Turkey Turtorial  (Written using PSP 6)

What you make with this tutorial is yours to do with as you wish since I'm only providing the idea.  The tutorial itself is copyrighted to me and follows my Terms of Use
 

Preparation: 

I use the shortcut keys on the keyboard while creating graphics, 
so you may want to become familiar with these. 
I will remind you of what they are on the first few steps. 
Of course, you can always use the Menu Bar. 

You'll need ruler on pixels. 

*Shortcut Keys* 
Float: Ctrl A and Ctrl F (Ctrl A actually selects all) 
Defloat: Ctrl D 
Copy: Ctrl C 
Paste as new selection: Ctrl E 

Let's get started! 

Open new image: 250X250 Transparent , 16.7 Million Colors, Pixels On 
Save as, in psp format to a folder of your choice. 
Remember to save often! 
No packaged preset. Hopefully this will help you learn more. 

Place these colors in your Color Palette. 

Right click on PSP work area and Paste As New 
Image or place in Custom Colors. 

Add new layer 

TAIL 
Color doesn't matter right now. 
Shape Tool: Ellipse--Filled--1--Antialias and Vector checked. 
Draw oval about 20 X 200. Hold Cntl key and drag 
bottom node in and top node out a little. 

Convert to Raster (right click on current layer). 
Select the shape with the Magic Wand. Click on Flood Fill (bucket). 
Select Fill Style: Sunburst Gradient. On second tab, click edit. 

Click ok. Horizontal--50 and Vertical--8. Click on shape to fill. Keep selected. 
Click on Layer 1--Add New Layer. 
Flood Fill--First tab-- Fill Style: Solid using Color: # FAF43F. 
Click Layer 2 off. Use Mover Tool to pull up a little. 
Click Layer 2 back on and finish placing. 
Defloat (Cntl D) 

Click back on Layer 2. Apply Gaussian Blur 1.5 
Click Layer 1 off and leave off (little glasses) until after edges are softened. 
Merge visible layers (shortcut - right click on current layer). 
Float (Ctrl A and Ctrl F). 
Apply Cutout- -Fill interior with color is not checked (throughout tutorial) 
Image: Cutout- -Shadow Color: #553231- -Opacity 100 
Blur 19.6- -Vertical & Horizontal 0 *(throughout tutorial)* - -Defloat (Ctrl D). 

Use Retouch Tool - Soften - Round - Size: 4 - Hardness: 58 - 
Opacity: 44 - Step: 6 - Density: 100. 
Soften around brown part of the feather. 
Use Deformation tool to resize about 25X80. 
Grab current layer on Layer Palette and drag to the work area to save a copy of 
the feather in case you need it later or would like to use for something else. 
Use Deformation Tool to rotate and move left side under 100 on left side. 

Copy and paste as new selection (Ctrl Key and C and E). 
Rotate: Right -- Free: 25 (Ctrll Key R). 
Move in place with Mover Tool. 
Leave each paste selected to copy, paste and rotate for next feather. 
After 5th or 6th feather placement, you can use 
Selection Tool to select all your feathers. 
Copy and paste (Cntl C and E). Then Mirror image and move into place.
Double click on layer and name feathers. 

BODY 
Save your work 
Color: #7B614A 
Preset Shape: Ellipse -- Settings the same. 
Draw ellipse and place. 

Convert to Raster. Use Magic Wand to select. 

Add new layer. 

Airbrush - Color: #554231 - Round - Size: 25 - Hardness: 23 -
Opacity: 63 - Step: 12 - Density: 10. 

Gaussian Blur: 5 
Defloat (Cntl D). 
Click Layer 1 and feathers off. Merge visible (right click). 
Name layer body (double click). 
Leave Layer 1 and feathers off to soften. 
Use Retouch Tool to soften around edge of body using same settings. 
You may want to increase size to 6. 

LEGS 
Save your work 
Color: #7B614A 
Preset Shape: Same settings 
Click on Layer 1. Draw and place ellipse in position. 
Convert to Raster. 
Make sure Layer 1 is off and soften a little. 

FEET 
Save your work 
Color: #BA753A 
Paint Brush - Round - Size: 8 & 5 - Hardness - 80 - 
Opacity: 100 -Step: 1 - Density: 100 
Click back on feathers layer and add a new layer. 
Use Paint Brush and paint in bottom of leg using size 8 
and foot using size 5. 
Apply Cutout - Blur down to 3.1 (other settings remain the same). - 
Defloat (Ctrl D). 
Soften edges using same settings. 
Click all layers off except leg and foot layers. 
Merge Visible. 
Right click on merged layer and duplicate. Image: Mirror. Layers on. 
Use Mover Tool to place in position. 
Click all layers back off except two leg layers and body. Merge Visible. 
Name body. 

BODY FEATHERS 
Save your work. 
Color: #3B332B 
Draw Tool - Freehand -Stroked - 1 - Antialias: checked - Vector: unchecked. 
Second Tab - Curve Tracking: 1. 
Click on body layer. Add new layer. 
Draw a curve your happy with. Copy, paste, and rotate and move in position 
(Ctrll C, E, Deformation and Mover Tools). 

When I had 3 placed, I used them to copy, paste, and rotate the rest. 
Don't worry about going out of the body area. We'll delete the extra. 

Gaussian Blur : 2 
Click back on body layer and use Magic Wand to select background area. 
Click back on current layer (body feathers just completed). 
Selections - Modify - Expand:3. Hit Delete key on the keyboard. 
Defloat (Ctrl D) 
Click layer 1 and feathers off. Merge Visible. 
Name body. 

HEAD 
Save your work. 
Color: #7B614A 
Preset Shapes: Same except check Vector back on. 
I did in 3 parts for people who have a hard time with node editing. 

Neck: Draw vertical ellipse in place for neck. 
Use Ctrl key to drag in top node a little. Convert to Raster. 
Middle Section: Draw and place horizontal ellipse over top part of neck. 
Convert to Raster. 
Top Section: Draw vertical ellipse above middle section. Use Ctrl key and drag 
bottom node in a little. Convert to Raster. 
Click off all layers except top 3 head layers. Merge Visible. 
Use Deformation Toot to resize if necessary. 
Name head. 
Float (Cntl A and F). 
Apply Drop Shadow - Color: #404040 (third down on right) - Opacity: 100 -
Blur: 11- Vertical and Horizontal: 0. 
Keep selected and apply Cutout - Shadow color: #554231 - Opacity: 100 -
Blur: 20.5 - Vertical and Horizontal: 0. 
Defloat (Cntl D). 
Use Eraser Tool to erase extra shadow between head 
and feathers on top. 
You only need to do this step if you see a smudge above the head. 
You may want to bring Hardness of eraser down to 50 and flood 
fill Layer 1 to help you see. 
 

EYES 
Save your work. 
Preset Tool - - Same settings. 
Draw small white ellipse and place. 
Change to Raster 
Change color to black and draw smaller ellipse inside the white one. 
Change to Raster 
Change color back to white. 
Paint Brush - - Size: 2 - - Hardness: 50 - - Opacity: 37 
Paint eye highlight. 
Click all layers off except top 2 eye layers. Merge Visible 
Float (Cntl A and F). 
Apply Drop Shadow with all settings the same except 
bring blur down to 3.9. Keep selected 
Apply Cutout with #404040 shadow color and blur at 4.7 (
leave other settings). 
Copy, paste (Cntl C and E) and place with Mover Tool. 
Defloat (Cntl D) 
Name eyes. 

WINGS 
Save your work. 
Freehand Selection Tool - - Point to Point - -No feather - - 
Antialias checked. 
Click all layers off except feathers. 
Select feather area. 

Copy (Ctrl C). Defloat (Cntl D). Paste as a new layer (Ctrl L). 
Click layers back on. 
Click back on current layer (wing). 
Deformation Tool - - Use Ctrl key and drag top right corner down. 
Release Ctrl key, resize, and rotate in position. 

Right click and duplicate. Image - - Mirror. Use Mover Tool to place. 
Click all layers off except wing layers. Merge Visible 
Name wings. 

BEAK 
Save your work. 
Color: #F3CA06 
Preset Tool: Same settings 
Click on eyes layer. 
Bottom beak - - Draw ellipse for bottom beak. 
Node Edit - - Drag side node arrows down and out a little. 
Convert to Raster. 

Top beak - - Draw ellipse for top beak. 
Node Edit - - Drag side nodes down a little. Click on bottom node 
(Ctrl F, B, 1 and 2) and drag arrows up. 

If you feel comfortable with node editing you may want to edit side 
and top nodes to shape upper beak a little more. 

Convert to Raster. 
You may use Deformation and Mover Tools to place 
and size a little more. 
Click on bottom beak. 
Float (Ctrl A and F). 
Apply Drop Shadow - - Same settings. Keep selected. 
Apply Cutout - Shadow Color: BA753A - Blur: 11 - 
Other settings remain the same. 
Defloat (Cntl D). 
Click on top beak and float. 
Apply same Drop Shadow and Cutout. 
Defloat. 
Paint Brush - - same settings except bring Opacity up to 80. 
Add new layer. 
Color: #55432F 
Paint nostrils. 
Gaussian Blur: 1 
Click all layer off except top 3 beak layers. Merge Visible 
Name beak. 

WADDLE (Is that what it's called?) 
Save your work. 
Color: #980A0A 
Preset Tool - - Same settings. 
Click on eye layer and draw vertical ellipse to side. 
Node Edit - - Drag top node to left and pull arrows down. 
Drag bottom node to right and up and arrow horizontal. 

Convert to Raster. 
Float (Cntl A and F). 
Apply Cutout - - Shadow Color: #404040 - - Other settings remain the same. 
Defloat (Cntl D). 
Click all layers off except current layer. Use Retouch Tool to soften. 
Click all layers back on. 
Save your work. 

Congratulations! You made it! 
Hope you learned something new and had some fun! 

Contact Carla

Back to Tutorials

© 2001 Carla Polston - All Rights Reserved