Standard Mode vs Basic Mode

PhotoImpact 10 has two work modes, Basic and Standard. Basic Mode features a simplified workspace with larger buttons and the most common functions whereas the Standard Mode displays all of the functions. We will be using the Standard Mode in this tutorial.

To check your mode, click Workspace on the Menu Bar. If the Standard Mode is greyed out, that means you are already in the Standard Mode. If not, click Standard Mode now.

Warning: If you switch from Standard to Basic Mode, and you have custom settings, you will lose all your custom settings.

Let's get started!

Click on File/New/New Image. We need a 330 x 330; white; RGB canvas, so be sure that you have the same settings as I have here before clicking on OK.

For the image that we're planning on creating here, it's best to have not only PI open fully, but your canvas open fully too. That can be done by clicking on the little maximise square in the top right hand corner of the canvas you're working on.

Click on the Path Drawing Tool and be sure that you have selected the shape Freehand and the mode 2D. (At this stage, the colour doesn't really matter because we're going to change that very soon.)

In the Path Panel box that pops open, click on the Shape tab and then be sure that you change the accuracy to 10 and check the Close Smoothly box.

Then click on the Options tab and be sure that Anti-Aliasing is checked. With everything set, the Path Panel box is no longer needed, so click on the cross in the top right hand corner of the Path Panel box to get rid of it.

Here is where the fun begins because we're going to start drawing in a few basic shapes but accuracy won't matter so don't think you have to be a great artist to do it.

Start just outside the top left hand corner of your canvas and whilst holding down your left mouse button draw as you can see I have done here (you don't need to go too far down the canvas). When you get back to the beginning, let go of the mouse button and the area you drew will fill with colour. This part will eventually be the sky.

Change to a different colour if you wish. Again, at this stage it doesn't matter what colour but it will help you to see exactly where everything is. Then draw just as you did before, some rolling hills. Do that a couple of times and then add another section towards the bottom of your canvas to create what will eventually be a grass verge. You should now have something similar to my image on the left here.

Now we have our basic landscaped image we can start filling it in.

We'll start by selecting what will be the sky at the top of the image. Just click on that area and you will see little lines going around it so you know that area has been selected. Click on Edit/Fill and you will see a Fill box pop up. Click on the Texture tab. Be sure that you are viewing the Natural Texture Fill Gallery and find the fill NT63. Double click on it to fill the sky area.

You may find that the sky is a little too dark or even too light for your liking but that's easily adjusted. Click on Adjust/Brightness & Contrast and in the box that pops up you can click on the little thumbnails until your sky is more to your liking.

Next you will need to select the backmost of your rolling hills and then click again on Edit/Fill. You may find a fill that you like under the texture tab again, but this time I will show you how to do yet another type of fill. You will however, need to convert the selected section which is a path object to make it an image object, so go to Object/Convert Object Type/From Text/Path to Image. You're all set now, so this time click on the Gradient tab and then click on the Magic Gradient image towards the bottom of the fill box. The Magic Gradient box will then pop up in front of you. One gradient that is a particular favourite of mine is the the dotty looking one, so click on that and then click on Edit to see the Palette Ramp Editor. Select one of the green thumbnails (I chose the thumbnail 032), Then click on OK, OK again and Ok for the last time.

Because we're now working with an image rather than a path shape, the quick colour commands will work. So if you decide that the green you chose wasn't quite to your liking, you may want to have a little click about on them until you're happy.

If you don't see the color control panel under the tool panel, then you'll need to click on File/Preferences/General. Click on Tools under Catagories and then ensure that there is a check mark in the "Show Quick Color Control Panel" box.

Let's move on and select the next set of rolling hills. This time we will fill as we did with the sky but instead of choosing a natural texture, we'll choose a magic texture. So just as you did before, click on Edit/Fill (no need to convert this section to an image first). Select the Texture tab and alter the lowest drop down box to Magic Texture. I chose to use the fill MT74 but you're welcome to find another one you might prefer. The one thing you need to remember is that the closer the hills are to you, the lighter they need to be.

I'll leave you here to complete your landscape now that you know you have a fair few fills to use, but don't forget to add shadows to each section to give the feeling of a little more depth. To do that, I suggest that you select each section of your image in turn. Right click on it and select Shadow. be sure there is a check in the Shadow box, select the all round shadow and then alter the transparency to 0 before clicking on OK. I'll let your imagination run riot as to what else you would like to finish off. When you're ready, right click on your image and select Merge All before saving as a .jpg.