Woot! Surface Pro should be here in the next week! 
I got "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" and "You can Learn to draw in 30 days"
I'm on day 4 of You can learn to draw in 30 days. So far I can see how the techniques can apply to digital stuff also but I'm mainly using pencil and paper. The main difference is just the tools. On paper I can use my finger to smudge blend a shadow. On pc there might be smudge/blur tool or a brush that does the same thing.
The book states that each lesson is about 20 minutes but lesson 3 took over 2 hours. I wasn't bored just noting the lessons might take more than 20 minutes.
Hey Baron, just now seeing this, but congrats on getting started. I agree with Songbird -- I feel that traditional paper & pencil are the way to establish your foundation.
This is common advice that you've probably heard, but keep a sketchpad and save ALL of your drawings. Don't tear anything up or throw anything away. It's really cool to see your early drawings vs your later ones.
Go to a Michael's or something and get yourself some decent pencils -- quality pencils make a big difference. I use Derwent. A Strathmore 400 series sketchpad is an excellent buy as well.
Another thing that really helped me is watching videos on youtube, there are thousands of them. I learned a ton by watching others draw.
I hope you'll post some of your early stuff, even if you think it looks bad. People can help you with tips.
Got my MS Surface Pro and downloaded Sketchbook Pro last night! Too bad I have real estate class and a bunch of life-stuff at the moment, but I will get some time with this beast in the very near future.
Got my MS Surface Pro and downloaded Sketchbook Pro last night! Too bad I have real estate class and a bunch of life-stuff at the moment, but I will get some time with this beast in the very near future.
Sketchbook Pro is excellent. I have that on my PC.
cartoonin99 wrote:Got my MS Surface Pro and downloaded Sketchbook Pro last night! Too bad I have real estate class and a bunch of life-stuff at the moment, but I will get some time with this beast in the very near future.
Sketchbook Pro is excellent. I have that on my PC.
Does it work well with the Wacom-ilk tablets?
cartoonin99 wrote:Got my MS Surface Pro and downloaded Sketchbook Pro last night! Too bad I have real estate class and a bunch of life-stuff at the moment, but I will get some time with this beast in the very near future.
Sketchbook Pro is excellent. I have that on my PC.
Good to hear! I have heard other accolades on the program as well.
Does anyone draw with an iPad? I would love to have a drawing tablet but I want one I can see with as I draw. Those are too pricy though. Since I have an iPad I figured I'd just get a on e instead. Say the bamboo Stylus solo. Cheap although no pressure sensitivity. Any info would be great.
Does anyone draw with an iPad? I would love to have a drawing tablet but I want one I can see with as I draw. Those are too pricy though. Since I have an iPad I figured I'd just get a on e instead. Say the bamboo Stylus solo. Cheap although no pressure sensitivity. Any info would be great.
I have tried multiple times, but I just can't get used to it and the results have always been lackluster. I've been eyeing a pressure sensitive stylus, but been hesitating because I am not sure it would help. So, I guess.. uhmm... my recommendation would be.. try it?
master0 wrote:Does anyone draw with an iPad? I would love to have a drawing tablet but I want one I can see with as I draw. Those are too pricy though. Since I have an iPad I figured I'd just get a on e instead. Say the bamboo Stylus solo. Cheap although no pressure sensitivity. Any info would be great.
I have tried multiple times, but I just can't get used to it and the results have always been lackluster. I've been eyeing a pressure sensitive stylus, but been hesitating because I am not sure it would help. So, I guess.. uhmm... my recommendation would be.. try it?
Yeah I've been doing some decent research and it looks like unless I'm willing to shell out for a rather pricy stylus it's just not going to work that well. Of course this led me to once again drool over the really expensive tablets all over again...
Guess I'll stick with my little whiteboard for quick doodles for now.
I picked up a MS refurbished Surface Pro for $400:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Microsoft-Su...
Along with Sketchbook Pro for $20:
http://www.amazon.com/Autodesk-732E1...
I have been having a blast on this device as there is no lag and I LOVE being able to draw directly on the screen, as I always had that weird disassociation with drawing with a mouse or on a Wacom tablet. The screen is capacitive and utilizes a pressure sensitive stylus.
PIX OR IT DINNA HAPPEN
I picked up a MS refurbished Surface Pro for $400:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Microsoft-Su...
Along with Sketchbook Pro for $20:
http://www.amazon.com/Autodesk-732E1...
I have been having a blast on this device as there is no lag and I LOVE being able to draw directly on the screen, as I always had that weird disassociation with drawing with a mouse or on a Wacom tablet. The screen is capacitive and utilizes a pressure sensitive stylus.
Yeah penny arcade mentioned the surface and it looks fantastic. The new one is to expensive and i want the pro as well. How good is the old surface for videogames? 400 for it is something I could stomach if it's for more than drawing.
PIX OR IT DINNA HAPPEN
I know, I know! I haven't saved anything since they have all been just doodling/getting used to the software/hardware.
I promise to post some stuff when I get more comfy with both.
Yeah penny arcade mentioned the surface and it looks fantastic. The new one is to expensive and i want the pro as well. How good is the old surface for videogames? 400 for it is something I could stomach if it's for more than drawing.
I have been playing a bit of my Steam library with nary a hitch. It is a full featured laptop, but you are not going to play Crysis 3 on ultra settings, that's for sure.
Here's a vid that shows off some of the gaming capabilities:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frCs...
I found this site which reviews styluses for iPad. http://ipadforartists.com/category/reviews/stylus-reviews/
muraii wrote:PIX OR IT DINNA HAPPEN
I know, I know! I haven't saved anything since they have all been just doodling/getting used to the software/hardware.
I promise to post some stuff when I get more comfy with both. :)
I kid I kid.
I use an iPad for drawing and vector art. I mostly prefer it for painting. The app I use has a variety of brushes that can simulate wet paint and other types of mediums. So when I paint, the colors underneath will blend together like oils would.
It's not perfect but it gets the job done. I can't really use a drawing tablet/PC setup because I need to see my strokes as I draw. My brain refuses to understand drawing 'here' while looking 'there'.
Just put my fourth magazine cover out the door yesterday, and it was the first one where I did all the art by hand. Well, the line art, anyway; I worked in pigment liner on illo board, then scanned it and colored in Photoshop. My comfort level in Illustrator is... not yet sufficient 
(click to enlarge)
I use an iPad for drawing and vector art. I mostly prefer it for painting. The app I use has a variety of brushes that can simulate wet paint and other types of mediums. So when I paint, the colors underneath will blend together like oils would.
It's not perfect but it gets the job done. I can't really use a drawing tablet/PC setup because I need to see my strokes as I draw. My brain refuses to understand drawing 'here' while looking 'there'.
What do you use for a stylus. They all look like the tips are too large for detailed pen like drawing.
Mystic Violet wrote:I use an iPad for drawing and vector art. I mostly prefer it for painting. The app I use has a variety of brushes that can simulate wet paint and other types of mediums. So when I paint, the colors underneath will blend together like oils would.
It's not perfect but it gets the job done. I can't really use a drawing tablet/PC setup because I need to see my strokes as I draw. My brain refuses to understand drawing 'here' while looking 'there'.
What do you use for a stylus. They all look like the tips are too large for detailed pen like drawing.
I use (and love) the iFaraday Artist stylus, along with the Procreate app.
You can't really treat drawing on an iPad the same as drawing physically. Rather than working on a static page, I'm constantly zooming in and out, rotating, and moving focus on the page according to the type of line and level on detail I need.
Mystic Violet wrote:I use an iPad for drawing and vector art. I mostly prefer it for painting. The app I use has a variety of brushes that can simulate wet paint and other types of mediums. So when I paint, the colors underneath will blend together like oils would.
It's not perfect but it gets the job done. I can't really use a drawing tablet/PC setup because I need to see my strokes as I draw. My brain refuses to understand drawing 'here' while looking 'there'.
What do you use for a stylus. They all look like the tips are too large for detailed pen like drawing.
I just use a Targus Stylus. I've become familiar with using the average stylus so precision isn't too much of an issue. But I mostly stick with painting/vector art anyway.
When I bought my latest computer parts I impulse bought a wacom bamboo tablet, I really like it, though it is much smaller than my monitor and all the actions on the tablet map to the monitor so it's tricky. It came with ArtRage 3 or 4, I had ArtRage 2 on my xp machine, nice program. I can't actually draw well enough to actually paint, I like pencil sketches. I'm actually a programmer by trade and ArtRage has a scripting language, but it's limited so now I've got a side project that will use svg to create basic shapes and transform them and add vanishing points, etc. as a helper for drawing stuff.
The one big benefit from apps like this, for me, hypothetically: no pencil smudge with the side of my hand.
The one big benefit from apps like this, for me, hypothetically: no pencil smudge with the side of my hand.
/left-handed fistbump
muraii wrote:The one big benefit from apps like this, for me, hypothetically: no pencil smudge with the side of my hand.
/left-handed fistbump
When it comes to drawing, I get the grey hand even though right-handed. Drawing isn't done from left to right.
clover wrote:muraii wrote:The one big benefit from apps like this, for me, hypothetically: no pencil smudge with the side of my hand.
/left-handed fistbump
When it comes to drawing, I get the grey hand even though right-handed. Drawing isn't done from left to right.
True, but since I spent elementary school covered in graphite, I feel for you guys.
clover wrote:muraii wrote:The one big benefit from apps like this, for me, hypothetically: no pencil smudge with the side of my hand.
/left-handed fistbump
When it comes to drawing, I get the grey hand even though right-handed. Drawing isn't done from left to right.
I've trained myself to do it left-to-right in order to avoid smudging my hand, and thus the paper, with grey.
Then again, less of an issue now that most of my art is done digitally, when I do get a chance to draw.
If your hands aren't entirely graphite-coloured by the time you're finished sketching, your doing it wrong.
Unless you're using a tablet, in which case....I'd suggest you seek a doctor immediately.
I've trained myself to do it left-to-right in order to avoid smudging my hand, and thus the paper, with grey.
I learned to do a lot of rubbing/blending, and I'll go back in with a good eraser to add highlights.
Been doing a good bit of drawing recently. Most is turning out pretty garbage, but a few have mildly tickled my fancy.
Even when I turn out junk though, it's still good to put pencil on paper.
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