Like many software, PaintShop Pro offers various shortcuts, and interestingly, sometimes, more than one. Let's have a look at my favorite 10 shortcuts I use to make my workflow faster.
Paintshop Pro
Keep your PaintShop Pro supplies organized
PaintShop Pro is a great graphic program that comes with an array of supplies like brushes, patterns, gradients, and more. However, as a user, you will most likely gather more supplies that you will download or purchase. Although it might seem like an overkill to plan an organization strategy, you will very quickly find out that those downloads will become a big mess without one. Let's look at some easy ways to stay in control.
Creating a layered template from a flat image
Layered templates are very convenient ways to shorten the time it takes to create a layout or a way to beat the blank canvas syndrome by giving you a starting point. Even though some scrappers will like to use the layered template as is, it is more common to use the basic shapes and ideas and then change them to suit our photos, supplies, and mood. If you have already created a layout and still have a layered version of it, it is easy to transform it into a layered template (check this tutorial), however, maybe you don't have that version anymore, so what can you do? Although it is a little bit more work, it is still possible to create that layered template "from scratch". Here is how.
Using guides and rulers in PaintShop Pro
When drawing with a pen and paper, we always have access to a straight edge or a ruler to create those straight lines, or to align elements together. In a digital world, those tangible rulers are not there, or are they?
Creativity – Splatter plugin to create papers
Years ago, I discovered an interesting plugin to use with PaintShop Pro, even though it is advertised as a Photoshop plugin. as you know, most plugins in the .8bf format will work with PSP. Although Paintshop had the ability to create seamless patterns, any tile generated would still show a definite repeat that might not be wanted by the user. The plugin Splatter was a fantastic option to create a full-page design without the need for a seamless plugin applied on a smaller tile.
Cut a photo based on a preset shape
If you want to have your photo displayed differently than the traditional square or rectangular shape, you can use any of the preset shapes from your Paintshop Pro, or any shape you might have added to your collection. Here is a simple tutorial on how to achieve that result.
5 reasons to add PaintShop Pro to your graphic toolbox
Graphic designers often consider Photoshop as a standard in the industry. Is it because it is better? I am sure that Adobe users will say yes. Often, whoever will argue their program is better, tends to be very familiar and comfortable with the one they use and will always find the second one less intuitive and less convenient to use. That is normal. If someone works with a particular graphics program for their daily work, they will keep using it outside work, because of their familiarity with it.
