RealWorld Paint help index

RealWorld Paint is a freeware image/photo/animation editor. It can be used to create or edit computer images or animations, convert images to animations and back. RealWorld Paint can also be used for photo retouching.

Note: other RealWorld applications are capable of editing image just like RW Paint. All information available in this section is directly applicable to RealWorld Icon Editor, RealWorld Cursor Editor and RealWorld Photos.

Getting started

If you have installed RealWorld Paint on your computer, you can start it by double-clicking the RealWorld Paint icon on your desktop or from the Windows start menu. If you are using the portable version, double-click the RWPaint(.exe) file after you have unzipped the archive.

Creating new images and animations

Clicking on the File->New menu command or switching to the Create tab in an empty window displays a list of available wizards:

• New raster image - activate this icon to create a new empty image. Width, height and background color of the create image can be specified in the right column.
• Image from clipboard - creates image from content of clipboard. If you find an image on the web, right-click on it in Firefox and select "Copy image", then use the "Image from clipboard" wizard.
• Capture desktop - the application window hides for a moment and the desktop without the Paint.COM window is captured and opened in the editor.

Opening files

RealWorld Paint is by default able to open (and save) images and animation in the following formats:

• .bmp - Windows bitmap.
• .jpg - JPEG photograph.
• .png - PNG image.
• .gif - GIF image or animation
• .webp - WebP photograph.
• .jp2/.jpc - JPEG2000 image.
• .psd - Photoshop image with layers are some layer styles.
• .xcf - GIMP image with layers
• .pdn - Paint.net image with layers.
• .rli - RealWorld image or animation with layers and styles.

Additional formats may be available if plug-ins are installed.

To open an image, click on the Open tab in an empty window or click on the Open command in the File menu. Alternatively, drag and drop an image from a file manage on the RealWorld Paint window. If you frequently open image with RealWorld Paint, consider associating selected file types with RealWorld Paint and open image by simply double-clicking them in Windows Explorer.

Using drawing tools

Paint offers several drawing tools and fill styles. Drawing tools may use the active color or fill style to fill interior of shapes.

• Drawing tools - overview of available tools.
• Drawing modes - tools are affected by current modes.
• Fill styles - ways of filling drawn shapes.

Tutorials

• Creating a simple blue button with glassy look
• Adding reflections and shadows to images
• How to make scripted noise generator

Core concepts

Reading the following sections will help you understand how things work inside the RealWorld Designer framework. It is recommended for users wanting to customize the look and functionality of the application and for plug-in developers.

• Window Layout - this corner-stone of the application controls the content of the entire window and the main menu.
• View State - communication medium between individual parts of the application. A need-to-know topic for people wanting to customize the user interface and functionality.
• Localized Strings - how use text in multiple languages in items configurable by the end users.
• Scripting - introduction to creation of scripted filters or other operations.
• Plug-ins - technical information for plug-in developers.
• Stateless GUI - RealWorld application use strictly stateless user interface methods. Learn why and what are the consequences.

Getting more help

The crucial pieces of information are available directly in RWPaint's user interface:

• Read the tooltips and/or descriptions in application status bar (the line at the bottom of each window) to learn about individual menu commands or dialog controls.
• Click the lightbulb toolbar button or the "What now?" menu command to display list of frequently used actions.
• Search this web using the search box in the upper right corner.
• Ask a question on a public discussion board

Recent comments

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Vlasta site administrator on September 22nd 2011

(Assuming the photograph is big enough.) An icon has multiple images and you can select which ones to create by putting a checkmark to them when creating an icon. If you want to keep a lot of details, you should have the largest (256x256 image) checked. The smaller ones will have less details. When the small image is viewed in the editor and zoomed in, it may look blurred. Look in the lower left corner to see it not zoomed (you may need to drag the pane or close some panels), just like Windows will display it.

Anonymous on October 19th 2011

I cannot see how to convert an image so that the background is made transparent. None of the help or discussion I can find covers this.

Vlasta site administrator on October 19th 2011

With RWPaint?

NEOC registered user on November 16th 2011

Looks like he's/she's talking about it. Yes... I really hate the way of Real World Paint handles Alpha Channel.

Anonymous on December 2nd 2011

I need to know how to use my created cursor. Thanks

Jerhil registered user on January 18th

Have installed RW Paint free version and thought the layers, brushes, etc had installed but cannot find them. There is no media library icon on the tool bar. What am I missing?

Vlasta site administrator on January 18th

If you have installed the media packs from the Online page, you'll find them when opening a layer style, image brush, etc. in the appropriate open file windows - look near the top of the windows for a Tagged library tab.

Anonymous on January 27th

guy can you help me to created cursor pleasa help me

Anonymous on May 6th

Problem!
Open the filelist where you can see more then one graphic files.
Then e.g. change colorize (Ctr-i) and remember config.
Now load the next file (to colrize it with the remembered setting)
Unfortunaly RwPaint opens a hole new instance, thus you cannot
revert the remembered colorizing config.
Question: WHY IS THIS?! and CAN YOU CHANGE IT?

Best Regards from The Netherlands!

Vlasta site administrator on May 6th

If you close the old file before opening the new one, the last setting will be there. I decided to keep the configuration of concurrently opened windows separate to prevent unexpected things from happening. For example if you re-configured a panel or a toolbar in one window, other windows would also change. This may change in the future. If I ever implement a tabbed document interface, the configuration will be shared for sure.

Anonymous

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