Art Paint Shop Pro help

[Haze]

So this thread is for those who have PSP. OR even if you don't have it, but would like to contribute something. *NOTE---Syk I put this here because it is Art related. I'm sorry if it is in the wrong place. If it is, I am really sorry for the inconvenience for the moving of the thread.---*END NOTE*

So I just aquired a copy of the Paint Shop Pro 8 program. Actually it was more like months ago when I got it, but that isn't the point. I have been piddling around with it lots, but I don't actually know what I am doing. I just had a few questions for anyone who uses v8 or any other version.

1. Is there any way at all to crop without using a box? I mean with circles, triangles, or free crop or something.

2. Is there a way to make things transparent? Things like images. I have been all through the rather large book and have found nothing. I thought perhaps I had missed something.

3. Do you have any words of wisdom for me? Any useful tips? Anything at all?

I hope at least one person will help me out here. I really would like to know the answers to my questions. There are so many people that can do cool stuff with PSP. I would ask one of them to teach me a bit of their ways with the answers to these questions. Pwetty pwease? *pitiful face*

~haze

[OtakuSennen]

[color=midnightblue]1. Cropping can simply be done by creating a Point-To-Point selection, copying, and pasting as a new image. That may not be the simplest way to do it, but that is what I tend to do with my work.

2. This one took me a while to figure out as well. Transparency is referred to as opacity in Paint Shop Pro. To make any fill, paint brush effect, or nearly any tool partially see-through, all you have to do is alter the opacity rating on your tool bar. The lower the number, the more transparent the item is. And if you want to make an actual image transparent, you have to create a new raster layer, change that layer's opacity rating, then paste it in.

3. Tips? The only helpful information I can give to you is to practice. Toy around, and make a lot of little experimental images. It's a fun creative outlet for me. Editing images and making poor attempts at making them funny is a delightful pastime.

If you have any more questions I would be glad to help, either through PM or this thread.[/color]

[Haze]

Thanks much! Usually for cropping, I use the background eraser. That is why in my works, I usually have debri left over around my pictures. There is no wonder I couldn't find how to do transparency. ^__^ Once again thank you so much!!

-haze