Vectored Zebra

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Tutorial written February 19, 2005.

This tutorial assumes you have a working knowledge of Paint Shop Pro, the use and location of
tools. This tutorial is written using PSP 8.1 but can be done using other version.

For many months I've been working on making alphabet coloring pages for parents of
preschoolers to download and print out. The zebra came as a result of that project. The one in
this tute is somewhat different than the finished one I ended up with for my coloring page but the
idea is the same. I didn't start out to make the zebra realistic looking with a lot of shading and
detail like I did in my Horse Portrait tute but if you'd like that result you can follow my horse
tute using this finished image and come up with one that is more realistic looking. You could also
use this basic image to create a horse or a mule. For this tute though, my goal was a zebra.

I made my zebra fairly large but you can adjust the size of your canvas to whatever size you
would like your finished image to be.

1. I started out with a 700x600 transparent canvas.

2. I set my foreground color to black, my background color to white. Preset Shapes settings
below...

3. I drew out a simple vertical oval about left-middle my canvas. I added nodes and changed
them to cusp where needed until I had a head shape that looked zebraish. Screenshot below...

Convert the head shape to raster.

4. With the same settings as for the head, I drew out a small oval to the left top of my head
shape to use as the ear. I added nodes and shaped like the below screenshot...

I converted my shape to raster. I then used the Erase Tool and erased some of the line to make
the shape look more ear like. This is what I have...

5. Duplicate and mirror the layer to make the other ear.

6. Now for the body. Using the same settings, I drew out a large horizontal oval. I placed nodes
and changed them to cusp where needed to shape my body as one large vector image. This is what
I have...

Convert body to Raster.

7. Duplicate the layer. Move the bottom image so that the legs look like they are the other
two legs of the zebra. Something like this...

Use the Selection Tool and or the Erase Tool to remove areas you don't want showing.

8. Eyes are next. Close your background color, leaving only the foreground set to black. Click on
your Draw Tool and set to these settings...

Draw out a line in the right corner of your head. Zoom in, so you can see what you're doing!
Right click on the left node, go to Node Type and change to Symmetric. Pull upward on the
handle just a little to make an arch in your line.
Something like this... (image enlarged to show detail)

Convert to Raster.

9. Same settings as above. Draw out another line just below the first one. Change the right
node to Symmetric. Pull downward on the handle to make the bottom part of the eye.
Something like this...

Convert to Raster.

10. Switch your foreground color so that the black is set to be your background color.
Preset Shapes, same settings as we used for the head. Draw a small vertical oval for the
center of the eye. Something like this...

Convert to Raster. Move this layer below the other two eye layers.

11. Make a new Raster layer. Set your foreground color to white. Click on your Paint
Brush Tool. Set it to size 2, Hardness and Opacity should both be set to 100. Other
settings doesn't really matter. All we want to do is put just a tiny little spot of white in
the ball of the eye. Something like this...

12. Hide all your other layers except those of the eye. Merge them visible. Duplicate
and mirror the layer to make the other eye.

13. Close your foreground color, your background color should be set to black. We will
make the muzzle of the nose next. Preset Shapes set to the same settings as we've been
using. Draw out a circle on the bottom of the head. Use the Pen Tool to shape your nodes
into something like this...

Convert to Raster.

14. Use those same Preset Shape settings to draw out an oval for the ear. Use the Pen
Tool to shape into the inner ear. Something like this...

Convert to Raster, duplicate, mirror and place on the other ear.

15. Next are the hooves. Using the same Preset Shape settings, except change to the
Rectangle shape, background should be black. Draw out a small square, use the Pen Tool to
shape the square so that you have something like this...

Convert to Raster. Duplicate 3 times and place as other 3 hooves.

16. Set your background color to a dark gray #808080 Use the Preset Shape ellipse
settings to draw out a small oval for the nostril. Convert to Raster, duplicate, mirror and
place into position as the second nostril. Screenshot under 17.

17. Next is to make the stripes on your zebra. I used the Line Tool, you can try different
settings to see what works best for you. I tried creating as a vector, using Edit mode and
using the Draw mode. You can change the size of your line too. I used as large as 10 and as
small as 5 for some of mine. No two zebras have the same stripes so however you choose to
do yours will be okay!  Make sure to add a new Raster Layer though if you don't use Create as
Vector setting. Below is a screenshot of the Draw mode settings I used...

and a screen shot of what they look like...

Even with the above settings you still have the nodes so that you can adjust your line. Use
the Easer Tool if you go outside the body line.

18. A screenshot of my finished stripes...

19. Use the Preset Shape ellipse, with black set as the background color to vector the end
of the tail. Something like this...

20. Use the same Preset Shape to vector a mane for your zebra. Shape it something like
this...

Now you can convert your mane to raster and leave it like this or you can add more nodes
and make it stick up on the ends (kind of like a guys flat-top haircut) or you can use the Wave
Filter As I did. To use the Wave Filter, convert your mane to raster. Go to Effects, Distortion Effects, Wave and apply these settings or play with the settings to find some you like...

That's it. You have a zebra! Tube your zebra and do whatever you wish with him. If you like
the look of my header image you can follow my tute for Painting the Serengeti to make the tree
and background.

Until next time... God Bless!
Connie