Window's Accessories, Calculator, Paint

Windows Basics

Accessories - Paintbrush

The Paintbrush program

Paintbrush is a drawing program. Drawings created in this program can be used as wallpaper for your computer. Similar to the picture on the refrigerator concept. It should be noted that this is a very rudimentary drawing program. If you discover you enjoy this medium, it would be advisable to purchase a more versatile program.

Starting Paintbrush

From the Start menu, choose Accessories, then Paint If the program is on your desktop, double click while pointing at the icon
Visual of Microsoft Paint for Windows 98. The 95 version was very similar
The program will open, if it does not take up the entire area of your screen, maximize it. Following are the default settings for this program. Paint will print using a standard letter size paper (8½" X 11") with margins set to 0.75". If anything other is required go to File, Page Setup to modify the size. Drawing surface, things to consider. What is the drawing going to be used for? For example: If you wanted to make a drawing that would fill up an entire page of printed material (allowing for the margins) you would want to set you drawing service to 6.97" wide by 9.43" long (we have discovered that Paint needs that extra couple of .02-3" to set the page properly) Should it be a picture for your desktop, the maximum you should make it would be the resolution size of your screen, (i.e. 800x600 pixels) The pencil tool is active (notice it looks as though it is depresses) The primary pencil color is Black The secondary pencil color is White.
Start drawing.... Select a tool from the toolbar, adjust the line thickness and color options Position your cursor on the work surface Click the left mouse button to access the primary color. right mouse button to access the secondary color Note: If a secondary color has been assigned prior to starting a new drawing, the page will use that color as the background.

Changing colors

Point to the desired color in the color toolbar
Click the

left mouse button to assign the primary color, or the
right mouse button to assign the secondary color

Modifying colors

Point to the desired color on the toolbar
Double click the left mouse button, the edit color dialog box will open
In the Edit color dialog box, slide the scroll markers to different position.
Click OK or tap Enter

Restore the original color

Point to the desired color on the toolbar
Double click the left mouse button
In the Edit color dialog box, click the Reset button
Click OK or tap Enter

Zoom Command

There are times when you want to take a closer look at an area of work, for this operation we use the zoom command. Almost every program has this feature.

From the View menu, choose zoom
Point to the area of the drawing you want to zoom on.
The zoom will magnify the drawing by 1600%. Modify your drawing.
To return to full size, repeat step 1

Using the toolbar

There are a variety of tools available to you. Following is the basic procedure to using them.

Select the desired tool
Determine the conditions of the tool, the fill/line/etc
Choose the color(s)
Position the cursor in the work surface
Click the left mouse and drag
Release the mouse

Toolbar descriptions

	Selecting tool	Left = Odd shapes Right = Rectangular shapes *Used with Cut and Copy options, described later.*
	Spray paint	Drag the mouse pointer. Use the left mouse button to spray with the foreground color, or use the right mouse button to spray with the background color. The longer you leave your mouse stationary, the darker the color
	Text tool	Click in the work surface, type the text. To change the font style or size, select Font from the Text menu. If color is required, choose the color prior to typing.
	Eraser	Move you mouse indicator to your work surface. Left mouse button = erases top color Right mouse button = erases all marks If you want the entire picture to be erased, double click on the eraser tool
	Fill tool	Fills empty spaces with selected color. Ensure that the tip of the tool in positioned inside the area prior clicking.
	Brush tool	Freehand brush tool draws solid lines when mouse button is held and dragged. There are different brush shapes to choose from. To accomplish this From the Options menu, choose Brush shapes or double click on the brush tool button Select the desired shape Click OK or tap Enter
	Line draw	Right = Straight lines Left = Curved line (use as follows) Draw a straight line by dragging the mouse pointer. Click where you want one arc of the curve to be, and then drag the mouse pointer to adjust the curve. Each curve must have at least one arc but no more than two. Repeat this step for a second arc.
	Square boxes	Select the type of box you desire (Unfilled or Filled box) prior to starting the shape
	Rounded corner boxes	Select the type of box you desire (Unfilled or Filled box) prior to starting the shape
	Circles/Ovals	Select the type of box you desire (Unfilled or Filled circle) prior to starting the shape. If you want perfect circles, hold the shift key while dragging the mouse.
	Polygons	Select the type of box you desire (Unfilled or Filled polygon) prior to starting the shape. To finish a polygon, double click at the last point of the polygon.

Saving a file

Use Save to save your document as a file. Some Notes about saving

Do not use periods, slashes or unusual characters in the names as many of them have special meaning to computers.
You should use Save periodically to avoid losing your work if a power or system failure occurs.
Pictures created in Paintbrush can be used as wallpaper for your computer. Refer to the desktop section for instructions

Steps

From the File menu, choose Save As or (Shortcut) Hold Ctrl tap S. If this is a first time save, regardless of what method you use, the Save dialog box will open.

Select the location where you want to save a new or renamed file from the Save in: drop down list.
Select the type of file from the Save as type: drop down list.
Give the file a name.
Click on the Save button or tap the Enter key on your keyboard.

Start a new file

From the File menu, select New
or (Shortcut) Hold Ctrl tap N

Note: If a secondary color has been chosen the new file background will use that color

Cut/Copy and Paste

There are often times when you want to move something from its original position, or copy an item to somewhere else. When those times happen use the following procedure.

Remember there are three questions that need to be asked first,
"Do you want to cut something out and move it, or do you want a copy of something?
"What exactly do you want to copy or move?", and
"Where do you want to put it?"
Once the first question is addressed, go to the area of what you want to work with, then

Choose one of the selecting tools
Point to where you want to start the selection.
Hold down the left mouse button, drag the mouse until the desired area is enclosed. You should notice a dashed line surrounding the selected area.
If you want to move the item,

From the Edit menu, choose Cut or
use the Shortcut Hold Ctrl tap X.
The area that was selected will disappear.

If you want to copy the item,
From the Edit menu, choose Copy or
use the Shortcut Hold Ctrl tap C.

From the Edit menu, choose Paste or

use the Shortcut Hold Ctrl tap V.
The object will reappear on screen with 8 little squares visible around it
.

Point to the object, hold down the left mouse button and drag the object to the desired location.
Release the left mouse button.

You can also re-size the object while the squares are visible. Point to one of them, notice the mouse indicator will change into a sizing arrow. Hold down your left mouse button and drag in the direction you want to size. Remember if you want to keep the proper proportions of the object, use the corners instead of the sides.

Undo your last action

As with all humans, we make mistakes. Unlike drawing with pencils and paper, computers offer us this handy tool, so that we do not have to start a project over if we make a mistake. This operation is available in almost every program. Remember it, it is your best friend when dealing with computers.

From the Edit menu, choose Under
use the Shortcut Hold Ctrl tap Z

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