Using Microsoft Paint
Microsoft Paint is a drawing tool that you can use to create either simple or elaborate drawings. These drawings can be in black-and-white or color, and they can be saved as bitmap files. You can print your drawing, use it for your desktop background, or paste it into another document. You can even use Paint to view and edit digital photos.
Creating pictures
To use Paint drawing tools
Here are some practical tips on using some of the drawing tools in Microsoft Paint.
- To undo up to three changes, on the Edit menu, click Undo for each change.
- To draw perfect lines, angles, and circles, hold down the SHIFT key while dragging the pointer.
- When you drag the pointer, the foreground color is used. To use the background color, hold down the right mouse button and drag the pointer.
- The border width of lines and shapes are the same as the thickness selected for the line tools. To change the border thickness, click the line or curve tool in the toolbox, and then click the thickness you want in the box below the toolbox.
- To create a colored fill for a shape, click a fill style below the toolbox.
To draw a horizontal, vertical, or 45-degree straight line
- In the toolbox, click the Line button
.
- Below the toolbox, click a line width.
- Hold down SHIFT and drag the pointer to draw a line.
To draw a freeform straight line
- In the toolbox, click the Line button
.
- Drag the pointer to draw a straight line.
To draw a curved line
You can create two arcs for each curved line drawn.
- In the toolbox, click the Curve button
.
- Below the toolbox, click a line width.
- Drag the pointer to draw a straight line.
- Click where you want one arc of the curve to be, and then drag the pointer to adjust the curve. Repeat this step if a second arc is desired.
To draw an ellipse or circle
- In the toolbox, click the Ellipse button
.
- Below the toolbox, click a fill style.
- Drag the pointer to draw the ellipse or circle.
To draw a rectangle or square
- In the toolbox, click the Rectangle button
to create a square-cornered shape, or click the Rounded Rectangle button to create a round-cornered shape.
- Below the toolbox, click a fill style.
- To draw a rectangle, drag the pointer diagonally in the direction you want.
- To draw a square, hold down SHIFT while dragging the pointer.
To draw a polygon
- In the toolbox, click the Polygon button
.
- Below the toolbox, click a fill style.
- Drag the pointer to draw a straight line.
- Click once at each position where you want a new line segment to appear.
- When you are done manipulating the shape of your polygon, double-click the mouse. No further changes may now be made to this shape.
To type and format text
You can use as many text boxes as you want. However, you can only enter text in a particular text box one time. When you click outside of that text box, the text is converted into a graphic image and you cannot make it active again.
- In the toolbox, click the Text button
.
- To create a text frame, drag the pointer diagonally to the size you want.
- On the text toolbar, click the font, size, and style you want for the text. If the text toolbar is not displayed, on the View menu, click Text Toolbar. You can drag the toolbar to any location in the window.
- Type your text. To change the color of the text, click a color in the color box. You can also cut and paste text into a text box, but you may not paste any graphics in the text box.
To erase a small area
- In the toolbox, click the Eraser button
.
- Below the toolbox, click an eraser size.
- Right-click a color in the color box if the color you want to erase with is different from the current background color.
- Drag the pointer over the area you want to erase.
To erase a large area
- In the toolbox, click the Select button
to select a rectangular area, or click the Free-Form Select button to select a freeform area.
- Select the area you want to erase.
- The eraser color is the same as the background color shown in the color box below the toolbar. Right-click a color in the color box to change the background color.
- On the Edit menu, click Clear Selection.
To erase an entire image
The current background color will be used to fill the cleared area. Select a different background color by right-clicking a color in the color box.
- If any part of the image is selected, click outside of the selected area.
- On the Image menu, click Clear Image.
To stretch or skew an item
- In the toolbox, click the Select button
to select a rectangular area or click the Free-Form Select button to select a freeform area.
- Drag a box around the item you want to change.
- On the Image menu, click Stretch/Skew, and then do one of the following:
- To stretch the item, type the percent to stretch your picture horizontally or vertically.
- To skew the item, type the number of degrees to skew your picture horizontally or vertically.
To change the size of your picture
- In Paint, on the Image menu, click Attributes.
- Under Units, click the unit of measurement you want to use for the width and height.
- Type the measurements in Width and Height.
- You can also resize your picture by dragging the image-resize handles, located at the lower-right corner and along the bottom and right sides of your picture. (You might need to maximize the window to see the square resize handles.)
Working with color
The default foreground and background colors appear in the left side of the color box. The top color square represents the foreground color. The bottom color square represents the background color.
To change foreground and background colors
- To set the foreground color, click a color in the color box. The foreground color is used for lines, borders of shapes, and text.
- To set the background color, right-click a color in the color box. The background color is used to fill the inside of enclosed shapes and the background of text frames, and when you use the eraser.
To fill an area or object with color
If the shape you want to fill has any breaks in its border, the fill color spreads to the rest of the drawing area. To find and close any openings, click the View menu, point to Zoom, and then click Large Size or Custom.
- In the toolbox, click the Fill With Color button
.
- Click or right-click a color in the color box if the color you want is different from either the current foreground color or background color.
- Click or right-click the area or object you want to fill.
To paint with a brush
When you drag the pointer, the brush uses the foreground color. To use the background color, click and hold down the right mouse button when you drag the pointer.
- In the toolbox, click the Brush button
.
- Below the toolbox, click a brush shape.
- To paint, click and drag the pointer over the image.
To create an airbrush effect
When you click and drag the pointer, the airbrush sprays with the foreground color. To use the background color, click and hold down the right mouse button and drag the pointer.
- In the toolbox, click the Airbrush button
.
- Below the toolbox, click a spray size.
- To spray, click and drag the mouse pointer over the image.
To create custom colors
- In the color box, click the color you want to change.
- On the Colors menu, click Edit Colors.
- Click Define Custom Colors.
- Click the color swatch to change the hue (Hue) and saturation (Sat), and then move the slider in the color gradient to change the luminescence (Lum).
- Click Add to Custom Colors.
To use black and white instead of color
- In Paint, on the Image menu, click Attributes.
- Under Colors, click Black and white.
To change the color of an existing line
If the line is part of a shape, any connecting vertical and horizontal lines will also change to the new color.
- In the toolbox, click the Fill With Color button
.
- In the color box, click a different color.
- Click the line you want to change.
To copy color from one area or object to another
Copying a color using the eyedropper tool will change your foreground color. If you copy a color with the eyedropper tool by right-clicking, you will change your background color.
- In the toolbox, click the Pick Color button
.
- Click the area containing the color you want to copy.
- In the toolbox, click the Fill With Color button
.
- Click the object or area where you want the new color.
Working with pictures
To use a picture as your desktop background
- Save the picture you are working on that you plan to apply as your desktop background.
- On the File menu, click either of the following commands:
- Set As Background (Tiled) covers the desktop with repetitions of your picture.
- Set As Background (Centered) places your picture in the center of the desktop.
To send an image using e-mail
After you are done working on an image, you can send it to anyone who has an e-mail account.
- In Paint, on the File menu, click Send.
- Your e-mail program will open, with your image included either as an attachment or as part of the message section of your e-mail.
- Type your recipient's e-mail address, a subject, a message, and then click Send.
To insert an image file into the current picture
- In the toolbox, click the Select button
and then drag the pointer to define an area for the inserted file.
- On the Edit menu, click Paste From.
- Locate and double-click the file you want to insert.
- Drag the image file to position it correctly, and then click outside the selection.
To display gridlines
You can remove the gridlines by repeating step 3 and clearing the Show Grid check mark, or by clicking View, pointing to Zoom, and then clicking Normal Size.
- In Paint, on the View menu, point to Zoom, and then click Custom.
- Under Zoom to, click a percentage of zoom greater than 200 percent, and then click OK.
- On the View menu, point to Zoom, and then click Show Grid.
To flip or rotate a picture or object
- In the toolbox, click the Select button to select a rectangular area or click the Free-Form Select button to select a freeform area.
- Draw a box around the item you want to flip or rotate.
- On the Image menu, click Flip/Rotate.
- Click one of the options under Flip or rotate.
To copy and paste part of a picture
You can paste multiple copies of an object by holding down CTRL while you drag the object to a new location. Repeat as needed.
- In the toolbox, click the Select button
to select a rectangular area, or click the Free-Form Select button to select a freeform area.
- Drag the pointer to define the area you want to copy.
- On the Edit menu, click Copy.
- On the Edit menu, click Paste, and then drag the selection to a new location.
To select part of a picture
The rectangular tool defines straight-edged areas that you want to move or change in your picture. The freeform tool defines exact areas of your picture that you want to change. You can trace a shape, drag it to another area of the picture, rotate it individually, or remove it.
- In the toolbox, click the Select button
to select a rectangular area, or click the Free-Form Select button to select a freeform area.
- Drag the pointer to define the area you want to select.
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