Some Drawing question

[LioNeeZ]

This is kind of emberessing but I wanted to know something from the artists in here that know how to line art thier work and color it.
so the question is rather simple: how do you do it?
I mean do you use an electronic pen, than if you are what kind do you use, or do you have some methood you can share to make the line arting simple and fun, I mean I usually use 1 more layer on the drawing I made in paint.net and than go with it to photoshop, but it dosent feel like that is the right way and the lines get sometimes kinda big, can anyone give me an advice or a methood I could use?
Thank you

 

[tabemono3]

I lost my Adobe photoshop disc a few years ago lending to family LOL...........and I only use paint.net to make transparent wallpaper for my PS Vita. I'm sure its same for any graphic programs. You have your original then add layer on top for lineart and coloring etc.

Right now i'm using Paint Tool Sai and a few days ago I just bought myself a Wacom Bamboo. I'm still learning how to color and getting use to the Wacom so I cant get you any tips as I am a noob too. Anyway, the way i do line art in Paint tool sai is by using vector line. When you click on the vector layer icon, a new layer will be open on top of your original. Then some new icons should appear in the pen, market, bucket etc box. Choose the curve icon and outline your drawing. Hold Ctrl key to move the line to your liking.

Spoiler: example

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFkK2onil9A

 

[Ghost Kitty~]

Hmm... i dont know much about computery stuff so cant help there xD

 

[FinalPyre]

With Paint Tool SAI (which I would strongly recommend for line arting, and the price point is good) you would create a new layer to be your lineart layer and trace over your work. You can change the stability of the brush to help steady your hand, and you can adjust your pen size/sensitivity until you can draw with your desired line weights. Vector lines also work because you can then resize them without losing quality, but they would be more tedious to work with. I personally have only used them constructively once.

Otherwise just open any paint program and use the equivalent of a pen tool, and change the brush size until you can draw with the desired thickness. Brush size is entirely dependent on canvas size (larger canvas = larger brush). Control comes with practice, and finding a pen sensitivity that you like might take a bit of tinkering. :)

 

[rubbergum]

how do I do it?
method 1:
I sketch with thick lines, alpha'd the layer to 30%, make a new layer on top of it and carefully draw the lineart. then make separate layers below the lineart for colors: skin, clothes, hair, a folder for face that contains: highlight (for shineeey eyes), iris, and "etc"(eyes whites and mouth). after the base color is done, either enable the "opacity lock" or make another layer for shading and highlights. I usually use pastel colors for the base. shading is done by painting over the base color with a slightly darker color, then apply even darker color on the details to show the shape and thickness of an object.

method 2:
same as above, except instead of drawing a lineart, draw the base color straight over the sketch. this way it'd create a lineless art and you can even add a lineart later..

there are more steps in the methods above but those are rather personal and depends on what tools you use in the program..

personally I'm not experienced with coloring and just experiment the colors as I go. In the end, it would take hours just to choose the right colors.. but then you might reuse the palette again to save time

 

[LioNeeZ]

Thanks for the replays
btw do you use a table pen/electrinic pen?

 

[redcat]

I use wacom intuos.

Once I've tried the tablet, I never wanted to go back to traditional media....


Btw, does everyone here use 'normal' layer for coloring, or using 'multiply' layer instead?

 

[LioNeeZ]

I know I do, but I line with normal lines on another layer but it dosent look in my case 100% good

 

[rubbergum]

wacom intuos, eh? I'd like to try using that..

^ I know that feel, it's kinda hard to line in pen tablet. that's why I just go with lineless....

 

[Gigatron]

I use a Wacom Intuos4. I like it a lot, but I find it very difficult and uncomfortable to use a tablet, so I rarely ink or colour any of my drawings. When I do ink/colour, I generally use Photoshop (as it's all I have), with mixed results. Sometimes I use Illustrator to ink, if I want to use vector lines.

Btw, does everyone here use 'normal' layer for coloring, or using 'multiply' layer instead?

I always use Normal, personally.

 

[thecoins]

hmmm i use Genius Mousepen. I'm using that because it's cheap. Wacom is a better choice. I prefer paint tool sai over Photoshop because it has stabilizer. it makes lining much much easier.
Besides SAI, maybe you'll want to consider using Illuststudio. it's more like combination of SAI and Photoshop. the only problem is that Illuststudio isn't officially translated, and isn't sold out of japan. there are some people who've translated illuststudio, but the translation isn't very good.. But it's still a good software, and I like it quite much.

 

[rubbergum]

hmm, anyone use openCanvas? it has sort of 'infinite' free trial and several nice features, like perspective ruler.. although SAI is better on performance

 

[redcat]

I tried open canvas once. It is good, but I still prefer SAI for it's lightweight and functionality...

 

[FinalPyre]

I've never actually tried openCanvas.

I just use regular layers for colouring in SAI. I don't see how multiply would give any advantage (you couldn't blend colours etc.)?

I would not recommend drawing on the computer with out a tablet, but there is no need to go for a high-end one off the bat. You should be able to get a very good starter one for $100 or less depending on where you live/brand you choose.

 

[thecoins]

multiply only makes color darker. it's quite useful for drawing shadows

 

[Ghost Kitty~]

Multiply... multiple layers so its not as transparent or something? Less opacity? Idk i have no idea what im saying xD

 

[FinalPyre]

[MENTION=8332]samyeung46[/MENTION];Multiply just sets all whites to transparent. White becomes fully transparent and black is fully opaque.


Basically if you were going to do shadows, you could use it as it would only let you make things darker. However you would also lose a lot of your saturation control, and things probably wouldn't blend as well either (though I guess you could get through both with practice, but I don't see why one would bother :P). The colour you select wouldn't actually be exactly what you are putting down, since all white will be removed. It might also mess you up if you want to try changing hues/adding effects to the layers later on, since it would be semi-transparent, and would look different in places where you didn't colour over.

 

[Ghost Kitty~]

Ahh... painting is usually the other way around ;p White are opaque while blacks are thinner layers xD Actually depends on the type of painting... but yeah... xD

 

[thecoins]

multiply also can be used to make lines darker. i usually use less saturated color in multiply mode for shadow. it's easier for me to adjust the color.

 

[Ghost Kitty~]

Hmm any way to make it so the color palette stays the same even without the white? Or is it essential? Maybe just draw it with the transparent xD But white is actually quite a useful color...

 

[thecoins]

hmm if you want to use white, just use separate layer.
it's a bit technical : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blend_modes

 

[Ghost Kitty~]

Hmm... itll still sort of have the transparent effect? xD Or would it be better to just render it after xD

 

[thecoins]

hmm you can always adjust opacity of the brush. no need to use white in multiply layer

 

[tabemono3]

Its all depend on what program you use, Background is either transparent in SAI and white opaque in photoshop and others. Its harder to tell in SAI because the transparent isn't the normal blackwhite squares grid but a transparent white. Whatever you draw on it will be opaque. Multiply blend mode, I'm sure it works the same way with any other graphic programs. It makes other color darker and black opaque. You can always use the Hue and Saturation under fliter to adjust the color.

Well I know you (all) will agree on me on this:
The best way is to have layers for everything you do. If you messed up, either delete that layer or go back and fix it.

 

[redcat]

[MENTION=43862]tabemono3[/MENTION]; I agree with that. Layers ftw! :3
I use as many layers as my PC's RAM allows me (I reached the limit at around 130 layers or so).