Creating Graphics with MS Paint

1)  Get Started:  Keep this window open for this project.

2) Launch MSPAINT. Click on Start - Run - type "MSPAINT" - press ENTER
 or Click on Start - Programs - Accessories - Paint

3) Maximize MSPAINT.  Stretch your canvas to fill the whole area by moving your pointer to the bottom right corner of the canvas.  When you place it on the black dot just outside the canvas corner your pointer will turn into a double headed arrow.  When this happens click and hold and drag to the bottom right of your screen then release the mouse button.  Now click on FILE - SAVE.  Type STAINTEDGLASS in the file name box and select 256 color Bitmap in the box below that then click on SAVE (see step 8 below).

4) Create a stained glass window:
        - make sure you have BLACK selected as your foreground/left button color:
                left click on black in your color palette at the bottom of the program.

        - Select a medium width line: click on the LINE tool ( \ ).
                 A box will open below the tool box.  Click on a medium width line in the tool options.

- Select the POLYGON tool.  Place your crosshairs anywhere on the canvas, click-hold-drag to one of the sides, release the mouse button, place your mouse anywhere else on the canvas and click, move - click, move-click... and so on until you have a web of lines crisscrossing  your canvas. Be sure to bring some of the lines to the very edge of the canvas for an interesting look.  Double click to finish. This will link your last line to the first.

 -SAVE:   save your work to MY PICTURES - the default directory
            click on FILE-SAVE or press CTRL+S            

-Select the PAINT CAN.  

-Select a different LEFT BUTTON COLOR (foreground color), preferably bright and a RIGHT BUTTON (background color).

Fill the white spaces with color. Remember the tip of the paint spilling from the paint can tool is what determines where the color goes.  AVOID painting your black lines. Place your paint can in the middle of a white space and left click or right click depending on what color you want.

For more fun... Cut out a shape from your stained glass window 
and paste it onto a page by itself.

1) Open MSPaint (first instance).  Bring up your Stained Glass creation. 
Make sure your color selection is like the default - black for LEFT and white for RIGHT.

2) Select the Free-Form Select tool ( top left of the tool box) - it looks like a star. 
Click on the bottom tool option.

3) Move your cursor to your image, click and hold to select a free form image. 
Be sure to link the end of your line with the beginning. Release the mouse button, then RIGHT CLICK - COPY (CTRL+C).  

4)  Open another instance of MSPaint (second instance).  Select the Free-Form Select tool 
and click on the bottom tool option. You only have to do this once.

5) RIGHT CLICK - PASTE (CTRL+V).  Your image will appear in the upper left corner.  
Click and drag the image to where you want it.  SAVE (CTRL+S).

6) Do it some more. Go to MSPaint first instance and select another shape in the stained glass, 
copy then go to the other MSPaint (second) , paste and move the image to where ever you want it to be.

7) Try filling your background with a complimentary color  to make your colored image pop.

SAVE 

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*Optional task - SIGN your work:  

Find an area on your painting with enough space to fit your name.  
Select the EYE DROPPER tool.  Go to the space where you want your name and RIGHT CLICK.  This will set you background color to that space.
            Select the color for your signature. LEFT CLICK on the color in the palette.
            Select the TEXT TOOL.  Click on the A  in the tool box..  Move your cursor (cross hairs) to the place for your signature. Create a text box by doing a click hold, pull down and then to the right. 

When you have the right size for your signature, let go of the mouse button. A text tool bar will now appear on you screen (if it does not then go to the top menu bar click on VIEW- TEXT TOOLBAR).  

Select the font type and size.  Click in the space you created for your signature and type your name. To finish, click anywhere outside the text box.

    - Save again

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8) Saving your work

Now we want to save your painting in a compress format 
that will be usable in email or on the web.

- Click on FILE-SAVE AS - (save as 256 color Bitmap first)

- Do FILE - SAVE AS again
- Just below the file name there is a box labeled SAVE AS FILE TYPE. Select JPEG (jpg) and save.
- Repeat the process. FILE-SAVE-AS and select GIF (gif).

Double click on MY DOCUMENTS.  To view the file sizes go the menu bar select VIEW-DETAILS.
You will see your file there 3 times all with the same name but different extension - .bmp, .jpg, .gif.
Note the BMP file is around 900KB, that is just 100KB less than 1MB (mega bite).  The JPG & GIF files are more than 10 times smaller.  

Go back to MSPAINT - it is still running down on your task bar - click on the icon.

Click on FILE - on the bottom half of the menu you will see your 3 files.  Click on the BMP file.
Now do the same again and click on the JPG file.  Do you see a difference in quality?
Now do the same and click on the GIF file.  Any differences?