Changing Image Size

You can use several methods to resize or scale paint objects and the images they contain.

Keep in mind that altering the size or resolution of a paint object can degrade the quality of an image. Canvas X Draw uses interpolation to estimate pixel values when necessary, but this can result in loss of sharpness or detail when large scaling factors are applied.

The best way to avoid image degradation is to avoid changing image size or resolution.

You can also remove effects via the Undos palette or by using the keyboard command: Ctrl+Z.

• If an image is too big for a particular layout, consider cropping the image, rather than resizing or scaling it to fit.
• If a photographic image requires higher resolution, try re-scanning the original at a higher resolution, rather than increasing the resolution in Canvas X Draw.

If you resize, skew, or rotate a paint object, you can restore the original shape and resolution by choosing Effects | Remove Effects.

Stretching Images with the Mouse

You can change the size of a paint object by clicking on it with the Selection tool and dragging a selection handle. Stretching an image non-proportionately also stretches the pixels, which can cause unwanted distortion to the image.

Scaling Images Using the Scale Command

Change the size of a paint object by selecting it and choosing Object | Scale. The Scale command lets you maintain the object’s proportions or distort an image by scaling it in one direction. Using the Scale command does not add or remove pixels from an image. For information on using Scale, see Scaling Objects.

Using the Crop Command to Change Image Size

Use the Crop command to adjust the overall size of an image.

• When you enlarge an image, Canvas X Draw adds white pixels.
• When you reduce an image, Canvas X Draw crops out pixels and discards the image data.

To Crop an Image:

1. Select a paint object (not in Edit mode) and choose Image | Area | Crop. A dialog box displays the current size, width, and height.
2. Under New Size, enter the size you want the image to be. Use percent, pixel, inch, centimeter, point, or pica values.
3. Click a square in the Placement grid to set the position of the resulting image; e.g., to crop the image from the right side and bottom, click the upper-left square in the Placement grid. To expand the image on all sides, click the center square.
4. Click OK to resize the image. If you are reducing the image area, Canvas X Draw warns you it will delete pixels; click OK to proceed.

Using the Crop & Scale Menu

Canvas X Draw features a Crop & Scale menu that you can easily access via the Properties bar when an image object is selected.

When you choose a cropping size from the Crop & Scale menu and apply it to a selected image, a cropping rectangle appears on the image, just as if you were using the Crop tool. Click inside this rectangle and Canvas crops your image.

Cropping Options

Canvas X Draw can crop an image in three ways: Soft Crop, Hard Crop, as well as Crop and Scale. The cropping options also appear in the Properties bar after clicking the Crop tool on an image.

• Hard Crop: Extra pixels are permanently removed.
• Soft Crop: Extra pixels are temporarily hidden. When the image is in Edit mode, you can see the hidden pixels.
• Crop & Scale: When applied, a hard crop is performed and the resulting image is scaled proportionally.

Apply a cropping size from the Crop & Scale menu to a selected image and various cropping options appear in the Properties bar.

You can identify whether you are in Edit mode by the Status bar or the following icon in the Properties bar: 

Crop and Scale Options

To Apply a Crop Command:

1. Select the image object. The image should not be in Paint Edit mode.

The center of the cropping rectangle is indicated by a square icon.

2. In the Properties bar, click the Crop & Scale drop-down list and select a preset crop size or Custom. You cannot manually resize the cropping rectangle when using a preset crop size. You have to select another crop size from the menu. Select Custom to be able to resize the cropping rectangle.
3. Move the cropping rectangle, if necessary. Place the cursor on the border of the cropping rectangle and a hand appears.
4. Place the cursor within the cropping rectangle and click to complete the crop.

Using the Trim or Trim to Path Command

The Trim command lets you remove same-color pixels that are near the edge of the image area. This feature is useful for removing unwanted white space or other borders that are not part of the main image, e.g., you scan a photo that doesn’t fill the entire scanner area, and there is a white border around the photo. The Trim command identifies the edges of the image, determines which pixels around the border match, and deletes the unwanted border.

Canvas X Draw alerts you if the image can’t be trimmed because a border can’t be found.

To Trim an Image:

1. Select one or more paint objects to trim.
2. Then choose Image | Area | Trim to remove the border.

The Trim to Path command lets you trim an image with a vector or text object. Unlike a clipping path, which “hides” anything outside the path, the Trim to Path command deletes any part of the image that is outside the path. The result is a single image object, rather than an image and vector object as is the case with clipping paths. (See Using Clipping Paths.)

To Trim an Image to Path:

1. Position a text or vector object (trimming object) in front of the image to be trimmed.

The trimming object cannot be larger than the image. If a part of the path doesn’t touch the image, an error occurs.

2. If necessary, select the text or vector object and choose Object | Arrange | Bring to Front to put it in front of the image object.
3. Select both the trimming object and image.
4. Choose Image | Trim to Path.

You can even use special objects, such as Concentric Circles, Spirals, Multigons, and Cubes to trim an image.

Using the Crop Tool to Change Image Size

Use the Crop tool to select a rectangular part of an image and hide the rest, which is called a “soft crop.” When you edit a soft-cropped image, the cropped area reappears while the image is in Edit mode. When you finish editing, Canvas X Draw re-crops the image.

You can also use the Crop tool to “hard-crop” an image, which adds or removes pixels, as an alternative to using the Area | Crop command.

To Perform a Soft Crop:

1. Select the Crop tool from the Toolbox. 
2. Right-click and select Soft Crop Image.

To Perform a Hard Crop:

1. Select the Crop tool from the Toolbox.
2. Right-click and select Hard Crop Image.

Crop Icons

To Crop without Deleting Pixels:

1. Select the Crop tool and point to the image you want to crop.
2. Click the image with the crop pointer. Canvas X Draw displays a rectangle with hollow handles. This cropping rectangle defines the outside edges of the image after cropping.
3. Position the cropping rectangle to frame the part of the image that you want to keep.
   • Drag a corner handle to resize the cropping rectangle.
   • Drag a side to move the cropping rectangle. The pointer changes to a hand when you point to a side.
4. Press Esc to crop the image, or click in the image. Canvas X Draw hides the part of the image outside the cropping rectangle.

To Restore a Cropped Image:

You can select a paint object and choose Effects | Remove Effects to remove a soft crop. Or, use the following procedure:

1. Click the image with the Crop tool. Canvas X Draw displays the full image area and the cropping rectangle.
2. Drag the corner handles outward so the entire image is inside the cropping rectangle, and then press Esc, or click in the image.

Cropping an Image

Adjust the cropping rectangle with the Crop tool by dragging a handle. Enclose the area you want to keep, and then press Esc to hide the cropped part of the image.

To Remove Pixels When Cropping an Image:

In hard-crop mode, the Crop tool discards pixels that are outside the cropping rectangle.

Quickly crop or expand a paint object using the Selection tool. Select the paint object (don’t put it in Edit mode), then Ctrl-drag a handle to crop or add pixels to the image. When you drag, the cropping rectangle and handles appear. When you release the mouse, Canvas X Draw applies a hard crop.

1. Select the Crop tool and Ctrl-click the image you want to crop. Canvas X Draw displays a cropping rectangle around the boundary of the image.
2. Position the cropping rectangle so it frames the part of the image you want to keep.
   • Drag a handle to resize the cropping rectangle.
   • To move the cropping rectangle, point to any side, and the pointer changes to a hand. Drag the cropping rectangle to reposition it.
3. Press Esc or click in the image to complete the crop.

To Add Pixels with the Crop Tool:

1. Select the Crop tool and point to the image you want to crop.

If the paint object you crop is an Indexed mode object, the color of the added pixels is the last color in the color table associated with the image, which often is black.

2. Alt-click the image you want to enlarge. Canvas X Draw displays a cropping rectangle with hollow square handles at the corners.
3. Drag the handles of the cropping rectangle to enlarge it.
4. Press Esc or click in the image to complete the crop.

Adding a White Border

When you press a modifier key and click with the Crop tool, you can expand a paint object. This adds a white border to an RGB Color or CMYK Color image.

To Quickly Crop an Image with the Selection Tool:

1. When a paint object is selected (not in Edit mode), point to a handle, and then press Ctrl and drag the handle. When you drag, a cropping rectangle appears.
2. Drag inward to crop (cut away) part of the object. Drag outward to add pixels and expand the object. Release the mouse to complete the operation.

To Constrain the Cropping Rectangle as You Drag:

Do one or more of the following:

• To constrain the height and width of the cropping rectangle proportionally: Release the Ctrl key, and then press Shift while dragging.
• To constrain the height and width of the cropping rectangle symmetrically from the center: Release the Ctrl key and then press it again while dragging.
• To constrain the height and width of the cropping rectangle both proportionally and symmetrically: Release the Ctrl key and then press Ctrl+Shift while dragging.

See also:

• Scaling Objects
• Using Clipping Paths