Drawing Tips, Suggestions, And Questions Thread! Let's Share Tips On The Drawing!, And, "How To Post Pics in This Forum"!! Rating Options

[Edsrhimp]

Hello =3.

I'm open to other artists showing me there work, and if you need suggestions on them, or ask me about medias or just want to disscus it with me that'd be awesome.

my art thread~> http://www.fullmetal-alchemist.com/forums/...c=8890&st=0

[Tombow]

Following are basic How to post pics in this forum:

1. Post as an Attachment: (For ADD REPLY only)
(Note: If your pics is larger than 500 pix wide, please use this, or post your pic as a link.)

To use Attachment Function, have your pic file saved in your computer, then,


Click on Browse.., then when find your pic file on your computer, highlight it and click Open,
then click UPLOAD.
When uploading is completed (when going round and round thing stops)
click on Manage Current Attachments(1), but don't click on the Green Cross yet.
On your post composing window, place the cursor on where you want your pic to appear on your post, then click on Green Cross.

Your picture will be posted as an Attachment Thumbnail like this:
 th_flower2.jpg ( 6.13K ) Number of downloads: 42


Click on the thumbnail pic for the enlarged pic window.
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2. Post as an Image: (For FAST REPLY and ADD REPLY)
(Note: Please use this one only for smaller sized pic, up to 500 pix wide.)

Assuming the pic is already saved on your computer, first upload that pic to your on-line image hosting account such as Photo bucket (it's free but need to register) or Imageshack (free and no need to register) to get the URL of the pic.

Then you can post that pic as an image by using Image Function.

For that, type in the code such as this

CODE

[image]URL of the pic[/image]

OR,

Then enter the URL of the pic, then click OK

And the pic will be posted like this:


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3. Post as a link: (For FAST REPLY and ADD REPLY, and for ANY SIZE pic. )

Assuming the pic is already saved on your computer, first upload that pic to your on-line image hosting account such as Photo bucket (it's free but need to register) or Imageshack (free and no need to register) to get the URL of the pic. Then...

You can post the URL of the pic as a link such as this: My pic

Or simply like this: http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c140/sun...l/thflower2.jpg



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@Edsrhimp - I like the idea of "Drawing Tech Talk" thread!!
Maybe we can keep this thread for drawing tips, suggestions, and other drawing tech Q&A, and drawing technique discussions, and arts posted here to be within that framework??

And, if you can share your wisdom and knowledge of drawing & painting techniques with others here, that will be great!!

Oh, and I'm going to move this thread to Fanart sub-forum where fanart artists of our board "congregate."

Hope that will be ok. ^^

ETA: I edited the thread title from "Drawing Suggestions And Tips! Also if you have questions/ need crits!" to "Drawing Tips, Suggestions, and Qestions thread!!, Let's Share Wisdoms and Tips on the Drawing Technique!!" to see if that fits better... but, if you prefer others I can change it anytime... just let me know!!

[Edsrhimp]

Thanks Tombow! (:.


That suggestion is really great too, not only will I be giving tips other people can too .

[CodenameElizabet...]

This looks like it has the potential to be a very promising thread. It will be nice to have a place on the forums to post fanart and get constrictuve critiques of it.

I, for one, would love to see some tutorials on CG inking and coloring. I am able to crank out some O.K. lineart (Example?), but I can't color in Photoshop to save my life!

Thanks for making this thread up, EdShrimp!

[Edsrhimp]

This looks like it has the potential to be a very promising thread. It will be nice to have a place on the forums to post fanart and get constrictuve critiques of it.

I, for one, would love to see some tutorials on CG inking and coloring. I am able to crank out some O.K. lineart (Example?), but I can't color in Photoshop to save my life!

Thanks for making this thread up, EdShrimp!

Thanks for the sticky Tombow! .

Hmm LadyHawke78 this piece is done quite well if not really amazing and it looks like it doesn't need to be inked at all! But since you wanted some suggestions, try using Open Canvas programs http://www.portalgraphics.net/en/ <-- there are some downloads but it's only a trial for 30 days you can purchase it, it's a very useful program and VERY compatible with the wacom tablet!
http://www.wacom.com/index2.cfm?lang=en <---(more information here)

Here are the basics of my INKING tips! (coloring takes a while and it's almost time for me to sleep so)If you need anything more specific tell me!
http://i15.tinypic.com/4gyvfrq.png
warning: file is kind of big!

[CodenameElizabet...]

[yeah, guys. It's me, LadyHawke, with a username-makeover... LOL!]

Anyhoo, EdShrimp, thanks for the d/l links for OpenCanvas. I've been meaning to try that program out, but never got around to it. A lot of people on DA seem to like using it. Problem is, I do not have a tablet. It's just something I never invested in. But they are relatively inexpensive, so it's something I can look into getting sometime soon. (Unlike the 52" hi-def plasma TV I also want to buy... which it totally OUT of my budget at the moment! XD )

I'd certainly like to see some digital coloring tutorials in this thread in the future. We should encourage those artists who have made up tutorials to post them here...

[Tombow]

.....You've probably seen this picture aroundthe internet. I printed out a small copy of it
and just drew it with charcoal and blended it
a lot with my fingers.....

what are your thoughts..?

@Racho - Welcome to the board, and welcome to the Fanart sub-forum!!
I take it that you'd like to hear general opinion/review of your drawing by the peers, so, I'm moving your post to Show your arts here thread.
(If that was not your intention, then let me know. ^^)

ETA: Post moved.

[Naivete]

I'm more of a pencil-artist and usually get my friends to do the Photoshopping for me (since I don't have Photoshop myself ) but I can offer a some drawing advice that usually works for me.

When you start drawing, it may look awkward at first and you might not know why but don't worry! After you get a bit tired, go do something else for a bit. Later on when you go back to draw, take a look at your picture before doing anything to it and you should be able to work out what's wrong with it. Maybe it's just me but I find while I'm drawing, I get accustomed to my mistakes but when I come back to it after a break, I can pick most of them out.

One thing I'll stress even though I'm hopeless at it: light source!!!

[Tian Ai]

baKa-neKoh - I totally agree with you on taking breaks every once in awhile! Sometimes I'll draw and draw for hours, feel all good inside, go eat dinner, then when I come back I'll wonder if I was on crack while drawing it Like you said, somehow when you look at something for a long time you just get accustomed to it.. so you won't see what you want to fix. To prevent a lot of frustration, take little breaks after you've drawn some.

This might just be me, but I really like putting on music while I'm drawing.. it's relaxing, fun, and you can get in the mood of what you're drawing! Be careful though; once I started drawing a really happy picture while listening to sad songs, and somehow the picture turned into some kind of angst-romance thing..

One thing that can really help and kill at the same time is practicing something over and over again.. uh, this sounds weird, but when I was in school I ALWAYS doodle on handouts and whatever I have in front of me, and somehow I got used to only doodling faces on ONE side.. so, I got really good at drawing on that side, but when I tried to draw from the other side - it looked so much off..

Also, if you're running out of ideas for what to draw, don't strain yourself to come up with ideas. I get "artist's block" a lot.. sometimes I'll try to draw for months at a time and NOTHING will come out.. if this happens I just don't think about it.. I look at other artist's work as motivation, read stories, just do normal things.. and then there's always something that will spark, and I'll be motivated to draw again

One last thing, I find that drawing things that you have experience with, or things that you've experienced is like writing in a journal. I really love drawing and I usually don't like to talk or write in a journal about my feelings because it just feels awkward to me So, I draw.. sometimes I'll feel so worn out from drawing out my feelings that I'll just go to bed and the stress will lift a little, or my feelings will have been put into a drawing and the same effect.. so if you're ever feeling real sad, or real happy, try drawing it out

[Mudkipblader]

I have to agree with you Tian-Ai, putting music on is great. I always put my FMA or Pokemon CD on. I'm always so surprised how fast they seem to end. (both of them take more then 70 minutes XD) It's wierd to think that there's so much time passed since you started drawing.

Thanks for the tip about doing something else when you get a drawingblock. I get that often lately. What's also frustrating is that I know what I'm going to draw, but not the poses of the characters. It's killing me. x.X

The last thing you said sure is right, drawing is more than putting lines on a paper, it's an expression of what's going on inside of you.

Okay, one of the things that I experienced:
When you're final pencil sketch is done, surround it with a black pencil. It makes it come out better. But be carefull, you can't whipe out wrong lines.
Also, when colouring with colour pencils, rub it with a tissue after finishing a colour.
Don't be afraid to rub out of the lines, you can easily erase it. The colours will be a lot smoother, and you won't have those disturbing lines.

[fullmetalfemme]

Hey, Tombow, thanks for the help in the PM! I'm still wrestling with this signature thing... it sucks to be so techno-impaired! In your post-before-last above, you talk about having to have the graphic saved to Photobucket or Imageshack in order to have a URL to use to retrieve the graphic with, basically. Now, if I want to use one of the graphics from this board's gallery do I still need to do that - wouldn't the graphic have it's own URL address as part of this website? Won't that work?

Also: in case it matters (as in, "oh, well then forget it nothing you do is going to work right") , not only do I not have Netscape as my browser, and don't have Firefox (so I can't do anything but "fast reply" and can't start threads) but with my Verizon DSL apparently they sort of force you to use their own browser which is some sort of bastardized version of Explorer, which I really don't like at all! If there is a way to get around it, I haven't figured it out yet. So all of that may be causing me problems trying to get things to work properly with the BBS codes, etc. too.

I realize most of this is probably "well, duh!" material to all of you guys, but you have to bear with me -- it's been eight years since I have had to learn any new computer stuff - and I was not exactly cutting edge, then! I can only offer in my defense that I am not afraid to look stupid if I have to do so to really learn something!

Also I just want to say you guys are impressing the heck out of me, with the level of knowledge, art, and skill you bring to this board. The excellent writing that goes into the fanfic and the posts, the artistic and computer talents that create all the gorgeous graphics, and the fastidious research not only into the details of FMA but into the backstories and history going on behind it... it all is so much more than I would have ever anticipated finding on an anime fan site!! Just shows to go ya - life is full of wonderful surprises if you keep an open mind. You guys are THE BEST!!!!

Peace, y'all!

fmf

[Tombow]

@fullmetalfemme - Thanks for the nice compliment about the level of talents we have on our board!!
I do agree that I, too, am amazed to see all these talented people on board!!

Now, for the questions, let me bring part of your post to Site Questions thread, and I'm going to post my answer there, so that other people with similar trouble might also benefit with this Q & A.

[Edsrhimp]

Putting on music is really good for finding inspiration in the words. Or maybe even the mood in the song, (if it's a forgien language you can't understand.)

Sometimes drawing really agitates me when I try drawing and I can't seem to get anything right. I show it to people and they end up calling me crazy, it's just that people have their own opinons on things.

I totally agree with taking breaks too. Sometimes I get really mad at myself and don't draw for a few weeks. Then when I feel like drawing, I'm on a drawing spree XD.

my tips:
Anytime possible allow critics to be given to your picture. It's good to know your flaws in your pictures so you can fix it.

Try drawing dramatic poses to widen your sense of anatomy and movement.

If your a pencil artist and get so many smudges on the paper because of your hand sliding across as you make strokes. Use a tissue paper or a piece of paper and place it beneath your hand, so the paper won't get a lot of smudges, (And so the side of your hand won't get some smudges too!)

(I don't know what else even though if I have stuff in mind, I have too much to say and I'm afraid it might be too long. LOL).

(EDIT: Oh my gosh spelling mistakes, what was going in my head when I was typing this? XD...)

[_Jelly]

The type of music you listen to helps with what pose or scene you want. Rock music
may help with action scenes or outrageous styles while
slow paced classical music or something similar would be good inspiration for a more romantic scene or deeper themes.

[Tombow]

<Program Note>

@cattyCic73 - Your post was taken out for being completely off-topic. Please stop making spam-offtopic postings.