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Selecting Images and Areas
Selecting is one of the first skills you need to master to use WebPainter. Once you are able to select areas and objects, you can change them in a number of ways. For example, you can change the color, size, or location of a selected area.

In this lesson you will learn how to:

    use the Vector Selection tool to select vectors
    use the Marquee, Lasso, and Magic Wand tools to select parts of a bitmap area
    deselect a selection
    move a selection
    use the Eyedropper tool to select a color
Vectors
Selecting Vectors
Vectors are shapes that you draw using the Vector Tools in vector mode. For more information about the difference between vectors and bitmaps, see the WebPainter Getting Started Guide.

In the following exercise, you’ll draw two vectors and then select the first one you drew.

  1. Click the Mode icon to switch to vector mode.

  2. Click the Star tool. 
  3. Click the canvas, and drag to draw the shape. 
  4. Repeat in a new location. 
  5. On the Tool palette, click the Vector Selection tool. 
  6. Click the first star you drew. 
Deselecting Vectors
To deselect a vector, click anywhere else on the WebPainter canvas.
Bitmap
Selecting Bitmap Areas
There are many more ways to select bitmap areas than vector. You can select bitmap areas using the Marquee, Lasso, and Magic Wand tools.
    Use the Marquee to select regularly shaped areas.
    Use the Lasso to select irregularly shaped areas.
    Use the Magic Wand to select areas of the same color.
    To deselect any area, click another point on the canvas.

In the following exercises, you’ll practice selecting with these tools by creating an animated pie chart.

You should complete the exercises in this section in order, but you don’t need to complete them all at once. You can save the file and work on it at your convenience.

To complete the exercises, open the file SELECT.WPM in the Tutorials folder.

Selecting and Moving Rectangular Areas
The words "Retail Outlet" are not properly aligned with the other words in the legend for the pie chart. In this exercise, you’ll select the words with the Rectangular selection tool and move them.
  1. Open the file SELECT.WPM. 
  2. Click the Rectangular selection tool. 
  3. Click the canvas at the top right corner of the words "Retail Outlet." 
  4. Drag to the bottom right corner of the words "Retail Outlet" and release the left mouse button.

  5. The cursor turns into a hand when you move it over the selected area.
  6. Click the selected area and drag the words "Retail Outlet" beside the empty white box.

Selecting and Moving Irregularly Shaped Areas
The pie chart is too close to the words "Sales Distribution." In this exercise, you’ll select the pie chart with the Lasso selection tool and move it.
  1. It’s easier to select with the lasso tool if you zoom in first. In the bottom right corner of the window, click "100%." On the pop-up menu, click a higher magnification. 
  2. Click the Lasso tool. 
  3. Click the canvas near the top of the circle. 
  4. Drag the mouse around the circle.

  5. When your mouse is back at the first point you selected, release the mouse button.
    The selection shrinks to just select the circle.
  6. Click the circle and drag it farther away from the text. 
Selecting Areas by Color
You select areas that are the same color using the Magic Wand tool. This tool is most frequently used to select irregularly shaped areas that are the same color. In this exercise, you’ll select an irregularly shaped area so you can change the color.
  1. Click the Magic Wand tool. 
  2. Click the blue area in the top right corner of the pie chart. 
  3. Click and hold the Foreground Color square. 
  4. On the Color Palette, click a shade of green. 
  5. Using the right mouse button, click on the selected area. A popup menu will appear. 
  6. Choose the "Fill" menuitem.

  7. The color changes to green. Notice that the center of the text is still blue. It wasn’t selected because it’s not touching the original blue area you selected.
  8. Click the Magic Wand. 
  9. Click one of the other blue area which corresponds to the changed pie slice and repeat steps 5 and 6. 
Selecting a Color Using the Eyedropper
If you’ve used a color in one place on your canvas, and you want to use it again, the easiest way to do this is using the Eyedropper tool. In this exercise, you’ll select the yellow from the pie chart and use it in the legend.
  1. Click the Eyedropper tool. 
  2. Click the yellow segment of the pie chart.

  3. Notice that yellow is now the Foreground Color on the tool palette.
  4. Click the Paintcan. 
  5. Click the white square beside "Retail Outlet."

  6. The square is filled with yellow
Extra Credit
The figure on the right shows your completed graphic. This is a still graphic not an animation. Think of ways you could animate the pie chart to make it more interesting.


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