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I have a question for you guys doing digital works. I just got a tablet, so I've been experimenting with different things.


Okay, so every tutorial says to do a layer for Lineart, then one for the basic colors, then either blur on the shading or do the shading in additional layers.


What do you guys do? I always try and put them on different layers, but the way I do it is that I make two layers with the lineart, and use the Fill tool to make the basic colors. And if I erase the lineart on layer 2, sometimes it makes the picture look weird. But if I don't erase it, what's the point in having them seperate layers?


I just want to see what you guys do, because I like what I see : )

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You're telling me that there's no hope.

I'm telling you you're wrong.

I used to always make a separate layer for color but recently I've been working on one layer. What I do is I make a copy of the lineart layer, then I hide one of the copies and color on the other. That way if I really mess up I can go back to before I started coloring.

The reason I try to work on one layer is that the blur tool doesn't really work well when the color is on a separate layer than the lines. I use the fill tool and then correct any gaps with the airbrush. I use digital airbrush for shading.

Of, course I'm not very good at coloring so I don't know how much this will help you, but since no one else has said anything I figured I'd throw in my two cents.

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Wha? Thanks to me?

It depends really on what I'm trying to do. Most of the time though I just do one layer and use the 'darken' ink to draw with. 95% of the time it won't affect your lineart (because your lines are generally black). The only time I might get really picky is when it's important to stay inside the lines and adhere to them rigidly.

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kame, tortue, tortuga, schildkröte, tartaruga, turtle

"Arthur Dent?"
"Yes."
"Arthur Philip Dent?"
"Yes."
"You're a total knee biter."

If you want to use your lineart that you originally scanned in, make a separate layer with it. Now, select the lineart layer and change its setting from being "Normal" to "Multiply". I use Photoshop 6.0, so I'm not sure where it is in newer versions, but likely on the layer window palette. Anyways, once it's set to "Multiply", all the white becomes transparent and the lines are still solid. Make all your layers for colouring beneath the lineart layer and your lines will always be on top and you can colour them in as you see fit without ever messing with the original lineart layer.

Now, with lineart directly in PS/CD, I just draw it up with my tablet and pretty much do the same minus setting it to multiply, since it's all a transparent layer with a separate one for the background. Once my lines are done, I just colour in layers beneath and I do a layer for pretty much ever major thing. Like, with a person, I have a layer for the face, eyes, hair, shirt, pants, belt, skin on hands/body, boots, etc, you get the idea. Once I lay down the base colours with my brush, I go back (with my brush set to match the stylus' pressure) and just use a round brush on low opacity and just keep splashing on shading/highlights til I'm satisfied. Usually I don't lock the transparency, but when I'm doing something tight that I don't want to bleed over other layers with, I do.

My style I picked up largely from an awesome artist named Bugmeyer. He has a YouTube channel with great tutorials, and links to others as well, if you want a more in-depth look at what I'm describing.

Of course, this all depends on your style, right? I like to have a certain realistic element to my shading and highlighting, though not too close. If you're into cell-shading (anime-style) then, well, what I said above doesn't really effect you. But yes, that's what I do! I use my eraser and brush tool and that's pretty much it unless I need a straight line, then I use the box tool.

You can find Bugmeyer here and here. Dude's wicked awesome and one of those people that sometimes gets in that "with people this amazing, why do I even bother?" mood for a few seconds, then you realize that if you can achieve something that even looks 10% as good, you're damn proud of yourself and happy to have learned from them!

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Games on the Go
Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy: Four Warriors of Light
Baldur's Gate

Too much to play, so little time!

Greg

The following is my favorite lineart coloring tutorial:
http://www.digitalartsonline.co.uk/tutoria...?featureid=1751

It shows a unique method of coloring, and also has an awesome example, with lots of pics for walking through the process.

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Oh tell me why
Do we build castles in the sky