Opening References In Paint Tool Sai: A Quick Guide

Paint Tool SAI is a popular digital art program with a variety of features and tools for artists to create their masterpieces. One common question that users have is how to open a reference image in the program. This can be done by first opening the reference image in a new canvas and then selecting it with the select tool. From there, users can copy and paste the image onto their main canvas and adjust its size and placement as needed. With the use of layers, artists can also work on their artwork without affecting the reference image.

Open a new canvas

To open a new canvas in Paint Tool SAI, start by opening the program. Then, go to the top left of the window and hover over the "File" button, then click "New". This will allow you to create a new image.

You can then choose a name and size for your canvas. Type the name you want for your image in the box labelled "Name", and then pick the width and height in the boxes labelled "Width" and "Height". You can also choose from the default brushes or add your own custom brushes by right-clicking on one of the empty grey boxes underneath the default brushes.

Once you have created your new canvas, you can start adding layers. On the side of your window, there will be a large grey box with a small purple box inside it that says "Layer 1." Clicking on the icon of an eye next to each layer will allow you to toggle the visibility of that layer. You can also create a new layer by clicking on the icon of a blank page with a folded corner.

If you want to put an image on your canvas to use as a reference, you can open the image in a new canvas and select it with the select tool. Then, press ctrl+c and go back to your working canvas and press ctrl+v. This will paste the image onto a new layer above your first layer.

Copy and paste the reference image

To copy and paste a reference image in Paint Tool SAI, you must first open the image in a new canvas. Then, select the image using the select tool and press Ctrl + C. Move to the canvas you are working on and press Ctrl + V to paste the image. The pasted image should appear on a new layer above your first layer.

You can also copy and paste an image by grouping all the layers you want to copy into a folder. Once you've moved the layers to the folder, close it and click on it to select it. Navigate to 'File' and click on 'Open'. Open the image you want to copy in Paint Tool SAI. Once the image is open, you can select 'Copy'. Go to the page where you want the image copied and click 'Paste'.

Some artists choose to put the reference image somewhere on their canvas and draw on another layer. When they are finished, they delete the layer with the reference photo. Alternatively, you can make the layer invisible.

Adjust the image size

To adjust the image size in Paint Tool SAI, start by opening the image that you need to resize. Then, select the layer that you want to edit. You can do this by going to the side of your window, where you will find a grey box with a small purple box inside that says "Layer 1".

Once you have selected the layer, go to the Canvas option at the top of the options panel. From the dropdown menu, select "Change Size". A window will appear where you can input your desired width and height. You can either choose a value that seems best or input a specific requirement. Confirm your selection by hitting "OK".

It is important to note that increasing the size of an image can cause issues with resolution and quality. The image may become blurry, and the quality may be too poor for printing or social media usage. To fix this, you can adjust the resolution by selecting "Change Resolution" from the dropdown menu. Paint Tool SAI will often adjust the resolution as it sees fit.

Use layers

Working with layers is essential for any digital artist. Layers in PaintTool SAI can help you achieve your artistic vision faster and make your work easier. They work similarly to layers in other editing programs like Adobe Photoshop. If you know how to use layers in Photoshop, you won't have trouble getting used to layers in PaintTool SAI.

By default, the Layer Panel is on the left side of the screen in PaintTool SAI. However, you can choose to show the Layer Panel, along with the Color and Tool options, on the right side if you prefer. To do this, click on "Window" and choose your preferred option.

Each layer in PaintTool SAI is transparent by default. This transparency can be compared to a sheet of acetate paper, where you can draw on each layer separately while still seeing what's on each sheet. You can also choose to remove or correct each sheet as you paint. However, unlike Photoshop, which represents transparency with small squares, transparency in PaintTool SAI is white, which can be confusing for beginners, especially if you use the color white in your paintings.

Above the Layer Panel, you'll find the Layer Effects, where you can access various textures and effects that you can apply individually to each layer. You can also adjust the intensity and scale of the textures and the width and intensity of the effects. PaintTool SAI comes with several built-in textures and effects, but you can also download or create your own.

Additionally, PaintTool SAI allows you to adjust the opacity settings for each layer separately, similar to Photoshop. You can find the opacity settings above the Layer Panel.

To avoid confusion when working with multiple layers, it's essential to name your layers accordingly. When you create a new layer, it's automatically titled Layer1, Layer2, and so on, up to a maximum of 256 layers. To rename a layer, simply double-click on the current name, make your changes, and click OK. If you have a large number of layers, you may also want to create layer folders, which function similarly to folders on your computer, to keep your project organized.

Select and deselect areas

To select and deselect areas in Paint Tool SAI, follow these steps:

• Open the image in a new canvas.
• Use the select tool to select the area you want to work on. You can do this by clicking on the select tool icon or using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+Left click.
• If you need to resize the selection, use Ctrl+Alt to adjust the brush size and then manually colour in the area you want to include.
• Once you have your selection, you can copy it by pressing Ctrl+C.
• Go back to your original canvas and paste the selected area by pressing Ctrl+V. It will appear on a new layer above your first layer.
• If you need to deselect any part of the selected area, use the Deselect tool. You can resize the brush using Ctrl+Alt and then colour in the areas you want to deselect.

Remember that you can also have two windows open at the same time in Paint Tool SAI, allowing you to view your reference image alongside your canvas. Simply open your reference image in a separate window and resize it as needed.

Frequently asked questions