Do you want to know HOW to make ASCI art to decorate your posts and attract attention when you advertertise your garden?

This Thread will tell you how.  (Just now I'm asking some of the greats of the last 3 years for permission to re-post their old Guides)
Message me if you have ideas on this - or visit my garden http://apps.facebook.com/fbfairy/fairygarden.php?id=1759149

TO CREATE YOUR OWN WORK:

You will need a list of codes

try here
http://www.usefulshortcuts.com/downloads/ALT-Codes.pdf
or here
http://www.alt-codes.net/
or here
http://knopok.net/symbol-codes/alt-codes.html

Also you can find a character map within your own computer (if running windows) by going to the Start Menu All Programs Accessories System Tools Character map

For Laptops

Most laptops have the Function key (FN). Some of your keys have what ends up representing a NumPad on them. Enable NumLock (FN ScrLck on some laptops) and hold ALT and then hit those keys to input special symbols. If it doesn't work try FN Alt instead of just Alt key.

For PC

Enable number lock and hold down the Alt key while you type in the whole number on the number pad that corresponds with the icon you are wanting

So how is ASCII art done?

The simplest method - is to simply copy what you see and enjoy - thanking the original creator. 

To create your own work - either as adaptions of earlier pieces - or from scratch, assemble the pieces you want to use.

Copy pieces you like into a Word or wordpad file.  Add to this details you like - butterflies, stars, hearts etc.
Then practice moving pieces of your samples around to create new designs, like these:

☆.•´¯`•.☆.•´¯`•.☆.•´¯`•.☆
⋱ ⋮ ⋰ ♥Hαṿε α ώøṉḋεɾƒυl ώεεќεṉḋ!
⋯ ◯ ⋯
⋰ ⋮ ⋱ ♥Sprinkles
。 ★。。Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵Ʒ.
.(ړײ)....(ړײ)
.«▓»♥«*▓»
..╝╚....╝╚
☆.•´¯`•.☆.•´¯`•.☆.•´¯`•.☆

**
 

¸.*‘.¸¸ . ✶*¨*. ¸ .✫*¨*.¸¸.✶*¨‘*✶
Pippi. . ✫ . .★☀ Sprinkles! ☀★¸¸.☆
‘.¸¸ . ✶*¨*. ¸ .✫*¨*.¸¸.✶*¨‘*✫
**
(Patricia 'Pipstar' Paxton-Atkinson)

ི♥ྀღ
( ི♥ྀ Fairy ི♥ྀ
`.¸¸♥´¯) ¸.☆´¯)
(¸☆´ (¸.♥´´¯`•.¸¸.ღ
ི♥ྀ Sprinkles ི♥

*** Once you are happy with your design, test it on your 'back' or Fairy Wall, tweaking anything that didn't work right.  Then save it.  When you go out watering gardens, just copy it from your word file.  In the 'comment' box of a garden, right click the typing space. Click the option to 'paste'.  Your copied art will appear.  Add text - and then post.  You are in business! ***

A couple of pieces of advice when saving files in Word or Wordpad.:  In Facebook, only single spaces are allowed between characters, so create space with periods .......  Secondly the Font. Copied art often appears in your file as boxes like these []. If you convert everything to @Arial Unicode MS rather than basic Arial, the special characters will then reappear.  This foxed me for weeks.

Rupa, I'm so glad you had a copy of the Old HOW TO GUIDE : )
Thanks for sharing some of your trouble shooting with everyone.
It's very helpful! Your the best xx
Nice variety of samples .
ch

Thanks Cindy! 
Here is a new trick - of Cindys - I have been testing:

^v^. The witches Ride tonight!..
　　✫
　　　　^v^　　　 `’-\
*./\((¯`'•.. .. . .)#\.... . ....•'´¯)) 　　　 ☾
\/░\ ((¯`'•.¸__/░#)___..¸.•'´¯))
¨ / *.((¯`'•.¸ //(*_*)\\ ¸.•'´¯))¨
\/░ */\'((¯`'•((* )︶(*))­•'´¯))
░ ░./░\.(.//( •. .⋎ . •.)\\ )
░\./░"░'\//` ︶)==(︶..\\ ˛✫
.░\ * ||=((=♣.\\(@)//=♣))== . ../\✲
*.░\ ⌢.¤ ⁀ *.\ ."/▓▓\" ./. .. . . . ./░\
░░░\⌢.*⌢ =\({▓▓})/=. ..✲. ./ ░*\*
||"'⌢'.¤ ⁀.⌢.¤."\{▓▓}/" ¤ ⁀.. ⁀. . . .. ||⌢✲
⌢.¤._⁀ ⌢_⌢_.⁀. {▓▓ }⌢_ - Splash! ⁀ ⌢_ ⁀ .⌢ .. x

Do you see at the top of this witch :
　　✫
　　　　^v^　　　 `’-\
*./\((¯`'•.. .. . .)#\.... . ....•'´¯)) 　　　 ☾

...That there are large gaps without dots?:　　　 ☾　　✫ - There are hidden codes before each moon/star- but they copy well - just keep a note in docs where you are testing them :)   
a HUGE thanks to Cindy for discovering this long sought after bonus! xxxxx

You always manage to brighten my day Rupa : ) Thank you dear friend. xx

It's an amazing technique - and you well deserve the praise! (One day I'll work out how to reveal codes..) Bless!

Ƴoʋ ɑɾɛ a şƚaɾ　 　 ˎ ˡ ˏ
　　 ıƞ my şƙy　　˗ ✶ ˗
⋮ˎ⋰　　　　　　　´ ˡ `
ʾ)⋯ 　ąƞd ƚɦɛ wạŗmƭh
⋮´⋱ 　　Ɩƞ mƴ ƕɛɑŗƭ ♥

Ɩ'm şǫ hąƥƥƴ ƚơ hąvɛ ƴơư ɑş ɑ ƒŗḭɛŋď : )

another one without dots

The simple themes of Sun and Water. Oh, simple seagulls too

⋱ ⋮ ⋰. . . . . )_
⋯ O ⋯.  . . . . . . . )_
⋰ ⋮ ⋱
._.·´¯(_.⋱·´¯(_,..·´¯(_..·´¯( . . . ☆
.·´¯(_..._.·´¯`·O._.·´¯`·._
·.._.·´¯`._.·´¯`·o..._.·´¯`·._

(I'm posting back in here as a new Group suddenly disappeared (ASCII ~ Fairyland Art ) Pity, as lots of good ideas. )

Small Capital Leters you can use for your messages
ᴀ ʙ ᴄ ᴅ ᴇ ғ ɢ ʜ ɪ ᴊ ᴋ ʟ ᴍ ɴ ᴏ ᴘ ǫ ʀ s ᴛ ᴜ ᴠ ᴡ x ʏ ᴢ

Upside down Leters you can use for your messages
Z ʎ X M Λ ∩ ⊥ S ᴚ b Ԁ O N W L ʞ ɾ I H ƃ Ⅎ Ǝ p Ͻ q ∀

A mixed bag of letters
∀ℬ ℂ ℇ ℱ ℌ ℓ ℐ K ℒ ℳ ℕ Ơ ℙ ℚ ℝ ℜ ℛ ʂ Ƭ Ʊ Ʋ Ẇ Ƴ ℤ