On May 11, 7:13 am, "E. Liddell"
wrote:
>>> On May 1, 11:46 pm, "m...@
winternet.com"
winternet.com> wrote:>>>> E. Liddell wrote:
>>>>> On Sat, 07 Apr 2007 09:10:42 -0500, m...@
winternet.com wrote:
>>>>>> E. Liddell wrote:
>>>>>>> On Wed, 04 Apr 2007 18:27:26 -0500, m...@
winternet.com wrote:
>>>>
Responding to both of you at once... sorry, I'm lazy...
>>> Anthy looks evil! Well, she is. ^_^ (And I love her for it.) But she
>>> looks evil in a different way than she usually looks evil. If that
>>> makes sense.
>
>> It does, and I'm glad. Again, it's the attitude for her that I'm aiming
>> for in this story. Trying a characterization for Anthy that I've never
>> quite seen before.
Hmm. Personally I don't think Anthy's any fun if she's *obviously*
evil. But you'll just have to finish and post it so you can convince
me otherwise.
>>>> I'd started learning markers in combination with colored pencil. When I
>>>> can tear myself away from the computer and go work on paper, I still
>>>> like using that approach.
>
>>> I am a huge fan of colored pencils (I should go dig up my old Berols
>>> when I finish my Utena/Anthy pic). I was never good with markers
>>> though. That could probably improve with practice.
>
>> I know where my Berols are, on my drawing desk. And quite dusty, I dare
>> say.
>
> Mine don't get dusty . . . because I'm constantly fishing for
> white pencils with which to correct my marker drawings. :P
Mine are on the bottom shelf of my craft table, underneath my figurine
painting implements of doom.
>>> I'm trying to learn how to color w/ the computer. I am limited in
>>> software that I have (though I just got Photoshop CS put on my
>>> computer at work, which is lots of fun to play with... um, not that I
>>> would ever do non-work related things with it, of course), and I
>>> should really get my hands on some vector graphic software... but it's
>>> a hobby and not one I can afford to put much else in. Advice is always
>>> appreciated though (on good software, etc.).
>
>> Seek out the GIMP. That's Gnu IMage Processor (I think). Like other
>> Gnu open source stuff, it's free. And reported to be quite
>> sophisticated. In fact, here's the link (I bookmarked it, imagine that):
>
>
>> I did download it, but haven't installed it. Since I'd bought Painter
>> years ago, and reasonably kept up with the new versions, it's still a
>> great deal over time. But I know many people who swear by GIMP, now
>> that it's available.
>
> I've used the GIMP a bit. I don't like the interface (I've never liked
> programs that throw out multiple floating windows), but it seems to be
> at essentially the same "power level" as commercial software like
> Photoshop (ick) or Paint Shop Pro (which I imprinted on many years ago
> and still prefer). It just has fewer presets for things like photo
> correction.
Thanks for the advice from both of you; I'll look into it after my
home internet connection is working again.
I like Photoshop myself, but it's usually what's been easily available
to me.
> If you want a decent free program specifically for vector graphics
> work, I suggest Inkscape (
http://www.inkscape.org/). It isn't
> yet as featureful as, say, Adobe Illustrator, but it does simple
> things well.
I've heard about that from a few folks. Another to keep in mind.
>>> A couple old efforts of
>>> doing digital coloring and inking etc. is on my R.O.D page...
>>>
http://www.deathquaker.org/rod/fanworks.html... I've gotten better
>>> since then... but maybe you'll like the picture of Sunny Wong. ^^
>
>> In the picture of Sunny, I think the coloring on the figure and the
>> books is quite credible. Some interesting textures in the background,
>> but I think they could use a touch of refinement. Like, the sharp
>> demarcations are rather noticeable against the otherwise soft-edge strokes.
Thanks--will keep that in mind. I'll see if I can dig up the layered
version and try a new background... I think what I used was just an
enormous feathery brush set on airbrush... something else might work
better.
And hey, while we're at it... here's a couple more recent ones that
could be near completion and need some critiquing. These are "Hunter"
and "Wu" from my R.O.D fic that Laurie beta'ed awhile back. (A fic
which is still awaiting its re-write/revision -- but it is technically
DONE.)
http://www.angelfire.com/id/deathquaker/rod/images/hunterfinal.jpg
http://www.angelfire.com/id/deathquaker/rod/images/wuwebsize.jpg
I want to soften up my highlights... on both I did them last and
frankly I got lazy, so they look ooky. Suggestions appreciated on that
or anything else. Be brutal if you like. Can't be worse than my old
newspaper editor I worked for.
Though, may I pause to say, I am very, very proud of Wu's boots. I
can't draw feet. If I look at a foot I can draw one, but I can't
drawing without a model (well, dummy, says the voice of reason, then
use a freaking model). I also can't do the whole "make a person out of
lines and ovals and cylinders" thing -- it was counter-intuitive to
me, and my art teachers always actively discouraged it, approaching
the holistic, right-brained draw from life approach. But this is the
thing that seems to be the cool thing to do when trying to do comic
art, you see, and I can't do it. And I is but a poor amateur, who is
making up her way of digitally inking and coloring using the tried and
true, "What does this button in the graphic editor do?" technique, so
advice from trained experts such as the likes as yourselves would be
most appreciated. But please, not the boots. I love Wu's boots.
(Hunter's boots are fine for mocking. She looks like she's wearing
clown shoes, and I need to fix that, and maybe even the whole
positioning of the foot, etc.)
>>> Geez, is that the time? I should be working. Not that I ever get on
>>> the Internet at work, either.
>
>> Sometimes I even get on the Internet *for* work ^_^.
>
> Work? What's that? I haven't been able to find any. :(
It's a crap time to find a job. Keep on truckin'
-- you'll get there.
I'm rooting for ya.
DQ
