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Questions, Discussion, Tutorials

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  • HonkHonk Honk is this poster. Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    Yeah by the looks of the Adobe response there it seems like a no-go.

    Thanks for finding the info!

    PSN: Honkalot
  • MagicToasterMagicToaster JapanRegistered User regular
    Does anyone know if I can build an HTML message for Outlook using Divs or do I need to use tables?

  • HalenHalen Registered User regular
    I'm trying to do some graphics in GIMP, and every time I select and paste an area, it goes jaggedy, and I spend hours having to smooth it manually. What am I doing wrong?

    Draw an egg.
  • squidbunnysquidbunny Registered User regular
    Does anyone know if I can build an HTML message for Outlook using Divs or do I need to use tables?

    I am not very knowledgeable about this but not long ago I somehow ended up doing an Outlook-compatible newsletter for my company and I asked our web guy this question and his response was basically that I could use whatever but Outlook (and others) would probably display my stuff all crazy if I didn't use tables.

    Here look at this: http://www.campaignmonitor.com/blog/post/3472/div-tags-in-html-email-newsletters/

    header_image_sm.jpg
  • franciumfrancium Registered User regular
    I'm working on the measurement lines of a still life, but the measurements I'm taking are wrong somehow, it doesn't "look right". Or the don't stand up to simple ratios comparrisons. Either way im having a problem because i have a composition i want to use and i want to nail it. If i just move forward ifeel like im going to pay for it like in my last drawing

    I Am working large general shapes down to smaller ones.
    I have a view finder and I have marked on its side three references to get back to the original view.
    I have drawn light quadrants on my paper corresponding to the quadrants on the view finder.

    I can capture the shape of any and all of the objects but they must be a certain size on my paper to get the composition right. Any tips?

  • NightDragonNightDragon 6th Grade Username Registered User regular
    edited December 2012
    @francium : I'm a little confused...you're using a viewfinder, you mapped out the quadrants on your paper, and the still life you're drawing within those quadrants looks off to you? Are you 100% positive you're using the exact same image ratio? As in...your viewfinder is 2x3 (for example), and your drawing size is 12x18? It may not be a simple conversion, but it's necessary if you're aiming for exact accuracy.

    Are you using one eye to look through your viewfinder? Sometimes things can shift ever so slightly if you're using both eyes, or a different eye each time.

    If the ratios are really complex, could you maybe try to just subdivide the quadrants? Or think of the objects within the still life as "this is 3 units high, so it will be 3 units high on my paper" rather than "this object is 2.68 inches tall on my viewfinder, so it will be some mysterious number of inches on my paper".

    You can also use the objects to measure the size of the other objects..."This vase looks like it is 5 apples high". When doing this kind of measuring, sometimes I make little "dash" marks along the height of an object to make sure I'm doing it correctly...similar to how some people might make the marks for "7 heads high" when they're drawing a standing character.

    NightDragon on
  • franciumfrancium Registered User regular
    Well, the. Viewfinder is handmade and measured for this image. It's just a piece of paper I hold with my hand.

    I've never not had this problem. I keep getting better at nailing proportions (over years) but it is extremely disheartening to try so hard to make the image look like I'm copying a photo just to fail every time because I can't create a method of measuring that is 1 for 1. My teachers in prep school did not encourage us to worry or not worry about this sort of thing. They did not teach any traditional pencil drawing... Yet, it is what I want to do because I feel like we were handed an excuse to be lazy rather than a solid foundation.

    I've seen other people use photo's, projectors, tracing paper... Is that what it takes? Do I have to cheat to win? Is it cheating? (I think it is)

    Do photo realists even work from life? Or am I tripping about something that is just in my imagination?

  • lyriumlyrium Registered User regular
    You definitely don't need photos/projectors/tracing paper to draw from life. It sounds like you understand that "measuring" really only means "matching the proportions", so if you're having trouble my advice would just be to make sure that you're measuring the same way consistently. Try looking up tutorials about holding up your pencil as a measuring tool while you draw (should be the same as a viewfinder), or try "sight-size" as a more specific way of doing a measured drawing. Consistency is really key with measuring- if you don't hold the viewfinder the same distance from your eye and from the set up every single time, then your picture changes.
    It's understandable that you're frustrated, but don't let it get you down! Drawing from life is all about diligence with the eye, so it takes a lot of practicing. Keep it up, and don't bail on your own foundations because you are right-on in trying to get these skills solid.

  • GodfatherGodfather Registered User regular
    edited December 2012
    EDIT: Whoops, wrong thread!

    Godfather on
  • NightDragonNightDragon 6th Grade Username Registered User regular
    Also, whoops! I thought I was replying to Lyrium, not Francium. Way to ignore the first part of the name, ND!

    :oops:

  • NibCromNibCrom Registered User regular
    squidbunny wrote: »
    Does anyone know if I can build an HTML message for Outlook using Divs or do I need to use tables?

    I am not very knowledgeable about this but not long ago I somehow ended up doing an Outlook-compatible newsletter for my company and I asked our web guy this question and his response was basically that I could use whatever but Outlook (and others) would probably display my stuff all crazy if I didn't use tables.

    Here look at this: http://www.campaignmonitor.com/blog/post/3472/div-tags-in-html-email-newsletters/

    I think old school tables is still the way to go for HTML emails.

  • amateurhouramateurhour One day I'll be professionalhour The woods somewhere in TennesseeRegistered User regular
    Hey, I don't know if anyone will know what I'm looking for here, but a while back someone did a digital shading tutorial that I really liked and lost the link to. It was one of those long tutorial images on like deviantart or tumblr or something and I think Kurtz or Mary Cagle tweeted it and maybe someone here posted it.

    It was basically a shading tutorial done on a Scott Pilgrim-esque girl.

    I know that's vague as shit, but any help would be appreciated.

    GIS isn't helping...

    are YOU on the beer list?
  • franciumfrancium Registered User regular
    When Rendering with a pencil, is it generally accepted that one should work from dark to light, or light to dark? Why?

  • Muse Among MenMuse Among Men Suburban Bunny Princess? Its time for a new shtick Registered User regular
    edited December 2012
    Any tips on scanning/registering animations?

    I started doing some little animations but I then realized . . . I have no idea how I would upload it to show to people. I'm not using animators paper since I don't have a pegbar on my makeshift light-table; animator's paper comes with holes at the top so you can hold it securely with the pegbars so all your pages are in perfect registration, and modern animation software has peghole recognition so it registers all the drawings. Likewise it seems they use 'sheet-feed scanners', where you load up all your pages and they are automatically fed into the scanner. I don't have: animator's paper, a lightbox with pegboard, or the sheetfeed scanner. It seems like I can find freeware programs with peghole recognition but its kind of useless for me.

    Surely there is some more expedient way to upload and composite the drawings without those tools? I've seen paper/pencil animation tests of youtube, how do they do it?

    [edit] Nevermind, I only need to hear about the sheet-feed scanner now. It seems animators have been diy'ing themselves through this problem for a while now by making their own pegbars and even their own paper. There is apparently an industry standard for pegbars and peghole paper and even the corresponding hole puncher and they are all rather expensive, so animators have been building their stuff to save money. Some of these ideas are really clever actually.

    Do they have sheet-feed scanners at kinkos? That must be what they are using to create PDFs.

    Muse Among Men on
  • IrukaIruka Registered User, Moderator mod
    do you have a digital camera?

    Assuming you cant drop $400-500 on a scanner, the next best thing is something like this:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_JyNcFlpnA


    Not the best example, maybe, but I cant find a better resource. basically, a stop motion set up. You want a top down set up, though, so you can stand above it and flip the frames. This will be:
    1)tedious
    2)Extremely tedious.
    3)Extremely goddamn tedious

    but if you have a tripod an a camera already, this is the cheapest solution. If your animations are under 50 frames, Id say just buy a flat bed scanner and do it manually, because if 2D animation is partly about torture anyway, and flat beds are like 50-80 bucks.

  • I used to use plain printer paper and a cheap plastic pegbar that was registered with a standard 3 hole punch (like notebook paper, not like real animation paper) taped to a flatbed when I was doing crappy animation in college. Worked ok enough (it is tedious though) and was really cheap, but I'm sure if I had ever had the benefit of having the real materials at my disposal this setup would seem incredibly primitive.

  • supabeastsupabeast Registered User regular
    Sheet-feed scanners are cheap. You can buy decent all-in-one inkjet/scanner/copier with a sheet feeder for under $200. Check thrift shops or CL and you can probably get a used one for peanuts because for you it doesn’t matter if the printer works. If you have a few hundred bucks to spend you could get a big network office copier/scanner from somebody who doesn’t want to buy a new drum.

  • IrukaIruka Registered User, Moderator mod
    Are they any good at under 200? I have never shopped for one, but I have used some shitty ones.

  • NightDragonNightDragon 6th Grade Username Registered User regular
    edited December 2012
    francium wrote: »
    When Rendering with a pencil, is it generally accepted that one should work from dark to light, or light to dark? Why?

    Light to dark, technically. You generally start with a white paper, and you progressively add more and more graphite onto the paper. You want to build your darks slowly, and only use your darkest darks at the end of your drawing - that helps to prevent you from overdoing it by adding it in too early.

    You also have more control of your pencil marks than you do with eraser marks...pencils are a bit more precise. Here's an example of how I generally progress through a drawing (this was done using the sight-size method):

    1. Get proportions down accurately, try to nail down the angles
    2. Smooth angles into curves where necessary
    3. Block in basic values
    4. Continue to slowly build up the intricacies of the value shapes, one pass at a time
    5. Finalize rendering, put in darkest-darks

    [NSFW]

    Cake_Figure1.jpg
    Cake_Figure2.jpg
    Cake_Figure3.jpg
    Cake_Figure4.jpg
    Cake_Figure5.jpg

    NightDragon on
  • franciumfrancium Registered User regular
    Thank you nightdragon. I do not look forward to large black areas at all...

    is sight size an exercise (like, a way to get better)... Or a means to an end? A process like gridding ones paper to achieve the most accurate finished product?

  • NightDragonNightDragon 6th Grade Username Registered User regular
    It's more of a process that aims for accurate proportions, yeah.

  • Muse Among MenMuse Among Men Suburban Bunny Princess? Its time for a new shtick Registered User regular
    I used to use plain printer paper and a cheap plastic pegbar that was registered with a standard 3 hole punch (like notebook paper, not like real animation paper) taped to a flatbed when I was doing crappy animation in college. Worked ok enough (it is tedious though) and was really cheap, but I'm sure if I had ever had the benefit of having the real materials at my disposal this setup would seem incredibly primitive.

    You're not at all far off from the diy solutions I mentioned animators concocting. The reason they would go so heavily into making their things was because they wanted as snug a fit as they could between the paper and the pegbars to ensure the best registration possible. I don't think it sounds really primitive even when compared to professional animator's tables (the whole kit and kaboodle). I'm surprised to see how much of the old equipment is still used in animation, at least in Korea where all the inbetweens are outsourced to.

    I think I should look for a used sheet-feed scanner. Even if I don't do very many long animations, I hate the whole process of scanning, since I typically let my stuff accumulate before I scan it. It would probably be cheaper than buying a digital camera, since I don't own one (I get by with my iPhone, which probably wont work for this). And I don't currently own a scanner right now anyway, so it might be a good idea.

  • The_Glad_HatterThe_Glad_Hatter One Sly Fox Underneath a Groovy HatRegistered User regular
    edited December 2012
    Does anyone know if I can build an HTML message for Outlook using Divs or do I need to use tables?
    I do this daily at work. Tables are the only way to go AND you need to check the message in different out outlook clients since it can possible mess up horizontal alignments in some cells. HTML email is a bag of hurt.

    Edit: I just checked my notes here:
    Sometimes symbols and accents are a problem for international clients, so i usually replace them with their HTML sign (&blabla;)
    i cannot use line height and achieve consistent results.
    Padding & Margin is also to be avoided (1px transparant gif and a seperate cell to achieve the desired effect).
    Also, in complex slicing layouts, i sometimes have to add style="display:block" and "valign:top" to avoid weird spaces in some clients.

    The_Glad_Hatter on
  • redfield85redfield85 Registered User regular
    So, I am looking to get some markers for skin tones. I have a 100 marker set (that I got like half off at Michael's awhile ago). The one marker I find suitable as a light skin tone isn't light enough for my liking.

    I was just browsing Amazon for something quick and cheap for a set of drawings I am doing for my G&T Secret Santa. I came across this. Thoughts?

    I could always check in the store at Michael's for something.

    bYf6vNQ.png
    Tumblr | Twitter | Twitch | Pinny Arcade Lanyard
    [3DS] 3394-3901-4002 | [Xbox/Steam] Redfield85
  • IrukaIruka Registered User, Moderator mod
    Go to the store, its the easiest way to test them out.

  • redfield85redfield85 Registered User regular
    I plan on it tomorrow for sure. Hopefully I have a Michael's coupon lying around.

    bYf6vNQ.png
    Tumblr | Twitter | Twitch | Pinny Arcade Lanyard
    [3DS] 3394-3901-4002 | [Xbox/Steam] Redfield85
  • JohnTWMJohnTWM Registered User regular
    Ok so I am getting a tablet, nothing fancy. I've pretty much narrowed it down to either the Bamboo Splash, the Create, or the smallest Intous. As I understand it the benefit of the Intous is the pressure setting range, but more importantly, the programmable buttons for quick switching/zooming and such. On the other hand, the Create has a larger drawing surface, still not huge, but a decent amount bigger. And the splash is less than half the price. A little info on me, I have a real tendency to draw super small. Most of my sketches done on paper end up being smaller than the small intous or splash drawing areas anyway. A full figure would easily fit for me. But that is a habit I would prefer to break, and I'm afraid the smaller tablets would just reinforce it. So I guess basically I'm asking if the buttons are gonna really be worth it for me as someone who is just starting out, or if you think upgrading to the slighly larger tablet would be a good idea.

  • amateurhouramateurhour One day I'll be professionalhour The woods somewhere in TennesseeRegistered User regular
    edited December 2012
    I've got a six year old bamboo fun and while it sucks having 512 pressure sensitivity it still does what I need and the only programmable buttons I ever use are on the pen itself, one for move and one for undo.

    I set the FN1 to eraser at one point but honestly I just flip the pen when I need to erase.

    edit: basically I don't think the buttons are worth it, I'd go with the surface area. It makes longer lines MUCH easier.

    amateurhour on
    are YOU on the beer list?
  • IrukaIruka Registered User, Moderator mod
    I would seek out a used intous4, but I have no experience with the bamboo. The 4 has programmable keys with little led displays telling you what you set the key to, and is way more pressure sensitive. I bought my 4 refurbished for 200 and It seems robust.

    I don't have any real experience with the bamboo though. I know some designers who have it, but most of my illustration friends go for an Intous medium. If you are going to put down 200, though, I'd shop around.

  • amateurhouramateurhour One day I'll be professionalhour The woods somewhere in TennesseeRegistered User regular
    Yeah I got the OLD first gen bamboo fun when it first came out and it's not bad. It's got a better pen than that generations intuos did in my opinion (the nibs don't wear out/scratch the tablet as easily, or at least it seemed that way to me) but recently I've noticed that the lack of extra pressure sensitivity really makes a HUGE difference when I want those big swooping lines

    are YOU on the beer list?
  • JohnTWMJohnTWM Registered User regular
    edited December 2012
    Well, what I read was that you really wanted at least 1024 pressure sen. for doing arts, so I think I want to set that as a baseline. All the ones I listed have at least that (but the splash doesn't have the flip around eraser).
    EDIT: Checked around looking for used/refurbished intuos4s, seemed to be going for 250-290 for the medium. Could get a new 5 for 324 on amazon... Not sure if the price difference is worth the risk/trouble.

    JohnTWM on
  • amateurhouramateurhour One day I'll be professionalhour The woods somewhere in TennesseeRegistered User regular
    Yeah, now the standard is 1024/2048 as where it used to be 512/1024.

    1024 is pretty awesome, and 512 is fine, I do a lot of work with it and it does what I need, but it's admittedly more taxing than just using pen and paper and doing fine detail work with the tablet.

    I'm also working on a 3x5 surface area too though, so that's a big part of it as well.

    are YOU on the beer list?
  • JohnTWMJohnTWM Registered User regular
    Yeah, well the intuos small and the splash are both on the smaller side too (the intuos has a little more room) which is why I was leaning toward the bamboo create. I think this might be what I end up getting just for the size... unless someone really thinks that the 1024 vs 2048 is going to make a difference to me (I am fully in amateur status with no current professional ambitions, from what I read I probably won't miss the extra sensitivity... it that right?)

  • brokecrackerbrokecracker Registered User regular
    I made the switch from Bamboo (Pen and Touch i.e. 1024 pressure) to an Intous 4S (2048 respectively) this year. For me Intous > Bamboo for the ability to customize between programs, the more shortcuts keys and the wheel. The Bamboo was fine on pressure sensitivity and I have only noticed very slight differences between the two in that respect, but more shortcuts keys means less scrolling up to the toolbar to switch brush size or tools or deselecting. I know it sounds silly at first, but once you get used to just tapping a key to hop back and forth between your eyedropper and paintbrush you will won't want to go back. I also use a bunch of different programs and the Intous allows for program specific shortcut keys, so my side buttons do different things in different programs, which is awesome.

  • JohnTWMJohnTWM Registered User regular
    Thanks for the response. It sounds like for what i need the create will be sufficient. At some point i may miss the extra functionality, but for the foreseeable future it sounds like the six button should be enough. The sensitivity, like you said, shouldnt be a major hold up, at least not for a beginner user, and the extra realestate/dollar i think will be worth it.

  • MagicToasterMagicToaster JapanRegistered User regular
    Does anyone actually use those programable keys? I just use the keyboard shortcuts.

  • amateurhouramateurhour One day I'll be professionalhour The woods somewhere in TennesseeRegistered User regular
    Does anyone actually use those programable keys? I just use the keyboard shortcuts.

    I'm the same way, although I had to make my own shortcut for select>modify>expand because if one exists I've never been able to find it.

    are YOU on the beer list?
  • squidbunnysquidbunny Registered User regular
    edited December 2012
    Does anyone actually use those programable keys? I just use the keyboard shortcuts.

    Me too, mostly. The only Intuos button I consistently use is one mapped to Fill in PS because that's an awkward key combo for my left hand.

    squidbunny on
    header_image_sm.jpg
  • brokecrackerbrokecracker Registered User regular
    Good lord, I use all of them...constantly. What is the matter with you people?

  • squidbunnysquidbunny Registered User regular
    edited December 2012
    We're just terrible I guess. I click hotbars in games, too, instead of using keybinds. Which is why I'll never make it as a professional MOBA player.

    squidbunny on
    header_image_sm.jpg
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