Copyright: Copyright (C) 1995-2003 Umemura Taka Software Design, Inc.
Citation: Copyright (C) 1995-2003 Umemura Taka Software Design, Inc.


The Virtual Painters: 16 Filters

Rabica
Watercolor
In this conventional watercolor, an overall wash renders the sketch underneath visible, while a thicker application of paint is used for the details. Deformation creates freshness, enlivening human subjects and tracing scenery with a light touch. For the background material, paper textures are best.

Purts
Oil Painting
This is a conventional oil painting, with a glaze finish. Broad strokes are used for the background, while the detail is added with a finer brush. Deformation creates a solid impression. Canvas is a suitable choice.

Quapeo
Gouache
Gouache - the application of opaque watercolors or poster colors - is a technique characterized by an even spread of color across the surface. A good choice as the background material is either paper or stucco.

Plince
Color Pencil
The picture is formed from rapid strokes drawn with color pencils. Deformation creates the impression of movement, and smooth paper is a good choice as the background texture.

Saplet
Pastel
In this conventional picture executed in pastel crayons, both colors and delineation are soft. Paper is a good choice as the background material. Note that the pastel effect appears harsher on smooth paper, and softer on rough paper.

Eraqus
Rectangles
This mosaic technique combines rectangles of various sizes. Areas of emphasized focus are treated with a corresponding amount of detail. The effect resembles that of SF art, perhaps suggesting an artificial intelligence at work.

Targelin
Triangles
This mosaic technique combines triangles of various sizes. Areas of emphasized focus are treated with a corresponding amount of detail. The effect resembles that of SF art, perhaps suggesting an artificial intelligence at work.

Patomis
Impasto
This oil painting effect resembles traditional impasto, a technique in which paint is applied straight from the tube. Blocks of color suggest the use of a palette knife. The background texture is emphasized, so rough canvas makes an effective material.

Ponit
Pointillism
Soft stippling, the technique of pointillism, results in a delicate watercolor rendering, not unlike that of the Impressionists.

Liks
Silk Screen
The stencil technique of silkscreen is especially good for contoured portraits of people and sharply defined landscapes. Smooth paper is a good choice as the background material.

Estpa
Collage
Impulsive black lines are sketched over a base comprised of pieces of colored paper or other background material. A good choice is canvas or wood as the orientation of the weave or grain results in a distinctive collage effect with a solid feel.

Illena
Drawing
The use of bold strokes and vivid inks creates abstract works expressing a lyrical beauty. Often the original subject is not easily recognizable owing to this dynamic approach.

Ira
Airbrush
Application of the Airbrush creates a soft effect with vivid colors, a photorealistic finish midway between a photograph and a painting. It is especially recommended for portraits. As a background material, smooth paper is suitable.

Edleen
Embroidery
This filter creates a relaxed effect with a nostalgic feel. Canvas textures are suggested for the background.

Gotchi
Gothic oil painting
The use of light and dark in this Gothic style creates a rich, heavy effect suggestive of medieval art. Canvas textures are suggested for the background.

Vufea
Fauvist oil painting
In the spirit of Fauvism, this filter produces bold effects, with boisterous rendering and intense colors. Subject matter is considerably deformed. Canvas textures are suggested for the background.

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Using Virtual Painter Part 1

Using Virtual Painter Part 1 (Standalone version)

Normal work flow:

1. Use the import commands to import the photograph that will form the basis of your painting.

2. Use the painting commands to select and apply the desired filter(s).

3. Use the export commands to store the finished painting.

Toolbar

The most frequently used commands can be found on the toolbar.

Input commands:

Open	...Opens graphic file

Open from Clipboard...Opens a file using the image stored in the clipboard

TWAIN	...Imports image from a TWAIN-compatible device, such as a scanner or digital camera

Painting commands:

Paint	...Displays the Filter dialog box

Undo	...Undoes the previous command

Export commands:

Print	...Prints image

Copy	...Copies image to the clipboard

Save As	...Saves the image file under a new name

Status Bar

A variety of useful information is displayed on the status bar (from left)

1. Name of the selected filter

2. Image size (in pixels)

3. Position and size (in pixels) of the current selection

4. Magnification (%)

Index

1.File operations

2.Importing from a scanner or digital camera

3.Display modes

4.Selecting and applying a filter

5.Making a selection, trimming and using the clipboard

6.Inserting text

7.Resizing an image

8.Printing

9.Batch processing

Menu Commands

1.File:

Open	...Opens image file. Compatible file formats are BMP, JPEG, PNG, and TIFF.

Open from Clipboard	...Opens a new window using the image in the clipboard.

Duplicate	...Copies and opens a file.

Save	...Saves an image file with the same name used when opening it

Save As	...Saves the image file under a new name. Compatible file formats are BMP, JPEG, PNG, TIFF.

Close	...Closes the currently open image file

Acquire	...Imports an image from a scanner, digital camera or other TWAIN device.

Select Source	...Selects a TWAIN device for input if more than one is connected to the computer.

Page Layout	...Determines how the image will be printed.

Print	...Outputs the current image to a printer.

Printerer Setup	...Selects a printer for output.

Batch	...Performs batch operations in the background on a group of selected files.

2.Edit:

Undo	...Undoes the previous command, restoring the image to its previous state.

Select All	...Cancels any current selection and selects everything.

Copy	...Copies the current selection to the clipboard.

Paste	...Pastes the image in the clipboard.

Trim	...Removes the area outside the current selection.

Resize	...Scales the current image to a new size, specified in pixels.

Text	...Inserts text into the current selection.

Rotate	...Rotate the current image.

3.View:

Actual Size	...Displays the image at 100% magnification.

Full	...Adjust magnification automatically so as to fit the entire image in the window.

Toolbar	...Displays/hides the toolbar.

Status bar	...Displays/hides the status bar.

Text bar	...Displays/hides the text bar.

4.Filter:

Paint	...Displays the Filter dialog box.

Direct Paint	...Applies the selected filter directly without the opening the dialog box.

Profile	...Explains the characteristics of each filter.

Paint from Scratch	...Automatically restores an image to its original state before further filter application.

5.Window:

New	...Opens a new window with the same image.

Cascade	...Displays all windows at 100% magnification in a cascade arrangement.

Tile	...Displays all windows in full in tile arrangement.

Resize	...Adjusts the window to fit the size of the image.

Close All	...Closes all windows.

Discard All	...Closes all windows and discards all images without saving.

When no image file is open, some of the above menu items do not appear.

Notes

For an explanation of the plug-in versions and the dialog boxes refer to Using Virtual Painter Part 2.

The screenshots are for Windows XP. Displays may look slightly different depending on your operating system and settings.

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How to use Virtual Painter

Using Virtual Painter Part 2  (Filter dialog box)

Select filter	...Make your choice of artist.

Select material	...Make your choice of background.

Adjust	...Fine-tune the painting technique.

OK	...Start painting.

Cancel	...Terminate without painting.

If you click Cancel during the painting process, painting will stop.

Help	...Display this Help file.

Resize dialog box:

Drag the edge of the box to freely resize it. Note that immediately after resizing you will find that VP takes longer to generate a display. If you want to avoid this delay, avoid resizing the window more than once since VP will return to normal speed from the next operation.After resizing, VP processing time will increase proportionately with any increase in window size, so be sure to take the performance of your computer into account when resizing the dialog box.

Appendix:

For the display of VP's dialog boxes, select "Virtual Painter" from the plug-in filter selection menu of your master application. For more information, refer to the user manual of the master application.

The screenshot shown here is for Windows XP; what you actually see on screen may differ slightly depending on your operating system and settings. For master applications that are not compatible with Windows XP Look & Feel, some of the buttons and other controls will appear in the Classic style.

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Select filter

All of the installed filters can be seen in the Preview display.

If you move the mouse cursor over any preview picture, the name of the filter is displayed.

Clicking on any preview picture, selects that filter.

Cancel	...Close window without selecting a filter.

Help	...Display this Help file.

Resize dialog box:

You can freely resize the box by dragging one edge of the window.

Clicking on the maximize button will expand the box to fill your screen, but since processing time increases with window size, be sure to take the performance of your computer into account when resizing the dialog box.

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Select material

Select the background texture for your painting from the following 12 materials:

Select a material by clicking on it.

Note that your choice of material is associated with the current filter and will only be used with that filter.

Paper (Smooth)	...Smooth paper

Paper (Medium)	...Textured paper

Paper (Rough)	...Rough paper

Washi	...Japanese handmade paper

Canvas (Fine)	...Fine-weave canvas

Canvas (Medium)	...Medium-weave canvas

Canvas (Rough)	...Rough canvas

Stucco (Smooth)	...Lightly applied stucco

Stucco (Rough)	...Thickly applied stucco

Stucco (Sand)	...Granular stucco

Wood	...Wooden board

Cork	...Corkboard

Each material has different characteristics - smoothness, color, permeability, etc. But since VP "paints" on top of these materials, the degree to which the characteristics of any particular material are visible in the finished painting depends on the filter used.

How fine the surface pattern of the material appears depends on the Print Size setting. If the data for a large painting is output at small dimensions, the material will appear to have a coarser surface pattern on screen but it will in fact be adjusted to the optimal value on paper.

The effect of a particular material is maximized when Material is set to Intense in the Adjust dialog box.

Print size:

Select target output size from the dropdown list.

VP creates paintings at the optimum resolution for the chosen output size.

If you intend to print on postcard-size paper, choose "Postcard".

If you intend to view the finished painting in screen, choose "Screen".

If you select "Master", the resolution will be whatever is set in the master application.

Under most circumstances, you will find that "Screen" is the best choice for output size.

Cancel	...Close window without selecting a material.

Help	...Display this Help file.

Resize dialog box:

You can freely resize the box by dragging one edge of the window.

Clicking on the maximize button will expand the box to fill your screen, but since processing time increases with window size, be sure to take the performance of your computer into account when resizing the dialog box.

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Filter adjustment

You can make the following adjustments to the way in which an individual VP filter is applied:

[Material]	...Degree of Background texture

[Rendering]	...Degree of rendering

[Colors]	...Degree of coloration

[Deformation]	...Degree of deformation

[Focus]	...Degree of differentiation between subject and background

You can choose from 3 degrees of expression:

[Intense]	...Free expression (more removed from the original photograph)

[Normal]	...Standard expression

[Subtle]	...Restrained expression (closer to the original photograph)

...Switch between Easy and Expert modes.
In Expert mode, slider controls allow you to make fine adjustments.

...Open filter settings file.
Load the data from a previously saved filter settings file.

...Save filter settings file.
Filter settings are saved in a file with a name of your choosing.
Opening this file effectively restores the filter settings.

OK	...Confirm filter settings.

Cancel	...Terminate without changing filter settings.

Help	...Display this Help file.

Note that filter settings are managed separately for each filter (i.e. they are only applied to the currently selected filter).

Identifying focus points:

VP automatically detects the principal subjects within the original photograph and sets one or more focus points accordingly.These areas are processed more finely than the rest of the picture.

However, you can if necessary identify your own focus points.

When you move the mouse cursor over the preview, the original photograph is displayed and the cursor changes to a pen shape. If you now trace completely around an important area of the image while pressing the left button of the mouse, an ellipse will be created when you release the button. The inside of this ellipse will be a focus point. You can add up to 8 such focus points, overlapping if necessary, and you can also adjust any focus point. By changing the shape of the cursor placed on an ellipse and dragging, you can perform the following operations:
...Move [image]...Enlarge/shrink [image]...Rotate

...To remove a focus point, move it outside the frame of the preview screen; when the cursor changes to a waste bin,release the mouse button.

As long as an ellipse roughly encircles an important part of the picture, that is good enough; there is no need to define the focus points precisely.

The effect of identifying focus points in this way is maximized when Focus is set to Intense in the Filter adjustment dialog box.

Note that if you process another image, these focus points are all deleted automatically.

Effect of focus points:

Manual focus points are a good idea for photographs that have little contrast or when you want to draw attention to a small but important detail near the edge of the photograph.

Note that the effect is not absolute but relative to the other parts of the picture, so creating more ellipses will not necessarily make that portion increasingly distinct.

In fact, it is best to avoid such attempts at over-emphasis as they can result in "muddying" the effect.

If the ellipsis shapes can be clearly seen in the final painting, then the effect is overdone.

You should therefore take especial care when overlapping ellipses in the same area.

Automatic saving of focus points:

All of the settings you make are stored with the respective filter and are automatically recalled when you next select that filter.

Focus points, however, apply only to the content of a particular photograph and are therefore not used when processing a different photograph.

Saving focus points in a file:

Focus points will be stored along with the other settings in a file when you choose Save Settings, but they are only applied if the same photograph is being processed.

Advice:

Focus points stored automatically with a filter or in a file are applied if the photograph is the same one that was being processed when the settings were originally saved.

However, there is a slight chance (approximately 1 in 4.2 billion) that they will be applied even if the photograph if different. If this should occur, simply clear all focus points before continuing with processing.

For the above reasons, unless you have a special purpose in mind, it is advisable to clear all focus points before saving your settings in a file.

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Troubleshooting

Difference between Preview and Painting:

A preview display is the result of simplified processing on a reduced version of the image; in appearance it can be quite different from the final result of the actual painting process.

To make the preview display more acutely reflect the finished painting, you can adjust the size of the dialog box to make the preview about the same size as the processed image.

Effect of focus points:

Manual focus points are a good idea for photographs that have little contrast or when you want to draw attention to a small but important detail near the edge of the photograph.

Note that the effect is not absolute but relative to the other parts of the picture, so creating more ellipses will not necessarily make that portion increasingly distinct.

In fact, it is best to avoid such attempts at over-emphasis as they can result in "muddying" the effect.

If the ellipsis shapes can be clearly seen in the final painting, then the effect is overdone.

You should therefore take especial care when overlapping ellipses in the same area.

Optimal image size:

Optimal processing by this software is limited to images with vertical and horizontal dimensions that fall within the range of 16-4000 pixels.

Images with dimensions outside this range will automatically be subject to enlargement or reduction by the software during internal processing.

This means that the processing of images larger than 4000 pixels (horizontally or vertically) will not result in any greater accuracy.

As explained on the following page, with images that are too large for the available memory (RAM) and hard disc space, processing can be extremely slow or even impossible. You are thus encouraged to avoid using such large images.

Memory requirements:

Image processing is typically memory-intensive, and the memory required by VP depends on the size (area in pixels) of the image being processed.

Even when processing compressed images, such as those in the JPEG format, the amount of memory required depends not on file size but on image size.

Therefore, avoid processing very large images that are likely to demand more memory or hard disk space than is available on your computer.

If the amount of memory required to process an image is greater than available memory, part of the hard disk will be used as virtual memory.

Virtual memory is slower than RAM so there may be a significant drop in processing speed. If the demand for memory exceeds even virtual memory then processing will not be possible.

Virtual memory is controlled by your Windows settings, but it typically employs unused space on drive c: of your computer.

Should there be insufficient space on your hard drive, VP will not be able to process multiple large images.

If possible, open only one or two images at the same time.

The amount of memory required by VP for processing can be calculated from the size of the image thus:

Memory (in bytes) = height (in pixels) x width (in pixels) x 10

Processing time:

VP processing time depends on image size (in pixels).

Thus, an image of 2x2 pixels will require four times what it takes for an image of 1x1 pixel in size, and an image of 3x3 pixels will take 9 times that figure.

Such calculations assume that all memory is accessed at the same speed.

In reality, larger images may require virtual memory, which is slower to access.

Users of Paint Shop Pro 4.2:

If you are using the plug-in version of Virtual Painter with Paint Shop Pro 4.2, make a selection of the image you want to process before activating the plug-in.

To select the target image you can either choose Select All from the Selections menu of Paint Shop Pro 4.2, or use the Ctrl-A shortcut.

If you attempt to run the plug-in without first selecting the target image, you will receive the following error message: "The plug-in module made an invalid request to Paint Shop Pro. The plug-in module will be terminated."

If this happens, click OK to close the dialog box, and start again.

This error will not adversely affect the operation of either Paint Shop Pro or Virtual Painter.

If you select the target image and activate the plug-in, but then click the Cancel button, you will receive the following error message: "The plug-in module returned an undefined error." Click OK to close the dialog box.

This error will not adversely affect the operation of either Paint Shop Pro or Virtual Painter.

Uninstall any older version or trial version:

Depending on your master application, the continued use of plug-ins from older or trial versions of VP can result in duplicated menus and possible confusion. For this reason, you should uninstall any older version or trial version.

*Important information for users of the standalone version:

After selecting part of an image and applying a filter to it, you then repeat the process with another selection, but the results of the previous operation are lost!

This happens when Paint from Scratch is active. Uncheck this feature to avoid the problem.

Take care when pasting an image or inserting text

After performing these operations, you should right-click on the image to access the popup menu and choose Confirm or Cancel.

Trouble when printing

If you have trouble printing after connecting a new printer to your computer, redo the Page Layout.

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Author

Taka Umemura
Born in Tokyo (1962), living in Yatsugatake, Japan.
Software Designer

2003, Virtual Painter v4 release (P&A)

2002, German Virtual Painter v3 release (JASC)

2001, English Virtual Painter v3 release (JASC)

2000, Virtual Painter Plus v3 release (P&A)

1999, Virtual Painter Plus v2 release (P&A)

1999, Genetic agent Typography@LiveCraft release (LiveCraft)

1997, Estampes French Virtual Painter release (WSKA)

1997, Virtual Painter v2 release (P&A)

1997, 5th Online Software Prize (Virtual Painter)

1994, Private exhibition: Painting with Computer (Triton College, Chicago)

1993, Digital Image Exhibition (Washington Art, Ginza, Tokyo)

1992, Art Art 92 (Sony Bldg., Ginza, Tokyo)

1992, Digital Image Exhibition (Washington Art, Ginza, Tokyo)

1992, Imagina 92 (Monte Carlo)

1991, Hi-Tech Art Exhibition (Matsuya Dept. Store, Ginza, Tokyo)

1991, Digital Image Exhibition (Washington Art, Ginza, Tokyo)

1990, 2nd Pixel CG Grand Prix

1989, 1st Pixel CG Grand Prix

1987, 4th Illustration "Choice" Award

http://www.livecraft.com

Umemura Taka Software Design, Inc.

We aim to foster a creative partnership between man and computer.

For details of our latest products, please drop by our web site.

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File Operations

Open/Save:

You can use BMP, JPEG, PNG and TIFF files. Choose the format using File Type in the dialog box.

BMP is the standard format for Windows. The JPEG format is used when there is a need to reduce file size through compression. Since it is possible to achieve considerable reduction in the size of an image file using the JPEG format, it is suited for use on the Internet. However, be aware that image compression results in lower picture quality. If you choose to save an image using the JPEG format, the JPEG dialog box will appear. Choose Quality: A value of 100 indicates the highest picture quality and the largest file size. A value of 20 indicates the lowest picture quality and   and the smallest file size.

PNG is another compressed format, but picture quality is not reduced. Note that Virtual Painter only supports full-color PNG.

TIFF is a file format compatible with Macintosh and other operating systems. Note that Virtual Painter only supports full-color TIFF.

The Save command will replace an older file with the current (edited) version. Use with caution since the overwritten file cannot be restored. To save an image under a new filename, use the Save As command.

Open Multiple Files Simultaneously:

When choosing files, it is possible to pick more than one from the same folder if you also use the Control and/or Shift keys. First, select one file in the usual way. Next, select a second file while simultaneously pressing the Shift key. You will see that both files and all of the files between them are now selected; that is, you have selected a range of files.

Alternatively, if you select a second file while pressing the Control key, you will see that both files are selected without including the intervening range. You can repeat this to add several files to the selection, one at a time.

Open a Single File in Multiple Windows:

It is possible to open several copies of the same file, but the filenames of the second and following copies are automatically appended with _Dup1, _Dup2, etc. to indicate they are duplicates.

Open from the Clipboard:

This opens a new file using the image data stored in the clipboard.

For example, after you have captured a screenshot by pressing the Print Screen key, this command allows you to easily import the captured image.

Duplicate:

Copies the content of the active window and creates a new file with the same data.

This is convenient, for example, when you want to apply different filters to duplicates of an image and then compare the results.

Caution:

This software cannot properly handle images that have less than 16 or more than 4,000 pixels in either the vertical or horizontal direction. An warning message will be displayed if you try to open such a file. You can then adjust the dimensions of the image before continuing with processing.

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TWAIN
Import from Scanner or Digital Camera

TWAIN32:

TWAIN32 is a widely accepted standard for importing images from a scanner or digital camera.

If your scanner and/or digital camera conform to this standard, you can use them with this software.

Install TWAIN32 Driver:

In order to use a TWAIN32-compatible device, you must install the TWAIN32 driver.

You should use the TWAIN32 driver supplied with the device and refer to the manual for instructions regarding how to install the driver. If the driver has already been installed, there is no need to reinstall it.

Select TWAIN Device:

Once the driver has been installed, you will find a list of those devices that support the TWAIN interface if you pick Select Source from the File menu. If there is more than one device listed, pick the one that you wish to use.

If only one such device is attached to the computer, or if you do not wish to change your selection, you can skip this command.

Import from TWAIN Device (Acquire):

This will bring up a dialog box for importing an image.

The software for this is supplied by the device manufacturer; therefore, the appearance of the dialog box and the controls it offers will vary depending on the device.

For instructions on using this dialog box, refer to the relevant manual supplied by the device manufacturer.

Caution:

This software cannot properly handle images that have less than 16 or more than 4,000 pixels in either the vertical or horizontal direction. An warning message will be displayed if you try to open such a file. You can then adjust the dimensions of the image before continuing with processing.

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View, Window

View Menu

Display Modes:

There are two display modes available: Actual Size and Full.

Actual Size displays an image at 100% magnification. If the image is larger than the window, scroll bars will appear.

Full magnifies or reduces the image so that it will all fit within the window.

Depending on the degree of magnification/reduction, image details may appear indistinct.

Choose Actual Size if you want to see details clearly, and switch to Full if you want to see the entire image without scrolling.

You can select the display mode for each window independently from the View menu.

The current display mode and magnification ratio are shown on the status bar.

Toolbar, Status Bar, Text Bar:

You can choose to display or hide each one of these bars.

It is recommended that you normally display the toolbar and status bar, but keep the text bar hidden until you want to insert some text.

If you drag the blank area around the toolbar buttons, you can move it to somewhere else on the screen. And if you move it just above, below, left or right of a new window, it will dock with the window.

Note that there is no docking function available for the status bar and text bar.

Window Menu

New:

This opens a new window for the current image.

Cascade, Tile:

When multiple windows are open, they can be arranged or aligned with these commands.

If you pick Cascade, all windows are set to the Actual Size display mode and arranged in an overlapping formation.

If you pick Tile, all windows are set to the Full display mode and aligned on screen without overlapping.

When you want to compare the contents of all windows, choose Tile.

When you want to examine the contents of each window, one at a time, choose Cascade.

Resize:

When the display mode is Actual Size, this adjusts the size of the window to fit the size of the image.

However, the window cannot be made larger than the main (parent) window.

When the display mode is Full, this command removes the empty space around the image.

Close All, Discard All:

All open windows are closed.If you choose Close All, you will be given an opportunity to save the content of any window that has been newly edited, but if you choose Discard All there is no such opportunity.

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Selecting & Applying Filters

Paint:

This displays the Filter dialog box. For instructions on how to use this dialog box, refer to Using Virtual Painter Part 2.

Direct Paint:

This command applies the selected filter directly without displaying the dialog box.

However, the filter settings used will be the same as those used the last time that particular filter was applied.

Direct Paint (Select):

There are 16 individual "virtual painters" (filters) provided with this software.

If you want to know the characteristics of any filter, refer to its profile.

Profile:

This displays a list of the available filters together with their characteristics.

Paint from Scratch:

When this option is active, the image will be automatically restored to its original state before the selected filter is applied.

When not active, the effect of applying multiple filters will be cumulative.

For example, if after applying filter A to a photograph, you want to then apply filter B to the original photograph, discarding the results of filter A, Paint from Scratch will automatically ensure that the photograph is first restored to its previous state before filter B is applied.

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Making a Selection
Making a Selection, Trimming & Using the Clipboard

Making a Selection:

To make a selection is to specify one part of an image by enclosing it in a rectangular marquee.

This is required for trimming, copying, pasting, inserting text, and applying a filter to only one part of an image.

By dragging the mouse pointer, you can indicate that part of the image you want to select.

To change the selected area, either place the mouse pointer in the center of the selection (to move it), or on one edge or corner (to increase or decrease its size); when the pointer changes shape, as illustrated, drag in the appropriate direction.

In order to deselect a previous selection, choose Select All from the Edit menu or click on the image itself.

In Virtual Painter, selecting all of an image is the same as making no selection.

If you press the Shift key while dragging, you can enlarge or reduce the size of the selection without changing the aspect ratio.

When working with multiple windows, if you resize a selection while pressing the Control key, the selection will be set to the same size as that set for the previous window. This feature is convenient if you are inserting text and want to create selections of the same size in two or more windows.

The position and dimensions of the selection are shown on the status bar.

Trim:

With this command you can trim away unwanted portions of a photograph.

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Make a selection of the portion you want to keep and choose Trim from the Edit menu to remove everything outside the selected area.

Copy to Clipboard:

If you choose Copy from the Edit menu, the image within the selected area is copied to the clipboard.

You can then paste the copied image into other applications as well as into Virtual Painter.

Paste from Clipboard:

If you choose Paste from the Edit menu, you can paste the image stored in the clipboard.

The pasted image should be moved into the desired position using the same technique used when changing the size/position of a selection.

When you have decided on the right position for pasting, right-click on the image to display a popup menu; choose Confirm or Cancel. If you pick Confirm, the paste operation will be completed. Until it is completed, moving and resizing are possible since the pasted image data has not yet been written to file. If neither Confirm nor Cancel is chosen, you cannot apply a filter, so after pasting you should execute one or other of these commands as soon as possible.

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Text

Text Bar

Choosing Text Bar from the View menu (a check mark shows it is active) reveals the text bar, as illustrated.

With the text bar you can freely enter text strings of up to 256 characters. However, you cannot input more than one line of text.

Text color and font appear below the box provided for inputting text. Clicking the button on which the font name is displayed brings up the Font Selection dialog box. You can use this to change the font and color used for the text.

Apart from font size, you can change any of the settings in  the Font Selection dialog box.

Text size is adjusted automatically to match the size of the selection.

Emboss adds an embossed effect to the text, making it look three-dimensional.

Shadow adds a shadow effect.

Transparent makes the text look semi-transparent.

Note that the text bar is just used for editing settings. For actually inserting text refer to the following instructions.

Text

Choose Text from the Edit menu to insert the text displayed on the text bar into the image selection.

When you move or resize a selection, the text is adjusted accordingly.

If you want to edit the text string, display the text bar and make the desired changes.

Once you have decided on the position for the text string, right-click on the image and from the popup menu that appears choose Confirm or Cancel. If you pick Confirm, the text input operation will be completed. Until it is completed, moving and resizing are possible since the text data has not yet been written to the image file. If neither Confirm nor Cancel is chosen, you cannot apply a filter, so after inscribing text you should execute one or other of these commands as soon as possible.

Note that the text will always appear in its standard form (neither expanded nor contracted), so there may be blank spaces inside in the selected area.

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Resizing

An image can be freely resized by increasing or decreasing the number of pixels.

When Maintain Aspect Ratio is checked, however, and you alter either the width or height of an image, the other dimension is automatically resized in proportion so as to maintain the original aspect ratio. This prevents distortion of a picture.

Recall:

A useful feature when you need to perform repeated resizing operations using the same dimensions is Recall.

This applies the previously used dimensions, which are stored in memory.

If "400 x ?" is displayed in the list, this means that the width will be 400 pixels, with the height being adjusted proportionately.

File Size:

The new size of a file (in bytes) following resizing is displayed.

When increasing the size of a picture, take care not to increase it by too much.

When to Resize:

When resizing a picture that has already been processed by Virtual Painter, it is possible to lose some of the more subtle rendering. It is generally recommended that, if you need to resize an image, you do it before applying a filter.

However, in the case of a filter such as Vufea that results in intense deformation, depending on the size of the original image, the individual elements can be of quite a different shape. If you consider this to be a problem, please resize after filter application.

Caution:

Image resizing of both width and height is limited to between 16 and 4,000 pixels.

Also, if the size of an image is increased too much, Virtual Painter may not be able to process it. For more information refer to Troubleshooting.

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Print Page Layout

You can specify a layout for printing and also make use of a print preview function.

You decide how an image will be positioned on the paper.

Actual printing is initiated with the Print command in the File menu.

This dialog box allows detailed positioning of the image, but provided here are simple instructions to follow for common operations.

* To print a single image at a large size:

Under Block select Max. Size.

If Offset is checked, click it to deselect.

If Repeat is checked, click it to deselect.

Click OK.

* To print a single image at a custom size:

Under Block select Custom Size and Centered.

Click the boxes underneath and enter the width and height values.

If Offset is checked, click it to deselect.

If Repeat is checked, click it to deselect.

Click OK.

* To print multiple images (for labels etc.):

First, decide on the size of your labels and their position on the paper.

If using paper sold especially for labels, you should be able to refer to the manufacturer's instructions for help.

Under Block select Custom Size and Centered.

Click the boxes underneath and enter the label width and height.

If Offset is not checked, click it to select.

The two offset values (horizontal and vertical) determine where printing will start, relative to a point near the upper left corner of the paper that depends on what printer you are using, etc. If you do not know what values to enter, print a test page and then adjust the values in the two boxes accordingly to ensure that printing will start from the desired position on the page.

If Repeat is not checked, click it to select. Select how many times you want the label to be repeated on the page, horizontally and vertically. Enter values for the desired spacing between labels.

When setting up for a complex printing job like this, it is a good idea to select Save (to file) so as to be able to recall your settings at a later date.

Click OK.

Error Message:

An error message may appear, explaining that the specified print area exceeds the available area on the paper.

If this happens, reduce the number of times to repeat the label or reduce the label size under Block so that everything will fit on the page.

Dialog Box Details:

The dimensions given under Paper at the top of the dialog box represent the maximum area available for printing.

There are mechanical limitations inherent in a printer that determine the area of the paper that can be printed on, so these dimensions displayed in the dialog box are smaller than the actual size of the paper.

Block refers to the printing area reserved for one image.

If you choose Max. Size, the Block dimensions are set to the maximum area available for printing on the selected paper.

If you choose Custom Size, the Block dimensions are set to the values you input.

If you choose Maintain Aspect Ratio, then inputting a value for width will result in the height value being calculated automatically, and vice versa.

If a single image does not completely fill the space available (Block dimensions), there will be a blank space. You can decide on the relative placement of this blank space with the Centered, Flush Left and Flush Right settings.

Selecting Fill will stretch the image in both directions so that it fills the entire Block, without regard to the original aspect ratio.

Offset specifies the position of the first Block relative to the upper left corner of the paper. If it is not checked, there is no offset and the Block is automatically centered.

Repeat specifies how many times the Block is to be repeated on the page, horizontally and vertically. When not checked, the Block is printed just once.

Spacing refers to the clearance between repeated images; it is only active when Repeat is checked.

The Open and Save commands refer to the page layout files in which you can store the settings for a complex print job for later recall. Opening such a file, restores all its settings.

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Batch Processing

The Batch Processing feature of Virtual Painter allows you to apply selected filters to a selected group of image files in serial fashion and without further intervention.

This is a powerful feature when you need to process a large number of image files, but it is more suited to those with experience. Caution must be exercised when setting up a batch job for a large group of files.

The instructions are somewhat complex and it is recommended that you first become familiar with your computer and the Virtual Painter software before attempting to use this feature.

Instructions

Decide on what files to open, what filter to apply, and how to save the resulting files.

* File Selection (Add to file list):

Choose either New or Add from the File menu in the dialog box, and select the image files (one or more) that you want to process. The selected files will appear in the file list.

* Filter Selection:

Choose the desired filter (one or more) from the list provided. This will be applied to all of the files already selected (highlighted) in the file list on the left.

* Adjustments Selection:

Choosing filter adjustments is optional. If these have been saved in a file, you can apply them by specifying the file.

If you do not want to specify filter adjustments, leave the Adjust box empty. In this case, the filter adjustments used for batch processing will be the same as those used the last time that particular filter was applied.

Choose either New or Add from the Adjust menu, and pick the filter adjust file (one or more).

The selected filter adjustments file will appear in the list on the right.

These settings will be applied to all of the filters already selected (highlighted) in the filter list in the middle.

* Refining Your Selection:

When choosing filters or filter adjust, pay careful attention to the list box on the immediate left. This is because the filter or filter adjust you pick will be applied to everything highlighted in the list on the left.

If you want to check on how any single file will be processed, select (highlight) it from the file list. You will then be able to see what filter and what filter adjust are queued for that file from the two other lists.

Note that if you select (highlight) more than one file, all of the filters and filter adjust queued for those files will be displayed at the same time.

You can right-click in any list to access the popup menu to add or remove an item.

* Alert on Completion:

If this is checked, when all batch processing has been completed you will be alerted with a beep.

* Process in Background:

Check this if you want batch processing to be performed in the background.

Virtual Painter will be reduced to an icon on the task bar, and you will be free to run other applications.

However, when using other software take care not to edit any of the files that will be used for the batch job.

*Save Output:

If this is checked, the output of the batch processing will be saved as files in the folder you select for the purpose.

The filenames will be identical to those of the original files. However, if there is already a file of the same name in the folder, Virtual Painter will append _Dup1, _Dup2 etc. to the new filename, so as to prevent the overwriting of existing files.

The output folder to be used for saving these files can either be designated by clicking on the button and selecting, or by directly inputting the name of the folder.

The box to the right allows you to select what format you want the files to be saved in. An asterisk (.*) denotes the same format as the original file.

If you choose .BMP, .JPG, .TIF or .PNG, that is the format that will be used for saving the results of the batch job, irrespective of the formats of the original files.

You can specify the degree of compression to be used when saving JPEG files; this determines image quality. 100 represents maximum quality and maximum size.

* Close Files after Saving:

Check this if you want the files to be closed, as soon as each one has been processed.

Doing this enables the processing of a large number of files without putting a burden on your computer�fs memory.

* Save Batch Settings:

Choose Save As from the Batch Settings menu to save all of the settings specified for the current batch job in a file for later recall. Choose Open to restore these settings.

Summary, Guidance & Schedule:

When you click on OK, you will be presented with a detailed summary of the batch job together with guidance and a schedule.

Read the summary and guidance. If you think there may be a problem, click Cancel and revise the settings accordingly.

You should treat the guidance as merely an aid. You must yourself have a clear awareness of how many files will be processed, how large they are, and where the output will be saved.

If there appears to be no problem, click Start. Batch processing will then commence.

Aborting a Batch Job:

After initiating batch processing, if you decide to stop it before completion, follow these steps:

1. If the batch job is being performed in the foreground, click the Cancel button on the dialog box.

2. If the batch job is being performed in the background, first click on the Virtual Painter 4 icon on the task bar. After a pause, the Virtual Painter window will appear on screen; when it does, press the Escape key.

In either of these cases, the software will not respond immediately, so after performing the required actions please be patient.

Caution:

Before opening a large number of files and/or files of exceptional size, check on how much memory (RAM and virtual memory) is available on your computer. If the batch job requires much more memory than is available, the processing will be noticeably slower; in some cases it may not actually be possible to continue processing. When using the batch processing feature for the first time, it is recommended that you try it out using a few files of small size to monitor the computer's performance. If there is no problem, you can proceed to batch processing with larger groups and larger files.

Appendix:

Various types of information are shown on the status bar at the bottom of the dialog box.

If you place the mouse pointer above a list item, details on that item will be displayed on the status bar.

Otherwise, the status bar will inform you of the number of input files, the number of output files and their combined size.

If you have specified multiple filters and/or settings for any one input file, there will be more output files than input files.

Combined Size calculates the total size (in bytes) of all the output files. However, in the case of JPEG files, the uncompressed sizes are added to the total.

The time required to perform the batch job is roughly proportional to the combined size. Also, the amount of memory needed by Virtual Painter if all of the files are open is approximately three times this value.

Limitations:

Batch processing cannot be performed on images that have less than 16 or more than 4,000 pixels in either the vertical or horizontal direction.

Max. number of input files:	256

Max. number of output files:	512

Max. number of filter setting files:	32 (per filter)

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Index

Virtual Painter 4
Trial version: You can create up to 32 paintings.

What is Virtual Painter ?

Contents of this software package

Conditions of Use (License)

Instructions Part1 (Standalone version)

Instructions Part2 (Filter dialog box)

The Virtual Painters

Support

Troubleshooting

http://www.pandasw.com

http://www.livecraft.com
Virtual Painter is LiveCraft brand software produced by Umemura Taka Software Design, Inc.

Copyright (c) 1995-2004 Umemura Taka Software Design, Inc.
All rights reserved.


What is Virtual Painter ?

Virtual Painter (VP) is software that creates digital paintings based on photographs supplied by you. There is no need for you to "paint" the pictures - that's the job of the "virtual painters" (filters).

All you have to do is supply them with the materials and then set them to work.

You will be surprised how easy it is to get VP to create paintings. But the resulting pictures, based on your materials, are all originals. These unique paintings come about as a result of the interaction between your photographs and the VP filters.

VP is not a painting tool that you must master to create your own works of art. Rather, the filters it offers are like agents, virtual artists who have their own characteristic techniques and methods. You can preview their art and even request a few changes, but you can leave the hard work to them. Sit back and watch them paint. You're sure to be pleasantly surprised, time after time.

Happy virtual painting!

Special thanks to:

Ted & Maxine Smart

Patrick & Akiko Hochner

Kouichi Okuno

Rieko Nakamura

Toshihiro Anzai

Isao Maruoka

Jun Sato

Youichi Imamura

Masayoshi Maki & Yoshiko Fujiwara

Say Soukei

John Morry

Hiromi Umemura

for their help and assistance in the development of this software.

Author

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Contents of this software package

With this software package you receive both the standard (standalone) version and the plug-in versions of Virtual Painter 4.

The plug-in versions add Virtual Painter functions to other graphics programs.

To use a plug-in version you separately purchase a compatible master application.

If you only intend to use the standard version, you can ignore all explanations provided for the plug-in versions.

Using both standard and plug-in versions

It is possible to use both standard and plug-in versions.

On the CD-ROM you will find everything required for installing both the standard and plug-in versions.

At a later date, you can always add a required component using the installation process.

User Manual

This User Manual is divided into two sections: Using Virtual Painter Part 1 and Using Virtual Painter Part 2.

Part 1 covers the standard version (master application). The plug-in versions are not mentioned.

Part 2 covers the dialog boxes. These are the same for both standard and plug-in versions.

Master application

Two types of plug-in version are provided: one is for Adobe Photoshop and related programs, while the other is for Pixia.

The Photoshop plug-in version functions as a set of plug-in filters within the master application, which must conform to the Photoshop plug-in standard. You can use it with the following applications:

Paint Shop Pro 4 and above

Expression 3 and above

Adobe Photoshop 3.05 and above

Adobe Photoshop Elements

The Pixia plug-in version operates as a set of Pixia plug-in filters.

(Pixia is a powerful graphics program made by Isao Maruoka.)

Please note that in some cases a Virtual Painter plug-in version will not function with certain versions of the master application.

Those company names, product names and logos used here are the trade names, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners in one or more countries.

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Conditions of Use (License)

Caution

The pictures created with this software are your own works and may be used to freely by you. Publication, sale, etc. of these works is entirely at your discretion. However, this may not be the case if the photograph on which you base a painting is the copyrighted work of someone else or if it infringes a person's privacy/publicity (portrait) rights. If you use a photograph taken by somebody else and/or of somebody else, ensure that you are not infringing any copyright (usually the photographer's) or the portrait rights of the subject. While it is true that famous or public figures who seek recognition may have thereby surrendered some privacy, they may have the right to control the commercial use of their likeness.

Click on the following link for complete details on the End User License agreement:

http://www.vpainter.com/eula

Copyrights, trademarks

Copyright (c) 1995-2004 Umemura Taka Software Design, Inc. All rights reserved.

Virtual Painter is LiveCraft brand software.

LiveCraft is a registered trademark of Umemura Taka Software Design, Inc. in the USA and Japan.

Reverse engineering of this software is expressly forbidden.

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Support

Contact Method  Address or Number

E-mail	support@vpainter.com

Website	http://www.vpainter.com/support/

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