Loraine's Frame's

                MS Paint Tutorial

Once you have done this a few times you'll
wonder why was this lady so "WORDY."
Believe me it is much easier then it seems. I went
into as much detail as I possibly could so you wouldn't
have to stop in the middle of something to write
someone for an answer. I am being honest when
I say once you have done this a few times
you will be able to frame a picture in 10
to 15 minutes. Time will depend on the time you
spend sizing your pictures.

Tips for MS Paint

I would like to start with the basics before going
into the steps used in framing.
There is nothing worse then saving graphics to only find
it's nowhere to be found...so it's best to have a
place where you will save it to all the time. It will help
to set up a folder just for your graphics.
How graphics are saved..."file type" ..is very important.
MS paint will only accept JPG, BMP, GIF graphics and
pictures. You must keep this in mind at all times when
saving your pictures and graphics.
When you right click on the graphics a box opens,
click on "save as", then your files box will open allowing
you to choose where and how you want to save.

You can change the file type by clicking on the black
arrow. (left of the red X) A menu will drop down, click on
your choice to hi-lite the file type, with that done you can now click on save.
When you need to change a file type, change it to
JPG, or BMP *DO NOT CHANGE TO GIF
If GIF should come up in the file type box you can save
as GIF but to change, say an ART file, to GIF file can
effect the colors in the graphics

Work area Prep

Almost everyone has a paint shop that came with
their computer they just aren't aware they have it.
To see if you're a lucky one go to start/programs/accessories
In there you should see a paint shop, left click to open.
For set up click on "View" make sure the first 4
items, tool box, color box, status bar, text toolbar
have a check mark...if not left click on each.
The above is a 1 time set and usually does not
need to be repeated. (grin) note usually!
When you get ready to frame you'll find sizing important
and we'll cover that in a bit. Before framing you need
to get something on the work area to frame or a
frame or tag you can personalize.
After you have finished your set up go down to
the square dotted box on the top right of the side
toolbar and click, then down to the last box in the
toolbar and click.
**don't panic, bottom box does not appear till you click
on the square dotted box**

This is something you will need to do each time you
enter your paint shop. By doing this it keeps you're
work "transparent" (clean) making it
possible to put graphics over graphics
for example.. you will be able to see your picture
inside the frame, it also allows me to put graphics
on my frames. By not clicking on the boxes you will
have blobs of solid white in and around everything.
***
To place something on your work area go to the top
toolbar left click on "file" for a drop menu, click open

At this point you're file box will appear and it's time
to find what you want in the work area.

Hi-lite the item, left click on open near the bottom
by the  (X) and presto you have something on the work area.
Now may be a good time to play with
and get to know the tools on the side toolbar.
Also if you left click on "edit" on the top toolbar
then left click on "undo"  it well undo up to 3 steps back.
(including get rid of your graphics)
If you put your graphics up and just do 1 thing
with a tool but try to click 3 times you'll have
to put your graphics back on again ..<grin>..oooops

How to resize

When you click on the frame you wish to save, a
page comes up with the frame you will "save as",
this frame is the actual size. You will need to make sure
the picture you want to frame or the portion you wish
to frame is that size....or close. You can do some sizing
in MS, either up or down but you must be careful.
If you try to alter it to much there will be distortion.
There are free programs that do a much better
job...such as IrfanView

You can download this great program free here:

http://www.irfanview.com/main_download_engl.htm

To size in MS Paint

After you place your graphics on the work area
and it needs to be sized to fit in a frame, it can
be done in 2 ways in MS.
Crop-remove areas from the picture
or
Resize-enlarge or decrease the entire picture

When your picture first appears on the work area
(any graphics added will always have the dotted box)
you will see a dotted box around it. You will need to click on
the dotted box at the top of the side toolbar
You will now enlarge your work area so you can resize
and frame your picture.
Place your cursor (mouse) at the bottom right corner
of your picture where there is a small dot. When your
cursor changes to a double arrow you can hold down
on the left clicker and slowly drag out & down.
The white area is your work area.
There is also a dot mid way down on the right side
and in the middle bottom

You can also drag the work area out to the side
and down by placing the cursor at the dots, hold
down on the left clicker and drag out or down.

Click again on the dotted box on the side toolbar
(You need to move your graphics so you have room to work)
Go to the left top corner of your graphics, you will notice
your cursor looks like a plus sign with a tiny circle
in the middle, when you are at the top left corner hold
down on the left clicker and place a dotted box around
the graphics. (above) Then place your cursor inside
of the dotted box...hold down and slowly drag.
The dotted box will remain there till you ...
1. add another graphics
2. click anywhere outside the box
To size you must have the dotted box around  the graphics
To size the entire picture click on image on the
top toolbar, then click stretch/skew a box
will pop up and in the section that says stretch you
will see 2 small boxes horizontal & vertical each will
have 100% in them, if you want it small click in the boxes
and back space to remove the 100 and in each

make the same change. You need never make changes in the
skew area...just the 2 boxes in stretch. If you go down
to 80% in horizontal do the same in vertical, if you
go up 120% in horizontal go up the same in vertical
Click OK when done. You can repeat this as many
times as you wish but be careful to watch for distortion.
To crop your picture is the easiest for there are
a few of ways to do it.
       1. By clicking on the erasing tool to erase what areas you
want to get rid of. The eraser is on the side toolbar
under the dotted star. By holding down on the left
clicker your cursor becomes an eraser.
2. Any time you put a dotted box around something
with 1 click you can make what is in the dotted box
disappear. Click on edit...then clear selection.
Anything you have a dotted box around will be gone.
3. After you have enlarged the work area instead of

dragging the entire picture to the middle you can just place
a dotted box around what area you want to frame,

place your cursor inside the dotted box, hold down on

the clicker and drag it onto the work area.

But now you have to put a dotted box around what you left behind and
click on edit...clear selection. Now you see why the dotted boxes are so important, and there are other things
they help do, which in time I hope you learn.
 

The hard work is done. Thanks to Bitty, your Web Mistress,
the frames are clean and ready to go.
To get the frame from your files to the work area click
on "edit" then click on "paste from" at the very
bottom of the drop menu. (there are 2 paste on the
drop menu make sure you click "paste from"). The frame
will appear in the top left corner with a dotted
box around it. Put your cursor inside the dotted
box, hold down and drag the frame over the top of
the picture. Click outside on the work area to
get rid of the dotted box. (If you were to try and move it
only the frame will move at this point.)

Now to save the work you have done. Make another
dotted box around the frame. Place your cursor inside
the dotted box and drag to the top left corner
of the work area. Leave as little white around the frame
as possible. Go to the "DOT" on the side and place you

cursor over the dot till you see the double arrow
hold down on the left clicker and drag in to the side
of the frame. Do the same with the dot at the bottom only
drag up toward the bottom of the frame.

To save your work go to "file' click on "save as"
When the file opens choose the file you want to save your

Master Piece to and click to...hi-lite ...click "open"
toward the bottom of the box. This is a good time to
check in your "file type"...most save as JPG
for it takes up less space, But you should change
the file type to either JPG or BMP if it shows
something else. Above file type is "file name".
This would be a good time to type in a name that
you will remember. Just click in the white box and
backspace, then type in YOUR name for your work
Then look to the right and click on save
You are done!!!!
Now,

Give yourself a Pat on the Back and just sit

back and look at your perfectly framed picture.
 

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