PainterFactory.com

Many artists coming from a Photoshop background ask if there's a way to open a second window that updates as they work. The answer is the same option is not available in Corel Painter.

However, thanks to rattsang in the Conceptart.org Painter forum who mentioned File > Clone but said the Clone image was not fully opaque, I realized we actually do have a way to do this. The reason the Clone is not fully opaque is that it's actually been deleted in the File > Clone process and what's visible (providing Tracing Paper is turned on) is a lowered-opacity view of the original image (the working image) as if we were seeing it through tracing paper. All we need to do is to adjust the lowered-opacity view so it's nearly 100% opaque, with Tracing Paper opacity lowered by 10%. (We actually have three ways to view the entire working image but I'll explain this method first.):

File > Quick Clone - Tracing Paper at 10%

To see the full working image in a second window and have it automatically update while you work:

1. Use File menu > Quick Clone. (This menu command can be added to a Custom Palette so it will only take a single click on the menu command button.) Tracing Paper will automatically be turned on.
   
   
2. In the upper right corner of the Clone, click the Tracing Paper icon (top icon) and in the flyout list, check 10%. Now you should see a good representation of your working image that will update as you work!
   
   
3. To toggle back and forth between the working image and the Clone, use the keyboard shortcut:
   

• Mac - Command+Tab
• Windows - Ctrl+Tab

Now for the other two ways to view the entire working  image, one dynamic, one not dynamic:

Info Palette Dynamic View

Open the Info palette and you'll see a very small view of the entire image that updates as you work.

Navigation Window

Click the Navigation icon (binoculars) in the lower left corner of the working image window to see a larger full view of the working image (still not full size, but larger than the Info palette view).

If you're zoomed in, you'll see a red rectangle indicating the area of the working image that's currently visible in the image window.

Click and drag that rectangle to navigate to another area of the image and the new area will now be visible in the image window.

Click in the image to close the Navigation window.

I might be missing the point here but why can't you just expand the work space across two monitors by just dragging it, (When Painter is not maximized, you can drag it anyway you want). 
Save the original file with a new name, and you can have both files open at once.  I do this quite frequently, especially when I'm doing some kind of global operation with the whole image.  This is also a good area to do iterative saves as you can compare different versions of the file at the same time, even more than two.

Off topic. 

I missed earlier neighbor Jin, but you have my best wishes for a very Happy Birthday.  Please forgive my lateness.  You are an asset to the whole Painter community and are deserving of the very best wishes from all of us who utilize your knowledge, friendship and experience.

Hi Tom,

Thanks for the sweet Happy Birthday wishes. It's never too late and I accept with great appreciation. ;)

Now to respond to the rest of your post.

Yep, you missed a couple of points. I'll explain below:

TomT:

I might be missing the point here but why can't you just expand the work space across two monitors by just dragging it, (When Painter is not maximized, you can drag it anyway you want). 

Not everyone has two monitors but of course if one does, both can be used. But that's not the most important point, the point of this thread.

Save the original file with a new name, and you can have both files open at once.  I do this quite frequently, especially when I'm doing some kind of global operation with the whole image. 

I think you need to read my post again... slowly.... keyword: dynamic.

This is also a good area to do iterative saves as you can compare different versions of the file at the same time, even more than two.

Yep, I agree, and use Iterative Save a lot. It's quick, clean, and seems very reliable. If you've read my Keeping Painter .... Running Smoothly.... thread at Conceptart.org's Painter forum (it's been updated since it was posted at In Depth Arts years ago), you'll see I recommend using File > Save As for the first save, then File > Iterative Save for following saves to get a numbered series of files.

Tell me if you understand why this thread was posted after you read it again. ;)

Off topic. 

I missed earlier neighbor Jin, but you have my best wishes for a very Happy Birthday.  Please forgive my lateness.  You are an asset to the whole Painter community and are deserving of the very best wishes from all of us who utilize your knowledge, friendship and experience.

Again, thanks for the Happy Birthday wishes, and the very kind words. I did have a wonderful birthday, full of small miracles one right after another all day long. It's one I'll remember for a long time.

Hugs, neighbor!

Jinny

Jinny Brown:

 

1. Use File menu > Quick Clone. (This menu command can be added to a Custom Palette so it will only take a single click on the menu command button.) Tracing Paper will automatically be turned on.
   
   

 

I missed this one, and have to say it´s just awesome, Jinny.(as you are)

But I was wondering how do you add that menu command to a custom palette.

Hugs

Hi Mig,

To add a main menu or palette menu command button to a Custom Palette:

1. Use Window menu > Custom Palettes > Add Command.

2. If you want to add the menu command button to an existing Custom Palette, choose the existng Custom Palette name from the Add to: drop down list.

3. If you want to add the menu command button to a new Custom Palette, choose New from the Add to: drop down list.

4. While the Add Command dialog box is still open, go to the main menu or palette menu and choose the command.

In this example (for the 2nd dynamic image window), go to the File menu and click Quick Clone, then click the OK button and you'll see the Quick Clone menu command button has been added to your Custom Palette.

If you did not add it to an existing Custom Palette, the new Custom Palette will be automatically named Custom 1 (or the next available number).

5. To rename your new Custom Palette, go to Window menu > Custom Palettes > Organizer and in the Custom Palette Organizer dialog box, highlight the name of your new Custom Palette, click the Rename button, and type a unique and descriptive name, then click the Done button.

I named mine Second Dynamic Image Window.

6. Repeat Steps 1 and 2 this time choosing the appropriate Custom Palette name from the Add to: drop down list and, while the Add Command dialog box is still open, go to the Canvas menu and choose Tracing Paper, then click the OK button and you'll see the two menu command buttons in your new Custom Palette:

Enjoy!

and....

Hugs back!

Jinny

Thank you Jinny!! I just remembered right now, while I was messing with my custom palettes in Painter X in order to port them to P11. In fact I came to edit my post. :) But it will help others so you effort is not in vain. ;)

I have not used this feature- not the custom palettes, of course: commands in custom palettes- in years, shame on me. :blush:

Hi Mig,

Don't be surprised if you have to reconstruct your Custom Palettes from pre-Painter 11 versions when you Import them to Painter 11. Some worked just fine for me. Others didn't work at all, even when I had all of the necessary brush libraries and art materials libraries available to use, or load and use.

Good luck!

Once I put the old libraries in the correct place (I´m carrying many Painter 6, Painter 7 and IX  legacy: brushes, patterns, papers, you know...) things went surprisingly well, Jinny. I had my Painter X stuff pretty well arranged so almost every custom palette worked out with no fix.

Thank you, one more time. :)

Mig:

Once I put the old libraries in the correct place (I´m carrying many Painter 6, Painter 7 and IX  legacy: brushes, patterns, papers, you know...) things went surprisingly well, Jinny. I had my Painter X stuff pretty well arranged so almost every custom palette worked out with no fix.

Thank you, one more time. :)

 

That's good news, Mig!

It helps a lot when the user understands where to put these items. Many don't understand even when it's been explained to them over and over again. ;o)

Jin

HI Jinny

thanks for that tip. It will save me alot of time.

Just a small correction. The keyboard shortcut to switch between same application windows on the Mac is actually Command+`. Command+Tab switches between open applications. I'm not sure about the windows side.

Thanks again

scott