@Atnas:
Hello, and thanks for responding.
I'm sure you have the solution to my problem, since you've used Photoshop 5.5. But, to be honest with you, I really don't understand the exact details of the steps you describe. It might be that we're using different terminologies. But, if you rephrase your comments and list the steps slowly and in order with a little more detail, that would be a big help for me. (I'm sorry for being such a "dunce".) I'm very proficient with Photoshop 5.0, knowing how to use the tools and the layers palette, etc.
So, let me rephrase what you're saying just so you can see the source(s) of my confusion.
So, I should do the outline on a transparent layer above my JPEG image? (Recall that I'm not a very good drawer and that my curves look "herky-jerky".)
What tool(s) should I use to make the black outline, and should they be used in the anti-aliased or aliased mode?
What "Options" should I use for the drawing tool(s)?
After I've done the black outline, I should "preserve transparency" on the layer (is this what you mean by "lock layer transparency")?
And then I go back in and re-color the black outline so that the outline-pixel colors match the colors next to them within the JPEG image? I could use the pencil for this as well as the brush, correct?
And then I fill the area outside the outline with black (after turning off "preserve transparency", of course). I could use the paint bucket or even the pencil (with a large-diameter setting in the brushes palette) to do this, correct? I can certainly see that at this point we don't have any anti-aliased pixels on this layer, since everything is black outside the line I've drawn.
This is what I don't understand: my outline around the image (on the transparent layer above the image) now is aliased, or stair-steppy, exactly as I've drawn it. Correct? The outline probably won't be very good, since I'm not a good pixel-drawer. So, I really don't see how these steps give me a better outline than I'm capable of making on my own?
You say, "Or! use the wand with 0 tolerance on the area outside the contour you've drawn". This implies that the tool(s) I used for drawing the contour was in the anti-aliased mode, correct? Then the magic wand (with 0 tolerance) would remove the AA.
You say, "then go down to the jpeg layer and hit delete to clear the AA away." I don't understand this comment at all. If I hit delete on the JPEG layer, wouldn't it just disappear leaving me with what I'd done one the layer above, which would have the outline (which I'd colored in) and black outside of this. I'd want to preserve my image and not have it disappear.
I sure hope helping me and answering all my "lame-brain" questions hasn't turned into a big headache for you. Like I said, I really think you can solve my problem, once I understand you fully.
Many Thanks,
LBBL

Again, Many Thanks, Ai, for taking time to respond with the good info.
I downloaded GrafX2 and will check it out. (It will be a while before I can investigate fully, because I have so many "irons in the fire" that I fear that I might get burned -- lol.)
To clarify: as far as outlining the image, I don't want to put a solid-color outline (like red or blue) all the way around it. The outline-pixel color will change as one goes around the image depending on what color the pixel is next to it inside the JPEG image. In other words, the goal is not to see any outline at all. The pixel outline is to blend in with the rest of the image, so *all* anyone would notice would be the aliased, stair-steppy edge around the image.
If I haven't made myself clear, please let me know and I'll try to rephrase, since this is the important crux of what I'm interested in now.
Again, many thanks.
LBBL

Hello everyone:
I just joined the site yesterday, and I really don't know anything about pixelation. But I'm very impressed with the posts I read, especially in the manner in which members convert a drawing to an image with an aliased (i.e., stair-steppy) edge suitable for making a transparent GIF in Photoshop via GIF89a Export. (My version of PS is *really old* -- version 5.0 -- but I can do a lot with it.)
If I want to convert an image that's in a JPEG to a transparent GIF, what I do is use the eraser to remove rather quickly the background around the image and then go in with the line tool around the edges to smooth them out. Then I try to make a stair-steppy, aliased edge *by hand* with the eraser and pencil, but it's difficult to get it to look "smooth flowing", or continuous. I noticed that the little figures you all make have PERFECT aliased edges around the borders. How do you all get the edges looking so perfect? Is there a computer program or something that converts an image with an anti-aliased edge into one with an aliased edge suitable for making a transparent GIF via GIF89a Export.
I'd really appreciate any help or advice you all can give me on this question.
Thanks in advance.
LBBL