Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Drawing with Painter

The last couple of posts I was trying to PAINT with a DRAWING implement.
Now here I am trying to DRAW with a PAINTing program.

What can I say.

I'm determined to 'go digital' if it kills me (but hoping it doesn't). At least for some of my children's book work. It just makes sense.

I did this drawing, at first thinking I would render it up with watercolors, or maybe colored pencils, or maybe my new BFF art supplies, the water soluble pencils. Then I thought "hey, let's give Painter a try again - its been a while."




So I opened up my original drawing and started to make a digital 'final' drawing over it on a new layer. But it wasn't that easy. I had to find a medium that mimicked my drawing style. Which actually, I couldn't. I tried everything: conte crayons, colored pencils, regular pencils, brushes, ink, watercolor, regular pencil, etc. etc., in different widths and every variation there is. Almost. What I really want is something that can do a thick and thin line, like the plain brush tool in Photoshop can. I love that. But can't seem to find the equivalent in Painter. (If you know of something, please tell me.)

I finally settled on a plain colored pencil. It sort of does thick and thin (which varies according to how much pressure you use when you draw), but also goes lighter and darker which kind of bugs me. But I tried to make it work.






The other thing I haven't figured out yet is an equivalent to Photoshop's "line tool". I would love to pull a straight line for the skate blades, for example. I don't want to do all super perfect straight lines like in Illustrator. I want to keep the 'drawing' feel. But sometimes you do need a straight edge. (I actually almost put a straight edge on my Wacom to keep my hand straight at one point. How silly is that.)

So now I have to decide how to paint this puppy. I think I will keep this one version as just a line drawing. Then I'll do a new one with some digital watercolor. There's another whole can 'o worms, the watercolor options. Oy.

5 comments:

Gillian Mowbray said...

I love your little drawing - so cute.

I can heartily recommend ArtRage for all digital drawing and painting. Very affordable, intuitive and fun. There's lots of videos on Youtube and a lively forum too.

http://www.artrage.com/index.html

Unknown said...

I really enjoy reading about your experiments! I learn so much. There are so many different techniques and mediums to explore. Thanks for sharing these wonderful pieces!

CC said...

Boy do I know what you are talking about.
Did you try the scratchboard tool for thick and thin line. What I hate is there doesn't seem to be a soft line, like an F lead pencil
(my fave).

However, the drawing looks great and like YOUR work, so that's reason for CONGRATULATIONS!

Your sister in software, C

Charne said...

Great looking drawing Paula! I've put a ruler on my tablet before LOL...Don't know if I have asked you this before, but have you tried Artrage?

Eric Waldemar said...

I, too, keep returning to Corel Painter, and I find more each time I take the time to push further. If you're annoyed by the characteristics of the brush you're using, it's time to adjust its properties - the value/pressure connection that's driving you nuts can just be switched off, and you can save the brush the way you like it, once you've shaped it to the habits and urges of your own hand. I'm deep into Photoshop as well, but when I want some semblance of the feel of paint, and want to mix colors in a way that feels natural, Painter is the only real game in town.