The test and setup for each paper size used on the same printer only needs to be done one time. Then that information can be used to prepare any image to fill and print within the maximum printable area of your paper.

This tutorial describes the steps to do a test print from Painter and learn what margins your printer requires around the edges of the paper. Then it describes the steps to place an image on a Canvas the same size as the printable area of your paper and positioned where you want it on the printed page. 

We'll use 8-1/2 x 11 as the example paper size and the margin, or unprintable area, my black and white printer requires. Your printer may require a different sized margin, and you may be printing on a different paper size, but these steps can be adapted once you understand the principles: 

1. Open a new white Canvas, 8-1/2 x 11 inches, 72 ppi. 

NOTE: This may not be the resolution of the image you want to print, but this is only a print test to determine the printable area of your paper and 72 ppi is good enough.

2. In the Select menu, choose All (or Ctrl/Command+A) to select the Canvas. 

3. In the Art Materials Colors section, pick black as your color.

4. In the Select menu, choose Modify, then Contract, and type 2.

5. In the Select menu, choose Modify, then Border, and type 2. Now you have two sets of "marching ants" around your Canvas that you'll fill with black to create a border.

6. In the Effects menu, choose Fill (or Ctrl/Command+F) to fill the border.

7. In the Select menu, choose None (or Ctrl/Command+D) to remove the selection.
 

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8. In the File menu, choose Print, check the Size to Fit Page box (or whatever equivalent your printer dialog box offers), then write down the dimensions of the printed box, excluding the blank margins around it. My printer left a top and bottom margin of 3/8 inches and side margins of 5/16 inches. 

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8. Open a new Canvas, 7-7/8 x 10-1/4 inches, and type the same resolution as the image you want to print.

NOTE: In this example, the image to be printed can be up to 7-7/8 x 10-1/4 inches (portrait, or vertical print) or 10-1/4 x 7-7/8 inches (landscape, or horizontal print).

9. Open the image you want to print. If it's smaller than the maximum printable area, copy and paste it onto the new 7-7/8 x 10-1/4 inch Canvas, then position it where you want it to print on the paper.
 

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10. If the image you want to print is larger than the printable area of your paper, in this example 7-7/8 x 10-1/4 inches (portrait, or vertical print) or 10-1/4 x 7-7/8 inches (landscape, or horizontal print), in the Canvas menu, choose Resize, then type the correct measurement in inches, using the measurement that needs the greatest reduction as the determiner, by typing it first. The other measurement will be automatically reduced proportionally. Don't change the resolution.

NOTE:  For the image on the left, it didn't matter which number I typed first because it's square and the dimensions are equal. For the image on the right, I typed the Width measurement first because it needed the greater reduction. 
 

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11. Zoom in to make sure that the image fits completely on the Canvas.

12. After positioning, if any portion of the image is overlapping the edges of 
the Canvas, in the Effects menu, choose Orientation, Scale and type 99% 
(or the highest possible number that will scale the image to fit on completely on 
the Canvas).

13. When your image is positioned, in the Objects palette Layers section, highlight the image Layer then click the Drop button.

14. Now you can print the image and have it appear where you want it on the page and as large as the printable area of the paper will allow. Print!