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<< 3.2 Tools Panel >>
The Tools panel provides items to execute the "Colourization" operations on the image. When a particular tool is selected, the options relevant to that tool are brought up to the right of the tool buttons. Following is a description of each of the tools, and the associated options.
Selection Tool
Click on the button, then drag on the image holding down the left mouse button to draw a rectangular region; let go of the left mouse button to stop drawing. The area enclosed by the resulting rectangle may be used in two ways: first, to zoom in/ out, using the "Zoom" button on the image window;second, to act as the bounding (limiting) area for the "Select Paint" or the "Magic Paint" tools. In either case, the rectangle itself disappears after one of these operations is carried out, or the image is "clicked" next.
Smart
Paint-brush Tool
Selects the "Smart Paint-brush" tool as the current colouring tool, and brings out the corresponding options. In its default state, the Paint Brush may be operated just like any other brush in a 'paint' program: by dragging the cursor over the image, with the left mouse button held down. During the time the left mouse button is held down (drag mode) while over the image, the mouse cursor turns to circle or rectangle outline, and the area within this outline is coloured as per the currently selected BlackMagic palette or colour. Moving the mouse in 'drag mode' colours all areas that mouse passes over; to temporarily stop colouring and locate the brush to a new position, let go of the left mouse button, then move the cursor to the new origin.
Refering to the above image, "Width" and "Height" of the brush head may be varied by changing the values in edit boxes labeled 'X' & 'Y' respectively. A "Check" in the checkbox labeled 'Rounded' makes the brush head shape eliptical, while in "Un-Checked" state, the head assumes a 'rectangular' shape. Where you first click the left mouse button (begin dragging the brush), becomes the reference point; attributes of the image pixels at/ around this point form the basis of which pixels are subsequently colourized, and which are left un-done, in any one drag operation (until the left mouse button comes up). When the value in edit box labeled "Selectivity is 255, all pixels are colourized; as the value goes down, the brush becomes more and more selective. This feature gives you more freedom in moving the brush to colour similar areas, without inadvertently 'spilling' colours into the surrounds.
In its default state, the "Layered" checkbox is 'un-checked' (see insert above) - any previous colours in the path of the brush is over-written by the new colours. Having the "Layered" box 'checked' will layer the current palette on top of previously rendered colours; this is useful in modifying the default colour tones rendered by a palette, while preserving the benefits of Neural Net controlled auto parameterization (for example, if the 'skin tones' appear too 'red', you may layer these with a 'blue' hue based palette such as "Sky"). To control the 'extent' or the strength of colours rendered by subsequent layers, you may use the "Pressure" tool from the Image Window to reduce or increase the brush pressure.
Select Paint Tool
Works the same as the "Selection Tool" described above; except, the area selected is immediately rendered using the current palette. Couple of options as in the image below let you change the behaviour of how the colours are rendered within the selected area.
If "Overwrite" is 'checked' while "Layered" is 'un-checked', any previous colour rendering within the selected area gets overwritten by the current palette; if "Overwrite" and "Layered' are both 'checked', the current palette rendering is layered on top of any existing colours; if neither is checked, any part of the selection that has previously been rendered, is left intact, while the uncoloured areas are rendered in the current palette.
Magic Touch-paint Tool
When you want to colourize all areas in an image automatically that have similar (and distinct in relation to other areas) colour characteristics, this is the tool to use. Select the tool, then click on the most 'unique' point (in terms of colour characteristics) of the area(s) that you wish to render (e.g. the sky). You will see the matching areas gradually transformed as per the current palette. While the operation is continuing, a dialog box gives the option to abort this rendering process. The operation is complete once this dialog disappears.
If you draw a bounding rectangular region prior to executing this tool, the colourization will be limited to within the bounds of the selected region.
The behaviour of this tool may be modified through options shown in the images below.
Note for the above the 'layered' mode: All editions of BlackMagic support unlimited number of anonymous colour layers; these are created by using the "Layered" option on the main program screen (see the reference section for details). Whenever this option checkbox is checked, and you apply colours to an image, the colours are 'layered' or mixed with/ on top of the colours that may have previously been rendered in BlackMagic (current editing session). When you release the left mouse button (stop dragging) during a coloring operation, it automatically signals the end of current layer FOR THAT SPECIFIC PART OF THE IMAGE, and any subsequent colouring on top will start a new layer. If however, the 'Layered' option is un-checked, it will treat the areas of the image during that coloring operation as 'fresh' and overwrite ALL previous layers. This allows the user the flexibility to get a specific desired effect. For example, you could 'layer' a particular shade of or red on top of a particular shade of yellow to get a desired shade of orange - or achieve a 'colour merge' effect - or alternately render the specific area as a fresh palette. Currently, editing of individual layers seperately is not supported, but will be in a future release.
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Integeration specifies how 'selective' the criteria for 'similar regions is; the default of 52 provides a good value to start with; increasing it will colour more-and-more dissimilar areas, while decreasing this value will make the selection criteria more stringent.
The "Layered" option work with this tool, just as with the "Select Paint" tool described above.
Eraser Tool
This tool works in conjunction with any one of the other tools described above; rather than render a colour, it selectively removes ALL layers of colours from the applicable region.
For example, selecting the eraser along with the "Smart Brush" tool will restore the original image wherever the brush tool is dragged; using it in conjunction with the "Select Paint" tool, you can restore the whole image to its original state by selecting the entire image, or a part thereof.
Note: All the above tools must be used in conjunction with one of the BlackMagic Palette/ Colour Category selections. For more on these, please refer to the section pertaining to "Colour/ Palette Selection Menu" .
System-ID
This window shows your BlackMagic System-ID; you may need to quote this for certain types of BlackMagic licenses.
Enter KEY
Click on this button to access the License/ Registration KEY entry dialog; it brings up a screen that provides fields to enter information, in order to validate your BlackMagic license. You could for example do this to remove trial restrictions after you have purchased a license, or to Upgrade from one program license type to another.
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