Making a Custom Shape and Saving as a Preset Shape

Making a Custom Shape and Saving as a Preset Shape
The tutorial was written for PSPX2 - but can be done using any of the versions of PSP by Woven
The Bold writing are the keyboard shortcuts for each action.You may or may not need to have the [ F lock ] on your keyboard activated for these to work

Requirements for this tutorial
Everything you need for this tutorial comes in PSP.

Making a Custom Shape and Saving as a Preset Shape
For this tutorial we are going to make a Custom Heart Shape and save it as a Preset Shape so that we are able to use it in future projects. NOTE: Only editable VECTOR objects can be saved as a Preset Shape. Open a New Image ( Ctrl + N )> 250(W) x 250(H) pixels; Resolution 100.000 pixels/inch; Vector Background Checked; Colour Depth RGB - 8 bits/channel; Colour - Transparent Checked>OK. View>Rulers. View>Zoom In - Repeat until image is zoomed to 200% It will be a lot easier to work with at this magnification. Select your Preset Shapes Elipse Tool ( Q )>Mode Circle;Show Nodes Create as Vector both Checked; Line Style Solid Line; Width does not matter as we are not using it for this tutorial ( we are going to make a solid coloured shape for this tutorial not an outline of a shape ); Anti-alias Checked; Join - Round Mitre. NOTE: PSP8 Users Use Preset Shape Tool>Elipse>Retain Style Unchecked; Create as Vector Checked. NOTE: PSP7 Users I have written one of these lessons on Making and Saving Shapes and it is in the PSP7 Users Tutorials as the Tools work all different in the old PSP7 version. Materials Palette>Foreground - Foreground - Select Solid Colour; Textures Unchecked; Right click on the Foreground colour swatch and select White. Click on Transparent/Null button to make the foreground colour inactive. Background - Select Solid Colour; Left Click on the Background colour swatch and select bright Red>OK; Hold cursor over image and using the rulers as your guide - Left click when rulers show cursor at 50 Pixels Down and 50 Pixels across - then holding down your mouse button drag across and down until your cursor is at 200 pixels down and 200 pixels across on your ruler - then let the mouse button go. Right Click on top node (small square on the top of the circle)>Convert to Path. Click on Pen/Draw Tool ( V )>Mode Edit; leave other settings as default. Hold cursor over the Node on the top of the circle and when it changes to a 4way arrow Right click on it - This will activate the Node for editing ;Edit>Break. NOTE: By doing this you will now have 2 editable nodes at this point sitting one on top of the other. Hold cursor over the Node on the top of the circle again - and when it changes and says Start If you look at rulers you will see that the cursor is positioned at 50 Pixels down and 125 pixels across - now Left click and holding down mouse button drag the top node down keeping it at 125 pixels across on the top ruler As this is the centre of the width of the circle and when the side ruler reads 80 Pixels down let the mouse button go. Hold cursor over the Node on the top of the circle again - and when it changes and says End If you look at rulers you will see that the cursor is positioned at 50 Pixels down and 125 pixels across - now Left click and holding down mouse button drag this 2nd top node down keeping it at 125 pixels across on the top ruler As this is the centre of the width of the circle and when the side ruler reads 80 Pixels down *When it is exactly in position over the top of the 1st one you moved down it will say JOIN under your cursor* - let the mouse button go. Left click on the Node at the bottom of the circle and drag it down until your ruler reads 230 pixels down and 125 pixels across. A arrowhead will also now be visible on either side of this bottom node. Right click on the bottom node>Node Type>Convert to Line. The bottom of shape will now be pointed . Right click on the bottom node>Node Type>Curve After. The bottom of shape will now be pointed with a arrow pointing up the left side. Hold cursor over the end of the lefthand arrowhead When in right position the cursor turns into 2 arrows pointing around in a circle - then left click and holding down the mouse button drag up until rulers show you positioned at 185 pixels down and 110 pixels across - then let mouse button go It will be sitting just above the 2nd bottom node and the lefthand line will now curve inwards . Right click on the bottom node>Node Type>Curve Before. A arrow will now be pointing up the rightt side. Hold cursor over the end of the righthand arrow of the bottom node until the cursor turns into 2 arrows pointing around in a circle - then left click and holding down the mouse button drag up until rulers show you positioned at 185 pixels down and 140 pixels across - then let mouse button go The righthand line will now curve inwards. Click back on the top node to make it active again and an arrow head will appear on either side of the Node. Hold cursor over the end of the lefthand arrow of the bottom node until the cursor turns into 2 arrows pointing around in a circle - then left click and holding down the mouse button drag up and left until rulers show you positioned at 20 pixels down and 50 pixels across - then let mouse button go the lefthand line will now curve out and up . Hold cursor over the end of the righthand arrow of the bottom node until the cursor turns into 2 arrows pointing around in a circle - then left click and holding down the mouse button drag up and right until rulers show you positioned at 20 pixels down and 200 pixels across - then let mouse button go The righthand line will now curve out and up. Left click on the Node on the Righthand side of your heart and holding down mouse button drag out to the right and up until postioned at 110 pixels down and 235 Pixels across - then let mouse button go. Left click on the Node on the Lefthand side of your heart and holding down mouse button drag out to the right and up until postioned at 110 pixels down and 15 Pixels across - then let mouse button go. Materials palette> Click on the Background colour swatch again - in Materials Properties PopUp>Textures Unchecked; Click on Gradient Tab; From gradient dropdown menu select Foreground/Background; Style - Sunburst; Repeats 0; Centre Point - Horizontal 75; Vertical 22; Link Centre and Focal Points Checked>OK. Select your Pick/Deformation Tool ( K ) >Tool Settings Bar>Position on Canvas - Click on the Center on canvas button; Click on Properties button to activate the Vector Property PopUp>Give your image a Name; Leave rest of settings as they are>OK. Right Click on your image again>Click on Export>Shape>Enter Shape Library PopUp> Give the same File name as your gave for the properties box>OK. NOTE: You can make a shape using the Preset shape - Pen and Text Tools - all having CREATE AS A VECTOR checked. YOU CAN COMBINE 2 OR MORE OBJECTS TO MAKE A SINGLE CUSTOM SHAPE - S0 - WE WILL ADD A COUPLE OF NEW VECTOR OBJECTS TO THE IMAGE AND SAVE IT AS A 2ND SHAPE Click on Preset Shape Tool ( P ) >And scroll through your shapes dropdown menu and you will find your new custom shape click on it;Retain Style, Anti-alias and Create on Vector all Checked. On your image left click and holding mouse button down drag your new shape out and make a heart around 1/2 the size of the one on the image - and let mouse button go. Hold cursor over the centre of this new shape and when cursor turns into a 4way arrow left click and holding down mouse button move the new smaller heart until it sits in the middle of the big one ( or wherever you want to sit it )- then let mouse button go. Select your Text Tool>Create as a Vector; Font and Size and colour up to you. Left click OUTSIDE of the vector area for the heart you added and add some text>Apply. Hold your cursor in the centre of the vector shape for your words and when cursor turns to a 4way arrow left click and holding down mouse button position this new vector of text so that it is both on and off of the hearts - then let mouse button go. Click on Pick Tool again. Right Click on Image>Convert to Path. Left click on image near edge outside of all the vector areas to de-activate all the vectors. Right Click on image>Select All. On Tool Settings Bar>Group - Click on Group Objects button>Properties Button>Give this new custom shape a new name; Leave all other settings as is>OK. Right click on image>Export>Shape>Make File name same as name you put in properties>OK. You can close image now as you have finished with it. Click on Preset Shape Tool ( P )>And scroll through your shapes dropdown menu and you will find your new custom shape.

Making a Custom Shape and Saving as a Preset Shape

For this tutorial we are going to make a Custom Heart Shape and save it as a Preset Shape so that we are able to use it in future projects.

NOTE: Only editable VECTOR objects can be saved as a Preset Shape.

Open a New Image ( Ctrl + N )> 250(W) x 250(H) pixels; Resolution 100.000 pixels/inch; Vector Background Checked; Colour Depth RGB - 8 bits/channel; Colour - Transparent Checked>OK.
View>Rulers.
View>Zoom In - Repeat until image is zoomed to 200% It will be a lot easier to work with at this magnification.
Select your Preset Shapes Elipse Tool ( Q )>Mode Circle;Show Nodes Create as Vector both Checked; Line Style Solid Line; Width does not matter as we are not using it for this tutorial ( we are going to make a solid coloured shape for this tutorial not an outline of a shape ); Anti-alias Checked; Join - Round Mitre.
NOTE: PSP8 Users Use Preset Shape Tool>Elipse>Retain Style Unchecked; Create as Vector Checked.
NOTE: PSP7 Users I have written one of these lessons on Making and Saving Shapes and it is in the PSP7 Users Tutorials as the Tools work all different in the old PSP7 version.
Materials Palette>Foreground -
1. Foreground - Select Solid Colour; Textures Unchecked; Right click on the Foreground colour swatch and select White.
2. Click on Transparent/Null button to make the foreground colour inactive.
3. Background - Select Solid Colour; Left Click on the Background colour swatch and select bright Red>OK;
Hold cursor over image and using the rulers as your guide - Left click when rulers show cursor at 50 Pixels Down and 50 Pixels across - then holding down your mouse button drag across and down until your cursor is at 200 pixels down and 200 pixels across on your ruler - then let the mouse button go.
Right Click on top node (small square on the top of the circle)>Convert to Path.
Click on Pen/Draw Tool ( V )>Mode Edit; leave other settings as default.
Hold cursor over the Node on the top of the circle and when it changes to a 4way arrow Right click on it - This will activate the Node for editing ;Edit>Break.
NOTE: By doing this you will now have 2 editable nodes at this point sitting one on top of the other.
Hold cursor over the Node on the top of the circle again - and when it changes and says Start If you look at rulers you will see that the cursor is positioned at 50 Pixels down and 125 pixels across - now Left click and holding down mouse button drag the top node down keeping it at 125 pixels across on the top ruler As this is the centre of the width of the circle and when the side ruler reads 80 Pixels down let the mouse button go.
Hold cursor over the Node on the top of the circle again - and when it changes and says End If you look at rulers you will see that the cursor is positioned at 50 Pixels down and 125 pixels across - now Left click and holding down mouse button drag this 2nd top node down keeping it at 125 pixels across on the top ruler As this is the centre of the width of the circle and when the side ruler reads 80 Pixels down When it is exactly in position over the top of the 1st one you moved down it will say JOIN under your cursor - let the mouse button go.
Left click on the Node at the bottom of the circle and drag it down until your ruler reads 230 pixels down and 125 pixels across.

A arrowhead will also now be visible on either side of this bottom node.
Right click on the bottom node>Node Type>Convert to Line. The bottom of shape will now be pointed .
Right click on the bottom node>Node Type>Curve After. The bottom of shape will now be pointed with a arrow pointing up the left side.
Hold cursor over the end of the lefthand arrowhead When in right position the cursor turns into 2 arrows pointing around in a circle - then left click and holding down the mouse button drag up until rulers show you positioned at 185 pixels down and 110 pixels across - then let mouse button go It will be sitting just above the 2nd bottom node and the lefthand line will now curve inwards .
Right click on the bottom node>Node Type>Curve Before. A arrow will now be pointing up the rightt side.
Hold cursor over the end of the righthand arrow of the bottom node until the cursor turns into 2 arrows pointing around in a circle - then left click and holding down the mouse button drag up until rulers show you positioned at 185 pixels down and 140 pixels across - then let mouse button go The righthand line will now curve inwards.
Click back on the top node to make it active again and an arrow head will appear on either side of the Node.
Hold cursor over the end of the lefthand arrow of the bottom node until the cursor turns into 2 arrows pointing around in a circle - then left click and holding down the mouse button drag up and left until rulers show you positioned at 20 pixels down and 50 pixels across - then let mouse button go the lefthand line will now curve out and up .
Hold cursor over the end of the righthand arrow of the bottom node until the cursor turns into 2 arrows pointing around in a circle - then left click and holding down the mouse button drag up and right until rulers show you positioned at 20 pixels down and 200 pixels across - then let mouse button go The righthand line will now curve out and up.
Left click on the Node on the Righthand side of your heart and holding down mouse button drag out to the right and up until postioned at 110 pixels down and 235 Pixels across - then let mouse button go.
Left click on the Node on the Lefthand side of your heart and holding down mouse button drag out to the right and up until postioned at 110 pixels down and 15 Pixels across - then let mouse button go.
Materials palette> Click on the Background colour swatch again - in Materials Properties PopUp>Textures Unchecked; Click on Gradient Tab; From gradient dropdown menu select Foreground/Background; Style - Sunburst; Repeats 0; Centre Point - Horizontal 75; Vertical 22; Link Centre and Focal Points Checked>OK.
Select your Pick/Deformation Tool ( K ) >Tool Settings Bar>Position on Canvas - Click on the Center on canvas button; Click on Properties button to activate the Vector Property PopUp>Give your image a Name; Leave rest of settings as they are>OK.
Right Click on your image again>Click on Export>Shape>Enter Shape Library PopUp> Give the same File name as your gave for the properties box>OK.

NOTE: You can make a shape using the Preset shape - Pen and Text Tools - all having CREATE AS A VECTOR checked.

YOU CAN COMBINE 2 OR MORE OBJECTS TO MAKE A SINGLE CUSTOM SHAPE - S0 - WE WILL ADD A COUPLE OF NEW VECTOR OBJECTS TO THE IMAGE AND SAVE IT AS A 2ND SHAPE Click on Preset Shape Tool ( P ) >And scroll through your shapes dropdown menu and you will find your new custom shape click on it;Retain Style, Anti-alias and Create on Vector all Checked.
On your image left click and holding mouse button down drag your new shape out and make a heart around 1/2 the size of the one on the image - and let mouse button go.
Hold cursor over the centre of this new shape and when cursor turns into a 4way arrow left click and holding down mouse button move the new smaller heart until it sits in the middle of the big one ( or wherever you want to sit it )- then let mouse button go.
Select your Text Tool>Create as a Vector; Font and Size and colour up to you.
Left click OUTSIDE of the vector area for the heart you added and add some text>Apply.
Hold your cursor in the centre of the vector shape for your words and when cursor turns to a 4way arrow left click and holding down mouse button position this new vector of text so that it is both on and off of the hearts - then let mouse button go.
Click on Pick Tool again.
Right Click on Image>Convert to Path.
Left click on image near edge outside of all the vector areas to de-activate all the vectors.
Right Click on image>Select All.
On Tool Settings Bar>Group - Click on Group Objects button>Properties Button>Give this new custom shape a new name; Leave all other settings as is>OK.
Right click on image>Export>Shape>Make File name same as name you put in properties>OK.
You can close image now as you have finished with it.
Click on Preset Shape Tool ( P )>And scroll through your shapes dropdown menu and you will find your new custom shape.

For further help email me.

Making a Custom Shape and Saving as a Preset Shape

Requirements for this tutorial

Making a Custom Shape and Saving as a Preset Shape