Automated background removal was also added recently.
Excellent! Now I can draw things on the wrong layer in yet another program
Have you tried using descriptive layer names like layer 1, later 2, later 3?
Layer 1, Later 2, Lazer 3.
FTFY
Or just use only one layer.
As someone who enjoys doodling in Paint, this is great
What did you think of the changes between Paint XP and modern versions? I used to adore Paint XP, but brush smoothing (though toggleable) and a clunky interface really spoiled the newer versions for me, and I don’t enjoy using them as much. I think I just became so used to the primitive way of drawing well in the old versions that it sort of became it’s own art form. Now they there are more advanced tools and so many required extra clicks, it feels like baggage. In the words of Karl Havoc, “THERE’S TOO MUCH FUCKIN’ SHIT ON ME!”
Honestly, I never used Paint XP. I’ve only used the modern version.
I’m a hobbyist digital artist and have had to do a handful of graphic design projects for my mundane, non-art-in-anyway job.
As our computers are locked down Windows PCs, I’ve had to manage with MSPaint. It’s always taken me double the time as on any other program or app, and I have been wishing it had layers for years.
Since this update is Windows 11 only, I’ll have to for my company to upgrade, so I can look forward to layers in maybe 5 years.
Are you able to use WSL under Windows? Combined with something that can display X11 graphics (such as MobaXterm) you could pretty much use whatever Linux-based software from within the windows environment, including stuff like GIMP which does transparency and layers etc just fine
There are builds of GIMP for Windows.
LoL. You’re right. I keep forgetting that for some reason
Take a look at PhotoPea then. Needs nothing more than a browser. Runs fine in Edge and can be installed as PWA. That should work fine even on a locked down machine.
In case your browser isn’t completely locked down: there’s also image editors that run as web apps like photopea.
It’d probably bore you to do things the easy way anyway. Accept happiness.
This is what I’ll be telling myself as I rock and cry myself to sleep at night.
I recommend Krita, it’s free and open source, and very good at making digital art of any kind.
The commenter you replied to literally wrote the computers are locked down, ie no way to install any new software.
Krita
https://portableapps.com/apps/graphics_pictures/krita-portable
There’s a portable version that might work.
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I’ve never experienced this, I’ve only experienced that you cannot do anything you need an admin for, maybe the control panel and settings app were removed from sight.
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Do you use krita for vector graphics?
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Try Paint.net. Layers, transparency, filters and even plugins. It’s free to download from their website. Install from Windows Store does have cost as a way to donate.
Paint.net is nice because it has plugin support.
Idk why you got downvote but paint.net is where its at.
Because OP said his PC is locked down.
There’s a portable version I’m pretty sure.
When a computer is locked down by an employer it doesn’t just mean you can’t install software, it means that you CANNOT RUN software that isn’t approved.
I’ve found that level of locked down to be rare, usually portable apps still work. That being said running portable apps is still risky since it’s likely against company policy and could be logged by IT.
Sounds like a good little update, love seeing more default apps/programs getting new visual updates and helpful features
All those Wordpad developers need something to do after all.
Actually a truly useful update in a sea of bloatware crap.
Better hold on to your pants, Photoshop. Here’s the new contender!
Paint is not designed to be GIMP/Photoshop alternative. It is just a simple drawing program. Although it is great that they have finally added these long-awaited features, as I may finally move from paint.net, which is also great but it has one huge drawback - it is not a single window, which is a hassle.
As GIMP cries in the corner.
As it should, I’ve tried twice to use GIMP, always gone back to Photoshop.
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For how relatively well known it is (it’s probably like the next most well known piece of FOSS after Linux and Blender) I can’t believe how bad a piece of software GIMP is.
I hope you mean the UX. I think attacking it’s functionality would be unfair. It does everything good and right … technically.
If the UX is objectively bad or “just” subjectively might be hard to find out. I would assume if there are objective UX mistakes, some contributor might have been able to deal with that by now. But of course it doesn’t change anything if a majority doesn’t like it for subjectice reasons. It’s part of UX design to deal with subjective aspects.
I’ve been waiting for years for “non-destructive edition” (AKA smart objects). It’s a fundamental feature that I use (almost?) always as a first step. IMHO a lof of professional work is not practical without it.
They had it on the roadmap (see 2020 archive) for years marked as “No[t started]”. The current roadmap looks more promising with “link layers” marked as WIP and saying it could be available on GIMP 3.0.2.
Not having adjustment layers is a pretty big deal
as a doofus gimp user, what’s an adjustment layer?
It’s a way to for apply effects in a non-destructive way
Not a professional either, but I was also curious and learned:
It’s a layer of which the properties/filters apply to all layers below. So you can basically try around and manipulate the visible image without having to combine the layers first.
Or you know, being able to rearrange layers.
That one time I had to use GIMP, I found that simply dragging worked fine.
Or color spasecs other than sRGB (8 bits/channel). I’ve a camera that takes 10 bits/channel photos, a monitor that displays 10 bits/channel, etc. But GIMP will just distort the colors because they hard-coded the color space! Can’t edit for print either, no CMYK. GIMP is an image editor for the noughties, not the 2020s.
Then again, we’re talking about MS Paint here. If Paint fills your needs, GIMP will be fine.
ive been stuck with gimp and now ive been stockholm syndromed into liking it
I use Gimp a lot.
It does its job very well, but that job is not to be an alternative to photoshop.
Then all the defenders go “But it’s free and open-source!” and you can tell they are just paying lipservice.
I used GIMP before Photoshop and I still massively prefer GIMP.
I really think its a case of what you got used to first.
GIMP 3.0 stomps door with sexy moustache
been using photopea for years, highly recommended for quick projects!
Great. Now my customers are going to send me even worse art.
At least with layers support you can now extract the individual parts of the image.
What used to drive me nuts is when they send me over everything in one image and I couldn’t separate the various components out.
I don’t think your average paint user knows what a layer is.
Their clients will still manage to send them a 6MB bitmap somehow
My clients send me fuggin docx files with screenshots pasted in it…
Screenshot.doc /me cries
Right click, rename, .doc to .zip. Extract and enjoy.
I know this, but it’s still stupid to have to do that step just to access a screenshot.
Wait I gotta try this!
I use paint nearly every day to save something quickly. Glad to see it continue to be supported.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
The venerable, equally derided and beloved MS Paint app has been on a roll lately, picking up a major redesign, dark-mode support, better zoom controls, and other fit-and-finish updates all within the last couple of years.
But today Microsoft announced that it is finally adding two features that could make the app a bit more useful for power users: support for Photoshop-esque image layers and the ability to open and save transparent PNGs.
In an image program without support for layers, adding new elements to an image like this is always destructive—you lose the ability to see and edit the part of the sky that is covered by the plane and the cloud, and the part of the plane that is covered by the cloud.
Support for creating, editing, and saving transparent PNG images goes hand in hand with support for layers, since it’s useful to be able to pull a single object out of an existing image so you can put it in a new one.
Transparent PNG support goes well with the automated background removal button that Microsoft added to Paint builds earlier this month.
The redesigned Paint is rolling out to Windows Insider testers in both the Dev and Canary channels, the two bleeding-edge and less-stable versions of Windows 11.
The original article contains 388 words, the summary contains 213 words. Saved 45%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
Screw you Microsoft, I switched to Paint.net forever ago and I’ll be long dead in the cold, cold grave before I recognize Missourah, I mean switch back to Paint.
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True, I was just saying the name.
I think is a bot it keeps saying that everytime somebody says “paint.net”. If not a bot is a weird guy for sure because in context of some of the other messages it doesn’t make sense to say that.
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Some other random company got the url “paint.net”, so confusingly you need https://getpaint.net/ to download the product paint.net
For those unfamiliar, it’s a free art program that’s… idk 80% of what photoshop is? But you can install community-made plugins to add features (shoutout to Grim Color Reaper).
Also on their download page, you want this one:
If you do the microsoft link, you’ll have to pay microsoft. For a free product. That microsoft doesn’t own. Dafuq.The paid version from the microsoft store helps to support the product; however I suspect the devs will get more bang-per-buck if you DL the free version and make a direct donation at https://getpaint.net/donate.html
You can also use winget to install it, if you’re into package managers
winget install --id=dotPDNLLC.paintdotnet -e
That way you can still get semi-automatic updates
The developer of paint.net sells it on the Microsoft store to support the product. Not any different than buying an app through the App Store or Google play store.
It’s created by a Microsoft Engineer, not super surprising they leverage Microsoft tools to get paid.
TIL. Thanks for the info - I’ll update my post.
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The single most historically aware yet still funny to the unaware joke that the Simpsons ever put out.
What’s the low-down on if extracting the EXE and putting it on Windows 10 works?
I found this guide: https://beebom.com/how-get-windows-11-paint-app-windows-10/ haven’t verified it or anything though. It’s a bit old but it should still be possible in any case.
What stops them from bundling paintdotnet instead?
The license allows for redistribution
Do they have variable weight? Are they planning to add that? Because I’d really like that for quick sketching and doodling.
Huh… I thought they discontinued this program.
I thought so too. I remember looking for alternatives for when it would be removed completely.
I honestly didn’t realize I had been installing it… I went to boot paint.net and was surprised I couldn’t find it on my work computer… that’s how critical it is… or how often I don’t change personal hardware
They discontinued Paint 3D
Who told you that? MS Paint is basically a critical windows utility.
If you remove mspaint.exe then Windows will refuse to boot. It’s true, I knew a guy!
Jokes aside you can boot Windows without Windows at all. By that I mean you can boot Windows NT without Win32.
I read that WordPad also was being discontinued, in the same article stating the same about MS Paint iirc
They did. I guess the community outcry was so loud even Microsoft had to heed it and reverse course.
No. Wordpad is the one being discontinued. Paint is one of several programs that can now be uninstalled from Windows by end users without any special tricks.
