First thing to add is a new vector layer, make sure it is vector and not raster. Name it body section. We are going to make the dress. Now of course I couldn't find the exact print of the "usual dress" she wore so I will be using a pattern you can grab from the resources page if you like to work along with me or if you care comfortable you can use one of your own patterns. Open the pattern in PSP and minimize it for now, working on your new vector layer, select the shapes tool. Set the foreground to black and then the background color to pattern. Click the patterns once in the center to bring up the pattern selections, click the arrow to view the various pattern choices and choose the one you got from the resources page, blue with small dabs of white, red and yellow in it. Turn the size/scale down to about 30 depending on what it looks like if you didn't use the same as mine. (Fig.21) Choose the rounded rectangle, line width 1, anitalias checked, create as vector checked. (Fig.22)

Draw out your shape on the canvas, it might not look right at first but bear with me.(Fig.23) Now choose the node selection tool and click the dress/body object and then right click and choose node edit from the menu. Drag the nodes around to the edges to form more of a bodice shape, make some shoulder areas as well. (Fig.24) Don't worry about them being real perfect you can always fix em later if you want. We want to get everything in place as best we can and then we will go back and edit some more in the places that need them. Once happy with the shape of your body right click again and choose the quite node editing option from the menu and then the colors and pattern should reappear but as the new shape instead of the plain rounded rectangle we drew. (Fig.25)

With the shapes tool still selected with the same settings as above with the exception of the shape, make it oval/ellipse this time but leave the pattern fill and black outline. We are adding arms to her now. Draw out the shape on your canvas and then repeat again for the other arm.(Fig.26) ( I moved one of my arms out so you could see it, place yours closer to the body). Choose the shapes tool again, set your foreground to black and the background (fill) to white and choose the rounded rectangle shape from the options, match my settings here.(Fig.27) Draw out the shape on top of the dress, this is the "apron thingy" she wears. Once drawn choose the vector selection tool and make sure you are still working on the object layer you just made and then right click and choose the node edit option from the menu, add a couple nodes by holding down your control key and clicking where you want to add the nodes (red), adjust the nodes to give an appearance of a ruffle. My original nodes are green and the ones I added are red. (Fig.28) I know they are hard to see in the screen shot here but I basically just added a couple nodes all the way across, then pulled everyother one up to create the higher arch of that area, then I changed their type by right clicking the node, choosing node type, and then selecting the asymmetrical option from the menu. Click the node again and used the handles to "round them off". Once you are happy with the shape and curves then right click again and choose the quit node editing option from the menu and your color will return with the new ruffled shape. (below)

**Note.. If your head is above your dress at this point you may pull it BEHIND the dress so it looks a little better. See example of my layers palette here. Will open in separate window.

Now with the shapes tool still selected, the rounded rectangle also. Draw some straps for her dress above the apron portion connecting over to her shoulders. Then draw a section out to be the collar of the apron too. Right click that object and choose the node edit option from the menu and then add nodes just like you did for the bottom portion of the apron in the last step and make the collar ruffly like you did the apron. Then going to the HEAD layer, I added some lines under the eyes, also added some eyebrows just by using the line tool set to a point to point line, width of one and vector and antialias checked. Then added nodes to them and curved the eyebrows a little.(Fig.29) If you want to see my layers palette, next to the image itself click here, will open in separate window. For me adding these features now makes it a little easier to try and proportion the rest of her so that she doesn't look too disfigured since we are staying two dimensional instead of 3. Working back then on the body section of her, set your foreground color to black and the background to the pattern fill of the tile that is on the resources page for her dress. Choose the shapes tool again and set to rounded rectangle, line width one and check antialias and create as vector. Draw out your shape on the canvas and if it is NOT behind the white apron part in your layers palette then click on that layer, hold down and drag below the apron.(Fig.30)

Click on the new object layer you just made to make it active, hold down the shift key and click the right, bottom corner of the rectangle and drag it out and over to create a "flare" for the bottom of the dress. (Fig.31) Then choose the vector selection tool and click the right arm, right click the right arm and choose the node edit option from the menu. Click the center, bottom node (pink) and then right click and choose node type, set to asymmetrical and then right click again and choose the node type again and select cusp this time. Then grab the outer handles and pull them out and away from the center fixed node to form more of a sleeve instead of an oval. Once you are happy with the shape, right click and choose the quit node editing option from the menu. If you are not happy with the shape after the color fills back in (Fig.33) then just right click again and choose the node edit option again as many times as you need to until you are happy with the shapes and curves of the sleeves.

Next thing I did was add some hands. I choose black for my foreground color and the flesh tone we had used before (RGB 255/206/187). Select your shapes tool and set it to circle with a line width of 1, antialias and create as vector checked. Draw out the shapes on your body section and then if they are not behind your sleeves, click that object in your layers palette, hold down and drag below the sleeve so that it looks to be coming from under and out of the sleeve. You can see my hand here (Fig.34) where I have added nodes and turned them to create the hand and a small extension for a thumb. (Fig.34) Repeat for the other side, the left hand as well.(Fig.35) Now I am not going to go step by step for the legs but I will tell you how I did them and you can create each leg on your own and then put under her. I just used the line tool to make some lines, first I made a shape, rounded rectangle with a white foreground (stroke) and and white background (fill). I drew two of them out to be the "legs" and then set my foreground to red and background to null, I used the point to point line with a line width of 1 and drew lines across the legs from one side with the red outline to the other side with the red outline. (Fig.36) Then choose your shapes tool and set both foreground and background colors to black, choose the preset shapes tool and select the ellipse and draw her feet. Right click and choose the node edit option and using the nodes, align them with the socks/legs so they will look more even. (Fig.37) Right click again and choose the quite node edit option.

Now choose the text tool and select a font of some kind that is kind of fancy or " cutesie" and type some text, RAGGEDY ANN, set it to vector text, anitalias checked and then click ok. Position the text on the apron across it, use the handles to adjust accordingly to have the text wrap around her apron. (Fig.38) I know it's hard to see in the screen shot so click HERE if you want to see a larger view. I change the circle in the mouth to black also, click that object in your layers palette and then RIGHT CLICK and choose properties, from there you can change your colors to whatever you like. I did some touch ups on the rest of her by adjusting the lines under the eyes and the hair too. I am not real pleased with her as of yet but until I can get more time to play with her this will have to do for now:O) I shortened the arms a little too. (Fig.39) You may have to drag some of your layers around if you didn't keep up with me throughout the tut, just make sure your legs are positioned properly behind the dress and that the apron is above the dress etc.

That pretty much sums it up for Raggedy Ann at this point ! Andy is in the works and almost done. If you try this one <G> send me your results I would LOVE to see them!! Also if you do I will put them in the Gallery for others to see as well ! If you need some idea's take a look at the ones that people have done already to get your creative juices flowing. Below is my finsihed one. Nothing fancy or special but it was fun I thought.