Messages

1

Welcome Center / Re: Hello...~

« on: January 29, 2013, 12:48:02 AM »

Please continue to keep thinking the way you are. Always seek to understand why things are taught or are favored learning methods. For now I'm going to recommend to you to just draw. Draw whatever interests you, whether it is from life or whether it is something from the internet. You can draw a little bit on the tablet but I think that paper is a better learning tool because you're used to paper, while the feel of a tablet will take a while to get used to. If you really want to get used to your tablet, draw a lot of lines and circles and boxes. You can trace over comic book inking as well if you'd like.

Now I'm going to introduce a concept to you called rotating the canvas(google if you don't know how to do it in your chosen software), which you will have to do in digital drawing software. The best way, arguably, to get a clean line is to draw with your natural line. The natural line is the easiest curve that you are able to draw consistently. And then in contrast there are lines that are harder for you to draw. To hit those lines you should rotate the canvas so that you are now able to hit the lines you want with your natural curve. You do the same when you want to get clean lines on paper. However, you can't rotate the tablet, which is why you have to rotate the digital canvas.

That's the first bit of knowledge I'll give to you. A lot of beginners think that people can hit super unnatural lines perfectly fine. Once upon the realization that you too, can draw nice lines, your confidence should already go up a little bit from the pure layman(who as I've heard many times say: "I can't even draw a straight line").

Last but not least, welcome to mangaraiders .

It's good to know that my way of thinking is a good way, I didn't want to come off as being.. stupid or something, for lack of better words. I'm already familiar with rotating the canvas already and I can understand why people feel the need to, but I feel like I could both rotate the canvas at times and also practice drawing them lines that are hard to draw, so I can get used to it and make it better for myself. Not that I'll neglect either method and stick to one, as I'm sure there is going to be a time when practicing that line won't work as well as rotating the canvas.

Also, for the paper subject, I have drawn a little on paper before, but I don't really buy paper or pencils to draw with as I don't really get out as much due to my illness, so I bought a tablet to compensate for that as I'm very rare off my computer. Also, the tools on the computer helps my confidence as mistakes on a tablet are easier to reverse than on paper in my experience.

I've been drawing mostly circles for a couple of hours a day and I'm going to start on squares tomorrow. And I was thinking, for the anatomy part, would it be beneficial to purchase a wooden mannequin at all? I remember one of my old school teachers using one from time to time and I never really understood why until lately, and  figured it could help, especially when drawing characters in different poses.

Thank you for taking your time to reply to me, Ryan, any information is appreciated. ^_^

2

Welcome Center / Re: Hello...~

« on: January 27, 2013, 03:55:28 AM »

Thanks again for your replies. ^_^

I appreciate it and now I have an understanding why I should spend time repeatedly drawing basic shapes, and you're right. Now that it's been mentioned, everything can be broken down into basic shapes. It will really help me a lot. Thank you everyone.

3

Welcome Center / Re: Hello...~

« on: January 24, 2013, 11:59:09 PM »

You can trace but don't make it a habit. You won't actually learn if all you do is trace. Try drawing basic stuffs. As you said, things in front of you. And try to draw circles, triangles and squares repeatedly until you have no more  to draw on your paper. Try to draw everyday too if you really want to improve faster.

And this works for me but I don't know for the others, try drawing from your mind when you are resting or something. Mental image training works too, basically, just draw and draw and draw and enjoy it.

For posting your non-manga gallery, i guess you can post it here: http://forums.mangaraiders.com/index.php/board,60.0.html

Its the gallery for non-manga related stuffs :p

Okay, I guess starting from the very basics would be a good idea. The thing is, I never really understood why drawing basic shapes repetitively helped in any way, mainly because no one has actually told me why just yet, but I suppose I'm the sort of guy that wants to understand how it can help rather than just going "Okay" and then doing it without understanding why. I'd rather know what it is meant to do so I can see what it's supposed to be doing rather than assuming y'know? I probably care too much about they whys and hows, but that's sort of who I am. XD

I'll stick with the basic shapes for a while and see what happens, and if anyone could provide any detailed explanation as to why it helps, it would be greatly appreciated. ^_^

Thank you. =D

4

Welcome Center / Re: Hello...~

« on: January 24, 2013, 11:16:59 PM »

Thank you guys for the welcome, and for the input. =D

So you're pretty much saying draw whatever is in front of me for a while? I also got told that I should draw stuff like other pictures freehand or trace pictures using a tablet (But not post them, obviously) to help train my hand too. Do you think that these ideas are worth attempting for a while? Cause I could find a lot of stuff to trace over fairly easily if that would help.

As for posting stuff in the starter gallery, if I drew random stuff on my desk, even if it isn't manga/anime related or just random sketches and posted it on there, would that even be appropriate? I guess I'm just too nervous to dive in and do something like that. I'm not a very confident person in that aspect as I pretty much have nothing to show currently. Lol.

Anyway.. Thank you for your time guys, and the advice is much appreciated. =D

5

Welcome Center / Hello...~

« on: January 24, 2013, 06:44:59 AM »

Hello there.

I go by Ash or Fenix, either one is fine.

I decided to join this forum because I have not long purchased a tablet because I wanted to learn to draw. I am literally starting at square one and I have no idea where to go. I've had a look for tutorials online but most of them appeal to people who already have some form of knowledge with drawing. But I have none of that. I can barely draw anything properly but I want to learn to. So hopefully, I could meet some nice people on here that would give me some form of direction on where and how to start, especially in the anime/manga style.

Please bare in mind I tend to be doing other things so I may forget to check this often, and if someone is kind enough to want to help a complete newbie out, then they could ask for any IM info, if need be.

Thank you for reading, and I hope I could make some nice friends on here. :)