Microsoft Paint

Starting Paint Select "Start", "Programs", "Accessories", "Paint". The executable file for Paint is Mspaint.exe and is usually located in the C:\Program Files\Accessories directory.

The Drawing Area When started, Paint displays a default drawing area. This white area is called the Canvas. Remember, if an action is done that is not desired, click on the "Edit" drop-down menu, select "Undo" (shortcut Ctrl-Z) to undo the action, or "Redo" if you make a mistake when you "Undo".

The Toolbar The toolbox is a floating toolbar that contains icons that change the mode of the program. By default, "Pencil" mode is active. To toggle the toolbox on and off, select "Tools", "Tool Box" (shortcut Ctrl-T). Each button on the toolbar is now described.

The "Line" button is used to to draw a straight line. Select the "Line" button from the toolbox. Select a line width at the bottom of the toolbox. Choose a color for the line. Draw a line on the canvas.

Line drawing tips Use the left mouse button to draw with the foreground color. Use the right mouse button to draw with the backbround color. To draw perfectly horizontal, vertical, or 45 degree angle lines, press and hold the Shift key while drawing the line.

The "Curve" button is used to draw curved lines. Click in the tool box. To choose the width the curve will be, click a line width at the bottom of the tool box. To choose the color the curve will be, click a color. Draw a straight line by dragging the mouse pointer. Click where you want one arc of the curve to be, and then drag the mouse pointer to adjust the curve.   Each curve must have at least one arc but no more than two. Repeat this step for a second arc. Use the left mouse button to draw with the foreground color or the right mouse button to draw with the background color.

The "Rectangle" button is used to create square-cornered squares or rectangles. Click a color from the color box for the shape's outline. To fill the shape with color, click a color by using the right mouse button, and then click a fill style from the bottom of the tool box. To draw a rectangle, drag the mouse pointer diagonally in the direction you want. To draw a square, press and hold down SHIFT while dragging the mouse pointer.

The "Polygon" button is used to draw multi-sided shapes. Click in the tool box, and then click a color for the polygon outline. To create a colored fill, click a color by using the right mouse button, and then click a fill style from the bottom of the tool box.  To draw the polygon, drag the mouse pointer and click at each corner. Double-click when you're done. To use only 45- and 90-degree angles, press and hold down SHIFT while dragging the mouse pointer.

The "Ellipse" button is used to draw an ellipse or circle. Click in the tool box. Click a color from the color box for the shape's outline. To fill the shape, click a color by using the right mouse button, and then click a fill style from the bottom of the tool box. To draw an ellipse, drag the mouse pointer diagonally. To draw a perfect circle, press and hold down SHIFT while dragging the mouse pointer.

The "Rounded rectangle" button is used to create a round-cornered square or rectangular shapes.

The "Free-form Select" button is used to select areas of the image for further processing. To select part of a picture. . To select an irregularly shaped area, click in the tool box, and then drag the cursor around the area. To remove the selection box, click outside the box

The "Select" button is used to select rectangular areas of the image for further processing. To select part of a picture. To select a rectangular area, click in the tool box, and then drag the cursor diagonally across the area. To remove the selection box, click outside the box.

The "Eraser/Color Eraser" button is used to erase parts of the image. The eraser can erase part or all of an object. To use a smaller or larger eraser, select a shape at the bottom of the tool box. The selected background color shows what color the eraser will leave behind. To change the background color, click a color by using the right mouse button. Drag the mouse pointer over the area you want to erase. To undo a change, click "Edit", and then click "Undo". You can undo up to three changes. To change a specific color (and nothing else), change the foreground color to the color you want to erase and the background color to the color you want to replace it with. Click the eraser, and then use the right mouse button to change the color.

The "Fill with Color" button is used to fill defined areas with color. Click in the tool box, and then click a color from the color box. Click the area or object you want to fill: To fill with the foreground color, click the area with the left mouse button. To fill with the background color, click the area with the right mouse button. If the shape being filled has any breaks in its border, the color will leak through to the rest of the drawing area. To find and close the opening, click View, point to Zoom, and then click Large Size or Custom.

The "Pick Color" button is used to select a color previously used in a graphic to use in another paint command. Click in the tool box. Use the "Eyedropper" to click the object whose color you want to copy. Click the object or area where you want the color. To use a color as a background color or to erase with a color that isn't in the color box, click the color in your picture with the right mouse button.

The "Magnifier" button is used to inlarge any part of a picture. Click in the tool box, and then click a "times" magnification" from the bottom of the tool box. Drag the magnifier over the area to be enlarged.

The "Pencil" button is used to draw free-form lines using the mouse and straight lines (horizontal, vertical, and diagonal lines at 45 degrees) using the mouse and Shift key together. Click in the tool box, and then click a color from the color box. Only one line width is available. To draw the line, drag the mouse pointer.

The "Brush" button is used to paint objects. Click in the tool box, and then choose a brush shape from the bottom of the tool box. Click a color from the color box.  To paint, drag the mouse pointer.

The "Airbrush" button is used "spray paint" an area. To change the size of the spray area, click a size from the bottom of the tool box. To choose the spray color, click a color. To spray, drag the mouse pointer. Use the left mouse button to spray with the foreground color, or use the right mouse button to spray with the background color.

The "Text" button is used to add text to a graphic image. Click in the tool box. Create a text frame by dragging the mouse pointer diagonally, and then click the font, size, and style you want. Click inside the text frame, and then type the text.  Move or enlarge the text frame as needed. To change the color of the text, click a color in the color box. To insert the text on a colored background, click on the tool box, and then click a color with the right mouse button to change the background color. To insert the text into the picture, click outside the text frame. You can only paste text when the text tool is selected. You cannot paste graphics when the text tool is selected. You can enter text into a picture only in normal view.

The "Opaque" option button is used to specify that the selection will cover the existing picture, using the foreground and background colors of the selected area. Button at the bottom of the toolbox Works only with Free-Form Select, Select, and Text

The "Transparent" option button is used to specify that the existing picture will show through your selection and that the background color of the selected area will not be displayed. Button at the bottom of the toolbox Works only with Free-Form Select, Select, and Text