How to Make a Custom Emoticon

There is no question that emoticons add color to your words in Internet messages. If you've ever been at a loss when trying to find the right one, you might want to create your own custom emoticon.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• ImageReady
• Photoshop

Make a Moving Icon

1. Create a new file in Photoshop. Make the canvas about 30 pixels wide by 20 pixels high.

2. Choose the pencil tool and select a color, then draw a circle. Color it white.

3. Pick up the magic wand to shade your emoticon. Select the inside of the circle, and then choose colors from the color palette. Make one color lighter and the next one darker to create a gradient.

4. Choose the gradient tool. For the easiest shading, leave the settings on the default selection. Click on a point in one side of the circle. Drag your mouse diagonally across the circle. Let go of the mouse and your circle should be shaded.

5. Make several layers for your custom emoticon. Anything that you would like to move should have its own layer.

6. Draw in whatever other features you would like. If they are not going to be animated, they can be in the same layer.

Animate Your Custom Emoticon

7. Create at least three frames by duplicating the first image. Each still image in your animation will be slightly different. Each will be in a different frame. This will create a moving image, just like in a film. For example, to move the arms up and down in your custom emoticon, one frame will show the arms up and the next one will show the arms down.

8. Select the second frame. In the Layers palette, you will see eye icons. Be sure the eyes are "on" next to the image layers with the features you want to be visible. Turn off the eyes by clicking on them, next to the layers with the features you want to be invisible. For example, in the frame with the emoticon's arms up, make the down arm's layer invisible. Do this for each frame.

9. Set the delay between each frame by clicking on the time below each frame. For faster animation choose a shorter amount of time. Below the first frame, you should set the animation time to "forever" to keep it animated all the time. You can also choose to animate it for a few seconds then become static.

10. Click "file" and "save as" to save your gif file. Your custom emoticon is complete!

Tips & Warnings

• Before you make custom emoticons, be sure they are supported where you plan to use them. Many online forums and most email applications will allow you to use your own emoticons. AOL Instant Messenger and Yahoo! Instant Messenger will not.