To give a favorite photo a unique look why not split it into three pieces and print one image on each of three separate canvases? Then hang the three canvases side by side so you get the look of one image spread over a larger area.
To achieve this look first determine the size of the canvases that you plan to use. At Photobox.co.uk, for example, you can purchase rectangular or square canvases in a range of sizes. We’ll design our project for its rectangular 12 x 8 inch (30 x 20 centimeters) canvas. If you place these side by side you will end up with a display that is 12 inches high by 24 inches wide (each canvas will be 12in tall and 8in wide). It is important, when setting up the print job online that you don’t select to wrap the images around the edges of the canvas as our process doesn’t include any extra image for this. Here’s how to prepare your image in Paint.net (refer to issue 1 for download and installation instructions for this program).
Launch Paint.net, choose File > Open and open an image to use. The image you choose should be wider than it is tall. Choose Image > Resize and ensure that, when you set the Resolution to 300 pixels/inch, the Print Size Width value is at least 12 inches – if it is not then the image won’t be a high enough quality to print successfully. If necessary, find and open another, larger image or see step 6 for a resizing solution.
To crop the image to the correct ratio, click the Rectangle Select tool. From the dropdown list on the top tool bar, choose Fixed Ratio and type 2 for the Width and 1 for the Height. Drag from the left edge of the photo all the way to the right edge to select the area to print. If you don’t like the initial selection then try another time until you get it right. Choose Image > Crop to Selection to crop the image to these dimensions.
Now reset the Rectangle Select tool’s Width to 2 and the Height to 3 and make a selection from the top left corner of the image to the bottom edge. This is one-third of the image. Choose Edit > Copy and then Edit > Paste in to New Image. Choose File > Save As. Type Part1.jpg as the file name, from the Save as type list choose JPEG (*.jpg; *.jpeg; *.jpe; *.jfif). Click Save. Set the Quality to 100% and click Ok
Close this image by choosing File > Close. This takes you back to your original image and your selection should still be in place. Choose Edit > Invert Selection and then Image > Crop to Selection so you are left with just the right hand two-thirds of the image. Click the Rectangle Select Tool again and repeat step 3 to make another selection from the top left corner of the image to the bottom edge. Copy and paste it to a new image and then save it, this time calling it Part2.jpg.
Close this image by choosing File > Close. This takes you back to your original image and your selection should still be in place. Choose Edit > Invert Selection and then Image > Crop to Selection so you are left with just the right hand one-third of the image. Choose File > Save As. Type Part3.jpg as the file name, from the Save as type list choose JPEG (*.jpg; *.jpeg; *.jpe; *.jfif). Click Save. Set the Quality to 100% and click Ok. Choose File > Close to close this image.
You now have your three images ready to upload to a site such as Photobox to print on 12 x 8in canvases.
You now have your three images ready to upload to a site such as Photobox to print on 12 x 8in canvases.
If the Print Size Width in step 1 is only a little less than 12” (say 8” or more) you can enlarge the image. To do this, choose Image > Resize, click the Maintain Aspect Ratio checkbox and, in the Print Size Width box type 12 and select Inches as the measurement. If the Height is now 8 inches or more, click Ok. If it is less than 8 inches then type 8 in the Height box (the Width will now be more than 12 inches). Click Ok to resize the image. You can now continue at step 2 above.
