My Little Black Top - sigh

I've been using Gimp because I thought Photoshop just wasn't worth paying for, especially for someone like me who is just learning graphics. But a good friend of mine sent me Photoshop as a winrar file and, I eventually managed to open and save it to my desktop (don't ask me how, because I can't remember how I did it, I just clicked on everything until something happened - wish I'd made a note of how I did it for future use). I'm going to try using the photoshop because, although I find the Gimp much easier to use, there are more tutorials and help available for Photoshop and I need all the help I can get.

ok after a lot of struggle I managed to create a little black top using the tutorial in Mermaid diaries. But I have a neck problem.

Let me just run through what I did

I used a template by Robin Cook, Layered Photoshop (psd) file
Opened it, (that took ages because I couldn't find where it was saved on my desktop - told you I was hopeless)
Anyway I reduced the size to 512x512 pixel then zoomed in to see the template better.
I created a new layer, named it 'backdrop' when I tried to drag this layer to the bottom of the layer pile it wouldn't let me then I noticed that the other layers were locked into position so had to unlock them first before I could move the 'backdrop' - anyway managed to sort that out.
I filed the backdrop with White.
Clicked on 'backdrop' and created a new layer, which I named 'shirt'.
Selected 'Shirt'/lasso tool and drew an outline around the front of shirt template. Then it said to fill with black, but when I clicked on black it came up grey (which I'm told is semi-transparent) tried always to get a black colour but couldn't so I had to click on the black 15 times with the paint bucket to make it 'black' not grey. Had to repeat that for the back of the shirt.
Now this is where it went really wrong:
I selected the 'Pen tool' made sure 'paths' was selected at the top, then drew a path around the neck edge with 5 points.
Then I had to change pen tool to 'convert paint tool' click and hold on the middle anchor point and drag it to the right to make a nice neat neckline. NOW IS IT ME? but when I dragged the centre anchor point the whole neck opening went all weird, it didnt' give me a neat neckline at all, so instead I made a few anchor points to try and make a round neck instead of using the 'convert paint tool' but when I uploaded the finished top to Second Life and viewed it in preview the neck was all jagged, so that can't be right.
Anyway, to go back to the neckline, after I'd made my anchor points I right clicked on template window, chose 'make selection', 'new selection' the went to top tool bar and chose 'edit' and 'clear'. which, should have cut away a nice neat neckline but, as already stated, I had a jagged neckline, sigh.
Ok, I carried on regardless:
I clicked on all the 'eyes' leaving only the 'shirt' layer visible and selected 'layer transparency.
In the 'channels' tab I clicked on this funny little grey square with a white dot to creat an 'Alpha 1' layer.
Then as an optional extra, to prevent any white bits showing around the edges, I went back to my 'backdrop' layer created 'new layer and selected black as my foreground colour, but when I tried to fill this layer . . . it wouldn't . . . grrrrrrrrrrrrr
Managed to save it as a targa file, but, as I said, when I uploaded and previewed it the neck wasn't right so . . . . it's back to the drawing board.
Update:
Forget the 'pen tool' and 'convert pen tool' they may be great tools for some designers and, I would imagine, very good for V neck tops or tops with sharp lines, but if you want a round neck use the oval ellipse at the top. It's a bit tricky to get both back and front in the same place at the shoulder join but at least you get a perfect round neck with no jagged edges.
Next step
Turn my 'Little Black Top' into see-through top. . . . wish me luck

DAY 1 - JUST STARTING

I do a bit of designing and dressmaking in RL, but I am a complete idiot when it comes to computer graphics, soooooo. . . making clothes and textures here is going to be quite a challenge. I simply don't have a clue. I use a free download of the Gimp, not because I'm mean or broke, but because I really don't see the point in spending a lot of money on an expensive graphics package when I doubt if I'll manage to even grasp the basics :). Ahh well ! nothing ventured. I read the Mermaid diaries (she's so good). Well I think I might just call this the 'Hopeless Diaries' lol.

Ok, don't laugh, but this is the dress I want to eventually make. Quite a challenge humm, and I can just about make a skirt in SL in 'appearance' and add a texture. But I like a challenge and I'm going to learn the skills needed to make this dress. Might take a year (maybe longer) but I'll get there eventually :)