Animation Source Forums

Many people have wanted to know my technique on how I render images. Its different than Kirada's way of doing it. I personally think its easier, and some of you might, but some of you might prefer her way or a completely different way. Now's a good time to simply try other techniques.

Now, for those of you who don't know, I use MS Paint, and that is what I'm going to teach you to use. I've been using MS Paint for a number of years now, so keep in mind that it just takes practice to get a technique to look right.

WARNING: BE SURE TO SAVE YOUR PICTURE OFTEN.

Step 1: Image selection and cropping
If you've already read Kirada's tutorial, you already know how to select and crop your images. If you haven't, go here viewtopic.php?f=13&t=21585 Once you've gone that far, then we can get started.


http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g184/ ... /step1.png

Step 2: Preparation

Now, what I do is I take my image, and I INCREASE its size. Not only does it make things easier to see, but once you finish we will shrink it, and it'll make it look pretty. To make your image bigger, you simply go to Image (located at the top of the page), then Stretch/Skew.

(Note: There are other ways to go to this option. You can also right-click on the image itself, or use the quick-key, which is Ctrl+W)


http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g184/ ... /step2.png

Once you've selected Stretch/Skew, a box will pop up, giving you the option to alter the percent (the size) of the image, and the degrees (the angle) of the image. In the Stretch part of the box, change the 100's to 200's or the size you're most comfortable with. You may have to try a few times to get it a size you would like.


http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g184/ ... /step3.png

(Note: The bigger the number, the bigger the image will be.)

Now you want to make it pretty big; you'll find out why later. If you don't like the size you've picked, then just click Edit then Undo.

(Note: You can only Undo three times.)

Step 3: Tools

Once your image is bigger, you are going to select the colors of your Line and the colors of your Fill. To select the color of your Line, Left-click on any color in the color chart. To select the color of your Fill, Right-click on any color in the color chart.

I just leave it black and white, but you can select colors that are easy for you to see.

The Tool you're going to primarily use is called the Polygon tool. Hover your mouse over any of the icons in the Tool Box to find the name of them or just select the tool located to the right of the rectangular tool.


http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g184/ ... /step4.png

Don't stop there. Select the SECOND setting, or middle setting, of the Polygon tool. This tool will let you use both Line AND Fill, whereas the other two only let you use one or the other.


http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g184/ ... /step5.png

Step 4: Using Polygon

Even tho your picture is larger, its easier yet to use the Magnifier tool to Zoom in and get a better look at what you're going to be outlining and filling. Simply select the tool that looks like a magnifying glass and select the area you wish to view larger.


http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g184/ ... /step6.png

With the Polygon tool selected, what you're going to do it click and drag a line across an edge. You're going to be tracing parts of the figure. Its best if you start with objects that are "farther" away, so that it'll be easier to clean your lines later.


http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g184/ ... /step7.png

Once you have a line drawn, simply click following the lines on the image. You can click as many times as you want, but you want to make sure you click back to where you started. Once you do that, you will now have an area automatically lined AND filled.

(Note: Be sure not to double-click or click too fast, or else the Polygon tool will close itself and fill in areas you don't want filled)


http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g184/ ... /step8.png

You're going to do this throughout the entire image. Only outline as big an area that you're comfortable with.


*To get "curved" lines, you simply just make your lines shorter as you click. Now, nothing is going to be perfect. You just need to practice.

*As for lines that represent toes on the figure, you can always trace around those. They're not very important, so you can always just add those later. You can also do that with facial features, shoulders, etc.

Step 5: Touch ups

Once you've got the whole thing outlined, it should look something like this.


http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g184/ ... /step9.png

What you want to do now is erase all of the unnecessary lines. Now you can add the missing pieces like the toes and the eyes.

I use the Curve tool to make everything missing on the body. The Curve tool is located underneath the Text tool, or the A.

If you've zoomed out, zoom back into the toes so you can add them. Click and drag a line (with the Curve tool) from where you'd like the lines of the toes to end and begin. Next click off the line to how far you'd like the line to curve. Click again to make it more precise.


http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g184/ ... step10.png http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g184/ ... step11.png http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g184/ ... step12.png http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g184/ ... step13.png

(Note: You can only click twice once you've made a line with the Curve tool.)


http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g184/ ... step14.png


Step 6: Color

Once you've added all of the missing features, now its time to color. What you want to do is select the color you want. You can easily just pick a color given in the color chart, but why not be creative? Double click on a square of color that you are NOT going to use. (Another way to do it is go to Colors at the top of the page and click Edit Colors...)


http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g184/ ... step15.png

Next click Define Custom Colors >>. Select a color you want, then click Add to Custom Colors. Click OK.

Your color is now in the color chart where you last double-clicked. Now select the Fill With Color tool, aka the Spill Paint tool. Its the icon that looks like a bucket pouring out paint, the one on the right side second from the top. Once selected, click anywhere in your image that you would like to be that color. Feel free to zoom in if it makes it easier.

Now you can use any tool you want to add markings to your character.


http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g184/ ... step16.png

Step 7: Using previous colors

If you're going to pick a color you've used before in another picture. What you need to do is click and drag the little blue dot in the corner of your picture. Make the space as big as you want, you can always get rid of it later.


http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g184/ ... step17.png

Find an image with the colors you want to use and Copy and Paste it into the picture (Make sure its in the white area, or else it'll get on your image and you won't be able to remove it). Once you have your image with the colors you want, select the Pick Color tool, which is located to the lower left of the Spill tool. Click the area of your extra picture with the color you want. Once you click that, the color is now selected and you can click the Spill tool to give your image that color.


http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g184/ ... step18.png http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g184/ ... step19.png http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g184/ ... step20.png


http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g184/ ... step21.png

Once you have all of the colors you need filled in, you're not going to want to keep your lines pixelated. So go back to the Stretch/Skew option we used earlier. The image has gone back to 100%. To make it smaller, make the number smaller. The smaller the image, the better it looks XD

(Note: If your lines don't look good, undo the re-size and click out. Re-open the picture and try again. It should look better this time.)


http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g184/ ... step22.png

And there you have it. You know how I do my image renders. It seems alot more difficult than it is. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me. Till then, best of luck, and keep practicing ;D

Nayeli © CatWhoHas14Tails

Thanks for posting this, Cat. It looks easier than the way I've been doing renders for a long time. I can't wait to try it out!

Wow thanks teaching me cat that really awesome.
This is my first render with your style

Wow, I've never renderd, but that's cool. I thought paint was a usless pogram.

Wow This Really helpful Thanks Cat ^^

I used you methode, and it was amazing!! It was so fast and it was really neet. So here's a pic;

I'm really happy on how it came out, I hope you like it too.

Sweet! I've always wonder how you did it so good.

I made one C:

Cat,this really helped me to render!Thanks for the guide!!

Heres one of my renders!

The glow effect is in a default program that came with my scanner.

As for the eyes and other features, you can just use the method /around/ the eyes, etc. But since alot of my characters' eyes are shaped differently anyway, i always just estimate where they are, and with practice they're right every time.