Animated Snowman Image size: 11 w x 17 h 300 dpi Step 1 First of all, you ll need the texture on my website. Now open a new document. I usually work on really big documents because I can work on the details better and you can always decrease the image size later. So, as you can see in the picture below, the background is blue and the color code is #89defd. Fill the layer with this color. SAVE - Name it CUTE SNOWMAN - Your Name. Step 2 Create a new layer. Name it BODY. Select the Ellipse Marque tool (NOT THE SHAPE TOOL) and create a big circle and fill it with white #ffffff. Create a new layer, name it HEAD and make a new circle, only smaller this time. Fill it with white. Put the small circle on top of the big one. (see below) SAVE! MAKE SURE IT IS A.TIF FILE.
Step 3 Duplicate the HEAD layer and name it SHADOW. Cmd click the thumbnail of the SHADOW layer and fill the new circle with #CCCCCC (light gray) This will be the head s shadow. Move the SHADOW layer with the gray circle under the HEAD layer and make the gray circle larger, like shown below. Go to the BODT layer, press Command + Click on the thumbnail to select the large circle, then go to Select, Inverse. Click on the SHADOW layer and click the delete key. This should leave the sliver of gray for the shadow. Cmd +D to deselect. Select the SHADOW layer and go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and add some blur (3-4%). Now you have the shadow of the head. SAVE!
Step 4 Duplicate the BODY layer. Name it BODY 2. While on the BODY 2 layer, use the Gradient Tool (radial gradient) and drag from the center of the circle outward. Your image should look like the example on the right. Now set the Opacity to about 20%. Now your image should look like in the large picture. Do the same steps for the HEAD layer. SAVE! Step 5 The next step is to create a texture for the snowman. For this select a round brush with hard edges and make the following presets: Shape Dynamics (all to 0% ), Scattering (372%, 1%, 0% ), Transfer (100%, 0% ). Make a new layer and name it TEXTURE. CMD + click the thumbnail of the BODY 2 layer (make sure you are painting on the TEXTURE layer) and paint inside the selection with a small brush, add more points to the edges and fewer in the middle. ( scroll down to see the example) Next you have to set the blending mode to MULTIPLY and the Opacity to about 35-40%. Repeat the same steps for the HEAD.
Step 6 Make a new layer and name it EYES. Use a small brush tool with hard edges, without the previous presets and draw two black eyes. Go to the layer style and make the following presets:
Step 7 Make a new layer and name it NOSE. With the Pen Tool, create a path that looks like a carrot (SEE BELOW), right click and choose MAKE SELECTION and fill it with orange # e37b19. Now let s make some light using the Dodge Tool (looks like a sucker) on the right part of the nose and use the burn tool to create some shadows on the left side of the carrot nose.
Step 8 In this step we re going to create a shadow of the nose. Make a new layer and name it NOSE SHADOW. CMD + CLICK on the thumbnail of the HEAD layer. Fill the selection with black #0000. Move the black circle as shown below. Duplicate the NOSE SHADOW layer. Name it NOSE SHADOW 2. CMD + CLICK the thumbnail of the NOSE SHADOW layer and fill the selection with yellow. Select the move tool and move the yellow circle over and up so you can see a black shape as seen below. CMD + CLICK the thumbnail of the NOSE SHADOW 2 layer, Click on the NOSE SHADOW layer to make it active and press the delete key. Now close the eye on the NOSE SHADOW 2 layer. It should look like a black sliver. Click on the NOSE SHADOW layer and CMD + Click on the thumbnail of the HEAD layer, choose SELECT, INVERSE and press the delete key. Lower the layer opacity so it appears like the example below. Step 9 Create a new layer and name it MOUTH. Use the PEN TOOL and make three points (like a large, wide V. Use the CONVERT PEN TOOL to curve the path into a smile shape. Set up your paint brush so it is thin and hard. Make sure the color is set to BLACK. Select the pen tool, right click, choose stroke path, MAKE SURE THE BOX FOR PEN PRESSURE IS SELECTED.
Use the paintbrush to create small vertical lines to complete the smile. SAVE!
Step 10 Make a new layer, name it FUR. With the Pen Tool make a shape like you see in the image. This shape should look like fur on a hat. Fill it with white. Step 10 Make a new layer and name it HAT. Use the pen tool and create the shape of the hat. Use the CONVERT PEN tool to round it out. Right click and choose MAKE SELECTION. Fill the selection with red #a90505. CMD + D to de-select. Open the TEXTURE file and and drag it on top of the hat. Name the new layer TEXTURE. While on the TEXTURE layer, CMD + Click the thumbnail of the HAT layer, Choose SELECT, INVERSE and press the DELETE key. Set the blending mode of the TEXTURE layer to Luminosity and the Opacity to about 20-25%. SAVE!
Step 12 Give it some depth with the Burn Tool for the shadows and Dodge Tool for the light. (See below) Step 13 Let s make the buttons. Create a new layer and name it BUTTONS. USE the same technique as we used to make the eyes. Select the round brush tool with a hard edge and make a few buttons. Make the following layer styles:
Step 14 Make a new layer and name it BALL. Select the Ellipse tool and create a small circle, fill it with white and move the BALL layer under the HAT layer. Use the burn tool and create a light shadow on the BALL layer. Now select the basic brush with the presets that we did for the snowman s texture ( the spots) and paint some fur with white. Step 15 Create a new layer and name it SCARF. Using the PEN tool, Create a shape, like in this image below, round it out with the CONVERT PEN tool, right click and MAKE SELECTION and fill it with red (#8b0404). Continue creating the remaining parts of the scarf in the same way. (See below)
Create a new layer and name it STRIPES. With the pen tool make some shapes as shown in the image below and fill them with green #0b6a16. Use the Burn and Dodge Tool for the light and shadows as needed. Click on the SCARF layer and create a layer style (double click) for a drop shadow. SAVE!
Step 16 Create a new layer and name it SNOW. Use a round, soft brush and paint some snow. you like with a simple brush. Step 17 Make sure everything is perfect and you are happy with your snowman. SAVE. MAKE SURE IT IS A.TIF FILE. NOW, DO A SAVE AS AND NAME IT CUTE SNOWMAN 2-YOUR NAME this will still be a TIF FILE. Now you should be working on the CUTE SNOWMAN 2 - YOUR NAME file. Select all the layers EXCEPT the background layer, right click and choose merge layers. Name the new combined layer SNOWMAN. Now we will add some adjustment layers so the snowman won t look like a desktop icon.
Select LAYERS from the menu bar and choose NEW ADJUSTMENT LAYER/ CURVES. Choose the setting below. You may have to make some adjustments if it doesn't look quite right. Step 18 Duplicate the SNOWMAN layer, name it SNOWMAN2 and move it to the top of the layers. Next, go to Filter > Filter Gallery > Watercolor and make the settings like in the image. Set the opacity to about to around 50% or whatever looks right for you. Step 19 Choose LAYER > NEW ADJUSTMENT LAYER > Photo Filter > Warming Filter 50%.
If everything looks perfect, SAVE and then do a SAVE AS and save it as a.jpg file. Make sure to post the completed image to the gallery.