How do I create smilies?
This example uses Paint Shop Pro. However, just about any graphics software can be used to make smilies. Create a new image. Standard smiley dimensions are 15 x 15. Use the zoom tool to make drawing much easier. First, draw a circle. Then add the face. (I added the grid for demonstration purposes only) I like to fill the smiley with a radial gradient (see below), but you can use a solid color if you want. Fill the area outside the smiley (the background) with a color not used in the smiley. This area, shown here in pink, will become transparent. A gradient is a smooth transition between light and dark colors. It gives the smiley a round, three-dimensional appearance. When you’re done painting, save the image as a Transparent GIF. Set the background color as the area that will be transparent. Congratulations! You’ve made your very own smiley! To animate your smilies, first make a Transparent GIF for each frame of animation. Then you’ll need to assemble those frames in a program that can
