Taking a Screen Print and Saving as a JPEG
This is like cutting a picture from a newspaper
Sometimes you want to save a copy of an image or a message that you see on your monitor screen. It may be a picture you wish to save for future reference or send to someone. There are also times when an advice message appears about a program you are using; perhaps an error warning that is set in a text box. In general, whatever is on your screen can be copied and saved as a JPEG by following some straightforward steps utilising the tap of a keyboard key and a Microsoft Windows program called Paint.
Although a relatively simplified drawing package, Paint is ideal for the job; and all of the images you see in this PDF are created with it. Needless to say, if you plan on trying to give screen printing a go you have to set up the Paint program on your taskbar so that it is easily accessible.
First have a look on your desktop to see if the Paint icon is already there...
If not, left click on the Windows icon (bottom left corner of your screen); then scroll down to > Windows Accessories and find the Paint icon. Don't confuse this with Paint 3D. Now, left click on the Paint icon, hold and drag it to the taskbar; then release. As long as the taskbar is visible you can open the Paint program at will.
To practise taking a screen print: press the keyboard key PrtScn (usually top right of the keyboard to the right of the F keys). Next, left click on the Paint icon on the taskbar; and once Paint is open, left click on the Paste icon (top left of the Paint window). This will show everything that appears on your screen - desktop background and any files already open.
You may only want to save a picture or just part of it; and it's possible you may not be able to see the part that you wanted. Don't be dismayed - it will be there somewhere. To bring it fully into view, use the scroll bars on the bottom and right side of the Paint window. Once you can see all of it you can lose the unwanted surroundings by cropping just the bit you need. And you should do this before you save it as a picture in JPEG format.
To crop an image: left click on the Crop icon (to the right of the Select icon, top left of the Paint window). Bring the cursor down (it looks like a cross with a circle in the centre like a gun sight). Position this just above the left corner of the image you want, hold down the left mouse button and drag diagonally to the bottom right corner. Everything inside this outlined box is what you get when you follow the next stage; which is: first release the mouse button; then, to finish the crop, go back to the Crop icon and left click. You should now have the image you want; however, if it isn't quite to your satisfaction (maybe you have too much of the background or are missing a part of the image), simply press the keyboard keys Ctrl + Z and you will return to the previous print screen image; then you can try again.
When you are happy with your cropped image, before you can make use of it you have to save it. Top left of the Paint window just above the Paste icon is the File button. Left click on this and in the menu select Save as > JPEG picture. To avoid losing it in your file system, select Desktop as the destination (it should be the Paint default), give the image a title in the File name box, then Save. The saved image will appear somewhere on the desktop. This can then be moved and copied in the usual way to any folder you wish, or sent as an attachment in an email. Just remember: when grabbing pictures off the Internet many of these images are copyright protected and you may need permission to copy and use them.
I recommend reading the PDF which has pictures as a guide to screen printing. All have been generated using Microsoft Windows Paint. For more Internet Tips just click on the icon on the Home page.
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