The announcement that Microsoft Paint will no longer be packaged with Windows has been met with mixed reactions online, although the resilient graphics tool will be free on the Windows Store.
Some people like Jim’ll Paint it have produced some fantastically strange and hilarious pieces suggested by his fans on Facebook. With this he created a successful business (much like the countless animators that have grown their VideoScribe businesses).
The same goes for US illustrator Captain Redblood who refined his MS Paint art skills whilst working as a security guard. You may say these artists are ‘fringe’, but you cannot deny the deft skill they have and their creativity.
At 32 years old, you have to admire Paint’s ability to be both completely outdated by modern graphics tools but still have enough usability to keep millions clicking on the icon of the pallet and paintbrush. I myself am one of those millions and for when I’m working on static images instead of Scribes, below are a few things I use MS Paint for regularly.
The annotated red arrow
Sometimes sending a screenshot with an explanation of what to do or where to look is harder than it sounds. Sometimes you need to highlight where the attention needs to be drawn with a quick drawn arrow and a short annotation:
Resizing images
Probably what I use MS Paint for the most, the resizing options. They’re simple and fast which is why I have been using it since adolescence to shrink larger images to fit into smaller areas:
Photo editing (badly)
We have all been guilty of this. The little voice in your head compels you to have a giggle with your friends or work colleagues. You open up MS Paint, Google image search in your browser and see what you can come up with. Some people are gifted but not I…
The group email has been sent and now you are receiving the confused looks of your colleagues. You are now an artist and your masterpiece is in the ether:
MS Paint, you have been a faithful companion on this voyage we call life and will forever be close to my heart.