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Common Digital Painting Mistakes FAQ
3 min read
Hi everyone! I'm so happy so many of you enjoyed my tutorial!
Thank you for all your +favs and comments -- it's been awesome
. A lot people have been asking similar questions which weren't answered in the original tutorial. Here's some FAQ that will hopefully clear things up:
1. How do you do this in Paint Tool SAI?
Unfortunately, I don't have Paint Tool SAI so I don't have an exact answer for this. However, I've heard that it's similar so you should be able to translate most of the Photoshop tips into SAI. Also, most of the tips are conceptual and function in traditional work as well as digital, so the program you are using shouldn't hinder you too much in applying them.
2. What size should I make my canvas?
This has been a really common question and the answer is that it depends on the complexity of the work and the amount of detail you are trying to achieve. I make my canvases in the thousands of pixels at least. A rule of thumb that I use is I take the part of my piece that I want to be the most detailed (like an eye, or a necklace or something) and make sure that at 100%, that part of the piece fills the whole screen. This way, you will be able to paint in the details without straining your eyes and use a lot more brush sizes and colors. Take advantage of large canvas sizes because they allow you to get more detail than traditional art usually can. Another advantage to this is when you size down the canvas to upload your work to a website like DeviantArt, your work will look much finer and neater than at 100%, but still retain a lot of the detail you put in at full zoom!
3. What's the difference between dpi and pixel size?
Dpi is used for printing – the standard setting is 300dpi. If you plan on printing your work, MAKE SURE this is the resolution as you will not be able to easily change it after the piece is done. Pixel size is how big the canvas is on the screen. A 100px by 100px canvas at 300dpi will not help you paint with more detail than the same canvas size at 72dpi, so make sure you pay attention to both settings.
4. Do you have any tips for non-tablet users?
This is a tricky one since I've always used a tablet. Your best bet is to take advantage of functions that don't require pen pressure like the opacity and flow of the brush. However, even a small tablet is a great investment and will help you avoid a lot of frustration. Invest in a tablet if you can and your art will thank you in the long run!
Thank you for all your +favs and comments -- it's been awesome
. A lot people have been asking similar questions which weren't answered in the original tutorial. Here's some FAQ that will hopefully clear things up:1. How do you do this in Paint Tool SAI?
Unfortunately, I don't have Paint Tool SAI so I don't have an exact answer for this. However, I've heard that it's similar so you should be able to translate most of the Photoshop tips into SAI. Also, most of the tips are conceptual and function in traditional work as well as digital, so the program you are using shouldn't hinder you too much in applying them.
2. What size should I make my canvas?
This has been a really common question and the answer is that it depends on the complexity of the work and the amount of detail you are trying to achieve. I make my canvases in the thousands of pixels at least. A rule of thumb that I use is I take the part of my piece that I want to be the most detailed (like an eye, or a necklace or something) and make sure that at 100%, that part of the piece fills the whole screen. This way, you will be able to paint in the details without straining your eyes and use a lot more brush sizes and colors. Take advantage of large canvas sizes because they allow you to get more detail than traditional art usually can. Another advantage to this is when you size down the canvas to upload your work to a website like DeviantArt, your work will look much finer and neater than at 100%, but still retain a lot of the detail you put in at full zoom!
3. What's the difference between dpi and pixel size?
Dpi is used for printing – the standard setting is 300dpi. If you plan on printing your work, MAKE SURE this is the resolution as you will not be able to easily change it after the piece is done. Pixel size is how big the canvas is on the screen. A 100px by 100px canvas at 300dpi will not help you paint with more detail than the same canvas size at 72dpi, so make sure you pay attention to both settings.
4. Do you have any tips for non-tablet users?
This is a tricky one since I've always used a tablet. Your best bet is to take advantage of functions that don't require pen pressure like the opacity and flow of the brush. However, even a small tablet is a great investment and will help you avoid a lot of frustration. Invest in a tablet if you can and your art will thank you in the long run!
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