Thread: Drawing tablet? Anime program?

Wait, so inking really is outdated?

I've just always been under the impression that anything but colouring and shading done with software turns out rather...stale, fake looking

No, inking is still done and an artform in itself which takes great skill. However, for someone not as skilled and specialized in inking, tracing the image with a vector program will yield incredibly clean and smooth lines (obviously), gives you the ability to 'undo' any mistakes instantly, and an infinite number of ways to correct the line. If you've ever used the pen tool in Flash or Illustrator you know what I mean. And you would not use the tablet for the tracing. You could, but it's much easier clicking on points and using the bezier handles. It takes practice just like anything else, but once you learn it's great.

I wouldn't necessarily recommend this method if you were doing an entire comic book - and specially not an entire animation sequence!! But for one piece of art it can really make a difference. If fact, I wouldn't be surprised one bit if the dude with the white hair in your sig was outlined with vector lines. Those curves look way too smooth and angular (and appear to be tinted with color, a technique used a lot in some animations such as the ones found on campchaos.com)

Ok so all I really need now is a tablet? I don't think I have Illustrator and I don't feel like getting it. I can do my stuff in photoshop. But whats a good cheap Wacom tablet?

What about this one? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16823100045
It seems good and it's the cheapest one on newegg. I have yet to look at Ebay for anything.

Is there really that much appeal in a tablet?
What makes it better than sketching by hand and scanning?

I haven't used a tablet but I'm guess it would be a whole lot easier because you wouldn't have to worry about eraser smudges and if your using photoshop, you can make new layers and keep things more organized.

Aye, but it's a...tablet! This awkward...thing, lying there...and making you look to the screen instead of your drawing space...

Maybe it's just me but I can't imagine drawing on anything but paper with a pencil. o.o

Originally Posted by Merlock

Maybe it's just me but I can't imagine drawing on anything but paper with a pencil. o.o

Only a philistine deprives himself of the wonders of MS Paint. For shame, Merlock.

Digital inking! Illustrator power!

I can't believe I've been turned away from drawing all this time due to not being aware of it...
I kept thinking that I'd have to trace the sketches by hand or whatnot...
Oh, the injustice of my own ignorance.