2001-2003

Tutorial written by Arizona Kate, © 2001
and may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without prior written permission.

This EggToon^© series of tutorials has been written especially for those that are just beginning to learn vectors. All images will start with the humble egg shape.....so if you can draw an egg....you'll be able to make a cat, a mouse, a bunny and other cute and easy toon characters.

Eggtoons are not only cute, they are easy and quick to create. We will create them using the vector tools in Paint Shop Pro. Oh, oh...I think I can hear somebody groaning...*G*....but you don't need to know anything technical to create these toons!! I said "if you can draw an egg, you can draw these"...but you won't even have to draw, they are all made with preset shapes!

Step-by-step instructions are provided for every step and are written so that even beginners to PSP and the vector-phobic *G* can follow along! This series of tutorials has been written for PSP7, but version 6 also has vector tools. Users of PSP6 should be able to follow along, but some tool options may be a little different. Sorry, PSP5 and other older versions do not include vector tools, so are not suitable for these tutorials.

Before we start drawing the toons, we should first do a quick overview of the tools we'll be using. If you're already familiar with the vector tools in Paint Shop Pro v.7, you can skip this page and move right into Creating Egg Preset Shape. But, for everybody else, we'll begin with an explanation of the tools used to draw vector objects and some terminology that may be new to you! As you're following other parts of this EggToon series, you might find it helpful to have this page open & minimized as a handy reference to some of this new terminology. ;-)

~~~ Raster vs. Vector ~~~

There are basically 2 ways to create digital drawings....raster and vector. The type of digital drawing you're probably most used to is referred to as raster, which are images made by combining pixels. Users of versions 6 & 7 of Paint Shop Pro also have vector drawing tools. Vectors objects are created in a different manner using coordinates. Embedded in each vector object are a set of properties which are used as instructions for drawing the object. These instructions are interpreted by the software to create the position, shape and color of the object. Each vector object is an independent element which can be moved around without effecting the rest of the image. For users of PSP, it means that we can re-size, rotate, distort and edit vector objects in a number of ways without getting all 'pixilated' or losing line quality.

~~~ The Vector Tools ~~~

Most of the tools in the Tools Palette (located along the left side of your workspace...unless you've moved it!!) are used for drawing raster images. The last 4 tools are used to create vector images.

The first 3 can all CREATE a vector object.....the Line (Draw) tool, the Preset Shapes tool and the Text tool.

When you select one of these tools and then check the 'vector' option in the Tool Options dialog box (or Text dialog box), you will create a vector object. If you don't check the vector option, PSP will create a raster image.

Anybody can draw a straight line using the Line tool...hold the Shift key down to get a perfectly straight line!! Other shapes can be drawn using the Preset Shapes tool with the vector option checked! No more shaky mouse-drawn pixel lines...take a little care and every vector line will be perfect!!!

The tool for EDITING vector objects is called the Object Selector (the arrow icon below the Preset Shapes tool). This tool is used to move the vector objects around and do all the editing and selecting. It takes a while at first to get used to using the Object Selector instead of reaching for the pointer tool and other raster tools.  ;-)  The active layer on your Layer Palette must be a vector layer in order for the Object Selector to be available.

~~~ The Layer Palette ~~~

You cannot place vector objects on raster layers or raster objects on vector layers. When you create a vector layer, your Layer Palette will display the vector icon to the left of the layer button. If a raster layer is the active layer when you create a vector object, PSP will automatically create a new layer and place the vector object on this new vector layer. Also, when working with all vectors, it is not necessary to create a new layer for each object*, as each object in a vector drawing is independent of all others and will automatically be placed on it's own 'sub-layer'.

*There are times when you'll want to create more vector layers for specific reasons....we'll go into that in other tutorials.

When a vector layer contains vector objects as 'sub-layers', a plus sign (+) will appear next to the layer button on your Layer Palette. Open a vector drawing, look at the Layer Palette and click the + next to the vector icon to display the sublayers.....you will see there is a layer button for every object (every line and shape) in that layer. Each sub-layer can be moved up or down (arranged) and every object can have it's properties changed...including changing fill color or pattern.

~~~ Converting Back to Raster ~~~

In PSP 7, the painting and effects tools can only be used on raster layers, therefore, when a vector layer is selected, these tool icons will be "greyed out". A vector layer must be converted to a raster layer before applying a drop shadow, a filter or other effect. When you convert a vector layer into a raster layer, the vector layor and all it's sub-layers will merge into one raster layer. You can choose to create some vector objects on a completely different layer than other vectors objects so they will not merge when the vector layer is converted to a raster layer.

~~~ Node Editing ~~~

Vector lines and preset shapes are edited by using the Nodes that appear when Node Edit is selected. The arrows that stick out of each node are called Control Arms (also called "handles") and they determine the length, shape, and direction of the curve or angle of the line that is attached to the node. Vector text can also be re-shaped using Node Edit.

       

Example on left: Pulling on the Control Arm to make it longer will also make the line attached to the Node longer, enlarging the curve.

~~~ Node Types ~~~

There are different Node Types:
With a Symmetric node, moving the Control Arm/handle changes both sides of the node equally.
With an Asymmetric node, moving the Control Arm/handle will change both sides of the nodes at the same time, but not equally.
With a Cusp node, you can pull each Control Arm separately for a different curve or angle on each side of the Node.

Every node has 2 possible handles. You can grab and drag a handle on either side of the node, depending on your intent. When the Object Selector is active, right clicking a vector object will open a dialog box of editing choices, including changing the type of node by selecting Node Type.

To change a node's type...right click the selected node (it becomes black when selected) and, from the pop-up menu, choose Node Type and select a type ~ symmetic, asymmetic or cusp. Draw a vector rectangle and experiment with changing the Node Type to see how it effects the shape.

To change a node's control arms and the lines adjacent to the node...right-click the node to select it, and from the pop-up menu choose Node Type.... Line Before, Line After, Curve Before, Curve After, or Convert to Line. Draw a vector rectangle and experiment with changing the lines to see how it effects the shape.

To change two or more nodes at the same time, select each node before choosing Node Type. Hold the shift key down while selecting more than one node with the Object Selector. Then right click and select Node Type.

To add nodes, hold down the Control key as you hover over a line...when you see the word ADD+ appear, release the mouse button and a node will be added.

Although there are many combinations of node type that will influence the shape of adjoining line segments, there are basically 2 types to remember....curve and cusp. To make curves, use a node with symmetrical or asymmetical control arms. To make a sharp corner, use a cusp node combined with line before or line after (or both).

Symmetric and asymmetric curves: The control arms (handles) can be moved in many directions and produce very smooth curves. There are two types of curves, symmetrical (equal) and asymmetrical (unequal). Both control arms of a symmetrical curve are the same length as each other and remain so as you drag them. The control arms of an asymmetrical curve can have different lengths.

Corner or cusp node: The handles of a cusp node move independently and can create sharp angles, connect 2 straight lines or connect a line to a curve.

~~~ The Vector Edit Menu ~~~

Are you still with me? Not much more to read before we can actually start doing something with these vectors tools! ;-)

In addition to Node Type, there's many other editing choices available in the Vector Edit dialog box. There's familiar choices such as Undo, Copy, Paste, Delete, Select All and Select None. There's also a few choices that are unique to vector drawing. You'll learn these as you go...but the following notes will give you a brief description of the most commonly used options.

BREAK: You can break apart a line (contour) at a node. When you use BREAK, the selected node is converted into 2 nodes and the line segment is 'broken' into 2 lines.

JOIN: You can join the start point or end point node of one line (contour) with the start or end point nodes of another to form one continuous line (contour). To join the nodes, press Control key while dragging one node over the other. When the two overlap, the word 'Join' appears. Release the mouse button.

CLOSE: Closing a contour adds a NEW line segment that connects the start point and end point of the selected nodes. (JOIN does not add a line segment).

MERGE: Merging a node removes it and merges the two line segments on either side of it into one continuous line. This is handy when you find you have many more nodes than you actually need!! You can merge one or more nodes along a contour (line). If you merge every node along a contour, it will delete that contour.

DELETE: Deleting a node removes the node and removes its two line segments.

REVERSE CONTOUR AND REVERSE PATH: These will reverse direction of the start and end point. Used a lot for creating text that follows a curve.

There are many other options in the various pop-up boxes that appear when editing vectors, two of the handiest ones are:

GROUP & UNGROUP: You may 'Group' different vector objects in your drawing in order to keep them together but without merging them. Select each one with the Object Selector Tool (hold down the shift key while selecting each object), right click and select 'Group'. When grouped, objects may be moved about in unison. You must 'UnGroup' in order to edit each individual object.

PROPERTIES: In the Vector Properties box you can easily change all kinds of things...all in one place! Layer name, line & fill color or pattern, textures, line style, etc. Right click any vector object to select 'Properties'.

Now that we've gone over the meaning of some of the new 'vector' words
...let's get started drawing our EggToons!!


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