Opening Images In Paint Tool Sai: A Quick Guide

Paint Tool SAI is a digital painting software that allows users to create and edit images. While it doesn't have as many image adjustment tools as Photoshop, it offers a range of brushes and effects to work with. To open an image in Paint Tool SAI, you can copy and paste it onto a new canvas using the Select tool, or you can open two windows and have the reference image in one window while you work on your canvas in the other.

Open the image in a new canvas

To open an image in a new canvas in Paint Tool SAI, you can follow these steps:

First, open the Paint Tool SAI program. Once it's open, go to the top left of the window and hover over the "File" button, then click "New" to create a new image. This will open a new window where you can specify the details of your new canvas.

Now, you can choose a name for your canvas by typing it into the box labelled "Name." Next, you can select the size of your canvas by specifying the width and height in the respective boxes. You can also choose the resolution of your canvas. Once you have entered all the required details, press "OK," and your new canvas will appear.

At this point, you can open the image you want to work on in a separate window. Make sure to have the Layer Panel visible, which is usually on the left side of the screen by default, but you can also bring it up manually if needed. The Layer Panel will allow you to see the layers you are working on and adjust their opacity.

Now, select the image you want to work on with the "Select Tool." Copy the image by pressing "Ctrl+C," and then go back to the canvas you created in Paint Tool SAI. Press "Ctrl+V" to paste the image, and it should appear on a new layer above your first layer.

You can now work on the image in Paint Tool SAI, using the various tools available, such as the pen, airbrush, brush, water, blender, and eraser. Remember that you can adjust the brush settings as needed, including the name, description, stroke, pressure stabilizers, and shortcut keys.

Copy and paste the image into your canvas

To copy and paste an image into your canvas in PaintTool SAI, follow these steps:

First, open the image you want to copy in PaintTool SAI by going to "File" and then "Open," and selecting the image you want to use. You can also use the 30-day free trial version before purchasing the app to test out these features. Once you have your image open, you can crop or copy it by clicking on "Copy."

Next, you'll want to create a new canvas to paste your image onto. To do this, go to the top left of your window and hover over the "File" button, then select "New." Name your new canvas and choose the size by selecting the width and height.

Now that you have your new canvas, you can paste the image you copied earlier. Simply go to this new page and click "Paste." You can also use layers to organize and edit your artwork more easily. On the side of your window, you should see a grey box with a small purple box inside that says "Layer 1." You can create new layers and layer sets, as well as adjust the visibility of each layer by clicking on the eye icon.

Additionally, you can customize your brushes to fit your needs. Right-click on your brush and select "Options" to open the "Custom Tool" menu, where you can change the name, description, stroke, pressure stabilizers, and even create a shortcut key for easy access. Play around with the various brush settings to find what works best for you.

Use the select tool to select the image

Paint Tool SAI is a lightweight Japanese digital painting program that is popular among artists due to its simplicity and vast range of tools. The program offers two main panels: the Color and Tool Panel on the right and the Layer Panel on the left.

The Layer Panel is a useful feature that allows you to work on different layers, which can be likened to painting on sheets of glass and placing them on top of each other to create a picture. This enables you to modify specific parts of your artwork without affecting the rest. Each layer has an eye icon that allows you to control its visibility.

Now, let's delve into the process of using the select tool to select an image in Paint Tool SAI. SAI provides a variety of selection tools, including the "Select" and "Deselect" brushes, a dotted square, a dotted lasso, and a "Magic Wand" tool. These tools enable you to make precise selections within your artwork.

The dotted square, when clicked, offers additional transformation options for the selected area. You can scale, deform, rotate, and flip the selected portion of your image. This provides you with the flexibility to manipulate specific elements within your artwork independently from the rest.

Additionally, Paint Tool SAI offers advanced selection modes that provide even more control over your selections. These modes include:

• Transparency (Fuzzy): This mode allows you to select semi-transparent regions surrounded by lines. It is useful for roughly sketched images, but it may not work well with very rough sketches.
• Color Difference: This mode enables you to select regions based on color similarity to the clicked pixel's color.
• Working Layer: This mode sets the current selected layer as the detection target for your selections.
• Selection Source: This mode designates the layer with the "Selection Source" option in the layer list as the detection target.

By utilizing these selection tools and modes, you can make detailed selections within your image in Paint Tool SAI. Remember to experiment with the different options to find the ones that best suit your creative needs.

Adjust the image's size and zoom

To adjust the image size in Paint Tool SAI, you must first open the image and select the layer you want to resize. Then, go to the Canvas option and select Change Size. Input your desired dimensions and hit OK. You can also change the canvas resolution and pixel size without stretching the image.

If you are not happy with the resolution, you can adjust it manually by entering the numbers yourself. Play around with the numbers by taking them higher or lower, then zoom into the picture to see if the quality is satisfactory.

To zoom in and out of your canvas, you can use the zoom functions in the main menu. You can also set the view zoom factor to 100% in the current view.

Delete the layer with the reference image

Paint Tool SAI is a popular lightweight painting software that uses layers to help you achieve your artistic vision. Layers are like sheets of glass that you can paint on and place on top of each other to make a picture. They allow you to change parts of an artwork without affecting the rest and let you change how things overlap.

To delete the layer with the reference image, first, locate the layers on the left side of the screen, beside the tools panel. You can also change the position of your Layer Panels by clicking on Window > Show Navigator and Layer Panels on Right Side. Once you've found the layer you want to delete, simply select it and click on the small trashcan icon in the Layer Panel. Alternatively, you can go to Layer > Erase Layer in the top menu.

If you want to erase everything from a certain layer, you can do so by selecting that layer and clicking on Erase selected layers in the Layer Panel. You can also hide a layer by clicking on the eye icon next to it. This will allow you to see the results without any elements of that layer getting in the way.

It's important to note that deleting layers can be frustrating, especially if you accidentally delete something important. Always remember to save your work and create backup files to avoid losing your progress. Additionally, naming your layers can make it easier to navigate and organise your project.

Frequently asked questions