Paint.Net query

MarcLister · 19 Jul 2007 at 00:24

I have some images I've downloaded off Flickr that I would like to resize to 1680x1050 for my desktop.

With Paint.Net is there anyway to make a 1680x1050 selection window then drag and drop it over the part of the image I want to keep and then crop to that? So say for a 2785x1808 image, I can make a 1680x1050 box and then place it over the part of the image I want in my 1680x1050 wallpaper and crop the 2785x1808 image to a 1680x1050?

And if Paint.Net can't do this, can something like the Gimp or Irfan do this? Or any other free image editors I haven't mentioned? Or will I need something like Photoshop for this? I know Photoshop can do this, but I don't know how to in CS2 or CS3.

I've recently bought an SLR so I can justify getting CS3 on a student licence if its going to be easiest to use CS3 for this; and then I can use it for my photos. It'd give me something to learn I think.

n3crius · 19 Jul 2007 at 10:24

You can crop in Paint.Net easily by dragging a selection area over part of your image.

philio16 · 19 Jul 2007 at 10:51

Never used paint.net but if you can add rulers on, do that and set them to pixels, then starting from the top corner, drag out x amount of pixels long, then x amount of pixels down....then you got your moveable selection box

Thats how I do it in Photoshop anyway!

MarcLister · 19 Jul 2007 at 11:57

philio16 said:
Never used paint.net but if you can add rulers on, do that and set them to pixels, then starting from the top corner, drag out x amount of pixels long, then x amount of pixels down....then you got your moveable selection box Thats how I do it in Photoshop anyway!

Yeah you can do that. What I was hoping was to be able to do this automatically by say opening a dialog box and setting the selection box to 1680x1050 then dropping that on my image where I want to keep that bit of the pic.

Its a bit trying to get the selection to 1680x1050 manually.

SiriusB · 19 Jul 2007 at 12:03

philio16 said:
Never used paint.net but if you can add rulers on, do that and set them to pixels, then starting from the top corner, drag out x amount of pixels long, then x amount of pixels down....then you got your moveable selection box Thats how I do it in Photoshop anyway!

You could just change the Canvas size and then move the image around...

*in Photoshop that is

MarcLister · 19 Jul 2007 at 13:09

SiriusB said:
You could just change the Canvas size and then move the image around...

*in Photoshop that is

Yeah I just tried resizing the canvas in Paint.Net and it resizes the whole image so it gets a bit stretched.

Looks like I'll need Photoshop then?

And btw SiriusB, how you doing? Haven't seen you for ages!!

marc2003 · 19 Jul 2007 at 13:13

well if you know roughly where you want one corner of the image to be, just use the select tool and it shows the selection size dynamically in the bottom right corner. then you can cut/paste when the selection size is the right dimension.

MarcLister · 19 Jul 2007 at 13:15

marc2003 said:
well if you know roughly where you want one corner of the image to be, just use the select tool and it shows the selection size dynamically in the bottom right corner. then you can cut/paste when the selection size is the right dimension.

Thats kind of what I've been doing.

Thing is that this mouse is a bit fiddly and so trying to get the dimensions right is a bit trying.

I'd like to be able to make a selection box and then just drop it onto the part of the image I want.

marc2003 · 19 Jul 2007 at 13:36

MarcLister said:
I'd like to be able to make a selection box and then just drop it onto the part of the image I want.

i knew exactly what you wanted, i just don't know how to do it.

MarcLister · 19 Jul 2007 at 13:40

marc2003 said:
i knew exactly what you wanted, i just don't know how to do it.

Well naff off then noob.

I don't think Paint.Net can do this. I'll see if the Gimp can but its looking like I need Photoshop CS2 or CS3. Do you know how to do what I want in CS3?

SiriusB · 19 Jul 2007 at 13:57

The GIMP should be able to do it - in fact I will try it right now.

The GIMP can do it

Open your image.

Make a selection using the rectangular selection tool. It doesn't have to be any particular size.

Click on the Scale tool [Second down on the left]

In the options panel that opens below click on the pink rectangle [middle button]

Then go to Tools > Transform > Scale

In the box that opens whack in the values you want, then click scale.

The selection will now be the size you want - you can move it about to where you want it, then Cut and past in a new layer/document.

EDIT:

Aha! Even better.

Image > Canvas Size

Bang in the size you want

Get the move tool [cross with arrows] and move the image around until you get it where you want.

EDIT2:

And btw SiriusB, how you doing? Haven't seen you for ages!!

I'm good thanks. How about yourself?

MarcLister · 19 Jul 2007 at 14:16

SiriusB said:
EDIT:

Aha! Even better.

Image > Canvas Size

Bang in the size you want

Get the move tool [cross with arrows] and move the image around until you get it where you want.

Muchos gracias. I just installed the Gimp and found the second way. That'll save me some money on CS3 for a while then.

SiriusB said:
EDIT2:

I'm good thanks. How about yourself?

Not too bad cheers. Trying to get some CSC done for the resit deadline.

SiriusB · 19 Jul 2007 at 14:22

MarcLister said:
Muchos gracias. I just installed the Gimp and found the second way. That'll save me some money on CS3 for a while then.

Buy it anyway - and then give it me

Not too bad cheers. Trying to get some CSC done for the resit deadline.

I think I made the right decision leaving uni. Can't be doing with exams and coursework anymore.

MarcLister · 19 Jul 2007 at 14:24

SiriusB said:
Buy it anyway - and then give it me

No way Jose.

SiriusB said:
I think I made the right decision leaving uni. Can't be doing with exams and coursework anymore.

Ah rightio. So what are you doing now then? Can talk on MSN if you want to keep this private.

So whenabouts did you leave? I remember last seeing you in LG's HCI module in the first semester of last year.