Gloria's Graphics with Paint Shop Pro, swan paint by number tutorial

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A Paint By Number Swan
finished

A Paint Shop Pro tutorial for version 8

This tutorial assumes you have a working knowledge of PSP.

Click here to download the outline.

This is a large PSP image.

If you are using version 7, here is a custom brush to use. This was made by Lady Alba for use with this swan! I'm certain you will find many other uses for it too!

1. Open the swan outline in PSP.Convert it to a background layer.

This is what the outline will look like. Once it is painted you will want to resize it.

Below is your color palette to make it easy for you to change colors! Just right click and save it, or do a screen capture with Paint Shop Pro.

Lets get started!

We are going to do a "watercolor" painting, so trying to stay in the exact lines won't be necessary at all!

As you can see we have a number guide to follow, just like the old "paint by numbers".

1.Open an new image size 850x 600. Then add a new raster layer and flood fill it with white. Immediately add another raster layer.

2.Copy and paste the swan shape as a new layer onto your image. Move the swan shape BENEATH the new layer. ACTIVATE THE NEW LAYER.

3.Set your paint brush to

size - 28
hardness - 0
step - 1
density - 100
thickness - 1
rotation - 220
opacity - 100
CHECK THE WET PAINT BOX

For those who are unfamiliar with the brush variance,and don't know how to find it, go to VIEW, PALETTES, BRUSH VARIANCE. Click it on and use the settings in the instruction below.

4. Set the brush variance to

Color blend - Fade Out 11
Thickness - Normal 15
Rotation - Fade Out 7
Impressions per step - 5

5. Now Set your foreground color to the first color in area one and the background color to the second color in area one.

6. Proceed to paint in the area. Do not worry about "staying precisely in the lines.

TIP: MOVE YOUR BRUSH BACK AND FORTH TO PICK UP HEAVIER COLOR IN SCATTERED AREAS.

7.Do the same with all the other colors and areas.

NOTE: WHEN YOU PAINT AREA NO. 7 AND 8, SWITCH TO THE AIR BRUSH AND SET A COMFORTABLE SIZE TO PAINT. IN THESE AREAS WE WANT MORE CRISP LINES. YOU DO NOT USE BRUSH VARIANCE WITH THE AIR BRUSH IN THIS CASE.

8. Set the smudge brush to

size - 50
hardness - 50
step - 10
density - 100M
thickness - 100
opacity - 50

NOTE: THIS IS A VERY STRONG BRUSH!! SO MOVE IT IN EXTREMELY SMALL STROKES, AND BLEND JUST ENOUGH TO BRING THE COLORS TOGETHER. THERE IS NO RIGHT OR WRONG HERE. WHEN YOU LIKE HOW IT LOOKS, QUIT!

9. Now is the time to hide the white background layer, and merge the visible layers.

10. Resize your swan to whatever you like.

11. Open a new image and make it a size that will hold the swan and a background for it.

Example:

swan size 425x300
new image size 850x600

12. Paste the swan onto the larger image, and make a pretty background!!

HINT: Make sure that under the swan you have a white color. An easy way to do this is to place a new layer beneath the swan and then take your paint brush foreground set to white.(Make sure the brush variance is set back to normal.)

We want the body of the bird to have some white backing.

We're finished, and all you have to do now is put the bird is a nice lake or pond, lol!

For the background , I floodfilled the backgound with a blue gradient, and then use Flaming Pear's flood filter.

To see more tutorials I have written, see my main page.

Please visit my daughter's site. She has a very nice product here, with more to come soon! Thanks in advance.