AmeriYank's...

In this tutorial, we will learn how to make the basic images for a simple animation, and, we will animate it. For this lesson, I used a font in my computer called "Vacation MT". It came with a Microsoft program I bought years ago. Please do not ask which one, because I cannot recall. It could have come with Windows or Microsoft Publisher. The point is this, I cannot redistribute the font, so the only way you can create the exact image is if you happen to have the font in your PC. You CAN however, learn from this tut. Its VERY easy, and I am sure you can gain knowledge to create really cool stuff of your own.

The download time for this page and tut will be very long, due to the number of screen shots. Since it is designed for the beginnner, screen shots are necessary to help new people understand how PSP works. Therefore, the tutorial is divided into several parts. Otherwise, one page with all these graphics might crash some poor person's browser, and that would be quite rude of me, wouldn't it?!

First, open Paint Shop Pro 7 ( you can also do this tut in 5 or 6, but the instructions will be a teensy-tiny bit different.)

Now, go to "File", "New", as in the screen shot on the left.

When the "New Image" window pops up, set it to match the image on the left:

Width: 144
Height: 144
Choose "PIXELS"

Resolution: 72
Choose PIXELS/INCH

Background color: Transparent
Image type: 16.7 Million Colors (24Bit)

You now have a blank image on your screen that looks like the one on the right.

Your tools bar can be on top, side or wherever you put it (most of the time it defaults to the left side, and that is probably where yours is).

You need to find the large "A" and click on it. When you do, it will look as though it is indented, like the image on the left.

The "A" is the last icon on the bottom.

Your mouse cursor will now be the "A". Place the cursor over the blank image and click on it. Your font files will open and a new screen will pop up.

Search for "Vacation MT" (or whatever font you are using). Choose your image by clicking on a letter. With dingbat fonts, an image will appear instead of a letter. To get the rocking horse in "Vacation MT", choose the lower-case w.

Click on the "B" to make the image bold and, therefore, a little larger. Center it, too.

Set your "Stroke" to none. Set "Fill" to "white". In the Textures section, set everything to none. In other words, make your pop up window look like the one below:

Now, click "OK" to place your dingbat on your transparent image.

Your rocking horse will appear with all kind of little moving lines sometimes called "dancing ants". It will look like this: