BEAK

Preset Shapes Tool.. change to the Triangle...antialias and Create as Vector BOTH checked, solid line, change the foreground to a dark yellow, I am using #FFB85D, and the background color to a medium yellow, I am using #F9DC41. Again, you can use any color that you prefer. There is no set rules for what colors you use, remember, this is YOUR Crow. Start your mouse under the bottom center of the HAT and drag down and to the right til you get a triangle about 1"X1 1/2". See Step 1 below.

Click on the little handle and rotate the triangle so that the point is on the bottom and angled slightly to the right. Now click in the center of the Vector square and position the BEAK where you want it (for now) on the HEAD. See Step 2 below.

Click on the Pen Tool to shape the top part of the BEAK. You will need to add a NODE in the center and then two NODES on each side between the center NODE and the top corner NODES. Move them until you get three small bumps. See Step 3 below. I highlighted the NODES a neon green so that they would show up better.

Then add a NODE on the right side and one on the left side. Both almost 1/2 way between the top corner and the bottom point. Move these center NODES slightly outwards to give the BEAK a slight curve. Then click on the bottom point NODE and position it upwards and slightly center to form the BEAK. See Step 4 below.

You can add more NODES to help round out the BEAK to your preference. I Zoom in at this point so that I can see the NODES better. And I only need to see the section that I am working on. See the Zoomed image below to see where I added more NODES.

When you are happy with how the BEAK looks, right click on the Vector layer and Convert to Raster Layer and name this BEAK.

SAVE

With the BEAK layer still highlighted, add a new layer. Change your Foreground color to BLACK and click on the Paint Brush Tool. Use these settings; Size 6, Hardness 100, Step 25, Density 1000 and Opacity 100. Make two small lines near the top center bump to form the nostrils. Lower the Opacity of this layer to between 46 and 50. Then Merge/Merge Down. This will merge the nostrils to the BEAK layer without losing the opacity.

Make sure the BEAK layer is still highlighted and go to Selections/Select All then Selections/Float. This will add Marching Ants around the BEAK. To add some dimention to the BEAK go to Effects/3-D/Inner Bevel and use these settings.

Selections/Select None

SAVE

EYES & DETAILS

Preset Shapes Tool.. Ellipse...antialias and Create as Vector BOTH checked, solid line, foreground NULL and background WHITE. Make an oval above the right nostril. You can determine the size you want his eyes to be. Right click on the Vector layer and Convert to Raster Layer. Name this layer EYE.

Change your background color to BLACK. Make a smaller BLACK oval on top of the white oval. Right click on the Vector layer and Convert to Raster Layer. Use the Mover Tool to position the BLACK oval over the WHITE oval but leaving some of the white showing. Change your Foreground color to WHITE and using the Paint Brush, same settings as before, add a small white dot on the black part of the EYE. Merge this layer DOWN onto the EYE layer.

Duplicate the EYE layer and use the Mover Tool to position it on the other side of the nostrils. When you are happy with the EYES, click on the COPY and Merge/Merge Down. Your EYES are now on one layer.

SAVE

The details will be simple. I promise..:) Highlight the EYE layer and add a new Raster layer. Change your Foreground color to a light GRAY, I am using #C0C0C0. Click on your Paint Brush, using the same settings as before, but change the Size to 2. Add some highlight at the side of the HEAD and add some hairs on the top of the head and some eyelashes. Adjust/Blur/Gaussian Blur with a Radius of 1. You can also use the Smudge Tool to even out some of the rough edges. Then drag this layer below the EYE layer.

SAVE

You can relax and take a break or you can continue on to the final steps.

If you have any questions, you can email me by clicking on my envelope