This tutorial introduces you to some of the new features included
in Corel PHOTO-PAINT 8.
Select a topic:
Image editing and special effects
Object/document/file management
Customize a specific configuration of settings, called a Workspace,
using the Options dialog box (Tools menu).You can save multiple
Workspaces for specific users or specific tasks and then apply
them when you require.
Docker windows give you quick access to frequently used functions.
They are similar to Roll-Ups, but you can also dock them to the
side of the Application Window.
If you use the Microsoft IntelliMouse, you can now use it to zoom
in and out of your image
CorelTUTOR is also included in Corel PHOTO-PAINT. Its tutorials
provide interactive step-by-step instructions to help you complete
dozens of tasks, from saving files to creating your own Web page.
You can control the placement and content of the toolbars in Corel
PHOTO-PAINT. You can resize or move the toolbars anywhere inside
the Application Window. Add, remove, and rearrange toolbar controls,
or create your own toolbars containing the controls you use most
often.
The Recorder and Scripts Docker windows give you quick access
to controls that let you automate a series of actions that you
want to repeat on the same image or on several different images.
If you are working with very large images, you can speed up your
editing tasks and improve efficiency by opening a low-resolution
version of the image. You can edit this smaller, low-resolution
copy without the delays that you often experience when editing
large, high-resolution image files.
Corel PHOTO-PAINT offers extensive keyboard accelerator support.
Define combinations of keys to activate commands that you use
frequently. You can change built-in keyboard assignments or assign
new key combinations to any command.
You can also create orbits with the brush tools to apply amazing
paint twists, pods, rings, and more. There are several preset
orbits to choose from, and you can also create and save your own.
Resize any brush-tool nib on screen by holding SHIFT and dragging
the mouse.
If you have installed a pressure-sensitive pen and tablet on your
computer, you can use the pen to access commands and create your
images in Corel PHOTO-PAINT. The Pen Settings Roll-Up (View menu)
lets you control the relationship between the pressure you apply
to the tablet with the pen and the effect produced by the brush
tools.
The new Dodge/Burn Effect tool lets you darken or lighten areas
of your image. You can choose to apply the effect to the highlights,
midtones, or shadows of your image.
Use the Clone From Fill tool to paint using the current fill,
or use the Interactive Fill tool to apply a graduated color blend
that changes the transparency from the start color to the end
color.
Clip masks allow you to vary the transparency of pixels in an
object without working on the object directly. A clip mask covers
the object like an invisible sheet, so you can cancel changes
to the transparency even after saving the image.
Lenses are special kinds of objects used to apply effects filters.
The pixels in the image are not changed by the lens; they only
"look" different because you see them through the lens.
Lenses are objects listed in the Objects Docker window, and you
can edit them as you would any object.
A drop shadow is an object that looks like the shadow of another
object. Drop shadows are completely customizable and are also
listed in the Objects Docker window.
The new Align And Distribute command (Object menu) lets you align
objects to other image elements or distribute objects by spacing
them evenly over the image.
There are many image adjustment filters included in Corel PHOTO-PAINT
that you can use to retouch and refine images. Also included are
several special effects filters that you can use to completely
change the look of images and to achieve amazing results.
You can combine or stitch two or more images together using the
Image Stitch command (Image menu). Stitching lets you merge two
or more source images to create a third, composite image.
Use the Fade command (Edit menu) to partially undo operations
on an image. When you fade a command, the visual effect is gradually
removed from the image.
Use the powerful animation controls in Corel PHOTO-PAINT to make
movies for use as customized screen savers or to add color and
motion to Web pages.
The new Palettes Docker window lets you browse through a series
of predefined color palettes and choose the one you want to use.
To access the Palettes Docker window, click View menu, Color Palette,
Load Palette.
You can use color harmonies to choose a paint, paper, or fill
color. Color harmonies are most useful when you are selecting
several colors and working with custom palettes.
Corel PHOTO-PAINT now supports 16-bit Grayscale and 48-bit RGB
images. You can covert images to these color modes using the Convert
To command (Image menu). You can also use this command to convert
images to the NTSC video color mode.
Use color correction to adjust screen colors so that they are
displayed as accurately as possible. The Color Management page
of the Options dialog box gives you access to color correction
options.
You can also import vector images, such as CorelDRAW (.CDR) files,
as paths. Each point on the vector becomes a node that you can
manipulate with the Path Node Edit tool.
Corel PHOTO-PAINT now offers support for importing and exporting
Kodak FlashPix Image files (.FPX).
The Font Navigator (included in the CorelDRAW 8 graphics suite)
is a font manager for Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0. It gives
you a quick and easy way to find fonts, install fonts, organize
fonts into manageable groups, and view and print font samples.
The Paletted 8-bit color mode displays images using up to 256
colors and significantly reduces file size. Images must be converted
to this color mode before saving them as .GIF files.
The GIF file format supports image transparency, interlacing,
and animation capabilities.
Use the new Publish To Internet command (File menu) to create
image maps for use on the World Wide Web. The Tag WWW URL command
(Object menu) lets you define objects in an image as clickable
areas for the Internet.
The FTP Sites page of the Scrapbook Docker window lets you connect
to any File Transfer Protocol (FTP) site from Corel PHOTO-PAINT.
After you connect to a site, you can browse its contents for files
you want to include in your document. When you find a file you
want to use, you can import it directly into your document or
download a copy to your local drive.