Art Software

[Nikizee]

Hey guys, I'm wondering if anyone can give me the name of a good free software to create characters for a Visual novel I'm currently working on. I have a little experience with art but not a lot. I have no idea how to create charters, or how to use any software. It'd be great if I could get some tips and advice. I'm a complete beginner so I will appreciate any help I get

Thanks ^_^


~Nikizee ^+^

[sei.chan]

Everyone will say gimp I prefer the fan made tool sai =-=' preference is key.

[Nikizee]

Everyone will say gimp I prefer the fan made tool sai =-=' preference is key.

The thing is I've tried sai and I'm not great with doing the drawing using my laptop and that's all I have, unless someone can like teach me how to use it properly I'm finding it really hard T^T and I've never heard of gimp.

I can draw on paper... D:

[MaiMai]

http://medibangpaint.com/en/dl/

Medibang Paint Pro is completely free and a really good drawing software. They have a page where they teach you how to use the basics:

http://medibangpaint.com/en/use/

I've been using it a lot even though I already have other digital art programs I've paid for (SAI and Clip Studio), but I am very confident when I say that Medibang is perfectly suited for producing visual novel assets.

edit; I noticed that you said you used SAI before. Are you using a drawing tablet or a mouse?

[Nikizee]

http://medibangpaint.com/en/dl/

Medibang Paint Pro is completely free and a really good drawing software. They have a page where they teach you how to use the basics:

http://medibangpaint.com/en/use/

I've been using it a lot even though I already have other digital art programs I've paid for (SAI and Clip Studio), but I am very confident when I say that Medibang is perfectly suited for producing visual novel assets.

edit; I noticed that you said you used SAI before. Are you using a drawing tablet or a mouse?

I'm using a mouse. I can't afford anything like a tablet to draw with. I don't think I'll be able to for awhile which is why its difficult :/

[sei.chan]

Everyone will say gimp I prefer the fan made tool sai =-=' preference is key.

The thing is I've tried sai and I'm not great with doing the drawing using my laptop and that's all I have, unless someone can like teach me how to use it properly I'm finding it really hard T^T and I've never heard of gimp.

I can draw on paper... D:

XD I see with mouse any program will be hard. What I recommend is since you draw on paper to either take a picture of it or scan it. (this is if you end up using sai) tool sai has a linework layer (click line work then choose either line or curve) for line art then you can just color it in. red is Lineart layer blue is curve and purple is line (the diffrence between curve and line is line gives edges while curve doestn unless you edit it)

I could help you if you have a skype.

[MaiMai]

Yeah, that's definitely difficult. While you can definitely create digital art starting from paper, you'd still probably need a scanner. Using a mouse to draw and color digitally isn't impossible (in fact, there's a good number of people who are able to do this), but it isn't ideal for your wrist if you're doing the art all by yourself. A tablet is really good investment.

[chlorofinite]

FireAlpaca is a good drawing tool like SAI or Photoshop from what I've heard, and Paint.net and of course GIMP are Photoshop alternatives (image editing software). There's also the old freeware version of openCanvas.
Before I got a tablet, I used to use this tutorial for coloring traditional lineart, but it's for Photoshop.

[trooper6]

There are cheap tablets you can get for under $50 if that helps.

[LateWhiteRabbit]

Clip Paint Studio!

The standard "Pro" version is only $50, and it is all you need. If it matters, it made me move away from Photoshop after using Adobe's program for 15 years. It feels that much better to draw in.

And trooper6 is right. You need a tablet, if only to prevent carpal tunnel from mouse-drawing. Check eBay and other sites and you can pick up cheap tablets from artist's upgrading.

[Reikun]

Seconding Clip Studio Paint. They also have sales often where you can get the pro version for $15.

For a free alternative that I've found to be pretty good (though... it seems heavier than CSP cpu/ram-usage wise) there is Krita: https://krita.org/

[MaiMai]

Medibang Paint Pro is basically a trimmed down Clip Studio Paint. I'd do what Reikun recommended though and buy Clip Studio when it's on sale for $15.

[SinaAzad]

You probably have figured out what to do and what to buy by now , but if you haven't , consider the wacom small touch Manga Version , 2 birds with one stone ! you get a good drawing tab and a 2 year license for clip studio paint pro which I love so much.

[Cakey]

I would say: try to buy something with big working space if you buy a tablet.

I draw with Gimp and Pentagram Designer and I am satisfied with results

You can draw in Photoshop CC trial version for some time too. It is not so hard to switch to Gimp later.

[Sysen]

Paint tool sai is pretty good, simple and easy to use
though the problem is with the magic wand tool kinda leave some spot that you need to fill manually.

another alternative is clip studio paint, it got perspective ruler that's like master tool for cg with detailed BG (if you want to do some cgs)
and the lineart is better, i don't know why but the pressure is pretty nice compared to sai

even with that, i still prefer paint tool sai because i'm really used to it