Using Inspiration 8 - PBworks Web viewis exciting creativity software with an array of paint and easy-to-use image editing tools. Users of all ages can manipulate images and design

Workspace

Toolbar

Options/ Paint/ Stickers Panel

Toolbar

Using Pixie 3Pixie is exciting creativity software with an array of paint and easy-to-use image editing tools. Users of all ages can manipulate images and design original artwork. Edit images by applying a variety of graphic effects and cool edges to photos. Create original art using unique paint tools, shapes, and fill options. Tell stories using pictures from the sticker library.

Please be sure to contact the school’s instructional technology liaison to ensure that Pixie 3 software is installed in accordance with your school’s licenses.

ContentsPixie 3 Interface Page 1Pixie 3 Toolbar Page 2Pixie 3 Tool Palette and Options/Stickers Panels Page 7Pixie 3 Activities Page 13Saving Your WorkPixie 3 Multimedia Features

Page 14 Page 15

Exporting Pixie 3 Files Using the Open Batch ConverterUniversal Access

Page 18Page 19

1. Double-click the Pixie 3 icon to open the Pixie 3 application.

2. The Pixie 3 workspace screen will appear, including the Top and Bottom Toolbars, Options, Paint and Stickers Tabs, and Workspace in the center.

1Baltimore County Public SchoolsOffice of Instructional Technology: Using Pixie 3August 2011

Pixie 3 Interface

Using Pixie 3

The Pixie 3 toolbar at the top of the window features adds functionality.

1. The Project button

a. Select New to begin a new project

b. Select Open to open a project you have already made in Pixie.

c. Use the Activities tool to navigate to a number of sources of activities, templates, and backgrounds.

d. Select Pics4Learning to navigate to copyright-friendly images. Once you select an image, it will begin downloading and then fill an entire page in the project.


Pixie 3 Top Toolbar

Using Pixie 3e. Use the Export tool to save created pages in another format so it

can be used in other applications, presentations, or web pages.

f. Select Create Images tool to choose the layout option, as well as the file format (JPEG or PNG) and determine the quality of the image. If student names have been added early, they can be removed at this point.

g. Projects can be worked on by more than one person by selecting Share Project.

A project must be saved before it can be shared. Be sure to save the project on the school’s server.

Select the Save button on the toolbar if your project is not saved and use the Save Project As dialog to save the project.

Once the project is saved, click the Project button on the toolbar. Click an icon for your project. When trying to join your project, other people will use this icon to

select your project. Other people on your network can now join your project and collaborate together.


Jodi, 08/07/11,

Because I only had access to Pixie 3 on one laptop, I was not able to get the Share Project to work. Although I did save to the server, I was not able to ever use Share or Join Project. You can decide if this should stay or not. My assumption is that once DOT has the RIP for Pixie 3 you can test it out. I used the Pixie 3 tutorial to add what is here now. I do not know how it will play out using the school’s server.

Using Pixie 3h. Multiple people can work on a project that someone else is sharing by choosing Join Project.

Click the Project button on the toolbar. Move the cursor over the Join Project button. You will see a list of shared projects in the sub-panel. Select the project you want to join. The project owner will have to approve your request to join the project. The project will open as soon as the project owner approves your request.

i. Previously saved images, pages and projects can be brought into Pixie 3 by selecting Import Project

Locate the image file by browsing and then select the file. Select Import. If the project has only one page, the page will be added to your project. If the project has more than one page, you will see the Import Pages dialog. Click the page you want to import. To add pages to your selection, press and hold the Ctrl key on the

keyboard as you click additional pages. When you are finished selecting pages, click the Import button. The selected pages will be added to

your project.

2. The Print button

a. Select the Print button and several printing options appear. Choose the preferred options and the project will print to the default printer.

** Choose the More Options button if a different printer is desired.


Jodi, 08/06/11,

See the above comment.

Using Pixie 33. Start Over button

a. You can use the Start Over button to return a Pixie project to its original state.

The Start Over button will erase everything you have added to a new project, or return a saved project, activity or picture you have opened to its original state. If you are working on an unsaved project, the project will become blank.

If you are working on a saved project, Start Over will return the project to how it looked when it was last saved. This is similar to the Revert feature in many programs.

If you are working on an activity, Start Over will return the activity to its original appearance.

4. New Page button Use the icon to add a new page to the project.

5. Text button

a. Click the Text button to add text to a page. A text box opens in the center of the picture. This can be dragged out of the center before adding text. To add text, select the text box and begin typing.

b. Use the Options panel on the right to change font, size, style, alignment and color.

c. Check the Bubbles box to create a callout. The Edit button provides a number of different styles of balloon bubbles.

d. A Shadow can be added to text.

e. Glue from the top tool bar attaches the text to the background.

f. A special effect called Cool Word can be added by using the option at the bottom of the panel.

First, open a picture or painting that will fill the text. Glue the picture to the background. Use the Text tool to add text on top of the picture or painting. Resize the text; move it for the best appearance; and select a thick font. Click the Cool Word button. The background picture becomes white and the text appears, filled

with the picture.


Pixie 3 Options, Paint and Stickers Panel

View and edit one page of the project.View all of the pages in the project.View the project full screen.

OnOff

Using Pixie 3Duplicate button

a. Stickers can be duplicated by selecting the sticker on the page and then selecting Duplicate.

b. Pages can be duplicated by changing the view to all pages in the project. Select the page you want to reproduce and then select Duplicate.

Glue button

a. Click the Glue button to attach the object to the background. Once glued, objects can no longer be selected by the Edit tool. Glued objects can be painted upon.

a. Use the View button to alter the view of the created slide(s).

b. The Talk button turns the speech function on and off.

Change the Talking Interface under Accessibility in the Edit menu under Preferences to read stickers and text, or to read stickers, text and tooltips.


Pixie 3 Bottom Toolbar

Select Preferences in the Edit menu

Accessibility

Options Paint Stickers

Using Pixie 3The Options, Paint and Stickers panel contains options, selection tools, a variety of paint options, as well as stickers. It is located on the left side of the Pixie 3 window. As tools are selected on the panel, the choices change.

1. Options Panel

a. When in the Options panel, click on the object for editing. The handles will appear surrounding the object and the Options panel changes.

b. Use the buttons in the panel to:

Change the Size of the object. Rotate or Flip the object with the buttons on the Options

panel. A variety of effects are also available by clicking the Choose

button. Check the Shadow box to create a shadow effect for the object.

Use the Edit button to change the appearance of the shadow. When no objects are selected, the Type a Name box will appear. Choose the Edit button to change the font

style, size, color. The Edit button will also allow the name to appear on only one page in the project or all of the pages.

When the Options tab is selected, but no object is selected, the Options panel changes slightly. The Rotate buttons will rotate the entire page. The Record Sound Panel appears at the bottom.


Using Pixie 32. Paint Panel

a. Use the Edit objects tool to select objects for editing. This will open up the Option panel.

b. Use the Select Part of the Picture tool to select parts of the picture or glued objects for editing. The selected parts can be moved, rotated, flipped, have effects added, and shadows added.

This tool has several options. The Rectangle and Oval shapes become a square and a circle shape by holding the shift key.

The Lasso is a freehand selection tool, and the Magic Wand selects solid color areas. The Tolerance slider adjusts the range of color selected by the freehand and wand tool.

c. Use the Eraser tool to erase parts of a painting. Change the size and type of Eraser tool in the Options Panel. The three

types of erasers are solid brush, crayon and marker.

d. Use the Paint Shapes tool to draw lines and a variety of shapes.

Use the Options Panel to change the width of the line or the outline of the shape.

Select the Solid Fill box to add color to the shape’s interior. Select the Rotate box to rotate the shape as it is drawn. Select Dashed Line to change the outline of the shape. Change colors with the Color Palette at the bottom of the Options Panel.

e. Use the Spray tool to place selected shapes, designs or pictures on the page.

If you see a color wheel in the lower left corner of the selected spray pattern, use the color palette to change the color for the pattern.

Use the pull down menu to select a variety of spray shapes.


Using Pixie 3 Use the slider to change the size of the sprayed items. Clicking and dragging will result in a spraying effect. One click will result in a stamp effect.

f. Use the Fill tool to add color, pattern, or gradient to any shape or background. Use the color palette to change the color of the fill tool.


Symmetry off

Symmetry on

Using Pixie 3g. Use the Paint Brush tool to add color.

There are five types to choose from: solid brush, crayon, marker, dry brush and a 3-D brush.

Use the Options Panel to change the size, shape, and color of the painted lines. You can use the mirror settings for the Paint Brush to paint with symmetry.

h. Use the Stretch tool to stretch parts of a picture for special effects. Click and drag the tool across the picture.

Color PaletteThe Color Palette appears at the bottom of the Options Panel when a Text box, the Paint Brush, the Shapes tool, or the Paint Bucket is selected.

a. The Eyedropper tool is used to change the paint color by selecting the color on the palette.

The Eyedropper can also be used to select an existing color in the picture. Select the desired paint tool and then select the Eyedropper. Click on the color in the picture. The Eyedropper icon changes back to the Paint tool icon. Use the Paint tool with the selected color.

b. Use the Color Wheel to select a custom color. In the Select a Color window, click on the desired color in the wheel, or use the vertical slider bar, or adjust the color using the number settings on the right.


Add libraries

Library

Using Pixie 33. Stickers Panel

a. The Stickers Panel provides access to the library of images in Pixie 3. Selecting the Stickers tab reveals the Library Home. The folders are organized in alphabetical order.

b. Other folders can be added to this Home level by going to Preferences in the Edit menu and selecting Library.

c. Change the view of the folders in the Stickers Panel from Icon to List by going to Preferences in the Edit menu and selecting Accessbility.


Sticker folders

List view

Select Choose to view a variety of special effects.

Using Pixie 3d. When a library folder is open, all four buttons toward the top of the panel are active.

Move to the Library Home: returns to the Library hHome at the top of the file hierarchy.

Move Back One Level: returns one level back toward the Home Library.

Capture from a DV Source: initiates capturing images from a connected camera.

Browse for a File: navigates to other folders where other digital images are stored.

e. At the bottom of the Stickers Panel is a Search box. Use it to find a specific image in the library.

f. To add a sticker to a page, drag the selected image onto the page, or click the green arrow.

g. Objects can be rotated using the blue ball at the top of each sticker. Select to the sticker and then click and drag the mouse around the ball.

h. Select the Option tab to reveal the Option Panel to manipulate the image or add special effects.


Pixie 3 Activities

Using Pixie 3a. C

lick the Project button in the toolbar and select Activities. A library of templates arranged by curricular area appears.

Click the desired curricular library.

A set of templates will appear.

Click the desired template.

Each Activity contains directions.

Use the Options, Paint and/or Stickers to complete the activity.


Saving Your Work

Using Pixie 3

Save the work after opening Pixie 3 and save frequently while working in Pixie 3.

a. For the first save, go to File and select Save as.

The Save Picture As window will open.

Click the Browse button and navigate to the preferred location for saving the file.

b. After the first save, use the Save button in the tool bar to save changes made to the project.

c. Pixie 3 files are saved automatically with the extension .p3i.

d. Use the Save as Activity… feature for activities for students.

a. Save the file on the server by going to Computer and then selecting Students. Navigate to the specific student share folder, name the file and select Save.

b. Students will be able to open the file, but will have to save it with a new name. This will preserve the original file.

c. Saving as Activity saves the project with the extension .p3t.


Pixie 3 Multimedia Features

View all of the pages in the project.View the project full screen.

Using Pixie 3

1. Adding Sound to your projectYou will need to use a microphone to record sound onto your page.

a. Click on the page you want to add sound.

b. When ready to record, click on the red circle button.

c. The red button will turn green while recording. Select the green button to stop the recording.

d. After recording is finished, select the blue triangle to play the recording. If the recording is satisfactory, leave everything alone. If the recording is unacceptable, select the Trash Can to delete the sound and start the process over again.

2. Creating a slideshow using current project pages

a. Use the View all of the Pages button in the bottom toolbar to create a slide show of pictures in the workspace. Click and drag the pictures in the workspace to arrange them in the correct order.

Then: Adjust the Timing with the slider bar. Check the box to Repeat Slide Show, if desired. Click the Edit button to choose the Transition. Click the next Edit button to select the Background Sound. Select the View the project full screen

button to play the slide show. The page will fill the screen. You will see a

toolbar at the bottom of the screen when you move the cursor.

Stop the slide show by pressing the Escape key on the keyboard of the computer.


Using Pixie 3b. In order to save the completed project, use the Project button from the top toolbar. Select the Export tool

to save the project in another format so it can be used in other applications, presentations, or web pages.

i. Use the Export tool to save the picture in another format so it can be used in other applications, presentations or web pages.

Use the Podcast button to create a QuickTime video for a personal media player.

Use the Web button to create a QuickTime MOV video file to use online.

Use the Movie button to create a 1024 X 768 MOV file.

Click the Adobe Flash® button to create an Adobe Flash movie and an HTML file that will launch the movie. It can play in a web browser.

Use the PDF button to create a PDF document.

Use the HTML button to save your project as HTML to post on a Web site

j. Choose the location for saving the video file. Name the file and click the Save button. A window opens showing the progress of the creation process. A Finish Publishing window opens when the save is complete.

3. Picture ViewerUse the Picture Viewer to create a slide show of Pixie 3 pictures that are not open in the workspace.


Change the folder of pictures for the slideshow

Three tabs: Source, Settings, Music

Using Pixie 3a. Place all pictures for a slide show into one folder.

b. Select Open Picture Viewer from the File menu.

c. The Picture Viewer window opens. From the Source tab, use the Change Folder button to select the folder of Pixie 3 pictures for the slide show.

Note: The picture files do not appear inside the folder. Know ahead of time which folder contains the files for the slide show.

d. Select the Settings tab and: Choose how the pictures will change - either

Automatically or Manually - and set the Duration time;

Determine the picture order: Alphabetical, inverse alphabetical, or Random;

Select the Transition Type. A Preview appears on the right.e. Select the Music tab.

Check the box to play a Background Sound. The Play button previews the music. Or, click the Use a File button to select another sound file.

f. Play the slide show by clicking the Show button at the bottom of the window.

g. Stop the slide show by pressing the Escape key on the keyboard of the computer.


Exporting Pixie 3 Files Using the Open Batch Converter

Using Pixie 3

Convert multiple pictures using the Open Batch Converter feature in the File menu.a. Place all of the pictures for conversion in one folder.

b. Select Open Batch Converter in the File menu.

c. Use the Change Folder button to navigate to the folder of pictures needing conversion.

Note: Picture files do not appear inside the folder. Know ahead of time which folder contains the files that need conversion.

d. Use the next Change Folder button to select the destination folder.

e. Use the Edit Settings button to make changes: for JPG: image quality and file size for GIF: number of colors for PNG and BMP: no changes available

f. Select the Image Size. Choices are: Original size Scale by percent Scale to size

g. Click the Convert button. After the conversion, close the Batch Converter.


Pixie 3 Universal Access Features

Using Pixie 3

Pixie 3 can be modified so that users with additional needs can utilize the software more effectively. There are many preferences that can be modified; this document only contains a small fraction. Visit Tech4Learning for more information on Pixie’s Universal Access. http://www.tech4learning.com/pixie/universal_access .

1. Modifying Text

a. Modifying How Text is Displayed

Under Edit, select Preferences, then choose Text Options.

Adjust the font, style and alignment, as necessary.

Select OK.

b. Turning on Check Spelling as You Type. Under Edit, select Preferences, then choose Text

Options. Select Check Spelling as You Type.

2. Changing the Way Items are Displayed

a. Changing the Display features alters how certain features are displayed.

Under Edit, select Preferences, then choose Display. Change the display settings as needed.


http://www.tech4learning.com/pixie/universal_access

Using Pixie 3

3. Changing How Stickers Look and Sound

a. Changing Handle Size

Under Edit, select Preferences, then choose Accessibility

Use the drop down menu to change the Handle Size for stickers and text boxes.

b. Changing Sticker Size

Under Edit, select Preferences, then choose Display. Use the drop down menu to change the Sticker Size.


Documents

Using Inspiration 8 - PBworks Web viewis exciting creativity software with an array of paint and easy-to-use image editing tools. Users of all ages can manipulate images and design