Inking; digital or traditional?

Candra H · Sep 20, 2010

Just wondering which method people use and if there's a preference for one over the other.

Also hoping some folks might have some tips for a traditional artist looking to learn about digital inking methods.

Cheers

RemusShepherd · Sep 20, 2010

I ink digitally. I have no formal training as an artist, so when I tried to teach myself inking using nib pens I only ended up making a terrible mess.

If you have formal training, I'd say go ahead and use traditional methods.

If you want to ink digitally, I think that having a Wacom tablet is a must. You have to have a tablet with pressure sensitivity and good accuracy, and Wacom leads in both those categories.

I use a Cintiq 12x, which is high-end because it has its own LCD screen. But you can get a suitable Bamboo model that's very inexpensive.

I can't help you much with software. I do everything in Photoshop, but I know that there are other software packages that are better suited to the task of sketching and inking.

elae · Sep 20, 2010

I've done and do both. I tend to prefer traditional inking myself, partially just because I'm faster at it-- when I'm inking digitally there's this compulsion to zoom in and get every detail perfect, and it adds up to a ton more time (and more wrist ache) than you may really need.

I also prefer it because most digital inking looks the same, because most people use the default photoshop brushes. When I'm inking digitally I use brushes that add a bit more texture and variation, so the lines aren't all perfect and/or identical.

Get a cheap Wacom Bamboo to start out with. I still use a medium Bamboo myself for most of my work, and it's more than capable! Then you want to make sure you know where to find the Photoshop tools for varying opacity and line width.

Wolvel · Sep 21, 2010

I'm more of a traditional type and I ink by hand. But the reason I do is when I pencil I do basic outlines with minimal detailing because when I go back with ink I add a lot of the details and shadows then.

Now of course my inking style is a little different as well. I don't use the nib pens eventhough I have been trained to. Instead I use india ink pens for fine lines and use small paint brushes for others for a different look.

I guess you can say when it comes to my artwork I still rebel against the digital world.

Candra H · Sep 22, 2010

RemusShepherd said:
I ink digitally. I have no formal training as an artist, so when I tried to teach myself inking using nib pens I only ended up making a terrible mess.

If you have formal training, I'd say go ahead and use traditional methods.

No formal training here either. Most of my skills have been self taught over the years, apart from what I learned in school and through a couple of college courses. I don't know much about nib pens either and mostly just use liquid ink on brushes or ordinary fineline drawing pens. Might look a bit odd to experts but it works for me

If you want to ink digitally, I think that having a Wacom tablet is a must. You have to have a tablet with pressure sensitivity and good accuracy, and Wacom leads in both those categories.

I use a Cintiq 12x, which is high-end because it has its own LCD screen. But you can get a suitable Bamboo model that's very inexpensive.

I can't help you much with software. I do everything in Photoshop, but I know that there are other software packages that are better suited to the task of sketching and inking.

Thanks for the tip about Wacom tablets. I'd an inkling in the back of my head that I would need something like that but wasnt too sure about where to start looking or what to look for. Doing some investigation into whats out there and what I can afford.

No Photoshop, or Illustrator or any other paid for package. It would be nice to have one of those but I'm limited to what I can get for free at the moment. Downloaded Gimp recently and will probably muck about with that until I get used to using the Bamboo thingy.

Good tips and advice, Remus. Thanks.

Candra H · Sep 22, 2010

elae said:
I've done and do both. I tend to prefer traditional inking myself, partially just because I'm faster at it-- when I'm inking digitally there's this compulsion to zoom in and get every detail perfect, and it adds up to a ton more time (and more wrist ache) than you may really need.

I hear you on this. Originally I figured digital methods would save me time, but after reading about your experience... It's something I would do, use that zoom option to get right into the detail and get everything perfect. Something that just doesnt happen for me with traditional art. Not as much as I'd like, anyway.

I also prefer it because most digital inking looks the same, because most people use the default photoshop brushes. When I'm inking digitally I use brushes that add a bit more texture and variation, so the lines aren't all perfect and/or identical.

Get a cheap Wacom Bamboo to start out with. I still use a medium Bamboo myself for most of my work, and it's more than capable! Then you want to make sure you know where to find the Photoshop tools for varying opacity and line width.

Thats something I've worried about with digital inking. That the image would end up looking too smooth and... well, digital. It's good to know that there are ways of getting the finish to look a bit rougher and more traditional.

And thanks for the Bamboo suggestion. See my response to Remus on that.

Candra H · Sep 22, 2010

Wolvel said:
I'm more of a traditional type and I ink by hand. But the reason I do is when I pencil I do basic outlines with minimal detailing because when I go back with ink I add a lot of the details and shadows then.

Now of course my inking style is a little different as well. I don't use the nib pens eventhough I have been trained to. Instead I use india ink pens for fine lines and use small paint brushes for others for a different look.

I guess you can say when it comes to my artwork I still rebel against the digital world.

Haha. I hear you. Me too. But I figured it's about time I got to grips with technology. It's a tool like anything else and knowing how to use both methods will always be better than knowing neither.

Interesting, what you say about drawing minimal lines and going back and putting details in later with ink. I work in a similar way myself, though not on anything like comic art. Mostly one-off illustrations or drawn pen sketches for bigger pieces for effect. Does working in that way limit what you can do digitally? By that, I mean does only having a vague outline of the drawing affect how easy it will be to ink over it on a computer screen?

(Apologies for the above possible numpty question. All new to me, this inking malarkey, digital or otherwise.)

Candra H · Sep 22, 2010

Thanks everyone for posting your thoughts and experiences with inking. It's been a great help.

I'm also curious about software packages and wonder if anyone else has used Gimp. If so, how useful is it as a freebie package and will it get me started or should I be looking for something simpler?

I tried the month's free trial of Illustrator once and spent most of the month reading through the user manual. The whole thing is huge and way outside my non-digital ken.

Cheers

Sharii · Sep 22, 2010

I did inking both traditional and digital. For digital, I prefer to use small Japanese painting program called Sai (http://www.systemax.jp/en/sai/). It's much more affordable than Photoshop and does the job nicely.

The other one that I have used is Manga Studio (http://manga.smithmicro.com/). But it might have more functions than you need.

CACTUSWENDY · Sep 22, 2010

Sorry to butt in, but am always wanting to learn new things. What is this 'bamboo' thing you guys are talking about?......Thanks.

dpaterso · Sep 22, 2010

I've seen several GIMP users speak well of the software and its functionality. I use Paint.NET which I found intuitive from the get-go. Each to their own. ...Oh, and I meant to say, I've got Manga Studio Debut 4.0 which is the cut-down affordable version of Manga Studio, but I found it far too complicated and restrictive (old dog, new tricks!) especially as I mostly work with non-standard-size .jpg files.

Google Wacom Bamboo and you'll see the full range of tablets (you "draw" on 'em with an electronic pen).

-Derek

CheG · Sep 23, 2010

I've heard good things about manga studio but never used it. I hand ink with Zig and Pigmamicrons then fix my crappy inking in Photoshop which is invaluable. The days of white out and sharpies are gone! I don't have to fill in blacks anymore either.

CACTUSWENDY · Sep 23, 2010

Thanks for the link. So, etch a sketch was kind of like the first one. Wow. They have come a long way.

Bicyclefish · Sep 23, 2010

CACTUSWENDY said:
Sorry to butt in, but am always wanting to learn new things. What is this 'bamboo' thing you guys are talking about?

http://www.wacom.com/index2.php

Though there are other brands of tablets, I prefer Wacom. I suggest start with the Bamboo or a used Graphire so you can get used to the feel of a tablet. It'll take time, and it'll probably feel weird and awkward at first. A small Bamboo Pen retails at $70. If you're serious about giving digital a try, I'd suggest spending a bit more and getting the $99 Bamboo with more pressure sensitivity and a higher resolution. One thing I noticed about the Bamboo, however, is the surface has more "tooth", which personally bothers me. Some people like it, but I'm used to the smoother surface of the old Graphires and Intuos.

Wolvel · Sep 23, 2010

Candra H said:
Does working in that way limit what you can do digitally? By that, I mean does only having a vague outline of the drawing affect how easy it will be to ink over it on a computer screen?

(Apologies for the above possible numpty question. All new to me, this inking malarkey, digital or otherwise.)

Not sure because since I am more of a traditional type I just ink my work then scan it into the computer.

I've looked into the digital work for inking and such but it just doesn't seem to be me I guess.

I tend to vary my mediums while inking, between heavy darks to cross hatching shadows, I combine both for a look of my own.

elae · Sep 24, 2010

Bicyclefish said:
If you're serious about giving digital a try, I'd suggest spending a bit more and getting the $99 Bamboo with more pressure sensitivity and a higher resolution. One thing I noticed about the Bamboo, however, is the surface has more "tooth", which personally bothers me. Some people like it, but I'm used to the smoother surface of the old Graphires and Intuos.

Huh! I haven't actually noticed that. I use a Bamboo at home and an older Intuos at work. The biggest thing for me was just getting used to the nice biiig drawing area...

Candra H · Sep 27, 2010

Thanks for the software tips, everyone. Much appreciated. And for the Paint link, dpaterso. I've heard of it but don't know much about it. I'll check it out, maybe even download a free trial for nosiness.

Its good to know this thread has been helpful for others too.

Not sure because since I am more of a traditional type I just ink my work then scan it into the computer.

I've looked into the digital work for inking and such but it just doesn't seem to be me I guess.

I tend to vary my mediums while inking, between heavy darks to cross hatching shadows, I combine both for a look of my own.

Thats cool. I think I wondered myself into a worry about traditional drawing limitations based on your comments without actually thinking about what you were saying. If I'm honest, I'm not a huge fan of a lot of the digital inked effects going around out there either, but I've seen some stuff that looks natural too. And I need to give it a go myself. Curiosity and all that. And if it doesn't work for me, at least I'll have tried.

Wolvel · Sep 27, 2010

Candra H said:
Thats cool. I think I wondered myself into a worry about traditional drawing limitations based on your comments without actually thinking about what you were saying. If I'm honest, I'm not a huge fan of a lot of the digital inked effects going around out there either, but I've seen some stuff that looks natural too. And I need to give it a go myself. Curiosity and all that. And if it doesn't work for me, at least I'll have tried.

Like it has been said before. You don't know until you try.

For me its the satisfaction of holding a finished piece in my hands. I know on the screen its finished but just not the same. My trend may come from lerning what I know before the digital era hit. Back in the 80's it was all paper and india ink for inking work.

Like what Stan Lee said about digital comics vs regular comics...You don't get that feel of turning the pages and the smells of a actual book in your hands.

Bicyclefish · Sep 29, 2010

elae said:
Huh! I haven't actually noticed that. I use a Bamboo at home and an older Intuos at work. The biggest thing for me was just getting used to the nice biiig drawing area...

Maybe it's the older Intuos? Mines a 3. When I tried a Bamboo it made more noise. Or I'm hearing things and slowly going bonkers! *twitch*

Inking; digital or traditional?

Candra H

RemusShepherd

elae

time to draw

Wolvel

Write the Damn Book!

Candra H

Candra H

Candra H

Candra H

Sharii

I draw comics, lots of comics.

CACTUSWENDY

An old, sappy, and happy one.

dpaterso

Also in our Discord and IRC chat channels

CheG

CACTUSWENDY

An old, sappy, and happy one.

Bicyclefish

Pedaling Pescado

Wolvel

Write the Damn Book!

elae

time to draw

Candra H

Wolvel

Write the Damn Book!

Bicyclefish

Pedaling Pescado