This tutorial was written on January 29th 2003 and © by MaryN aka 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 nor put on your own site, or CD's 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*.
The lady cow is just a figment of my imagination....totally whacko..*g*...the bull is an idea that I got from a free piece of clipart...with several changes. I did this tutorial in 3 parts....2 for the Cow, which I completed first before doing the last part for the Bull. The tutorial uses vector shapes and some shading, though it is not really hard....you can save the Vector Cartoon Cow and Bull as a preset shape as well as a tube. *s* It is assumed that you have a good working knowledge of PSP.
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 results and don't forget to share any good ideas or additions you may have! *s*
What I used for my Cow Ballet Characters.
PSP 7
download a free trial version.....you won't be sorry...but you will be hooked. *s*
Tools you will be needing to do this tutorial are as follows:
Preset Shapes
Object Selector
Draw Tool
Retouch tool
Layer Visibility Toggle
Zoom Tool
Lasso
Deformation Tool
Now to make the Lady Cow! *s*
Step 1* Open up a transparent image size around 400 x 500 16 million colours (24 bit). Don't forget to save as you go along....it's advisable to name your layers as we finish each one. *s* Save as a PSP file!
Step 2* Foreground #000000
Background #FFFFFF
These are the colours that I used for my cow but yours doesn't have to be. *s*
Antialias...checked
Create as Vector checked
Line width 1
Draw an oval shape in the center of your canvas. This is for what I will refer to as the 'belly'.
Now I wanted to keep a copy of the 'nude cow' as a tube, so I made this a bit different...I added 3 more nodes as in the pic to the right and then deleted the middle one. I then moved up the node on the right and in a bit. You don't have to do this with yours if you don't wish to. *s* When you are happy with the shape
Move this shape to where you think it needs to go on your image...now we need to make sure that it is in the horizontal centre...See pic opposite.
Save!
Step 3* Add a new Vector layer...for the 'left leg'
Keeping the same colour and settings.....draw a long oblong shape for the leg.
Now make a duplicate of this layer....this will be the 'right leg'. Mirror and if you want to you can change the shape in places or put it in a different pose...the choice is yours. Move these two layers to below the 'belly' layer.
Save!
Step 4* With the 'belly' layer highlighted, add a new Vector layer....call it 'arm'
Keeping the same settings as previously...draw a shape for the arm and shape it in the same way as for the leg. Duplicate this layer and mirror it....now you have 2 arms. *now before some smart Alec comes along and says....'but cows don't have arms'...I have called them this to save confusion.......just like the hand is not really a hand, but a hoof....so we will just be good and pretend that those front legs are arms* *VBG*
Add a new Vector layer for the hand.
Foreground #3F2209
Background #9A5518
Make an oval shape and move the nodes around for the shape you want. Place it at the end of whichever arm and then duplicate this layer too...so now you should have two hands, one on each arm. *s*
Add a new Vector layer....for the 'spots'
same settings as before...
Draw some oval shapes all over your cow, that is, if you wish to have a spotted cow...just make some weird shapes and place them where you want them...I kept mine all on one layer....except for the one on the head, which I refer to as the 'nose mark'.
Save!
Step 5* Add a new Vector layer for the head. Foreground #000000
Background #FFFFFF
Antialias...checked
Create as Vector checked
Line width 1
Draw an oval shape and shape in the same way as before to form the head.
Save!
Step 6* Add a new Vector layer. This will be the ear.
Foreground #000000
Background #FFDEEF
Draw a line from where you see the black node in the pic above right, and down to the white node...double click on the side where you see that curved line and drag the curve until you are happy with the size and position.
Add a new Vector layer....for the 'nose mark'
same settings as before...except change the colours to:
Foreground #3F2209
Background #9A5518
Draw an oval shape and move to the top of the head as shown.
Save!
Step 7* Add a new Vector layer....for the 'eye' Foreground #3F2209
Background #6F3C0F
Save!
Step 8* Add a new Vector layer....for the other eye
Foreground #3F2209
Background #6F3C0F
Draw an oval, shape it accordingly. Now change the colours:
Foreground Null
Background #FFFFFF
Using the same settings as before but change the
Change the colours again:
Foreground #000000
Background Null Draw a few lashes around the top eyelid...that eye is now finished.
Go back to the first eye and make a few lashes for that one too.
Save!
Step 9* Add a new Vector layer....for the 'nostril' Foreground Null
Background #FFFFFF
Duplicate this layer, mirror and rotate slightly to the left so that it is on an angle like the head is.
Add a new Vector layer....for the mouth
Foreground #63151B
Background #981E27
Draw a small oval and shape it accordingly. Rotate it to the left slightly so that too is on an angle.
Grab your
Change the colours again:
Foreground #000000
Background Null
Now draw a curved line on either side of the mouth....then a line across the centre.
Save!
Step 10* Add a new Vector layer....for the 'spots'
Foreground #3F2209
Background #9A5518
Draw some oval shapes all over your cow, that is, if you wish to have a spotted cow...just make some weird shapes and place them where you want them...I kept mine all on one layer....except for that one on the head which we did earlier, and to which I refer to as the 'nose mark'. *see pic in Step 13*
Save!
Step 11* Add a new Vector layer....for the 'Tail'
Change the colours again:
Foreground #000000
Background #FFFFFF
Draw a long slim shape for the tail making it wider and splayed at the top.
This needs to be under the belly layer.
Save!
Step 12* Add a new Vector layer....for the 'slippers'
Foreground #7B1B75
Background #C234BA
Draw an oval shape at the bottom of the leg and shape it, to whichever way you wish.
Now take the Draw Tool....Point to point...Antialias and Create as Vector checked...line size....1 and draw two straps as shown.
Duplicate this slipper layer and mirror....she's just about ready for dancing, LOL
Save!
Step 13* Add a new Vector layer....for the 'Udder'
Foreground #FFBBDE
Background #FFDEEF
Now I am 'udderly' hopeless at drawing udders, not getting to view them in real life, so feel free to show me up. LOL
What I did was to draw an ellipse shape for the main part and a few teats to go under it....I may add that whilst I was doing this part I was just about wetting myself laughing. *VBG*
Save!
Step 14* Add a new Vector layer....for the 'tutu'
Foreground darker shade than your gradient colours.
Background Gradient of your choice
Draw a large oval shape and add extra nodes...as in the pic above right...adjust these nodes accordingly. Once you have the shape you like....copy this to the clipboard.
Add a new Vector layer call it 'tutu 2'
Paste the tutu layer from your clipboard onto this new layer. Now keeping this layer level at the top with the first tutu layer, grab the bottom and pull up slightly so that is shorter...like in the pic opposite, >>>>
Add a new Vector layer call it 'tutu 3'
Now repeat that last instruction.
Save!
Step 15* Add a new Vector layer....for the 'top'
Foreground #7B1B75
Background #C234BA
Draw a large oval shape and add extra nodes...as in the pic above right...adjust these nodes accordingly making sure that it goes over the top of the skirt.
Save!
This is my finished lady cow ready for saving as a Vector preset shape...don't you just love them? I bet you can still remember those days when all you ever wanted to do was the 'easy peasy, quick and easy stuff'....alright...alright...I know you want and easy one after all this...but you've worked hard so now you deserve it. *g* I don't know about you, but I am ready for a nice cup of tea!
Well...after we have saved as a preset shape we can do just that!
Step 16* Before we start saving this one...duplicate this image and call the copy 'bull' and save as a PSP file....close it up until we work on him later....yeah, that's right, he's getting a sex change and that ain't 'NO BULL'. *g* Go back to the cow image and grab the Object selector
Do not deselect.
Now make your Layer Palette active and look for this new group...which will be at the bottom of all the layers. Click on the plus sign next to the layer that contains this new group, which will be called Group 1 and change the name to whatever you wish to call it for your shapes library....in my case it was loz_cowballet.....otherwise when you save the preset shape, it will save as Group 1 no matter what you may choose to call it.
*I have only just found this out after pulling my hair out so many times, wondering why my new shape could never be found under the name I gave it and that every one was saved as 'Group 1'......aaaargggggh! LOL See my screen capture below to see what I mean....they have since been changed to the correct names. *s*
Please note that all the layers above this layer are now empty as they have been transferred to your new group....but don't delete them as when we are finished, we will undo the grouping and revert back to the way they were....saves you having to promote to layers....which you are going to have to do at some later stage when you wish to use this shape again. *s*
Do not deselect.
Right click on image again and choose 'export shape'. Give your shape a name and OK it. You will get a warning message...(I chose not to get this message every time) that's okay just click OK.
Step 17* **Open up a new image and test out this shape before going on to convert the layers to raster...better safe than sorry. *s* To do this you need to look through your preset shapes Your new vector shape will show up in your Layer Palette as 'Layer 2' and will have a little plus '+'sign at the side of it. Click on it and you will see all the vector layers that you saved in your group...sometimes we miss one or two....that's okay, just drag them into the group.
*Note that even though it has saved in the name that I gave it...when you click on that plus sign you will find that all the layers below have reverted back to the name of the shapes that they were made with....i.e.: Ellipse....Drawing etc. If you know away to avoid that happening, I would be grateful if you let me know*
**This is the reason that I always go back to the original I am working on as it saves having to promote to layers.**
Once you know that it is safely there and is correct...close it up and go back to your original image that you were working on.
I find that if I right click my image and choose 'ungroup'...it stays grouped...so I just use the undo
button on my taskbar...... you can do the same thing by going to Edit...Command History....highlight 'group'....hit the 'undo' command.... I don't usually use this unless there are lots of moves to undo.
Now onto converting to raster layers and dressing this lady up a wee bit. *s*
