What The Hell Should I Get For Christmas?

[Red]

Red, do you have a graphics tablet?

yes

That might be a good idea, since you like to draw. You could improve your drawing substantially if you don't have one (drawing with a track pad or mouse is very hard)..

I think I'm getting better, if I practice. Now I know that my current profile picture isn't anything special, but it's like Dora Maar au Chat compared to my last one.

[brimstoneSalad]

Red, do you have a graphics tablet?

yes

That might be a good idea, since you like to draw. You could improve your drawing substantially if you don't have one (drawing with a track pad or mouse is very hard)..

I think I'm getting better, if I practice. Now I know that my current profile picture isn't anything special, but it's like Dora Maar au Chat compared to my last one.

Get Lazy Nezumi. That's around $35. It will help you a lot in terms of line quality (smoother lines, no jagged areas).

Do you have any graphics programs? What do you use?

[Red]

Get Lazy Nezumi. That's around $35.

I am currently using a Bamboo tablet, and it actually gets the job done pretty well.

It will help you a lot in terms of line quality (smoother lines, no jagged areas).

I actually prefer the more pixely, cartoony look. I can make it smoother, but it's just not my style.

Do you have any graphics programs? What do you use?

I use Photoshop Elements and deviantArt muro sometimes.

[brimstoneSalad]

Get Lazy Nezumi. That's around $35.

I am currently using a Bamboo tablet, and it actually gets the job done pretty well.

Lazy Nezumi is software. It works with your tablet. Try the demo before you dismiss it.

It will help you a lot in terms of line quality (smoother lines, no jagged areas).

I actually prefer the more pixely, cartoony look. I can make it smoother, but it's just not my style.

I'm not talking about pixely, I'm talking about jagged irregular curves and line quality. You don't know how to draw them correctly yet (and that's OK, you're learning, but this will teach you how).

"It's... my style"

But please don't ever say that, it's the artistic equivalent of a theist saying "well, god doesn't have to follow the rules of logic".
It will piss people off when they try to help you, and just make people laugh you off as having more ego than skill (never a good way to come across).
I know it's hard not to be defensive against criticism, but it's important. Very important. "It's just my style" is the cry of defeat from a failed artist who can't be bothered to improve but wants praise anyway -- you've got more confidence than that, you don't need empty praise.
"Style" doesn't work that way -- and you know it on some level, if you don't realize it. Some art is just worse than other art, and as you learn more, you learn to understand why that is.

Style is not an excuse for bad anatomy, or bad line quality, or bad perspective, or bad coloring, or bad composition, or any other artistic failure:

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showth ... t-argument

Heh yea the good old "that's my style" argument runs deep through all schools of art. I personally don't believe it's possible to have a "style" before you've learnt the fundamentals and become proficient in them. [...] So many fine art students will take inspiration from work such as Picasso's cubist stuff or Tracy Emin's provocative installations and then create similar stuff along with an ego to match. What I often feel they overlook are the facts that artists such as Picasso or Tracey Emin [...] both studied the fundamentals of art and were bloody good at them. I like to see being good at the fundamentals as a kind of licence to go further and develop your own style. Before that I think styles are just egotistical non-sense for people who can't do the basics properly.

I also feel that a style should give back at least equal aesthetic value to what it takes away. Say you sacrifice realistic anatomy, the reasoning for it needs to achieve something that warrants it. It's probably not really a measurable thing though, and weighs heavily on personal opinion.
[...]
I do think justifying problems by saying you did them on purpose is kind of shooting yourself in the foot. A style shouldn't be something which stands out and causes some one to point it out as a problem.

Once you learn all of the rules of art, THEN you can break them deliberately and create a style. New artists can't really have a style, because the differences between what they create and what they're really trying to create are broadly accidental, or due to laziness rather than contemplated choice and research.

See here too:
http://tristaeza.deviantart.com/journal ... -285865791
http://www.animationsource.org/board/it ... 34328.html

When you say "It's my style" to defend artistic problems, you're selling yourself short and limiting your potential to improve. Receiving and acting upon criticism to better your art is the #1 thing an artist must learn to efficiently get better.

You've improved, but it's slow because you're being complacent with the 'style' thing. You could be doing 10x better than you were by now if you push yourself a bit more.
That may not be what you want (I don't know what you want to do when you graduate), but if you're interested in going into any artistic field and making this more than a hobby, take it from me: The "style" excuse will get you nowhere fast.

[Mateo3112]

It's amazing how a post on something as trivial as a gift has so many replies. Anyway, you already have a graphic tablet, so how about an art designing program, like photoshop, anime studio, manga studio... Honestly i don't know any other but you get the idea xD

[Red]

Lazy Nezumi is software. It works with your tablet. Try the demo before you dismiss it.

oh

I'm not talking about pixely, I'm talking about jagged irregular curves and line quality.

That's kinda what I was referring to.

"It's... my style"

But please don't ever say that, it's the artistic equivalent of a theist saying "well, god doesn't have to follow the rules of logic".
It will piss people off when they try to help you, and just make people laugh you off as having more ego than skill (never a good way to come across).

I never used it to justify my, uh,.. drawing "skills". I mean, don't get me wrong, I will definitely expand on this and move to other forms of art, but the cartoony, or how you call it, jagged look actually appeals to me more than, say, anime style. It's like the seed that will grow into bigger and better things, y'know what I'm saying brah?

I know it's hard not to be defensive against criticism, but it's important. Very important. "It's just my style" is the cry of defeat from a failed artist who can't be bothered to improve but wants praise anyway -- you've got more confidence than that, you don't need empty praise.

I know my art style is, well shit, and I do question it at times to be honest. Well, that's what's practicing is for, I guess.

"Style" doesn't work that way -- and you know it on some level, if you don't realize it. Some art is just worse than other art, and as you learn more, you learn to understand why that is.

hm. explain.

Style is not an excuse for bad anatomy, or bad line quality, or bad perspective, or bad coloring, or bad composition, or any other artistic failure:

I wasn't trying to justify it really. For now, I'll stick with what I am best at (or think am best at) and expand from there. I'm pretty sure you took what I said outta context, which is fine, since you can't really tell what a person is exactly thinking through text.

Once you learn all of the rules of art, THEN you can break them deliberately and create a style. New artists can't really have a style, because the differences between what they create and what they're really trying to create are broadly accidental, or due to laziness rather than contemplated choice and research.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GqIci7JA8c

When you say "It's my style" to defend artistic problems, you're selling yourself short and limiting your potential to improve. Receiving and acting upon criticism to better your art is the #1 thing an artist must learn to efficiently get better.

Well I can take criticism for my work, and thus use that to see what I need wrk on. Tell me, what do you think i should work on rather than the jagged sides?

You've improved, but it's slow because you're being complacent with the 'style' thing. You could be doing 10x better than you were by now if you push yourself a bit more.
That may not be what you want (I don't know what you want to do when you graduate), but if you're interested in going into any artistic field and making this more than a hobby, take it from me: The "style" excuse will get you nowhere fast.

that makes sense

[brimstoneSalad]

That's kinda what I was referring to.

I don't think you understand what I mean; intentional angles are fine.

Just try lazy nezumi, and I think you'll see what I'm talking about.

the cartoony, or how you call it, jagged look actually appeals to me more than, say, anime style. It's like the seed that will grow into bigger and better things, y'know what I'm saying brah?

I know what you mean, but there are problems in the lines that are accidental. In terms of the jagged style, Lazy Nezumi can help you do that better. And if you want something more squiggly even, I think it even has jitter mouse functions.

Try out the demo.

And another's advice about getting a new graphics package for Xmas: definitely worth considering. Software can expand your world dramatically. I'm not up on all of the new fangled cartooning software to make many recommendations beyond photoshop (I just learned about Lazy Nezumi years ago when I was trying to draw some lines for something and couldn't get them smooth; kind of dumb luck that I know about it).

"Style" doesn't work that way -- and you know it on some level, if you don't realize it. Some art is just worse than other art, and as you learn more, you learn to understand why that is.

hm. explain.

It's things you can't see until you know how to see it, but you just get a kind of subconscious impression of quality without being able to pinpoint why.

It's kind of like music. You know what you like when you hear it, but unless you're a very well trained musician with a background in music theory, you may not be able to explain why.

So, I really can't explain it, you just have to get a feel for it.
Sorry if that's not helpful.

I wasn't trying to justify it really. For now, I'll stick with what I am best at (or think am best at) and expand from there.

Improved software and techniques will make you better at what you're best at.

That goes for Art, Music, Spreadsheets for calculating, new word processor for writing and editing, etc. Always good to invest in tools and learning.

Well I can take criticism for my work, and thus use that to see what I need wrk on. Tell me, what do you think i should work on rather than the jagged sides?

I'm not great at drawing myself, but there are a lot of tutorials out there. Just grab one and start learning.

[Red]

I don't think you understand what I mean; intentional angles are fine.

Just try lazy nezumi, and I think you'll see what I'm talking about.

I know what it is, it makes your lines smoother. I will shell out the 35 bucks for it ;;;DDD.

I know what you mean, but there are problems in the lines that are accidental. In terms of the jagged style, Lazy Nezumi can help you do that better. And if you want something more squiggly even, I think it even has jitter mouse functions.

Oh abso-fricken'-lutley!

Try out the demo.

how much would that possibly cost me?

And another's advice about getting a new graphics package for Xmas: definitely worth considering. Software can expand your world dramatically. I'm not up on all of the new fangled cartooning software to make many recommendations beyond photoshop (I just learned about Lazy Nezumi years ago when I was trying to draw some lines for something and couldn't get them smooth; kind of dumb luck that I know about it).

I think I'll stick with my Bamboo for now. Since I am just starting out, I don't think there is any need for super duper expensive and powerful software. It would be superfluous to buy something then wait to use when you already have a good starting tool. Definitely
sometime in the future though!

It's things you can't see until you know how to see it, but you just get a kind of subconscious impression of quality without being able to pinpoint why.

It's kind of like music. You know what you like when you hear it, but unless you're a very well trained musician with a background in music theory, you may not be able to explain why.

I think I get what you're trying to say. Like you can't really explain what it is until you excel in it, even though the thing you like has that certain charm that you can't really pinpoint exactly. I guess that's what makes bad movies so special.

So, I really can't explain it, you just have to get a feel for it.
Sorry if that's not helpful.

Nonsense.

Improved software and techniques will make you better at what you're best at.

So it's not my bad skills, it's the program I use? Or is it both?

That goes for Art, Music, Spreadsheets for calculating, new word processor for writing and editing, etc. Always good to invest in tools and learning.

that makes sense

I'm not great at drawing myself, but there are a lot of tutorials out there. Just grab one and start learning.

To Newgrounds!

[brimstoneSalad]

how much would that possibly cost me?

The demo is free. There's also an older free version floating around out there somewhere.

So it's not my bad skills, it's the program I use? Or is it both?

A good program will make it easier to streamline your work methods and improve your skills.
You can grind up your skill in MS paint too, but it will be more frustrating.

[Red]

A good program will make it easier to streamline your work methods and improve your skills.
You can grind up your skill in MS paint too, but it will be more frustrating.

Good, my arms get tired from moving it on a pad that it screws it up.