Painting images

You can paint in a painting document, or you can paint in other types of documents by creating a painting frame. Painting and drawing are similar, but it is important to understand when to use one and when to use the other.

When to paint instead of draw

Painting is better than drawing when:
You want to use the painting tools, such as the paintbrush and spray can, in addition to the drawing tools
You want to apply special effects to your images, such as blending colors, tinting, and lightening or darkening
You want to insert a picture or graphic and use the painting tools and features to alter it
You want to create freehand images that are more complex than simple shapes and lines
You do not need to easily reselect and manipulate items (everything added to a painting becomes part of the overall canvas and is not as easily selected and manipulated as in a drawing)
You do not need to rearrange layers of items (you cannot move layered items forward or backward in a painting, but you can in a drawing)

Note: As in a drawing, you can also add text to a painting.

For more information, see "Differences Between Painting and Drawing in AppleWorks" in Chapter 2 of the "Getting Started With AppleWorks 6" manual.

Before you paint

If you want to use certain colors or other attributes, choose them before you paint because it can be difficult to alter an existing image's color and other attributes.

Using the painting tools

To paint in a document that isn't a painting document, you must first create a painting frame.

To access the painting tools:
Choose Show Tools from the Window menu, or click the toolbox icon at the bottom of the active document:

You can also use the drawing tools in a painting document or frame.

  Painting freehand brushstrokes
Painting freehand lines
Filling enclosed areas with colors or other attributes
Spray painting
Painting keyboard shortcuts

 
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