2.) If you want to make animated icons then make sure you download Animation Shop which you can get a trial here.
3.) Using Paint Shop Pro, click File then click New. Set the Width and Height to 48 by 48. AIM Icons must be 48 by 48 pixels or the icon will be messed up. Using Paint, you can just copy and paste this border so you will know the size needed for your icon.
4.) To make a doll icon: Create a doll in a dollmaker such as in here. While your on your dollmaking press the Prt Scr (Print Screen) button on your keyboard. (Nothing noticable will happen when you press it but thats ok) Go to PSP or Paint and press Ctrl V or Edit then click Paste. Then highlight your doll, copy it by pressing Ctrl C or Edit then Copy. Then open up a new window and click Ctrl V or Paste again. You then should have your doll.
Now you have to cut your doll into 3 pieces. Click the dotted rectangle on the left task bar. Click the box and then cut out the head and some of the neck and a little bit of the chest. Ctrl C to copy this part. Open up a new window and paste it. Then do the same thing with the body or middle section of the doll and paste it to a new window. Then you have to do it with the legs and feet part and paste it to a new window. Then you must make sure all the parts fit the 48 by 48 width and height. To make a word icon: Just type wat u want and fit it into the icon as you like.
5.) Now you must animate! To animate open up Animation Shop. Copy one part of your icon from PSP or Paint. Then go to Animation Shop and click Edit then click paste. Now go to Edit then Paste then After Current Frame or Ctrl + Shift + L to paste the icon in the next few frames so you can animate it.
6.) To fix the time go to Animation then click Frame Properties. A smaller number will make the animation faster while a bigger number will make it slow down. Do this for each frame or part of the icon.
7.) Then you can save your icon by clicking File then click Save as. Type what you want to save it as then click Save. Then a box will pop up, make sure it is set as Better Image Quality, and then click Customize. Just keep on clicking Next and Save it finally. Then you are done!
