Sketch Editing Tools?

[Authetius 30]

What programs/tools are used to take a sketch, scanned from real life, and make solid, straight lines over the messy/eraser marked paper and color the finished piece?

 

I am notorious IRL for using the eraser like a real pro more often than i use a pencil, so many pieces have to be put to a back light and traced before being official done. This has worked for me until this point, but now I actually wanna upload and use some of my pieces, but i want it in color and I can't color IRL for my life.

 

unfortunately I haven't gotten the funds for a tablet, so I'm stuck with pencil and paper - then again, if i got a tablet, I'd procrastinate actually learning to use it for a few months XD.

[Apple Bloom 2,936]

If you could "acquire" a copy of Photoshop, you can use the pen tool which creates smooth, curvy lines. (vectors) Or if you want a free alternative, you could try PaintTool SAI with its line smoothing function, though I'm not sure how well that will work with a mouse.

 

The best solution, of course, is to save up your money for a tablet. If you're always erasing, you will love using a tablet. You can erase all you want and no marks. And (for me at least) they're not that hard to get used to. You just have to learn to look at the screen instead of the tablet.

Edited November 17, 2011 by Apple Bloom

[Twilight Sparkle ✨ 8,529]

If you could "acquire" a copy of Photoshop, you can use the pen tool which creates smooth, curvy lines. (vectors) Or if you want a free alternative, you could try PaintTool SAI with its line smoothing function, though I'm not sure how well that will work with a mouse.

 

The best solution, of course, is to save up your money for a tablet. If you're always erasing, you will love using a tablet. You can erase all you want and no marks. And (for me at least) they're not that hard to get used to. You just have to learn to look at the screen instead of the tablet.

 

Photoshop isn't a true vectoring program. Its pen-tool is vector-like, but always renders back to a pixel grid. A true vector program does not use pixels, and will let you render out a drawing at any resolution you want.

 

On the rare occasion that I challenge myself to do any art on a computer, I usually use Flash. Its pen tool is virtually identical to Photoshop's, but the Select and Subselect tools, not to mention the MUCH easier handling of colouring, gradients, and transparency makes it a lot more practical for drawing, IMHO. Plus, it's one of those true vector programs I was referring to.

 

A free vector option that's also packed with great features is Inkscape, though its learning curve is a bit steeper than Flash's.

[Grendo 174]

What programs/tools are used to take a sketch, scanned from real life, and make solid, straight lines over the messy/eraser marked paper and color the finished piece?

 

I am notorious IRL for using the eraser like a real pro more often than i use a pencil, so many pieces have to be put to a back light and traced before being official done. This has worked for me until this point, but now I actually wanna upload and use some of my pieces, but i want it in color and I can't color IRL for my life.

 

unfortunately I haven't gotten the funds for a tablet, so I'm stuck with pencil and paper - then again, if i got a tablet, I'd procrastinate actually learning to use it for a few months XD.

 

 

you can do what I do.

 

Somehow acquire photoshop and basically do what applebloom told you or do what Feld0 has suggested or I can do it for you~

[Feather Spiral 1,892]

to take a sketch, scanned from real life, and make solid, straight lines over the messy/eraser marked paper

You mean tracing. =D

 

I have OpenCanvas, which can be useful on BMP or JPG formats. But since an artist friend introduced me to GIMP, I use it more often.

Both have the advantage of using layers, which are important if you wish to erase the original sketch after finishing the lineart + coloring. That's what I do to my scanned sketches, cuz my hand is too unsteady for traditional inking.

 

I'd advise GIMP since it's compatible with PNG format, which allows better quality in less memory space.

[Authetius 30]

Photoshop isn't a true vectoring program. Its pen-tool is vector-like, but always renders back to a pixel grid. A true vector program does not use pixels, and will let you render out a drawing at any resolution you want.

 

On the rare occasion that I challenge myself to do any art on a computer, I usually use Flash. Its pen tool is virtually identical to Photoshop's, but the Select and Subselect tools, not to mention the MUCH easier handling of colouring, gradients, and transparency makes it a lot more practical for drawing, IMHO. Plus, it's one of those true vector programs I was referring to.

 

A free vector option that's also packed with great features is Inkscape, though its learning curve is a bit steeper than Flash's.

 

Decided to try flash out first, as Twilight Sparkle always seems to know what he is talking bout. If all works out, Ill have a avatar for myself that is in color - if not, ill just scan in a sketch, or more likely, use something else I find online.

 

You mean tracing. =D

 

I don't like to use the term 'tracing' - its such a dirty word in my mind. I feel that tracing means that I'm stealing someone else's work or cheating in some other way. I like to think of it as I'm just putting the original to a back light and using it as a 'reference' to make the final copy perfect, and eraser free.

[Feather Spiral 1,892]

Tracing doesn't mean stealing though. Not if you have permission and give credit, or (better) if the original is your own work.

But if you really don't wanna say "trace" for some irrational reason, you could always use "lineart" as a verb instead.

"What program do you use to lineart your sketches?"

Sounds legit to me. Even if it doesn't, screw it - this is the Internet, you can say anything you want.

[Splashee 28,593]

On 11/17/2011 at 3:38 AM, Authetius said:

What programs/tools are used to take a sketch, scanned from real life, and make solid, straight lines over the messy/eraser marked paper and color the finished piece?

Well, pretty much, the sketch part is MSPaint. I usually even draw using my mouse. What is so great about MSPaint (except its ability to get an image directly from your scanner or camera), is that you can undo your currently drawn outline by pressing the right mouse button.

Photoshop is good for editing existing images, and adjusting colors. For clean lines, I suppose Paint Tool SAI is good. If you want to draw show accurate art, you have to learn Adobe Illustrator, which is a completely different way of drawing.

[EpicEnergy 23,244]

I'm not sure because I don't do sketches or drawings.