Detailing and Inking tools/methods?

[legomaestro]

Hey,

For all artists, i was wondering if you could help me on this.

I use photoshop/illustrator, and i was wondering what tools to use to ink my work. In photoshop, i try out the brush but then when i use the fill tool it doesn't work out too well. In illustator i find it hard to accurately follow the outline of a character/object without the pahts intersecting. In this case, what tools and methods do you have?

Also, in terms of shading and detail, i'm more interested in the.. uh... many strokes shading, as though i were using a pencil. Is there any reasonable way to pull that off with inking only? Or is it only possible through pencil + inking?

I hope the questions make sense...

[ferrentes]

no expercience i should shut up

[Fallen Kite]

Boom, i'm still experimenting with the program inkscape, but so far it's not recommendable enough

[legomaestro]

Inkscape. The title sounds useful. Why isn't it recommendable enough?

[Fallen Kite]

It is, I find it, but only for inking :3 If you want coloring it makes some kind of white space so the color isn't fitting the lines perfectly. And thus I'm trying to solve that problem and thus (again) I don't recommend it :3

[Coryn]

i've got inkscape. i never really got to know it well though

[legomaestro]

Okay, i'll add that to my 'don't download' list.

[[aero]]

lego i think this all depends on how you want the inking to appear

if you want to go pure illustrator, then set another layer on top and pull put the brush tool, then jsut draw out the lines you want with the brush tool set to black outline.

another interesting thing is to take your entire image, copy past it in front then merge it together with the pathfinder tool then set it to have an outline and no fill... then you have an outline around the outside of your character only

if you want you can also try seeting a black outline to all of your objects then messing with layers untill it looks right


as for photoshop, pretty much the same as number one for illustrator, grab then brush tool, and draw out the outline (i find illustrator easier for this because of the auto line correct it has)

[legomaestro]

Thanks! I'll try this out. My method was much primitive. I think i'll try out illustrator first, since i just love the way it looks.

That shadow effect, though, stumps me. Do you use meshes for that?

[[aero]]

depends on the style, if i want it more realistic then meshes are the way to go

but if its more comical then use more solid objects with just a darker tone to make up the shadows

[legomaestro]

i'll go more comical. To have an excuse. (With this info i'll have something by tomorrow. Thanks again)

[[aero]]

no problem lego, just shoot me an im if you have more questions

[legomaestro]

Will do, sensei

*bows briefly*

[Monsterful]

I have tried almost any program that's out there for inking, and let me tell you.

Manga studio is with NO DOUBT the best choice.

[[aero]]

*brings up the note that monster has a tablet and lego most likely does not*