Twinkle, twinkle, twinkle little star
For eons, I've wondered how to make one
And LOOK, there you are.
Twinkle, twinkle MY little star!
 

Step 1
Open a new image.

Step 2
Using the zoom tool, click the image 10 times.
   
 

Step 3
Now you can see what you're doing!!!   Set background color to white;  set foreground color to light color of the star.  In the color picker image, I laid a line across the top right image as a general height of the 'square' graph for the color selection.  The arrow points to the little selection marker where I clicked for my light color of the hue I chose - purple, naturally!  Image to the right shows the background and foreground color choices.
   

Step 4
Use your paintbrush tool and set the tool option to match the settings below..
   

For clarification, I will add a black layer to the image for the sake of this tutorial - you don't need to unless you just want to.  If you add it don't forget to get rid of it before saving.  In image one, look to the lower left corner to find the coordinance of the first pixel - you want to click the right mouse button to color the pixel that is 5th to the right and 5th down from the top - designated by the '5,5' when the cursor is over that pixel.  2nd image show pixel 5,5 painted white by clicking the right mouse button.  3rd image shows next pixels to color - pixels    5,4      4,5        6,5       &        5,6.   YOur image should look like the 3rd image before moving on to the next step.
      
 

Step 5
Clicking the left mouse button from now on . . . click the left mouse button at 3,5     5,3        5,7    &      7,5.

Step 6
Now you will change the foreground color - you will stay directly above the old color and click somewhere in the height I marked by the line.  (I tried several different color hues with not much difference in the outcome due to the size of the image, but don't switch color hues, only color depth - select directly above old color).  Color palette should look like 2nd image.
right click on     2,5           5,2            5,9       &        8,5   to apply color - match 3rd image.
next, right click on     4,4        4,6       6,4       &        6,6   to apply color, matching 4th image.
         
 

Step 7
change foreground color, selecting color directly above old color  about level with the line in image 1.
color palette should look like the 2nd image.
right click on       1,5         5,1          5,10        &       10,5   to apply color, matching 3rd image.
IF you added a black color layer, delete it now.
      
 

Step 8
Your image should now look like this one.

 

IF you want an animated image, click here.  Otherwise, continue to Step 9.
 
 

Step 9
Click on the Magic Wand tool and set the tool options to match the image.  Change the foreground color to light grey.
   
Click on the uncolored area of your image to select area outside of colors.

 

Step 10
Select flood fill tool.  Make sure color palette shows 'grey' in foreground position then right click into the selected area to color it light grey.
   
 

Step 11
Switch the foreground and back ground colors so that they match 1st image.  From the Colors menu, click on Set Palette Transparency.
   

In the first window, match settings below and click OK button.  The transparency color selected should be light grey.

 

Step 12
From the colors menu, click on View Palette Transparency to make sure it's got a transparent background.

If the background is transparent,  deselect from the View menu, click on Normal Viewing to see the right size.  Image will look like the 3rd image.  Save image.  Remember to change the file type to GIF before saving.
      
 
My StarWiz image - click it to see as a background.
 

Close Window when Finished.

Tutorial by CSGreen
9-10-2002