ArtRage lets you load in a Tracing Image that is overlaid on top of your canvas for painting reference. If you are just learning to paint this can be a good way to create interesting images.

When you have a Tracing Image loaded, you can choose to have ArtRage select the color you are using based on the image. This means you don’t even need to worry about which color to pick, you can just paint strokes to match what you see beneath.

To load a Tracing Image, click the Load Tracing Image button on the Canvas Panel which sits on the bottom edge of the ArtRage Window. You can also find this option in the Tools Menu.

When you have an image loaded, the Color Picker will update to indicate that color is being selected from it, and the following options become available in the Canvas Panel Menu (also in the Tools Menu):

• Clear Tracing Image: Removes any image currently loaded for tracing.
• Show Tracing Image: This option toggles whether or not it is visible.
• Choose Colors from Tracing Image: Tells ArtRage whether the colors it uses should be taken from a loaded Tracing Image. If this is turned on and an image is loaded for tracing, the Color Picker will inform you that color is being chosen automatically. Turn it off if you want to choose colors yourself.
• Convert Tracing Image to Paint on this Layer: Takes the Tracing Image you have loaded, if you have one, and converts it to paint, filling the currently selected layer. Good for turning a tracing image in to paint so that you can then smear it.
• Edit Tracing Image: Opens the Tracing Image Settings Pane.

The Tracing Image Settings Pane.

When you select Edit Tracing Image from a menu or from the button a the bottom of the Canvas Panel, you are presented with the Tracing Image Settings Pane.

This pane allows you to change the scale and position of the Tracing Image, along with how transparent it is as it is displayed.

The Scale button opens a menu that allows you to select one of 5 types of scale:

• Manual Scale: The image is not automatically scaled. With this option selected you can use the Move and Zoom tools on the panel.
• Tile Image to Fill: The image is tiled repeatedly to fill the canvas. With this option selected you can use the Move and Zoom tools on the panel.
• Stretch Image to Fill: Stretches the image so that it fills the canvas completely.
• Fit Image Inside: Stretches the image so that its largest edge fits inside the canvas. This doesn’t change the aspect of the image.
• Let Image Overlap: Stretches the image so that its smallest edge fits inside the canvas. Note that this means some parts of the image will be outside the area of the canvas.

If you have selected Manual or Tiled scale modes, you can use the Move and Zoom tools at the side of the preview. Select the tool you wish to use then click and drag in the canvas area to move or zoom the Tracing Image.

To adjust how opaque the Tracing Image is when displayed on your painting, adjust the Opacity dial to the right of the pane.

Click Done when you have finished making adjustments and the interface returns to normal.

Return to Index.