Paint Shop Pro
Image Arithmetic

The "Image Arithmetic" capability of Paint Shop Pro lets you combine two images into one using various arithmetic computations on the colors between the two images.

Image arithmetic provided very useful functionality back in PSP version 4. Since layers were introduced in version 5, image arithmetic is much less useful. Many of the things that you can do with image arithmetic can be done more easily using layer capabilities. However, image arithmetic is still fun to play with — and there are a few effects that you just can't get any other way.

This tutorial explains how image arithmetic works, and gives some examples of how you might use it. I put this tutorial together back in the days of PSP 4, and many of the examples I have here can be done more easily using newer feature of PSP.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Addition and Average

    Description
    Effect of divisor
    Effect of bias
    Example 1: Clashing images
        Part 1
        Part 2 (Clipped, bias)
        Part 3 (Unclipped, bias)
    Example 2: Reflection
    Example 3: Solid colors
    Example 4: Planet


Subtraction and Difference

    Subtraction and Difference
    Example - Capitol

Multiplication

    Multiplication
    Example - Mt. Rushmore

Lightest and Darkest

    Lightest and Darkest
    Example - Polar Bears
    Example - A Change of Scenery

AND and OR

    AND and OR
    Example
    Example

Final Exam

    Your Final Exam