Tool for drawing

[onejD]

Hi everyone!
In this topic i would like to share informations about tool that you're using for your art, I mean, if there is someone who prefer "old" shool like some pens, brushes & co.
Which tablets you prefer, programs for colouring and others.
What kind of paper you use, markers and other stuff...
Your's info maybe could be useful for some young artists and of course maybe some professionals could find something interesting.

[onejD]

For example, this is 100% digital work, Manga studio, what are you guys thinking?
PrsuA.jpg

[DanArt]

Lets be frank about this question.

1. When it comes to art, you could use any number of tools. From Airbrush kit, to water coloring setup, or even Acrylics, or inks. Heck you could even find that device that stretches an image across a table so you could trace it over for inking. So keep that in mind.

2. Paper you will need good quality paper. Not so much if your doing work mostly in computer. Again people only use computer due to changing standard of printing. If nobody used the computer we would have awesome aluminum printing blocks.

3. About computers. You mention comic studio/manga studio etc etc etc. Look on the Amiga there was this thing from "Gold Software" where you could make comics. I even an instructional booklet for it. You do not need to have an instructional booklet to make better comics. You need to get an

A. HB number 2 pencil
B. Some scrap paper and just start scribbling your brains out.

Most artwork that is printed does not need to use the maximum amount of rending abilities of a computer. You could even use an OS9 machine by all means. Or just to be insane use an Amiga and then finalize the work in real life.

4. About art worthy-ness. In this forum we have "Huerta art", "Filthy Friday". Filthy Friday has a better dialog that is more understandable and fast to keep up with ( also depending on age group and lingo is more understandable ). While Huerta art coloring is just jaw droopingly amazing ( in various areas ) but what is occurring in the over-all piece I might not agree with those colors or feel could be improved. Now imagine if Huerta was to color Filthy Friday? It might not be the best move and all and the colors might clash with the emotion that is being displayed.


5. Also do not let other peoples work intimidate you. As time goes by you will have ideas and those ideas will change and alter your drawing style. If I knew what I knew in the past about art, I would be a shoe in for most companies. But most companies feel intimidated and force artist to work in other directions. You feel you have something good then work on it, until it looks complete enough to buy or pick up. Also remember to stick to your primary goal but always to experiment until you have something you like.
You will get both better and worst.

6. So just to sum up things, use what you can use and get better at it, and do not be distracted. I could always say go outside and spend thousands of dollars on Corel Draw, Adobe CS products, and every single thing you could get your hands on. Of course there are different tools to work with, and you should try them all.

It is not an easy answer. I have invested in a quite a number of stuff that is gathering dust but every once in awhile I find use for it. That is all I could really say, because the question is a really big one. I see tools I want to use that are practically out-dated or relics just for show and I still want to see what else I could do we these things.

[bela rakosi]

It seems to me that quality drawer can do miracle with everything. For example, I used to work even with a toothpick. But, my main accessories are brushes (DaVinci, Winsor&Newton, Lukas...) with that I use almost every number from 0 to 6, sometimes even 7 and 8...
Pens that I use are mostly brand Brause (some of the best are 511, 513 and 515), then some Leonardt pens, Gillot (maybe the best pens, but you can use one just for one page, they are too "weak").
As for paper, one of the best for me is definitely brand Fabriano tecnico 4 and 6, but I worked with Bristol, Zanders and some others less known papers.
From others, I use Copic markers and now I'm looking for Pantone markers and some other brushes. Then I have Pentel pocket brush pen, he's pretty good and I'm mostly satisfied, then I'm using micron sakura brush pen lately and some micron markers.
For inking I mostly use Talens, Pelikan and Lefranc&Bourgeous ink. And for coloring mostly Talens ecoline watercolors, sometimes with various tempera.

Here is some of my previous works; Bristol paper A3, I used Micron sakura brush, Micron markers size 005 and 02, and Brause pen No.361 Iserlohn.


Inicially I use technical pens all kinds of brands (Staedtler, Rotring...), mostly HB, eventually B.

[onejD]

ok, for colouring the best thing is definitely digital work, i think it's more easy to do that with some program than by yourself

[onejD]

@DanArt, what do you preffer for your work the most? are you old or new school?

i think that it's more harder to draw with brushes and pens like this man bela rakosi, how matter you're good on that you'll be better on digital

[DanArt]

If I have any idea, using pencil and a regular sheet of scrap paper is okay enough to make a scribble. I do not have to start up my desktop, or have an touch device ready. I could be in darkness and make a sketch or scribble to work from. I could work without even looking at the paper!!! Again working without the machine is a lot faster and you might actually end up with a complete piece of work, to hang.

When it comes to illustration, the brush is ten times better then the pen. If anything with digital you will always be limited, but that does not mean you could bypass that. Also with the brush you will learn the discipline of handling it, and will improve your over all creativity rate and motivation as an artist. There is also discipline with the pen-tablets but with ink your stuck with what you have ( as my professor said ) and thus force you to continue. Imagine that kind of power with a pencil. Brush also have next to no friction which changes your speed and reaction to illustration, when it comes to the pencil. Asking yourself why did the art look so good back then? It was because the way the artist handled the brush.

The way I see things it takes the same time to do work via the computer but your using more electricity and eventually that machine will break/ware-down in time. I went through like around four macs already. So even if the work is going to be digital, I would do as much work as I can via traditional. It gets complicated because the last thing I want to have is a bunch of touch panels lying all over the place as well. With art you have to try many things to get the results you want. Even if you limit yourself.

The only minus with working with ink, paint, and eraser is the fact that something or just about anything could make that bottle turn over. That is a real horror show. Also the drain could be clogged with ink, or acrylic which will make your plumber have to go deep inside the plumbing work. So if you have to dump anything, dump it outside or in the garbage, or get a fine net with a filtration system.
That is the only bonus with using a computer only. If you could get away with using a touch pad that is better for you. No chunky desktop, no mess to clean up. Again you will feel much better and much happier with the pencil, and ink. Even the colors or more variable.

In fact this is an old argument, called the arts for arts shake movement. When the factories was mass producing popular are related crafts. Is it no longer art when it comes off an assembly line and is no longer a unique creation of one specific smith, or craftsman
Same with computers compared with traditional.

[pearlofthepacific]

So how long have you been using Manga Studio, oneJD? I use Clip Studio Paint, the Japanese version of MS, but it is deeep and I am still splashing round the shallow end.

I don't work in color, and I do need to edit the text extensively and use more than one language, so CSP works very well for me. It's also set up nicely for printing. Have you tried multi-page comics? I am finding that much harder than expected, because I want to use uniform banners across the top of pages etc. I am very pleased with the amount of freedom I have in CSP for manipulating text and balloons, but I'm not used to the page management yet. I'd like more fonts, too...

As for the artisticibilitariness of it, people who do work digitally know that a digital tone or a digital brush is no more or less a tool than a brush or a speedball pen and a pot of ink. Not many people feel that they need to grind their own ink to be real artists...

Is it easier to draw digitally? I don't think it's harder, but it did take me a while to get used to using a tablet. It *is* easier to draw consistently with a computer, easier to get consistent darkness for reproduction without spending a fortune chucking out half-used micron pens, and it is easier to manage a large project. Also, for people like me who only draw a bit, digital art means that I can spend a few minutes adding to an image stock of "things" that I plan to use.

That said, although you are clearly getting comfortable with lots of different tools, I think you could get rid of a few of those motion lines! Take a fresh look at your favorite comics and see how the artist leads your eye from face to face, or balloon to balloon. For example, in that last panel, do you really want those sacks to be standing out so brightly against the dark background and drawing the reader's eye away from the action going on center panel?