Andries goals for november 2010

[Andries]

Why doesn't anyone post new goals? Don't you want to improve yourselfes?

Allright.
1) Create 10 website worthy cartoons or illustrations.
2) Try out at least the next two styles: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.].

Anyone tips on how to make those styles?

Andries

[Simon Lake]

Illustrator and Photoshop. I've been toying with the idea of doing Anime/ Magna but also trying to do some more design- orientated stuff such as Stephen Silver.

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If you go on to his facebook wall you will se a very poignant verse written by him about setting goals. Check it out.

[Andries]

He is SO right. I interviewed a cartoonist once and he said that he was less liking his work because all his characters looked the same. (for years)

I use GIMP, I'm not rich enough to pay Illustrator and Photoshop. I did have ideas on how to do this styles. By combining Inkscape and GIMP. (and paint.net) I'll post a step-by-step when I'm done with the cartoon I have in mind, so others could try it out too. (without having to spend time to find everything out first.)

I'm not really a fan of manga, but I would like to try some. Maybe next month? :p

Ever heared of SMART goals?
Specific (what do you exactly want to learn?)
Measurable (How are you going to check wether you achieved your goals?)
Achievable (are you not making up to hard goals?)
Relevant (Why would you do this?) (To keep fun in the cartoon-work AND to improve my skills AND to offer potential cliënts more choise in style.)
Time (How much time? One month?)

Has anyone else new goals? Wait, I think I make it my signature, so you all get reminded of making new goals.

[Leah-Admin]

great goals and best of luck with them!

My new goals are pretty essential for reasons mentioned in other thread re my April goals.

I have GOT TO right now master vector images and get adobe illustrator and add graphic design to my 'service menu' because

cartoon skills + graphic design skills really grows your client list as well as fee charging ability.

Meanwhile I went to a school open day Saturday and an 8yr old showed me how she created an 'animation'.

We fogies better catch up soon, else we are going to be left behind!!

[Andries]

Thanks. Will you make a tips and tricks topic if you find out how to do a(short)animation?

[Leah-Admin]

There was a program the kids were using

'scratch' I think it was called.

They had ready made images that they could program re different moves and they could draw line pics to animate also. I meanwhile created animated headless chicken a while back

[Kathy]

Leah, I like to read vector.tutsplus.com for tips and tutorials on vector, primarily Illustrator. I took a class too, which was really helpful on learning to work with vectors.

[Andries]

There was a program the kids were using
I meanwhile created animated headless chicken a while back

This one?
How cruel. :p [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

[Simon Lake]

We fogies better catch up soon, else we are going to be left behind!!

Hey, less of that!

[Leah-Admin]

Leah, I like to read vector.tutsplus.com for tips and tutorials on vector, primarily Illustrator. I took a class too, which was really helpful on learning to work with vectors.

I've had a little dabble and somehow (it's a mystery to me how!) I managed to seperate all my bits of image and reassemble off target slightly creating a really nifty shadow effect. Now if only I knew HOW I did this....

The results of that niftiness will be seen soon in a new client toon, but I can't publish it yet. Hopefully by the time it is published I will KNOW how I did it and create a few similar effects.

[Andries]

Well, I think I achieved one of the style goals.
I made a step by step tutorial so you can try wether this style works for you!

First, open you sketch in Inkscape.
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Go check the layers
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Create a new layer in wich you are going to draw all colored areas.
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Lower the opacity of the new layer so you can see the sketch underneath it.
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Start drawing. Make the areas very different colored so you can see what you did and what you didn't
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Don't worry about the copyright of internet pictures if you need an example. The actual picture won't be visable in the final result.
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See why I used an internetpicture?
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If your mouse or pentablet made drawing looks to croocky, use simplify
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continue drawing...
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until you did all areas you wanted
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Now make your sketch and internethelp layers invisible so you only see the color-layer.
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Set the opacity to 100% and change the colors in the colors you want.
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Export the image into something you can open in GIMP (I chose .png)
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Open the exported image in GIMP
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Add a layer for a white background (new layer) and go back to the layer with the image. Select the areas you want to texture, shade or whatever.
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Use the GIMP tools to do whatever you want (add a texture, shadows, highlights, waterreflections, colorchanges)
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Draw a pretty background on you white layer.
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Almost done! Scale the image to the size you want it.
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Add the text. (this is done AFTER the scaling so you have more grip on how your text looks like)
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Export your image.
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Oh! before I forget: crop the image to a usefull size if necessary.
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And here's the final result. Feedback?
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[Andries]

I have to do some more texturing before it looks like the image in the link I gave in the first post...

[Andries]

Added a little bit more texturing on the mouse, plane and plants. Added more plants.

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[Leah-Admin]

That's very good, how long would you say it took you to complete this?

[Andries]

pencil sketch -> 15 min.
Inkscape part -> 1 h
GIMP -> 15 min
I think its possible to get some more speed
GIMP (adding some more texture and plants) -> 10 min
Total = 1:40 h

But now I know how to do it, it should take less time. (the inkscape takes this long because every small part has to be drawn, and often adapted. It would have taken much longer if i wanted more detail. As you see the paws of the mouse are really simple.)

Also take into account that I saved printscreens of the steps, about 10 min of the total.

Considering that I usually ink my drawings and then color them in GIMP makes this about as much time-costing as a 'normal' drawing. (I didn't had to ink the sketch.)