Art Tips

Post finished and unfinished work here for critique and appraisal.
Coffee
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Art Tips

Post by Coffee »

I was just thinking about this today- Wouldn't it be neat for people to post some art tips and such? I know I sometimes just want to go read some tips to see if they'd help me out, but sometimes I have a hard time finding it *shrugs*.

Anything from which type of paper scans coloured pencils better to which art program is better for certain effects. And, it's a good place to list some tutorials ^^

I'll post some tips and things of my own when I think of some, but until then, er, post away!
chickvw
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Post by chickvw »

Errm... when I outline my work that I drew and scanned in, I use the Pen tool in Gimp. However, I've found that my Wacom's sensitivity works better in Photoshop, so I then color it in photoshop.... and since Photoshop only lets you back up 20 steps (Gimp does 99), I try to put each color, even shadings, on separate layers until I'm done.
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Ziggy
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Post by Ziggy »

Some tips which have helped me in the past:

1. study anatomy. Even if your colouring and everything else is sub par, if your pic has good anatomy, it makes the whole thing look good. Study the anatomy of whatever it is you tend to draw. If its people, sketch people, if its animals, look up pics of those animals and draw them. Even if you plan on customising and editing from the original look of the thing, it pays to know where bones attatch and how the thing moves.

2. Take time over little details that you think no one else notices, because they do. Belt buckles, a coffee cup on a table, the individual claws on a character, don't just gloss over them in favour of the overall look because little details can make all the difference.

3. Try working in different styles and medias once in a while. Of course you'll want to perfect one type because thats your style, but it never hurts to try other styles. If you usually use digital, try some traditional media and vice versa.

4. A tablet is not a necessity for good digital art in any way shape or form, do not let people tell you it is. Virtually anything you can do with a tablet, you can do with a mouse. I virtually never use my tablet and would always choose a mouse as my preference.

5. Do not let people tell you that digital art requires less talent than traditional, or vice versa. To make something great in either medium takes talent. Just because something is done on a computer, it does not mean the computer does all the work for you. I often have to spend more time on my computer art than on my traditional media things. There is no 'un-do' button with traditional media, admittedly, but if you take your time and sketch things out well beforehand that shouldn't even be a requirement.
There is a bit of traditional vs Digital snobbery that goes on in which people think digital isn't as worthy an art form as traditional. This is bullshit and these people are idiots who probably only say that because they can't get to grips with using a digital programme.

6. Just draw. Don't be scared of what other people will say about your art or characters, draw what you feel you want to draw. Don't feel you have to draw in an anime style, or chibi style, or like a well known artist just because everyone else does. If you draw in a way that isn't truly what you desire, you'll end up not enjoying it as much and not putting in the effort.

7. Learn to take a critique. Not everyone who critiques you will know what they're talking about and its up to you to decide who has a point and who is talking crap. But a lot of people will know more than you do and its wise to listen to them. There is nothing more annoying than an artist who cannot separate a critique (something designed to help you improve) from a personal attack (something designed to make you feel shit). Your art is NOT flawless, no one's is, and if you wrap yourself in cotton wool and refuse to listen to critiques, you will just make the same mistakes over and over again. In some cases, a critique is not needed or desired, such as if the piece is a gift for someone or you don't plan on editing it further. In this case, specify that you don't want critiques.
Last edited by Ziggy on 17 Feb 2006 04:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Cheese
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Post by Cheese »

Practice.

Everybody can improve.
Dead Webby
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Post by Dead Webby »

This may be obvious but-

-If drawing and colouring on paper to scan in, it usually looks better if you outline the art in black/a dark colour rather than keeping pencil outlines.

-Make sure to press hard when colouriong in pencil, if it's faint it looks a bit crappy. It depends on the type of art, but sometime colouring in fineline pen (carefully!) can look better.
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Ziggy
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Post by Ziggy »

Dead Webby wrote:
-Make sure to press hard when colouriong in pencil, if it's faint it looks a bit crappy.
I don't think thats true at all. In fact, colouring which is all just pressed hard looks flat and ammature. If you're looking for a solid, flat intense colour then use markers or paint or digital. Colouring with pencils is a matter of blending both hard and soft strokes to create texture, depth and interest for the eye. Its a matter of leaving some places only faintly coloured sometimes even the white showing through, and others darker.
Fjorab_Teke
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Post by Fjorab_Teke »

Yeah...ONLY use hard strokes with pencil if you're absolutely sure you want that line and you want it heavy, solid, sharp, and dark. In my experience, it's a better effect if you layer, and that way you're going slowly enough that if you make a mistake you can catch it in time. But most certainly, with cheap scanners, light pencil won't look good if it shows up at all.

Here's another set of "progress examinations"...mostly for traditional line-art and paintings, but printing digital works in progress may make use of these too...

Look at it in a mirror, and then upside down, and then as far away as you can without losing sight of too much detail. If you get tired or want to really get a fresh aspect on it before it's finished, LEAVE IT ALONE for a few days. If you do these things, you'll often notice balance issues, anatomy problems, and general "wow, I didn't want THAT effect" things that you tend to forget while you're getting too accustomed to how it's progressing.
Last edited by Fjorab_Teke on 21 Feb 2006 01:25 am, edited 2 times in total.
Kidnemo
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Post by Kidnemo »

If you don't think you are good, just draw anyway.
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Coffee
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Post by Coffee »

When it comes to digital art, people really shouldn't underestimate the "simple" programs. Amazing pictures can be done on MS Paint and Open Canvas 1, as well as others, I'm sure. Plus, those can be really good programs to get started with digital coloring *Hugs OC 1*
Ziggy
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Post by Ziggy »

Coffee wrote:Amazing pictures can be done on MS Paint
I would contest that, y'know?
Im not saying its impossible to do good art on paint, of course you can, particularly pixel art. But I think 'amazing' is a bit strong of a word. But the simple fact is that it lacks a lot of the things I consider necessary to a decent pic with depth. Theres no smudge tool, no soften, no darken/lighten, and probably most importantly NO LAYERS! you're very restricted to the styles you can persue in it. Like I said, good for pixel art maybe but if you ever want to do something smoother and with more blending in the colours, you'd have a job in paint. Particularly if you were a beginner. I'd say psp7 or photoshop is a better programme for beginners, particularly psp7. Thats what I used for all my art and I find it more user friendly than photoshop. However, people I know tell me the opposite; that they find photoshop easier to use than psp. I think it depends upon what you learn first on. I first learned on psp7 so its a lot easier for me than photoshop.
But I don't think paint is all that good of a programme to recommend to beginner digital artists since it is missing so many features you'll end up using if you ever persue digital art seriously. Best to get use to them from the get go.
Float
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Post by Float »

I've tried so many times to make a decent picture in paint shop pro, using all those nice features and layering and line art and such. It never really comes out good or as good as I'd wanted, which is why I stick to pixels.

I also have more fun with them.
If you don't think you are good, just draw anyway.
I second that.
Mistress Morbid
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Post by Mistress Morbid »

Heh, I also agree that some pretty amazing pictures can be done in paint. Teera Misu is an excellent example:

http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/28144180/
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Shado
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Post by Shado »

Most people think MSPaint is just a dull pixel tool, but as well as with that example MM showed, it really proves that MSPaint isn't just 'another program'... Highly disregarded as anything good to most people, but thats because the majority is impatient. MSPaint can be used to its full potential, if you have a lot of time, and patience. To perfect every shade, it takes a while because of its limited options, you have to work around it. People think photoshop and paintshop are a lot easier because it can effect an area of pixels, and do cool effects, but if you zoomed in as far as possible, each square is still a pixel, like MSPaint. I should know, I'm having to individually work on each scales of a dragon right now around 500% magnification. x_x

But yeah, I use photoshop, because I find it easier to hold the ALT button to use the color picker tool rather than switching back and forth. :P And I'm impatient. oO;
thelonetiel
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Post by thelonetiel »

Paint is incredible if you know how to use it.

This is my brother's art, he can do breath taking things with just Paint. It may not have all the effects of Photoshop, but half the things Photoshop does are overused and end up looking tacky.

And he has tons of art like that, I can probably find more to show him off if anyone is interested.
Ziggy
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Post by Ziggy »

My point wasn't that its OmG impossible to do anything good in paint, of course it isn't.
My point really was that since this is a thread aimed at helping beginner artists, I don't think paint is the right programme to reccomend for a beginner. Just because it is possible, doesn't mean everyone will be able to achieve it, and almost certainly not before they've even had any digital art experience.

Im sure the artists linked to here didn't start their digital art life with paint. Getting those kinds of results from paint is something which takes a huge huge amount of skill and patience, and you likely won't get anything like those kind of results if you're a new artist just starting out.
However, psp or photoshop is much more versatile for the beginner artist. Once you've got the basic of those programmes, you can then look into using paint to make something decent.

But I don't think its a good programme to start off in.
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