User:Frentiza the ferret/Fren's Paint Guide

If you're a Windows user, MS Paint is automatically installed. And if your computer cannot install advanced programs like Photoshop for some unknown reason(like mine), then you only have this humble program to rely on. What to do when you don't have any other way of coloring digitally? Never fear, Fren the Wannabe Cartoonist is here!

I have a somewhat difficult guide to this program. Well, it may seem difficult, but just get the hang of it. *rubs paws together* Here we go...

1. Think of a pose beforehand. This is essential because when you work out the pose while going along it usually winds up a disaster (trust me, I learned this the hard way).

2. Open a new window on Paint. (I bet you figured that out already. Okay, moving on!)

3. Adjust the canvas to the desired size. Do this by grabbing one of the corners/sides and pulling.

4. Now, click on the Pencil tool or the Brush tool, and pick a desired outline color. I usually use black, but any considerably dark tone will do.

5. There are a bunch of things you can do in this step. If you have a VERRRRYYYY sturdy, non-wobbly hand, you can slowly trace the outline of the drawing. If all else fails, use the next step.

6. "ARRGGHH!!! The lines are all going out of place!"

What to do if something like this happens? You can always refer to the line tools. The straight line is great for tracing rough outlines of a picture; even though you won't want them to be all pointy-edged in the end. Also, there's the curvy line tool, which you can use to define the bending, pointing edges of your drawing. Once stretched, you can grab one part of the line and pull--and it bends! You can bend it many different ways as you like, and when one line is done you can connect the other, and another, and so on. You can continue this until you have a decent outline.

Note: Before moving on to Pencil and Brush, I used the line technique frequently. This may sharpen your skills with the program, so you'll be able to use those tools in the future! Whee!

7. Now, if you have your outline and are happy with it, it's time to color. Click on the flood-fill bucket icon and select a color. If the given colors do not appeal to you, go to Colors-->Edit colors, or double-click on the color you wish to change. Both methods end up the same anyway. A small window will pop up, with lots of different colors to choose from. Go to "Define custom colors" and the window will widen, and there will be a sort of color palette with a vertical bar at the end, with a little triangle pointing to the shade you clicked. Now, grab the triangle and slowly pull it up or down, depending if you want a lighter or darker shade. If you find the shade you are looking for, click "Add to Custom Colors", then OK to close the little window and to fill. Just click on the area you want colored, then POOF! It's done!

IMPORTANT:Be sure to color in everything before you start shading. If you color then shade, then color again, it will be hard to find the shade you originally started with. Again, this is something I learned the hard way. I don't want you falling victim to this either.

8. Now to shade. Before you do this, you need to work out the light source in your drawing. This will make it easier to work out where the shadows and highlights are.

Click on the Pencil tool, then double-click on the color you used. Just like step 7, a new window will open up and yadda yadda yadda. This time, grab the triangle and pull it down until it is slightly darker than the original color, not too dark. Now, trace an outline of a shadow on the edge of the color, opposite to the light. Make sure that there are no breaks in the line, and that both ends stop at the edge of the lineart. Click on the flood-fill bucket and fill the shadow. Voila, you have just shaded!

Continue shading for how much room you have in your drawing. Do the same for highlights, just pull the triangle slightly up in the Edit Colors window until you have a slightly lighter shade. And this time, make the highlights in the direction of the light source in your drawing.

Ta-da! You are finished. Whew, that was a looooong tutorial. I hope it will help you, because this is my first time to teach something like this. If it doesn't help you, then...do what you like with me, I'm finished :)