New Toys, Monsters
Among other things, I got a really nice set of Letraset markers for Christmas from Tam, a noble effort to get me off of my computer occasionally and maybe draw things on real paper. Go figure, my first instinct was to make some textures with the markers and scan them into the computer.
Then I got myself a Christmas present, the drool-worthy Cintiq pen tablet with LCD display. If you're serious about digital art or photography, you need a Wacom pen tablet - you just can't get any kind of results using a mouse. My lovely Intuos3 served me well for quite a while, but I'd always been eyeing the deluxe Cintiq line, which adds an LCD display into the tablet, so you actually draw directly onto your image! With the new 12wx making Cintiq tablets more portable and affordable, I finally had an excuse to dive in. To break in my new toy, I did a quick sketch today, drawing the outlines on my tablet and then coloring them in with some texture I made with the Letraset markers:
(click to enlarge)
This was a spiritual successor to a little doodle I did on the airplane the other day with the markers:
(click to enlarge)
I'm looking forward to spending some serious quality time with my new toys - the results, of course, will be showing up here.
Then I got myself a Christmas present, the drool-worthy Cintiq pen tablet with LCD display. If you're serious about digital art or photography, you need a Wacom pen tablet - you just can't get any kind of results using a mouse. My lovely Intuos3 served me well for quite a while, but I'd always been eyeing the deluxe Cintiq line, which adds an LCD display into the tablet, so you actually draw directly onto your image! With the new 12wx making Cintiq tablets more portable and affordable, I finally had an excuse to dive in. To break in my new toy, I did a quick sketch today, drawing the outlines on my tablet and then coloring them in with some texture I made with the Letraset markers:
(click to enlarge)
This was a spiritual successor to a little doodle I did on the airplane the other day with the markers:
(click to enlarge)
I'm looking forward to spending some serious quality time with my new toys - the results, of course, will be showing up here.
posted by Rob at 6:22 PM. [ permalink ]
11 Comments:
Hey Rob,
Really curious how the cintiq works out.
I'm a long time intuos user as well. Always been interested in the cintiq but never been brave enough to make the investment.
Do you use dual monitors for your work (ie an extra monitor for pallets)? if so how does the cintiq handle that?
Not sure how often you use the keyboard as opposed to stretches where you are just "painting" but I'll also be interested to know how natural using the keyboard at the same time as the cintiq is.
maybe when you figure it out you can post a photo of your setup.
thanks.
Hey Rob, I love your stuff. I was wondering if you could do a post on how you go about coloring digitally. I've been using an Intuous3 for a while and my primary work is photographic so I haven't put much effort into the drawing and coloring until recently.
My feeble attempt at digital coloring/drawing is here: ajchavar.blogspot.com
and my website is ajchavar.co.nr
think you could post any tips? obviously i wouldn't expect you to post ALL your secrets, but you're the best digital artist i've seen and I'd be very grateful for some pointers!
You lucky bastard and you know trent, gimf :/
*drools* Looks like I'll be saving up for a Cintiq pen tablet.
That thing looks gorgeous.
Regarding the Cintiq: It functions exactly like a second monitor, which means you can do anything with the display (I brought some of my more commonly used Photoshop toolbars onto the Cintiq), but it also means you need a monitor slot open on your video card.
I have a dual monitor setup, and I had to unhook one of them to make room for the Cintiq until I get another video card. When that happens, I'll have three monitors, which will be pretty insane.
I haven't perfected working with the Cintiq yet, especially with things like the keyboard placement. The Cintiq is easier to use when it's propped up a bit like an easel (it has a stand on the back that folds out, like on a picture frame). This means the keyboard has to be either behind the Cintiq or next to it, the latter being the better option. I use the keyboard a lot when working, but I was able to map my most common keystroke commands onto the Cintiq's function buttons (located on the top right and top left of the tablet). So now I can draw with my right hand, and have my left hand free to access the buttons, which I've set to zoom in, zoom out, undo, and pan/scroll. I don't like using the touch strip for zooming, because I always end up touching it accidentally. With that setup, I don't need to access my keyboard very option.
The Cintiq also has a button that switches the tablet mode. This is hard to explain, but what it means is that you can either draw directly onto the Cintiq's display, or switch it with the click of a button to act like a regular Intuos tablet for your main monitor. This makes moving back and forth between displays incredibly seamless, once you get used to it.
I'll definitely take some pictures once I settle in to a better setup.
And AJ: Next time I do a more complex drawing, I'll try to lay it out step by step to give you an idea how I work. It tends to vary a bit depending on the style of the image, but for the most elaborate ones (i.e. the Christmas card and my old student work) the oil painting tools (specifically the round camelhair brush) in Corel Painter are what I primarily use. There are some digital artists that make jaw-dropping paintings using brushes in Photoshop, but I've never been able to figure out how to get those kinds of results, so I've stuck with Painter because I love the way it blends colors together like real paint.
Thanks for the reply Rob, keep on making creating awesome stuff.
Hi Rob,
I have a wacom too-very common and old-is for me very practical more than mouse because people around me have silence. For DRAWING The Cintiq with LCD is the best.Your pictures are inspiration for me. It would be interesting to make a video with your drawing technique and show it on youtube or some picture-s on The Cintiq.
I have no idea what any of that tech jargin means, but I am happy for you.
I like those two new drawings also, very fun.
I got spectacles for x-mas,
I know you're so envious.
Have fun with your toys!
:)
Wwah!! You've got a Cintiq! I'm so jealous *Graphire user* but you deserve it, I really like your two new drawings :)
Have a lot of fun!!!!
The present won't get you away from your computer as much as she'd like I guess ;)
Very cool drawings!
Post a Comment
<< Home