Program Preferences.
2 From the left pane, choose Miscellaneous.
3 Unmark the Show splash screen when application starts check box.

Customizing 497
To disable pressure support for puck-type pointing devices
Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  General Program Preferences.
2 From the left pane, choose Miscellaneous.
3 Mark the Disable pressure support for puck-type pointing devices check box.

To enable preservation of brightness in resized images

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  General Program Preferences.
2 From the left pane, choose Miscellaneous.
3 Mark the Preserve image brightness when resizing check box.

When this option is enabled, a resized image retains its overall perceived brightness. In
certain cases, however, unmarking this check box may produce better results — for
example, when you are reducing the size of a computer-generated image, such as a
scanned line drawing.

To set pen tablet interface

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  General Program Preferences.
2 From the left pane, choose Miscellaneous.
3 In the Pen tablet interface area, choose one of the following options:
• WinTab
• Real-Time Style (RTS)
Note: The options are available only if you have the corresponding tablet installed on
your computer. The option lets you set your preference when you have more than one
type installed.

Setting Manage tab preferences

You can set controls for how image thumbnails that you access from the Manage tab appear,
and you can specify formats and folders to exclude from viewing.

To set Manage tab preferences

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  General Program Preferences.

498 PaintShop Pro

2 Click Manage in the list of categories on the left.
3 Perform one or more of the following tasks and click OK.
To Do the following
Show photo ratings on thumbnails In the Thumbnail images group box, mark
the Show ratings with thumbnail images
check box.
Show the image filename on thumbnails In the Thumbnail images group box, mark
the Show file name with thumbnail
images check box.
Exclude specific file formats from appearing In the Excluded items group box, click the
in the Manage tab File format exclusions button. From the
left side of the File Format Exclusions dialog
box, mark the check boxes of the file
formats you want to exclude. To mark all
formats simultaneously, click Select All. To
remove the check marks from all selected
formats, click Remove All.
Specify folders to exclude from cataloging In the Excluded items group box, click the
Uncataloged Folders button. The
Uncataloged Folders dialog box lists the
folders that are currently not cataloged in
the Manage tab. To add a folder to this list,
click Add, and then use the Browse for
Folder dialog box to select the folder. To
allow a currently ignored folder to be
cataloged, select the folder from the list,
and click Delete. To reset the list of ignored
folders to the default list, click the Reset to
Default button.

You can also open the Preferences dialog box by right-clicking anywhere inside the
Thumbnails panel, and choosing Preferences from the context menu.

Setting Auto-Preserve preferences

You can set the program to always save a copy of your original (unedited) images in a clearly
labeled backup folder. This feature essentially creates “digital negatives,” which can be
accessed whenever you want to work with images in their original state.

Customizing 499
To set Auto-Preserve preferences
Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  General Program Preferences.
2 From the left pane, choose Auto-Preserve.
3 Mark the Enable Auto-Preserve check box.
4 Click OK.
To Do the following
Create copies of original images In the dialog box that appears after you
automatically when you first save them click Save, choose Yes - Do this every
time. The original (unedited) image is
copied to a Corel Auto-Preserve subfolder,
which is automatically created within the
folder in which you are saving the image.
Reopen the original image In the Open dialog box or the Navigation
palette to browse to the Corel Auto-
Preserve subfolder that contains a copy of
the original image. The Corel Auto-Preserve
subfolder resides within the same folder in
which original image was first saved.
Avoid creating copies of original images In the dialog box that appears after you
click Save, choose No - Save my images
without preserving the original.

Setting workspace tab preferences

You can hide or show optional tabs for the current workspace. You can also choose which
tab is open by default when you launch the application. For example, you can choose to
display the content on Welcome tab or the Edit tab when the application opens.

To hide or show tabs and set the default tab

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  General Program Preferences.
The Preferences dialog box appears.
2 Click Tabs in the list of categories on the left.
3 In the Visible Tabs area, mark the check boxes for the optional tabs you want to show.
4 Choose one of the following default tab options, and click OK.
• Set Welcome as default — displays the Welcome tab content when you launch the
program

500 PaintShop Pro

 • Set Manage as default — displays the Manage tab content when you launch the
program
• Set Adjust as default— displays the Adjust tab content when you launch the program
• Set Edit as default— displays the Edit tab content when you launch the program
• Keep Last View — displays the tab you used before you closed the program in your
last PaintShop Pro session

Setting file format preferences

In the File Format Preferences dialog box you can specify how PaintShop Pro handles images
in the following formats:
• General — this tab lets you choose whether or not to auto-rotate images based on EXIF
information, and lets you set options for RAW camera images.
• Windows Metafile — WMF is the Microsoft Windows native vector format.
• Kodak Photo CD — PCD is used by many photo developers. This format can provide
multiple image resolutions in one file.
• Portable Network Graphics — PNG is used for Web graphics. You can set preferences for
opening and saving PNG files.
• PostScript — PaintShop Pro can read PostScript files (including multi-page files) through
level 2 and open them as raster images. When converting, PaintShop Pro can anti-alias
objects and retain transparency information.
• RAW Graphics — PaintShop Pro can read and save RAW graphics image formats. This
format (which is not to be confused with RAW Camera Data images) is commonly used in
graphics images in the scientific and computer gaming industries.
For a full list of supported file formats, see “Files supported by PaintShop Pro” on page 74.

What’s the difference between RAW camera data images and RAW
(Graphics) file format images?
RAW camera data images contain unprocessed sensor data captured by high-end digital
cameras from Canon, Fuji, Kodak, Minolta, Nikon, Olympus, and Pentax. The data from these
images in no way resembles or responds like RAW graphics image data.
RAW graphics images are basic raster data format images with no compression, and may
include an optional non-standard header which is not supported by PaintShop Pro. These
graphics images are used primarily by game developers and by the scientific community.
Game developers use RAW graphics images for custom image texturing, bumpmapping, and
shading. The scientific community uses these images for custom application-based image
analysis.
PaintShop Pro can create and edit RAW graphics images as well as provide conversion from
standard formats (such as TIF, JPEG, or TGA) into the RAW graphics format.

Customizing 501
You can correct the tint, or color cast, certain types of lighting may cause. For example, if the
photo was shot indoors in fluorescent lighting, and the camera was set for outdoor lighting
conditions, the photo may have a green color cast. In this case, you can choose an option
that applies correction for a photo taken in fluorescent light.

To set General image preferences

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  File Format Preferences.
The File Format Preferences dialog box appears.
2 Click the General tab.
3 Mark or unmark any of the following check boxes:
• Rotate images automatically upon opening using EXIF data — when marked,
images are rotated automatically according to EXIF orientation data. If unmarked, you
must rotate your images manually.
• Open RAW images with Camera RAW Lab — when marked, the Camera RAW Lab
opens when you choose a RAW image.

To set WMF image preferences

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  File Format Preferences.
The File Format Preferences dialog box appears.
2 Click the Metafile / Import tab.
3 In the Load options group box, choose one of the following options:
• Prompt for size and options each time a file is opened — prompts you to choose
settings for each WMF image you open
• Use file header information when available — uses the file header default size. If you
open a file without a header, the size defaults to the values you type in the Default size
when file header is not available group box.
4 Click OK.
You can also
Import WMF vector data as objects you can Mark the Import vector data check box.
edit with vector tools
Smooth curved polylines (vector data only) Mark the Apply smoothing check box.

502 PaintShop Pro

To set PCD file format preferences
Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  File Format Preferences.
The File Format Preferences dialog box appears.
2 Click the PCD tab.
3 Choose one of the following resolution settings:
• 96  64
• 192  128
• 384  256
• 768  512
• 1536  1024
• 3072  2048
• 6144  4096
4 Click OK.

You can have PaintShop Pro ask you to pick a resolution each time you open a PCD file
by choosing the Ask when loading each file option.

To set PNG preferences

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  File Format Preferences.
The File Format Preferences dialog box appears.
2 Click the PNG tab.
3 Choose one of the following options:
• Load and Save transparency to/from layer transparency
• Load and Save transparency to/from alpha channel

To set PostScript file import preferences

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  File Format Preferences.
The File Format Preferences dialog box appears.
2 Click the PostScript tab.
3 Unmark the Prompt for size and options each time a PostScript file is opened check
box.
4 Set or type a value in the Resolution control.

Customizing 503
5 Choose a page size option from the Page size drop-list.
6 Choose an image mode option from the Image mode drop-list.
7 Click OK.
You can also
Choose to be prompted to set options Mark the Prompt for size and options
every time you open a PostScript file each time a PostScript file is opened
check box.
Switch the page orientation to landscape Mark the Landscape check box.
Anti-alias PostScript objects as they are Mark the Anti-aliasing check box.
converted to raster images
Use a white background instead of the Mark the Render transparency check box
default transparent background

By default, if a PostScript file has a bounding box, the program matches the canvas size
to the bounding box.

To set RAW file preferences

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  File Format Preferences.
The File Format Preferences dialog box appears.
2 Click the RAW (Graphics) tab.
3 In the Save options group box, type or set a value in the Header size control to set the
header size of the file.
4 In the 24 bit options group box, choose one of the following color order options:
• RGB order
• BGR order
5 Choose one of the following color order options:
• Planar mode — stores the color data in separate 8-bit planes
• Interleaved — stores pixels contiguously

You can flip the image upside down by marking the Flip top and bottom check box.

Setting file format associations

File format associations control how PaintShop Pro interacts with many types of file formats.
For a full list of supported file formats, see “Files supported by PaintShop Pro” on page 74.

504 PaintShop Pro

Adding and removing file format associations
You can have certain file formats automatically open in PaintShop Pro. For example, when
you associate the JPEG file format with PaintShop Pro, all JPEG files open in PaintShop Pro
when you double-click them from the Windows desktop. The associated JPEG files also
display PaintShop Pro icons.

Changing file format extensions

File format extension changes do not take effect until the next time you start PaintShop Pro.
File extensions that have been associated with PaintShop Pro will have an asterisk (*) after
the name.

What if I want to open a file in another program?

When you associate a file format with PaintShop Pro, you can still open the file in other
programs by using the Open command in the program of your choice.

To associate a file format with PaintShop Pro

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  File Format Associations.
The Windows Set associations for a program page appears.
2 Mark the check boxes for the options you want.
3 Click Save.

Setting file locations

PaintShop Pro resources include such items as scripts, picture tubes, patterns, gradients,
displacement maps, and workspaces. The full listing of resources is displayed along the left
side of the File Locations dialog box. PaintShop Pro saves and searches for resources in
several default folders on your computer. By changing File Locations preferences, you can
change where PaintShop Pro looks for and saves these resources. You can also control how
plug-ins are used and which Web browsers are used to preview your images.
By default, all new files you create are saved in the appropriate subfolder in the
...Documents\Corel PaintShop Pro\2022 folder. Most default program resources are stored
in the appropriate folder in the path X:\Program Files\Corel\Corel PaintShop Pro 2022 (64-
bit), where “X” indicates the drive on which PaintShop Pro is installed.
You can add or delete folders for PaintShop Pro to store and retrieve the various resources.
Deleting a folder means that PaintShop Pro no longer looks in the folder for any items. The
folder, however, is not deleted from your computer.
You can also change the file location for specific resources.

Customizing 505
To change file locations for resources
Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  File Locations.
The File Locations dialog box appears.
2 From the File types list, select the resource that you want to change file locations for.
The default folders where the specified resource can be saved to are listed on the right
side of the dialog box.
3 Click Add.
The Browse Folder dialog box appears.
4 Navigate to the folder you want to add, and click OK.
5 In the Folder options group box, mark the Enable check box.
If you want to enable the folder’s subfolders, mark the Use sub folders check box.
Note: When these check boxes are unmarked, PaintShop Pro cannot search for folders
and their subfolders.
6 From the Save to drop-list, choose the folder in which you want the current resource
saved.
7 Click OK to save your settings and return to PaintShop Pro.

You can open the File Locations dialog box by clicking the File Locations button ,
which appears in many PaintShop Pro dialog boxes.

To add file locations for resources

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  File Locations.
The File Locations dialog box appears.
2 From the File types list, select the resource file type for which you want to add locations.
3 Click Add.
The Browse for Folder dialog box appears.
4 Click the Create a New Folder button and then enter the name for the new folder.
5 Click OK to add the new folder to the list.
6 Click OK to close the File Locations dialog box.

The Cache and CMYK Profiles resource file types can have only one location. You can
only change the file location from one folder to another. For more information on
changing file locations, see “Setting file locations” on page 505.

506 PaintShop Pro

 You can open the File Locations dialog box by clicking the File Locations button ,
which appears in many PaintShop Pro dialog boxes.

To delete file locations for resources

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  File Locations.
The File Locations dialog box appears.
2 From the File types list, select the resource file type that you want to delete file locations
for.
3 In the list of folders, select the folder you want to delete.
4 Click Remove.
5 Click OK.

You can open the File Locations dialog box by clicking the File Locations button ,
which appears in many PaintShop Pro dialog boxes, as well as in the Presets drop-list
(located in the Tool Options palette) for tools.

Managing resources
PaintShop Pro resources include such items as scripts, picture tubes, patterns, gradients,
displacement maps, and workspaces. The full listing of resources is displayed along the left
side of the File Locations dialog box. Using a consistent method for managing these
resources can make your workflow easier. This is where the Resource Manager dialog box
comes in.
Wherever you find a Presets control, such as in the Tool Options palette, or in the Presets
drop-list in an effects dialog box, you can access the Resource Manager dialog box.
You can delete, rename, copy, and move resources. You can also create your own resource
categories.

To access the Resource Manager dialog box

Edit tab
• Click a Presets control, and click the Resource Manager button .

To delete a resource
Edit tab
1 Click a Presets control, and click the Resource Manager button .

Customizing 507
2 If necessary, from the Category drop-list choose the category where the resource
resides.
3 Click the resource from the list.
4 Click Delete.

To rename a resource
Edit tab
1 Click a Presets control, and click the Resource Manager button .
2 If necessary, from the Category drop-list choose the category where the resource
resides.
3 Click the resource from the list.
4 Click Rename.
The Rename Resource dialog box appears.
5 Type the new name for the resource, and click OK.

To copy a resource to another location

Edit tab
1 Click a Presets control, and click the Resource Manager button .
2 If necessary, from the Category drop-list choose the category where the resource
resides.
3 Click the resource from the list.
4 Click Copy.
The Save As dialog box appears.
Note: At this point, you can also rename the file by typing a new name in the File Name
field.
5 Navigate to the folder where you want to move the resource and click Save.
Note: You cannot copy a resource without renaming it to a folder currently being
scanned using the File Locations dialog box.

To move a resource to another location

Edit tab
1 Click a Presets control, and click the Resource Manager button .
2 If necessary, from the Category drop-list choose the category where the resource
resides.
3 Click the resource from the list.
4 Click Move.
The Browse for Folder dialog box appears.

508 PaintShop Pro

5 Navigate to the folder where you want to move the resource, and then click OK.
Note: The folder to which you move the resource must be listed in the File Locations
dialog box for the resource to appear in the visual resource drop-list and in the Resource
Manager dialog box. For information about setting file locations, see “Setting file
locations” on page 505.

To create a resource category

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  File Locations.
The File Locations dialog box appears.
2 In the File types list on the left side of the dialog box, click the resource for which you
want to create a new category folder.
3 In the folders list, click the folder under which the custom category subfolder will reside.
4 In the Folder Options group box, mark the Enable and Use sub folders check boxes.
5 Click Create Sub Folder.
The Enter Name dialog box appears.
6 Type a name for the custom category subfolder, and click OK to close the Enter Name
dialog box.
7 Click OK.

To have the new category appear in the Categories drop-list, you must first save, copy,
or move a resource to the folder you created.

Setting plug-in preferences

With PaintShop Pro, you can use plug-ins that provide compatibility with Adobe Photoshop
files. The most common plug-in filename extension is .8B*. You can choose to limit the use
of plug-ins to those having the .8B* filename extension, or you can choose to use plug-ins
having any filename extension.

To enable plug-ins
Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  File Locations.
The File Locations dialog box appears.
2 From the File types list, select Plug-ins.
3 Mark the Enable plug-ins check box.

Customizing 509
You can also
Load plug-ins with any extension Unmark the Limit Loaded plug-in files to
those with an .8B* extension check box.
Open the file in the plug-in before it opens Mark the Allow file format plug-ins to
in PaintShop Pro request pre-filtering of support file types
check box.

To add plug-in locations

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  File Locations.
The File Locations dialog box appears.
2 From the File types list, select Plug-ins.
3 Click Add.
A new blank item appears in the folder list, and the Browse for Folder dialog box
appears.
4 Navigate to the folder you want to add, and click OK to return to the File Locations
dialog box.
5 In the Folder options dialog box, mark the Enable check box.
6 Click OK.

You can also add any subfolders stored in the plug-in folder you add by marking the
Use sub folders check box.

Selecting Web browsers

PaintShop Pro lets you preview your images with Web browsers. You can add, change, or
delete Web browsers.

To add Web browsers

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  File Locations.
The File Locations dialog box appears.
2 From the File types list, select Web Browsers.
3 Click Add.
The Browser Information dialog box appears.
4 Click Browse.

510 PaintShop Pro

 The Web Browser Path dialog box appears.
5 Navigate to the folder containing the Web browser executable file (with the filename
extension .exe), and click Open.
6 Click OK.

To change Web browsers

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  File Locations.
The File Locations dialog box appears.
2 From the File types list, select Web Browsers.
3 Select a browser from the list.
4 Click Edit.
The Browser Information dialog box appears.
5 Click Browse.
The Web Browser Path dialog box appears.
6 Navigate to the folder containing the Web browser executable file (with the filename
extension .exe), and click Open.
7 Click OK.

To delete Web browsers

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  File Locations.
The File Locations dialog box appears.
2 From the File types list, select Web Browsers.
3 Select a browser from the list.
4 Click Delete to remove the browser from the list.
5 Click OK.

Setting Autosave preferences

The Autosave Settings window lets you specify Auto-Recover and Autosave options.
Edit tab: You can enable Auto-Recover to save temporary copies of all open files at specified
intervals. If the application closes unexpectedly, the copies will be recovered the next time
you open the application.

Customizing 511
Adjust tab: If you have enabled the Adjust tab, PaintShop Pro lets you automatically save
your work as you move between tasks. For example, if you make some edits from the Adjust
tab, and switch to another photo or tab, your changes will be applied automatically.
It is recommended that you enable Auto-Preserve if you enable Autosave. For more
information, see “Setting Auto-Preserve preferences” on page 499.

To set the autosave preferences

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  Autosave Settings.
The Autosave Settings dialog box appears.
2 Do any of the following:
• Click the Adjust tab and mark the Save edits to the current image automatically
when the next image is selected check box.
• Click the Edit tab, mark the check box for Auto-Recover, and type or set a value in the
minutes control.
3 Click OK.

To find out where PaintShop Pro saves the Auto-Recover files, choose File 
Preferences  File Locations and select the Undo/Temporary Files folder from the
File Type list.

Resetting all preferences

You can revert various program preferences back to their defaults.

To reset application preferences

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  Reset Preferences.
The Reset the Application dialog box appears.
2 Mark any of the following check boxes:
• Reset general preferences — resets all general program preference settings to the
program defaults
• Reset file locations — resets all file location settings to the program defaults
• Reset workspace to default configuration — resets the current workspace to the
program defaults
• Reset dialog box positions and last used settings — resets dialog boxes so they
appear in their default positions and use default settings

512 PaintShop Pro

 • Delete all cache files — deletes all existing cache files
• Make all toolbars/palettes visible and on screen — makes all toolbars and palettes
visible
3 Click OK.

You can reset the entire application to its default state by holding down Shift while
launching the program. All customization is cleared when you reset the program.

Switching languages
You can change the language that is displayed in PaintShop Pro. This option can be helpful
for international or multilingual users, or for users sharing a workstation in an international
corporate environment.

To switch the application language

Edit tab
Manage tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  Switch Language.
The Switch Language dialog box appears.
2 Select the desired language from the drop-list.
Note: This feature does not support switching between languages with single-byte
character sets (such as English, German, and French) and languages with double-byte
character sets (such as Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, and Japanese).
3 Click OK.
4 In the message box that notifies you to restart the application, click OK.
The selected language is displayed after the application is restarted.

Adjusting general viewing options

You can customize how PaintShop Pro displays icons, screen tips, captions, scrollbars, nodes
(sometimes called “handles”), and make it easier to see lines and bounding boxes that appear
on screen when you are working with tools. You can also adjust the size of application text.

To quickly adjust user interface options

1 On the menu bar, click User Interface, and choose any of the following options:
• Icon Size
• Text Size
• Scroll Bar Size
• Node Size

Customizing 513
2 Choose the setting you want from the submenu.

To set toolbar view options

Edit tab
1 Choose View  Customize.
The Customize dialog box appears.
2 Click the Options tab.
3 In the Toolbar area, mark any of the following check boxes:
• Show ScreenTips on toolbars — displays the screen tips that appear over tools and
buttons
• Show shortcut keys in ScreenTips — displays the shortcut keys (if available) that
appear in screen tips
4 In the Icons area, mark any of the following check boxes:
• Show color icons — mark to show color icons; unmark to show grayscale icons
• Show small icons — mark to decrease the size of the icons; unmark to display the
icons at the default size
5 In the Personalized Menus and Toolbars group box, mark any of the following check
boxes:
• Menus show recently used commands first — simplifies menus to show only recently
used commands
• Show full menus after a short delay — displays all menu items after a delay if the
Menus show recently used commands first check box is marked

You can erase the memory of your recently used menu commands by clicking Reset
my usage data.

To adjust the size of scroll bars

1 Choose View  Customize.

The Customize dialog box appears.
2 Click the Options tab.
3 In the Scroll Bars area, enable the Small, Medium, or Large option.
If you want the scroll bar handle to increase in size when you position a pointer over it,
mark the Auto enlarge on hover.

To adjust the size of nodes

1 Choose View  Customize.

The Customize dialog box appears.

514 PaintShop Pro

2 Click the Options tab.
3 In the Node Size area, enable Small, Medium, or Large.

You can adjust the size of nodes (Small on left; Large on right). Nodes are used to adjust
layers, vectors objects, Pen tool lines, and more.

To increase the visibility of lines and bounding boxes

1 Choose View  Customize.

The Customize dialog box appears.
2 Click the Options tab.
3 In the Lines and Bounding Boxes area (you might need to scroll down to view the area),
mark the Increase visibility with pointer proximity check box.
4 In the Proximity (pixels) box, type a value to determine how close the pointer needs to
be to a line or bounding box in order to activate the visibility enhancement.

Accessing tools and commands from previous versions of

PaintShop Pro
You can access and restore tools and commands that have been removed from the
workspace. These commands were removed to accommodate improved features and
functionality.

To access tools and commands from previous versions of PaintShop Pro

Edit tab
1 Choose View  Customize.
The Customize dialog box appears.
2 In the Commands tab, perform a task from the following table and click Close.
To Do the following
Add commands In the Categories list, click Unused
Commands, find the command you want,
and drag it to a menu.
Add tools In the Categories list, click Tools, choose
the tool you want, and drag it to the Tools
toolbar.

Customizing 515
Protecting and restoring the PaintShop Pro database
The database for your application stores information about your photo library and makes is
easier to search for photos. If the database is damaged, it can affect the performance of
PaintShop Pro. Please note that your photos are safe, but a damaged database can result in
the loss of customized photo data, such as ratings, tags, and caption text.
To protect your database, you can create a backup file. In the event the database is damaged,
you can reset the database and import your backup file.
Please note, JPEG photo data from Corel PaintShop Photo Pro is imported into the 2022
database when you browse folders. For more information about browsing folders, see
“Getting photos into PaintShop Pro” on page 46.

To backup the application database

1 Save your work.

2 Click File  Database Backup  Export.
You will be prompted to close the application. A backup database file is created. Restart
the application.

To reset the application database

1 Ensure that the application is closed.

2 From the Windows Start menu, choose All Programs  PaintShop Pro  Restore
Database.

If your version of the application does not include the Restore Database utility, you can
reset your database manually by closing the application, and deleting the Database
folder in the following location: C:\Users[user
name]‌‌‌‌\AppData\Local\Packages\CorelCorporation.[…your version of PaintShop
Pro]\LocalCache\Local\Corel PaintShop Pro[version number]\Database.

To import your application database backup

1 Save any open work.

2 Click File  Database Backup  Import.
You will be prompted to close the application. The backup database file is imported
when you restart the application.

516 PaintShop Pro

Importing content and plugins from previous versions
You can import content that you’ve saved to the default locations for the last three versions
of PaintShop Pro. For example, you can migrate plugins, scripts, brush tips, color palettes,
gradients, patterns, textures, and effects that you've previously installed.

To import content and plugins from previous versions of PaintShop Pro

• Click File > Import > Content From Previous Versions.

Customizing 517
518 PaintShop Pro
 Editing 360° photos

PaintShop Pro lets you open and edit photos captured with a 360° camera. You can correct
and adjust 360° photos before you upload them to a site that supports 360° viewing. You
can also convert a 360° photo to a standard image and apply fun Planet Effects or create a
panorama-style image.
This section presents the following topics:

• What you need to know about 360° photos

• Removing a tripod from a 360° photo
• Straightening 360° photos
• Correcting or applying effects to 360° photos
• Applying Planet Effects to 360° photos
• Creating a panorama-style image from 360° photos

What you need to know about 360° photos

What you need to know:
• The 360° Photo window is designed to work with photos captured with a 360° camera
(not designed for 360° images constructed in other ways).
• There is no standard for the 360° metadata that 360° camera includes with your images.
Google 360° metadata is the most commonly used by camera manufacturers and this is
what PaintShop Pro uses to recognize 360° images.
• In PaintShop Pro, only the Adjust and Effects menu items are recommended for editing
360° photos. Even within these menus, any adjustments or effects that distort the image
will affect the integrity of the final image.

Removing a tripod from a 360° photo

You can remove a tripod, hand, or other device used to hold your 360° camera, from your
360° photos. A content-aware fill feature, Magic Fill, is used to sample the background and
make the selected area disappear.
Magic Fill is a content-aware feature that can make unwanted elements of your photos
vanish.

Editing 360° photos 519

 The Freehand Selection tool was used to loosely enclose the area with the tripod. Magic
Fill uses content-aware technology to remove the tripod from the photo.

To remove a tripod from a 360° photo

1 In PaintShop Pro, open a photo that was captured with a 360° camera.
A message appears that lets you choose between editing in the 360° Photo window and
the Adjust or Effect menu on the Edit tab.
2 Click Edit in 360° Photo.
3 In the 360° Photo window, click Remove Tripod.
4 In the Position area, an option.
5 In the Selections tools area, choose a selection tool.
6 Drag in the preview area to enclose the area that you want to remove. You don’t have to
be very precise, you can include some surrounding area in the selection.
7 Set the Feather value to determine how the edges of the fill will blend with the
background.
8 Click Magic Fill. If you need to fine-tune, you can repeat the selection and Magic Fill
steps.
9 Click Save As, and save your file to a new file name and choose the original file format.
Close the 360° Photo window to return to the main application window.

Straightening 360° photos

You can level a 360° photo in PaintShop Pro.

The onscreen straightening overlay consists of a central cross-hair, two leveling lines,
and an interactive rotation circle.

520 PaintShop Pro

To straighten a 360° photo

1 In PaintShop Pro, open a photo that was captured with a 360° camera.
A message appears that lets you choose between editing in the 360° Photo window and
the Adjust or Effect menu on the Edit tab.
2 Click Edit in 360° Photo.
3 In the 360° Photo window, click Straighten.
4 In the preview window, drag the image to center a reference point for your horizon line
within the onscreen straightening overlay. Use the cross-hair as your centering point. You
can also use any of the following controls:
• Pan — Lets you move right and left along the x-axis
• Tilt — Lets you move up and down along the y-axis
• Field of view — Lets you adjust how close the camera appears from the scene (effect is
similar to zoom)
5 To rotate the image, drag on the circular overlay or adjust the Rotate slider in the panel
on the right.
6 Click Save As, and save your file to a new file name. Close the 360° Photo window to
return to the main application window.

Correcting or applying effects to 360° photos

Important! It is recommended that you use correction or special effect filters from the
Adjust and Effect menu only. Editing 360° photos outside these menus can effect the 360°
data that your photo must retain if you want to share it on a 360° photo viewing site.
Photos captured with 360° cameras can often benefit from a number of common corrections
to fix exposure, white balance, sharpness, purple fringe, contrast, and color.
You can also apply effects, such as popular Photo Effects filters: Black and White Film,
Sepia Toning, and Retro Lab.

Editing 360° photos 521

 Several color, noise, and exposure filters from the Adjust menu were used to improve
the 360° photo.

To apply a correction or effect filter to a 360° photo

1 In PaintShop Pro, open a photo that was captured with a 360° camera.
A message appears that lets you choose between editing in the 360° Photo window and
the Adjust or Effect menu on the Edit tab.
2 Click the Adjust/Effects button.
3 From the main Edit tab, choose the filter you want from the Adjust or Effect menu.
4 When you are finished editing the image, it is recommended that you save to a new file
name.

Applying Planet Effects to 360° photos

You can transform your 360° photos into tiny planet-style images or rabbit hole-style images
by applying Planet Effects. Sometimes referred to as spherical panorama, these effects
essentially wrap the bottom edge (to create a tiny planet) or top edge (to create a rabbit hole
tunnel) of a 360° image into a spherical shape.
Important! Applying Planet Effects removes the 360° metadata from images, so it is
important to save your new image to a new file name to preserve the original photo.

522 PaintShop Pro

To apply a planet effect to a 360° photo

1 In PaintShop Pro, open a photo that was captured with a 360° camera.
A message appears that lets you choose between editing in the 360° Photo window and
the Adjust or Effect menu on the Edit tab.
2 Click Edit in 360° Photo.
3 In the 360° Photo window, click Planet Effects.
4 In the Effects area, choose one of the following:
• Tiny planet: Uses the bottom edge of the image as the center of the sphere
• Rabbit hole: Uses the top edge of the image as the center of the sphere
5 Adjust the Rotate slider to determine the rotation of the sphere.
6 Adjust the Field of View slider to set the camera position for the scene (similar to zoom).
7 Choose an Aspect ratio setting for the image.
8 Click Save As, and save your file to a new file name. Close the 360° Photo window to
return to the main application window.

Creating a panorama-style image from 360° photos

You can create panorama-style images from 360° photos by applying the 360°-to-
Panorama effect. The effect works by projecting the 360° photo to a flat surface using
popular mapping projections: Equirectangular and Mercator.
Important! Applying 360°-to-Panorama removes the 360° metadata from images, so it is
important to save your new image to a new file name to preserve the original photo.

Editing 360° photos 523

 You can create a panorama-style photo from a 360° photo

To create a panorama-style image from a 360° photo

1 In PaintShop Pro, open a photo that was captured with a 360° camera.
A message appears that lets you choose between editing in the 360° Photo window and
the Adjust or Effect menu on the Edit tab.
2 Click Edit in 360° Photo.
3 In the 360° Photo window, click 360°-to-Panorama.
4 In the Projection area, choose Equirectangular of Mercator. Experiment to see which
one provides the results you like best.
5 Ensure the Crop check box is enabled, and drag in the preview area to set the crop box.
6 Adjust the Horizontal Shift slider to display the area of the image that you want to
capture.
7 Click Save As, and save your file to a new file name. Close the 360° Photo window to
return to the main application window.

524 PaintShop Pro

 Automating tasks

PaintShop Pro has many time-saving automation features. You can use scripts to automate
an action or set of actions, and presets to save dialog box or tool settings for later use. You
can also perform the same action to a number of images at the same time.
This section presents the following topics:

• Scripting basics
• Working with scripting tools and features
• Recording and saving a script
• Running saved scripts
• Stopping or undoing a script
• Editing scripts in Corel PaintShop Pro
• Editing scripts using a text-editing application
• Troubleshooting a script
• Assigning icons to scripts
• Using and creating presets
• Processing files in batches
• Renaming files in batches

Scripting basics
Scripts are a series of commands that you record and play back. This can be a great time-
saver, because instead of having to make the changes to each image, you simply have to play
back the script. The commands you recorded in the script are performed on the image.
PaintShop Pro has a full-featured scripting engine based on the Python programming
language. You can get more information on this language at www.python.org. Although you
can write your own scripts using Python syntax, PaintShop Pro has a built-in script recorder
that can do this work for you, allowing you to script almost any action within the application.
If, however, you choose to write a script in the Python language, note that Python uses
indentation to determine scoping, so you must be very careful about mixing spaces and tabs.

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We recommend that you use a Python-aware editor such as PythonWin or Idle if you choose
to write your own scripts.

Scripting resources
PaintShop Pro provides the following scripting resources:
• Command API — an HTML-based resource that helps you add PaintShop Pro
commands and parameters to the scripts that you write.
• Scripting Guide — a PDF guide that provides information about scripting for
PaintShop Pro. Definitions, example scripts, and command and parameter information
helps you become familiar with scripting.
• Sample scripts — referenced in the Scripting Guide, the sample scripts are provided to
give you some examples that you can learn from and build on.

Working with scripting tools and features

You can find most scripting commands both in the File  Script submenu and on the Script
toolbar. You’ll find it much easier and faster working with scripts using the Script toolbar.
Some commands, however, are accessible only using the menu.
The following table describes the buttons on the Script toolbar.
Tool Description
The Select Script drop-list lets you choose
the scripts saved in the Scripts-Trusted and
Scripts-Restricted folders.
The Run Selected Script button lets you
run the script displayed in the Select Script
drop-list.
The Run Multiple Scripts button opens the
Run Multiple Scripts dialog box so you can
choose scripts from a list and run them in
sequence.
The Edit Selected Script button opens the
Script Editor so you can edit the script
displayed in the Select Script drop-list.
The Toggle Execution Mode button lets
you switch between Silent and Interactive
mode when running scripts. When the
button shows a border, it is set to
Interactive mode.
The Run Script button lets you navigate to
and select the script you want to load.

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Tool Description
The Stop Script button lets you stop the
running script.
The Start Script Recording button lets you
begin recording actions that will comprise a
script.
The Pause Script Recording button lets
you pause the recording of a script. You can
click it again to resume recording.
The Cancel Script Recording button lets
you cancel script recording.
The Save Script Recording button lets you
stop recording a script and prompts you to
save it.

To display the Script toolbar

Edit tab
• Choose View  Toolbars  Script.

To access a script command from a menu

Edit tab
• Choose File  Script, and choose a script command.

You can only choose the Clear Output Window and Single Step commands from the
menu. You can, however, add those commands to the Script toolbar. For more
information, see “Customizing toolbars” on page 485.

To display the Script Output palette

Edit tab
• Choose View  Palettes  Script Output.

The Script Output palette displays information such as previously-used commands,

Python syntax errors, or runtime errors.

To clear the Script Output palette

Edit tab
• Choose File  Script  Clear Output Window.

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 You can also clear a script by right-clicking the Script Output palette, and choosing
Clear from the context menu.

Recording and saving a script

Scripts are particularly useful for tasks with many steps. Most actions you can perform in
PaintShop Pro are scriptable; however, be aware of the following guidelines:
• You cannot script user interface customizations, CMYK profile creation or editing,
operations outside the Edit tab, operations inside of Print Layout, or gradient creation.
• You cannot script the floating, docking, or arranging of toolbars, palettes, and windows.
• You can script Materials palette and Mixer palette operations, as well as Tool Options
palette selections, but you cannot record them. To script these actions, you must use a
text editor application.
• Only plug-ins that support scripting are scriptable.
• Outside of the above restrictions, most actions you perform in PaintShop Pro are
scriptable.
Before you start recording a script, it’s a good idea to write down the specific actions you
want to record. Ideally, your actions should be as efficient as possible.

Restricted and trusted scripts

The scripts in PaintShop Pro are created in the Python programming language, which can
unfortunately also be used to create and execute malicious scripts. Because of this potential
danger, PaintShop Pro includes two folders, automatically created in two locations during
installation, each folder containing script files of distinct modes. These folders are
• Scripts-Restricted — contains scripts that do not reside in a trusted folder
• Scripts-Trusted — contains any trusted scripts
These folders reside inside the following paths:
• 32-bit — X:\Program Files (x86)\Corel\Corel PaintShop Pro
2022\Languages\[language code] (where “x” indicates the drive on which you installed
PaintShop Pro)
• 64-bit — X:\Program Files\Corel\Corel PaintShop Pro 2022 (64-
bit)\Languages\[language code]
• In your user folder, ...Documents\Corel PaintShop Pro\2022
When you create and save a script for the first time, you’re directed to save the script in the
appropriate path in ...Documents\Corel PaintShop Pro\2022. After that, you’ll be directed to
save to the most recently used folder.
When the application searches for scripts, restricted scripts are searched before trusted
scripts.

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Here are some considerations about restricted scripts:
• If a script is run from an unconfigured path, it is treated as restricted.
• If a path appears in both the restricted and trusted lists, it is treated as restricted.
• Presets, Material palette swatches, and Print Layout templates (which are essentially
scripts) are treated as restricted.

Commands that cannot be used in a restricted script

Some commands cannot be run from a script stored in the Scripts-Restricted folder. The
table below lists a number of these commands. If you want to run a script that contains any
of these commands, you must move it to the Scripts-Trusted folder.
Command Menu location
FileSave File  Save
FileSaveAs File  Save As
FileSaveCopyAs File  Save Copy As
GIFExport File  Export  GIF Optimizer
PNGExport File  Export  PNG Optimizer
JPEGExport File  Export  JPEG Optimizer
FileLocations File  Preferences  File Locations
FileClose File  Close
FileCloseAll File  Close All
FileSend File  Send
BatchConvert File  Batch  Process
BatchRename File  Batch  Rename
Mapper File  Export  Image Mapper
Slicer File  Export  Image Slicer
FileExit File  Exit

To record and save a script

Edit tab

1 Click the Start Script Recording button .

2 Perform the actions that comprise the script.
3 Click the Save Script Recording button .
The Save As dialog box appears.
4 Choose the folder where you want to store the script.
5 Type a name for the script, and click Save.

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You can also
Remove any undone commands from a In the Save As dialog box, mark the
script Remove Undone Commands check box.
Save Materials palette settings used by In the Save As dialog box, mark the Save
actions with a tool in a script Materials check box. If this check box is
cleared, the current material is used with
the given tool when the script is run, rather
than the material that was used when the
script was recorded. This option only
applies to recorded actions with a tool, not
with a material setting in a dialog box.
Display interactive dialog boxes in their In the Save As dialog box, mark the Save
position during recording Dialog Positions check box. You may not
want to use this option if you intend to
share the script with others. Enabling this
check box not only records the dialog
position, but whether the Before/After
preview area is displayed, whether the
dialog is maximized, and whether the
Preview on Image check box is marked.
You can leave these preferences up to other
users of your script.
Add descriptive information to a script In the Save As dialog box, click Description,
and type information in the Author,
Copyright, and Description boxes. The
information you enter is displayed when
you edit the script.

Running saved scripts

You can run a saved script by selecting the script from the Select Script drop-list, or by
navigating to the folder where the script is located. You can also add folders containing
scripts to the Select Script drop-list.
You can also run multiple scripts in a sequence. If you have a single script with too many
operations, you may want to spread the tasks into several scripts that you can run in a
specific order. This modularity makes it easier for you to maintain scripts and allows you to
work around memory limitations.
When you have scripted actions that involve dialog boxes, you can choose to run the script
in Silent mode, so the dialog boxes do not appear as the script runs. Conversely, you can
choose to run the script in Interactive mode, so that dialog boxes appear for user interaction.
For more information, see “To set a playback mode for a script action or command” on
page 533.

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To run a script listed in the Select Script drop-list
Edit tab
1 On the Script toolbar, click the Select Script drop-list to display the scripts.
2 Click the script that you want to run.
3 Click the Run Selected Script button .

You can add any folder to the list of folders that the Select Script drop-list displays by
clicking the drop-list and clicking the File Locations button . In the File Locations
dialog box, click Add and navigate to the folder that contains the scripts.

To run a script not listed in the Select Script drop-list

Edit tab

1 On the Script toolbar, click the Run Script button to open the Run Script dialog box.
2 Choose the folder that contains the script you want to run.
3 Select the script.
4 Click Open.

To run multiple scripts

Edit tab
1 Click an open image to make it active.
2 On the Script toolbar, click the Run Multiple Scripts button to open the Run Multiple
Scripts dialog box.
3 From the left pane, double-click the scripts that you want to run
4 Click Run.

To run scripts on all open images

Edit tab
1 Run a script or multiple scripts on an image.
2 Open the History palette by pressing F3.
3 Right-click the scripts in the History palette and choose Apply to other open
documents.

You can also run scripts on another open image by dragging the actions from the
History palette and dropping them onto the image.
To run the last executed script or multiple scripts on another open image, click the
image to make it active, and then press Ctrl + Y.

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To toggle between Interactive and Silent script playback mode
Edit tab

• Click the Toggle Execution Mode button on the Script toolbar.

When the button has a border around it, it is in Interactive mode.

If you’ve edited the script and set part or all of it to run in either Silent or Interactive
mode, clicking the Toggle Execution Mode button will not override that setting. If
a script is set to Default mode, the state of this button will override the Toggle Execution
Mode setting. The Toggle Execution Mode setting affects only those steps and
commands set to Default mode within the script.

Stopping or undoing a script

You can stop a script while it is running. You can also undo a script after you’ve run it.

To stop a running script

Edit tab

• Click the Stop Script button .

The Stop Script button is only active while the script is running. Depending on the
script, this may only be a few seconds.

To undo an applied script

Edit tab

• Click the Undo button on the Standard toolbar.

Editing scripts in Corel PaintShop Pro

You can edit scripts using the PaintShop Pro user interface, or by editing the script’s Python
code in a text editor application. For more information about editing scripts, see “Editing
scripts using a text-editing application” on page 533.

To edit the currently selected script

Edit tab

1 Click the Edit Selected Script button to display the Script Editor dialog box.
The commands and actions that comprise the script appear in the Script Commands
group box.
2 Make changes to the script.
Specific editing actions can be found in the table below.

532 PaintShop Pro

 Note: Command names shown in italics with the words “NOT editable” cannot be
selected for editing.
3 Click Save.
4 Click Close.
You can also
Disable a script action or command Unmark the check box beside the action or
command.
Remove a script action or command Click the action or command, and click
Delete.
View or edit the Python code associated Click Text Editor. The text editor assigned in
with the script the File Locations dialog box opens the
script. Unless you specify another
application, the default editor is Notepad.

If the script format is unreadable, or if the script was created and edited manually in a
text editor, the PaintShop Pro Script Editor cannot open the script. Instead, the script
opens in the default text editor that is specified in the File Locations dialog box. For
more information, see “Editing scripts using a text-editing application” on page 533.

If the script you want to edit is not in the Select Script drop-list, choose File  Script 
Edit and choose the folder where the script is saved. When you open the script, its
information appears in the Script Editor dialog box.

To set a playback mode for a script action or command

Edit tab

1 Click the Edit Selected Script button to display the Script Editor dialog box.
2 In the Scripts Commands group box, choose one of the following options from the
Mode drop-list:
• Default — uses whatever mode was specified in the Run Script command.
• Silent — skips all dialog boxes associated with that command or action when you run
the script. Use this mode when you feel it’s best to avoid interacting with a dialog in the
script.
• Interactive — allows for user interaction with dialog boxes and other settings

Editing scripts using a text-editing application

You can edit the Python code in the text editor of your choice. The editor application
designated for script editing will open.

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To edit Python code
Edit tab

1 Click the Edit Selected Script button to display the Script Editor dialog box.
2 Click Text Editor.
The text editor assigned in the File Locations dialog box opens the script.

Until you specify another application, the default editor is Notepad.

To change text-editing applications

Edit tab
1 Choose File  Preferences  File Locations to display the File Locations dialog box.
2 In the File Types list, choose Python Source Editor.
3 Click Browse, and choose a text-editing application.
The Python Source Editor Path dialog box appears.
4 Click Open.
5 Click OK.

You can also click the File Locations button in the Select Script drop-list to open
the File Locations dialog box.

Troubleshooting a script
To selectively apply actions to the current image and identify any scripting problems, you can
run a script step-by-step.

To step through a script

Edit tab
1 Choose File  Script  Single Step.
PaintShop Pro is in Script Single Step mode.
2 Run the desired script.
The Step Script dialog box appears, listing the script’s name and first action.
3 Click any of the following as you step through the script’s commands and actions:
• Continue — applies the command to the image and moves on to the next command
in the script
• Skip Command — does not apply the command to the image and moves on to the
next command in the script
• Stop Scripts — cancels this operation and closes the Step Script dialog box

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 Note: PaintShop Pro remains in Script Single Step mode until you toggle off this
command by choosing File  Script  Single Step again.

When using this feature, it’s helpful to display the Script toolbar by choosing View 
Toolbars  Script.

Assigning icons to scripts

You can assign any of 50 icons to a script, and then drag the icon to a custom or existing
toolbar, or to a menu. By dragging the icon onto a toolbar or menu you can have easier,
quicker access to your favorite scripts, and can execute them with a single click.
You can use an icon for any number of scripts. For example, you could assign a red light bulb
icon to a script and drag it to the Photo toolbar. You could then assign the same icon to
a different script and drag it to the Adjust menu.
The process of assigning an icon to a script is called “binding”. After the script is bound, you
can assign a keyboard shortcut to it as another way to execute the script. For more
information about using shortcuts, see “Customizing keyboard shortcuts” on page 487.

To assign an icon to a script

Edit tab
1 Choose View  Customize to display the Customize dialog box.
2 Click the Scripts tab.
3 Choose the script from the drop-list.
4 Choose an icon, and then click Bind.
The icon and its associated script appear in the list in the Bound Scripts group box.
5 From the Bound Script group box, drag the icon or script into a menu or toolbar.

When you position the cursor over the toolbar’s script icon, you’ll see the path name
and file name associated with the script. If you drag the script icon into a menu, the
menu displays the script’s name, and the script’s path appears in the status bar.

To unbind a script from an icon

Edit tab
1 Choose View  Customize to display the Customize dialog box.
2 Click the Scripts tab.
3 In the Bound Script group box, choose the icon or script name.
4 Click Remove.

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 When you unbind a script from an icon, you also remove it from the user interface and
from any keyboard shortcut assigned to it.

To remove a bound script icon from a menu or toolbar

Edit tab
1 Choose View  Customize to display the Customize dialog box.
2 Drag the script’s icon into the PaintShop Pro workspace.

Using and creating presets

Presets are scripts that define the behavior, properties, or settings of a dialog box or tool.
Many dialog boxes and tools come with predefined, ready–to–use presets; however, you can
also design and save your own presets. This is useful if you frequently use the same settings
in a dialog box or with a tool. By using presets, you can save the settings and they'll appear
in the Presets drop-list associated with that dialog box or tool.

To choose a preset
Edit tab
• In the Presets drop-list, select the desired preset from the list.

On the left is the Pan tool’s Presets drop-list button in the Tool Options palette, and on
the right the Presets drop-list in a dialog box.

To reset values to default settings

Edit tab

• In the Presets drop-list, click the Reset to default button .

To reset a dialog box to the settings that displayed when you opened the dialog box,
hold down Shift and click the Reset to default button.

To save settings as a preset

Edit tab
1 Modify the settings in the dialog box or the Tool Options palette.

536 PaintShop Pro

2 Click the Save preset button to display the Save Preset dialog box.
3 Type a name for the preset.
Note: You cannot use “Default” or “Last Used” as the name for a preset.
If you want to enter additional preset information, click Options, and type text in the
Author, Copyright, and Description fields.
4 Click OK.

The Preset includes group box shows the data saved with a preset.

To edit a preset
Edit tab
1 Modify the settings in the dialog box or the Tool Options palette.
2 Click the Save Preset button .
3 Type the same preset name in the preset name box.
4 Click Options.
If you want to omit any data from the Preset includes group box, click the Include/
Exclude button associated with the data.
A white “X” appears over the button associated with the item.
5 Click OK.

To delete a preset
Edit tab

1 In the Presets drop-list, click the Resource Manager button .

2 In the Resource Manager dialog box, select the preset you want to delete.
3 Click Delete.

Processing files in batches

You can save time by processing multiple files with the Batch Process feature. You can use
batch processing to perform common tasks or specific actions. For example, you can:
• Copy files
• Rename files
• Convert the file format
• Add or remove metadata, including location information or other EXIF data
• Add watermarks
• Resize
• Apply scripts to multiple files
• Add a Picture Frame

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• Apply Smart Photo Fix
The Batch Process dialog box steps you through three pages: Add Photos, Batch Actions,
Output Settings. Batch Actions are optional, but you should review the Output Settings
before running your batch.

To batch process files

1 Click File > Batch Process.

2 In the Batch Process dialog box, on the Add Photos page, click Add and choose the
files that you want to process.
3 Click Next.
4 On the Batch Actions page, choose any of the following actions:
• Add Info — For information about displaying caption and EXIF info on your images,
see “Displaying captions and info text on images” on page 404.
• Watermark — For information about adding watermarks, see “Adding visible
watermarks” on page 578.
• Resize — For information on resizing, see “Resizing images” on page 164.
• Script — Enable the check boxes for one or more scripts. Enable Silent Mode to avoid
displaying dialog boxes associated with scripts (interrupts batch to request user input).
For more information, see “Working with scripting tools and features” on page 526.
• Picture Frame — For information about picture frames, see “Adding picture frames to
images” on page 377.
• Smart Photo Fix — For information about Smart Photo Fix, see “Making basic photo
corrections automatically” on page 122.
Note: To edit the settings for an action (scripts are the only actions that can’t be edited
from the page), hover over an item you have added to the Add Batch Actions list, and
click the Edit this action button that appears.
5 Click Next.
6 On the Output Settings page, modify any of the following settings:
• Destination folder — Enable New and navigate to a folder location or enable Original
to save back to the source folder
• Filename — To rename the files, enable Rename, click Modify, and choose an option
from the Rename Options list, and click Add. You can rename the file with info such as
current date or custom text. Note: If you are renaming files, adding the Sequence
option ensures that each file will have a unique name and you won’t have naming
conflicts.
• Naming conflicts — Enable the option that you want to apply in the event that two
files have the same name.
• File Format — Choose a file format. Click Options if you want to modify the settings
for the file format.

538 PaintShop Pro

 • Security features — Enable Delete EXIF information to remove all EXIF metadata
from the processed files or enable Delete location information to remove any GPS
coordinates. To add a Digimarc watermark, enable Embed Watermark.
7 Click Start to run the batch process.
You can also
Save your batch settings On the Batch Actions page, click Save
Batch, navigate to the folder where you
want to store your batch file (.pba), and
type a file name.
Use previously saved batch settings (.pba On the Batch Actions page, click Load
file) Batch, navigate to your batch settings file.

Renaming files in batches

You can rename multiple files at the same time.

To rename files in a batch

Edit tab
1 Choose File  Batch Rename to open the Batch Rename dialog box.
2 Click Browse.
3 Choose the folder that contains the source files.
4 Do one of the following:
• To select adjacent files, hold down Shift, and click the files.
• To select non-adjacent files, hold down Ctrl, and click the files.
5 Click Select.
The files appear in the Files to rename list in the Batch Rename dialog box.
6 Click Modify to open the Modify Filename Format dialog box.
7 Choose any of the following renaming options from the Rename Options list:
• Camera Brand — camera used to take the photo, as indicated by EXIF data
• Camera Model — camera model used to take the photo, as indicated by EXIF data
• Custom Text — to add text to the converted files
• Date — to add the current date to the file name
• Document Name — to add the original file name to the new file name, and to change
the case
• Lens — lens used to take the photo, as indicated by EXIF data
• Location — GPS coordinates if available in EXIF data
• Sequence — to add the numerical position of a file in the renaming process
• Time — to add the current time to the file name

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8 Click Add for each option you want to move into the Included list.
The file naming scheme appears at the bottom of the dialog box.
9 Click OK.
If you want to stop the renaming process when PaintShop Pro encounters an error, mark
the Stop on error check box in the Batch Rename dialog box.
10 Click Start.

You can use click the Move Up and Move Down buttons in the Modify Filename
Format dialog box to rearrange the order of options you choose from the Rename
Options list.

540 PaintShop Pro

 Printing

PaintShop Pro provides extensive options for printing your work.

This section presents the following topics:

• Printing images
• Creating layouts
• Editing templates
• Editing and saving layouts
• Printing CMYK color separations
• Understanding printing

Printing images
PaintShop Pro offers many ways to print images. You can use a template, or use a custom
layout to meet specific size and layout requirements.

You can print contact sheets (left), print to standard photo sizes (center), or create
custom print layouts (right).

Templates help you simplify image placement and sizing. You can use templates to lay out
and print images in standard sizes, including 4  6 inches, 5  7 inches, and 10  15
centimeters. You can use a PaintShop Pro template, or you can create your own custom
template from a page layout that you create.

Printing 541
Creating your own layouts gives you the flexibility to print images to any size and lets you
create a custom page for projects such as collages and scrapbooks. For more information
about creating layouts, see “Creating layouts” on page 544.
If you are preparing images for professional output, you can print an image to a file, which
lets a service bureau send the file directly to an output device. If you are unsure about which
settings to choose, consult the service bureau. You can also print crop and registration marks.
Crop marks represent the size of the paper and print at the corners of the page. You can print
crop marks to use as guides to trim the paper. Registration marks are required to line up film
for proofing or printing plates on a color press. They print on each sheet of a color
separation.

To print the active image

Edit tab
1 Choose File  Print.
2 In the Printer group box, click Printer.
The Print dialog box appears.
3 Choose a printer from the Name drop-list, and click OK.
4 Click the Placement tab, and type or set a value in the Number of copies control.
5 In the Orientation group box, choose one of the following options:
• Portrait
• Landscape
6 In the Size and Position group box, set any of the following controls:
• Width and Height — lets you specify width and height values to set the image size
• Scale — lets you resize the image by entering a percentage
• Fit to page — fits the image to the printed page
• Center on page — centers the image on the printed page
• Upper left of page — positions the image in the upper-left corner of the printed page
• Custom offset — lets you enter values in the Left offset and Top offset boxes
7 Click the Options tab.
8 In the Print Output group box, choose one of the following options:
• Color
• Greyscale
• CMYK separations
If you choose the CMYK separations option, you can print CMYK labels on each color
plate or page by marking the CMYK plate labels check box in the Print Marks group
box.
9 Click Print.

542 PaintShop Pro

You can also
Print the filename below the image Mark the Image Name check box in the
Print Marks group box.
Print a negative of the image Mark the Negative check box in the
Color Options group box.
Print a color background around the image Mark the Background check box, click the
color box, and choose a color from the
color palette.

You can script most print options; however, because of variations in printer drivers, not
all printer settings are scriptable. For more information about scripting, see “Scripting
basics” on page 525.
For more information about printing options, see “Creating layouts” on page 544.

To print a contact sheet

Manage tab
1 In the Organizer palette, select the files that you want to print.
2 On the Organizer toolbar, click the Organizer menu button and choose Print Contact
Sheet.
3 Specify the settings you want in the Print Contact Sheet dialog box.
4 Click Print.

For more information about printing options, see “Understanding printing” on

page 552.

To print to a file
Edit tab
1 Choose File  Print.
2 Mark the Print to File check box.
3 Click Print.
4 Type a name in the Output File Name box.

To print images by using a template

1 Select thumbnails in the Organizer palette.

2 Choose File  Print Layout.
The Print Layout window appears.

Printing 543
3 Click File  Open Template.
The Templates dialog box appears.
4 In the Category group box, choose a category from the list.
Thumbnails of the templates in each category appear in the window on the right.
Custom templates that you saved appear under the User Defined category. If the
custom template was saved with images, the cells are filled with color.
5 Select a template, and click OK.
Note: If you previously saved images with the template, the images appear in the
template cells and in the thumbnail list. Cells are grayed in the template thumbnail for
templates with missing images.
6 Drag images into the template cells.
If you want to fill the template with copies of the same image, click a thumbnail and click
the Fill Template with Image button .
7 Click File  Print.

For information about saving templates with links to images, see “Setting file locations”
on page 505.

You can remove an image from a template by selecting the image and pressing Delete.
You can also open images by choosing File  Open Image.

To print crop and registration marks

Edit tab
1 Choose File  Print.
2 In the Printer group box, click Printer.
The Print dialog box appears.
3 Choose a printer from the Name list box, and click OK.
4 Click the Options tab.
5 In the Print Marks group box, mark one or more of the following check boxes:
• Corner Crop Marks — prints crop marks at the corners of the image
• Center Crop Marks — prints crop marks at the center of the image edges
• Registration Marks — prints registration marks at the corners of the image

Creating layouts
You can create a print layout and position images individually, or you can apply the same
settings to all of the images.

544 PaintShop Pro

By rotating and zooming, you can change the print layout of your images. Images are
displayed at 100% magnification by default. You can zoom in to get a closer look at image
detail, or zoom out to view a larger portion of the image.
When you use a print layout, you can add descriptive text captions, undo or redo the
changes you make, and save the layout for future use as a template.

To add images to a layout

Edit tab
1 Open the image that you want to print.
If you want to select more than one file, hold down Ctrl, and click the files. If the files are
in sequential order, click the first file, and then press Shift and click the last file.
2 Choose File  Print Layout to open the Print Layout window.
Thumbnails of the selected images appear on the left side of the window; the page
layout appears in the preview area.
If you want to add additional images to the Print Layout window, choose File  Open
Image, and choose the images.
3 Drag the thumbnails into a template cell or onto the custom layout page.
You can also
Print the page with the current settings Click the Print button .
Change the print setup options Choose File  Print Setup. In the Print
Setup dialog box, make changes to any of
the settings.
Close the Print Layout window Click the Close Print Layout button .

To position images in a layout

Edit tab
1 In the Print Layout window, choose a cell.
2 Click one of the following buttons:
• Fill Template with Image — fills the template with the image
• Free Format — lets you manually resize and position the image in the cell
• Size and Center — retains the image size and centers it in the cell
• Fill Cell with Image — centers the image and scales it to fill the cell. The aspect
ratio is maintained, but parts of the image may not be visible.
• Fit and Center — centers the image and scales the image to fit entirely inside the
cell. The image aspect ratio is maintained.
• Make Cell Elliptical — creates an elliptical cell shape

Printing 545
 • Make Cell Rectangular — creates a rectangular cell shape

You can display the grid if you want to position images with precision.

To rotate an image in a layout

Edit tab
1 In the Print Layout window, select an image.
If you want to rotate multiple images, hold down Shift, and select the images.
2 On the toolbar, click one of the following buttons:
• Rotate Right
• Rotate Left

To zoom
Edit tab

To Do the following
Zoom in Click the Zoom In 10% button .
Zoom out Click the Zoom Out 10% button .
Zoom in on a specific area Click the Zoom Rectangle button . Drag
in the page layout to choose an area to
zoom in on.
Zoom to the fill the preview area with the Click the Zoom to Page button .
layout

To create a caption
Edit tab
1 Choose File  Print Layout to open the Print Layout window.
Thumbnails of the open images appear on the left side of the window; the page layout
appears in the print layout preview area.
2 Drag the thumbnails into a template cell or onto the custom layout page.
3 Click the Create a Text Field button .
4 Drag to create the text box.
5 In the Text Field dialog box, type the text that you want to appear on the printed page.
6 Set the font, font attribute, and alignment controls.
Note: To continue to use these settings, mark the Retain text settings check box.
7 Click OK.

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You can also
Move the text box in the image Drag the text box.
Size the text box Drag the corner handles in or out.
Rotate the text Right-click the text box, and choose Rotate
Right or Rotate Left.

To undo or redo a change to a layout

Edit tab
• Choose Edit  Undo to undo a change to a layout, or Edit  Redo to redo a change to a
layout.

To change the Print Layout view

Edit tab
1 In the Print Layout window, choose View  Options.
The Print Layout Options dialog box appears.
2 Choose a unit of measurement from the Units drop-list.
3 In the Auto Arrange group box, mark one or both of the following check boxes:
• Use borders — creates a border around all images. This option requires you to set
values in the Horizontal border size and Vertical border size controls.
• Stretch to fit — automatically enlarges images to fit, while maintaining their aspect
ratios
4 In the Template options group box, do one or both of the following:
• To apply the new default placement option to all cells of the current template, mark the
Apply to current template check box.
• To specify the default placement of images in template cells, choose an option from the
Default Placement drop-list.
5 In the Grid Settings group box, mark any of the following check boxes:
• Show Grid — displays the grid
• Snap-to-Grid — snaps images to the gridlines where you position them
If you marked the Show Grid check box, you can also mark the Dot Grid check box to
use a dotted-line grid. Clear the check box to use a solid-line grid.
6 Click OK.
You can also
Change the grid color Click the Grid color area, and choose a
color from the color palette.
Change the horizontal and vertical spacing Set values in the Horizontal Spacing and
Vertical Spacing controls.

Printing 547
Editing templates
In Print Layout mode, you can make changes to multiple cells at the same time. However, the
position and size of a cell are locked when the layout is saved as a template, so template cells
cannot be moved or resized. You can add descriptive text to a template, which can be helpful
for future browsing.
If a print layout contains images that you want to print repeatedly, you can save the layout
as a template with links to the images. Whenever you open the template, it displays the
images in the layout.
If you no longer need a print template that was saved, you can easily delete it.
Important! When you print a template on thick paper, such as glossy photo paper, the
images in the printed template may not fit perfectly inside the cell borders. You can correct
this by adjusting the position of the template layout in PaintShop Pro.

To edit template cells

Edit tab
1 Click the cell you want to edit.
If you want to edit multiple cells, hold down Ctrl while clicking the cells.
2 Choose Edit, and then choose the commands you want to apply to the template cells.

To enter descriptive text for a template

Edit tab
1 Load a template, or create a new template.
2 On the Print Layout toolbar, click the Save Template button .
The Save dialog box appears.
If you want to create a specific name for the template, enter it in the Name field.
3 In the Description field, enter the information you want.
If you want to save the template with the images it contains, mark the Save with images
check box.
4 Click OK.
If you did not change the template name, you are prompted to overwrite the template or
cancel the action.

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To move the template position
Edit tab

To Do the following
Move the template 1/20th of an inch Hold down Ctrl, and press the arrow keys.
(1.25 mm)
Move the template 1/10th of an inch Hold down Ctrl and Shift, and press the
(2.5 mm) arrow keys.

If your printer consistently misprints the same way, adjust the template position, and
save it with a name that specifies its use with that printer.

To revert a template with images to a layout

Edit tab
1 Open the template you want to edit.
2 Click the New Template button .
A dialog box appears, asking whether to keep the current images in the new template.
3 Click Yes.

To save a template with images

Edit tab

1 Click the Save Template button .

The Save dialog box appears.
2 Enter a name for the new template in the Name field.
3 Mark the Save with Images check box.
4 Click OK.

To delete a template
Edit tab
1 Choose File  Print Layout.
2 In the Print Layout window, click Open Template .
The Templates dialog box appears.
3 Choose a category from the Select A Category list.
4 Select the thumbnail of the template you want to delete.
5 Click Delete.

Printing 549
Editing and saving layouts
PaintShop Pro includes many templates with different layouts that you can use to print your
images. The layouts you create can be saved as templates.
You can arrange images in a layout automatically or manually. Before you arrange images
automatically, you must choose whether to include borders. If you do not use borders,
PaintShop Pro may arrange the images with touching edges. You must also choose whether
to size the images to fit the layout. If you do not choose this option, PaintShop Pro keeps
them the same size or, if necessary, makes them smaller to fit the layout. PaintShop Pro
divides the page into sections of equal size and places each image in a section. Only images
on the page or in the window are used.
Horizontal and vertical gridlines help you position items evenly on a page. You can display
or hide grids and set preferences for grid spacing and appearance. When you display grids,
they appear in any image window that is open.
You can snap images to the nearest gridline on the layout.

To resize an image in print layout

Edit tab

1 Click the Resize button on the toolbar.

2 Choose one of the following options:
• Percent of original — resizes an image by a percentage you specify in the Width or
Height boxes
• Actual / Print size — resizes an image by the dimensions you specify in the Width or
Height boxes without changing its aspect ratio

Resizing an image for printing can result in poor image quality. When you enlarge an
image, it loses detail and sharpness. As a general rule, it is best to avoid enlarging or
reducing an image by more than 25 percent.

You can also resize an image manually by dragging a corner handle.

To use borders in a print layout

Edit tab
1 Choose View  Options.
2 Mark the Use Borders check box, and type or set values in the Horizontal border size
and Vertical border size controls.
The default border width is 0.5 inches (1.27 centimeters).
3 Click OK.

550 PaintShop Pro

 If you want to resize images to fit in their cells, mark the Stretch to fit check box.
As you decide where to move images, you can place them temporarily in the area
around the page.
You can also arrange images manually by dragging the image to a new position on the
page.

To display the grid

Edit tab
• Choose View  Show Grid.

To snap images to the layout grid

Edit tab
• Choose View  Snap to Grid.

To change layout grid settings

Edit tab
1 Choose View  Options.
The Print Layout Options dialog box appears.
2 In the Grid Settings group box, mark any of the following check boxes:
• Show Grid — displays the grid
• Snap-to-Grid — snaps images to the gridlines when you position them
Note: If you mark the Show Grid check box, you can mark the Dot Grid check box to
use a dotted-line grid instead of a solid-line grid.
You can also
Change the grid color Click the Grid color area, and choose a
color from the color palette.
Change the horizontal and vertical spacing Set values in the Horizontal Spacing and
Vertical Spacing boxes.

To save a custom layout as a template

Edit tab

1 Click the Save Template button .

The Save dialog box appears.
2 Enter a name for the new template in the Name field.
If you want to save the image links with the template, mark the Save with Images check
box.

Printing 551
3 Click OK.

To rotate an image in a layout

Edit tab
1 Select the image.
2 Choose Image, and then choose one of the following commands:
• Rotate Right
• Rotate Left

To position an image in a layout

Edit tab
• Drag the image to a new position on the page.

Printing CMYK color separations

PaintShop Pro converts images for color printing by replacing the RGB (Red, Green, and Blue)
colors you see on the monitor with the CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black) colors used
in printing. You can then print a separate page for each CMYK color, which is useful if your
work will be handled by a prepress service provider or a high-quality printer.
Printing CMYK color separations differs from splitting color channels. When you split color
channels, PaintShop Pro treats white as having full color and black as having no color. When
you print CMYK separations, PaintShop Pro treats black as having full color and white as
having no color.

To print CMYK color separations

Edit tab
1 Choose File  Print.
The Print dialog box appears.
2 Click the Options tab.
3 In the Print Output group box, choose CMYK Separations.
4 Click Print.

You can also choose other print options. For more information, see “Printing images”
on page 541.

Understanding printing
Whether you are new to printing or would like a quick review, this reference section can help
you understand some of the factors that affect the printing of your images.

552 PaintShop Pro

Image and printer resolution
Laser and ink-jet printers work by applying dots of black or colored ink to paper. Whereas
image resolution is measured in pixels per inch (ppi), printer resolution is measured in dots
per inch (dpi). The printed image size is expressed in inches and is calculated as the image
size in pixels divided by pixels per inch. For information about viewing image information,
see “Viewing images and image information” on page 59.
Images with higher dpi values have more data and result in higher print quality. You can
resize images, to create a larger print size, but the print quality can decrease due to the
reduced print resolution (ppi). For information about resizing images, see “Resizing images”
on page 164.
It is best to consider the resolution of the printer when you choose a resolution for the image
you are creating. You can use the following guidelines to determine the image size for
printing:
• For a 300-dpi printer, use an image that is 72 to 120 ppi.
• For a 600-dpi printer, use an image that is 125 to 170 ppi.
• For a 1200-dpi printer, use an image that is 150 to 200 ppi.

Image color and lightness

Computer monitors display color by combining red, green, and blue light on the screen.
Color printers, however, use a combination of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks. The
differences between these two color modes can cause images to appear darker on paper
than on the screen. As you become familiar with how your printer handles color, you can
adjust your images to compensate for these differences. If the printed image appears too
dark, you can adjust the brightness or contrast.

Paper quality
The texture and color of the paper used for printing affect the quality of the printed image.
For example, porous paper can cause colors to bleed into each other, colored paper can alter
the image colors, and off-white paper can reduce the contrast and vibrancy of the image
colors. For recommendations on which paper to use for printing, refer to the documentation
supplied with your printer.

File formats
Saving your image in the PspImage format provides the most flexibility if you plan to print
your image on a personal printer. PaintShop Pro prints all layers in an image, so you do not
need to flatten the image by merging the layers. If you are using a black-and-white printer,
you can print your images in grayscale.
If you are sending the image to a printing service, you need to flatten the image — that is,
merge the layers — before you save the image. The program automatically flattens an image

Printing 553
when you save it in most formats other than PspImage. It is best to consult with your printing
service about file format, resolution, and color depth requirements.

554 PaintShop Pro

 Sharing photos

PaintShop Pro gives you options for e-mailing your photos or sharing them on a sharing site.
This section presents the following topics:

• E-mailing photos

E-mailing photos
You can e-mail items in the following ways.
• Embedded photos — You can embed photos so they are displayed in the body of your
e-mail message. This means that the person who receives your e-mail can see the
photos as soon as the e-mail is open. Embedded photos only appear in e-mail that uses
the HTML message format. This is a standard message format, but if you know your
recipient uses plain text or Rich Text Format (RTF), use the Attachments option.
• Attachments — You can send photos as file attachments. Each item is attached as an
individual file, the original file format is preserved, and the e-mail recipient can choose
how to view the photos.

Choosing a size for your photos

You can resize your photos to reduce their dimensions or to reduce the overall size of the e-
mail. For example, you may want to reduce the size of a photo so you can send it to a mobile
device. The Maximum Photo Size setting lets you choose the maximum width of the photos
in pixels without affecting the proportions of the image. For example, if your photo is 2048
pixels  1536 pixels, and you choose a maximum photo size of 640 pixels, then your image
is resized to 640 pixels  480 pixels. The dimension information for each image is displayed
above the preview thumbnail in the E-mail dialog box and the total e-mail size estimate is
displayed beside the preview thumbnail.

E-mail application
To send items using e-mail, you must connect to the Internet and your computer must have
a default e-mail application that supports the MAPI Standard (such as Microsoft Outlook)
and be configured to use the MAPI e-mail client.

Sharing photos 555

To e-mail photos

1 Choose File  E-mail, and choose one of the following options:

• Active image — lets you send the photo that is currently active in the image window
• All open images — lets you send all the photos that are open in the image window
• All selected items — lets you send all the photos that you currently have selected
2 In the E-mail dialog box, choose one of the following options:
• Embedded photos — displays photos in the body of your e-mail message
• Attachments (original file format) — sends photos as individual file attachments. This
option preserves the original file formats.
3 Choose a size setting from the Maximum photo size drop-list.
The total size of your e-mail is displayed beside the preview.

Some e-mail providers limit the size of e-mails, which could prevent large e-mails from
being sent or received. You can reduce the size of the e-mail by choosing a smaller
Maximum photo size setting or by selecting fewer photos.
The Embedded photos option is available only for e-mail clients that support extended
MAPI, such as Outlook.

You can review the items you are sending by clicking the playback arrows that appear
under the Preview thumbnail.

556 PaintShop Pro

 Creating images for the Web

You can save and optimize images for the Web to reduce the image file size and make
images load more quickly. Using the Web tools, you can create backgrounds for your Web
pages, and map and slice images to create hotspots or rollovers. You can also protect your
images by adding watermarks with creator and copyright information.
This section presents the following topics:

• Saving images for the Web

• Working with GIF files
• Working with JPEG files
• Working with PNG files
• Previewing images in Web browsers
• Slicing images
• Mapping images
• Creating image rollovers
• Using digital watermarks
• Adding visible watermarks

Saving images for the Web

Because the majority of Web browsers recognize GIF and JPEG images, these two formats
are used most often for saving Web images. Newer versions of the Web browsers can also
recognize the more recent PNG format, and many Web browsers also support Wireless
Bitmap (WBMP) and i-mode formats, which are popular formats for wireless devices.
When you save images for the Web, there are three major considerations: layers, color depth,
and file size.

Layers
Because none of the current Web browsers can display layered images, you need to flatten
an image before saving it for the Web.

Creating images for the Web 557

Color depth
Some computers can display no more than 256 colors. If an image on a Web page contains
more colors, the Web browser uses its own dithering method to display the image. This can
produce color distortion. If you reduce the color depth of the image to 8 bits (256 colors)
before placing it on your Web page, its appearance will be more consistent. For more
information about color depth, see “Working with advanced color” on page 461.

Web file formats and file sizes

File size affects the majority of users accessing a Web page. As the size of an image file
increases, it takes more time to download, so viewers have a longer wait. You should use a
file format that reduces the image size while keeping the quality as high as possible.
Choose from the following file formats when saving images for use on the Web:
• GIF — this format compresses line art and images with areas of similar colors. It supports
8-bit (256) color. There are two versions of GIF: 89a, which can save transparency and
information, and 87a, which cannot. Both are recognized by most browsers and use
lossless compression.
• JPEG — this format efficiently compresses photographic images. It supports 24-bit (16.7
million) color, uses lossy compression, and is recognized by most browsers.
• PNG — this increasingly popular format efficiently compresses images. It supports up to
24-bit (16.7 million) color and uses lossless compression. It is not as widely used as JPEG,
so some features of this format are not available for older browsers.
• Wireless Bitmap (WBMP) — this format is used with many wireless devices. The images
are black and white and have lossless compression.

What’s the difference between lossy and lossless compression?

Lossy compression is a compression method that eliminates data to reduce the file size.
Lossless compression retains all of the original image data and reduces the file size by storing
patterns of pixels in the image.

To flatten an image
Edit tab
• Choose Layers  Merge  Merge All (Flatten).

Working with GIF files

PaintShop Pro lets you optimize GIF files to maximize quality while minimizing file size. You
can save images with or without transparency, depending on how you want to display them
on your Web pages.

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Paletted images (those with 256 or fewer colors, such as GIF or PNG files) do not support
transparent backgrounds, but you often need to make part of your image transparent for a
Web page. For example, you may have a round logo and want to display the background of
the Web page around the logo. In this case, you can choose not to display one color. Most
Web browsers support this option, effectively making that color transparent.
The GIF Optimizer dialog box contains four tabbed areas in which to configure the
transparency, color, and format options of the file. The fifth tabbed area displays estimated
download times of the image at various modem speeds.

GIF Optimizer Transparency

You can choose to base transparency on existing image or layer transparency, or you can
sample a color in the image that you want to make transparent. If you have a selection in
your image, you can base the transparency on the selection.

GIF Optimizer Partial Transparency

A GIF file cannot contain partially transparent pixels. All pixels must be either transparent or
opaque (visible). Original images may contain partially transparent pixels if the image does
not have a background layer, and you have reduced the opacity of a layer, added a mask,
feathered a selection, or used a brush at a reduced opacity setting. You can determine
whether the partially transparent pixels become transparent or opaque, and whether they
are blended with another color.
Important! If you mark the None option under the Transparency tab, the options in this
area are unavailable.

GIF Optimizer Colors

GIF images have an 8-bit color depth, which means they can display up to 256 colors.
Because these colors are stored in a palette, an image containing 256 or fewer colors is called
a paletted image. To reduce file size, you can have fewer than 256 colors. You can use the
options under this tab to select the number of colors and the type of palette used.

GIF Optimizer Format

GIF images can be interlaced or non-interlaced, which affects how the image is displayed on
a computer with a slow Internet connection. You can also save the image to an older version
of the GIF format to enhance compatibility with older applications.

GIF Optimizer Download Times

The Download Times tabbed area in the GIF Optimizer dialog box displays the size of the
compressed file and estimated download times for four different Internet speeds. If the file
size is too large, you can decrease it by reducing the number of colors.

Creating images for the Web 559

Using the Transparent GIF wizard
You can open the Transparent GIF wizard from the GIF Optimizer dialog box. This wizard
guides you through the steps of optimizing a GIF file.

What is interlacing?
Interlacing is a method that lets you display a Web-based image on the screen at a low,
blocky resolution. As the image data loads, the image quality improves.

To optimize and save a GIF file

Edit tab
1 Choose File  Export  GIF Optimizer.
The GIF Optimizer dialog box appears, and the preview areas show the current image on
the left and the resulting GIF file on the right.
2 Click the Transparency tab, and choose one of the following options:
• None — produces a GIF file that does not use a transparency setting
• Existing image or layer transparency — uses the current transparency information
from the image
• Inside the current selection — for images with a selection, makes everything within
the selection transparent
• Outside the current selection — for images with a selection, makes everything
outside the selection transparent
• Areas that match this color — bases the transparency on a color you select. Click the
color box to select a color or choose a color from the image by moving the cursor over
the image, and clicking a color. Then set or type a tolerance factor in the Tolerance
control to determine how closely colors must match the selected color before they
become transparent.
3 Click the Partial Transparency tab and choose one of the following options:
• Use full transparency for pixels below x% opacity — determines the opacity value at
which pixels become transparent. Pixels below the opacity value you set become
transparent. Pixels above the opacity value become opaque. As you lower the value,
you reduce the number of transparent pixels.
• Use a 50% dither pattern — makes partially transparent pixels opaque using either
the color chosen for blending or the image color (depending on the blending option),
then applies a 50% dither pattern to make colors look more natural
• Use error diffusion dither — makes partially transparent pixels opaque using either
the color chosen for blending or the image color (depending on the blending option),
then applies an error diffusion dither to make colors look more natural
4 Choose one of the following options to determine how partially transparent pixels are
blended:

560 PaintShop Pro

 • Yes — blends the partially transparent pixels with the color in the Blend color box. To
choose a new color, click the color box, and choose a color from the Color dialog box.
Partially transparent pixels below the value you set above are blended with this color.
• No — uses the existing image color at 100% opacity
5 Click the Colors tab, and type or set a value in the How many colors do you want?
control to determine the number of colors you want in the image.
Note: As you remove colors, the size of the file decreases, but so does the quality of the
image. Use the preview areas to help you determine the best balance between file size
and image quality.
6 Type or set a value in the How much dithering do you want? control.
The range is 16 to 256 colors. This determines the way PaintShop Pro arranges pixels in
an image to compensate for missing colors in the adjacent pixels.
7 Choose one of the following options to determine the image palette:
• Existing Palette — lets you use an existing image palette
• Standard/Web-safe — lets you use the Web-safe palette for images that you want to
use on the Web
• Optimized Median Cut — lets you reduce the image to only a few colors. If you
choose this option, you can mark the Boost selected colors check box to give the
colors more weight by a factor of the value you set. The selected colors stand out from
the rest of the image. To boost colors, make a selection of an area that contains these
colors and then mark this check box.
• Optimized Octree — lets you optimize an image that contains only a few colors
Note: Depending on your needs, you may want to try both the Optimized Median Cut
and the Optimized Octree options and choose the one that gives you the best results.
8 In the Options group box, mark the Include Windows colors check box to include the 16
standard Windows colors in the palette.
If the image will be used on the Web, mark the check box.
9 Click the Format tab, and choose one of the following options:
• Non-interlaced — produces an image that downloads one line at a time, starting from
the top
• Interlaced — produces an image that is displayed incrementally in several passes, and
detail is added each time
Note: Choose the Interlaced option with larger images so that the viewer can get an
idea of how the image looks while waiting for it to download.
10 Choose one of the following options:
• Version 89a — lets you save transparency information. It is selected automatically if the
image contains transparent pixels.
• Version 87a — lets you save an image that does not contain a transparency setting
11 Click OK to open the Save As dialog box, and navigate to the folder in which you want to
save the new image and type a name for the file.

Creating images for the Web 561

12 Click Save.

To use the Transparent GIF wizard

Edit tab
1 Choose File  Export  GIF Optimizer.
The GIF Optimizer dialog box appears.
2 Click Use wizard, and follow the instructions.
3 Click Finish to close the wizard and open the Save As dialog box, where you type a
name and select a location for saving the GIF file.
You can also
Choose a color within the image On page 1 or 2 of the wizard, move the
cursor over the image, and click a color. The
color swatch displays the color you clicked.
Choose a color using the Color dialog box On page 1 or 2 of the wizard, click the color
swatch to open the Color dialog box. For
more information about the controls in the
Color dialog box, see “To choose a color
from a dialog box” on page 32.
Change a setting On page 5 of the wizard, click Back to return
to the previous pages, change the settings
you want, and return to page 5 to view the
results.

A GIF image cannot contain partially transparent pixels. If the image contains them, the
Transparent GIF wizard blends them with the color you choose. Reducing layer opacity,
adding a mask, feathering a selection, and using a brush set at reduced opacity are
some of the actions that can produce partially transparent pixels.

You can click the Download Times tab to preview the file size of the compressed file
and view an estimate of the download time at four modem speeds.

Working with JPEG files

PaintShop Pro lets you optimize JPEG files to maximize image quality and minimize file size.
Important! Each time you open and save a JPEG file, image data is discarded. It is a good
idea to keep a copy of the original image.

JPEG Optimizer Quality

You can use compression to reduce the size of the JPEG file. When you compress a JPEG
image, you delete image information. As you increase the compression, you lower the quality

562 PaintShop Pro

of the image. You can use the image preview area to help you find the best balance between
file size and image quality.
You can also reduce the file size with chroma subsampling, which averages the color
information for every 2 × 2 square of pixels. You can change this setting to have a larger area
of color information averaged.

JPEG Optimizer Background Color

The Background Color tabbed area in the JPEG Optimizer dialog box is available if an image
has transparent areas. You can determine how transparent pixels in your image are blended
with a background by choosing a background color. For example, if you are placing an image
on a Web background, you can select the same background color in the JPEG Optimizer to
ensure the image blends seamlessly with the Web page.

JPEG Optimizer Format

You can determine how an image appears as it is being loaded. You can optimize the JPEG
so that the image downloads one line at a time, starting from the top.
You can choose to have large images displayed incrementally in several passes; detail is
added with each pass. This option allows the viewer to see the image as it is being
downloaded.

JPEG Optimizer Download Times

You can view the size of the compressed file and estimated download times for four modem
speeds.

Using the JPEG wizard

You can open the JPEG wizard from the JPEG Optimizer dialog box. This wizard guides you
through the steps of optimizing a JPEG file.

To optimize and save a JPEG file

Edit tab
1 Choose File  Export  JPEG Optimizer.
The JPEG Optimizer dialog box appears. The preview areas show the current image on
the left and the resulting JPEG file on the right.
2 Click the Quality tab, and set or type a value in the Set compression value to control.
3 Choose a color sampling method from the Chroma Subsampling drop-list if you want
to change the default setting.
4 Click the Format tab and choose one of the following options:
• Standard — downloads one line a time, starting from the top

Creating images for the Web 563

 • Progressive — displays the image incrementally in several passes, and detail is added
each time
5 Click OK to open the Save As dialog box, navigate to the folder in which you want to
save the new image, and type a name for the file.
6 Click Save.

You can click the Download Times tab to preview the file size of the compressed file
and view an estimate of the download time at four modem speeds.

To use the JPEG wizard

Edit tab
1 Choose File  Export  JPEG Optimizer.
The JPEG Optimizer dialog box appears.
2 Click Use wizard and follow the instructions.

Working with PNG files

PaintShop Pro lets you optimize PNG files to maximize quality and minimize file size.
The PNG Optimizer dialog box contains three tabbed areas where you can configure the
color, transparency, and format options of the file. The fourth page displays estimated
download times of the image at various modem speeds.

PNG Optimizer Colors

You can choose the color depth for the PNG file — the greater the color depth, the longer
it takes to download the image. The controls under the Colors tab of the PNG Optimizer
dialog box let you select a color depth for your PNG image. For paletted images, you can
select the method of color reduction, number of colors, and amount of dithering.

PNG Optimizer Gamma

PNG images contain a gAMA chunk, which controls gamma levels of an image. The gamma
setting helps the image appear consistent across multiple display devices. If in doubt, you
should use the default PC value.

PNG Optimizer Transparency

You can choose to base transparency on existing image or layer transparency, or you can
sample the color in the image that you want to make transparent. If you have a selection in
your image, you can base the transparency on the selection. You can also base transparency
on the alpha channel.

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PNG Optimizer Format
PNG images can be interlaced or non-interlaced, which affects how the image is displayed
on a computer with a slow Internet connection.

PNG Optimizer Download Times

The size of the compressed file and an estimate of the download time at four modem speeds
are displayed under the Download Times tab of the PNG Optimizer dialog box.

Using the PNG wizard

You can open the PNG wizard from the PNG Optimizer dialog box. The wizard guides you
through the steps of optimizing a PNG file.

To optimize and save a PNG file

Edit tab
1 Choose File  Export  PNG Optimizer.
The PNG Optimizer dialog box appears. The preview areas show the current image on
the left and the resulting PNG file on the right.
2 Click the Colors tab, and choose one of the following image type options:
• Palette-Based — for images with 256 colors or less
• Grayscale (8-bit)
• 16.7 million color (24-bit)
If you choose the Palette-Based method, you can choose the number of colors in the
image and the amount of dithering applied.
3 Click the Transparency tab, and choose one of the following transparency types:
• No transparency — saves the image without transparency
• Single color transparency — lets you make one color transparent by clicking a color
swatch or clicking a color in the image, and entering a value in the Tolerance control.
• Alpha channel transparency — uses the current selection or alpha channel
transparency of the image. You can choose which part of the image will be transparent
by choosing Existing image or layer transparency, Existing alpha channel
transparency, Inside the current selection, or Outside the current selection option.
4 Click the Gamma tab, and set or type a value in the Gamma control if you want to
change the default value.
5 Click the Format tab, choose one of the following options:
• Non-interlaced — the image downloads one line at a time, starting from the top
• Interlaced — the image is displayed incrementally in several passes; detail is added
with each pass. Use this option with larger images so that the viewer can get an idea of
how the image looks while waiting for it to download

Creating images for the Web 565

6 Click OK to open the Save As dialog box, navigate to the folder in which you want to
save the new image, type a name for the file, and click Save.

You can click the Download Times tab to preview the file size of the compressed file
and an estimate of the download time at four modem speeds.

To use the PNG wizard

Edit tab
1 Choose File  Export  PNG Optimizer.
The PNG Optimizer dialog box appears.
2 Click Use wizard and follow the instructions.
3 Click Finish to close the wizard and open the Save As dialog box, where you type a name
and select a location for saving the GIF file.
To Do the following
Choose a color within the image On page 2 or 3 of the wizard, move the
cursor over the image, and click a color. The
color swatch displays the color you clicked.
Choose a color using the Color dialog box. On page 2 or 3 of the wizard, click the color
swatch to open the Color dialog box.
Change a setting On page 6 of the wizard, click Back to return
to the previous pages. Then, change the
settings you want, and return to page 6 to
view the results.

Previewing images in Web browsers

You can use your Web browser to see how your active image will look on the Web.
PaintShop Pro creates an HTML page that displays your image in Windows Bitmap, GIF, JPEG,
or PNG format. You can select up to three browsers. For information about adding, changing,
or deleting Web browsers that you use for previewing, see “Selecting Web browsers” on
page 510.

To preview image files in Web browsers

Edit tab
1 Choose View  Preview in Web Browser.
The Preview in Web Browser dialog box opens.
2 In the Select Image Formats list, click each format in which you want to preview your
image.
3 Do one of the following to select a background color for the Web page:

566 PaintShop Pro

 • Click the Background color box, and choose a color from the Color dialog box.
• Right-click the Background color box, and choose a recently used color.
4 In the Image Size group box, do one of the following:
• Mark the Use default check box to keep the original image dimensions.
• Unmark the Use default check box and type or set new image dimensions (in pixels) in
the Width and Height controls.
5 Click Preview.
If you choose only Windows Bitmap in the Select Image Formats list, the program
opens the Web Browser and displays the image.
If you selected any other format, the program opens the appropriate optimization dialog
box. Select your choices for optimizing the image, and click OK.

For each format, the browser displays the file size, color depth, and approximate
download times at the bottom of the image.

Slicing images
When you slice an image, you divide it into several smaller images that you can save in
different formats or at different levels of optimization. Because these optimized images can
take less time to download than one large image, your Web pages may load more quickly.
Slicing an image also can reduce the number of graphics you need to save. If your website
displays the same logo or other graphic in more than one image, you only need to save that
section once if you slice the images; you reload the same logo or graphic section into all the
images.
Using the Image Slicer, you can create a table from the image, saving the location of each
sliced section as a region in the table, and generating the HTML code for the column and
cells. Then, you copy this code into your source files so that the image can be reassembled
when the user downloads the Web page.
You can also create rollovers, which are areas that display secondary images when the user
clicks or moves a mouse over them.

Creating and editing cells

When slicing an image, you divide it into cells and edit the cell boundaries. You do this with
the tools in the Tools groups box of the Imager Slicer dialog box.
Tool Description
The Arrow tool lets you make a cell active or move its borders.
The Grid tool lets you create a grid of evenly spaced cells, either over the entire
image or within another cell.

Creating images for the Web 567

Tool Description
The Slicer tool lets you create a horizontal or vertical line.
The Delete tool lets you delete slice lines.
The Pan tool lets you drag the image in the preview to view hidden areas of the
image.

Assigning sliced cell properties

After you have created sliced cells, you can assign URLs, alternate text, and targets to each
cell. You also have the option to have the cell appear in the downloaded image. By omitting
cells, you can add cells from other images (such as logos or text) and create images in
nonrectangular shapes.
When you assign alternative text, the text is displayed while the image is loading. The text is
also displayed if the image cannot be downloaded, or if the user has images disabled in the
Web browser. In some versions of Internet Explorer, this text also appears as a tooltip.

Setting slice preferences

You can select colors for the border lines of the active and inactive areas.

Saving and loading slice settings

When you save the slice settings, you save the cell arrangement and the information you
typed in the Image Slicer dialog box. You can then reload them into the same image or use
them with a different image.

Saving slices
You can save slices to a folder on your hard drive so that you can reuse or edit them.

To slice an image into cells

Edit tab
1 Choose File  Export  Image Slicer.
The Image Slicer dialog box appears.
2 Choose the Slice tool and click in the image where you want create a slice line.
Note: To create a vertical line, drag vertically; to create a horizontal line, drag
horizontally.
3 Choose the Arrow tool and click inside the cell to make it active.
The cell boundary information is displayed in the lower portion of the Cell Properties
group box.
4 In the URL drop-list, type the address of the Web page where you want the cell to
appear.

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 If you want to select addresses already used in the image, select the address you want
from the URL drop-list.
5 In the Alt text box, type text that the browser can display while the cell is downloading.
6 Choose one of the following target frames or window options from the Target drop-list:
• _blank — loads the linked page in a new browser window
• _parent — loads the linked page in the parent window or frameset of the link. If the link
is not in a nested frame, the image loads in the full browser window.
• _self — loads the linked page in the same window or frame as the link
• _top — loads the linked page in the full browser window and removes all frames
7 Click Save.
The HTML Save As dialog box appears.
8 Navigate to the folder where you want to save the HTML code and click Save.
You can also
Create cells with consistent spacing and Click the Grid tool . Click in the preview
size. area to open the Grid Size dialog box, and
type or set values in the Rows and
Columns controls.
Move a slice line or border Click the Arrow tool , and move the
cursor over a line. When the cursor changes
to the double-sided arrow, drag the line to
a new position. To move only the segment
within the current cell, hold down Shift
while clicking the line.
Delete a line or border Click the Delete tool , and move the
cursor over the line. When the cursor
changes to an eraser-shape, click to delete
the line. If deleting the line would create an
invalid area, PaintShop Pro displays an icon
to indicate that you cannot erase the
line.
Omit a cell from the downloaded image Click the cell with the Arrow tool, and
unmark the Include cell in table check box.
Save slice settings to the Clipboard so you Click Save to Clipboard to open the HTML
can paste them into the HTML code Destination Folder dialog box, navigate to
the folder where the HTML file is saved, and
click OK to save the slice settings.
Open the HTML file, place the cursor where
you want to insert the HTML slice code, and
press Ctrl + P.

Creating images for the Web 569

You can also
Create a rollover for a cell Click Rollover Creator. For more
information about creating image rollovers,
see “Creating image rollovers” on page 574.

You can move lines up, but not across, adjacent parallel lines. You can move individual
lines and lines that are part of a grid. As you drag a line, PaintShop Pro moves the
longest segment that can be repositioned without creating a non-rectangular cell.

To set slice preferences

Edit tab
1 In the Image Slicer dialog box, click Preferences.
2 Click the Active tile border color color box, and choose a color.
3 Click the Inactive tile border color color box, and choose a color.
4 In the Maximum history list size control, type or set the number of entries listed in the
URL and Alt text drop-lists in the Cell Properties group box in the Image Slicer dialog
box.
5 Click OK.

If you want to be prompted for a file location and name for your slices when you save
the HTML code, mark the Prompt for image folder on Save or Save As check box.

To save slice settings

Edit tab
1 In the Image Slicer dialog box, click Save Settings.
The Save Slice Settings dialog box appears.
2 Navigate to the folder in which you want to save the settings file.
3 Type a name for the file and click Save.
The file is saved in the JSD format.

To load slice settings

Edit tab
1 In the Image Slicer dialog box, click Load Settings.
The Load Slice Settings dialog box appears.
2 Select the JSD file you want to load, and click Open.

If you are loading a grid to a different image, PaintShop Pro automatically adjusts the
grid size if the dimensions of the image are not the same.

570 PaintShop Pro

Mapping images
An image map is a graphic that contains a mapped area (called a region or hotspot), that
links to a URL. The cell can be a circle, rectangle, or irregular shape. When you move the
mouse over the cell, the cursor changes to a hand indicating that you can click that area to
jump to another Web page.

Creating map areas

You create and edit image map areas with the tools in the Tools group box of the Image
Mapper dialog box.
Tool Description
The Arrow tool lets you modify a hotspot area.
The Mover tool lets you move a hotspot area.
The Polygon tool lets you create an irregular-shaped hotspot area.
The Rectangle tool lets you create a square or rectangular hotspot area.
The Circle tool lets you create a circular or elliptical hotspot area.
The Delete tool lets you delete a hotspot area.
The Pan tool lets you drag the image in the preview to view hidden areas of the
image.

Assigning map area properties

After you have created the map areas (or regions), you can assign URLs, alternate text, and
targets.

Saving image maps

You can save image maps to a folder on your hard drive so you can use or edit them. You
can also save map settings to the Clipboard and then paste them into the HTML code. When
you save the map settings, you save the map area arrangement and the information you
typed in the Image Mapper dialog box. You can then reload them into the same image, or
use the settings with a different image.

Setting map preferences

After you have created the map areas (or regions), you can assign URLs, alternate text, and
targets.

To create and save a map area

Edit tab
1 Choose File  Export  Image Mapper.

Creating images for the Web 571

 The Image Mapper dialog box appears.
2 Choose one of the following tools and draw in the preview area to create a hotspot:
• Rectangle tool — drag the cursor to enclose a square or rectangular-shaped
hotspot area
• Circle tool — drag the cursor to enclose a circular or elliptical hotspot area
• Polygon tool — click to set the starting point and continue moving the cursor and
clicking to enclose an irregular-shaped hotspot area. Double-click to complete the
polygon.
3 In the URL drop-list, type the address of the Web page to which you want to link.
If you want to select addresses already used in the image, click the arrow in the box and
select the address you want from the URL drop-list.
If you do not want to link to a Web page, type #.
4 In the Alt text box, type the text that appears if the image does not load or if the user
has images disabled in the Web browser.
5 Choose one of the following target frame options from the Target drop-list:
• _blank — loads the linked page in a new browser window
• _parent — loads the linked page in the parent frameset of the link. If the link is not in a
nested frame, the image loads in the full browser window.
• _self — loads the linked page in the same frame as the link
• _top — loads the linked page in the full browser window and removes all frames
6 Click Save.
The HTML Save As dialog box appears.
7 Navigate to the folder where you want to save the HTML code, and click Save.
The Image Map Save As dialog box appears.
8 Navigate to the folder where you want to save the image and click Save.
You can also
Select an existing map area Click the Arrow tool , and click a map
area.
Change the shape or size of a map area Click the Arrow tool, click the shape to
select it, and hover over one of the green
points that appear until the cursor changes
to a four-point arrow. Drag the point to a
new position.
Move the map area Click the Move tool , click inside the map
area, and then drag it to a new position.
Erase a map area Click the Delete tool and then click
inside the map area.
Remove all map areas Click Clear.

572 PaintShop Pro

You can also
Preview the image map in a Web browser Click the Preview in browser button and
test the map area in the Web browser.
Save map area information to the Clipboard Click Save to Clipboard to open the HTML
so that you can paste it into the HTML code Destination Folder dialog box, navigate to
the folder where the HTML file is saved, and
click OK to save the slice settings. Then,
open the HTML file, place the cursor where
you want to insert the HTML slice code, and
press Ctrl + V.
Create a rollover for a map area Click Rollover Creator. For more
information about creating image rollovers,
see “Creating image rollovers” on page 574.

To set map preferences

Edit tab
1 In the Image Mapper dialog box, click Preferences.
The Map Preferences dialog box appears.
2 Click the Active tile border color box, and choose a color.
3 Click the Inactive tile border color box, and choose a color.
4 In the Maximum history list size control, set or type the number of entries listed in the
URL and Alt text drop-lists in the Cell Properties group box in the Image Mapper dialog
box.
5 Click OK.

To save map settings

Edit tab
1 Click Save Settings.
The Save Map Settings dialog box appears.
2 Navigate to the folder in which you want to save the settings file.
3 Type a name for the file and click Save.
The file is saved in the JMD format.

To load map settings

Edit tab
1 Open the image in which you want to load map settings.
2 Choose File  Export  Image Mapper.
The Image Mapper dialog box appears.

Creating images for the Web 573

3 Click Load Settings.
The Load Map Settings dialog box appears.
4 Navigate to and select the JMD file you want to load.
5 Click Open.

Creating image rollovers

A rollover is an image or section of an image that changes appearance when the user
activates it. Web designers frequently create rollovers for the buttons of a navigation bar.
When a user clicks a button, the browser displays the linked Web page (or file), and the
rollover area displays a different button.
You can assign a rollover to an image that is sliced and mapped by choosing an image file
that will appear when the user performs a specific mouse action.

To create image rollovers

Edit tab
1 Create the image to be used as the rollover image. Often this second image is a
duplicate of the original, but modified to appear differently when the mouse rolls over
the original image.
2 Do one of the following:
• Choose File  Export  Image Mapper.
• Choose File  Export  Image Slicer.
Note: If necessary, navigate to an image region, and use the appropriate tool (for
example, the Polygon, Rectangle, or Circle tool) to specify the region where you want to
add a rollover.
3 Click Rollover Creator.
The Rollover Creator dialog box appears.
4 Mark any of the following check boxes to determine which actions activate the rollover:
• Mouse over
• Mouse out
• Mouse click
• Mouse double-click
• Mouse up
• Mouse down
5 Click the Open button .
The Select Rollover dialog box appears.
6 Navigate to and select the graphics file you want to use.
If you do not select a file, then the original file is used.
7 Click Open.

574 PaintShop Pro

 In the Rollover Creator dialog box, the file path appears in the box beside the check box.
8 Click Cancel to return to the Image Mapper or Image Slicer dialog box.

You can view your work in a Web browser window by clicking the Preview in browser
button .

Using digital watermarks

A digital watermark is a permanent proof of authenticity for an image. While a computer can
detect it, it is invisible to the viewer. A watermark contains information about the creator, the
copyright, and the image. When a viewer chooses to see this information, the program
opens a dialog box that contains a link to the Digimarc web page.

Reading a digital watermark

Whenever PaintShop Pro opens an image, it automatically checks for a digital watermark. If
one is detected, the program displays a copyright symbol in front of the filename on the title
bar, and the Watermark Information dialog box appears. If PaintShop Pro does not detect a
watermark, it displays a message stating that no watermark was found. You can also view the
Digimarc database page to get information about the creator.

Embedding a digital watermark

A digital watermark can only be embedded on a layer once since this prevents its quality from
being degraded by further changes to the layer. If you try to embed a watermark in a layered
image, PaintShop Pro displays a message recommending that you flatten the image before
proceeding.
When you embed a watermark, you can select the following options:
• creator ID
• image copyright dates
• image attributes
• restrictions on use
• watermark durability
You only need to configure the creator ID the first time you embed a watermark. You can
change the copyright date, image attributes, and durability each time you embed a
watermark.

Setting the watermark durability

The watermark durability indicates how visible watermarks are on the image. For images to
be printed, use stronger watermarks. For images to be displayed on a monitor, use weaker
watermarks because they are not as visible. While stronger watermarks are easier to detect,
and harder to remove, they are also more visible in the image. You can make two copies of

Creating images for the Web 575

the image and apply a stronger watermark to the copy you are printing and a weaker one to
the copy you are displaying electronically.

Personalizing the Creator ID

Customizing the watermark with your own identification number requires the following two
steps:
• Register with Digimarc to obtain your own ID number.
• Type the information in the Personalize Creator ID dialog box.

To read a digital watermark

Edit tab
• Choose Image  Watermarking  Read Watermark.

You can view the Digimarc database page to get information about the watermark
creator by clicking Web Lookup in the Watermark Information dialog box.

To embed a watermark
Edit tab
1 Choose Image  Watermarking  Embed Watermark.
The Embed Watermark dialog box appears.
2 In the Image Attributes group box, mark any of the following check boxes to determine
the restrictions shown when the program displays the watermark information:
• Restricted use
• Do not copy
• Adult content
3 In the Copyright Information group box, type either one or two years in the Copyright
year(s) boxes.
Digimarc accepts years from 1922 to the present.
4 Click OK.

A layer can contain only one watermark. You cannot embed a new watermark in a layer
that already contains one.

To set the watermark durability

Edit tab
1 Choose Image  Watermarking  Embed Watermark.
The Embed Watermark dialog box appears.

576 PaintShop Pro

2 From the Target Output drop-list, choose the medium in which the image is to be
displayed:
• Monitor
• Print
If you select Print for an image with a resolution under 300 dpi, PaintShop Pro displays a
message recommending that you increase the image resolution before embedding the
watermark.
3 To set the watermark strength, type a number from 1 to 16, or use the default values in
the Watermark durability control.
The default for the Monitor option is 8 and for the Print option is 12.
4 To verify that the watermark information is embedded correctly, mark the Verify check
mark.
The program checks that the watermark has been applied and displays its attributes and
durability.

To personalize the Creator ID

Edit tab
1 Choose Image  Watermarking  Embed Watermark.
The Embed Watermark dialog box appears.
2 Click Personalize.
The Personalize Creator ID dialog box appears.
3 To register with Digimarc, click Register.
Your Web browser opens and navigates to the Digimarc Web page. Follow the on-screen
instructions to receive a Creator ID number, a PIN number, and a password. You should
write them down for later use. Close the browser to return to the Personalize Creator ID
dialog box.
4 Type the PIN and Creator ID numbers in the appropriate boxes.
5 Click OK.
The Embed Watermark dialog box appears.
6 Click OK.
If the Verify check box is marked, the Embed Watermark: Verify dialog box appears. It
lets you know that the watermark has been embedded and displays the creator,
copyright, image attribute, and durability information from the Embed Watermark dialog
box.

If your computer does not have Web access, phone Digimarc using the toll-free
number to register and receive your Creator ID number, a PIN number, and a password.

Creating images for the Web 577

Adding visible watermarks
You can place a visible watermark consisting of text and/or a graphic on any raster image.
Whether you take professional photos or just share photos on public websites, adding a
discrete mark to your photos reminds viewers who took the shot. This feature simplifies the
task of adding a logo or other graphic, and you can choose from professional effects like
embossing to give it a subtle look.
You may find that the watermark graphic looks better when you create it with a transparent
background. If so, you’ll need to save the graphic in a file format that supports transparency
(such as PspImage, TIF, or PNG). You can use images that do not have a transparent
background, but be aware that the watermark will display a rectangle around it, although you
can adjust the opacity of the overall graphic.

To add a visible watermark

Edit tab
1 Choose Image  Watermarking  Visible Watermark.
The Visible Watermark dialog box appears.
2 In the Watermark Source group box, click the Browse button. Use the Open dialog box
to navigate to the folder containing the graphic you want to use for the watermark.
The graphic appears in the preview area of the Watermark Source group box.
3 In the Placement group box, choose a placement option:
• Tile — places the graphic in rows and columns that cover the image
• Center — places the graphic in the center of the image
• Corner — lets you choose the image corner in which the graphic is placed
4 In the Style group box, adjust the overall appearance of the graphic:
• Size — lets you adjust the size of the graphic
• Opacity — lets you adjust the graphic’s opacity. Increasing the Opacity setting allows
more of the underlying image to be seen through the graphic.
• Emboss — applies a raised appearance to the graphic
5 Click OK.

578 PaintShop Pro

Legal Notice
Corel® PaintShop® Pro 2022 User Guide
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The inclusion thereof does not constitute or imply any endorsement of, or by, such third
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included in this software. This product as well as certain products and materials referenced
herein are protected by, or otherwise contain or practice all elements of, issued patents which
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579
FORESEEABLE. COREL IS ALSO NOT LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIMS MADE BY ANY THIRD PARTY.
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