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ElementBases — MS Paint Base Tutorial Pt 1

Published: 2019-01-12 21:57:28 +0000 UTC; Views: 31598; Favourites: 238; Downloads: 113
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Description Part 2: MS Paint Base Tutorial Pt 2 Part 3: MS Paint Base Tutorial Pt 3
Finished base from the tutorial: www.deviantart.com/elementbase…
Base Creation FAQ:  sta.sh/02al38o8j01t

Hey guys, here's part one of my MS Paint base making tutorial! I hope you like it and are able to follow my tutorial without any problems.


Additional advice:

1. Remember to save frequently while you're basing! You never know when you might realize too late you royally messed up or if your program might crash unexpectedly and lose all your progress.

2. Don't use the same colors I use for my bases! Your base could be mistaken to be one of mine! Try to come up with your own colors or use colors from the show!

3. Following the topic of coloring, don't use super bright neon colors like the ones you trace with to color your finished base.  It can deter artists from using your bases because the colors are

too bright and overwhelming for their eyes. Neon colored bases don't look as nice as ones that have more calm colors.

4. Specify which episode and season your base is from when you upload it. People might be curious where you found the shot.

5. If you don't want to deal with as many colors on the base later on, invert the color before you start tracing. It can result in fewer colors showing up on the Bitmap file later on.

6. Pay attention to the colors of the characters. Certain colors don't work with tracing certain characters. I have a list below featuring the main characters of the show and what colors to not trace them with.

7. For your first bases, you should make a few of Twilight. Because she has both horns and wings, those first bases will provide you with already traced wings and horns for characters that don't have them in future bases while you're still learning how to draw them. Horns are easy, but even after 200+ bases I still have trouble drawing wings. Just make a couple simple 1-2 pony bases at first.

8. If you're worried about storage space on your computer being taken up by a bunch of empty files, try making a two canvases, one normal PNG file for tracing, and a BMP file for clearing colors. You can paste your screenshot into the tracing file, then after it's traced you cut it and paste it into the BMP file, then once it's done you can create a new file for your base. Instead of having 3 new files for each base, you'll only have one for the base itself. I do something similar to this even though I don't need to worry about storage space because it feels more organized and creates a lot less trash for your Recycling Bin application.
9. Pace yourself! Don't expect to make perfect bases at first, and don't work with any scenes that are too complicated. Screenshots with multiple characters or with things majorly obscuring a character's body like large clothing will be much harder on you and your developing skills. You need time to get used to the anatomy and structure of the bodies of the characters your tracing before you can replicate what may be hidden by clothing or other characters. I had a lot of trouble with a couple of my earlier bases because I decided to tackle a few Gala screenshots. It was stressful xD
10. Take your time with creating your bases. Most people appreciate my bases because of their good quality, so you should aim to have high quality bases as well. Bases that have good quality are ones that are going to be used more. No one likes to use sloppy bases. Don't cut corners and be patient while making your bases. Make sure the lines are even throughout the base and don't look unnatural. 

 
If you follow this tutorial, I recommend putting on some music while you're basing! A common thing people don't understand is that bases don't just take
10 minutes to make. Even for a single character base, it normally takes me 30-45 minutes at the very least.
It requires a lot of patience to make a base. Keep in mind that it's not for everyone!
It's very simple, but also very time consuming depending on how you base and what you're basing.
I actually highly recommend listening to stories while you're basing.
I personally listen to the YouTuber Let's Read! while I trace a lot of times. I tend to stay more focused listening to stories than to music after a while.
But if you don't like scary stories, you might just want to stick with music...
If you're into scary stories though, a couple story tellers I know are: Let's Read!, Mr. Nightmare, CreepsMcPasta, and Chills.

A little bit of tracing color advice for the main characters to avoid coloring trouble in a future part-

Twilight Sparkle: Don't use magenta for the body outline.
Pinkie Pie: Don't use magenta for the body outline or bright blue for her iris.
Applejack: Don't use red or yellow for the body outline.
Fluttershy: Don't use yellow for the body outline.
Rainbow Dash: Don't use red, yellow, or bright blue for the body outline.

Rarity: Any color works with her.

Starlight Glimmer: Don't use bright blue for her body outline or dark neon blue for her eyes.

Spike: Don't use green for his scales.

Princess Celestia: Don't use yellow for her crest and crown or bright blue for her body outline.
Princess Luna: Don't use dark neon blue for her body outline or bright blue for her iris.
Princess Flurry Heart: Don't use bright blue for her body, diaper, or iris outline.
Princess Cadence: Don't use yellow or magenta for her body, crest, shoes, and crown outline.
Prince Shining Armor: Don't use bright blue for his body outline or iris.
Applebloom: Don't use red, yellow, or magenta for her body outline.
Scootaloo: Don't use red or yellow for her body outline.
Sweetiebelle: Any color works for her.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask me whatever you need to in the comments!


P.S.

If you make a base using this tutorial, please let me see it! I'd love to see what you make and I'll add it to my favorite bases collection!

Related content
Comments: 48

AmoryPlays-New [2023-07-04 19:45:21 +0000 UTC]

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Trixie-Foxie [2020-10-13 16:33:31 +0000 UTC]

👍: 3 ⏩: 1

AnnaHeart1908 In reply to Trixie-Foxie [2021-07-26 06:48:06 +0000 UTC]

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Trixie-Foxie In reply to AnnaHeart1908 [2021-08-09 20:45:18 +0000 UTC]

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

AmbyrClement [2020-07-27 23:07:56 +0000 UTC]

Love your bases. They are always amazing! What advice can you give for someone who's trying to do a base with Ibispaint?

👍: 0 ⏩: 2

Trixie-Foxie In reply to AmbyrClement [2020-10-13 16:31:49 +0000 UTC]

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

ElementBases In reply to AmbyrClement [2020-07-29 12:43:50 +0000 UTC]

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Bl0ddy-P3ach [2019-07-09 19:37:07 +0000 UTC]

i suggest using any program to make the color black so you can use any color you want

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Kawaii-tron [2019-07-02 20:11:40 +0000 UTC]

Which colors shouldn't be used for the Young Six? Admittedly, Ocellus in my Changeling Group Base kind of looks odd with the colors used.
(I don't know if I should link it... Should I?)
Edit: Oof, I'm silly... I think. You meant while you're making the base, right?

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

ElementBases In reply to Kawaii-tron [2019-07-02 20:18:42 +0000 UTC]

Any colors work for Yona and Silver Stream apart from Silver Stream's necklace, which shouldn't be traced with bright blue.

As for the others:

Smolder: Don't trace her body with yellow or her eyes with bright blue

Gallus: Don't trace his body, claws, or beak with bright blue or yellow, and his eyes also shouldn't be traced with bright blue.

Ocellus: Don't trace her body with red.

Sandbar: Don't trace his body with bright blue.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Kawaii-tron In reply to ElementBases [2019-07-02 23:29:28 +0000 UTC]

Okay, thank you. ^-^

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

the-rose-of-tralee [2019-05-23 05:38:15 +0000 UTC]

Very informative! Nice work!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

ElementBases In reply to the-rose-of-tralee [2019-05-23 16:20:21 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

berrypass [2019-05-20 22:52:05 +0000 UTC]

What about when multiple ponies are touching/overlapping? How should I line it?

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

ElementBases In reply to berrypass [2019-05-21 01:11:26 +0000 UTC]

Trace the pony that seems to be overlapped the most first. Like for example, Rainbow Dash was layered behind Fluttershy,
so I traced her first after I traced Twilight for demonstration sake. You should always trace the character
that's layered the farthest so that when you have to trace other characters in the screenshot later on, it doesn't cause
complications with your own traced lines.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

berrypass In reply to ElementBases [2019-05-21 01:17:48 +0000 UTC]

Oh, thanks

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Constanta-Bucharei [2019-04-10 13:40:01 +0000 UTC]

i use both the single line method, and the thick line method (idk why i'm saying this rn, but i'm just letting u know)

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

ElementBases In reply to Constanta-Bucharei [2019-04-10 15:59:54 +0000 UTC]

In a way, I do too since I use the thick lined method for the body of the characters then the single lined method for the face ^w^

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Constanta-Bucharei In reply to ElementBases [2019-04-10 16:24:49 +0000 UTC]

oo


i use the thick method, for the mane lines and tracing covered parts (sometimes)

and i used the single line method for sharpening (sometimes, i use it completely)

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

ElementBases In reply to Constanta-Bucharei [2019-04-10 16:26:31 +0000 UTC]

Oo nice o3o

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Constanta-Bucharei In reply to ElementBases [2019-04-10 16:31:48 +0000 UTC]

thx

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Pyreice [2019-03-11 12:48:57 +0000 UTC]

What colors shouldn't i use for Gilda?

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

ElementBases In reply to Pyreice [2019-03-11 16:20:06 +0000 UTC]

Don't use yellow for her eyes, beak, or claws.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Pyreice In reply to ElementBases [2019-03-11 20:21:38 +0000 UTC]

Ah,thanks!I knew about her beak and eyes,but i wasn't sure about her claws.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

LegitPotatoMash [2019-03-03 20:14:33 +0000 UTC]

My paint seems like it doesn't recognize the shortcut for pencil thickness resizing.. Does every MS paint have this shortcut or it depends on the computer?

👍: 0 ⏩: 2

LegitPotatoMash In reply to LegitPotatoMash [2019-03-03 20:25:09 +0000 UTC]

Oh nvmnd it worked! xD   

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

ElementBases In reply to LegitPotatoMash [2019-03-03 20:17:45 +0000 UTC]

To my knowledge, all MS Paint programs have the Ctrl and + or - command.
Are you using the + and - buttons on your number pad or the one beside the backspace button?

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

LegitPotatoMash In reply to ElementBases [2019-03-04 11:43:42 +0000 UTC]

I figured it out, but yeah, I've been using ones on the upper number pad first,
but then the ones next to the backspace and enter turned out to be the right ones.
Thank you anyways for revealing the shortcut of resizing brush thickness in paint, it's always been such a mystery for me xD

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

ElementBases In reply to LegitPotatoMash [2019-03-04 14:15:55 +0000 UTC]

You're welcome xD

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

ChaosCY [2019-02-02 13:32:08 +0000 UTC]

hey this is very helpful but what colours would you suggest not using for tempest

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

ElementBases In reply to ChaosCY [2019-02-02 14:45:04 +0000 UTC]

Don't use bright blue for her eyes or around the Storm King symbol on her armor.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

BlackFaithStar [2019-01-13 06:43:43 +0000 UTC]

Thank you, this is very helpful!

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Liya04 [2019-01-13 05:13:46 +0000 UTC]

This is really helpful! 😊👍

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

LuckySwirlsYT [2019-01-13 04:02:27 +0000 UTC]

meep this is way beautiful from ur other bases xDDDDDDD ElementBases  

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Heartjack [2019-01-13 00:55:25 +0000 UTC]

THANK YOU! This is going to help me a lot! Thanks my favorite base maker!

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

LolaDreamTeam [2019-01-13 00:19:23 +0000 UTC]

When I made my bases, I covered the whole screenshot grey and then fitting the color lines in it. That was so easy because you don't want waste your time erase all of the leftover color of the screenshot.

Also are you going to upload the base that you did in tutorial?

Edit: Ok I just spot that Twilight is missing her eyelashes in the screenshot

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

ElementBases In reply to LolaDreamTeam [2019-01-13 15:05:30 +0000 UTC]

Yes I will upload the base once it's finished. I didn't get to finish it yesterday because of a personal issue that came up but I'll get it up today
And I don't change the color of the screenshot because I just personally find it easier to work with more colors

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

LolaDreamTeam In reply to ElementBases [2019-01-13 17:02:40 +0000 UTC]

ok

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

CorrinaFloraline [2019-01-12 23:02:31 +0000 UTC]

Nice.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

JadeCrystalStaring [2019-01-12 22:36:50 +0000 UTC]

wow that is help me for my first! :3, but how about mlp all characters dont use another  colors for base?

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

ElementBases In reply to JadeCrystalStaring [2019-01-13 15:06:32 +0000 UTC]

Are you asking about avoiding a certain color for another character?

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

JadeCrystalStaring In reply to ElementBases [2019-01-13 15:12:02 +0000 UTC]

ya

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

ElementBases In reply to JadeCrystalStaring [2019-01-13 15:12:52 +0000 UTC]

Which characters are you concerned about?

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

JadeCrystalStaring In reply to ElementBases [2019-01-13 15:21:28 +0000 UTC]

Fillies and Princessses

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

ElementBases In reply to JadeCrystalStaring [2019-01-13 15:27:07 +0000 UTC]

I'll ad the CMC and the princesses to my little list at the bottom of the description!

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

xXYazzyChanArtsXx [2019-01-12 22:28:57 +0000 UTC]

What episode is the image in the Paint of the tutorial?

👍: 0 ⏩: 2

ElementBases In reply to xXYazzyChanArtsXx [2019-01-13 15:04:13 +0000 UTC]

It's from Season 6, Episode: To Where and Back Again Pt 1

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

XxArstyrainbowponyXx In reply to xXYazzyChanArtsXx [2019-01-13 00:40:40 +0000 UTC]

Season 5 Episode 1 or maybe 2

👍: 0 ⏩: 0