Since starting to create graphics from scratch, I  have learned a few little techniques to share with you. Although I have a pen/tablet, I have not mastered non-wiggly lines! So I have had to adapt to the shapes that are already available and graphics that will do well with "semi-wiggly" lines.

This tutorial is for PSP6, but can be adapted for PSP5. You will need some working knowledge of the PSP tools. And remember to tube each step as you go! This will allow you to colorize the individual tubes and have lots of different versions of the Scarecrow to use:)

First open an image 400 X 600, transparent background. 

Add a new layer. Go to layer palette and make the background invisible. Leave background layer invisible at all times. Go to selection tool, choose rectangle , anti -alias checked. Draw a vertical rectangle. You may choose the width and length. Just make it long enough to allow for the body, legs, head, hat and straw.

Flood fill the rectangle with a wood fill of your choice.

Add new layer and create another rectangle, same settings, only horizontal this time. You can just eyeball it for this will form his arms.

I have used the deformation tool to turn the arms askew. Now to dress him.

Add a new layer. Selections tool set to rectangle, o feather, anti-alias checked. Now draw a rectangle just above the section where the "boards" cross and almost out to the ends of the "arms and as far down the vertical board as you would like to see the shirt drape to. Flood fill with white.

Deselect. Now draw another rectangle, starting where you might picture the L underarm and go in towards the "body". Edit; Cut. Now do the same on the other side. Do the same with the elipse selection for the neck.

     

Deselect. Place the magic wand inside the white area. Now choose the color or fabric for your shirt and flood fill the selected area.

 

Using the deformation tool, hold won on the Ctrl key and move the bottom handles in to taper the shirt bottom. Deselect.

Add a new layer. Choose a light complimentary color for your foreground and same color for the background color. Using the shapes tool: Choose rounded rectangle, line width: 1, stroked & filled, anti-alias checked. Create as vector unchecked. Make a small rectangle on the R side of the shirt where a pocket might be. Add new layer. Repeat for the L side.

Add a new layer. Choose a dark complimentary color for your foreground and a lighter shade for the background color. Using the shapes tool: Choose rounded rectangle, line width: 1, stroked & filled, anti-alias checked. Create as vector unchecked. Make a small rectangle on the top R side of the shirt pocket  where a pocket flap might be. Add new layer. Repeat for the top L side.

Add new layer and make a vertical front button placket in the middle of the shirt. Use the same settings for the shapes tool as you did to add the pocket flaps.

Add new layer. Using same settings, change the shapes tool to circle and create buttons for your pocet flaps and the placket. Add a new layer for each so that you can move them into position. After you have made your first one you can copy and paste as new selection for the rest!

I chose not to add a collar, but you may choose to do so at this point. Add new layer. Try the triangle shape and add a deformation to stretch it with the deformation tool! Copy and paste as new selection, mirror, move to opposite side of neck and poof! instant collar.

Now go to layer palette and make all layers that aren't involved in making the shirt; invisible. Click on any visible layer to activate. Go to layers; merge visible. Click the glasses on the invisible layers to make them visible again. Activate the merged layer. Use the deformation tool to turn the shirt to fit the way the arms skew. Apply deformation.

 

Add new layer. Don't worry that this layer is on top of the shirt. You will drag it under the shirt layer later. Go to: Selection tool, rectangle, anti-alias checked, feather 0. Draw a long rectangle to fit the shirt waist. Extend down to almost the bottom of the vertical board. Leave enough room at the bottom to add straw poking out of the bottom of the pant legs. Flood fill with white.  Now make another thin rectangle in the middle of the larger rectangle, about halfway down and extend to the bottom of the larger rectangle. Edit, Cut. You now have a pair of  pants. Deselect. Using the magic wand select the pants and flood fill with your choice of pants fill. Using the deformation toll, taper the pants legs at the bottom the same as you did the shirt.

     

Apply deformation. Deselect. Drag your pants layer under the shirt layer.

 

Add new layer. Using the lasso tool, anti-alias checked. Go to the R sleeve cuff and freehand draw an approximate shape as you see below.  Flood fill with a sunburst gradient using a tan and yellow color combo. Play with the settings to achieve different effects. Flood fill. Copy and paste as new image. Tube this. You have now made one piece of straw! Do this step several times making different shapes of straw and using different color combos and settings. Tube each.

 

Open a new image. 200 X 200, transparent background. Add new layer. Using  the straw tubes you created, make bunches of straw. Make a few different ones and make them pointing in all four directions. So that you have separate tubes of  bunches pointing E, N, S, & W.

Now to make the head.

Add new layer. Using the shapes tool, choose elipse. anti-alias checked, create as vector unchecked. Line width 1, stroked and filled. Set your foreground and background color to one that you like for a face color. I color picked a shade from the wood fill I used on the boards. Now draw the elipse on the part of the board showing above the neck of the shirt.

 

I copied the oval and pasted as a new image to work on the face. I added new layers and cutouts to give it depth, but you can treat as you like! Make your own features or copy mine. Scarecrows have many expressions and that's what makes each one different!

Now to make the hat.

Add new layer. Using the lasso tool, same settings as for the straw. Draw a floppy straw hat shape over the top of the head and position it where you think it looks best.

 

Flood fill with your choice of colors. I added a weave to mine using the settings below. I also added a hatband using the same selection, flood fill technique.

 

Now it's time to add the straw! This is fun, just go back and forth through the layers and add your straw bunches to poke out of the sleeves, pant leg bottoms, underneath the hat brim, poke some up out of the neckline and any other place you'd like! Now merge all visible layers. Copy, paste as new image and export the finished tube!

I even added a 25 cent price tag to one of my scarecrows hats:) These are shown at 75%.

You can dress your scarecrow any way you would like. You can even make a Lady Scarecrow! Have fun with it and try different angles, shapes, etc.

And now that you know how I come up with some of my scratch graphics, let your imaginations run and create!  But be warned! It IS addicting! *S*

 

This tutorial written 04/13/2000 © Driftwood Cove Graphic Design. Uploaded 04/13/2000.

Wednesday, October 11, 2000 08:30:00 PM

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