22 replies to this topic

[Amaryllis]

I often get asked what art programs I use--a combination of the Japanese program Paint Tool SAI and Photoshop. I feel like people can be intimidated by these programs, especially PT SAI, which can seem overwhelming at first. So, I decided to write a basic tutorial for creating lineart with PT SAI.

 

When you open PT SAI, you will see a lot of different tools on the left side. Most of the tools are pretty self-explanatory: pen, marker, paintbrush, airbrush, color wheel. Once you feel comfortable using SAI, just play with the different tools and their options to develop a feel for their uses and what you like. It's very open to personal preference and style; this flexibility is one of the things I love about PT SAI. Feel free to ask any questions about the tools at the end of the tutorial!

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Starting with the bottom left section, you have the space where you can create layers (I will get into more detail with the different layer options later).

 

The New Layer tool: The blank page icon creates a blank layer. For raw beginners, layers allow you paint things on one layer, then put down a second layer, either above or under, and paint on that without disturbing the first layer.

 

Let's use a simple flower as an example.

 

I'll put down two layers, Layer 1 and Layer 2. Layer 2 will be the top layer, and Layer 1 will be the bottom.

 

On my top layer, I'm going to draw a simple flower outline in a dark pink with the pen tool. Then I switch to my bottom layer and use the marker tool to color in the flower. I can do this without disturbing the top layer's outline.

 

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As you can see, the layer option is a digital artist's best friend. It's also pretty crucial for when we create our lineart later on.

 

The next layer we'll cover is right beside the New Layer tool, and that's the New Linework tool; it looks almost exactly like the New Layer tool, only it has a pen on top of it. This tool works the same way as the New Layer tool.

 

The Linework layers give you access to a different branch of tools.

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One thing that's important to know is that I use a tablet to do my drawings. Now, a mouse is also able to be used, especially with the pen tool, because these lines can be manipulated. For tablet users, the pen tool's advanced settings will allow it to automatically sense the difference in pressure as you draw on the tablet and create more fluid lines. For mouse users, you'll have to manipulate the pressure settings manually.

 

Let's use a simple flower again to demonstrate some of the abilities of Linework layers:

 

Pressure is used to create thicker or thinner lines. See the difference in the lines based on the difference in pressure:

 

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There are also axis points that can manipulate the shape of the lines. You can manipulate them by either holding down the control key on your keyboard, or going into the pressure tool. I prefer to go into the pressure tool so I can fix the pressure on lines at the same time if I want, but either option is fine.

 

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Edited by Amaryllis, 26 January 2014 - 04:40 AM.

[Amaryllis]

Okay, now let's start a project!

Open a new file. It's very important to remember that bigger is better when you start. It allows for more detail work to be done. I always work at a minimum of 300 dpi (dots per inch), usually in a file size of at least 1200x1200.

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I usually do a rough sketch first, blocking out the general pose. I prefer to work with very faint lines to begin with. For some reason, I also like using red as my starter, but that's really just personal preference. Any color would work, but I'm going to use a bright color to show you an extra trick later on.

 

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Next, I do more detail.

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Finally we have something that looks like a person! My last step is to add further detail, deciding on the light source and figuring out the shading it will create. I always like to do this at the lineart stage, even if I'm not intending on coloring the work. For me, it helps create the drawing and give it more depth, also lets me plan where I might want thicker or thinner lines.

 

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After I finish the planning stage, next comes the trick I mentioned. Go to the layers section and check the Preserve Opacity box. This will allow us to color the lines any colors we want while keeping them the shape they're currently in.

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There are a number of ways to achieve this effect. A second layer can be placed on top of the rough sketch, check the box clipping group, which will also only allow coloring over the lines. The way I typically do it, though, is going to to the menu bar, select filter, then hue/saturation from the drop down menu, then drag the saturation filter all the way down, turning it light grey.

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Now it's time to create a clean lineart! I change the opacity to a lower level, so I can see my clean lines clearly over the rough sketch. Next I create a Linework layer and use the pen tool.  

 

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And there you have a pretty new lineart, ready to color! 

 

Edited by Amaryllis, 26 January 2014 - 04:53 AM.

[morozova]

Wow. This is awesome! Great drawing too! I'm sure this will help some people. nice job!

[Dusk]

Wow thanks! I recently downloaded this and knew nothing about it! This will really help.

[Amaryllis]

Wow thanks! I recently downloaded this and knew nothing about it! This will really help.

Great to hear more people are using PT SAI! If you have any questions, feel free to post them here or PM me.

[OIive]

This looks amazing!

 

Thank you for all the info, Amaryllis. PT SAI looks great! But...is it free? I'm not allowed to buy any drawing softwares (which sucks :c).

[Amaryllis]

This looks amazing!

 

Thank you for all the info, Amaryllis. PT SAI looks great! But...is it free? I'm not allowed to buy any drawing softwares (which sucks :c).

Unfortunately, it's not free, although there is a free 30 day trail available. It is one of the more inexpensive art programs available-- $51 USD, depending on the exchange rate (since it's a Japanese program).  

 

Just noticed you're in Canada, so obviously the prices would differ. Oops! It's 5250¥, which is currently about $56.79 in Canadian dollars. 

Edited by Amaryllis, 26 January 2014 - 05:20 AM.

[Hamster Munchies]

Thank you! That is so helpful! I am really getting into digital art, and I have been looking for a good way to make it. Thank you Amaryllis! 

Do you use a tablet to do this?

[Amaryllis]

Thank you! That is so helpful! I am really getting into digital art, and I have been looking for a good way to make it. Thank you Amaryllis! 

Do you use a tablet to do this?

Yes, I use an Intuos₄ by Wacom, but you don't really need a more expensive tablet with SAI. There are some fairly inexpensive tablets available as well; I like the Intuos because of the pressure sensitivity on it-- also mine has held up for about 5 years and still works very well. 

[Hamster Munchies]

Yes, I use an Intuos₄ by Wacom, but you don't really need a more expensive tablet with SAI. There are some fairly inexpensive tablets available as well; I like the Intuos because of the pressure sensitivity on it-- also mine has held up for about 5 years and still works very well. 

Ok thanks

[♥Winter♥]

Okay, now let's start a project!

Open a new file. It's very important to remember that bigger is better when you start. It allows for more detail work to be done. I always work at a minimum of 300 dpi (dots per inch), usually in a file size of at least 1200x1200.

Spoiler

 
I usually do a rough sketch first, blocking out the general pose. I prefer to work with very faint lines to begin with. For some reason, I also like using red as my starter, but that's really just personal preference. Any color would work, but I'm going to use a bright color to show you an extra trick later on.
 
[spoiler][img=http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/025/f/d/blocked_outline_by_amaryllis_blooms-d73np17.

I clicked on this photo and about exploded! I kept trying to close the screen with the x in the picture!

Anyway, That is really cool!

[Amaryllis]

I clicked on this photo and about exploded! I kept trying to close the screen with the x in the picture!

Anyway, That is really cool!

LOL. I've done that, too, you're not alone. And thanks!

[Fuyu&Jinger15]

Thanks Amaryllis! I recently got this and was very intimidated by it - This will help a lot!!

[Amaryllis]

 

Backgrounds are an important part of artwork-- and usually the part I like least! But lately I've become quite obsessed with Disney's Frozen, so I decided to do a little Elsa fan art and make a background for my computer.

 

Here's the final image, and if you'd like to download your own copy and use it, you can do that here.

 

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Okay, step one is determining what size of canvas we're working on. Typically I double everything and then shrink it to the size I want, but today I skipped that step... laziness, laziness, but meh. Lol

 

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This used to be the most common screen size, but I think that has changed in the last few years. I still typically use this size for backgrounds.

 

Second step is the rough draft-- I had a very simple concept in mind and I knew I had some Frozen Snowflake brushes just waiting to be used in Photoshop (download here), so my rough draft stayed pretty simple.

 

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I typically do most of my background first. First I start with broad strokes of blue and white with my water tool, only using the blur tool on the very edges and for a bit of blending in the sky. Try to keep most of the snow lines a bit crisp.

 

The snow should have different shades in it, rather than be monochromatic, creating highlights and lowlights. The extra blue tones adds depth. I stuck to mostly blues and grays, but a bit of purple for the deeper shadows would work well, too.

 

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Now to add more highlights and develop some texture and direction with the snow. Create a new layer, and go to mode-- change to luminosity. This is going to show up very brightly against our background.

 

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I use a hard-edge tool for this part (I have a custom setting labeled 'fineliner' in PT SAI, but any fine, hard edged brush will work). The goal is to create that shiny, crisp look snow has, as well develop a line of sight for Elsa. A line of sight naturally draws the eye to the focal point of the piece.

 

To create this, we're going to start at the “horizon” and make our longest highlight, the slowly make shorter lines the farther away the “snow” is drifting from Elsa. Make longer lines where you want to define bigger drifts; this also adds depth to the image. A few random small strokes at the end of your highlights adds some texture.

 

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Now I'm going to add in some soft snowflakes; use a soft brush for this, at a lower opacity. If you're using SAI, I prefer to use the marker tool for things like this. I'm also going to add in my Elsa (since I've done things already on lineart and coloring, I'm going to skip over those steps).

 

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Something that can get overlooked--when you add an image, it's going to create shadows in your background. The important thing to remember here is your light source. Not only does that determine where the shadows go, but how strong the shadow is going to be, length of the shadow, ect..

 

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To create magical streaky effects, it's all about starting softly-- use a less saturated color and a soft brush, soft flowy lines, then switch to a fine, hard brush and bright colors to accent. The important part to remember is that you want to create a sense of movement, so try to keep your highlights emphasizing swirling or curling motions.

 

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The last touch was adding Elsa's magic snowflakes. Since I planned from the beginning to use Photoshop brushes for these, I didn't bother doing an outline for the snowflakes. Trick for PT SAI users: you can actually save your .sai files as a .psd and open them in Photoshop. I generally only do this if I need text or a specific brush tool. Make very sure that if you are working with the Line Work layers on SAI, you're completely finished, because those lines will lose their moveable quality once you open it in Photoshop.

 

If you want to create a “glow” around objects, use a soft brush, light, desaturated colors, and make gentle streaks outwards from the object, like they're throwing off a soft glow. Take a very fine hard brush after and make a few hard lines to create accents, fewer if you want a softer glow, more if you want a harsher light.

 

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[OIive]

Wow....

Amaryllis, that is just AMAZING. Wow. Everything about that background is perfect. You have a lot of talent!