How to Make Something Gold in Paint.NET
By Quinten Plummer
Gold effects can be used to add a bit of elegance to ordinary objects in your images. But gold effect can also be used to add a bit of humor to your images, by making completely worthless object appear to be encrusted in gold. If you use Paint.NET to handle your image editing tasks, you make have noticed that there isn't a gold filter or effect. But by using the right combination of tools in Paint.NET, you can work a bit of alchemy without a dedicated gold effect.
Launch Paint.NET. Download and install a free copy of the program if you don't already have it.
Click on the "Open" button in Paint.NET's tool bar. Load the image you wish to work with, using the file explorer window that appears.
Click on the "Lasso" tool in the floating "Tools" window. Use the "Lasso" tool to tract the perimeter of the object you'd like to turn to gold. Hold down your mouse's left button while you trace the object.
Click on the "Adjustments" heading, and select the "Hue/Saturation" option from the drop-down menu that appears beneath the heading. The "Hue/Saturation" menu will appear.
Drag the Hue/Saturation menu's "Hue" slider to either the right or left, until your object reaches a golden color.
Drag the "Saturation" slider to the right to increase the amount of gold applied to your image. Use the Hue/Saturation menu's "Brightness" slider sparingly -- you won't to get an even light level out of the object. Click "OK" to apply the "Hue/Saturation" effect.
Click on the "Effects" heading. Highlight the "Effects" menu's "Photo" heading and then click on the "Soft Glow" option.
Drag the Glow menu's "Brightness" slider to the right to get some luster out of your object. Drag the "Contrast" slider to the right to add some definition to your object. Click "OK" to apply the Soft Glow effect to your object and close the "Glow" menu.
Return to Paint.NET's "File" heading and select the "Save as" option to save a copy of your work.
Writer Bio
Quinten Plummer began writing professionally in 2008. He has more than six years in the technology field including five years in retail electronics and a year in technical support. Plummer gained his experience in music by producing for various hip-hop acts and as lead guitarist for a band. He now works as a reporter for a daily newspaper.