Getting started with digital painting and digital art

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Posted on Aug 17, 2005, 9:41:00 AM UTC
ID: 4005 | #11
fablespinner
Level 36OOC BETA
XP
Like BogusRed said:
BTW, does the programs out there, also apply the shadows n' stuff where needed, like I see on most pictures, or do you do that by hand?

As far as I know, the software won't add shadows for you, unless you are refering to a simple drop shadow or if you are working with 3D software which is an entirely different thing.

=======

Never use the drop shadow tool in art... you can ALWAYS tell and it's not accurate, That filter is designed for logo work flat geometrics.

Now a TOOL I use, to HELP with light source mapping is POSER 4
(You can download a free version of this sort of program at DAZ STUDIOS)

It works sort of like an artist's wooden doll, but you have a 3D human figure. What I do is I set up my pose in this program, I adjust the camera angle I want, then I bust out the lights.

The program will show you where the shadows should fall in your chosen light source and it's a good visual reference

This is however quite ADVANCED STUFF and not user friendly at all.

Learn the more basic programs first and LEARN how to do your shadows traditionally first, because you STILL have to know how to paint it when all is said and done. Poser is only a 3D rendering TOOL designed to help, it's not a crutch.

(You can also do actual 3dRendering with these programs and I just uploaded a couple I've done for you to see...

&

Well the thumbs don't work, but click is okay...

Now I can stress ENOUGH...

There is NO, absolutely NO shortcuts. The only way to improve is trial and error, there's no computer program that will give you hard earned skill from practice. They are tools just like your pencil and eraser. No more.

^_^
Last edited by BogusRed on May 30, 2006, 2:16:22 AM UTC. 5 total edits.
Posted on Aug 17, 2005, 5:04:43 PM UTC
ID: 4020 | #12
BogusRed
Level 281OOC ADMIN
XP
yo i fixed the thumbs not working. if you want to create a thumbnail of a picture on the site that links to the full size of it, just type [ thumb artnumber ] without the spaces. so for example, you could just type [ thumb 2015 ] (without spaces)

The reason the image didn't work was because of the automatic link creator. i'll see if i can have it detect if it's within an img tag and then not create a link.
Posted on Aug 17, 2005, 10:39:49 PM UTC
ID: 4028 | #13
fablespinner
Level 36OOC BETA
XP
AHHHH cool ! Thanks!

^_^
Posted on Aug 17, 2005, 10:51:03 PM UTC
ID: 4029 | #14
BamboozledByAnime
Level 22OOC
XP
Ah, no worries Fable, I wouldn't take the easy way out on art, I wouldn't get anywhere if I did that. I asked about the shadows, cus I saw most of the shadows in computer artwork, were put pefectly, and wondered if a art program actually does it, or the human user ^^ I have used a rendering type prgram before, like a few years back, when I was in a computer animation class that used a program called 3D Studios Max. It was more a 3D graphics program, but was neat to play around with ^^.
Posted on Aug 18, 2005, 12:59:44 AM UTC
ID: 4032 | #15
Minimaid
Level 174OOC BETA MOD
XP
I have one thing to add - OC 1 is a good first tester - and for something to try out what it's like to use photoshop, do a google search for the GIMP 2.2. It's a free program that works very similarly to photoshop. It's actually what I use almost exclusively, since I find it far less complicated, easier to use, and actually in a lot of ways better quality than even the newest photoshop. It's a good test-out program to see if you like computer play.
Posted on Aug 21, 2005, 12:26:00 PM UTC
ID: 4105 | #16
ArkillianDragon
Level 275OOC BETA ADMIN
XP
My friend Vicky uses gimp and swears by it, but my brother who is a computer geek says that photoshop walks over it once you've gotten over the user friendly situation. I donno- everyone to their own. In the end, if you can come up with cool art with nothing, you will in what ever program you use. :shrug:
Posted on Oct 16, 2005, 4:59:08 PM UTC
ID: 4735 | #17
SaikonoYume
Level 21OOC BETA
XP
Anything you want to do in Open Canvas, Painter, GIMP, etc., you can do in Photoshop. Photoshop is the most powerful digital art program out there. I was talking with a professor at one of the colleges I applied for, and he told me that most digital artists work with photoshop since, like I said, it's the most powerful.

On the flipside, it is also the most expensive software. If you're a student, chances are you can get a discount through their online store, or through your studen union.

Tablets are God's gift to mankind. Seriously. If you go to wacom's website, you can take a questionaire that tells you what kind of tablet you might want to consider. Here's a link to the questionnaire. If you're interested in purchasing a tablet to help you color, I would recomend the Intuos line. Intuos tablets have twice the pressure sensitivity levels that Graphire tablets have--a whopping 1,204 levels as opposed to Graphire's 512. My art teacher told me, when I was looking to purchase a tablet, that there isn't much a difference between the two lines and that you rarely use all of Intuos's levels. I will tell you that's a load of crap. Intuos tablets allow you to make much finer detail lines and function, in my opinion, a lot better. We use Graphires at school, and they make me cry. So I bring my Intuos.
Posted on Nov 9, 2005, 5:50:45 AM UTC
ID: 5145 | #18
Inuyashababe69
Level 13OOC
XP
Hands down, Photoshop 7.0 or CS2 (has both!) is thee best. The possiblities are endless with em, you can even go to the library and get tutorial books that come with practice disks! I learned from the net, and I now attend technical school for animation. The problem is that the cost is huge......but no, cost is to much for the love of art! Definatly go for the student discount....at some sites if your a student, you can download it for as low as $99.
Posted on Nov 9, 2005, 10:30:51 AM UTC
ID: 5148 | #19
ArkillianDragon
Level 275OOC BETA ADMIN
XP
You know, there is always that other thing- pencil done in the way you're doing it- maybe you need to modify your technique so that the pencil looks good. I mean, digetal is prety, and the flat lines look good, but don't disregard pencil- I still use pencil- coloured or not. Its feels good to draw with, and done right, I like it beter than digetal- see, the problem is with digetal, that its so easy to skip corners. You say you wont do it, but without a tablet, you will. Its the simple honest truth. It WILL take you forever to get a descent look of shading etc.. on your picture, so if you're going to go digetal, don't rest your life on it. Drawing with a mouse SUX. It doesn't matter what programme you use- you'll never correct that. Its not a natral movement, and even balless mice stick.

Pencil however- as long as you seal it with a sealant, its all natral, weight sensitive, tilt sesitive.... Stuff you're paying how much for to replicate in digetal? Think about your penil technique a bit before canning it. See, even using coloured card for a different medium base rocks my socks. http://www.deviantart.com/view/12118091/ This is a pic I did with dark blue card and coloured pencil. Its different :) Look for sucessful pencilists. Go to an art store and see what they have. Maybe painting would be good. If you want large flat areas of colour, why not water colour, or guache'? That professional, and no where near the price of a new programme and tablet :)
Posted on May 11, 2006, 3:42:20 PM UTC
ID: 9313 | #20
WildeKarde
Level 21OOC
XP
The whole digital thing can get pretty up there in price. I personally use Illustrator CS2 and Photoshop CS2. Both have feature that I don't know how I lived without

There used to be a program called Streamline which would turn your line art to a vector drawing.( vecture just means its line art for a computer.) Now Illustrator CS2 has that feature. Its great for basic set up of a drawing to digital.

Photoshop CS2 now has a perspective clone feature and a lens correction feature.

As for the scanner I work in the printing field. NO! not like Kinko's, real printing. Most shops seem to use Agfa scanners they seem to be the best for details and color. Hard to find in stores thou. Thing is about scanners its hard to find a good large flatbed scanner. You will, find 11"x14" has to be scanned in two passes. And you got to line them up after. If you have a digital camera you can probably use that depending how good of a place you have to shot it. And the camera.

But here is my suggestion to all who are starting off digital. No one wants to spend the money on something that they might find they don't like in the end. Make some connections with people that use the programs you want to use. Or check something like craigslist.org. for the program. Many people are constantly upgradeing the programs. And the old ones end up in storage not being used. See if you can buy the old programs from them. It might end up being cheaper.

Example. I have Adobe CS2 and I started with illustrator 4 and Photoshop 5. The Basic features of both are still the same. Only thing the newer ones have are more bells and whistles that you might or might not use. So for a beginner I Suggest go find an old version of photoshop. Its cheaper and if you like it you can save for the more expensive version. And its all about trial and error.

Also when you get it Try and books on useing it. Helps to have refrence. The Adobe Classroom in a book are pretty good and easy to learn from. HA! if you take a class thats the book they make you buy.

One last thing. Plug-ins are The best thing since the remote control. You can still change the channel with out them but it makes life so much easier. Plug-ins are the same. They are just short cuts to getting things done. (did I just give away my secret.)

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