Pen Tool for ArtRage using AutoHotKey

[RedSaucers]

Hello there!,

I generally create my art using ArtRage on a Windows laptop and recently have decided this Christmas to create a pen tool for ArtRage as I have never been quite happy with what I have found out there.

The pen tool below contains all the tools I most often use and enables painting on my Windows laptop without the need for any extra accessories and just to use a stylus, so I thought I would share if anyone is interested.

It uses a tool called autohotkey which is an automation scripting language for Windows, so just google autohotkey, download and install, get my autohotkey script from the link below and just double click the .ahk script to run up!

The script can be edited in any text editor so it can be easily modified to anyone's personal preferences.

ArtRageTool Version 1:
https://1drv.ms/u/s!AtMMyTeySVJKgbhjNc-pq9LZc-uReg



Note that the Size and Pick buttons hold down the Shift and Alt key respectively for 1.5 seconds to enable the stylus to either resize the brush or to pick a colour.

Oh and some of the shortcuts that each button initiates may be specifically ones that I have set up myself, like for example, Warp which I assign to <Ctrl>w but they are easily changed in the .ahk file

[Enug]

Thanks Red for the Chrissie Pressie. I've downloaded and checked out all the keys and it works! I'll give it a full workout today on my current painting and I'm sure it's going to be fun to use as well as a time saver. I have never used hotkeys as my tablet is very basic and so is my stylus. I won't have the courage to play with the script to change anything.

Thanks again for sharing you expertise. Have you been painting lately? Haven't seen you for a while.

[RedSaucers]

Hi Enug, yes I have been painting and I still use ArtRage to finish my art but have been playing around with, ahem, another art application on android!, here is some art I have recently finished on ArtRage :

[Enug]

What no monsters? These are great - I like how you show the brushstrokes. I have a tendency to want to 'smooth' them out. The dog of course is my favourite.

I tried out the pen tool and it really works well for me - I just have to get into the habit to use it instead of reaching for the tool. One question- I don't use the warp tool so how do I change it to - say, select layer contents?

[RedSaucers]

I'm not doing too many monsters these days, mainly just portraits, both human and animal!

I'm glad that you are finding the tool useful! the shortcut for Select Layer Contents in ArtRage is Ctrl+Alt+A which in the autohotkey script world translates to :
^!a

this may look like gobbledegook but for autohotkey
^ is Ctrl
! is Alt
and a is a

Also + is Shift

So in the section towards the bottom of the script that is :

ArtWarp:
WinActivate, ahk_exe %ArtName%.exe
Send ^w
return

Replace the ^w (which is the key combination of Control + w) with
^!a

and for extra brownie points, to change the name of the button from Warp, modify the Warp text at the end of the following line :

Gui, Add, Button, x+5 w40 h30 gArtWarp, Warp

Good luck!!

[markw]

Happy new year Red and really good to see some of your work again
Fantastic portraits, you have quite a distinctive and engaging style.

[Enug]

I did it!


Thanks again Red for sharing this tool.

[Enug]

Hi Red, just popped in to thank you again for this very handy tool. I'm using it with every painting but sometimes I forget it's there and out of habit reach for the tool. However, I find that is happening less as I get used to it being on my workplace. Thanks so much - you are very clever to have scripted this. I am surprised no one else has mentioned using it.

Come on folks it's a great little helper!

[RedSaucers]

Hi Enug, I'm so glad you are finding it useful, I have since made the tool a little more complicated to add the ability to make it more transparent and to move and zoom the canvas!

[Enug]

Is it too complicated for me? 'Cos I'd love to try it.