Angel Pig
from the
"Heavenly Farm Angels Series"

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Tutorial written March 29, 2005.

Pigs can't fly! Oh yes they can, if they have the wings of an angel! That's just what this pig is!
She's a guardian angel pig!

I made a version of this angel pig several years ago for a dear friend who lived in Australia to
show her pigs could fly. She would always tell us that when she won the lottery she was going
to come to the States to meet us, she would end that with " yeah right, when pigs fly".
Mary never won the lottery, she passed away July 26, 2003. Maybe she did get to "fly" over
the States on her way to heaven. You may be wondering who Mary is, you may know her better
by LadyOz. Mary was a very talented lady and tutorial author. If you'd like to know more about
Mary you can visit her Memorial pages, there is a link to her site there also where you can find
her tutorials. Mary Newton aka Lady Oz

This tute was written using PSP 8.10, it can be done in other version of PSP also.
This is a "do it yourself" vector tutorial. Those new to vectors may want to do my
Vectors 101 tutorial before attempting this one.

This tutorial is a long one but I tried to write it so that even those new to vectors should be able
to follow it. If you are not new to vectors then you will be able to skip a lot of the details and
move though the tutorial pretty quickly.
 

1. Open a new 600x400 transparent canvas.

Right from the start go to File, Save As, give your canvas a name and save it as a pspimage.

Every few steps I will say File, Save. Even though PSP has an auto save that you can set,
I don't trust it to always work.

2. Set your background color to a nice piggy pink. I'm using #FDBFB5. Foreground should be
turned off...

3. Click on your Preset Shapes Tool and set to these settings...

Let's begin.

Body of Pig.

3a. Draw out an oblong oval about center bottom of your canvas...

3b. Go to your Layer Palette and click on the eye beside Vector 1 Layer. I like to do this to
hide my color so that the nodes are easier to see but if you don't like working with vectors
this way then leave yours visible....

4. Click on the Pen Tool to go into Node Edit Mode.

4a. We are ready now to manipulate our oval into a pigs body.
First I want you to click to activate the node on the far right. Click and hold that node and
drag it inward just a little until you get a shape that looks like the large end of an egg...

5. Press and Hold the CTRL key on your keyboard while running your mouse along the line just below
where that node is until you see a + add sign, click once to add a new node...

6. Do this again just below that node...

Don't worry if you move your line a little, we will fix that.

7. Add another node below that one...

8. One more time. Add another node below that one...

We have added a total of 4 nodes.

8a. Hold the shift key on your keyboard and click on each of the 4 nodes we added.
This selects them all. Now right click, Node Type, Cusp...

Click anywhere on your canvas to deselect the nodes.
 

9. We will start with the 1st node we added. Click on it to activate it. Move this node in just
a little, use the top and bottom of the handles to start to form the rump area and the
back front leg. Move the 3rd node we added way out to start to show where the back of her
foot will be. Move the 4th node we added in to form the area under her thigh...

I know, it doesn't look much like anything yet does it? *L* But it will!

Go to File, Save!

10. You will need to add more nodes as we go, change the type of these nodes to Cusp except
Nodes 5, 6, & 7, leave them as they are. Screenshot below enlarged to show detail and node
placement...

11. The active node in the screenshot above not numbered is one of our original oval nodes.
Position it and bring the right handle down to form the belly of the pig, like I did shown in
the screenshot above. This node will be referred to as the belly node in the next step.

12. Next we will be adding nodes to form the front outside leg.
In front of the belly node add 3 nodes, change the type to Cusp on these nodes...

Go to File, Save!

13. Pull node 2 outward to start to form the front leg...

14. Add three nodes next to node 1 ( between node 1 and 2) Change the
type to Cusp...

14a. Use these nodes to shape the bottom of the leg...

15. Next comes making the front hoof toes. Add two nodes above what was node 2 on the last
step. The one pointed out in the above screenshot...

Go to File, Save!

16. Move node 2 forward to form the other toe...

17. Next is to form the head area. Look at the screenshot above. See the node that
ends her front leg? Now look at the node above it, we need to add two nodes above
that node....

Go to File, Save!

17a. Change those two nodes to Cusp. Pull the first node way out to the left, this will
start to form the snout...

17b. Leave those two nodes alone for a sec. On the line below the snout node place two
nodes and change them to Cusp..

17c. Use the snout node and the 2 you added to shape the lower jaw and snout...

Don't worry about the snout too much because we will be covering that later with a more
defined snout.
Go to File, Save!

18. Next will be the top of the head. Above the top snout node add two nodes, change to
Cusp...

18a. Bring upward the second node you added to form the top of the head. Use the
node to the right of that node to define the roundness of the head...

Go to File, Save!

That's the body of our pig. Do any adjusting to the nodes that you think need to before
continuing. Pull on the top node handles to arch her back a little more, adjust the tail area,
whatever you think needs to be done.

I have a habit of leaving all my layers as vector layers. If you don't, then feel free to
Convert your pig body to Raster by going to Layers, Convert to Raster or making all your
vectors on one layer if your prefer. For this tut though I will be placing mine on separate
layers but leaving my vectors in tact.

We will be making the back two legs next.

19. Same color and Preset Shape as we used above.
On the Layer Palette click on your Raster 1 Layer to make it your active layer or, if you
prefer just click on the background on your canvas. Do this so that when you make your leg
it will be under your body layer.

19a. Draw out a small oval just above the front back leg...

20. Click on your Pen Tool to go into Node Edit mode. Click on the eye in the Layers Palette
to hide your color.

21. Pull the top middle node down to make a squashed oval. Add a node to the left of that
node...

21a. Use the node that you added to form a downward arch...

21b. Pull the node on the end inward and the one under to form a arch underneath...

Don't worry about making the split toe on this foot, we will do that later in black.

Rename this Layer to back leg.

Go to File, Save!

We're finished with that leg.

22. I cheated a little with the back front leg. *L* I made my body layer my active layer.
I used the Selections Tool set to Rectangle to draw around my front leg area...

23. Hold the CTRL key on your keyboard and hit the C key to copy your selected area.

24. Hold the CTRL key and hit the D key to deselect.

25. Make your Raster 1 Layer your active layer. Make a New Raster Layer and name
it front back leg.

26. Hold the CTRL key and hit E. Move this leg into position just above the front leg....

CTRL + D to deselect.

That's it for our legs. On to the tail!

Go to File, Save!

27. Make Raster 1 your active layer. Switch your background color so that it will become
your foreground color. Click on your Pen Tool with these settings...

27a. We will make a one swoop looped tail. Don't worry you can adjust the nodes. Start
at the back of your body and draw out, then loop upwards and out again. Almost like a
cursive, lower case e...

That wasn't too hard was it?? *L* Adjust the nodes as desired.

Go to File, Save!

Next comes the ears! Make Raster 1 your active Layer.

28. Since we're on the backside, let's make our back ear first.
Switch your foreground color back to being your background color.
Preset Shapes same as we've been using.
Draw out a small oval about where you think the ear should be....

28a. Grab the little handle and rotate your ear slightly up so that it is tilted more to the
head.

28b. Click on your Pen Tool. Use the existing nodes to shape into an ear...

First ear done!

Go to File, Save!

29. Make your body layer your active layer. Add a New Raster Layer, name it spacer.
(only do this if you have left your vectors intact. This will keep your top ear from being on
the layer with your body). Lower the Opacity to around 50% on your body layer so that
you will be able to see your ear better.

29a. Draw out a small oval about where you think the ear should be...

Remember, you can zoom in!

29b. Use the existing nodes to shape your ear...

Rename to front ear.

Go to File, Save!

Getting the hang of vectors yet?? *L* I know, it's a long tut and I'm not usually so wordy in
my tutes but I wanted to make this so that even someone new to vectors could follow it.

30. Next we will make our snout. Remember that Spacer Layer you made? Move it so it is your
top Layer.

30a. Set your background color to #FDF3F2

30b. Preset Shapes same as we've been using.
Draw out a small oval on the front of the head...

30c. Click on the Pen Tool. Use the existing nodes to shape your snout...

Rename this layer Snout!

Go to File, Save!

31. Change your background color back to your pig pink #FDBFB5

32. Move your Spacer Layer above your Snout layer. Use the Same Preset Shape to make
two small ovals for the nostrils...

These two will be on the same vector layer but that's okay. Rename this layer to nostrils.

We now have a snout!

Go to File, Save!

Next are the eyes.
Move your Spacer layer above your Nostrils layer.

33. Set your background color to the light pink we used for the snout #FDF3F2
Preset Shapes, same as before. Draw out a tiny oblong oval to be the white of the eye...

33a. Use the handle to tilt your eye downward a little. Click on the Pen Tool and pull
down just a tad on the right node so that you have something that looks like this...

Rename this layer to eye.

34. Move the Spacer Layer so that it is above the eye1 layer.
Set your background color to Black. Zoom in real close. Use the same
Preset Shape and draw a tiny eye ball. Click on the Pen Tool and shape the eye..

That's it, we're finished with the eye. Rename this layer to eye ball.

Go to File, Save!

Next we will make the hoof for our back foot!

35. Your background color should already be set to black. Preset Shapes Tool same
as before. Draw out a small oval towards the back leg...

35a. Click on the Pen Tool. Pull over on the bottom node and down on the middle node
to the right...

35b. In between those two nodes add a new node. Pull this node up to form the split in
the hoof. Adjust the other two nodes to form the tips....

WHEW!! That's our pig!

Go to File, Save!

Next page we will be working on the wings, halo, star and adding cutouts!

Page 2