This land knows no rules or boundaries.  Well, there are a few rules.  You may use PSP7 only for this land, and only certain parts of PSP7.  You can use only these things: Effects, Fill Gradients, Shapes and the Tubes that came with PSP7.  This exercise is to get you familiar with what you can achieve with some of the new features.  It is called the "Land of Odd" because your work will be abstract.  You might be surprised at some of the cool looking images you can achieve while doing this!

For PSP Tutorial classes:  Read through the tutorial then pick the effects you like and create an original piece of artwork.  Really play with the effects so that you understand what you can achieve with them.

If you are unsure as to how to use the new options with the Flood Fill tool, go to the tutorial on Flood Fill.

For a full look at the Effects available, click here.

I'm going to show you some of my odd art and explain some of the steps I took to achieve them.  Then you can go have fun and create your own odd art.

Odd Art #1:
I'm starting with what I call my version of the inkblot test.  I've had everyone in my house tell me what they think it is, and no one has come up with the same answer.  I think this has told me more than I want to know about certain family members!  To view the image full size, click on it.

I'll list what I did, but for the most part I don't need to show screen captures of the tools.  I will show the Gradient Fill.  I wanted a panel look, so I started with a new transparent image 200x400.  Then I clicked on the Fill tool and selected the Yellow Neon gradient.  After filling the image with the gradient, go to Effects/Illumination Effects/Lights.  Choose from the drop down menu Sunset.  If you use different gradients, you get a different look when you apply the sunset.  If you apply the sunset a second time, you get a deeper and darker look.

Next I added a new layer.  Click on the Shapes tool.  To get the green looking planet, I used this shape tool, fig.2:

I have found I can get some interesting results when I stretch and pull the shape all kinds of ways while applying it.  Since it is on its own layer, I then moved it down until it took on the look of a big planet emerging from the bottom of the image.  I then added 3 layers of the golden ring from the objects.  I lined them up and arranged them until I had an interesting pattern.  Then I added a new layer and used the moon shape.

The shape is bright red, so I colorized it to match the rings.  Opps!  I didn't mention we might use colorize here and there!

Use your eye dropper tool to select a dominant color from  the graphic you wish to match.  Click on your new color swatch to open the  color selection palette.  Make a note of the Hue value and the Saturation value of the color.  When you go to Color/colorize, enter the hue and saturation values into the appropriate form fields.  If the color is too dark or light, go to Colors/Adjust/Hue-Saturation-Light and raise or lower the lightness slider.  Set the Hue and Saturation sliders at zero.  This tip provided by Laura.  Thank you Laura!

Next I added a new layer and applied the eye shape.  I used the selection tool set to circle and then inverted to delete around the iris.  Then I applied a plain circle shape around the iris.  Finally, adding another new layerI I selected the red and black ball in fig.3.  While applying it, I stretched it down to be long and skinny.

When you merge and flatten the layers, you will see the final image.  I call this one the attack of the killer alien fish.

Odd Art #2:
This one didn't cause such a big family problem as the first one.  I actually had some requests to hang this one on the wall!  To see it full size, click on the image.

I started off with a new transparent image, 300x400.  Back to the Flood Fill tool and gradients.  This time I chose Sunset.  Next I went back to Illumination/Lights and used the Sunset setting again.  This made my blue areas a little dark, so I went to Effects/Enhance Photo/Fade Correction.

I once again then added the moon from the Shapes on a new layer and colorized it the same as the first image.  This time I also used Guassian Blur set to 1 to soften the moon some.

Then I merged/visible layers and went back to Effects/Illumination/Sunburst.  I used the Upper Left and changed the Circle settings to 75.  Now for a final touch.  I added a new layer and used the Shape shown in fig.6.  I stretched it down long and thin to be the vertical part of a star.  Then I added a new layer and used the shape again, stretching it out wide and thin for the horizontal part of the star.  I deleted where it crossed over the vertical part of the star.  Now merge layers and a new piece of artwork is done!