An OriginalKuntree Design'sVector Santa Tutorial  For this tutorial you will need a little knowledge in Vectors.
A lot of patience. A copy of Paint Shop Pro 7 but can be done in 6 as well, with a few minor
adjustments on your part. You can download a 30 day trial version here.
 Special notesPlease Read With this tutorial we will not be converting
the layers to Raster Layers until all the pieces of the santa are completed and
you are happy with the placement of each piece.
If it becomes necessary turn off and on your layers on the layer palette to help you work. If you need to go back and work on a vector layer. Click on the plus sign of the layer you would like to adjust and then click on the name of the shape you would like to work on. You will then need to click on the object selector tool to adjust your vector shape. If it has been some time since you worked on your vector project. Double click on your vector shape on the layer palette and it will give you the properties that were used to help you continue your work. Give it a try.. Pretty cool huh!! Please remember to save after each Vector Layer is completed in psp format. Lets begin. 1.) Please open
up a new image 400 x 675 transparent. Go to your Layer Palette, right click and
Add a new Vector Layer, name it Head. Set your foreground and background color
to #FAE7D4.
Using your Preset Shapes Tool  draw out a circle
shape for his head in the center of the new image up towards the top. Remember
to leave enough room for his hat. I started my circle around 200x190. Please
use these settings for your Preset shapes tool for the entire tutorial. The only thing you will have to change is the shape.
 2.) Go to your Layer Palette, right click and
Add a new Vector Layer, name it Hat. Set your foreground and background color
to #951313.
Using your Preset Shapes Tool draw out a elipse
shape horizontally for his hat just above his head. Click on your Object
Selector Tool,  then node edit to shape your hat.
NOTE:If you are not getting the shape that you want. Right click on the troublesome node. Move your mouse to node type and switch betweeen cusp and symetric to get the shape you want. This is what mine looks like.  3.) Go to your Layer Palette, right click and
Add a new Vector Layer, name it Ball. Drag this layer under your hat layer.
Set your foreground color to #C6C6C6 and your background color
to #FFFFFF.
Using your Preset Shapes Tool draw out a circle
shape for the ball on Santa's hat.
4.) Go to your Layer Palette, activate your hat layer.
Right click and add a new Vector Layer, name it Hat Fur.
With your foreground color still at #C6C6C6 and your background color
to #FFFFFF draw out an ellipse with your Preset Shapes Tool
. Click on your object
selector tool , then click on node edit. Manipulate the nodes switching between cusp
and symetric to get the shape you want. I added five nodes to get the shape
that I wanted. This is what mine vector shape looks like. I have also shown
the nodes that I have added.
 To add a node have your mouse on the lined shape where you would like the node added, while holding down the CTRL tab on your keyboard. When you see the word add left click with your mouse and you will see the new node appear. This is what your santa should look like thus far.
 5.) Go to your Layer Palette, right click and
Add a new Vector Layer, name it Coat. Drag this layer under your Head layer.
Set your foreground and your background color to #951313.
Using your Preset Shapes Tool set on rectangle,
draw out a rectangle shape that is rather long. Leave enough room at the bottom
to add shoes later. Click on your object
selector tool then click on node edit. Add some
nodes to shape the coat. Remember to switch between cusp and symetric. While
your at it why not give curve before and after a try to see what it might do.
*S* Mine looks like this.
 6.) Go to your Layer Palette, right click and
Add a new Vector Layer, name it Coat Fur.
Set your foreground color to #C6C6C6 and your background color
to #FFFFFF.
Using your Preset Shapes Tool set on rectangle,
draw out a narrow rectangle shape the length of the coat. Click on your object
selector tool , then click on node edit. Holding down your shift key push in on
the top left hand node. Repeat for the right side. On the bottom nodes try
curve before and curve after. Mine looks like this.
 7.) Go to your Layer Palette, right click and
Add a new Vector Layer, name it Right Boot. Drag this layer under your coat layer.
Set your foreground and your background color
to #000000.
Using your Preset Shapes Tool set on ellipse,
draw out a ellipse vertically. Click on your object
selector tool , then click on node edit.
Manipulate the nodes to give you a boot shape. If needed add a node or two. Mine looks like this.
 8.) Go to your Layer Palette, right click on your
right boot layer. Click on duplicate. Go up to Image/mirror. Go back to your
layer palette, right click and rename this layer Left Boot. Place into position
on your graphic.
9.) Go to your Layer Palette, right click and
Add a new Vector Layer, name it Right Hand.
Your foreground and background color should still be set at #000000.
Using your Preset Shapes Tool set on ellipse,
draw out an ellipse vertically. Click on your object
selector tool , then click on node edit.
Manipulate the nodes to give you a Hand shape. If needed add a node or two. Mine looks like this.
 10.) Go to your Layer Palette, right click on your
right hand layer. Click on duplicate. Go up to Image/mirror. Go back to your
layer palette, right click and rename this layer Left hand. Place into position
on your graphic. This is what you should have so far. Yours will be much larger.
I hope you have been remembering to save!
 11.) Go to your Layer Palette, activate your head
layer, right click and
add a new Vector Layer, name it Beard.
Set your foreground color to #C6C6C6 and your background color
to #FFFFFF.
Using your Preset Shapes Tool set on elipse,
draw out a ellipse shape. Click on your object
selector tool , then click on node edit.
I added 4 nodes and found this one a bit difficult to do. Will take some
playing with the nodes to get it how you want it. I also had to turn off and on the hat and
hat fur layers while playing with this beard. Mine looks like this.
 12.) Go to your Layer Palette, right click and
add a new Vector Layer, name it Mustache.
Your foreground color still set at #C6C6C6 and your background color still
set to #FFFFFF.
Using your Preset Shapes Tool set on ellipse,
draw out a ellipse shape. Click on your object
selector tool , then click on node edit.
Manipulate the nodes till you get a mustache shape you like.
 13.) Go to your Layer Palette, right click and
add a new Vector Layer, name it Eyebrows.
Your foreground color still set at #C6C6C6 and your background color still
set to #FFFFFF.
Using your Preset Shapes Tool set on ellipse,
draw out a small ellipse shape. Click on your object
selector tool , then click on node edit.
Manipulate the nodes till you get a eyebrow shape you like. You might want to use
the magnifying glass to enlarge this area to work in. Mine enlarged looks like this.
 14.) Go to your Layer Palette, right click on your
right eyebrow layer. Click on duplicate. Go up to Image/mirror. Go back to your
layer palette, right click and rename this layer Left Eyebrow. Place into position
on your graphic.
15.) Go to your Layer Palette. Add a new Raster
Layer, name it Eyes. Click on your paint brush. Go to your color palette and set your
background color to Null. Set your foreground color to #000000. On your tool
options window use these settings for your paint brush. Add a couple dots for
Santa's Eyes.
 16.) Go to your Layer Palette. Add a new Vector
Layer, name it Mouth. Drag this layer between your Beard and Mustache layer.
Set your foreground and your background color to #C15B5B.
Using your Preset Shapes Tool set on ellipse,
draw out a small circle shape for his mouth.
Ok you are now done with the Vector part of the tutorial. Please be sure to save in PSP format. If you would like to detail your santa please continue on to page two. |