Translating graphics with Paint.NET

Step 4: Modifying the mask layer to hide the original text and match the original text background

So, we have finally translated the text, but the original text is still visible underneath our translation. We are now going to hide this text by painting in the Mask layer (which is right between the Text layer and the Background layer).

To accomplish this:

1. Pick the background color of the text from the original image: select the Background layer, activate the Color Picker tool, and click on the background of the original text to copy this color to the Colors panel;
2. Select the Mask layer in the Layers panel. Again, be careful not to select the Text or Background layer;
3. Use the Rectangle Select tool () to make a selection around an original block of text. It is always recommended to make a selection prior to using other tools to avoid overwriting something else located in the same layer;

4. Use one of the following actions depending on the background of the text:

   • If the text background is uniform, select the Paint Bucket tool () and click within the selection to fill it with the current color:

     
     Figure 9: Using the Paint Bucket tool to modify the Mask layer

   • If there are several colors in the text background, you will need to use the Paintbrush () or Pencil (). Use the Pencil to paint individual pixels with a specific color. The Brush is more versatile: you can change the size of the brush, and use it to create blurred transitions with the original background color when the text background is complex. Experiment with these tools to see the benefits of each one.