Mitsukara
10-15-2006, 10:49 PM
Okay, so I draw- though I haven't updated my site in forever, and don't have nearly as many finished pieces as I'd like. The trouble is that my tools aren't that great. I've finally figured out a reasonably easy method for getting a clean, all black/white outline from a hand drawing that looks pretty good. What I can't figure out how to do is the color it in a better way than drawing a line around areas I want shaded and then filling it with a solid color.
I've attempted to use photoshop in the past- not installed on this computer because I'm not sure it would run- and have more recently been trying to use the GIMP. Other than the outline threshold tool, I haven't figure out how to do anything I want to do with this program.
Essentially, what I want to do is find a way to shade and color drawings. Something that works better than manually drawing and filling with a solid color, having to add every single color differentiation manually. I need something like filling with a gradient at an angle, or something... anything.
Additionally, I'd like to be able to do some lighting effects on particular parts of a picture- namely, glowing effects, and metallic-esque shading on areas (making things look "shiny" basically).
Now, what I'm asking is for any simple, easily understandable explanations for how to do this with one of the programs I've tried, or perhaps for reccomendations on a different program I could be using. Possibly Paint Shop Pro or something like that? I'm open to any suggestions/advice on doing this... whatever works helps.
However, if anyone suggests a tutorial, I request that it be a very complete, step-by-step explanation and preferably something directly related to these subjects... pointing me to the main page a huge confusing tutorial (which may not even have a specific section explanaining what I'm trying to do) covering all of photoshop/similar is little more helpful than trying to figure it out by trial and error, sorry.
Oh, by the way- here are my system specs (yes, again :P) as pasted from mIRC, in case anyone suggests a program- it pretty much has to run on this.
<•OS/Build: Windows ME (4.90 - 3000)•> <•Resolution: 1024x768•> <•CPU Info: 1-Intel Pentium II, 398MHz, 512KB•> <•RAM Usage: 126/128MB (98.44%)•> <•Hard Drive Info: C:\ (2.11GB Free, 9.43GB Total), D:\ (3.39GB Free, 6.69GB Total), E:\ (0.85GB Free, 7.47GB Total)•>
I've attempted to use photoshop in the past- not installed on this computer because I'm not sure it would run- and have more recently been trying to use the GIMP. Other than the outline threshold tool, I haven't figure out how to do anything I want to do with this program.
Essentially, what I want to do is find a way to shade and color drawings. Something that works better than manually drawing and filling with a solid color, having to add every single color differentiation manually. I need something like filling with a gradient at an angle, or something... anything.
Additionally, I'd like to be able to do some lighting effects on particular parts of a picture- namely, glowing effects, and metallic-esque shading on areas (making things look "shiny" basically).
Now, what I'm asking is for any simple, easily understandable explanations for how to do this with one of the programs I've tried, or perhaps for reccomendations on a different program I could be using. Possibly Paint Shop Pro or something like that? I'm open to any suggestions/advice on doing this... whatever works helps.
However, if anyone suggests a tutorial, I request that it be a very complete, step-by-step explanation and preferably something directly related to these subjects... pointing me to the main page a huge confusing tutorial (which may not even have a specific section explanaining what I'm trying to do) covering all of photoshop/similar is little more helpful than trying to figure it out by trial and error, sorry.
Oh, by the way- here are my system specs (yes, again :P) as pasted from mIRC, in case anyone suggests a program- it pretty much has to run on this.
<•OS/Build: Windows ME (4.90 - 3000)•> <•Resolution: 1024x768•> <•CPU Info: 1-Intel Pentium II, 398MHz, 512KB•> <•RAM Usage: 126/128MB (98.44%)•> <•Hard Drive Info: C:\ (2.11GB Free, 9.43GB Total), D:\ (3.39GB Free, 6.69GB Total), E:\ (0.85GB Free, 7.47GB Total)•>