Let's do the skates next, starting with the soles. Highlight the left sole layer,Selection|Select All, Selections|Float. Effects|Texture Effects|Blinds and use the following settings: width=2; opacity=52; color=#623F08; both Horizontal and Light from left/top checked. When you are finished with the left sole, do the same with the right sole.

Next, the blades, first the left and then the right, and we'll apply an inner bevel. Select and Float the left blade and then use the Metallic preset settings to apply the bevel. Then do the same on the right blade.

Now we can work on the cap, scarf and mittens. As you've probably noticed, I've decided to add a pompom to the top of the cap. I used the Fireworks Preset Shape and used two of the colors from the cap. I made the second pompon a little higher but smaller than the first. I applied an innver bevel to each of the pompom layers. (Maybe I should back up and say that if you add the pompoms at this point, and do them one at a time, you'll have a vector layer for the larger pompom which you will tnen convert to a raster layer. Then when you do the smaller pompom, you'll also convert that one to a raster layer.) The following settings were used on the pompom layers:

Ok, now it's time to give this guy a face and really bring him to life! Let's start with the nose. Add a layer at the top. Change your foreground color to a dark orange such as #FDA71F and the background color to a lighter orange such as #FEC03A. Get your Preset Shapes tool and set your shape to the red cone with the following settings: Antialias and Create as Vector=both CHECKED; Line width=1

Draw your cone starting a little to the right and drag the cone shape up and to the left a bit. If you don't like what you have you can always do Ctrl-Z to delete it and start over. Once you are satisfied with the nose size, you can move it to where you'd like it. Change your foreground color to an even darker orange, like #BC7504. Change your background color to Null. Get your Draw tool and select the Freehand Line type with a width of 1, antialias checked, create as vector checked and close path unchecked. Now draw a few lines on the carrot - you know, the creases that you see on carrots.

The eyes are next. Use your preset shapes tool set to Ellipse with the same settings as before. Change your Background color to black and your Foreground color to Null. Draw an oval to the left of the nose. When satisfied with the size, with the bounding box still on the eye, right click, Copy, right click, Paste New Vector Selection and position this eye on the right. For the highlight, change your Background color to white and draw a small Ellipse on the upper left of the eye. Copy the highlight as you did the eye and place it on the right eye.

To make the mouth change your Background color back to black and while holding down your shift key, lay out a small circle. Then copy this and keep pasting it as a new vector selection, probably in a smile positon. Here's what my vector snowman finally looks like:

Before we go further, let's export this image as a Preset Shape. Get your Object Selection tool and starting in the upper left, draw a bounding box around the entire shape. If you miss a part, it may not be included. If that happens, just Ctrl-Z and start again. OK, now that you have the bounding box around the snowman, right click, and click on Group, as shown below.

Now go to your Layer Palette and right click where it says 'Group' at the top and then click on Rename. I have renamed mine 'Skating Snowman'. Then go to File, Export, Shape and you'll probably get a reminder message that only those objects selected will be exported. Since you've grouped them all, just click on OK. Then you'll see another pop up that asks you to name your Preset Shape. I always start mine with my initials so all my shapes will be together, and then I add the same name I put in the Layer Palette. My snowman is actually named: bjw_skating snowman. After you've done this, go check to make sure that it's in your Preset Shapes. If not, make sure that only the top group/Layer is highlighted in the Layer Palette.

Let's make our pole sign as another Preset Shape. We'll put it in the right place later when we 'finish' the snowman. For the pole we're going to use Draw tool with the following settings: Foreground #404040 and Background Null. Type=Point to Point; Width=7; Antialias=CHECKED; Create as Vector=checked and Close path=UNCHECKED. Position the pole as shown:

Change your Background to the telephone pattern at 50% and zero repeats. Make your Foreground color Null. Use your Preset Shapes tool, Rounded Rectangle, and lay out a rectangle shape for the sign. Grap the circular arrows and rotate the sign so that it lines up with the pole, and position it on the pole with just a bit of the pole showing at the top.

To make a frame for the sign, change your Foreground color to #404040 and your Background to Null. Use a line width of 4 and lay out a rectangle approximately the same size as the sign. Then use the circular arrows to rotate the frame and line it up with the sign. If it is too big, place you cursor on the lower left box, and while holding down the right key, push the box inward. Holding down the right key ensures that your changes will be proportional. Of course, if your frame is too small, instead of pushing the box inward, pull it out.

If you'd like to add a decoration to the pole as I've done, add another layer. I used the preset shapes star. Change the background color to the same #404040 gray and draw your star - vector, of course. You'll need to move it over and then hold your cursor over the center area until you find the arrows in a circle. Then you can reposition the star so that the point is right on the pole. For our Preset Shape, let's not add any text. We will always be able to add it when we use the sign. Here's what I have now:

We're almost done now. Let's make a sign, or if you'd rather, just make that star bigger and move it up the pole. Maybe you'd rather make it a gold star! But, if you're making a sign, add a layer and start with your Selections Tool (this is the one that's 5th from the top in the panel) and draw a rectangle about 100 x 60. Then set your foreground color to a wood selection - or anything you want - and flood the rectangle. To get the same metal frame effect I then went to Selections|Modify|Contract by 5 pixels, then Selections Invert. I switched the foreground with the background and flood filled. Then I applied the same Effects|3D Effects|Inner Bevel settings as before. Finally, click on the deformation tool and put your sign in the right position on the pole. You may also want to merge the parts of your sign. Just hide all the other layers first. This is what mine now looks like:

OK, one more layer and then the snowman is done! Add a layer, change your foreground color to Null and your background color to White. Now click on your text tool and add whatever you'd like to your sign. I used the Arial font in about a 10 size, I think. What you use will depend on what you want on the size. Also, if you want more on the sign, you could always make the sign a bit larger. Before you deselect your text, add a drop shadow with both the Vertical and Horizontal set at 1, Opacity at 65, and Blur at 2. Then deselect.

And this is what my completed snowman looks like:

Here's another image where I added my snowman to a photo I took in my yard last winter and then played with it using some filters. I also made a friend for the skating snowman. This one is just standing around with his arms tucked behind him.

This next snowman, or snowwoman actually, is made by my good friend, Mon. Isn't this just adorable! I love it! Thank you, Mon, for being my 'official tester' and for catching my typos, and missing letters! :o)

The last snowman example was created by Bear, who quickly volunteered to test my tutorial. She created another adorable snowman, and also pointed out where I forgot to document a step or two! I'm glad she was willing to test this and to provide me with that information. Thank you, Bear!