Busterman64 Posted February 18, 2017 Share Posted February 18, 2017 I want to try to start drawing via my PC(for better quality pictures), but I'm not exactly sure what software to use...any suggests? Also, is it possible to use a special pad to draw stuff on a PC? And if so, what is it and where should I go for it? Thanks in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarki Soliloquy Posted February 18, 2017 Share Posted February 18, 2017 (edited) I personally use Photoshop. Yes, it's unorthodox to use a photo-manipulation program for drawing, but there's ways to configure your tools & settings so it's optimal for drawing. You might only end up using 10% of the program for it, but much of the more photo-centric tools can enhance your drawing (esp. post-production.) Problem with Adobe products is that they're expensive. If you don't want a 30 day free trail or mess with illegal methods, then GIMP is a free alternative. You might also want to give Paint Tool SAI & Medibang Pro a look if you're looking for something strictly for drawing. In fact, once you're comfortable with one program, I recommend doing different sketches across other programs to expand your skillset. :3 Edited February 18, 2017 by Sarki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Limstella Posted February 18, 2017 Share Posted February 18, 2017 You're definitely going to want to get a drawing tablet if you want to draw digitally. There are some pretty reasonably priced ones from wacom and monoprice. (50-70ish dollars for their cheapest ones I believe) I found mine (wacom small pen and touch) at staples, but you can get them from Amazon and Wacom directly. Just remember that if you go for the cheaper ones (basically below 500$), you're not going to be able to see what you're drawing on the pad. Medibang paint pro is pretty good for being a free program, I used to use the old version of it (Fire alpaca) and it's a good starting program for digital art. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarki Soliloquy Posted February 18, 2017 Share Posted February 18, 2017 (edited) Another thing to note about tablets is that depending on the amount of time you've spent using them, its likely going to feel very awkward to use for a while. You might feel right at home with pen & paper or even a clunky mouse. But there could be plenty of things you're not used to with tablets: motion sensitivity, screen dimensions, stroke & pressure density, etc. Think of it like switching from a standard gaming controller to a fightstick. You may have fast reflexes & inputs on your Xbox controller that you can string combos & think about strategy with ease. But you barely know how to input motions properly behind that MadCatz! Being able to approach digital drawing through kinetic methods may very well become the ideal way you draw, but you're going to have to practice, practice, practice! I'll use Miiverse as an example. Here's the first drawing I did using the Wii U Gamepad. Now here's one of my recent drawings. When I was relatively new, having to draw on that tiny 320 x 120 px screen really inhibited a lot of the control I had in my lines, shapes, shades, dithers, etc. But now I feel natural using it, as opposed to the Wacom Bamboos at school. EDIT: To demonstrate my last point further, learning a new interface can lead to messy stuff like this. Yeah. Edited February 18, 2017 by Sarki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carefreejules Posted February 18, 2017 Share Posted February 18, 2017 If you want to draw stuff digitally, you can invest in a drawing tablet. There are a lot of brands out there with Wacom being the first drawing tablet brand that comes to mind but there are lots of other cheaper alternatives that work just as well like Monoprice tablets and Huion tablets. I've used Wacom tablets before (I had the Wacom Pen tablet) and it was a great tablet but when I bought a Huion tablet to replace my broken Wacom, it worked just as well and for a muuuuuuuuuuuch cheaper price. I believe you can get the smallest Wacom tablet for $80 - $90 but I got a large Huion tablet for $60. But if it's your first time using a tablet, I don't think you have to worry too much about the active area (drawing space) of the tablet so bigger doesn't necessarily mean better since there is a learning curve in just getting used to how drawing tablets feel. As for art programs, I personally use Paint Tool Sai as my go to - it's a wonderful art program with an easy user interface but I also use Photoshop CC to do all those fancy filters and lighting effects to my drawings. If you're looking for a cheaper/free alternative, I hear Fire Alpaca is a hybrid between Photoshop and Paint Tool Sai and it's also free so you should look into that program. If you want any more tips and advice, feel free to comment on my art thread which is in my signature or you can shoot me a private message and I can definitely help you out there. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor Odinson Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 (edited) On 2/18/2017 at 2:32 PM, Sarki said: I personally use Photoshop. Yes, it's unorthodox to use a photo-manipulation program for drawing, but there's ways to configure your tools & settings so it's optimal for drawing. You might only end up using 10% of the program for it, but much of the more photo-centric tools can enhance your drawing (esp. post-production.) Photoshop is actually fairly industry standard as far as drawing programs go. (source: worked art job once, still used PS) I personally use Wacom and pay the $10 a month to Adobe for Photoshop CC, but that's a fairly pricy package for someone who's just starting out for digital art. I have friends who use SAI and FireAlpaca (the latter is free and a much better piece of software than GIMP, SAI needs some money IIRC but it's a lot cheaper than PS). Monoprice I heard are solid tablets you can get for ~$40. One of my friends use them and is very satisfied with their performance. I mean if you have money to burn you could get a Wacom Cintiq and that's easier to use than a non-screen tablet but it's also hella expensive. I would not go for those unless you're very serious about digital art and is experienced enough with it. Edited February 28, 2017 by Thor Odinson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qilin Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 Have you tried Krita? https://krita.org/en/features/highlights/ It is similar to Photoshop, but more focused on drawing than editing. When I tried it I really liked its brush stabilizer. It also happens to be free. There are people doing comic pages with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QiqiNobless 9123 Posted July 22, 2022 Share Posted July 22, 2022 (edited) When I just started editing on my computer, I used the Photoshop app for a long time, but I don't think it's the best option on the market. After almost two years of using Photoshop, I should have an amazing UI testing platform, which changed my whole working process. I understood that popular apps or platforms aren't the best. Secondly, they have a lot of features and tips on their platforms which helped me not just with editing but with the construction of the entire project, for example, videos, logos, etc. Edited July 25, 2022 by QiqiNobless 9123 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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