How to Create a Virtual Guitar

String along with Microsoft Paint.

The style, sound and design of a guitar varies as widely as the people who play the instruments, so drawing a strummer of your own should be as custom of an experience. When you use Microsoft Paint to create a virtual guitar, you’ll be making music with software already included in your Windows operating system. Paint comes standard with enough tools to help you hit all the right notes with a virtual guitar, including the ability to size, sketch and color your instrument to your requirements.

Instructions

1. Brainstorm the type of guitar you’re interested in drawing, which may range from an electric to a ukulele to something traditional. This is optional, but may help you to work faster in the software.

2. Launch Microsoft Paint. Check the canvas size, which corresponds to the last-used dimensions. To change to a new guitar size canvas, click the Paint button and select “Properties.” Change the “Width” and “Height” fields to your preferred sizes, such as “3” and “7.” Click the “Inches” radio button. Click the “OK” button and Paint resizes the canvas.

3. Click the “Brushes” button on the ribbon. Choose the first option, “Brush.” Note the “Color 1” box on the ribbon is black. If you prefer another color for the virtual guitar outline, click the colored square or click “Edit colors” and choose a color.

4. Position the brush near the bottom middle of the canvas. Draw the bulbous button of the guitar. For traditional guitars, drawing something similar to the number eight may help you. For a tricked out electronic guitar, anything goes. End the drawing of the guitar’s body at about the middle of the canvas.

5. Position the cursor at the top of the guitar’s body. Press and hold down the “Shift” key and draw a line straight up. Draw a second line straight up, then draw a line connecting the two at the top, completing the guitar’s handle.

6. Click a new color in the “Colors” ribbon. Click the small icon of a paint bucket on the “Tools” area. Click inside the guitar body to fill it with color. Do the same for the handle – using two separate colors or the same, per your preferences.

7. Choose a new color to use for accents on the guitar. Click the “Brushes” button and select the “Natural pencil” tip. Complete the guitar’s look with drawings such as strings, holes and other designs. Other options include drawing a chest strap, amp or plug and cord.

8. Click the Paint button. Click “Save As.” Pull down the “Save as type” menu and choose the PNG or GIF formats, which will allow you to preserve the transparent background on the guitar so you can use it as an avatar or background. Type a title for the image in the “File name” box and click the “Save” button.

References

• Windows: Using Paint