A few questions

[katsunai]

Is it possible to draw sprites/lineart on paper and scan them in? (Mostly regarding expressions) I mean, I think it would be possible if I traced/redrew each sprite, but that would be awfully time consuming. I would draw on the computer, but my lineart with the tablet is absolutely horrible

Also, what is a good way to think up different hairstyles? Every time I draw a boy with short and spiky hair I end up doing the same thing. -.-"

I really should stop my habit of making accounts on sites and not using them -_-

[Sapphi]

Is it possible to draw sprites/lineart on paper and scan them in? (Mostly regarding expressions) I mean, I think it would be possible if I traced/redrew each sprite, but that would be awfully time consuming. I would draw on the computer, but my lineart with the tablet is absolutely horrible

Yes, it is possible... if you have the software to render your scans. You're going to need a tool that can make everything but your lineart transparent. I use Photoshop for that. I'm not sure what other programs can do it.

Also, what is a good way to think up different hairstyles? Every time I draw a boy with short and spiky hair I end up doing the same thing. -.-"

Just... um... study the different types of hair, both in anime and throughout the fashions of real life. Try to think about your character's personality, ethnicity, and culture, then stylize their hair accordingly.

[Applegate]

Yeah, it's possible. Depending on quality of your scanner you may need to do some work in Photoshop to fix it up, but it's definitely possible. Below is an image I drew and scanned in. I was using a pen (I know), but I think it should be a little indicative of how it may look if you scan things in. I think if you draw with pencil, ink the images after and then remove any excess lines/colour it, you can use hand-drawn images as well as any digitally drawn ones.

You could draw by hand first, scan it in and then trace over every line, but... well, I wouldn't recommend it. I do have a friend who actually scans in everything he's drawn on paper, then colours it digitally without redrawing any lines or suffering from quality problems.


(No, I am no artist.)

[LateWhiteRabbit]

Is it possible to draw sprites/lineart on paper and scan them in? (Mostly regarding expressions) I mean, I think it would be possible if I traced/redrew each sprite, but that would be awfully time consuming. I would draw on the computer, but my lineart with the tablet is absolutely horrible

Drawn tight pencils as cleanly as you can on paper. Scan them in at 300 DPI. Use the Levels adjustment in photoshop to clean up the smudges and grays and leave you with dark, clean lines. Then use the pencils on a separate level up top set to the Multiply blending mode. Do all your coloring on the layers underneath. Profit.

Also, what is a good way to think up different hairstyles? Every time I draw a boy with short and spiky hair I end up doing the same thing. -.-"

Use Google Image search with any of the following search terms:

hairstyles
hair
anime hairstyles
boys hairstyles
girls hairstyles

When you get bored with those plain Jane haircuts, type in "weird hairstyles".

[9:19]

Or, learn to use your tablet. There are 9,159 line art tutorials on DeviantART.

Also, what is a good way to think up different hairstyles? Every time I draw a boy with short and spiky hair I end up doing the same thing.

This is something I do whenever drawing hair starts to feel less like fun and more like a chore: find a mirror. Stand in front of it. Look at your hair. Muss it up. Part it, tie it, tuck it (gel it, straighten it and curl it if that's your thing) in every way humanly imaginable. Be creative, be silly. Laugh at yourself, because you are going look wonderfully ridiculous or unexpectedly hot. Now go back to your character and do the same for him.

[katsunai]

Thanks for all the advice, everyone

Yes, it is possible... if you have the software to render your scans. You're going to need a tool that can make everything but your lineart transparent. I use Photoshop for that. I'm not sure what other programs can do it.

I have GIMP... I think that works.

Yeah, it's possible. Depending on quality of your scanner you may need to do some work in Photoshop to fix it up, but it's definitely possible. Below is an image I drew and scanned in. I was using a pen (I know), but I think it should be a little indicative of how it may look if you scan things in. I think if you draw with pencil, ink the images after and then remove any excess lines/colour it, you can use hand-drawn images as well as any digitally drawn ones.

I was thinking of doing this.

'Tis a masterpiece :'D

Or, learn to use your tablet. There are 9,159 line art tutorials on DeviantART.

I would practice more with my tablet if I had the time >.< But for some reason, whenever I do have the time, I am so utterly uninspired that I can't think of anything to draw.

This is something I do whenever drawing hair starts to feel less like fun and more like a chore: find a mirror. Stand in front of it. Look at your hair. Muss it up. Part it, tie it, tuck it (gel it, straighten it and curl it if that's your thing) in every way humanly imaginable. Be creative, be silly. Laugh at yourself, because you are going look wonderfully ridiculous or unexpectedly hot. Now go back to your character and do the same for him.

My hair is very boring. And I have long hair, so it doesn't help much with boys' hairstyles. It seems like a good idea, though
I think I'll put up some of my drawings up for critique later, but most of them are sketchy and unfinished. -.-"

[nyaatrap]

I think it would be possible if I traced/redrew each sprite, but that would be awfully time consuming. I would draw on the computer, but my lineart with the tablet is absolutely horrible

Are you using Gimp to draw lineworks? then it must be horrible. I recommend to try another application, like http://firealpaca.com/ Though drawing with a pen table takes 2~3 times longer than with a pencil. There's no way other than bear with it.

[katsunai]

Are you using Gimp to draw lineworks? then it must be horrible. I recommend to try another application, like http://firealpaca.com/ Though drawing with a pen table takes 2~3 times longer than with a pencil. There's no way other than bear with it.

No, I have SAI as well. It's supposed to be good for lines, but I'm not very good at using the linework layer for that. I think it's because I use too thick lines, or because I set the stability to a high level (or else the lines are really wobbly/sketchy).
Here's one of my attempts: (Ignore the horrible anatomy)
It doesn't look that bad, but it took me forever, and my later drawings are worse, for some reason. I'm probably out of practice, since I haven't used my tablet in a long time >.>
I've never heard of FireAlpaca before. I'll give it a try later.

[LateWhiteRabbit]

Though drawing with a pen table takes 2~3 times longer than with a pencil. There's no way other than bear with it.

Not when you get used to the tablet. Once you've adjusted to, and gotten as good drawing with a tablet as you are with a pencil, it takes no longer to draw than using a pencil and paper. In fact, my drawing speed has increased with the tablet, since I have layers and don't need to worry as much about mistakes or getting each stroke perfect on the first try.

It does take a while to get to comfortable with the tablet though. Honestly, it was terrible when I started. I felt like someone had sucked out all my talent and skill I had with a pencil, or that my hand had become uncooperative. You are learning to draw again when you use a tablet. It takes time. But you'll never reach the point where you get good on the tablet unless you practice, just like you had to practice with a pencil. One day it all just "clicked" for me, and I was drawing on the tablet the same as pencil and paper. Once I had my control back, I could use all the skills I'd learned with a pencil, but straight into a digital medium. A MASSIVE time-saver.

My illustration instructor at art school insisted everything be done on a tablet. I hated it. I was a good illustrator with a pencil, but suddenly I looked like a child struggling for every line with the tablet. She made me do a series of 100 drawings. 100 hands. 100 arms. 100 of anything. Over and over. I remember when 'it' happened. I was drawing an arm study (anatomy, muscle groups), and I was almost done with it. I was pretty satisfied with what I had and was starting to move on to another arm when I realized I hadn't once thought about my stylus or the tablet during the last drawing. I hadn't used Undo. I hadn't struggled. I was just humming along to my music and DRAWING. My brain and hand had learned how to adjust, and I was now able to work purely digital from sketch to finished piece.

The digital art studio I worked at didn't even have paper in the building except what we stole from the fax machine for paper airplanes!

So bear with it and keep practicing. You'll find out what all the fuss is over.

EDIT: Be sure your stylus and tablet settings are customized for how you draw with a pencil. If you have a light touch and lightly hold a pencil when you drawn on paper, make the stylus tip 'soft'. If you are used to tightly gripping and bearing down on the pencil, make the stylus tip more firm. Keep going back and forth from the settings to drawing until you can make effortless strokes that feel natural - THEN practice. The latest Wacom drivers (as of last month) include custom curve adjustment to PERFECTLY set how hard you want to press to get 100% fill on a line.

[nyaatrap]

Oh they're quite good lines. What you hate with a tablet is time you spend, isn't it? I was also thinking the same thing and I tried many ways to ink faster with SAI.
Here my settings :
Set The minimum pressure on the option menu (not each brushs) 15~20% (This's very important setting by far)
Set stability 10~15
Add paper texture 5~10%. It reduces anti-aliase.

Now I'm spending 2~3 hours on one sprite including inking and coloring (The link to my drawings are on my signature.)

[katsunai]

Oh they're quite good lines. What you hate with a tablet is time you spend, isn't it? I was also thinking the same thing and I tried many ways to ink faster with SAI.
Here my settings :
Set The minimum pressure on the option menu (not each brushs) 15~20% (This's very important setting by far)
Set stability 10~15
Add paper texture 5~10%. It reduces anti-aliase.

Now I'm spending 2~3 hours on one sprite including inking and coloring (The link to my drawings are on my signature.)

I don't see any links in your signature, though. :/ And the time does bother me a little, but the thing is that I am (most likely) severely out of practice with my tablet, and probably can't reproduce the same line quality (except with thinner lines...). I actually don't mind spending a lot of time with my tablet (unless I keep having to click undo because of that one line that refuses to look right), except it irritates my parents for spending so much time on the computer. -___-

Set The minimum pressure on the option menu (not each brushs) 15~20% (This's very important setting by far)
Set stability 10~15
Add paper texture 5~10%. It reduces anti-aliase.

EDIT: Be sure your stylus and tablet settings are customized for how you draw with a pencil. If you have a light touch and lightly hold a pencil when you drawn on paper, make the stylus tip 'soft'. If you are used to tightly gripping and bearing down on the pencil, make the stylus tip more firm. Keep going back and forth from the settings to drawing until you can make effortless strokes that feel natural - THEN practice. The latest Wacom drivers (as of last month) include custom curve adjustment to PERFECTLY set how hard you want to press to get 100% fill on a line.

I'll be sure to tweak my settings. Thanks for the info

[luminarious]

The Freakangels webcomic is done so that the lineart is done in pencil and then scanned, flatted, coloured, textured and shaded. They put up an in-depth overview of the whole process.


Re:Mind is also done like that. He started with a series of tutorials about lineart and colouring.

[nyaatrap]

Btw, if you feel a pen touching on your tablet is far from a real touch on a paper, then just paste a paper over your tablet. Actually, I can't draw anything with my tablet without pasting a paper over my tablet

I don't see any links in your signature, though. :/

http://lemmasoft.renai.us/forums/viewto ... 43&t=14874 I stared digital drawing while making this game, so the game itself is an only link to my drawing