The Image Sprayer tool is fantastic.
Instead of painting with color, the Image Sprayer paints with images and
not just one or two images at a stroke, but a variety of changing images.
By changing the direction of the stroke, you can change the rotation of
the images being applied.
Multiple application of images creates "natural" effects that
would be otherwise difficult and time-consuming to create.
The Image Sprayer tool can be found on the Brush Tools flyout.
Many of the controls are common to the brush tools.
How the
Image Sprayer Works
The Image Sprayer is a brush tool, really.
To use it, you must first load it with images.
The images are kept in special files called image lists, which may contain
any number of images. Usually, the images are similar and form a logical
series, that is, the images progress along some order.
For example, the images might rotate about a point or increase in size.
As you paint with the Image Sprayer, you can control the order and size
of the application of images with settings in the property bar or the Brush
Settings docker.
You can spray images sequentially, at random, or according to stroke direction.
You control the images in an image file by opening the image list in PHOTO-PAINT
and making changes.
A normal installation of PHOTO-PAINT installs a small number of image lists
on your hard drive. If you want more variety in the images, locate a folder
labeled Imglists on the Corel CD-ROM or go to www.designer.com, where they
are always posting new image lists.
How to Create Your Own Image List
If you don't like the image lists that ship with PHOTO-PAINT 10, it is quite
simple to make your own.
You can make an image list from a single object, from multiple objects in
an image or from selections (masks) on an image.
The easiest image list is the one made from a single object, so let's look
at it first.
Creating an Image List from a Single Object
If you make an image list from a single object, you will have the choice
of using the single object or having PHOTO-PAINT create a Directional List.
The Directional List is composed of a user-defined number of copies of the
original object.
Each copy is equally rotated.
For example, if you type 4 when prompted for a Directional List, PHOTO-PAINT
will make three copies of the original (3 + original = 4), each rotated
90 degrees.
Here is the procedure:
1. Create an image and place
one object in it.
There are no size limitations (other than good sense) regarding the size
of the object used for an image sprayer, but the object must be selected.
In the example shown next, I used the Text tool to place a musical note
in a 2 x 2 inch image at 72 dpi. |
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2. Select the Image Sprayer (I) click the flyout button
and in the Brush Settings docker choose Save Objects as Image List, as shown.
3. Because there is a single object, you will be asked
if you want to make a Directional Image List.
If you select Yes, you must enter the number of images and then name the
new image file.
4. Choose the drive and folder where
you want to save the image list.
5. Type a filename
in the File name box, and you're done. |
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So, what can you do with an image list composed of two musical notes?
I created the image shown next with the steps that follow:
1. I used the Text tool and made an "8" in the middle of an image
(font: Impact at 150).
2. Next I created a mask of
the character (CTRL-M) and used the Image Sprayer brush to fill it in.
3. I selected the Airbrush Paint tool using Wide Cover
and clicked the Stroke Mask button in the property bar.
4. After applying the brush stroke to the middle of the
mask, I ended up with an unwanted glow outside of the mask. No problem, I inverted the mask (CTRL-l) and double-clicked
the Eraser tool.
Creating an Image List from an Image Containing
Multiple Objects Creating-a list from an image containing more
than one object is the same as previously described with a few exceptions.
All of the objects in the image that are to be included in the image list
must be selected.
The order or position of the objects isn't important.
If the objects have drop shadows, ensure that the shadows are grouped to
the object casting the shadow.
If you don't do this, each shadow will appear as a separate object in the
image list.
Creating an Image List from an Image Containing
No Objects
This method is a little trickier than the previous methods.
Since there are no objects for PHOTO-PAINT to select, it divides the image
into equal parts based on the information provided by the user.
The procedure is as follows:
1. Select an object containing
the images you want made into an image list. (see the exemple of grey musical
notes). From the flyout option in the Brush Settings docker, click Save Document as an Image List. |
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2. You will next be prompted to input the number of images
that are in each column and row. If there is only one image, leave the setting at the default of 1 and 1.
In the case of the example, there are four images, so I changed both the
row and column settings to 2, as shown next.
3. Officially,
that's it. The new image file is loaded in the Image Sprayer.
The problem with this approach is that PHOTO-PAINT neatly divided the image
into the number of squares you entered.
In other words, instead of painting numbers, you are actually painting squares
that are the color of the background with numbers on them. To illustrate
the point, using the Image Sprayer, I painted the list from the example
on a black background.
The solution is to use the Mask tools to select portions of the image you
want to be included in the image list before converting it into an image
list. |
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Only the areas inside the mask will be in the resulting image list.
1. In the example, I have used the Magic Wand mask tool
(W) to select the squares, as shown. 2. The resulting squares
don't have the white rectangles that the previous musical notes had. While
this example isn't very interesting, it does prove that this approach works.
The object layer on which the squares were painted can have a shadow attached
using the Interactive Drop Shadow tool.
tip:When you are masking
an image for the creation of an image list, there is a good chance that
part of the background will form a slight fringe around the edges of the
object in your image list. The solution is to paint the images on a new
object layer, as described in the preceding text, and select Object/Matting/Remove
White Matte. That should do the trick if the original background was white.
When you load a new image list, the property bar settings (spacing, Orbits,
and so on) from the previous brush remain. |
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Image Sprayer Presets
The Image Sprayer tool also has presets found on the property bar.
These presets change the settings of the Brush Settings docker and property
bar.
Of special note is the Orbits tab. This applies the powerful Orbits engine
to control the application of the Image Sprayer.
If the image list only contains one object, the best effects are achieved
with Orbits enabled. When a list containing multiple objects is selected,
the effect is diminished, if not lost altogether. |
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Painting with the Image Sprayer
When you are painting with the Image Sprayer, it will apply the
images from the image list in a manner determined by the Image Choice list
on the property bar.
The choices are Randomly, Sequentially, and by Direction.
The first and third are obvious; the second refers to the order in which
the images appear in the image list. To manipulate the order or contents
of an image list, click the Create Spraylist button on the Image Sprayer
property bar.
This opens the Create Spraylist dialog box.
From this dialog box, you can add, remove, and change the order of items
in a Spraylist. The selected item in the image list is previewed in the
center. |
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