WARNING - AS WITH MOST OF MY TUTORIALS, THIS ONE IS GRAPHIC INTENSIVE.  I HAVE USED MANY SCREEN SHOTS ALONG THE WAY. PLEASE BE PATIENT AND ALLOW THE PAGES TIME TO LOAD.

For anyone who is intimidated by vectors, I now have another version of this tutorial using selections, which you can access here; however it is my sincere hope that you sill try this version.  I have added many screen shots to make it as easy as possible.  I also hope that you will learn a few tricks about PSP7 along the way!  Whichever version you choose - have fun!

Ready for some node editing? Here we go.....

Click on your object selector tool. This will only work with vectors so make sure one of your vector layers is active.

I'm going to start with the head. Click on the ellipse you made for your head, then click on your Node Edit button in your Tool Options box. You will see four little squares appear around your ellipse.  These are the "nodes" for this object.

Right click on the node furthest to the right (the one that overlaps the body) then choose Edit/Break. This will create two nodes where once there was one. With your left mouse button, click on one of these two new nodes and drag it over to the middle of your body. When you  start to drag the node you will be able to see if you have the top or bottom node and know whether to drag it to the top or bottom.  Now do the same with the other node. As you move these nodes, you will notice a line appears with a little arrow at one end and a little circle at the other. Click and drag these ends so that they form a horizontal line  - this will give you a nice curve for your dolphin.

Adjust the other three nodes  until you have a nice curve from the "beak" end of your head to the top and bottom of your "body", with a little dip where your beak will start.

Save your image: CTRL+S

Here's a screen shot of my "nodes":

Let's form the "beak". Click on the rectangle you drew for the beak and choose Node Edit. Right click on the top node and choose Edit/Break. Right click again and choose Edit/Delete. Now you're left with four nodes, but only three lines. Drag the two nodes closest to your head over and out to the "head". Right click each of the other two nodes and choose Node Type/symmetric. Now you can adjust these two nodes to form the rounded point at the end of the beak:

Save your image: CTRL+S

Turn off the visibility for your "body" and "fin" layers. 

Using your Object Selector tool click on one of the lines you drew earlier from your tail and choose Node Edit. Drag the left node over to the end of the line coming from the head, pulling on your arrow/circle ends to form a nice curve.  Do the same for the other line from your tail. I joined my top lines at 275, 90 and my bottom lines at 300, 190; Zooming in makes it easier to find the precise placement  Here are screen shots showing my nodes to give you an idea on how your arrows/circles should look:

Are you starting to see a dolphin emerging? I told you not to worry!

Save your image: CTRL+S

Turn on the visibility for your fin layer.

Using your Object Selector tool click on the triangle you drew for your fin. The fin is located a little too far back on our dolphin, click on the square in the center of your triangle and drag it over to the left about 40 pixels and up until it "rests" on top of our dolphin. (I could have gone back and changed the original coordinates, but this was easier!)

Click on Node Edit and click on one of the bottom nodes. Choose Edit/Break then delete the new node you just created. Now you have three nodes but only two lines. Move your bottom nodes so that they are on top of the line for your body. Right click on your top node and choose Node Type/Asymmetric. Right click again and choose Node Type/Cusp. Adjust your top node as follows:

Save your image: CTRL+S

I'd like a little more curve to make our dolphin appear as though it is "jumping" out of the water. 

Using your Object Selector tool, click on the triangle you drew for your tail and drag it down and over to the left. Line up the end nodes on your tail "lines" with the triangle and edit as follows:

Save your image: CTRL+S

Now let's "join" the beak and the head. 

Using your Object Selector tool click on the ellipse (or what's left of it) that you drew for your head. Click on Node Edit. We're going to add a node this time. Hold down your Control key and left click where the bottom of the beak and the head meet to add a node. If your new node shifts slightly when you add it, just move it over to the correct location. Delete the node on your "head" which is in the center of your beak. 

If you notice a break in any of your lines, move your nodes until they line up with each other and make smooth, flowing lines from the beak to the tail. (Remember to zoom in to make it easier to see the precise placement of your nodes.) 

Save your image: CTRL+S

Now let's form our tail.

Using your Object Selector tool click on the triangle you drew for your tail. Choose Node Edit and add a node in the center of the long line. (Hold down your control key and left click.) Right click on this node and choose Node Type/Symmetric. Right click again and choose Node Type/Cusp. Now drag your node up and toward the center adjusting your arrow and circle as follows:

Save your image: CTRL+S

Change both nodes at the outside of your tail to Asymmetric and Cusp. Right click on the left node and choose Node Type/Symmetric. Right click again and choose Node Type/Cusp. Repeat this for the right node and edit as follows:

Adjust the lines from your tail if necessary so that the meet the tail without going into it.

Your dolphin should look something like this:

Save your image: CTRL+S

Let's create our flippers.

Using your Object Selector tool click on the rectangle you drew for the flipper inside the body area. Right click on the lower left node and choose Edit/Break. Then delete the node you just made. (Again, you have four nodes, but only three lines.) Right click on your lower left node and choose Node Type/Symmetric. Pull the circle end down to form a slight curve:

Save your image: CTRL+S

Move the upper right node left about halfway to the upper left node; then drag your lower right node up to where the upper right node was:

Right click on your top center node and choose Node Type/Symmetric. Now adjust your nodes to look like the following:
(As you can see by the fin, I've moved my flipper closer to the front of my dolphin.)

Save your image: CTRL+S

Using your Object Selector tool click on the rectangle you drew for the flipper outside the body area. Right click on the lower left node and choose Edit/Break. Then delete the node you just made. (Again, you have four nodes, but only three lines.)

Drag the lower left node up to meet the body, just left of the other flipper. Drag the upper left node up to meet the body, just below the lowest point of the other flipper.

Right click on the node nearest the bottom of your graphic and choose Node Type/Asymmetric. Right click again and choose Node Type/Cusp. Right click on the center top node and choose Node Type/Symmetric.

Edit your nodes so they look like the following:

Save your image: CTRL+S

Let's finish our tail. 

Using your Object Selector tool click on the triangle you drew for your tail and click Node Edit. Right click on the node at the top of your tail (at the point) and choose Edit/Break. This time we're going to keep the new node you just created. Drag both of these nodes over to line up with the end of the lines coming from the body:

Save your image: CTRL+S

WOW! You've just completed the body of your dolphin. Okay, time for a break - take a little walk - go grab a cold drink. (Beer isn't a good idea since you're probably already cross-eyed!)

Seriously, now would be a good time to walk away for at least a few minutes. Give your eyes a little rest and come back for a fresh perspective.

I'll join you on Page 3.

This tutorial was featured at FlyByNightGraphics.