image editing

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computing: image editing: basic

Overview

This page is for tutorials and explanations of basic image editing techniques.

Tutorials

Putting two images on the same page

This example uses PaintShop Pro, though this procedure can also be done in GIMP.

Let's say you have two images, which we'll call A and B, which you want to stack vertically on a page so that A is above and B is below.

1. Find B's height in pixels. There are several ways to do this; the obvious one is to load the image, make sure its window is in the foreground, and look at the right side of the bottom status bar, where it should give the image's dimensions as width x height x colors.
2. Optional: Save image A under a new name. This will prevent accidentally overwriting the original image if you save your work during the following steps (which is a good idea). The new name should probably be a PSPImage file type, as this will also preserve layering.
3. Resize A's canvas. With image A's window in the foreground, select Image -> Canvas Size... from the menu.
   • The width should remain the same, i.e. for "Width:" under "New Dimensions", type in the width shown under "Original Dimensions"
   • The height needs to be expanded by at least as many pixels as the height of B. It's generally a good idea to leave yourself some margin, however; 100 pixels extra will probably do, but you can refine this figure to meet your needs as you gain experience with the particular types of images you are working with. In short, however, Take the number for "Height:" under "Original Dimensions", add in the height of image B, add 100, and enter the result in "Height:" under "New Dimensions".
   • In the "Placement" section, select the arrow that points directly up (so the new canvas space will be below the original image A).
   • Finally, click [ Ok ] to make the change.
4. Copy image B into the new space:
   • Go to image B's window, make sure there is no selection (or that the entire image is selected), and select Image -> Copy from the menu.
   • Go to image A's window, and select Image -> Paste -> Paste as New Layer. ("Paste as New Selection" would also work, but I haven't tested this to see if any different steps are needed afterwards.)
5. Move the pasted image around so it is where you want it. To move the pasted image, select the "Move Tool", which is the cross-shaped tool with the arrows at the end of each point, in the toolbar (it's the 4th tool showing on my toolbar, but YMMV).
6. Crop the results to remove any unwanted extra space
7. Save the new, combined image. You're done.