Tip: MS Paint Power User -- Setting Line Thickness

Setting Line Thickness for Shapes in MSPaint.exe

[A serious stab at getting the not-so-serious 'MVP for MSPaint' award.]

When annotating a picture with MS-Paint it's handy to use a thick line-style.

But there is no 'line-thickeness' panel available when drawing ellipses, rectangles, polygons, and rounded rectangles.

[Continues...]

line thickness panel not displayed when using ellipse, for example line thickness panel displayed when using straight line or curve tool

The 'line thickness' panel is only displayed when using the 'straight-line' tool or the curve tool.

Here's the unexpected twist... If you pick a line-thickness while using the 'straight-line' (or curve) tool, then it will be carried over use with the other tools you use, such as rectangles, ellipses, polygons and rounded rectangles.

line thickness panel not displayed when using ellipse, for example

If you're not expecting it, this can be an annoyance. But if you know about this behaviour, then it's a big advantage.

So to draw a thick rectangle, ellipse or other shape:

  1. Select the Straight Line Tool
  2. Adjust to the width you prefer
  3. Then select the shape tool you want (e.g Ellipse)
  4. Go nuts
 

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