Perspective Correction

[MikeFromMesa]

Since I am new to using PaintShop Pro this is probably a "newbie" type of question, but I do not really understand how to distort an image to correct perspective if the correction is not related to an architectural structure.

I do understand that the Perspective Tool can be used to correct architectural perspective and correct the sides of buildings which are often distorted by UWA lenses. That seems clear and works well for me. But what I would like to do is to warp an image to make things that are natural (and hence not rectangular) appear normal when taken with the same type of UWA lens. As a previous Photoshop user I used to do this by a Perspective Transform that would allow me to pull the corners of the image out or in to correct the perspective. In fact, using PS and the Perspective setting, pulling one corner would also pull the corresponding corner to balance the change.

The only corresponding functionality in PSP that I have found so far has been the Mesh Warp and that does not allow me to pull or push the corners, only the inside points of an image. I assume there must be some perspective functionality that is not related to buildings but I don't know where it is. Perhaps someone can help me.

Thanks.

[Forriner]

In PSP X4 the Pick tool shares a button with the Move tool, second button from the top. Activate that.

You may want to drag a corner of the picture window to enlarge the window without enlarging the image (if not in Tabbed Documents view). With the pick tool active you'll see the 'bounding box with handles'.

Place the cursor over a handle to see what it does. Shift and Control change the action. Ctrl moves both points (trapezoid), shift moves one point anywhere. Neither shift or control and you'll expand/contract the image).

You see the effect in real time. Also usable on layers, I use it often to resize.

I hope this helps, good luck.

[MikeFromMesa]

Yes. Thank you. That was exactly what I was looking for.

It appears that PSP automatically crops the change, which I find to be unfortunate (since it prevents me from filling in the empty places with Magic Fill), but I can live with that.

Thank you again.

[Forriner]

I don't know anything about Magic Fill except the name, but could you duplicate the layer, use the Pick tool and then use the Original layer to fill the 'distorted' one?

[MikeFromMesa]

I don't know anything about Magic Fill except the name, but could you duplicate the layer, use the Pick tool and then use the Original layer to fill the 'distorted' one?

I have done something like that to fill in complex backgrounds when removing objects I don't want from a photo. For example, if I am taking a photo of an area where people are walking through, I will take 2 or 3 photos as the people move, then make layers from each photo, remove the people and use the underlying image to fill in the blank space. But short of making a panorama I don't see how I could use this process to fill in the edges of most photos (which is where the perspective correction would be leaving blanks).

Of course if the area was uniformly textured and colored, like a sand bank or ocean or sky, then this would work, but if the area included busy stuff like trees, shrubs and/or structures, this would be more difficult. The best that I might be able to do would be to use the clone tool to try to fill in the left-over area.

The Magic Fill in X7 is pretty good and does a calculation to determine how to fill the blank area. I have often found it to be better than Photoshop in filling areas after something has been removed.

[Forriner]

Cool, thanks. If it isn't too buggy -Corel has a reputation to protect in that respect- it may finally be time to upgrade from X4.

[Tadjio]

When I do a Perspective Correction, I often switch offf the Crop Image option in the Tools Palette.
Then I go to Pick and reduce the height (Scale Y) by say 5% to 95%
This usually gives me the desired result.

[MikeFromMesa]

When I do a Perspective Correction, I often switch offf the Crop Image option in the Tools Palette.
Then I go to Pick and reduce the height (Scale Y) by say 5% to 95%
This usually gives me the desired result.

Thanks. I had not seen that option. I am still learning PaintShop Pro and have a lot to forget about using Photoshop.

[Kathy_9]

Cool, thanks. If it isn't too buggy -Corel has a reputation to protect in that respect- it may finally be time to upgrade from X4.

Try Before You Buy is always a good choice.