Paint Shop Pro 7 Tutorial
Luv Bugs
by Joyce Kohl
This started out as an image for my husband in honor of our 51st anniversary, and not as a tutorial. I made some screen captures for my own use as I drew it, but not enough for a complete 1-2-3 tutorial. However, I hope I have explained the steps well enough for you to make your own Luv Bugs.
Supplies Needed:
Black and White Luv Bug Bow [made from PSP7 Preshape]
Log [In case you'd like to use mine.]
Step 1:
Install the tubes.
Step 2:
Open a new transparent canvas 400 x 400.
Step 3:
Set foreground color to black and background to red, #ff4040. Add a layer, name it body. Select the preshape tool, ellipse. Draw a fat ellipse in the middle of the canvas. Don't make it too big. The big canvas is only for working space. This is the exact size for my body. The image is cropped from the large 400 x 400 canvas for faster loading of the tutorial.
Step 4:
Remember to save often!
Rotate the ellipse to the right, setting the rotate option to Free, and type in 15 or whatever it takes to make a nice separation at the bottom of the wings. Using the deformation tool, shape the ellipse by holding down the shift key and dragging the top handles until you have a shape similar to this:
Step 5:
Duplicate the layer. Mirror it. Add a layer named body top and draw another ellipse at the top. If it's not under the body, open the layer palette and move it under the body layer.
Step 6:
Select the eraser tool, and carefully erase the lines inside the body. I zoomed in and used the left slash and right slash erasers to get in close to the curved edges:
Step 7:
Add a layer, name it wing line. Using the draw tool, draw in a slightly curved freehand line from top to bottom to separate the wings using these settings:
Step 8:
This is the part where I don't have any screen captures. I was so intent on what I was doing, and undoing, I forgot. This is how to continue:
Be sure both foreground and background colors are black. Make layer 1 active, add a new layer named tail, select ellipse preshape. Holding down the shift key, draw a circle between the wings at the bottom. Use your move tool to position. Add another layer named head and draw a smaller circle for the head. Use your move tool to position it. Both the tail and the head should be under the body layer. This is a good place to make a tube. Merge/visible, create a tube, then undo the merge layer.
Step 9:
It's time to add the black hearts. With your colors still set to black for both the foreground and background, add a new layer named heart1. Select the preshape tool, find the solid black heart, then draw a small heart on the top of the left wing. Rotate it to the right about 10. Duplicate the layer, mirror it. Add another layer, name it heart2. Draw another black heart, but bigger this time. Rotate it, duplicate the layer, mirror it. Add a layer, name it heart3. Draw a bigger black heart, rotate it, duplicate the layer, mirror it.
Don't forget to save! Save after every step.
Step 10:
Merge/Visible, tube it, name it bugboy1. Then undo the Merge layer, reposition the heart layers for the girl bug or delete them and then repeat step 10 to draw the hearts smaller, differently, etc. Then merge/visible, save as buggirl1.
Step 11:
Undo the merge. You can close your psp file. Open a new canvas, find your bugboy1 tube, and stamp it in your canvas.
Step 12:
Add a layer. Using the draw tool, freehand line, draw squiggles for the antennae.
Add a layer, add a black heart at the end and position it with the move tool. Repeat for other antennae. Merge visible, save as a tube, name it luvbugboy.
Step 13:
Open a new canvas, find your buggirl1 tube, stamp it on the canvas. Repeat Step 12 instructions for antennae. Add a layer, add the bow. With the freehand tool at the same settings, draw a couple of lines on each side of the bow for pleats. Merge visible, save as a tube, name it luvbuggirl.
My Luv Bug Tubes:
Use your bug tubes to make a plethora of things. You can make an animation like mine at the beginning of this tutorial, all types of Valentine cards, or even a plain signature tag. Don't forget to add regular ladybug spots to your plain no-hearts tube, then use it for projects other than Valentine's Day.
Tip for Animation Like Mine: Make three copies, then at coordinates 50,50, draw a small heart in image #1. Draw a medium heart in image #2, using the same coordinates of 50,50. On image #3, again using coordinates of 50,50, draw a larger heart. When you run the Animation Shop Wizard, set the speed at 60.
Copyright © 2000, 2001 Joyce Kohl
All rights reserved
