AmberDaze
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- Joined
- Feb 17, 2006
- Messages
- 4,370
Hope this helps some of you. 
1. Choose a favorite outfit for your character
2. Take a screen shot of your character (preferably on a white background, like in an Everest room)
How to take a screen shot:
In Windows: Press the "Prt Scr" or "Print Screen" button. It will copy whatever you see on the screen to your clipboard. Then you can paste it wherever you want.
If you're using a Mac: (the following has not been verified by me, so if anyone can confirm it -- I'd appreciate it). Press Command + Shift + #3 key all at once to take a picture of the entire screen. Pressing Command + Shift + #4 keys all at once will allow you to take a picture of whatever area you select with the mouse. The pictures will be saved in the main level of your hard drive, and it will be called "Picture 1," then "Picture 2," etc. Screen shots are saved in PICT format.
3. Paste your screen shot into your favorite Paint program, and edit.
If using PAINT: Click "Edit," then "Paste." Your image will appear in the Paint window. There you can preview your image (Click "File" --> "Preview"), and Print if you like the size of your current image. If you would like to enlarge or reduce the size of your image, you can play with "Image" --> "Stretch." To keep your image in proportion, be sure to use the same percentage for horizontal and vertical.
If using a program such as PAINT SHOP PRO (PSP): Click "Edit," then "Paste." Your image will appear in the PSP window. Now you can do many things to your image, including sharpening the focus, enlarging or reducing to a size you specify, and taking out the background image or color. Newer versions of PSP easily allow you do one click changes. If you need any specific information on how to do any of this, just send me a PM and I will be glad to help.
Changing the size of your image in PSP: I have made my flats about 4" high. You can make yours larger or smaller -- it's all a matter of preference. If you would like to enlarge your image, click "Image" --> "Resize." The locations of actions may be different in different versions of PSP, but you can run a search in there to find out where "resize" is for example. You can crop your image to remove excess background, then choose what size to make your image, and remove the background completely using the background eraser tool (in PSP X).
Once you have your image ready to print, you can preview it (print preview or print layout). In newer versions, print layout allows you to view how your image looks on a printed page, and you can move them around and position them as you like. You can also resize them here if needed. Then click "print." Choose "properties" to choose the print quality (I always print my flats using "best"), and then "print."
4. Cut out your flat: If you care about having your character looking like he/she is really a little person,
then cut your flat out exactly along the lines. If you don't care, you can leave some room around the edges. You can either get your flat professionally laminated at a place such as Staples, or buy a package of small self-adhering laminating paper and laminate it yourself. Pros of professional laminating: flats will be much sturdier and not easy to bend. Either way you decide to laminate, when you cut around the edges of your laminated flat, be sure to leave just a little excess around the edges. Now your flat will be waterproof. 
5. Make your flat part of your photo! There are a few ways to make your flat stand alone. You can either stick it to a popsicle stick
or straw 
or... you can get something like "Fun Tak," where you can tear off tiny pieces and stick it to the back of your flat. I choose to use Fun Tak -- it really makes it easy to stick my flat almost anywhere I want, with no sticks sticking out. Be creative! It's YOUR flat!
Now go make your flat!
EDITED 4/10/08 to add: My personal flats are resized to be 4" tall, 300 pixels.
1. Choose a favorite outfit for your character
2. Take a screen shot of your character (preferably on a white background, like in an Everest room)
How to take a screen shot:
In Windows: Press the "Prt Scr" or "Print Screen" button. It will copy whatever you see on the screen to your clipboard. Then you can paste it wherever you want.
If you're using a Mac: (the following has not been verified by me, so if anyone can confirm it -- I'd appreciate it). Press Command + Shift + #3 key all at once to take a picture of the entire screen. Pressing Command + Shift + #4 keys all at once will allow you to take a picture of whatever area you select with the mouse. The pictures will be saved in the main level of your hard drive, and it will be called "Picture 1," then "Picture 2," etc. Screen shots are saved in PICT format.
3. Paste your screen shot into your favorite Paint program, and edit.
If using PAINT: Click "Edit," then "Paste." Your image will appear in the Paint window. There you can preview your image (Click "File" --> "Preview"), and Print if you like the size of your current image. If you would like to enlarge or reduce the size of your image, you can play with "Image" --> "Stretch." To keep your image in proportion, be sure to use the same percentage for horizontal and vertical.
If using a program such as PAINT SHOP PRO (PSP): Click "Edit," then "Paste." Your image will appear in the PSP window. Now you can do many things to your image, including sharpening the focus, enlarging or reducing to a size you specify, and taking out the background image or color. Newer versions of PSP easily allow you do one click changes. If you need any specific information on how to do any of this, just send me a PM and I will be glad to help.
Changing the size of your image in PSP: I have made my flats about 4" high. You can make yours larger or smaller -- it's all a matter of preference. If you would like to enlarge your image, click "Image" --> "Resize." The locations of actions may be different in different versions of PSP, but you can run a search in there to find out where "resize" is for example. You can crop your image to remove excess background, then choose what size to make your image, and remove the background completely using the background eraser tool (in PSP X).
Once you have your image ready to print, you can preview it (print preview or print layout). In newer versions, print layout allows you to view how your image looks on a printed page, and you can move them around and position them as you like. You can also resize them here if needed. Then click "print." Choose "properties" to choose the print quality (I always print my flats using "best"), and then "print."
4. Cut out your flat: If you care about having your character looking like he/she is really a little person,
then cut your flat out exactly along the lines. If you don't care, you can leave some room around the edges. You can either get your flat professionally laminated at a place such as Staples, or buy a package of small self-adhering laminating paper and laminate it yourself. Pros of professional laminating: flats will be much sturdier and not easy to bend. Either way you decide to laminate, when you cut around the edges of your laminated flat, be sure to leave just a little excess around the edges. Now your flat will be waterproof. 5. Make your flat part of your photo! There are a few ways to make your flat stand alone. You can either stick it to a popsicle stick
or straw or... you can get something like "Fun Tak," where you can tear off tiny pieces and stick it to the back of your flat. I choose to use Fun Tak -- it really makes it easy to stick my flat almost anywhere I want, with no sticks sticking out. Be creative! It's YOUR flat!Now go make your flat!
EDITED 4/10/08 to add: My personal flats are resized to be 4" tall, 300 pixels.
Yes, I forgot to mention all the wonderful touch-ups you can do if you have a real paint program. 
