(Click on the above graphic for an explanation of the FBN skill ratings.)

This tutorial written by Cathy on February 16, 2003,
for use with Paint Shop Pro version 7.

*** PREPARATION ***

For this tutorial you will need:

Paint Shop Pro, which you can get at the Jasc site

My zip containing a gradient file (cc_lion.jgd) which you can get here.

Download and unzip to your Paint Shop Pro/Gradient folder

Some working knowledge of PSP is helpful, but I try to write all my tutorials with the novice in mind and I offer a lot of screen shots to help you along the way.  

We will be using.....***vectors***.....to create our lion.

Before we start, I suggest you customize your toolbar and add icons for the tools we will be using.  If you do not have your Effects Toolbar active, let's activate it first and customize it for your personal use. It will save you lots of keystrokes!  Right click on any of your toolbars and choose "Toolbars" from the fly out menu.  Your toolbars box will open.  Click on the box next to Effects Toolbar, then click on Customize: 

When the Customize Toolbar box opens you can add or remove icons for the effects you use most.  Think of the recent tutorials you've completed and add the icons you remember using most often. This will save you lots of time when creating images.

Here are the icons for the tools we will be using for this tutorial. I will be using these icons as shortcuts throughout the tutorial:

  New (image)
  Add Vector Layer
  Preset Shape
  Object Selector
  Draw Tool
  Add Raster Layer
  Select from Object
  Alpha Save Selection
  Alpha Load Selection
  Flood Fill
  Contract Selection
  Feather Selection
  Paintbrush
  Undo (this button should be your "best friend")
  Save (probably the most important of all)

The best advice I can give you is to SAVE, SAVE, SAVE!!!  There's not much worse than losing all your hard work due to a program or computer lock up or melt down!!!  So...save your work often...I will be putting reminders throughout the tutorial:

Save 

As with any of my tutorials, please feel free to use any colors you like to create you own unique image.

We will be using vectors to create our image.  Throughout the tutorial we will be using the node edit to shape our vector objects.  The best thing about vector objects is that they are very "forgiving" and easily changed.  Therefore; it is NOT IMPORTANT to be EXACT during the creation of our various vector objects.  We will "fine tune" our image when we have all our shapes created; and we are creating a "cartoon" image so we don't have to be too realistic!

Okay, let's get started...
 

  *** CREATING THE LEGS ***

1. Click on your Preset Shapes tool  and choose Ellipse.

2. Draw a small ellipse in the approximate area of your left arm.

3. Click on your Object Selector tool and click on Node Edit in your Tool Options box.

4. Add new nodes by holding down your Ctrl key and clicking on your ellipse. 

Here's a close-up showing how I edited the nodes for the toe area:

6. Rename this shape "left leg".

7. With your Object Selector tool active, right click on your "left arm" in the layer palette and click on "copy" from the fly-out menu.

8. Right click on your canvas and choose "Paste New Vector Selection" from the fly-out menu.  Position this new object directly over your left leg, just as we did with our arm.

9. Place your mouse over the left side of the box and drag this side to the right until you have a "right" leg.  Then click in the middle to drag your arm into place.  I adjusted my right leg to make it slightly smaller than the left leg:

  Save

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