Welcome To Photo Pos Pro
Overview
Tutorial
    *isolate a certain part in the image (Crop)
    *Removing an unwanted object (Clone Brush)
    *Removing "Red Eye"
    *Creating a Greeting Card
    *Replacing an Image Background
    *Creating a Button (using GIF with transparent background)
    *Creating Outlined Text Effects
    *Creating 3D Text Effects

Welcome To Photo Pos Pro

Welcome to the guide of  Photo Pos Pro. This Guide has been written with the purpose of guiding you through the program and helping you benefit the most out of the program, as well. If you are an inexperienced user (beginner), who knows how to work with common programs working under the Windows Operating System, you can easily begin to work the program, intuitively without any worries. This help system will guide you step by step into the wonderful world of Digital Image Enhancing. Using the guide, you can turn form a beginner to an experienced user (in no time at all!). If you are an experienced user you will surely be amazed to discover the infinite possibilities which the software offers in the fields of Digital Image Enhancing and Computer Graphics. In this guide, you will find all that you need to productively employ the program.

Overview

If you have no prior experience in digital image editing, then you have reached the right place. This chapter will present to you, in step by step fashion, the basis to digital image processing and will help you enter effortlessly into the wonderful world of digital image editing. With the program you can edit existing images as well as create new images, illustrations and drawings from scratch. In order to get the most out of the program, you must become acquainted with the user interface. The program's user interface is a standard user interface common to programs working in the Windows environment. The interface contains menus, pop-up menus, toolbars, dialog boxes, work windows and more. The program has primary work states:

1. Reduced State - The state in which the program is loaded. In this state, there are no images opened on the screen; the toolbox, toolbars and Layers window are not available and only a limited number of menus are displayed.
   
   
   
   
2. Work State - The state in which the program is in most of the time. This is the state in which an image is open and active in the program window. This state includes all of the options which the reduced state has plus many more options. In this state, many diverse menus are displayed; the toolbox, toolbars and Layer window all become active and available. The program alternates from reduced state to work state automatically.
   
   
   
   

Here is a short detail of the program's interface:

1. Menus - The menus contain most of the program's functions and are used to activate them.
2. Shortcuts Toolbar - A toolbar containing shortcuts for the common operations from the menus.
3. Tools Toolbar - A toolbar containing many editing and image editing tools which is also used to activate them.
4. Colors Panel - The Colors Panel contains the following elements:
   1. Fore Color - One of two main colors used by many tools in the program. The fore color box can be found at the top of the colors panel on the left. To select a new fore color, click on the fore color box and choose a new color. Another option to choosing a new fore color is by clicking the left button of the mouse on the desired color in the colors box.
   2. Back Color - One of two main colors used by many tools in the program. The back color box can be found at the top of the colors panel on the right. To select a new back color, click on the back color box and choose a new color. Another option to choosing a new back color is by clicking the right button of the mouse on the desired color in the colors box.
   3. A Color Representation - A color representation in the RGB format
   4. A Color Representation - A color representation in the hex format used for web pages.
   5. Colors Box - The colors box is located in the center of the color panel. The colors box is used primarily for selecting fore and back colors. To select a new fore/back color, position the mouse pointer on the desired color in the colors box and press left click for fore color or right click for back color.
   6. Texture Box, Pattern Box & Gradient Box - contains the Texture/ Pattern/ Gradient with which the editing tools and image editing functions will make use (if selected). In order to select a Texture/ Pattern/ Gradient, you must click the desired box.

1. Basic Operations in Image Files - In this chapter you will learn about opening and saving image files, creating new images from scratch, browsing images and more.
2. The Basics of Image Editing - In this chapter you will learn about the most basic and common operations in the field of image editing that will enable you to perform common editing and repairing operations of images.
3. The Basics of Selection - In this chapter you will learn about a central theme in this program called Selection. Through the selections you can reach a very high degree of control over your operations.
4. Effects - The image editing program contains many diverse effects. In this chapter you will learn how to use most of them.
5. Advanced Image Editing - This chapter reviews and encompasses all the image editing capabilities of the program and contains many sub-chapters.
6. Broaden the Capacity of the Program Yourselves - This is a very important chapter where you will learn how to broaden the capacity of the program yourselves! In this chapter you will learn about curves (graphs) customized filters and scripts.
7. Additional Information - The help guide contains additional information on many issues (such as printing and scanning images, working with many files - Batch Operations, Scripts and more). In order to find information on subjects which were not mentioned here, please look at the help guide or perform a search for the subject of interest.

Tutorial - isolate a certain part in the image (Crop)

Issue: Isolating a specific part of the image.(figure no. 1)


figure no.1

To isolate a specific part of the image and clear the rest, simply follow these steps:

1. Open the desired picture - (Click on File -> Open menu or Ctrl+O, figure no.2)
   
   
   figure no. 2
   
   
2. From the Tools toolbar choose the Crop tool - 
3. Using the Crop tool, select the desired area (the area you wish to isolate). To do this, left click and hold the mouse button on the upper left of the desired area. Then move the mouse to the bottom right of the desired area and release the button (see figure no. 3) 
   
   
     figure no. 3
   
   
4. [Optional]: After you have performed a selection and you wish to change/move it, point on its border with the mouse and, pressing the mouse's left button drag/move it to the desired spot
5. To finish to press Enter/Double Click, this will isolate the selected area, clear away the rest of the image and complete the crop operation (figure no. 4)
6. We advise saving the cropped image by a different name.
   
   
   figure no. 4
   

Tutorial - Removing an unwanted object (Clone Brush)

Issue: Removing an unwanted object from an image using the Clone Brush tool (figure no. 1)


figure no.1

To remove an unwanted object from an image, simply follow these steps:

1. Open the desired picture - (Click on File -> Open menu or Ctrl+O, figure no.2)
   
   
   figure no. 2
   
   
2. From the Tools toolbar, choose the Clone Brush tool - 
3. The principle of removing an unwanted object is simple - you have to choose a part of the image that is similar to the object's background (usually near the unwanted object). Using the clone brush cover the unwanted object with this similar background. RIGHT click the mouse button on a part of the image, which is similar to the unwanted object's background. Now move the mouse pointer to the unwanted object area, then left click the mouse button. While holding the button, "rub" the unwanted object area, until the object vanishes (figure no.3).
   
   
   figure no. 3
   
   * If you wish to clone from a new background, simply RIGHT click the mouse button over the new location.
   * You can control the size/opacity (and much more) of the clone brush using the tool's properties window. To view the tool's properties window press F2
4. Repeat step 3, each time from a new background cloning location, until the entire object vanishes. (figure no. 4)
   
   
   figure no. 4
   

Tutorial - Removing "Red Eye"

Issue: Removing "Red Eye" from a picture (figure no.1)


figure no.1

To remove "Red Eye" from a picture simply follow these steps:

1. Open the desired picture - (Click on File -> Open menu or Ctrl+O, figure no.2)
   
   
   figure no.2
   
   
2. From the upper Shortcuts Toolbar choose the "Red Eye Reduction" tool - 
3. [Optional] Press F2 to view the tool's properties dialog box. (figure no.3)
   
   
   figure no.3
   
   
4. Now, point the mouse to the red eye area and "rub" it (do it by pointing the mouse to the eye area, click and old the left button and move the mouse over the eye area - figure no.4)
   
   
   figure no.4
   
   
5. You can control the intensity of the tool using the Intensity control in the tool's properties dialog box.
   
   
   figure no.5
   

Tutorial - Creating a Greeting Card

Issue: Creating a Greeting Card for new years day (figure no. 1).


figure no.1

To create greeting cards simply follow these steps:

1. Open the theme backgrounds window (Do this by clicking the  icon on the Shortcuts toolbar or Click on File -> Browse Theme Backgrounds? menu). Select the Flowers tab. Select the DSC_1039.jpg background and press Load Background. A new copy of the background will be exported to the editor. (Figure no. 2).
   
   
   figure no. 2
   
   
2. Select Effects -> Frames & Theme Backgrounds -> Add Frame (Mask Type)? menu and open the Add Frame window. From the Add Frame window select the frame named Paper1.jpg and click OK. The frame will be applied to the entire picture (figure no. 3). 
   
   
     figure no. 3
   
   
3. Click the Gradient frame (appears on the bottom of the right-hand bar ) to open the custom gradient window. Select the gradient ButtonStyleBrown.grd from the list and click OK.
4. Choose the Text Over Path tool -  and press F2 to view it's properties. Select the Wave option from the Path Type drop down list (figure 4.).
   
   
   figure no. 4
   
   
5. Left click on the center of the image. Hold down the left mouse button. Move the mouse to the right and draw a wave shaped path (figure 5.). Release the mouse button. The Add Text window will pop up. 
   
   
     figure no. 5
   
   
6. Click the Editor Tab. Select the Arial font with a size of 20. Choose Bold. Choose one of the Color Transitioned buttons. Type "Happy New Year!" in the text box (figure 6.) and press OK (figure 7.). 
   
   
     figure no. 6 
   
   
     figure no. 7
   
   
7. Select the Effects -> More -> 3D menu. The 3D Effect dialog box will open. Set the Light slider to 90% (figure no. 8). Click "OK" to finish.
   
   
   figure no. 8
   
   
8. Select the Effects -> More -> Bump Map (Emboss)? menu. The Emboss effect dialog box will open. Select the Advanced button and set the dialog box values as shown in figure 9. Press OK to Finish.
   
   
   figure no. 9
   
   
9. Select the Effects -> Light -> Shadow menu. The Shadow Effect dialog box will open. Leave the default values and click OK.
10. Left click the floating text and drag it to the desired place. Press Enter to finish and fix the text (figure no. 10).
    
    
    figure no. 10
    
    
11. [Optional]: If you wish to send the greeting card by e-mail, we advise to resize and decrease the size of the image. Click Ctrl + w (or Image -> Resize... menu). The resize function window will open. Select a width of 400 and click OK.
12. Finally, we add a black border to the image. Press Ctrl + b (or Image -> Adjust Board Size And Resolution... menu). The Board Size & Resolution window will open. Select a width of 402 and a height of 268 pixels. Click the B.G. Color box and select the desired border color (black on this sample). Click OK after choosing the color. Click OK again. The result is shown in figure 11.
    
    
    figure no. 11
    

Tutorial - Replacing an Image Background

Issue: Replacing an Image Background using the magic selection feature (figure no. 1). 


   figure no.1

To replacing an image background simply follow these steps:

1. Open the desired (the object) picture - (Click on File -> Open menu or Ctrl+O, figure no.2)
   
   
   figure no. 2
   
   
2. From the Tools toolbar select the Custom Selection tool - 
3. Press F2 to view the tool's properties dialog box.
4. Select the option Polygon from the Type dropdown list and mark the Magic Selection box (figure no. 3). If this box is marked while performing a selection (Free or Polygon), the selection's lines will fix themselves automatically upon the borderlines (line edges) (figure no. 4)
   
   
   figure no. 3
   
   
5. In order to (actively) select the area within the picture, move the mouse and point the location where you wish to begin the selection. Left-click on the image. Each new left-click while pointing a different area of the image will create a rib. In order to finish the selection (and close the polygon), either right-click the mouse on the image, left-click outside the image or double click on the image (figures no. 4 & 5)
   
   

   figure no. 4	figure no. 5

   
   
   
6. Click the Copy icon  (found on the Shortcuts toolbar) or Ctrl+C in order to copy the selection to the clipboard.
7. Open the desired new background image - (Click on File -> Open menu or Ctrl+O, figure no.6)
   
   
   figure no. 6
   
   
8. For now, we no longer use the object image (the one you opened in step 1). You can minimize it in order to work more comfortably. To minimize the object picture click the minimize icon (found in the title bar of the image window, figure no.7)
   
   
   figure no. 7
   
   
9. Select the background image to make it active (click on the title bar of the image window), then press F3 to view the layers properties dialog box (figure no. 8)
   
   
   figure no. 8
   
   
10. Within the dialog box click the Create New Layer button - , this will open the Add New Layer dialog box. Within this dialog box type in "Object" for the name, then click OK to confirm and create a new layer.
11. At this stage you should have an image with 2 layers (figure no. 9). Select the Object layer (click on the object label) to make it active (figure no. 9)
    
    
    figure no. 9
    
    
12. Use the Paste As Floating Selection option from the shortcuts toolbar - . Now, drag the object to the desired place, click Enter when finished. The object will be fixed and the selection marks will be removed
13. In order to get professional results select the Eraser tool - . Using the Eraser tool fix the object edges until they become smooth (delete unwanted edges using the left mouse button or undelete using the right mouse button).
    * You can control the size/opacity (and much more) of the eraser from the tool's properties window. To view the properties window press F2
14. Finally you should get this result - the object on the new background (figure no. 10) 
    
                                                                                       figure no. 10
    

Tutorial - Creating a Button (using GIF with transparent background)

Issue: Creating button with transparent background for use in websites (figure no. 1) 


        figure no.1

To create buttons simply follow these steps:

1. Create a new 150 x 150 image with transparent color (Use File -> New menu or Ctrl+n).
2. Click the gradient box (found on the right-hand bottom of the screen, figure no. 1A) and open the custom gradient window. Select the gradient named ButtonStyleBrown.grd from the list. Click OK.
   
   
   figure no. 1A
   
   
3. From the Tools toolbar choose the Shapes tool - 
4. Press F2 and the Shape Properties window will open. Follow these steps:
   1. Select the right-most button from the Shape Automatic Styles toolbar (figure no. 2).
   2. Select the Shape Tab (figure no. 2).
   3. Select Geometric Shapes from the Shape Library dropdown list (figure no. 2).
   4. Select the Rounded Rectangle shape on the preview window (figure no. 2). 
      
      
                           figure no. 2
      
      
   5. Select the Properties Tab.
   6. Mark the Smooth (Antialias) checkbox.
5. Left click near the upper left corner of the image. Hold down the left mouse button. Drag the mouse pointer near the bottom right corner of the image. This will draw the button surface (figure no.3). Release the button. 
   
   
       figure no. 3
   
   
6. Use Crop Selection (Ctrl + U) in order to remove the margins.
7. Click Enter. The button will be placed (figure no. 4). 
   
   
              figure no. 4
   
   
8. Adding The Button Icon (Arrow on this sample) - Click the Shapes tool -  and follow these steps (use F2 if the Shape Properties window is hidden):
   1. Select the Shape TAB (figure no. 5).
   2. Select the Arrows option from the Shape Library dropdown list (figure no. 5).
   3. Select the first arrow (figure no. 5). 
      
      
                            figure no. 5
      
      
   4. Select the Properties TAB.
   5. Set the Outline Width value to 1.
9. Use the mouse to draw an arrow on the center of the button surface (figure no. 6) 
   
   
                  figure no. 6
   
   
10. Open the Effects -> More -> Bump Map (Emboss)? menu. The emboss effect dialog box will open. Click the Advanced button and set the dialog box values as shown in figure no. 7. Click OK when finished.
    
    
    figure no. 7
    
    
11. Open the Effects -> More -> Outline menu. The Outline effect dialog box will open. Set the Level slider value to 1 (figure no. 8). Click the color box and select the black color (figure no. 8) Click OK.
    
    
    figure no. 8
    
    
12. Drag the arrow you've created to the center of the button. Click Enter and the arrow will be fixed.
13. The button is now ready (Figure no. 9). If you need a smaller button use the resize function (Image -> Resize? menu/Ctrl+w) and resize the button to the desired size. 
    
    
           figure no. 9
    
    
14. For use in website we advise saving the button as a GIF file (because this format supports transparent background).

Tutorial - Text Effects

Issue: Creating Outlined Text Effects (figure no.1)


figure no.1

To create Outlined Text Effect simply follow these steps:

1. Create 400 x 150 new white empty image (Click on File -> New menu or Ctrl+n).
2. Set the desired Fore Color by clicking on it once and choosing the new desired color (To get a good effect choose a bright color).
3. Choose the Text Tool - , Click on the center of the empty image with the mouse left button - this will open the "Add Text" dialog box.
4. On the "Add Text" dialog box type in the desired text. To get a good effect choose big font size (40 or higher). Click "OK" to finish (figure no.2).
   
   figure no.2
   
   
5. Click on the Effects -> More -> Outline Menu.
6. The Outline Effect dialog box will be open. On the dialog box choose the desired outline color and click "OK" to finish (figure no.3).
   
   figure no.3
   
   
7. Click on the Effects -> Light -> Shadow menu.
8. The Shadow Effect dialog box will open. On this dialog box leave the default values with out any changes. Just click ok to confirm.
9. Using the mouse, point on the floating text. While pointing the floating text, click on the left button and drag the text to the desired place.
10. Click 'Enter' to finish and fix the text (figure no.4).
    
    figure no.4
    

Tutorial - Text Effects

Issue: Creating 3D Text Effects (figure no.1)


figure no.1

To create 3D Text Effect simply follow these steps:

1. Create 400 x 150 new white empty image (Click on File -> New menu or Ctrl+n).
2. Set the desired Fore Color by clicking on it once and choosing the new desired color (To get a good effect choose a bright color).
3. Choose the Text Tool - , Click on the center of the empty image with the mouse left button - this will open the "Add Text" dialog box.
4. On the "Add Text" dialog box type in the desired text. To get a good effect choose big font size (40 or higher). Click "OK" to finish (figure no.2).
   
   figure no.2
   
   
5. Click on the Effects -> More -> 3D Menu.
6. The 3D Effect dialog box will be open. On this dialog box leave the default values with out any changes. Just click ok to confirm (figure no.3).
   
   figure no.3
   
   
7. Click on the Effects -> Light -> Shadow menu.
8. The Shadow Effect dialog box will open. On this dialog box also leave the default values with out any changes. Just click ok to confirm.
9. Using the mouse, point on the floating text. While pointing the floating text, click on the left button and drag the text to the desired place.
10. Click 'Enter' to finish and fix the text (figure no.4).
    
    figure no.4

For more information about Photo Pos Pro, please click here.