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Professor

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"Art Thread. for tutorials + games + misc." , posted Mon 21 Feb 22:40:

Making a new thread to inherit the topic previously made by nobinobita last year here.

Nintendo's Advance Wars series illustrator Ryo Hirata now has his own art lesson book out. It consists of two chapters with the first focusing on basic drawing tips and the second on character designing. A lot of the tips are practical.

Sample1 / Sample2

This should be worth the mention: Unlike similar manga-style tutorial books, all the pages are singlehandedly drawn by him. As far as I know, the only other book to have done that was Midori Fu's. Fu's book is more geared towards manga whereas Hirata's seems better towards designs for games. Their backgrounds kind of explains that of course.

[Edit] Fu also has a color lesson book that's done solo, but the colorings screams photoshop.

[this message was edited by Professor on Mon 21 Feb 23:08]

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Toxico

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"Re(1):Art Thread. for tutorials + games + mis" , posted Wed 23 Feb 01:41

Not 100% related, but Kusogaki's blog has pointed out an article that does a retrospective on Shinkiro's hairy hands. Good stuff.

目に焼きつけて、死ぬがいい・・・
Update 23 as of 25/10/10 (Temporary mega upload link).

Now sponsoring : video game analogies (ES)
Last update : Chapter 22 as of 10/01/11

karasu99

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"Re(1):Art Thread. for tutorials + games + mis" , posted Wed 23 Feb 02:45

quote:

Nintendo's Advance Wars series illustrator Ryo Hirata now has his own art lesson book out. It consists of two chapters with the first focusing on basic drawing tips and the second on character designing. A lot of the tips are practical.

Thanks Professor! I've always enjoyed how airy and light Hirata's work has seemed, despite how heavy the subject matter might be. I liked seeing the samples, but it makes me wonder-- has a collected volume of his work ever been released? I can't seem to find one, so I tend to think there hasn't.

Also, I loved the cavalcade of Shinkiro work! I used to seriously hate his work, since there was just something weird about his faces, but his style has really grown on me, to the point that seeing his new more stylized work makes me nostalgic for his older stuff. I think in part it's nostalgia for older SNK as well, but still.

Gojira

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"Re(2):Art Thread. for tutorials + games + mis" , posted Wed 23 Feb 03:20

quote:
Not 100% related, but Kusogaki's blog has pointed out an article that does a retrospective on Shinkiro's hairy hands. Good stuff.

Very nice! I thought I'd seen every Shinkiro piece there ever was but looking through that I can see that I was wrong. The Resident Evil stuff in particular is amazing.

chazumaru

745th Post

Red Carpet Regular Member+

"Re(3):Art Thread. for tutorials + games + mis" , posted Wed 23 Feb 06:16

I can recommend this old issue of Comickers. It develops on Shinkiro's process for computer-managed colorization. And yes, this is a collaboration with Terada Katsuya. Comickers was awesome.

無限早見は無限早見は無限早見は無限早見は無限早見は無限早見は無限早見は無限早見は無限早見は無限早見は

sfried

633th Post

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"Re(1):Art Thread. for tutorials + games + mis" , posted Wed 23 Feb 12:40:

quote:
Making a new thread to inherit the topic previously made by nobinobita last year here.

Nintendo's Advance Wars series illustrator Ryo Hirata now has his own art lesson book out. It consists of two chapters with the first focusing on basic drawing tips and the second on character designing. A lot of the tips are practical.

Sample1 / Sample2

I really hope they get around to translating that. My Japanese is still too frisky to understand some of the more technical terminology. I hate to admit but I have most of Graphic Sha's How To Draw Manga series.

quote:
Thanks Professor! I've always enjoyed how airy and light Hirata's work has seemed, despite how heavy the subject matter might be. I liked seeing the samples, but it makes me wonder-- has a collected volume of his work ever been released? I can't seem to find one, so I tend to think there hasn't.

It kinda reminds me of the artwork for Ghost Trick. It had that same sort of stylized simplification but it isn't the same kind that you see in most anime design nowadays (where they tend to omit noses and make things look oversimplified). There's just something about videogame character art design that strikes me as more distinct and unique (and dignified even). I also really like reading about artists concept for creating and designing characters. I wish there were more books published on the subject.

[this message was edited by sfried on Wed 23 Feb 13:14]

Nobinobita

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"Re(1):Art Thread. for tutorials + games + mis" , posted Wed 23 Feb 17:41

I just wanted to say, thanks for posting so much awesome info in this thread! Those books look great! And that Comickers with Terada x Shinkiro? Get outta town! That's amazing!

www.art-eater.com

sfried

634th Post

Red Carpet Regular Member

"Re(2):Art Thread. for tutorials + games + mis" , posted Sat 12 Mar 07:45

Anybody with good advice with drawing tools? I've been thinking about getting a COPIC marker or those bush markers but I have little experience with them. And I really suck at nibs (becaus of inkspills, etc.)

karasu99

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"Re(3):Art Thread. for tutorials + games + mis" , posted Sat 12 Mar 08:49

quote:
Anybody with good advice with drawing tools? I've been thinking about getting a COPIC marker or those bush markers but I have little experience with them. And I really suck at nibs (becaus of inkspills, etc.)

I've used Copics as well as their less expensive doppelganger Touch markers (made by ShinHan Art), and I've had quite a bit of success. Copic is good because you can replace ink and nibs, which is nice and not nearly as wasteful-- especially since I am hell on nibs and ink. I do not believe the Touch markers are refillable.

Even though you didn't ask about this: For digital stuff I've loved my Wacom tablet-- it's the cheap one from a few years back, but it's great. I've played with their expensive integrated monitor where you draw on-screen and it is fantastic! But not so fantastically priced-- it's something crazy like $2500.

I'd love to hear people's recommendations on paper. Not that I have much time to draw these days, but I can dream, right?

sfried

635th Post

Red Carpet Regular Member

"Re(4):Art Thread. for tutorials + games + mis" , posted Sat 12 Mar 09:59

Thanks. I just ordered a COPIC marker. Perhaps I'll get the Sakura Brush after that considering I have a set of Pigma Microns that are nice for touch-ups.

As for myself, I have a WACOM Bamboo but I definitley need Photoshop to harness its full potential.

Nobinobita

880th Post

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"Re(5):Art Thread. for tutorials + games + mis" , posted Sat 12 Mar 17:50

quote:
Thanks. I just ordered a COPIC marker. Perhaps I'll get the Sakura Brush after that considering I have a set of Pigma Microns that are nice for touch-ups.

As for myself, I have a WACOM Bamboo but I definitley need Photoshop to harness its full potential.

If you're interested in digital painting try out SAI:

http://www.systemax.jp/en/sai/

Easy Paint Tool SAI is an art program that has been popular in the manga community for years. It's gaining some steam in the US as well and for good reason, it's easily the best digital painting program out there. Photoshop is still the tops for editing, but SAI is far superior for painting, drawing and inking. Whereas photoshop has its roots in photo editing, SAI is very much optimized for illustration.

I didn't believe it at first, but trying it out in person was an eye opening experience. The brush settings and pressure sensitivity are a dream come true. You know how tablets claim to have hundreds if not thousands of levels of pressure sensitivity, and yet Photoshop only seems to register 2? SAI actually interprets subtle shifts in pressure really really well. Furthermore, SAI lets you mix colors on the canvas using a brush, without having to switch to a blend tool. It feels very much like laying down oil paint.

The pen tool also has a feature that I've always wanted in Illustrator and Flash. You can lay down a line (in vector form!) then edit the width and tapering of the line handily. No need to fuss with curves. This is really intuitive, innovative stuff.

I imagine that SAI works so well because it doesn't have a two decade long legacy of code behind it. It's all fresh, unencumbered awesomeness.

You can download a 31 day trial of SAI at the website and if you like it, it's less than $60 to purchase a license for the full product. It's a really sweet deal!

www.art-eater.com

Nobinobita

881th Post

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"Re(4):Art Thread. for tutorials + games + mis" , posted Sat 12 Mar 18:31

quote:
I've played with their expensive integrated monitor where you draw on-screen and it is fantastic! But not so fantastically priced-- it's something crazy like $2500.

I have the original Cintiq and it is awwwwesome (and was hella expensive). They've since released a smaller more affordable model called the Cintiq 12UX which costs under $1000.

If you're thinking about getting a screen tablet, you might want to hold out for some of the tablet PCs on the horizen. There are alot coming out and they're basically the same price or less than the aforementioned WACOM products.

The Asus EP121 looks very promising. Here's a head to head comparison between the Asus EP121 and the Cintiq 21UX:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAZg9bEPm1E

The guy clearly prefers the Asus, though as a Cintiq owner I have to say that his complaints about the Cintiq are way overblown.

quote:
I'd love to hear people's recommendations on paper. Not that I have much time to draw these days, but I can dream, right?

I love cheap paper and pens. I like using cheap graph paper pads and sketchbooks (often with Shonen Jump characters on the cover!) from Japanese marts like Daiso. They're only a buck each, so I can draw as ponderously and wastefully as I like with no worries.

If you want something a little more special I highly recommend the Semikolon Petit Voyage sketchbook. They're tiny, jacket pocket sized books with good paper that has some weight and tooth to it. They're especially great if you like to work with wet media (which most popular brands like Moleskin can't handle).

What I like best about the Petit Voyage is that it's constructed with great consideration for its tactile properties. It's just a great little relic to hold. It's hardbound and finely textured, with the presence of an old diary. It looks and feels very precious as if its pages are longing to record intimate musings.

If you buy one online, check to see if it's a sketchbook or a lined notebook before purchasing.

www.art-eater.com

sfried

638th Post

Red Carpet Regular Member

"Re(6):Art Thread. for tutorials + games + mis" , posted Sun 13 Mar 11:26:

quote:
If you're interested in digital painting try out SAI

I've seen SAI. I'm just worried if the learning curve is steep considering I've learned Photoshop at an earlier age.

Looks like it is actually more than $60. Still better than Photoshop's prices, but I think I'll wait until they rollout Ver. 2.00 for native Windows 7 64-bit support (since a major upgrade isn't part of the license, and the latest version is listed 2008...).

[this message was edited by sfried on Sun 13 Mar 11:33]

Professor

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MMCafe Owner

"Re(7):Art Thread. for tutorials + games + mis" , posted Sun 13 Mar 12:40

Most of my artist friends have switched from photoshop to Sai, they say it's just simply way better for drawing purposes.

Nobinobita: what medium (& density) do you use for sketching?

sfried

638th Post

Red Carpet Regular Member

"Re(8):Art Thread. for tutorials + games + mis" , posted Sun 13 Mar 13:06

quote:
Most of my artist friends have switched from photoshop to Sai, they say it's just simply way better for drawing purposes.

Would you recommend I get it now or should I wait for the next version to come out? Seems there hasn't been any updates in a while (a good indication of a new version release) and I don't want to get screwed over ending up paying for an older version...

Professor

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MMCafe Owner

"Re(9):Art Thread. for tutorials + games + mis" , posted Sun 13 Mar 13:35

quote:
Most of my artist friends have switched from photoshop to Sai, they say it's just simply way better for drawing purposes.Would you recommend I get it now or should I wait for the next version to come out? Seems there hasn't been any updates in a while (a good indication of a new version release) and I don't want to get screwed over ending up paying for an older version...

It all depends on how often you draw. If you're like a weekend artist, my suggestion would be to just try out the demo. See if it fits you. You can think about puchasing or waiting after that.

sfried

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Red Carpet Regular Member

"Re(10):Art Thread. for tutorials + games + mi" , posted Sun 13 Mar 13:46

quote:
It all depends on how often you draw. If you're like a weekend artist, my suggestion would be to just try out the demo. See if it fits you. You can think about puchasing or waiting after that.

I don't get to draw that often because of work, but I'll try the demo. My real concern isn't about buying the software itself, but rather ending up with an older version in the long run (I did this with GameMaker 7 once: If only I had waited a few more months I could've gotten the GM8 instead).

Professor

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MMCafe Owner

"Re(2):Re(10):Art Thread. for tutorials + game" , posted Sat 3 Sep 18:26

Ressurecting an old thread,

I want this toy.

It's a product in development. Wonder how much it'll cost.

Nobinobita

983th Post

Red Carpet Regular Member++

"Re(3):Re(10):Art Thread. for tutorials + game" , posted Sun 4 Sep 04:25

quote:
Ressurecting an old thread,

I want this toy.

It's a product in development. Wonder how much it'll cost.

Ever since I started animating in 3d I've dreamed of a device like this. Thanks so much for sharing! Outside of the innovative interface, that's just one of the most beautiful physical products I've ever seen. It will be mine one day!

www.art-eater.com

TheRedKnight

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"Re(4):Re(10):Art Thread. for tutorials + game" , posted Sun 4 Sep 04:44

quote:
Ressurecting an old thread,

I want this toy.

It's a product in development. Wonder how much it'll cost.

Ever since I started animating in 3d I've dreamed of a device like this. Thanks so much for sharing! Outside of the innovative interface, that's just one of the most beautiful physical products I've ever seen. It will be mine one day!

And I just watched this again the other day.

Why I left my hobbies.

Moo
58th Post

Occasional Customer

"Re(3):Re(10):Art Thread. for tutorials + game" , posted Mon 5 Sep 13:50

quote:
Wonder how much it'll cost.

According to this website, an old estimated price was 10000 - 20000 yen (150 - 250 USD).

In an attempt to add to this topic, here's a video of manga artist Kaoru Mori drawing. The following parts and more are on the suggestions list.

Oh my
72th Post

Occasional Customer

"Re(4):Re(10):Art Thread. for tutorials + game" , posted Mon 5 Sep 15:50

quote:
Wonder how much it'll cost.

According to this website, an old estimated price was 10000 - 20000 yen (150 - 250 USD).

ImPossible, how a tech like this could be so cheap? This looks like 1000$ and up.

quote:
I'd love to hear people's recommendations on paper. Not that I have much time to draw these days, but I can dream, right?

hehehe use napkins. I remember I used them to draw in my grandmas house. Because they never had paper available and I got pretty bored. Napkins and pen.

But there's nothing better than paper and pencil. Cheap mechanic .7 mm pencil and any paper

what?

Gieflos
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"Re(5):Re(10):Art Thread. for tutorials + game" , posted Mon 5 Sep 17:24

This looks like it could be fun. I'm very anxious to get ahold of this and try it out.

sfried

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"Re(6):Re(10):Art Thread. for tutorials + game" , posted Fri 28 Oct 16:07:

Alright, so I got SAI after hearing about the ridiculous Yen rising against the USD and having gotten some income to spend. My little qualm right now is that for some reason it's harder for me to draw via the Bamboo than it is on my tablet PC. Does it just take practice because I feel I'm back at square one again, and I see all these artists at niconico freehanding their works and its driving me nuts how they do it if their tablet is only a graphite.

[this message was edited by sfried on Sat 29 Oct 09:31]

nobinobita

998th Post

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"Re(7):Re(10):Art Thread. for tutorials + game" , posted Sat 29 Oct 07:08

quote:
Alright, so I got SAI after hearing about the ridiculous Yen rising against the USD and having gotten some income to spend. My little qualm right now is that for some reason it's harder for me to draw via the Bamboo than it is on my tablet PC. Does it just take practice because I feel I'm back at square one again, and I see all these artists at niconico freehanding their works and its driving me now how they do it if their tablet is only a graphite.

It takes some time to get used to. You just gotta keep drawing until it feels better.

Here's some advice (from my own experience):

-It's OK to feel frustrated, just don't let it stop you from drawing. If you keep at it, at one point it'll just click before you know it. Don't be afraid to produce work that you're unhappy with for a while.

-Don't expect to get a perfect line in one stroke. Instead try using a combination of drawing and then refining your lines/shapes/borders through erasing.

-If you're painting, don't use any fancy brushes, just learn how to get the effect you want with a simple round brush first.

www.art-eater.com

karasu99

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"Re(8):Re(10):Art Thread. for tutorials + game" , posted Sat 29 Oct 09:10

quote:
Alright, so I got SAI after hearing about the ridiculous Yen rising against the USD and having gotten some income to spend. My little qualm right now is that for some reason it's harder for me to draw via the Bamboo than it is on my tablet PC. Does it just take practice because I feel I'm back at square one again, and I see all these artists at niconico freehanding their works and its driving me now how they do it if their tablet is only a graphite.

It takes some time to get used to. You just gotta keep drawing until it feels better.

Here's some advice (from my own experience):

-It's OK to feel frustrated, just don't let it stop you from drawing. If you keep at it, at one point it'll just click before you know it. Don't be afraid to produce work that you're unhappy with for a while.

-Don't expect to get a perfect line in one stroke. Instead try using a combination of drawing and then refining your lines/shapes/borders through erasing.

-If you're painting, don't use any fancy brushes, just learn how to get the effect you want with a simple round brush first.

Hmm, I was just coming here to ask after some software of this sort and voila, it's being discussed already!

Also, wondering if anyone here uses a Wacom Intuos4 and if so, what size they chose. It's tempting to buy a smaller size since it's cheaper, but it's better to get a bigger one if you can, right? I recently sold my 6 or 7 year old Graphire and I'm thinking about dropping the proceeds and some cash into a new tablet. Sadly I can't afford a Cintiq, even though Wacom comes to all the Mac expos around here every year and shows them off, making me drool like crazy.

Double also: anyone get the Wacom Inkling yet? After reading up on it I'm not as interested as I was when I first saw it, but I'm still curious.

www.secret-arts.com

sfried

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"Re(8):Re(10):Art Thread. for tutorials + game" , posted Sat 29 Oct 09:25:

quote:

Here's some advice (from my own experience):

-It's OK to feel frustrated, just don't let it stop you from drawing. If you keep at it, at one point it'll just click before you know it. Don't be afraid to produce work that you're unhappy with for a while.

-Don't expect to get a perfect line in one stroke. Instead try using a combination of drawing and then refining your lines/shapes/borders through erasing.

-If you're painting, don't use any fancy brushes, just learn how to get the effect you want with a simple round brush first.

I actually found a solution around this problem too: I installed SAI on my old tablet computer and it works like a charm. I still wonder if I should practice drawing with the Bamboo or use my main computer for coloring, seeing as how I have everything setup, my Tablet PC is used for scanning/editing and my main laptop is used for display checking.

I ended up paying $71 for SAI. I hope no new version rolls around soon considering the investment I just laid down.

Edit: Speaking of the first post, I also have Ryo Hirata's first illustration guide book in the series.

Edit: Holy crap it's one heck of an inking program. And I thought my COPICs couldn't be beat.

[this message was edited by sfried on Sat 29 Oct 14:41]

Moo
59th Post

Occasional Customer

"Re(9):Re(10):Art Thread. for tutorials + game" , posted Sun 30 Oct 08:14

I have a small Intuos 4, my last tablet was a small Intuos 2. I once had a huge tablet that I never got used to, so I stuck to small. I'm fine with the size, but if you do large strokes, you should probably get something larger.

I've never tried drawing on a Tablet PC so I can't comment on that. Is drawing on a Tablet PC or Cintiq much more similar to drawing on paper? Also, out of curiosity, do the people here prefer to draw on paper and then scan it in and go over it on the PC, or do they prefer to do the entire thing digitally?

Professor

3278th Post

MMCafe Owner

"Re(10):Re(10):Art Thread. for tutorials + gam" , posted Sun 30 Oct 14:36:

quote:
I have a small Intuos 4, my last tablet was a small Intuos 2. I once had a huge tablet that I never got used to, so I stuck to small. I'm fine with the size, but if you do large strokes, you should probably get something larger.

I've never tried drawing on a Tablet PC so I can't comment on that. Is drawing on a Tablet PC or Cintiq much more similar to drawing on paper? Also, out of curiosity, do the people here prefer to draw on paper and then scan it in and go over it on the PC, or do they prefer to do the entire thing digitally?

I have an old A4 size Intuos and I'm pretty satisfied with it. For drawing digitally, I'd go completely digital, doing roughs on an initial layer and going over them.

So, how are the reviews for the Wacom Inkling?
[edit] Oh wait, here's one.

[this message was edited by Professor on Sun 30 Oct 14:40]

HAYATO

1047th Post

Red Carpet Premium Member

"Re(2):Re(10):Re(10):Art Thread. for tutorials" , posted Mon 31 Oct 05:22

quote:
So, how are the reviews for the Wacom Inkling?
[edit] Oh wait, here's one.

Oh my... I think I've just fallen in love with that wonderful gadget!! If it's half the good it seems, I'm gonna get myself one of those at all costs...

BTW, could you fellow cafe artists suggest some comprehensive and thorough books or publications on digital painting? I got a tablet a while ago, but I'm new to SAI, Painter, et al. Plus, my Photoshop knowledge is quite limited, so I currently am at odds on what program to begin with...

Should I remain sticked to Photoshop or should I try anything newer/ simpler/ more versatile softwares?

sfried

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"Re(2):Re(10):Re(10):Art Thread. for tutorials" , posted Mon 31 Oct 06:11

quote:

I have an old A4 size Intuos and I'm pretty satisfied with it. For drawing digitally, I'd go completely digital, doing roughs on an initial layer and going over them.

Are you suggesting I do everything digitally instead of scanning roughs from paper? I kinda like the feel of lead and pencil and the certain degree of control I have with lines thanks to the paper resistance and palimpsest. I understand the principle with using roughs and just refining it with a new layer but I feel I could achieve a better rough with analog media.

That said, thanks for suggesting SAI. It feels like the idea drawing artists version of Illustrator, complete with erase functions that manage to work also in vectors.

Moo
60th Post

Occasional Customer

"Re(3):Re(10):Re(10):Art Thread. for tutorials" , posted Mon 31 Oct 09:55

I've been using SAI for linework for a while now, but it's still easier for me to draw on paper. I noticed that quite a few artists seem to use vector tools to finalize their linework, rather than drawing them by hand.

Sometimes I'll look up an artist I like and then see what software they're using. I think a lot of artists use Photoshop for coloring. I myself do, but I rarely draw and my coloring technique is still pretty weak. I've been kind of looking for more info on coloring techniques, mainly browsing YouTube videos and mini-tutorials by artists here and there.

I don't know about other tablets, but the Intuos 4 comes with some tips that supposedly emulate the feel of drawing on paper. I haven't used them because I hear they wear down pretty quick and then you have to buy more.

Professor

3279th Post

MMCafe Owner

"Re(3):Re(10):Re(10):Art Thread. for tutorials" , posted Mon 31 Oct 19:45

quote:
Are you suggesting I do everything digitally instead of scanning roughs from paper? I kinda like the feel of lead and pencil and the certain degree of control I have with lines thanks to the paper resistance and palimpsest. I understand the principle with using roughs and just refining it with a new layer but I feel I could achieve a better rough with analog media.

If you like doing roughs with paper, you should go with that-- lots of pros do that. It's just my personal preference to go all digital when drawing on PC. More tablet practice, and also... too lazy to scan.

Drawing with pencil and paper is great. Paper resistance is a wonderful thing.

Coloring is... hard. I'm still practicing shadowing by coloring in grayscale.

sfried

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"Re(4):Re(10):Re(10):Art Thread. for tutorials" , posted Thu 10 Nov 10:50

Are there any tone plug-ins for PaintToolSAI prof?

jUAN

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"Re(4):Re(10):Re(10):Art Thread. for tutorials" , posted Thu 10 Nov 13:02

quote:
I've been using SAI for linework for a while now, but it's still easier for me to draw on paper. I noticed that quite a few artists seem to use vector tools to finalize their linework, rather than drawing them by hand.

I don't know about other tablets, but the Intuos 4 comes with some tips that supposedly emulate the feel of drawing on paper. I haven't used them because I hear they wear down pretty quick and then you have to buy more.

Somewhat of a silly trick, but a classmate used to recommend taping some tracing paper to the tablet instead of using special tips to emulate that feel better. It just felt odd to me, but your mileage may vary.

I'm on the same boat when it comes to linework. I can now do it via tablet without a problem, but a lot of times I just go back and draw on paper. Even if the drawing is huge and I have to scan it in parts. It is just more fun to me, and I usually like to either archive or give the paper drawing away if drawing for someone.

sfried

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"Re(5):Re(10):Re(10):Art Thread. for tutorials" , posted Thu 10 Nov 17:25

Whelp!

Professor

3286th Post

MMCafe Owner

"Re(5):Re(10):Re(10):Art Thread. for tutorials" , posted Thu 10 Nov 19:04

sfried:
You don't need to use plugins to do tones-- just use texture brushes or textures for the same effect. You can pick them up from a variety of places like here and here. Serious users switch between doing lines with Sai and tones with Comic Studio, which is more costly of course.

Juna:
Almost reminds me of how some people use thin Q-tip sticks for tablet tips.

Reminded me of Cocoa Pebbles Cereal. And some of those Frankie sketches are scary.

Moo
64th Post

Occasional Customer

"Re(5):Re(10):Re(10):Art Thread. for tutorials" , posted Sat 12 Nov 12:52

Thanks for the tips Juan and Prof. I've heard that some people use regular paper instead of tracing paper. I haven't tried either since I got my new tablet.

SIG - looking good.

sfried

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Red Carpet Regular Member+

"Re(7):Tutorial for shading and shadows?" , posted Thu 19 Jan 15:24

I need to get a second opinion on lighting and shadows (shadows cast on skirt versus shading of clothes). I've read a ton of guides on the subject matter but looking for a reference where there is a strong glowing source just above the subject persumably just above the tip of the pencil, reaching out to the viewer). I've already consulted someone, and says that the hand shadow with the pencil should be closer to the vest. I've tried a slight variation of the shadow and have toyed around with various other positions for it (the one I'm showing you seems to be the most convincing), but if I render the cast close to the vest, it seems as if the hand should be closer to her as well.

Megane

553th Post

New Red Carpet Member

"Re(8):Tutorial for shading and shadows?" , posted Thu 19 Jan 16:00

quote:
I need to get a second opinion on lighting and shadows (shadows cast on skirt versus shading of clothes). I've read a ton of guides on the subject matter but looking for a reference where there is a strong glowing source just above the subject persumably just above the tip of the pencil, reaching out to the viewer). I've already consulted someone, and says that the hand shadow with the pencil should be closer to the vest. I've tried a slight variation of the shadow and have toyed around with various other positions for it (the one I'm showing you seems to be the most convincing), but if I render the cast close to the vest, it seems as if the hand should be closer to her as well.

Bear in mind that I'm no expert. But here's my two cents:

If the arm and pencil hand is positioned a bit forward (instead of being directly over the head), then yeah, I agree that its shadow should be somewhere below the vest.

I figure the upraised arm also needs more shadows, particularly the underside of the upper arm.

The shadow on the left hand (the one without the pencil) gives the idea that the light bears almost straight-down on the figure, so maybe extend it so the thumb shadow is touching the edge of the skirt?

Hope this helps.

PSN:BlakeMaxwell3

karasu99

826th Post

PSN: robotchris
XBL: robotchris
Wii: n/a

Red Carpet Regular Member+

"Re(9):Tutorial for shading and shadows?" , posted Fri 20 Jan 01:22

quote:

Bear in mind that I'm no expert. But here's my two cents:

I'll make this same disclaimer as well! Surely Nobinobita is lurking around somewhere and I'm pretty confident that he can provide a more educated take than I can.

My eye tells me that the variation is closer to 'correct', but I'll agree with Megane and suggest a little more shadow on the underside of the raised arm. Also, you may want to adjust the size of the shadow cast by the upraised arm by making it just a bit smaller. Assuming that the light isn't supposed to be an actual point light, that is.

www.secret-arts.com

jUAN

4559th Post

PSN: Buttermonster
XBL: Prepaidpenguin
Wii: rofl

Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master

"Re(8):Tutorial for shading and shadows?" , posted Sat 21 Jan 10:13

quote:
I need to get a second opinion on lighting and shadows (shadows cast on skirt versus shading of clothes). I've read a ton of guides on the subject matter but looking for a reference where there is a strong glowing source just above the subject persumably just above the tip of the pencil, reaching out to the viewer). I've already consulted someone, and says that the hand shadow with the pencil should be closer to the vest. I've tried a slight variation of the shadow and have toyed around with various other positions for it (the one I'm showing you seems to be the most convincing), but if I render the cast close to the vest, it seems as if the hand should be closer to her as well.

MESSATSU

HAYATO

1056th Post

Red Carpet Premium Member

"Re(9):Tutorial for shading and shadows?" , posted Mon 23 Jan 02:23

quote:

MESSATSU

Wow, it seems we have a winner!! Juan pretty much nailed it this time. I'm not sure if the mood and color palette Juan used are the ones the author was aiming for, but it looks pretty sweet.

Someone should devise a mascot for The Cafe based on the Messatsu meme. Taking into account its lengthy run as an insider joke, it'd make perfect sense for the site to embrace it as an iconic trait...

Maou

2296th Post

Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master

"Re(10):Tutorial for shading and shadows?" , posted Mon 23 Jan 07:22:

quote:
Someone should devise a mascot

Wait, we already have Hazan?

quote:
embrace it as an iconic trait...

We embrace Hazan's (soccer) legacy at all hours, at all moments.

人間はいつも私を驚かせてくれる。不思議なものだな、人間という存在は．．．

[this message was edited by Maou on Mon 23 Jan 11:21]

Megane

554th Post

New Red Carpet Member

"Re(2):Re(10):Tutorial for shading and shadows" , posted Wed 25 Jan 15:00

quote:
Someone should devise a mascot Wait, we already have Hazan? embrace it as an iconic trait... We embrace Hazan's (soccer) legacy at all hours, at all moments.

Can't believe you guys made me nostalgic about a dude with a chibi Akuma avatar.

MESSATSU

PSN:BlakeMaxwell3

Megane

560th Post

New Red Carpet Member

"I need advice." , posted Sat 11 Feb 01:54

This is the original.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/meganekun/Boros_Guildmage_by_meganekun.jpg

I've fixed it a bit.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/meganekun/boros_fixed.jpg

Among the fixes are a shorter neck, slightly simplified hair, adjusted facial features, adjusted chest and torso.

What I need to figure out is where exactly the coffee mug holding arm should float. I can't figure out whether to pull it a bit behind the torso more, to lower it a bit, or to nudge it a bit further to the left.

PSN:BlakeMaxwell3

nobinobita

1034th Post

Red Carpet Premium Member

"Re(1):I need advice." , posted Sat 11 Feb 09:27

quote:
This is the original.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/meganekun/Boros_Guildmage_by_meganekun.jpg

I've fixed it a bit.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/meganekun/boros_fixed.jpg

Among the fixes are a shorter neck, slightly simplified hair, adjusted facial features, adjusted chest and torso.

What I need to figure out is where exactly the coffee mug holding arm should float. I can't figure out whether to pull it a bit behind the torso more, to lower it a bit, or to nudge it a bit further to the left.

Hey I just took a quick look and I gotta say, I prefer your original drawing! The new one is nice, but the original one seems to have more feeling and distinction to it. I feel like you drew the first one pretty intuitively then tightened up a bit when you inked it (which happens to me all the time!).

I liked that the character has a long neck and a pear shaped physique. She kind of reminds me of Nirasawa's Nina:

https://www.puzzlezoo.com/assets/photos/NINA00002f.jpg

As far as the placement of the hand goes, only technical suggestion is that you put a little more distance between the cup and the hand, angle the handle maybe 20 degrees towards the viewer so you can see it better.

Other than that, think of the personality that you want to project.

If she's a solid hero type, then her 90 degree tight grip works.

If she's more laid back you can relax her wrist a bit.

If she's kind of weird or ditzy relax her wrist a lot and maybe even have the coffee/tea spill a little.

Hope this helps!

www.art-eater.com

Megane

561th Post

New Red Carpet Member

"Re(2):I need advice." , posted Sun 12 Feb 02:41

Thanks for the comment! I totally understand what you mean. The truth is I'm using the pen tool in Photoshop to ink the piece, hence the bizarre cleanliness of it; I even cheated with the coffee cup remake and used the oblong tool. The original hardcopy has been missing for quite some time now.

She's actually this one: http://magiccards.info/rav/en/242.html

I swear I've seen that Nina before, but I can't remember where. That said, I don't think she and the guildmage's personality matches, haha.

Being of the White and Red color spectrum of magic, I do believe the Boros Guildmage is of the gung ho heroic type. But she's not the exact type, I think, so the tilted cup may work.

Do you think her arm is tilted to far back, or is it angled just right?

PSN:BlakeMaxwell3

sfried

796th Post

PSN: My3DSFriendCode
XBL: isdownbellow
Wii: 279306128909

Red Carpet Regular Member+

"Re: IllustStudio" , posted Thu 19 Jul 13:08

I've been hearing a lot of good things about Illutration Studio, but unfortunately unlike SAI, I do not know where to find it in English. Does anybody know how to purcure it?

Madgear
1th Post

New Customer

"Re(1):Re: IllustStudio" , posted Sun 2 Dec 06:52:

This is a fantastic thread!

I'm new here, but have poked around from time to time, I'm actually a real-life friend of Nobinobita's.

Great thread, and hello-nice to meet folks that like a lot of the same things I do!

My contribution-not sure if its been posted yet, but SNK (and more recently, some work in Capcom (SSF4)) Hiraoki-has a fun blog-I check it out often.

http://hiroaki-blog.blogspot.com/

Also, I have lots of awesome art I can upload if anyone is interested. Been looking alot at Pokemon Black/White (2's) Yusuke Ohmura, as well as a great Tactics Ogre artbook I ordered!

rlateef.com / rlateef.wordpress.com

[this message was edited by Madgear on Sun 2 Dec 06:57]

karasu99

1034th Post

PSN: robotchris
XBL: robotchris
Wii: n/a

Red Carpet Premium Member

"Re(2):Re: IllustStudio" , posted Sun 2 Dec 14:47

quote:
This is a fantastic thread!

I'm new here, but have poked around from time to time, I'm actually a real-life friend of Nobinobita's.

Great thread, and hello-nice to meet folks that like a lot of the same things I do!

My contribution-not sure if its been posted yet, but SNK (and more recently, some work in Capcom (SSF4)) Hiraoki-has a fun blog-I check it out often.

http://hiroaki-blog.blogspot.com/

Also, I have lots of awesome art I can upload if anyone is interested. Been looking alot at Pokemon Black/White (2's) Yusuke Ohmura, as well as a great Tactics Ogre artbook I ordered!

Hey Lateef! Welcome! You know me too, actually (it's me, Chris!)

Thanks for the link to Hiroaki's blog! That's some great stuff!

I could swear Ohmura's work was discussed around here at some point. I tried to find the thread and couldn't and I'm not sure why that is, I may just be missing it.

Which Tactics Ogre book did you get? I had been looking at one a while back but ended up not getting it.

www.secret-arts.com

Madgear
2th Post

New Customer

"Re(3):Re: IllustStudio" , posted Sun 2 Dec 22:02:

quote:
This is a fantastic thread!

I'm new here, but have poked around from time to time, I'm actually a real-life friend of Nobinobita's.

Great thread, and hello-nice to meet folks that like a lot of the same things I do!

My contribution-not sure if its been posted yet, but SNK (and more recently, some work in Capcom (SSF4)) Hiraoki-has a fun blog-I check it out often.

http://hiroaki-blog.blogspot.com/

Also, I have lots of awesome art I can upload if anyone is interested. Been looking alot at Pokemon Black/White (2's) Yusuke Ohmura, as well as a great Tactics Ogre artbook I ordered!

Hey Lateef! Welcome! You know me too, actually (it's me, Chris!)

Thanks for the link to Hiroaki's blog! That's some great stuff!

I could swear Ohmura's work was discussed around here at some point. I tried to find the thread and couldn't and I'm not sure why that is, I may just be missing it.

Which Tactics Ogre book did you get? I had been looking at one a while back but ended up not getting it.

Hey Chris! Awesome so I know two folks here! I thought I saw that secret arts banner earlier...heh!

The book I picked up is from a game that came out in 95 on SNES I believe,and re-released under a new title in 2010 for the psp. Its the one with the surname "Let Us Cling Together." Artwork is by Tsubasa Masao (Metal Gear Acid, and Zone of the Enders 2nd runner) and Akihiko Yoshida (of FF Tactics and other SquEnix games fame).

I really enjoy it. I've never been a HUGE fan of more British lore (knights, princess, orcs etc...) sans a few characters from the King Arthur tales and Capcom arcade games like Magic Sword, but I really like this work. Its great stuff!

For more Masao, here's his site/blog:
http://www.omega-press.com/

rlateef.com / rlateef.wordpress.com

[this message was edited by Madgear on Sun 2 Dec 22:06]