19 replies to this topic

[GonaDie]

Here I am, trying to draw a circle in Photoshop with no luck.I tried to enter the realm of digital art, but so far, it's rejecting me.The software is very very VERY complicated, the tabled doesn't feel right and I am too impatient to learn all that stuff.I need your advice guys.Should I sell my tablet and get more pencils/pens/markers/etc or keep trying? If I try to learn it all, I will lose a lot of time, but on the other hand, it could save me a lot of time in the future. What do I do?

[Juodas Varnas]

You could try combining them both.
Do the main work with pen&paper, scan it and do the finishing touch-up digitally.

[Apocalips07]

It'll take a few weeks to a month of consistent use to get used to the feel of using the tablet. As far as learning the program really depends on the programs you are using, but most will have more tools then you'll ever use. Best thing to do is start small and get comfortable with a few tools (brush, eraser, marquee tool, ect.) and start experimenting with more once you feel pretty good with the first.

As far as getting a circle you can always use one of the marquee ellipse tool to make a perfect one.

The big takeaway is that it's going to take time and effort to get used to everything, but your not unique in that you're having trouble just starting.

[Bishop Steiner]

GonaDie, on 19 March 2016 - 10:15 AM, said:

Here I am, trying to draw a circle in Photoshop with no luck.I tried to enter the realm of digital art, but so far, it's rejecting me.The software is very very VERY complicated, the tabled doesn't feel right and I am too impatient to learn all that stuff.I need your advice guys.Should I sell my tablet and get more pencils/pens/markers/etc or keep trying? If I try to learn it all, I will lose a lot of time, but on the other hand, it could save me a lot of time in the future. What do I do?

Really depends.

If you hope to get into illustrating, etc in the future, then Digital Art is pretty much mandatory now. Wish it weren't, but just look at pretty much everything out there.

Biggest thing is that don't let learning Digital stop you from drawing physical, doodling, etc. I find the best artists in any medium, pretty much can't stop drawing, no matter if they have the right tools, etc.

Top end tablets do allow you to work almost like you would for physical art. The "look at the screen and not at your hands thing" required for most recreational tablets stymies too, hence my continued reliance on pen and paper, and just using the computer to edit, store, update, etc.

[A Villain Behind Glasses]

I draw most stuff using pencil and pen on paper, and then scan it into my computer and edit it digitally. Photoshop is very powerful, and pretty intimidating... so maybe try Krita instead? It's a little simpler, and has more of a focus on digital painting/sketching than photoshop. Also, it's free.

[GonaDie]

Bishop Steiner, on 19 March 2016 - 12:51 PM, said:

Really depends.

If you hope to get into illustrating, etc in the future, then Digital Art is pretty much mandatory now. Wish it weren't, but just look at pretty much everything out there.

Biggest thing is that don't let learning Digital stop you from drawing physical, doodling, etc. I find the best artists in any medium, pretty much can't stop drawing, no matter if they have the right tools, etc.

Top end tablets do allow you to work almost like you would for physical art. The "look at the screen and not at your hands thing" required for most recreational tablets stymies too, hence my continued reliance on pen and paper, and just using the computer to edit, store, update, etc.

Well, I do art for fun, so I am not looking to make money from it.Like you said, looking at the screen rather than at the surface you are drawing on really screws it up for me.I think I will stick to good old pen and paper.Digital art might be more practical, but I don't think it's for me.Thanks for the answers everyone!

[zagibu]

You should keep practicing. Just 20 minutes a day for a couple weeks and you'll get the hang of it.

[Impyrium]

My philosophy is physical should always come before digital. IMO you can't really be very good at digital unless you can do well with a pencil. Of course that's just sketching, not painting, but the same applies.

I always keep a pad next to my computer to sketch while I'm waiting for things. I'm going to invest in a proper Wacom Intous Pro at some point because my current Genius tablet is... let us say, god awful for accuracy. Though with that said, tablet doesn't make up for learning and skill.

[GonaDie]

zagibu, on 20 March 2016 - 04:07 PM, said:

You should keep practicing. Just 20 minutes a day for a couple weeks and you'll get the hang of it.

Ok, let's say I get used to the tablet, but the software is still very complicated.ATM I use Photoshop and it's like ''here's a bunch of tools, here's the manual.Now build me a spaceship''.Of course, there are lots of guides on the net, but oh boy are they boring and time consuming.That's why I decided to spend a few more years focusing on traditional art and maybe then try digital art again.

[0NEHALF]

GonaDie, on 21 March 2016 - 12:00 AM, said:

Ok, let's say I get used to the tablet, but the software is still very complicated.ATM I use Photoshop and it's like ''here's a bunch of tools, here's the manual.Now build me a spaceship''.Of course, there are lots of guides on the net, but oh boy are they boring and time consuming.That's why I decided to spend a few more years focusing on traditional art and maybe then try digital art again.

what tablet u use, cos if it one of those cheap gemini, or trust then it is hard to get good results, you need wacom(small or medium bamboo or intuos) And second is that u shouldn't give up digital and learn traditional - do them both in same time. One more thing is that u need good source for tutorials for soft, i recommend digital tutors and gnomon (btw there is many lessons from them on torents, ur karma should be fine - u not using it for commercial ). And finaly u need place for inspiration - there is great community called Artstation with tons artworks every day.

Edited by 0NEHALF, 21 March 2016 - 01:52 AM.

[GonaDie]

0NEHALF, on 21 March 2016 - 01:49 AM, said:

what tablet u use, cos if it one of those cheap gemini, or trust then it is hard to get good results, you need wacom(small or medium bamboo or intuos) And second is that u shouldn't give up digital and learn traditional - do them both in same time. One more thing is that u need good source for tutorials for soft, i recommend digital tutors and gnomon (btw there is many lessons from them on torents, ur karma should be fine - u not using it for commercial ). And finaly u need place for inspiration - there is great community called Artstation with tons artworks every day.

Intous pen and touch small.What really bugs me that I will spend lots of time learning to use the soft, but I won't get any better at art.Besides, I am not dumping the idea altogether, just keeping ir for later.

[zagibu]

GonaDie, on 21 March 2016 - 02:06 AM, said:

Intous pen and touch small.What really bugs me that I will spend lots of time learning to use the soft, but I won't get any better at art.Besides, I am not dumping the idea altogether, just keeping ir for later.

Yeah, I know what you mean. Is Photoshop the only software you have tried? There are other tools more aimed for artists, like ArtRage or the already mentioned Krita. Maybe give those a try, too, if you haven't already.

[GonaDie]

zagibu, on 21 March 2016 - 10:32 AM, said:

Yeah, I know what you mean. Is Photoshop the only software you have tried? There are other tools more aimed for artists, like ArtRage or the already mentioned Krita. Maybe give those a try, too, if you haven't already.

I have tried GIMP.It's a lot easier to use, but still kinda complicated.I guess I could try different soft.

[Lauren Bamlett]

Like any craft, it's going to take a while to develop the technical and artistic skills in order to engage with the software. It's tough, no doubt about it but I wouldn't drop digital all together.

Also, drawing tablets can be an absolute pain to get used to but the more you use it, the more the disconnect will disappear.

[GonaDie]

Lauren Bamlett, on 22 March 2016 - 08:00 AM, said:

Like any craft, it's going to take a while to develop the technical and artistic skills in order to engage with the software. It's tough, no doubt about it but I wouldn't drop digital all together.

Also, drawing tablets can be an absolute pain to get used to but the more you use it, the more the disconnect will disappear.

PGI responded to my thread! I feel so special

What scares me is the amount of time needed to master the software.I have been reading about Photoshop, people say that it can take up to a few hundreds of hours only to get a good grip of basic functions.That's a huge amount of time.And I am not even looking to make money from it.

[Zypher]

GonaDie, on 22 March 2016 - 09:11 AM, said:

PGI responded to my thread! I feel so special

What scares me is the amount of time needed to master the software.I have been reading about Photoshop, people say that it can take up to a few hundreds of hours only to get a good grip of basic functions.That's a huge amount of time.And I am not even looking to make money from it.

There would be no need to master the software as much as just become proficient with the tools you need. Think of it like Windows, the Windows operating system is extremely powerful, most people don't even scratch the service. Photoshop and most apps are the same, you get out of it what you need, anymore than that is just for fun.

There are stylus tutorials for Photoshop, that is where I would start, just doodle with your tablet in Photoshop, the rest just builds on from there if you choose to use it.

[GonaDie]

Zypher, on 25 March 2016 - 07:29 AM, said:

There would be no need to master the software as much as just become proficient with the tools you need. Think of it like Windows, the Windows operating system is extremely powerful, most people don't even scratch the service. Photoshop and most apps are the same, you get out of it what you need, anymore than that is just for fun.

There are stylus tutorials for Photoshop, that is where I would start, just doodle with your tablet in Photoshop, the rest just builds on from there if you choose to use it.

For reasons I can't explain so easly, digital art looks unattractive to me.You could say it lacks soul.All those liitle mistakes,all those imperfections you make while drawing on paper, they add up and give your drawing spiciness.I missed this while drawing with a tablet.I dunno, call me old fashioned, but digital art doesn't excite me as much as traditional.

So I guess I found the answer.

[LastKhan]

GonaDie, on 22 March 2016 - 09:11 AM, said:

PGI responded to my thread! I feel so special

What scares me is the amount of time needed to master the software.I have been reading about Photoshop, people say that it can take up to a few hundreds of hours only to get a good grip of basic functions.That's a huge amount of time.And I am not even looking to make money from it.

Its both ways traditional and digital well, traditional doesnt need software lol but, you will have to put in alot of hours of studying it if you want to in meme terms "Git Gud". Ive been more focused on traditional since i can get a really good handle on it. To me, seems more controlled then digital works and i just draw from a few mins to hours everyday. It could be the other way around with digital artists so who knows.

Pretty much if you see yourself more settled in traditional ways of drawing then work with that or maybe a bit of both with some experimenting.

Edited by LastKhan, 25 March 2016 - 09:26 AM.

[Bishop Steiner]

GonaDie, on 25 March 2016 - 09:03 AM, said:

For reasons I can't explain so easly, digital art looks unattractive to me.You could say it lacks soul.All those liitle mistakes,all those imperfections you make while drawing on paper, they add up and give your drawing spiciness.I missed this while drawing with a tablet.I dunno, call me old fashioned, but digital art doesn't excite me as much as traditional.

So I guess I found the answer.

And what can be accomplished when you can combine both... is awesome. Check out my Jackal thread when you can, and see how Kiriage translated my 2D line art into an amazing 3D model!

[zagibu]

You can't compare the two. A print of a digital artwork is much less exciting than a real physical painting. And a scanned painting is much less flexible than a picture created digitally from the ground up. These are the main differences in my opinion. When you want a final work of art that you can display somewhere, and you have a clear idea of what to make, physical is the way to go. When you have vague ideas that you wanna try out with different backgrounds and light settings etc., digital can save you tons of material and time.