Want to colorize a black & white image in Photo+ Graphic Designer6

[danno410]

Having just purchased P+GD6, how would I begin to:
#1. scan in a line drawing
#2. Color in image (similar to bucket filling like in Photoshop)

Is there an online video or tutorial? My hardcopy disk has not arrived yet, and I assume a book will come with that, but in the meantime, I want to get used to the basic functions.

[handrawn]

right well you need to set up your scanner to send images to PGD6, or scan them as files to the computer in a suitable format [eg: PNG] - there is no scanner acquisition interface from within PGD6 itself

also there is no bucket fill, I wish there was [like inkscape and illustrator] but there isn't - so its trace to make shapes and fill, basically

[mg.architect]

It's not as bad as the previous poster makes it sound. It's just the work-flow of the software :-)
I scan my stuff as a pdf then import that. Easy to do.
As for coloring, I use other vector programs that use various iterations of the paint bucket fill tool, but I do prefer the control of the Xara "trace (without outline) and fill" method.

Have fun with it.

[handrawn]

the previous poster was not intending to make it sound bad, just trying to be clear - the previous poster was maybe wondering why questions like this are not asked during the trial of the program rather than after purchase, but there you go...

bucket fill in inkscape and illustrator is a whole load quicker - but tracing is more accurate if you do it by hand, and once you get the hang of it not too difficult as you say, but it does take practice - we all have our preferences as to tools, and if you are good enough to do it freehand the choice is wider..

[masque]

As Steve (handrawn) says first you get your line drawing scan into Designer. Then it's a matter of tracing around the major shapes that make up the drawing. To fill in Xara you must produce closed shapes which you can then apply any colour you wish too. Obviously this hides what is beneath so you then have to redraw the line detail over the top of the closed shape. To be able to see the original scan beneath the closed shape you can either remove the fill temporarily or make it say 90% transparent so you can see the detail you are trying to trace. Once you have added the detail you can then restore the shapes opacity.
Another way is to trace the shapes, apply the fill but remove the outline leaving the outline of the original drawing (scan) to show through how successful this method is depends on how careful you are in creating the fill area so as not to cover the drawing below.
In my example I've used the first method as I feel its the best solution.
Derek

[molucca]

Xara has the capability to make B&W images transparent using themselves. Then you can draw and color objects behind.

Akvis has a plugin hat colors B&W images as well. Their programs run as plugins to Xara. At least the programs I have.

You can draw yur objects and the overall shape and subtract the objects from the shape as well.

http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/sitemap/fish.php Clip Art resource.

Rich

[handrawn]

and just to add to what Rich has said..

I put one copy of the transparent [ie white removed] scan on the top layer, and a second copy on the bottom layer and draw color shapes on layers in between

the bottom layer copy [usually faded down] I use as reference, with the top layer hidden most of the time whilst working and shown when I quickly want to check how the effect is looking

[rpc9943]

I wonder why xara hasn't implemented this yet. Is there a reason why? It can be frustrating.