If you have a text heavy image and want to draw the reader’s eye to a particular location, you can add highlighting just like in real life. In just a few steps:
Start off by opening your image in Paint.Net
Now we’ll need to add a new layer. We’ll do all our highlighting in a new layer to keep it separate from the original work. Click the ‘New Layer button’ on the layer window in the bottom-right.
Choose the shape tool for a rectangle. Change its properties in the row to be “Draw Filled Shape.”
Next choose the color you want to highlight the text with. We’ll use yellow here, so just select it in the Color selector in the bottom-left.
Now, we’ll just draw a rectangle over the text we want to highlight. Start at the top-left of the text and drag it down to the bottom-right. It looks like it is just blocking the text but don’t worry we’re not done yet.
Now go down to the Layers window in the bottom-right again. Click on the Properties button for the layer.
In the Layer Properties window that opens up, change the name of the layer to something like ‘Highlighting’ or something descriptive to you. Now drag the slider for Opacity to the left until your highlighting is at the proper transparency that the text is visible, but the color catches the eye.
Now you’ve highlighted the text. Highlight any other text in this layer that you want and create a new layer if you want to make any other changes to the image without the decreased opacity.
