Icon Maker

• 1). Open a Web browser and navigate to the Icon Maker website. Click the "Browse" button to locate the picture you want to use on the computer.
  
  
• 2). Choose the "emoticons" option to make a 15 pixel by 15 pixel emote from the picture. This is the size needed to use the image as a personalized emoticon in text messages.
  
  
• 3). Drag and drop the square that appears over the area of the picture you want to be the emote.
  
  
• 4). Click the "Preview" button to see what the icon will look like. Select "Make Icon" to create the icon and click the "Save" link to save the finished emote.
  
  

Smiley Central

• 1). Navigate to the Smiley Central website and download the program. Click the downloaded icon twice to install.
  
  
• 2). Choose the emote body type. Drag and drop the "hair style," "eyes" and "smile" you want to use on the custom emoticon.
  
  
• 3). Click "Save" to save the new emote to your computer.
  
  

Emoticon Maker

• 1). Navigate to Emoticon Maker and click the "Download" button. Click the downloaded icon twice to install.
  
  
• 2). Select the "Browse" button to choose the image you want to make into an emote. Select the size you want the emoticon to be. Small 15 pixel by 15 pixel emotes are used in text and larger 30 pixel by 30 pixel emotes are used as AIM profile images.
  
  
• 3). Drag and drop the box around the area of the image you want to use as the emote. Click the "Rotate Left" or Rotate Right" button to move the image into the position you want.
  
  
• 4). Click "Save" when the emote is finished.
  
  

Upload to AIM

• 1). Open the AOL Instant Messaging program and click on the "Edit" tab. Select "Settings."
  
  
• 2). Click the "Expressions" tab in the settings window and select "All Buddy Icons."
  
  
• 3). Click "Browse," locate the icon you made with one of the icon making programs and select "Open." Click "Save" to complete the process.