updated

Store Image - for use as floating color palette

Tested to work with PD Howler 2020, PD Artist 2020

v13 is 2020 ^HOT! | more PD Howler | more downloads

Important Background Info

This is a plugin for use with recent version (v13) of PD Howler or PD Artist. There was a similar function already in earlier versions. In Howler/Artist 13 (also known as 2020), there was a change with how the stored images are appearing. Instead of a freely floating thumbnail, it was now made to stay in a column on the side of the screen.

While this made it cleaner and easier to find them in correlation to the order in which they were stored, it also made them stuck at a given size. The original free floating thumbnails could be more easily repositioned and especially they could be resized. You might want to resize them for two reasons. For one, the thumbnail is small and you'd like to see some details, especially if you have several of them and they look the same in small thumbnail size.

The main reason though is to make it possible to resize it to a more convenient size when used as a color palette.

Indeed, you can use a stored image as a color palette. For example, when you take a picture of a real color palettee, you can make it become not just a stored picture, but an active color palette, from where the cursor can grab the color you wan to paint with. (both primary and secondary colors - left or right mouse button)

Imagine you took a class from Bob Ross on nature painting, and you'd like to collect a bunch of Bob Ross colors into your palette. Or imagine you have a set of your own colors, maybe even a gradient, from an image, or you took a photo from something colorful. You can easily turn it into your color palette.

So What is it exactly?

It's a plugin for PD Howler 2020 or PD Artist 2020. (it may work with earlier versions too, but we don't guarantee that or support older versions for this plugin).

When you use it, you can store the current image that you see in the main image buffer (canvas). It won't be stuck in the side with the other stored images, it will remain floating, and - most importantly - resizable.

You can use it to store an image the old fashion way, but the main reason to bring it is to use it as a color palette that you can make bigger than the original thumbnail. On new high-definition screens this will be very handy.

How to Install it?

Beware: Download and save the file into the folder where your version of Dogwaffle lives, and where you'll also find other files engine with _pm.exe (plugin, miscellaneous, executable)

For most standalone users the default path is something like one of these:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Howler

C:\Program Files (x86)\Artist

or similar.

But it could be elsewhere in your installation, especially if you did install it in a location different from the default location, or if the default location has changed over time since your old version.

Be sure to find your installation folder. Then download and save the following file into that folder, i.e. place the file into the folder where your Howler/Artist is installed.

Store_Buffer_pm.exe       Size = 59904 bytes (58 KB)

Important: Be sure to scan it once more through your antivirus. Never trust downloaded files, especially executable (.exe) files, even if you trust the person who is offering it. After all, if the website's server had been hacked, the file could have been tampered with. So, always be on the alert and safe side: scan your downloads with a good, up-to-date antivirus. We do the same, every time, no exceptions.   And compare the checksums with SHA256 or similar. Right-click the downlaoded file to find the options.

Here is checksum information about the file:

Name: Store_Buffer_pm.exe
Size: 59904 bytes (58 KiB)
CRC32: BDD39376
CRC64: 91D6A1C76D957921
SHA256: AF82CEA0408C0EE149BCF2E0210D0D90B62D0DD8EAF44DA95E6AF4370FAFE999
SHA1: 3811FCB324FA798AA944EE65D80493D003829A36
BLAKE2sp: 1A810EF0BB6B9F8827AC85E3B0C934450DD03B40B137AE070C36B835A01DFF78

As a reminder, here's how you can find the CRC SHA info for a file when you right-click the file:

After installation:
After placing a copy of the file in your dogwaffle's installation folder, restart Project Dogwaffle again so that it may find the new file amongst other filters, and list it in the Miscellaneous filters view. Or re-launch the plugins panel (shortcut "k"). You may want to force a Refresh of the list shown, it's usually an option in a small pull-down menu along the right side of the panel.

You should also find it then in the Filter menu:   Filter > All Plugins > Misc plugins...

How to Use it?

Start from an image. Something you painted, or a picture you loaded.

Then use Filter > All plugins > Misc > Store_Buffer

The Image is then appearing as a stored copy, in a floating thumbnail. You can resize its window bye the corners. You can then also click the toggle in its lower left corner, which turns the stored image into a color palette.

Now you can have easily access to your favorite colors for your painting projects. Just pick them from this floating palette. For example, if you're going to do some nature painting, from a photo, you can use the colors from that stored photo. Or if you find a palette of Bob Ross colors or anything else, like a color palette, take it in, and use it as that.

You can find great samples of photos at pexels.com - here's an example from Deeana Creates, using a palette of water colors -
https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-photo-of-watercolor-palette-1576210/

Please download the image from pexels. This one here is a small version just to give you an idea.

Once you have this image loaded and turned into a palette, you can focus on being creative.

If you'd like to see more of Deeana's Creativity, check her Instagram or YouTube. You can also sponsor her on Patreon.

Thank you Deeana!

And happy painting to all!