This tutorial was written on October 30th 2002 and © by Lady Oz. You may make a copy of this tutorial or print it out for your own personal use ONLY. Do not send through emails but if you would like to LINK to my tutorials please do so. Also what you create belongs to you, I only own this tutorial and wish it to stay on this page. *s*.
How to make a 'Stressed Out Santa'.Disclaimer....Please Note**
This is another tutorial with plenty of vector shapes, shading and other techniques, for those of you who like to get their teeth into things and love a Challenge...it is not for the weak of heart or those who only ever like quick and easy tutorials.....it is for Advanced and Intermediate users, so it is assumed that you have a good working knowledge of PSP. So be warned...I will not be paying for any medical bills or supplying you with a wig. *g*
I got this idea from an advertising leaflet, so I thought I would try it out in PSP...and found myself doing a tutorial for it. Hopefully you will enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed making it.
Please email me if you encounter any problems due to my instructions or mistakes. so that I in turn can correct them. I'd love to see your result and don't forget to share any good ideas or additions you may have! *s* Got your cuppa and cookies ready? LOL
What you will need.
PSP 7
download a free trial version.....you won't be sorry...but you will be hooked. *s* (I used version 7 but I believe it may be achieved in 5 or 6)
Xmas Doggy preset....download and put this in your EC 4 Jiggle folder.
Now to make Santa stressed out!
Step 1* Open up a transparent image size 300 x 450 16 million colours (24 bit). You can always reduce the size when you have finished but this size makes it easier to handle the shaping etc. Don't forget to save as you go along....name your layers if you wish and when working with the vector layers, do not convert to raster until I say. *g*
Save as a PSP file!
Step 2 *Set your background colour to #B81612. Open up Preset shapes
set on Rectangle....Antialias and Vector checked. Draw a large rectangle for the jacket. Object selector
right click and chose node edit, hold the ctrl key down and point your cursor on the line where you wish to add the node until you see the +Add sign, now release the ctrl key, you should have an extra node there. Continue adding more as necessary... right click again.... Edit...select all...right click on one of the nodes, right click again....Node Type...Symmetric...change the nodes until you are satisfied with the results. We are including the sleeves in this shape so that's why it looks odd...don't worry about the top too much as this will be covered by Santa's beard.
Step 3* Making Layer 1 your active layer, add a new Vector layer...Preset shapes
Step 4* Make your bottom layer active and add a new Vector layer...call it 'head'. Set your foreground to null and background colour to #DCD7C0. Preset shapes
Save!
Step 5* Make the right leg layer active and add a new Vector layer. Preset shapes
Step 6* Set your background colour to #FDFBF3. Make the hat layer active and add a new Vector layer....call it 'hatband'. Preset shapes
Step 7* Keeping the same background colour. Make the hat layer active again and add a new Vector layer....call it 'pom pom'. Preset shapes
Save!
Step 8* Set your background colour to #FDFBF3. Make the jacket layer active and add a new Vector layer....call it 'cuff'. Preset shapes
Save!
Step 9* Set your background colour to #0F221D. Make the jacket layer active and add a new Vector layer....call it 'mitt'. Preset shapes
Step 10* Set your background colour to #FDFBF3. Make the jacket layer active and add a new Vector layer....call it 'jacket band'. Preset shapes
Step 11* Set your background colour to #FDFBF3. Make the jacket band layer active and add a new Vector layer....call it 'left band'. Preset shapes
Save!
Step 12* Make the left band the active layer and add a new Vector layer. Set your background to #FFFFFF Preset shapes
Save!
Step 13* Now we need his 'Stress board'! Haven't we all got one of those? LOL. Make the left band layer the active one and add a new Vector layer. Keeping the background black but changing the preset shape to rectangle...draw a rectangle shape and rotate it a little so that it is on an angle.
Step 14* With the board layer active...we will now add the text...open up your text palette...the 'A' and make sure that vector and antialias is checked...choose the font you wish to use and type out your text...'I'm Stressed Out'...click OK and you can edit it any way you wish. I used the Kindergarten font...rotated it to the angle of the board...went to 'Objects'...Converted text to curves....as character shapes...then stretched and rotated some of the letters.
Save!
Step 15* Make the board layer active again and add a new Vector layer...choose a colour, gradient or pattern etc for the foreground colour...background null. Using the draw tool
size 2 ....antialias and vector checked draw two cords from under his beard to the top of the board. That's it for the shapes.
Save!
Step 16* He's gonna need some boots too. Make layer 1 the active layer and add another Vector layer.... background set to #000000 and with the above settings...draw an oval shape for a boot. Shape it a wee bit in the same way as before then duplicate this layer and move it to under his other trouser leg. We are getting there. *s* See pic above in step 13*
Save!
Step 17* Now move all the parts around and into the correct position and change the shapes if necessary to fit in with everything. Then using the Object Selector tool
Step 18* Now go back to your original image and undo the steps to before you 'Grouped'...now we need to do some work on those shapes...so grab yourself some refreshments.
Tutorial by Mary Newton aka Lady Oz aka Lady Newtonia © 2002
