Art program

[Guest]

Hi
I am thinking of getting an art program and was wondering what would be a good one. I was looking at Open Canvas....is that one good/easy to learn?

Thanks for your help

[Aurinona]

OpenCanvas is pretty simple, and there's a free version you can play with (OpenCanvas version 1.1). Unfortunately, as far as I've been able to figure out, it lacks a lot of simple editing tools such as cropping, resizing, and selecting and moving. There's also the fact that the English version seems to be in Engrish. "Are you sure to close?"

Other free programs to consider include The Gimp and Project Dogwaffle, although I've never really used either.

http://www.gimp.org/
http://www.squirreldome.com/cyberop.htm

[Anza]

I can vouch for Pixia as a really nice free art program...

Paid ones I have no idea about - I have Photoshop Elements, but it came with my tablet, and I only ever use the paintbrush, eraser and smudge tools to get my style of colouring... so I'm not sure what good stuff it has. A lot of people use either the dodge and burn tools or the airbrush tool to get the effect I get, but I find the paintbrush and smudge a lot more fun [/ramble]

[jeti]

If you can find a later version (3+) of opencanvas, it's awesome-- and, really, you can still use the program past the trial period. The only functions that no longer work are copy & save, but really-- just screenshot your work/your layers & it's all right, just a bit annoying. Or, like me, leave the program on while workin' on stuff. I've had me computer on for near on a week now, workin' on some images. That's how I do all my art on this godforsaken laptop. :3 My real computer has the full version of OCv3.06, but not this one I've been using for all my recent artwork. http://jeti.deviantart.com/ to see some junk it's capable of.

Don't know much about any other programs, though.

[Silverevilchao]

The GIMP program is a bit complicated. But, it's really great for shading and the like! ^^

Also, the "Pick Colors From the Image" feature is really useful if you want to match a color in the image to a color of a background, as it shows the HEX code for that color.

[Guest]

jeti...you are amazing.

Do you know, though, if you scan in a picture, open to Open Cancas..is there some way to 'detach' that picture from its plain white background and move it to an other background??

[jeti]

jeti...you are amazing.

Do you know, though, if you scan in a picture, open to Open Cancas..is there some way to 'detach' that picture from its plain white background and move it to an other background??

Oh, thank you. n_n; Well, the simplest way to allow yourself to "colour underneath the lines," so to say, is to set the layer's mode to "multiple" instead of "standard". Multiple layers add colour... in a sort of overlaying fashion, so anything white becomes completely transparent. Of course, it may make your lines a little more see-through also, but playing with brightness&contrast/gamma levels can usually get the lineart looking fine.

Alternatively, you could go into the selection menu and choose "select by colour" while having the colour of the background of your picture chosen as your current colour. Then you can just delete everything that would be background. But it really never looks good at all, unless you somehow magically draw without anti-aliasing. e_e;

Personally, I just redraw all my lines on the computer. It can be a little tedious, but I prefer good looking lines that look awhile to five-second lines that look like poo. OpenCanvas has reee~ally nice smooth lines, especially when you compare it to photoshop. >_> Ugh, I really hate photoshop. The lines are absolutely hideous. (Maybe they look nicer when drawn with a tablet, but I've only ever used a mouse with photoshop and it sucks.)

[Guest]

Awesome...
One more quick question.....in Open Canvas workable on windows XP? I was reading the FAQ and there seemed to be problems...but most companies say that when only 1% of the people that use it have that problem :roll:
thanks jeti...your really helpful

[jeti]

Well, I use Windows XP (bleh) and I've never had any problems. Where'd you get that idea? In the FAQ it says:

1.1 How are system requirements of openCanvas?
openCavas4/Plus correspond to Windows Me/2000/XP.

Yeah. It's a bit Engrishy, but it's designed for XP.

[Funkentanz]

Hehe I use OpenCanvas just like you jeti XD
My trial is over now for nearly a year *g*

I love OpenCanvas, the best I think is: You can download Animations from other artworks on the homepage. There you can see how other artists work and learn a lot

[Guest]

Thanks for your help guys....I downloaded oC4 and it rocks!
Are there any tutorials I could look at somewhere? I think there was one on a cybunny's petpage a long time ago...but I have forgotten the name... :roll:

Thanks again