Digital Art Thread

[Meow-Professor]

Hi, I've noticed there are quite a few artists here on Skullheart, so I've made this thread for those of you who prefer drawing digitally.

Discuss what tablets and programs you use, the style you draw in, or ask for advice on how to draw or shade something.

 

[OptimisticPE]

Recently started using a tablet, although it feels a bit weird. Any tips on it?

(I'm using Wacom Intuos Pen & Touch)

 

[chickenwithtie]

I've been using graphic tablets for three years. I had a wacom bamboo first, and now I'm using a HuionH610.
The Wacom Bamboo is a good model to start.
Pros: price is not too high, light pen doesn't need batteries, easy to install, use, regulate and move around; can last 4-5 years with good care.
Cons: kind of tiny and has a rough surface.
Wacom holds the domain in west world, so they're kind of a dick and keep prices too high. But there are chinese alternatives who are cheaper and work just as good. As I said I have an Huion and I love it; I also heard good of Monoprice and Aiptek.
I paid my Huion 40 dollars, its model is similar to Wacom's Intuos. It's large and very sensible to pressure which comes handy with inking and painting, but it doesn't work well in programs who don't have a stabilizer included (freaking Photoshop)

Surface dimensions depend on each artist, but I personally think a larger surface allows you to use your whole arm instead of only your wrist/fingers, which hurts a lot.

Any tips on it?

Could you be a bit more specific?

 

[Meow-Professor]

Recently started using a tablet, although it feels a bit weird. Any tips on it?

(I'm using Wacom Intuos Pen & Touch)

Practice, I suppose, is really the only thing I can say here. It's probably not what you want to hear, though.
It's going to feel weird for a while, looking at a screen while drawing on a different surface. It just takes time to adjust.

 

[Tank]

Recently started using a tablet, although it feels a bit weird. Any tips on it?

(I'm using Wacom Intuos Pen & Touch)

I've had my 4x6 wacom bamboo tablet for 2 years now. It tiny but gets the job done.

One thing i had to get used to was making the pen not go out of the sensor area. when i first started using it i took some tape and put it around the border of the sensor area. this way i would learn where the border was without looking down. because the tape worked kinda like a guard rail. over time i didn't need the tape and just took it off.

How do you like to draw with your tablet? mouse mode or full screen 1to1 mode? I like mouse mode myself since my tablet is small. Full screen 1to1 mode never felt natural to me. That may be whats weird.

 

[OptimisticPE]

Thank you everyone for your tips, it's really useful! ^^

 

[Meow-Professor]

I need a bit of help. I've never been one for coloring/linearting as I haven't ever had time to sit down and color it, but I finally decided to work on my shading.
Lineart is my problem. So I'm using SAI, and I'm using the curve and edit tools on a lineart layer to do it, but that is extremely time consuming and doesn't look correct sometimes (there seems to be some kind of indent or curve in the lines where the joints are when there is a big distance between two points). I've found a good alternative to this, which is doing small lines manually and only using the lineart layer for big lines (legs, long hair lines, etc). The problem lies in how long it takes. I've had to spend almost three days to get the full art linearted.
Granted, it was a big piece, but is there some kind of alternative to this? Or am I just going to have to stop complaning and work on drawing steady lines quickly?
I can't find any information online considering the problem is isn't the quality but how time-consuming it is.

 

[chickenwithtie]

Do you have a tablet or are you using the mouse?

 

[Meow-Professor]

Tablet.

 

[Sotherius]

Okay, i have my tablet since 2011, it is a wacom bamboo pen, it works just fine until today.

Softwares, well, i started by using GIMP, since it is a free software and i got my tablet on a time when i was avoiding piracy in general, but since a few months ago, GIMP stopped working in my computer, and i've never been good with it. So, i started using Paint Tool SAI, but i was using some cracked version, and i wasn't liking, so i decided, well, time to buy a software, and i was going to buy it, but before, i tested other software, Manga Studio 5 (or Clip Studio Paint), and i fell in love with the software in general and how it works, so i bought it. And now i just have to git gud with drawings. xD

 

[Meow-Professor]

Okay, i have my tablet since 2011, it is a wacom bamboo pen, it works just fine until today.

Softwares, well, i started by using GIMP, since it is a free software and i got my tablet on a time when i was avoiding piracy in general, but since a few months ago, GIMP stopped working in my computer, and i've never been good with it. So, i started using Paint Tool SAI, but i was using some cracked version, and i wasn't liking, so i decided, well, time to buy a software, and i was going to buy it, but before, i tested other software, Manga Studio 5 (or Clip Studio Paint), and i fell in love with the software in general and how it works, so i bought it. And now i just have to git gud with drawings. xD

When I first started art I used GIMP. I don't really think it's suitable for digital art so much as editing, but that's up to opinion, I suppose. Probably has changed quite a bit since I last used it though.
What does Manga Studio 5 have to it that makes it superior? I'm really in love with SAI due to to the line quality and the interface, but if there's a better alternative I'm up for dropping the money.

 

[Sotherius]

When I first started art I used GIMP. I don't really think it's suitable for digital art so much as editing, but that's up to opinion, I suppose. Probably has changed quite a bit since I last used it though.
What does Manga Studio 5 have to it that makes it superior? I'm really in love with SAI due to to the line quality and the interface, but if there's a better alternative I'm up for dropping the money.

I don't know, is just how it feels for me. i think my line work in general is way better using the Manga Studion than using the SAI, i think the stabilizer works better, or something like that. I think is more how you adapt to certain software than how good that software in question is.

 

[Tank]

Tablet.

I usually turn the stabilizer up to a high setting in sai to draw lines. It's quicker than the line layer. Just keep your other hand ready to ctrl+Z.

 

[Meow-Professor]

I usually turn the stabilizer up to a high setting in sai to draw lines. It's quicker than the line layer. Just keep your other hand ready to ctrl+Z.

I've got it to the highest setting and am trying to draw quickly, but I keep messing up because I can't control the line. If I draw too slow, my line always ends up shaky. Should I be drawing fast or should I try to take care with my lines?
That's also another question right there. I'm trying to get into using the key shortcuts (I've never used them before because I usually have my other hand putting food in my mouth), so what is a good layout/the layout you guys use?
I'm at a loss. How long does it usually you all to lineart a moderate-large piece?

 

[Tank]

Quick question does your pressure sensitivity work? I know when my tablet driver isn't working the pressure senor doesn't work and the stabilizer doesn't work either.

With the stbalizer the idea is to move the cursor semi quickly then let the line "catch up" with your cursor. What this does is let the computer semi draw the line for you and it won't be shaky because the computer draws it.

my sai shortcuts do as follows

Q-blur tool
W-Wand tool
E-eraser
R-rotate canvas right
T-Transform selection
F-Rotate canvas left
A-Air brush
S-selection "brush"
D-De-selection "brush"
G-bucket tool
H-Flip canvas view Horizontal
Z-zoom tool
X-flip foreground/background colors
B-pen
L-Lasso tool
1- increment selection
I- invert selection
P- Box selection
Y (ctrl-D) - Deselect all
ctrl+S- Save
ctrl+C- copy
ctrl+V- paste
Ctrl+J- duplicate layer
ctrl+shift+drag cursor - Resize brush
alt+tap pen tip- Color pick from all layers
alt+B color pick from current layer.

My tablet pen has B(penl) and E(eraser) mapped to it

 

[Meow-Professor]

Alright, I didn't know the specifications of how the stabilizer worked.
Thanks for the keybind list, I appreciate it.

 

[chickenwithtie]

Uh, one-two hours? I've practiced for years, though. To make the lines good you need to draw hem quickly, with a single rapid gesture.

About programs, I wrote my opinion on another forum:

Photoshop is good for painting, but SAI's got a smooth stabilizer, it's light and easy to use, it's better for web stuff, not printed. SAI lacks a lot of technical stuff Photoshop has. Adobe illustrator is of course the best for vector art (I know some use Flash what the fuck Flash is shit), and for what I know Manga Studio is good for inking, line-art and comic layout. I still can't use Manga Studio for shit though
There are other minor programs who try to mix the features of these main four ones but they're 'eh' at best.