How to Create Mouse Cursors
Create and install a set of related cursors that go along with a certain color scheme or represents a given theme or idea for you. If you don't like the revolving blue circle in Windows Vista that comes up mysteriously when your application is busy, learn how to make a new one and replace it with something you like better.
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Instructions
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1
Open IconArt. Make a new file by clicking on "File," "New Project." Select the "Cursors" tab. If you want to make a regular cursor, click on "Simple Cursor." Or choose to make an "Animated Cursor" by adjusting the number of frames, and clicking on that button. Animated cursors are best used for a cursor that indicates the application is "Busy" or "Working in background," rather than a pointer where the motion would tend to get in the way.
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2
Draw your cursor. Use the tools and the color key to make a cursor design. Use the X,Y coordinates and the W,H (width and height of an item such as a rectangle or circle) to measure the size. If you're unsure how big to make it, open an existing pointer to see what size it is.
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3
Animated cursors have several frames (example has five), shown as small pink thumbnails above the main page. Draw the first frame, then select "Edit," "Copy," select the second frame's thumbnail and select "Edit," "Paste." Now your second frame is the same as the first; edit the second frame to make it different in some way, then copy, paste and edit to make the rest of the frames.
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Save your cursor by clicking on the icons directly below the menu bar, either for ".cur" simple cursor files, or ".ani" for animated cursor files. A menu box pops up where you give your file a name and save it. Make several related cursors for different functions, and save them. Remember where you put the files for when you want to install them.
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5
Install the cursors that you made so they work in Windows. Right-click on the desktop in Windows, and select "Personalize" from the menu that comes up. Select "Mouse Pointers," (see number 1 in illustration). Select "Pointers" in the box that comes up (item number 2). Select the cursor you want to replace from the list (item number 3), and then click the "Browse" button (item number 4). Once you've replaced all of the cursors you desire, save the scheme by clicking on the "Save As. . ." button in the Scheme section (item number 5), type in the name you want to give your scheme and click on "OK."
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