I don't know a lot of artists, and I'm just starting to figure some artsy stuff out. I'm learning how to ink with a tablet and colour with Paint.net, so if you guys can help me out with this, it will be most appreciated. Thanks!

Here's links to a drawing I threw together today.

First Scribble
First Scribble (Coloured/Inked)

I have an inkling that there's something wrong here. It seems too simple - I'm using gradients, so I guess it looks better than if I did it in MS Paint, but it still feels kinda cheap. I guess my question is - what am I doing wrong that makes this art look cheap?

Hay,

I think paint.net doesn't support tablet sensitivity well, GIMP seems to do it better btw. Though I recently got photoshop CS2 and the difference is staggering- pure superiority.

But one of the main problems is you only have one color for everything, gradient or not.
In gimp make a new transparent layer and set it to multiply- then pick a darker color of the one selected and start highlighting the image.

I could also give you an example by going over you image if you don't understand-

Skullbie
I think paint.net doesn't support tablet sensitivity well, GIMP seems to do it better btw. Though I recently got photoshop CS2 and the difference is staggering- pure superiority.

Is tablet sensitivity a crucial element to having a computer-traced image look hand-drawn?

Skullbie
But one of the main problems is you only have one color for everything, gradient or not.
In gimp make a new transparent layer and set it to multiply- then pick a darker color of the one selected and start highlighting the image.

I could also give you an example by going over you image if you don't understand-

Yeah, I think that an example would be really helpful. Would you suggest I try GIMP instead of Paint.net? I'm not at the point where I need photoshop yet, I think.

ps - Thanks for the help! :)

jay raj

Skullbie
I think paint.net doesn't support tablet sensitivity well, GIMP seems to do it better btw. Though I recently got photoshop CS2 and the difference is staggering- pure superiority.

Is tablet sensitivity a crucial element to having a computer-traced image look hand-drawn?

Well, it definitely helps.

Also, a tip to make the lines look more interesting in the inked version is this: use a different thickness of line when inking different things. Looking at the image you linked, you've used the same thickness across the whole image. If you use a thinner line for details (eyes, nose, mouth, the wrinkles on his shirt around the neck, etc., etc.), that might improve the look.

I'm also seconding Skullbie in the colours: it looks a bit flat now because there's only one colour for each thing. Don't be afraid to experiment with shadows and highlights.

Another suggestion would be to stop relying entirely on gradients. Take the time to go in with the brush tool and add in deeper and brighter shadows and highlights. Use some of those to provide details like wrinkles without using lines. Adding details within the shapes instead of just at the edges will make it a lot more visually interesting. The colour thing is definitely killing you here too. Experiment with using the full program instead of just one aspect. Gradients are not always the best solution to the problem.

One other thing I notice is that your drawing is centered. Putting your focus ( The character in this case. ) can make a massive difference in how it looks. Most people have a bad habit of putting the focus in the direct center of an image ( Look at some old vacation photos and you'll see. ). If you break that habit, your work becomes a lot more appealing.

Other than that, it's going to be largely a matter of practice. Over time your linework will get smoother and you'll figure out things that work for you.

jay raj
Is tablet sensitivity a crucial element to having a computer-traced image look hand-drawn?

YES! It allows you to vary the thickness of your line (and other elements, depending on the tool) as you draw.

I have to echo what was said about line thickness. There are a few schools of thought on this, depending on who you talk to (some inkers are very serious/critical/hardcore about it)... but the general idea is thicker outlines and thinner details help organize a clearer image for the reader. Other ideas in this vein include having objects closer to the viewer have heavier lines than those behind it, and also having heavier lines on the sides of objects not being directly hit by light. Like I say, some people view these as RULES, but whatever works for you is best... and some variation will liven it up!

I agree with Iba about gradients. I'm not one to give advice about coloring, but straight gradients are just as flat as flat colors... i dunno.. that look just doesn't do it for me.... I'd say use harder shadows, get a little more creative with it.

Iba also had a good compositional comment, though I'm not sure you were asking about that in your original question. In my design classes back in college, we were pretty hardcore about the fibbonacci/golden ratio aesthetic. Some people call it the "rule of thirds" (i just feel cooler when i drop a name fibbonacci, even if i can't spell it). Basically the idea is that if the picture plane was split up into equal thirds, the focal point would land somewhere on one of those splits. For some reason its pleasing to the human brain. Also playing against that can also generate interest. Play with it!

Getting back to the tablet thingy.... for some ideas (and a totally shameless plug from me), you COULD check out my comic (see signature banner), which happens to be 100% tablet drawn!

Here's a really fast example-forgive the quality. imagine what cool effects you'll do with 15 minutes put into it :)


That's what they do- remember layers and layer modes are the key.
Keep using gradients too you're good at them.

p.s. your style was so hard for me @_@

Oh, wow guys!! :)

Sorry it took me so long to respond - I forgot where I had put this thread, and it was taking so long ... so I read a bunch of Charby instead.

So I guess what I'm seeing here is ...

Tablet sensitivity is good - I should check out GIMP instead of Paint.net to get decent tablet sensitivity.

Thick lines for edges, thin lines for details.

Use more than one colour for each colour, but still use gradients.

Aiight ... I think that should hold me over for a little while. Thanks for all your help! I'm working on my first comic page for this guy, and it's taking longer than expected. ps - I've been putting my comics at retardedly huge pixelations (like 4000 by 4000) so it'll look better in the end, but I think that's a bit much. What size do you guys usually make your comics while you're inking/colouring them so it'll be smoother in the end?

Also ps to Skullbie - that looks awesome! Sorry my 'style' was hard for you ... I'm sure my pictures will smoothen out with time.

Generally, as long as you start out with at least two or three times the size of your final product it will come out fairly smooth. I usually start out at about 2100 x 2100 and rescale down to 600 x 600 and it usually comes out very smooth looking, short of me screwing something up. The trick is, that I smooth out areas in which the line work doesn't appear right at viewing size as I go. That usually seems to work since people can't tell most of the time that I do my inking by hand.

Alright - I'm going to try the 3x. Thanks for your help, guys! Hopefully I'll have my first comic of this guy up within the week. :)

The new comic's called Band Wagon, and the first page is up. Don't check it out with high hopes though - I haven't had a chance to use GIMP yet, so there isn't anything fancy here. Just straight up gradients and non-tablet sensitivity. The next page will surely have more than that, but I was getting sick of this one just sitting on my computer begging to be posted. I hope you like it! :)

http://www.drunkduck.com/Band_Wagon/