Pixel Art How to make cross stitch pattern


From this	To this		And this.
This is what we are going to do in this tutorial. You may use my drawing above on the left or use one of your own. If you want to use mine, right click on the image and save as on your computer. You could also try it with any other image and at a smaller size too. The basis are the same.
		First let's bring your image in your work space. Make sure it is RGB data. Go to file/preference and choose grid. Make your grid 4 x 4 pixels I use a grey color for my grid, since I don't have any grey color on my final image and the grey is not so hard on the eyes. You may choose a color that works best for you. For a quick access of the grid, you may use the shortcut key; shift + control + R. It will bring your grid on. If you want to hide your grid, you just have to use your shortcut key again.
		Now that we have our grid on, we are going to zoom in on it. Usually I work on an 800% zoom, you may prefer to zoom in higher or lower, choose a zoom that you are comfortable to work with.
		Before we begin, let's look at the left example here. Try to always make your left vertical line on the inside of the square grid and the horizontal line at the top of the same square grid. It will make your pattern more consistent and less confusing. There is some other way to do outline for cross stitch but are more advance, so let's keep it simple for a first one.
		Ok, yes here I have made mistake on my pattern as you could see on the left, I have horizontal line that is at the bottom of two square grid. No problem, you could either erase them if you are still in mode and if not, use the regular eraser to erase them, and redo them in mode at the right place. As you have guessed, we are going to use the paint brush with the pixel tool setting, if you haven't done any pixels art before I suggest you to go back on the Pixels Art Tutorial page and begin there. Once you have set your paint brush with pixels art setting, click on mode and begin to make your lines. I use the option straight line here instead of free hand. Faster and more accurate. Just try to follow the design. Don't worry if you are not sure, just keep on going. Once in a while, you could hide the grid and view at the actual size or a smaller zoom size and check if it does look right. You could always make the adjustment you need as you go but do stay in mode. The example on the left is the top left leaf of the image.
		For saving your work, just click out of mode, save your work as in ufo format. and click on mode again and continue to make your lines. Look at the example on the left, as you could see, there was some times I couldn't really follow the design, but keep working your line keeping the same pattern for making them, it will eventually do work. I also made the outline design that was in the drawing as well as the outline edges. The example on the left here is part of the big rose. Remember to save once in a while. Finish all your design.
		Once your design is finish, select all object and merge as a single object, this will merge all your pixels together. copy and paste to a new image, expend your canvas with 5 pixels around. Save your work again in a ufo format. At this point, bring back the grid on, check your design closely, if you need to make change this is the time. When satisfied with it, if you have made some modification, save your work again.
		These are my cross stitch squares that I did prepare for making my cross stitch. I've made 4 different square for the roses and the leafs. I always save the colored cross stitch I make in my easy palette for further use, save me time to remake some of them. I select all and save as multiple objects in my EP. ( EP=easy palette )
		Before we began shading and adding our colored square, we need to decide where is our light source and what part of the pieces is on top of the other. Once that is decide, then it is easier for us to start shading. I always start with the shadow and work my way to the lighter colors. The example on the left here, is the leaf that is on the top right side of the image. Since the big rose is on top of that leaf, then it will make a shadow on the leaf close to the flower. So I start with the dark green one, not the one that look like black, and start duplicating my square and position them in place, then using the next lighter green color, duplicate and position into place. As you could see, my outline inside the leaf are the leaf veins, they are more darker than the color as I work out my other colors toward the lighter part of the leaf that received more light.
		Once you are done with the leaf, hide your grid and zoom out at actual view, as you could see, at the very bottom of that leaf, I decided that I should put the darker green I had, the one that look like black, but actually are two very dark green. I did put 4 of them down the very bottom close to the flower. Just to show you, that you can always make changes to it when ever you feel it's needed and that it look right to you.
		Choose your outline and bring it to front. Save your work again.
		A closer look, where I did made the changes at the bottom of the leaf.
		Ok, when working on a zoom like this, many times, it is hard to tell in which part of your image you are working on. Here is what I do, I open the original image I did use and set it on the side of my work place, then bring the one I'm working on, on top of it, so this way I could look at my original for references. It is better to work on the pieces that are under first and work your way up, like if it was in 3 dimension. I have start on the big rose here and work in the same way as I did for the leaf.
		At this point here, I had to try the middle of the flower, made it with the dark red one. and made a few petals around it. But at one point had to stop, since I was on petals that was on top. So I when and work on the petals that under first and work toward the middle of the flower. Work on one petal at the time, decide how much shadow for each of them, and how much light is showing on them. Remember to save your work often. Once in a while I also clear the history for the undo/redo.
		Here is on the left, the big flower, I did bring the outlines on top. Keep on going with the smaller rose. Do save your work many time, and clear that undo/redo history. The reason is as we go, our graphic use lots of memory and by clearing the history, it does help. To help even more, you could select some squares that you won't need to duplicate and merge them as single object also, it will also use less memory.
		Here we have all of our flowers done, If you are sure you are not going to make any changes on your flowers and are satisfied with it, select all the square you did use for your flowers and merge as single object. Always bring your outline on top. Work out the other part of your leafs the same way as you did your first one. Remember that your light source is at the top.
		And finely here is your finish pixels art cross stitch image. You could leave your black outline as is, like I did here, or you may color with a dark red the outline inside and around the roses, by selecting your outline and painting on it, in edit mode. Once you are done, select all your objects and merge as single object. Hide your background and save as a transparent gif format. Your done! Ok, maybe some of you will say, I'm not good at drawing, you could always use some public domain free drawing, some from color book, Dover's also gives some great free sample of graphic design. The same techniques do apply the same way. This is a simple shading here with a 4 x 4 pixels square.
If you want some help or critic, please use the critics Icon and post as well a screen shot of a zoom, so I could see better your work and help you out. It won't be possible for me every time to download your work and open in PI to zoom on it. Thanks. Don't forget to show what you have done in the Pixels Art Workshop forum. at PhotoImpact International Board. If you are not a member, you just have to register, it is free. Don't forget to grab your award.