PSP Tutorial - Draw a Vector Elephant

Vector Elephant

©Doodles by LadyFox 03/14/04

This tutorial and all images [except the PSP logos] belong to ©Doodles by LadyFox. You may make a copy of this tutorial or print it out for your own personal use ONLY. You are free to LINK to my tutorials if you would like to share them. What you create from my tutorials belong to you to do with as you wish.

Feel free to email me LadyFox_75@hotmail.com

This tutorial was done with PSP8

but could be done with PSP7 with a little modification.

This tutorial was written following the steps I used to make my graphic.
Since there is usually more than one way to do something in PSP,
feel free to use the methods you are most comfortable with.

	YOU WILL NEED
	Paint Shop Pro Download a trial version here My elephant tube It has come to my attention that not everyone has a heart preset shape so I am posting one I made here if you need it Basic knowledge of vectors and layers
	Please Read This is a long tutorial with a lot of repetition so as we go along I will be using less detail in the instructions. There will be quite a few layers by the time we are done [I have 36], so it is wise to name them. There is a lot involved in this tutorial so I am going to break it down into three parts: 1. Cutting apart the tube so each body part is on it's own layer and arranging him into a slightly different pose. 2. Once that is done we will draw him using vectors. 3. Then finally, do some shading and rounding out.
	Remember to SaveOften STEPS - These are the steps I used.
1.	Lets Begin
	Place the elephant tube in your tubes folder He is going to be the guide for drawing the elephant New Image: 500 x 400 File/Save As: elephant.pspimage
	Part One Cutting and Arranging
2.	Preparing The Sample
	New layer: sample Picture tube tool Select the elephant tube Place cursor at 250, 200 Click once to place the elephant Freehand Selection Tool Selection type: point to point Mode: replace Feather: 0 Smoothing: 0 Anti-alias: Not checked Note: When making the selections and promoting to layer: Just selecting and promoting to layer places a copy on the new layer leaving the original on it's original layer. When you float the selection and promote to layer, it cuts the selection from the original and places it on the new layer. Click around the head and ear to select the head Click inside the selection to float Selection/Promote Selection to Layer (Ctrl + Shift + P) Double-Click on the layer in the layer palette and change the name to: head Deselect In the layer palette: Turn off: head Turn off: Raster 1 Click on: sample to make it the active layer Freehand Selection Tool Same settings Select the front half of the elephants body Click inside the selection to float Deform Tool (D) Rotate the front slightly so he looks like he has three feet on the ground Click the reset arrow to complete the rotation The deform process promoted the section to a new layer Layers/Merge/Merge Visible Double click on the merged layer and rename it: body Make head the active layer Deform Tool Rotate the head slightly and move forward a little Click the reset arrow to complete the rotation
3.	Put Each Part On A Separate Layer
	Freehand Selection Tool Same settings Select the trunk Click inside the selection to float Selection/Promote Selection to Layer (Ctrl + Shift + P) Double-Click on the layer in the layer palette and change the name to: trunk Continue in this manner selecting, promoting and renaming until each part of the head is on it's own layer Here is a list of the parts of the head: head trunk ear tusk eye mouth Continuing in the same manner for the parts of the body: body tail left back leg right back leg left front leg right front leg
4.	Pose Him
	Make head the active layer Deform Tool I wanted my head a little smaller so I deformed and rotated it a little I then adjusted the ear, eye and trunk to my liking Basically just moved stuff around to get the pose I wanted I then duplicated the eye and ear and moved the duplicates below the head layer and to the other side of the head and again played until I was happy I didn't do anything with the legs or tail
	Part Two Drawing
5.	Draw The Elephant
	Make body the active layer New vector layer: body Foreground Color: #808080 Background Color: #C0C0C0 Preset Shape Tool Shape: Ellipse Anti-alias: Checked Create as vector: Checked Line Style: +solid Width: 1.00 Draw an ellipse for the body Pen Tool Mode: edit Here is a neat trick I just figured out In the layer palette, click on the eye next to the layer. The fill will be turned off leaving only the outline for editing. Neat Huh?? Node edit as desired Delete the raster layer: body Another trick I just learned Click on a node then use the arrow keys to move the node one space at a time Hold down the CTRL key and tap the arrow key and it moves the node 10 spaces This sure makes fine tuning much easier Make head the active layer New vector layer: head Draw an ellipse for the head Node edit as desired Delete the raster layer: head Make ear the active layer New Vector Layer: ear Draw an ellipse for the ear Pen tool Mode: Edit Add nodes as needed. Use the nodes and handles to shape the ear To remove part of the ear where it joins the head I added a node on either side of the one I wanted to delete Click on the node to be deleted then tap the Del key Delete the raster layer: ear Arrange the layers so the left legs are in front of the body and the right legs are behind the body Preset Shape Switch to rectangle to draw the legs, tail and trunk For each part go to the corresponding raster layer Add a new vector layer with the same name as the raster layer Draw and edit the part Delete the raster layer
6.	Add Some Details - Eyes
	New Vector Layer: eye outline Foreground Color: #808080 Background: Null Preset Shape: Ellipse Draw a small ellipse for the eye area Layers/Duplicate Double click on Copy of eye outline in the Layer palette Rename: eye white Click the + sign next to the layer Right Click on Ellipse/Properties Remove the checkmark next to stroke Notice that fill is now checked Click on the fill box and change the color to white Thank You Ellie for teaching me the next step Ellis Themes http//elliesthemes.surfhoo.com/ Pen Tool Double Click on one of the nodes (this selects all of the nodes) Look for the Transform Icon in the tool bar Click the right arrow to expand Click the down arrow and select contract from the drop down window Set: Contraction X: 30.00 Contraction Y: 30.00 Click the check mark to the right of the contraction boxes Object Selection Tool Hold down the Ctrl key and use the arrows on the keyboard to Move the ellipse to the bottom of the outline and slightly to the right I did 4 down and 2 to the right Duplicate: eye white Rename duplicate: eye black Follow the steps above to: change the color to: black resize Contraction X: 20 Contraction Y: 30 Move: 2 up and 1 to the left Node Edit Zoom in several times to make working easier Add a node between the right node and the bottom node (I will be referring to this node an the New Node) Add a node between the new one and the right node and one between the bottom and the new node Click on the new node and move it inward towards the center Layer Palette Click the +sign next to each of the eye layers Hold down the Shift key and click on the ellipse in each layer Right Click on one of the ellipses. Select Group Double click on Group 1 and rename it: l eye Double Click on eye outline and rename it left eye Right click on left eye and select Duplicate Object Selector Click on any blank space to make sure nothing is selected Delete the eye black and eye white layers Rename Copy of left eye: right eye Rename l eye: r eye Object selector Click on r eye to select the group Move the right eye into position In the layer Palette right click on right eye/Arrange/Move down Hold down the Ctrl key and type Y to repeat the last command Do Ctrl + Y until the eye layer is below the trunk layer Click on the right eye in the graphic and move, rotate or otherwise adjust the eye
7.	Add More Details
	Foreground Color: #808080 Background Color: #C0C0C0 Make the curve in the trunk Make Trunk the active layer New Vector layer: trunk end Preset Shape Tool: ellipse Draw a small ellipse at the end of the trunk to form the curve Pen Tool Mode Edit Place a new node between the left node and top node Click on the new node and tap the Del key Cheek Make the top layer the active layer New Vector Layer: cheek Preset Shape Tool: ellipse Draw another small ellipse for the cheek Pen Tool Mode Edit Add a node between the left node and the top node Slightly closer to the top node Click on the left node Tap the Del key
8.	The Mouth
	Mouth Click on the raster layer: mouth New Vector Layer: mouth Preset Shape Tool: ellipse Draw another small ellipse for the mouth Pen Tool Mode Edit Delete the raster layer: mouth Inside mouth Duplicate the mouth layer Rename the copy: inner mouth Click on the + sign next to inner mouth Right click on Ellipse/Properties Change Stroke: #CC6C64 Fill: #D3837B Pen Tool Edit Node Double Click on any node Go to Transform Contraction X: 30.00 Contraction Y: 40.00 Click the checkmark to apply
9.	Even More Details
	Trunk Tip Make trunk end the active layer New Vector Layer: trunk tip Foreground color: #8080808 Background Color: #D3BDBD Preset Shape Tool Shape: heart Draw a small heart right at the end of the trunk Line up with the end of the trunk Tusk New Vector Layer: tusk Move this layer above the trunk Foreground Color: #E0D8AC Background Color: #EFEBD4 Preset Shape Tool: ellipse Draw a small ellipse for the tusk Pen Tool Node edit as needed
10.	Adding Toes
	Foreground color: #808080 Background Color: #D3BDBD Adding a new Vector Layer above each foot for the toes I draw and node edit one ellipse Object selection tool Right click/Copy Right click/Paste New Vector [Selection Ctrl + G] Place 2 or three toes for each foot Arrange as needed
11.	Final Details
	I will go through the trunk details. The others are done the same way Make trunk tip the active layer New Vector Layer: trunk details Foreground Color: #808080 Background: Null Pen Tool Create as vector: Checked Mode: Drawing Mode Segment Type: Line Segments Line Style: +Solid Width: 1.00 draw a line Right click/New Drawing Object draw another line repeat until all lines are drawn Switch to Edit Mode to shape as desired Now use the screen shot to add the final details File/Save Copy As/elephant-vectors.pspimage - Optional Step I always do this step so I will have a copy in vectors for another time
12.	Save As A Preset Shape
	Save as a Preset shape - Optional Step If you are new to saving shapes go to my mini tutorial Saving A Shape
	Part Three Shading
13.	Shading The Elephant
	Grab something to drink and go to Page 2 for the shading part of the tutorial

If you have any questions or need help, you may email me LadyFox_75@hotmail.com

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