This is, as far as I know, a different method I came up with. 
The hair is normally the most difficult part, I'll save that for part II assuming anyone's interested.
Step 1 - this only works for images with solid, one color, backgrounds. Find an image with a solid bg.
Step 2 - Select the color to alpha, transparency, feature.
Step 3 - Set the background color(white) to transparency.
Step 4 - This is similar to what it should look like after alpha to transparency is utilized.
Step 5 - Create another layer that is the same color(white) as the color that was alpha to transparency and move it below the layer you started out with.
Step 6 - Select the layer whose background was transparetized and use the alpha to selection option.
Step 7 - Use the selection invert option to select the opposite of what was selected by alpha to selection.
Step 8 - Select the other layer, the one that has a solid bg color and use delete to get rid of everything that is now highlighted. This is similar to what it should look like afterwards.
Step 9 - Make the above layer invisible & what should be left is a decent outline of the image.
Step 10 - Make a transparent layer on the very bottom and begin filling it in the outline with the color(white) made transparent in the very beginning.
Step 11 - Making the above layer visible shows the progress being made.
Step 12 - If the outline is difficult to see add a black(or other assorted color) background layer to make the outline more visible.
Step 13 - For detailed areas, zoom in and use a smaller brush for more delicate work.
Step 14 - Here we can see nearly the entire outline has been filled in. Its nearly completed!
Step 15 - And here we can see what the nearly completed rendering looks like!
The hair is normally the most difficult part, I'll save that for part II assuming anyone's interested.
Make it easier for those smaller parts like hair if possible 