Tutorial #7 : Pixel eyes

Step 1 : Open a new image in PSP, 20 pixels wide and 15 pixels high. Zoom in so you can work on it easily - depending on your screen resolution this may be as much as 2000%! N.B. - remember to save your work often!

Step 3 : Using the "Magic Wand" selection tool, select the white of the eye by clicking on it; leave it selected (indicated by a moving dotted line round the edge) and create a new raster layer on the layers palette above the existing layer. Click on that layer in the palette to bring it into use, then on the main toolbar select Effects / 3D Effects / cutout and set vertical offset 1, horizontal offset 0, opacity 100, blur 3 in colour #808080 (mid grey) and leave the "fill interior with color" box unchecked. Right-click anywhere in the image to deselect it. This will give depth and shape to the white of the eye. (Screen grab 2.) Merge these two layers by selecting Layers / Merge / Merge Visible on the main toolbar. Now switch this merged layer off by clicking the eye icon to its left - a red line will appear through the eye icon and the eye you have just drawn will disappear (don't worry, you will be able to get it back!).

Step 4 : Create a new layer to paint the iris of the eye on. You are going to need three shades of the eye colour you would like to make, one dark, one medium and one light, plus black and white. At this stage it doesn't matter where on the layer you draw the iris - you can position it when it is finished. Draw in the iris pixel by pixel as in the screen grab below : line by line, left to right, the colours are:

• Row 1 : 2 dark blue, 2 black, 1 white, 1 black, 1 dark blue.
• Row 2 : 2 medium blue, 2 black, 1 white, 1 black, 1 dark blue.
• Row 3 : 2 medium blue, 4 black, 1 medium blue.
• Row 4 : 1 dark blue, 2 pale blue, 2 medium blue, 1 dark blue, 1 medium blue.
• Row 5 : miss 1 pixel, 1 dark blue, 1 pale blue, 2 medium blue, 1 dark blue. (Screen grab 3)

Step 5 : Switch the white of the eye back on by clicking on the "crossed out" eye icon. The eye you drew earlier will reappear. The iris of the eye may not be in the correct position - just move it with the "Move" tool on the toolbar - the one that looks like four arrows pointing in four different directions. Do NOT merge the layers at this stage!

Step 6 : on the main toolbar, select Image / Canvas size to New Dimensions - width 50 height 15 and click the placement square centre row right then click OK: the canvas will resize with the eye you have drawn to its right.

Step 7 : On the Layers palette, select the layer with the white of the eye on it by clicking on its picture - the layer on the palette will be highlighted (see the screen grab below if you are unsure of how to identify it - each layer has a tiny image of what is on it.)

Step 8 : on the main toolbar, click Edit / Copy / Edit / Paste As New Layer. A second eye identical to the first one but minus the iris, will appear, on its own layer above the first eye but below the iris. Highlight this layer instead of the other eye. Step 9 : On the main toolbar, select Image / Mirror. Reposition this new eye with the Move tool as before. Step 10 : now highlight the Iris layer and Edit / Copy / Edit / Paste As New Layer but DO NOT MIRROR it this time! Move this iris into place for the left eye.

Step 10 : save this finished image as a PSPimage as this will preserve the layers - you can create different coloured eyes simply by changing the colours of the pixels, making sure you still keep dark, medium and light colours in the same places.

Step 11 : on the main toolbar, select Edit / Copy Merged / Edit / Paste As New Image. Your eyes are now ready for you to save and use.

BELOW : VARIOUS COLOURS, ACTUAL SIZE

Once you have mastered this technique you can adapt it to make eyes of different shapes and sizes :