Topics in Desktop Graphics - (CPTR240) - Lectures  

Arranged and adapted by: David Siguelnitzky -

Import a bitmap

To complete the tutorial, you'll need the following source files:

When the file decompresses, a folder named modeless_editing is created on your system.

1. In Fireworks, choose File > New to create a new document.

2. Set the Width option to 380 pixels and the Height option to 535 pixels in the New Document dialog box, and click OK (a new, blank document opens in the document window).

3. Choose File > Import, navigate to the modeless_editing folder that you downloaded and decompressed at the beginning of the tutorial, and open the Assets folder.

4. Select the file named artist.jpg and click Open. (The pointer changes to the insertion pointer).

5. Position the insertion pointer in the upper left corner of the canvas, as shown below, and click.

 

The bitmap image appears on the canvas. Use the pointer to reposition the image if necessary.

6. Choose File > Save (The Save As dialog box opens).

7. Name the file street_art.png.

8. Navigate to the modeless_editing folder and click Save (Fireworks saves the PNG file in the location you specified).

Select pixels in the bitmap

Here you'll use a bitmap tool to select pixels in the bitmap image.

1. If the Tools panel isn't visible, choose Window > Tools.

2. Click the Lasso tool in the Bitmap section of the Tools panel.

3. Using the Lasso pointer, roughly draw an outline around the face in the artwork on the street. You don't have to be precise, just be sure the outline encompasses most of the face.

Note: If desired, use the Zoom tool in the View section of the Tools panel to get a closer view of the image before you begin selecting pixels.

4. Once the outline is completed, choose Select > Select Inverse.

This command selects the inverse of a pixel selection. All the pixels in the image are selected except the area of pixels you originally selected.

5. Before you continue, choose Select > Save Bitmap Selection. This ensures you can retrieve the selection quickly if you inadvertently lose it by choosing another tool or selecting another object.

Look at the bottom of the document window. The Exit Bitmap Mode button is enabled.

Although you don't need to worry about modes in Fireworks MX, this button is a remnant from legacy versions of Fireworks that indicates you're currently in bitmap mode. It is still displayed here for users who want to know which mode they're in while working.

Source: David Jacowitz and Gary White - Macromedia FIREWORKS MX (2004) - http://www.macromedia.com/support/fireworks/tutorial_index.html