How to make a cursor.

So. This is the first “tutorial” I’m ever writing. I hope I do a good job at explaining everything! 

If you’re making a cursor for Tumblr it’s different than making one for your computer. They start off the same way though. Making/Drawing/Designing/Whatever word you’d like to use your cursor. 

I’m using Photoshop. Technically you could use Paint. They both allow you to save pictures as .PNG files. Photoshop will make your life a lot easier though. I’m using Photoshop 7. Odds are you have a much newer version than me. Most things should still be the same though. :) 

Step One:
Make a new document that is 32pixels by 32pixels.  
 

Step Two:
Zoom in 1600%
 

Step Three:
Design your cursor. What you make is totally up to you. For the sake of this tutorial I’ll show you how to make a simple triangle. If you already know what you’d like to make skip ahead to step four. 

Triangle Cursor. 
1. Make a new layer. Start by “drawing” a line 25pixles long down the edge of the “paper”. I’m using the color #8300A4. Make sure you are using a square pencil that is 1pixel and at a 100% hardness. 
 

 

To switch to a square brush/pencil:

 

To select the brush/pencil tool and size: 
 
If it is automatically set to a brush (like mine is) RIGHT CLICK on the brush and than select the pencil tool. 

To change the hardness:

Wow. I made that look a lot harder than it is! Haha. :) 

The reason you want a square pencil is to make it easier to make sure your line is exactly 25pixels long. You can just make the line one square at a time. Now instead of thinking of it as 25pixels long you can think of it as 25squares long! 

So here is our line:

 

I pinky swear in gets easier from here! 

2. Now we make a line that is 8 pixels long going diagonal to the right. 

3. Now we go 10pixels to the right.

4. Now up 18pixels diagonally to the left.  


5. Now use the fill tool to fill it in.  Pick a lighter color than the color you used for the outline. I’m using #CA1AFD.

6. Now we’re going to change some blending options.  

Now we change the Bevel and Emboss 
 

Next we work on the Contour

Now the Inner Shadow 

Now click okay. 

7. Now click on your background layer once to make sure it’s selected. Than delete it. Now we have a transparent background. 


 

Now just save it. Make sure you save it as a .PNG file. 
In the top right corner click on “File” than “Save As”
 

Okay, now back to the main tutorial. 

Step Four:
There are a few options for this step. It Depends on what you’re using it for.  
For Tumblr:
You need to use the following code:
 <style> body, a, a:hover { cursor:url(URL GOES HERE), auto }</style><a href=””></a><a href=””></a>

You’ll also need a “direct URL”.  It’s very easy to find this. Save the image anywhere on the internet. (I have a page on my Tumblr.) You can use Photobucket and sites like that too. Some of them give you the direct URL. Others block you from getting it. So. Yeah. Play around with that. Once you have it on the internet RIGHT CLICK on it. Click “View image in new tab” copy the URL and paste it into the code where it says “URL GOES HERE”. Copy that code into your Tumblr’s description. 

If you’re using it for your computer there’s A LOT more steps. So bare with me. 

You’ll need a cursor program. I use Axialis. I believe it costs $60. When I got it I got a free 30 day trial. I’m not sure if that’s still something they do or not. 

Open your image up.  

Once it is open press “i” on your keyboard. 

A box will pop up. Choose 32X32-256

 
Click okay.

Here’s a tip. There’s a button that looks like this  right on the top above your cursor. Use this tool to select where the cursor clicks from. 

Now just save your cursor.

To set this as the cursor on your computer:
1. Click on start
2. Go to control panel
3. Click on “Mouse”
4. Click on the “Pointers” tab
5.Click browse
6. Find the cursor
7. Click open
8. Click apply
9. Hug a guinea pig
10. You now have a cursor.  

I  hope I did an okay job of explaining everything. Let me know if you have any questions! :)