CAN'T DRAW! Any anime character design program?

[Dre]

Is the link broken?

[Sai]

The "Japanimation" one? Not for me.

I think the first piece of software doesn't really sound much different to most image editing software. I didn't notice anything that makes it special, other than all the examples you can get (but you can probably find a lot of examples online elsewhere)

The second piece of software sounds like it'd be useful though, if it really does replicate all the different paper and tones comic books use. It'd probably only be a really worthy investment though, if you were seriously considering publishing some printed graphic novels/comics.

And the tablet, well I already have a small one from Wacom. Wacom is supposed to be pretty good in this field, I don't know enough about tablets to comment on the one on there though (I mostly just use mine for colouring and some very basic drawing....)

[RedSlash]

It just seems like another Photoshop to me. All their links are broken as well. ComicWorks seems useful to have its tone library. The tablet itself is a bit expensive. I think Wacom has its graphire tablets for cheaper ($99USD, I think) and Wacom is the leading industry in tablets.

[Blue Lemma]

I've never really understood how those tablets work... How do you keep track of where you've drawn on the tablet? Does something show up on the tablet as well as the monitor, or is everything just on the monitor? Does the pen move a cursor around on the screen?

Me no get it

[RedSlash]

Nothing shows up on the tablet. You're basically drawing on a piece of board but the output is displayed on the screen. The advantages are that you have way more control over drawing than with a mouse, and the pen is pressure sensitive and tilt sensitive (in some models).

The pen does move the cursor around the screen and can be used like a mouse. But it's features (pressure and tilt) will only be used in programs that support it (such as Photoshop).

[Sai]

I'm not sure if I have pressure sensitivity working in Photoshop ._.;; I've got Photoshop 5... (Once tried a more recent version but it didn't work very well on my system so stuck with the old version I've had for years)
Worked with Open Canvas though.

You can actuially get a drawing tablet whereby you can see what you're doing on the board itself, like a touch screen type thing. I think. But it's REALLY expensive! I wish I could have that though because it's a bit disorientating drawing on a board below you yet having to look at the monitor across from you heh.

[Tage]

Normal tablets--the ones everyone are referring to--work like this:

• There is a rectangle box on the tablet. It is the equivalent to the computer monitor. Whenever you hover the pen tip over the tablet, it moves the mouse cursor to the same place as where your pen tip is pointing. There are two ends the the pen, the drawing tip and the erasing tip. Tablet pen tips are pressure sensitive...meaning the lighter you press, the smaller the size you are going to be drawing and vice versa. I got mine as a present. I think it was bought for around $70

However, there are tablets that act as a monitor as well, therefore, allowing you to draw straight onto the monitor. Those are a lot more expensive.

Edit: rawr, yah...what Sai said P= I drool over the thought of those...

Edit 2: I actually drew my avatar with my tablet in Photoshop

[PyTom]

One thing to realize when purchasing a drawing tablet is that you probably want a small one with a high resolution. I have a Wacom Graphire 3, which is only 3.5" by 5" or so, but it has a resolution of > 2000 dpi, which is fine.

Previously I had tried a bigger tablet with a lower DPI, and it was unusable.

Just an FYI.

[rioka]

Re Blue Lemma, Sai:
I kind of think of it as a video game. It's all about hand-eye coordination after all. Eyes on screen, hand on controller. ....Besides, you guys use a mouse daily and have CGed using a mouse, right? Isn't it the same as using a tablet?

Re Sai:
Pressure sensitivity works for me on Photoshop. It works best on air brush and brush modes rather than pencil.

Re Drawing straight to monitor:
For some reason, I'm not really excited about these. I should be though considering it'll be like working directly on a medium...

[RedSlash]

Sai:
I sometimes find that starting Photoshop using the mouse (that is double clicking the application icon with the mouse) makes the program think you don't have a tablet and it automatically disables the pressure features. This is like random, but only happens when I start it with the mouse. Maybe try starting it with the pen and see what happens.

[Tage]

While we're in this thread about not being able to draw, I think I should mention that you shouldn't purchase a tablet if you can't draw yet. It won't magically increase your drawing skill. =)

[Glasskitten]

Hello. I have aboslutely nothing to contribute to this discussion, but...

What is that Japanese program whose screenshot is linked in the very first post of this thread? Because I am a perfectionist and drawing takes me forever, it would be nice to obtain that program for myself if possible. (I cannot read Japanese, but it looks like it works...)

*wishes she had time to perfect her artistic skills, or friends to draw for her*
*wishes she had some advice for other people who need to perfect their artistic skills*

[rioka]

That's Ren'Ai Maker from the folks who made RPG Maker. I've heard of some folks at Megatokyo who are working on translating the software but fan transalation projects like that usually stop short before completion (not to mention it's not an official English release...).

Anyways, there are alternatives open to you aside from drawing characters yourself as mentioned earlier in this thread, and if you ever feel like doing it on your own, I did give some starting points to someone else at this thread: http://lemmasoft.renai.us/forums/viewtopic.php?t=391

[Nio]

I have a tablet and I find it hard to work with so I still draw on paper first.

Sounds like there might be a need for a character design program. Something that lets you choose the looks etc. Hmmm... (rusty gears turn)

[digeridoo]

im also trying to learn to draw. aint there any free tutorials that gives u the complete basics? havent found anyone. if i only could learn the basics i could use the other sites.