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Emoticon Tutorial
Published: 2008-08-21 01:59:42 +0000 UTC; Views: 57964; Favourites: 1303; Downloads: 1550
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Attention!Considering the great amount of time since I have thought about emotes, never mind the neglect I've put on my emoting programs, I can no longer truly provide satisfactory advice for all you budding emoticonists. I still love to see a new emote now and then, and the comments on both my tutorials are very uplifting. However, the flood of questions must come to an end.
But, I won't just leave you in the dark. There are many resources out there in the deviantART community that can really help.
Be sure to check out #Emotication for other tutorials and a long list of resources for all aspects of emoticon creation. If you need a mentor, they have a program set up to give you the kind of help you need.
If you have a specific question about emoticons or emoticon creation (including animation), head over to #WeEmote . The group there are sure to have an answer for you, or at least point you in the right direction.
And of course, dA has a massive section on tutorials for some of the most popular programs (as well as general tutorials) that can be easily found in the Resources and Stock Images > Tutorials gallery.
If you comment or send me a note, please don't be offended if I direct you elsewhere. I really can't provide you with the help you deserve.
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Warning: File size is fairly gigantic.
Well, seeing as how I had a tutorial for GIMP emoticon animations, I figured I'd make an actual emoticon tutorial.
This is a beginners tutorial, and the likelihood of me teaching more complicated colouring styles, how to colour and how not to colour, and things like that is fairly minimal. Be happy with what you have, people.
(Oh, and this one has a prettier layout than the last one.
)The tutorial covers programs, outlines, two colouring styles, and hands. And again, this is just a simple tutorial. Build off and learn from it; I recommend any new emoticonist that REALLY feels comfortable with the above two colouring styles to try their own; make more complicated symbols and gradually make your way to something unique to yourself.
And if you make an emote with the help of this tutorial, don't be afraid to show and tell. :D I'd love to see 'em. ^__^
Thank you, thank you, thank you and thank you for the DD, =davebold370 and ^Hanratty-Stock !
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Comments: 832
yw, it was a fantastic tut well done
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Nice tutorial, I might try this. ^_^
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I hope you do! 
Thank you! :3
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I'll probably try it in Pain.NET
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Haha, sounds like a painful process--using "Pain.NET".
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I find using The Gimp doesn't work properly on my pc, it kept crashing all the time. So I use Paint.NET instead, which works better for me.
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Eh, that kind of sucks, but Paint.NET is a fantastic program. It's really a win-win, when choosing between them.
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Unfortunately, the ad on this page was for emoticons when it loaded for me... >n<
I like the style you've chosen for your emoticons, although I would like to add that the shape of the body changes with action (squishing sideways before running, flattening on impact, et cetera.) In any case, I think you earned the DD for presenting this tutorial in such an easily understood tone.
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Google's tailored ads are always so inconvenient. >__Considering the fact that I haven't quite had practise with changing the shape of emotes (although, I probably should), so I left it out of this tutorial. Can't teach what you don't know!
Thank you for the feedback, though; I might add-on to the tutorial with this information, sooner or later. (:
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HC! You got a DD! 
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I did, somehow! Don't quite know how I managed this...
Thank you~! ^__^
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Awesome tutorial right there! I'm pretty sure that it will be very helpful for beginners and even for those who have more experience!
Congratulations on the DD!
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Congratulations on the DD! I could have used this back when I tried making emotes in GIMP, as I tended to have white pixels floating around AND trails... 
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The white pixels are always out to get us. 
Thank you. ^___^
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That's quite all right. Sometimes I learn the hard way easier.
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...you must be insane!
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You have to be a little crazy in order to get along with the world.
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You have to be a little more than a little crazy to get along with deviants. ;D
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wow this is such a useful tutorial! well deserved of the DD!!
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gratz for the DD.
can u do this in photoshop? :3
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Thank you! ^__^
If I owned Photoshop, I'd make a tutorial for it, or at least give some instruction for you. But I do not have the pleasure of owning Photoshop, and thus, I can't. I'm sure you could manage to figure it out in Photoshop from this (or other) tutorials--remember, there are multiple tutorials on emote-making in Photoshop on this site. Try this link!
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your welcome and thanks for the link~!!
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oh, some basics! thank you, it sounds useful!
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Hmm I seriously wonder if this gives some perspective on the creation of emoticons that people couldn't tell by simple reasoning. I have the feeling this only emphasizes the urge to do emoticons yourself, and what we can expect is a storm of boring, uninspiring emoticons. Also your example emoticon looks a bit vague because you used a green color for the lines that is too light. I can't particularly see this tutorial in a positive way at all, but congrats on your DailyDeviation I suppose.
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I know that, when I first started working with pixels, it was a very large and difficult move from my other art forms--most notably literature and pencil sketches. I was unused to the idea of emotes as art and even the basics of creating a simple emote evaded me. After I did a bit of research, I made this tutorial for those out there who, like me, found it difficult to find a first footing in the art.
"I have the feeling this only emphasizes the urge to do emoticons yourself..."
I would certainly hope so! It is tremendous fun to create even such small works of art.
And keep in mind that not all art has to be inspiring; creation can be simply for fun sometimes. I don't expect anyone who reads any tutorial to come out a master, inspiring the crowds. I know I enjoy creating emotes, and I hope to spread that joy to others.
And I will admit that, yes, my example was poorly done. No excuses for that; maybe some day I'll come back and fix it up. It does get the point across, though; it is, after all, just an example.
And thank you for not bandwagoning like many do on DDs; I like the honest opinion.
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Ahh you owe me no explanation though. I do appreciate the fact that you like to share your skills with the community. It's just that I didn't see the potential effect this tutorial would arouse as being positive. I could explain myself further but I'm afraid my opinion is irrelevant. You are in your right of course, and who knows your tutorial arouses some very talented people to start doing the best emoticons. I'm glad you took my criticism so well.
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Opinions are hardly ever irrelevant. 
Well, thank you for understanding that there's two sides to the equation. (:
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Awesome tutorial!! I was just looking up emoticon tutorials, when I saw this as a DD! Congrats! and thank you ^_^
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Thank you and thank you! 
I'm still in shock! D:
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I bet! What an awesome surprise ^_^
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