Graphics
01. Introduction
02. Introduction to Paint
03. Launching Paint
04. Using the 'Line' tool
05. Using the 'Text' tool
06. Annotation 1
07. Annotation 2
08. Opening a ‘.bmp’ file
09. Changing a graphic
10. Adding text to a graphic
11. Creating a graphic
12. Clip art
13. Printing
14. Tips 1
15. Tips 2
16. Tips 3

01. Introduction

There are a huge variety of graphics programs available. You will probably have at least one graphics program on your computer in which you can create and view graphics.

Windows has its own basic graphics program called Paint.

In early versions the Windows Paint program makes bitmap files (.bmp) or PC Paint files (.pcx). Later versions can read and save a wider variety of file types, for example ‘.gif’ and ‘.jpg’ files which are the standard files used on the Internet.

Once you have mastered using Paint you will find it quite easy to change to a more sophisticated art program.

Paint toolbar

02. Introduction to Paint

Paint is a simple graphics program that is part of Windows. Once you have mastered using Paint you might want to transfer to a more complex graphics program such as Paint Shop Pro.

Paint allows you to:

draw your own designs

colour in or change existing artwork

copy your artwork and paste it into any other Windows program (for example, you can draw a diagram in Paint, and then copy it into your word processor, desktop publishing (DTP) program or multimedia presentation).

You could also use images created in Paint as the basis of animations, or use them on a web page.

03. Launching Paint

These instructions are to help get you started using a graphics program. Paint is a simple graphics program that is part of Windows. Once you have mastered using Paint you might want to transfer to a more complex graphics program such as Paint Shop Pro.

To launch Paint

Either:
Click ‘Start’ on the Windows task bar (usually at the bottom left of the screen). Select ‘Programs’ then‘Accessories’ and then click ‘Paint’.

Or:
Click ‘Start’ on the Windows task bar. Select ‘Find’ or ‘Search’, then click ‘Files and Folders...’. Type the word ‘Paint’ in the ‘Named’ box. Click the down arrow beside the ‘Look in’ box and click on the computer’s main drive. Click ‘Find Now’. You will see a list of file names containing the word ‘Paint’. Double-click the file named simply 'Paint'.

04. Using the ‘Line’ tool

To use the ‘Line’ tool in Paint

1. Click on the ‘Line’ button on the toolbar.
   
2. Choose a colour from the colour palette.
   
3. Choose a line width from the selection box.
   
4. Move the cursor to the point at which you want the line to start. Click and hold down the mouse button. Move the mouse. Release the mouse button to complete the line.

05. Using the ‘Text’ tool

To use the ‘Text’ tool in Paint

1. Click on the ‘A’ button on the toolbar.
2. Choose a colour from the colour palette.
3. Click on the place on the graphic where you want the text to appear.
4. Type your text.
5. Stretch the text box to fit the text.
6. Repeat stages 3–5 until you have all the text that you require.
7. Save your work.

You can change the font using the ‘Fonts’ box. You can also change the text size and add bold, italics and underlining.

A wide choice of fonts is available

06. Annotation 1

You can create text in a word processor and then paste or insert it into a graphics program such as Paint. You can also type text directly into most graphics programs.

Some of the graphics and text you will use may have come from a variety of sources (e.g. CD-ROMs or the Internet). You may have created others yourself. Make sure you know the file names of everything you need to use.

continued

07. Annotation 2

The following instructions are based on Microsoft Word and Windows Paint but will work in a similar way for other word processors and graphics programs.

1. Launch Paint (see Launching Paint).
2. Create or open the graphic that you want to add your text to.
3. Minimise Paint by clicking in the ‘Minimise’ box in the top right corner of the screen.
4. Launch Word.
5. Highlight and copy the piece of text you want to use.
6. Minimise Word and maximise Paint by clicking on the Paint button on the Windows task bar.
7. Click on the ‘A’ button on the Paint toolbar.
8. Choose a colour from the colour palette.
9. Click on the place on the graphic where you want the text to appear.
10. Paste your text.
11. Stretch the text box to fit the text.
12. Repeat stages 5–11 until you have all the text that you require.
13. Save your work.

08. Opening a ‘.bmp’ file

Bitmap (.bmp) files are a common type of file that can be opened using graphics programs.

To open a ‘.bmp’ file in Paint

1. Select ‘File’ from the menu bar.
2. Select ‘Open’ from the drop-down menu.
3. Navigate to the folder (or floppy disk) in which the graphics file has been saved.
4. Double-click on the file name you require.

The bitmap file will be opened in the Paint window.

09. Changing a graphic

To change the background colour of a graphic

1. Select a colour from the colour palette at the bottom of the screen by clicking on the colour you want.
2. Select the fill tool (the paint bucket).
3. Place the fill tool pointer over the section of the diagram where ou want to change the colour.
4. Click.

Your new colour will fill the background.

10. Adding text to a graphic

To add text to a graphic

1. Click on the letter ‘A’ in the tools palette.
2. Choose a colour from the colour palette.
3. Move the cursor to the place where you want the text to appear.
4. Click to create a text box.
5. Type your text into the box.
6. Reposition the box so that the text appears exactly where you want it.

Note

Some versions of Paint work differently. For example, you might have to draw the box in which you type your text.

All drawings, clip art and diagrams can be altered in this way. You can put one drawing on top of another. You can also combine sections you have drawn yourself.

11. Creating a graphic

1. Select ‘File’ from the Paint menu bar then select ‘New’ from the drop-down menu.
2. Use the tools in the tool bar and the menu bar and the colours in the colour palette to draw a graphic. Experiment with the colours, textures and shapes.
3. Draw each component (different part) or section of the graphic separately. You can then move each component, and they can overlap if necessary.
4. Save your work.

These pencils have been created by copying, pasting and colouring the basic shapes on the left

12. Clip art

Clip art means images provided with software or on separate stand-alone CD-ROMs that you can use freely in your work.

Many programs, such as Microsoft Word, Microsoft Publisher, etc., include a special function for inserting clip art, with a ‘catalogue’ for browsing through and selecting images.

In Microsoft Word, you can insert clip art by selecting ‘Insert’ from the menu bar, then selecting ‘Picture’, then ‘Clip Art…’ from the drop-down menu. This will display the ‘Insert Clip Art’ window, where you can search through different categories to find and insert the image you want.

If you have any stand-alone clip art CD-ROMs, they usually automatically load up a window where you can browse through the images and then save the ones you want to your hard drive. You can then open them in graphics programs or insert them into other programs.

13. Printing

To print a file in Paint

1. Make sure that the computer has a printer attached.
2. Select ‘File’ from the menu bar.
3. Select ‘Print’ from the drop-down menu.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions.

Your file will now be printed out.

14. Tips 1

1 Positioning
When adding components (different parts) to your drawing, create the new components outside the area of the drawing itself. By drawing components and then moving them to the right place, rather than drawing them in position, you can be more accurate, and if anything goes wrong, it can easily be corrected. For example, if you want to use the same pattern or shape several times in a drawing (perhaps colouring it differently each time), draw it once and then copy and paste it so that you have two. Draw a selection box around one of these, and then move it onto the drawing.

Repeat this process as many times as you want.

continued

15. Tips 2

2 Undo
Select ‘Edit’ from the menu bar and then select ‘Undo’. This will undo the last thing you did. In some versions of Paint you can undo up to three previous actions. In some more complex programs you can undo back to the graphic that you started with.

3 Modifying clip art
It is often easiest to start with a piece of clip art and alter it.

4 Cropping and resizing
You will be able to crop pictures (selecting an area of a photograph you want to use and deleting the rest). Photographs and artwork can be resized.

5 Changing a picture
You can make pictures darker or lighter, and change the number of colours used. So, for example, you can change a coloured picture to black and white.

continued

16. Tips 3

6 File formats
You can also change the file format so that images can be used in many more programs.

7 Use a scanner
If you have a scanner attached to your computer, you may wish to scan drawings or photographs. These can then be enhanced (improved) using a graphics program.

8 Graphics tablets
A graphics tablet can also be used to draw using an electronic pencil on a special pad. Combined with a graphics program, this can be used to produce excellent graphics.