By doing this tutorial you agree to my terms of use.
Screen shots were taken from PSP7 and as such copyright belongs to JASC

Hints - just in case you don't know. With the selection tool, opt for rectangle, antialias checked, feather zero, draw rectangle around object and then click to select and float, this method does away with the dreaded jaggies. When making vector shapes you do not need to create a new layer as this action will create a new vector layer. You can edit the nodes so that they are symmetrical, cusp, draw straight lines and curved. Best thing to do is have a play around to see how they work.

After reading that are you confused? No, you most likely will be later :o) OK let's start and don't forget to save as you go lest that illegal operation pop's it's ugly head.

1. Open a new transparent image 350 x 450. Set your foreground colour to red. From the tool bar select Preset Shapes, in the Tool options select eclipse, filled, antialias and vector checked. We will start with the reindeer's nose, there is no need to make a new layer as working in vector mode will create a new layer. Draw out an eclipse now click on the vector object selection Right click inside the eclipse and select node edit. Pull down the bottom node to make a nose shape.

Right click the vector layer in the layer palette and convert to Raster and name it nose. Go to your selection tool, rectangle, and draw round the nose then click on it to select it. Now bring Shapeshifter into play and select my reindeer preset and apply it. Go to selections, select none.

2. Set your foreground colour to white. Open a new layer calling it nuzzle now draw out an eclipse over the nose. In the layer palette drag this layer so that it is beneath the nose, you may then need to move it so that it is placed correctly.

Click on the nose layer to make it active, use the magic wand to select the area around it, selections invert, selections, modify, contract by one. Now click on the nuzzle layer and delete. With your selection tool, draw around the nuzzle then click on it to select it. Bring FibreOptix into play and use my reindeer fur preset.

Go to Selections, none and now drag the nuzzle layer to the top. See how he's already smiling :o)

3. Now we'll do the body. We want this layer at the bottom so click layer1 in the layer palette and select preset shapes, create as vector checked, now draw out an eclipse. Now you need to edit the nodes and add a couple more, to add them where you need them hold down Ctrl and you will see it say add, so just click where you want your node to be and play around until you get the desired shape.

Convert this layer to a raster layer and name it body. With the selection tool draw round the body and click on it to select then apply the FibreOptix fur preset.

4. Click on the nuzzle layer to make it active and with the magic wand select the outer area, selections/invert, selections/modify/contract by 2. Create a new layer calling it shadow, in the layer palette drag it underneath the nuzzle layer. Now go to image/effects/drop shadow and apply these settings - opacity 100, blur 19, vertical and horizontal 4. Selections/none. In the layer palette click the body layer to make it active, select the outer area with the magic wand then selections/modify/expand by 2. Click the shadow layer to make it active and hit delete, select none.

OK, to save you going boss eyed and to save on layers I think it will be OK to merge the layers. Click on the glasses on layer1 to make it invisible and merge layers visible.

Time for a cuppa, you bet, be back in a mo :o)

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