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Layabout
Posts too much
(2/23/02 3:37:07 am)
Reply
Art Tutorials (and other Art links)
Hey hey, people!

Alot of the questions on the boards lately have been art related questions, eg, what programs should i use?? How do i make l33t backgrounds or kickass characters!!

Well this thread here is going to be your one stop shop for art type links and stuff!

Anyhoo, just add your art links to this thread, and we will get chris to make this a sticky topic so it's always here for reference.

Image Creation/Manipulation Programs:

www.jasc.com/ - The Jasc web site, authors of Paint Shop Pro.

www.adobe.com/ - The Adobe web site, authors of Photoshop.

www-msi.ensil.unilim.fr/~...rafx2.html - The home of Grafx2, a dos based paint program.

download.cnet.com/downloa...15.8774710 - NeoPaint for windows. Free paint program.

download.cnet.com/downloa...14.8774713 - Neopaint for dos. Free paint program.

www.ultimatepaint.com/ - paint program... don't know anything about it.

Generic Art Tutorials:

www.polykarbon.com/ - This is mainly for manga style tutorials, but there are a few scanning tips and computer colouring tutorials.

2d Game Art Tutorials:

kafkaskoffee.tripod.com/ - Mr Colossal's Home page. Tutorials are in the games section. There are some cool sprites in the art / sprite section.

user.tninet.se/~vqb114l/ilb - The Intoxicated Little Bunny web site. Contains great tutorials by 2ma2.

tsugumo.swoo.net/tutorial/ - excellent 2d art tutorials that deal with rpg and street fighter type graphics. Still helpful though... And read the faq as well.

pixelation.cjb.net/ - The pixelation msgboards. Lots of great stuff here too.

maniacco.tripod.com/tutorials.htm - By igor, really nice tutorial on walking animation.

www.geocities.com/rotokoco/tutorials/ - Tutorials by some guy who hangs out on the pixelation msgboards. Both are really good!

elfwood.lysator.liu.se/farp/ - Some fantasy art tutorial site. Lots of tutorials. I didn't think it's relevant (i dislike many things fantasy, so i'm not a geek, hehehe... nah) but someone requested it to be put up, so here it is. Suckas!

Documentation:

http://www.idevgames.com/downloads/tutorials/Feldman/arcade_animation_tutorial.pdf - An excellent document on game animation. Highly recommended!

Edited by: Layabout at: 4/23/02 3:02:39 pm
Mr Colossal 
Break out the Bubbly
(2/23/02 5:44:55 am)
Reply
Big pimpin' spreaden cheese
there are my tutorials:

nakederic.tripod.com/tutorial.htm


Spritin' Ain't Easy

Experience Kafka's Koffee and be the coolest kid on your block.
Digital-Chris Jones
Digital-Helm
AGS Community White Board

c leksutin
Expert
(2/23/02 9:35:00 am)
Reply
Re: Big pimpin' spreaden cheese
Here's a downlaod for Neopaint for windos
download.cnet.com/downloads/0-10077-100-8774710.html?tag=st.dl.10077-106-1.lst-0-15.8774710

And for Dos:
download.cnet.com/downloads/0-10077-100-8774713.html?tag=st.dl.10077-106-1.lst-0-14.8774713

And Here's a beginer's alternitave to Photoshop:
download.cnet.com/downloads/0-10077-100-3877380.html?tag=st.dl.10077-106-1.lst-1-12.3877380

Enjoy!


C.

Gilbert Cheung 
Moderator
(2/23/02 11:09:35 am)
Reply
Re: Big pimpin' spreaden cheese
Grafx 2.0, 256-colour graphics programme for DOS, a nice replacement for Deluxe Paint (though I'm still using DP), unfortunately it's been discontinued:

www-msi.ensil.unilim.fr/~...rafx2.html

Regards,
Gilbert Cheung
My Homepage

EvenWolf 
Break out the Bubbly
(2/23/02 11:14:22 am)
Reply
Re: Big pimpin' spreaden cheese
whooohooo, this is where I step in, second Gilbert, and post a url of my Grafx2 work:

Thanks for letting me show off.... again.




Future Home of EvenWolf Entertainment

2ma2
Fountain of Knowledge
(2/24/02 4:09:38 pm)
Reply
Whutto! That's he word of the day..
Wouldn't be better if we compiled a following list in one post? Just my .02

http://www.adobe.com/ - Photoshop (programme)

user.tninet.se/~vqb114l/ilb - ILB (tutoriale)

Who the hell is Olle Sarri? - Chrille
Intoxicated Little Bunny - DNA |||

AGSking3001
Expert
(2/24/02 7:14:43 pm)
Reply
Re: Whutto! That's he word of the day..
damn can i crack neopaint for windows? its a damn 30-daytrial- I'm scared of those. ohh and can i also crack paint shop pro or photoshop?

Edited by: AGSking3001 at: 2/24/02 6:19:26 pm
Layabout
Break out the Bubbly
(2/24/02 10:07:52 pm)
Reply
Re: Whutto! That's he word of the day..
just get psp. it's easy to find cracks for and neopaint is mediocre.

The Quest for my Raincoat Starring DickBoy available now!!! http://www.tbns.net/Layabout/raincoat.zip/ I think Chris Jones should be proud of how we put his laboriously conceived engine to good use. -- goldmund about "the quest for my Raincoat"

CPage 
Knows their stuff
(2/26/02 2:08:48 am)
Reply
f
someone posted this link and i love the program but its no t much different from paint
www.ultimatepaint.com

Layabout
Break out the Bubbly
(4/9/02 12:01:18 pm)
Reply
--
Found some more art link, and i decided this topic needed to be seen...

tsugumo.swoo.net/tutorial/

boards.swoo.net/cgi-bin/i...act=SF&f=2

Check out the faq on the first link as well...

OneThinkingGal
Newbie
(4/9/02 3:36:49 pm)
Reply
Re: --
2ma2's animation tutorials are fabulous!..actually I'm posting to say I'm a newbie and this thread could use a better title, because from the outside its not very clear what it is and its a very very useful thread for us newbies. :)

Ack don't flame me... :o

Never leave well enough alone.

Edited by: OneThinkingGal at: 4/9/02 3:39:26 pm
egg head cheesy bird
Expert
(4/9/02 6:20:53 pm)
Reply
Re: --
maby this should be stickied to the top of the critics lounge. :)

I hate te way those bubblegum chewing, obese, loud americans sterotype us ,old boy, what.[link]http://helium.iwarp.com[/link]

OneThinkingGal
Newbie
(4/9/02 8:00:38 pm)
Reply
Re: --
newbies come here for help....the critics lounge would be for people who already know..

Never leave well enough alone.

M0DS 
Moderator
(4/10/02 12:26:07 pm)
Reply
Re: --
She's been thinking.

agdzine.adventuredevelope...orials.htm

Mods

Mark "Mods" Lovegrove



Screen 7 | AGDzine | AGS Opera | Indiana Jones & The Fountain Of Youth | My Music | Rodekill.com | Google (search) | Bad Land

"Why is it always you Mods, why?" - Las Naranjas | "The world is wierd and I'm scared." - Rodekill | "re to mouni sernei karavi pou leei ki o sofos laos!" - Kyriakos Hasapis | "MadMcMan, your name is mad!" - DGMacphee | "I have a cat. Her name is Cat.." - Ben | "He did not made any adventure game." - Helm

Edited by: M0DS  at: 4/10/02 1:17:23 pm
ThunderStorm
Knows their stuff
(4/10/02 2:37:12 pm)
Reply
LucasArts style
Recently, someone asked for some tutorial on doing LucasArts-style backgrounds. Could it be this one?

It looks quite good to me, although it's very hard to copy the real LucasArts style. Just have a look.

M0DS 
Moderator
(4/10/02 2:43:14 pm)
Reply
Re: LucasArts style
It's not the original one that I knew, but it is by stalwart who's making the sequel to FoA, and it looks pretty useful!

Mods

Mark "Mods" Lovegrove



Screen 7 | AGDzine | AGS Opera | Indiana Jones & The Fountain Of Youth | My Music | Rodekill.com | Google (search) | Bad Land

"Why is it always you Mods, why?" - Las Naranjas | "The world is wierd and I'm scared." - Rodekill | "re to mouni sernei karavi pou leei ki o sofos laos!" - Kyriakos Hasapis | "MadMcMan, your name is mad!" - DGMacphee | "I have a cat. Her name is Cat.." - Ben | "He did not made any adventure game." - Helm

OneThinkingGal
Newbie
(4/10/02 4:03:10 pm)
Reply
Re: LucasArts style
I think too much. :lol

I found this useful when I was drawing since I am better at sculpting in 3d and apparently in 2D as well:

ronstoons.com/vector.htm

Not sure if its related, but there it is.

I'm just a newbie....

Magintz
Moderator
(4/10/02 4:24:27 pm)
Reply
Re: LucasArts style
I made this a sticky topc as it is something people always need, and are always asking for. If it remains sticky then it will be easier for people to access if mods dissagrees he will have to unstick it.


Magintz's Monthly Advice - NEW!
"Save the tree's......... Wipe your ass with an owl"

My Homepage | British AGS Gamers Society | E-Mail Me | Screen 7

M0DS 
Moderator
(4/10/02 4:26:07 pm)
Reply
Re: LucasArts style
Yeah leave it stuck for now.

Magintz: I have your tune, waiting for you to sign in to messenger.

One_Thinking_Gal: You may well be a newbie, but your a girl, so you get instant privalledges in my book ;)

:b
Mods

Mark "Mods" Lovegrove



Screen 7 | AGDzine | AGS Opera | Indiana Jones & The Fountain Of Youth | My Music | Rodekill.com | Google (search) | Bad Land

"Why is it always you Mods, why?" - Las Naranjas | "The world is wierd and I'm scared." - Rodekill | "re to mouni sernei karavi pou leei ki o sofos laos!" - Kyriakos Hasapis | "MadMcMan, your name is mad!" - DGMacphee | "I have a cat. Her name is Cat.." - Ben | "He did not made any adventure game." - Helm

OneThinkingGal
Newbie
(4/10/02 4:57:03 pm)
Reply
Re: LucasArts style
Hehehe cool M0Ds, I've been lurking a while so I feel I know y'all....I was watching, yup....;)

I'm just a newbie....

CPage 
Expert
(4/10/02 6:35:14 pm)
Reply
Re: LucasArts style
A woman!!!
Hey baby you do know have a sensitive side dont you
:O_o <-------- a pic of me

okay sorry again you guys i just had to get that out of my system

BTW i'm working on a tut it should be done soon (as if i know anything)

"You cant make s*** out of pie" or something like that
My site

Magintz
Moderator
(4/10/02 7:35:35 pm)
Reply
Re: LucasArts style
hey!

This is a picture of me

o0
u
-

(you are joking about the woman thing right! Women dont seem to come to these boards very often! If you are then yay were reaching people)


Magintz's Monthly Advice - NEW!
"Save the tree's......... Wipe your ass with an owl"

My Homepage | British AGS Gamers Society | E-Mail Me | Screen 7

OneThinkingGal
AGS User
(4/10/02 7:41:00 pm)
Reply
Re: LucasArts style
I'm a woman. :b

I didn't realise women were such an alien life form on this board... :lol

This one had a nifty grass effect that i used: http://www.sumrallworks.com/freebies/buttonhole/psp/tutorials/scene/

Feel free to ignore any that aren't useful, I'm just throwing out ones I've used.

I'm just a newbie....

Edited by: OneThinkingGal at: 4/10/02 7:47:47 pm
CPage 
Expert
(4/10/02 8:17:28 pm)
Reply
Re: LucasArts style
alot of us havent seen what you people call "Women" for years

not me tho I have 50 waiting out my door 24 hours a day

"You cant make s*** out of pie" or something like that
My site

Mr Colossal 
Break out the Bubbly
(4/10/02 11:53:24 pm)
Reply
Re: LucasArts style
i moved all my tutorials to the new Kafka's Koffee

they are in the Games section


Spritin' Ain't Easy

Experience Kafka's Koffee and be the coolest kid on your block.
Digital-Chris Jones
Digital-Helm
AGS Community White Board

ratracer2
Knows their stuff
(4/11/02 11:08:18 am)
Reply
Re: pics gallery
I'll add www.corbis.com
(no tutorials or paint progs, but lots and lots of pics from where to get ideas)

OneThinkingGal
AGS User
(4/11/02 3:13:22 pm)
Reply
Re: pics gallery
Well in that case, let me add www.webshots.com

I'm just a newbie....

egg head cheesy bird
Expert
(4/11/02 7:11:26 pm)
Reply
Re: pics gallery
you're just an AGS user.

I hate te way those bubblegum chewing, obese, loud americans sterotype us ,old boy, what.[link]http://helium.iwarp.com[/link]

OneThinkingGal
Getting Started
(4/11/02 10:19:50 pm)
Reply
Re: pics gallery
I am. :)

I used to be a newbie you know...anyway the webshots community photos are handy for textures and such- the gallery is pretty useless.

But now it says getting started...its all so confusing. :b

I'm just a newbie....

Edited by: OneThinkingGal at: 4/11/02 10:21:43 pm
Esseb
Fountain of Knowledge
(4/11/02 10:27:31 pm)
Reply
Re: pics gallery
CJ just changed the two first status titles, and added a new "basic technical questions" forum. Now it's beginner instead of newbie, and getting started instead of ags user.

You're just getting started Gal :) . (sounds somewhat poetic)

Gee, I hope I spelled that right

Edited by: Esseb at: 4/11/02 10:28:18 pm
OneThinkingGal
Getting Started
(4/11/02 10:34:47 pm)
Reply
Re: pics gallery
Now it makes sense...thanks for explaining Esseb :)

Whee..I'm not a newbie now!

Edited by: OneThinkingGal at: 4/11/02 10:35:27 pm
M0DS 
Moderator
(4/12/02 10:47:36 pm)
Reply
Re: pics gallery
:b Still havent added/msg'd me on AIM :b

If im not on it, just add meh! :D

naromtnarom

:)
Mods

Mark "Mods" Lovegrove



Screen 7 | AGDzine | AGS Opera | Indiana Jones & The Fountain Of Youth | My Music | Rodekill.com | Google (search) | Bad Land

"Why is it always you Mods, why?" - Las Naranjas | "The world is wierd and I'm scared." - Rodekill | "re to mouni sernei karavi pou leei ki o sofos laos!" - Kyriakos Hasapis | "MadMcMan, your name is mad!" - DGMacphee | "I have a cat. Her name is Cat.." - Ben | "He did not made any adventure game." - Helm

OneThinkingGal
Getting Started
(4/12/02 11:27:42 pm)
Reply
Re: pics gallery
I did too! But you're never on.:b Maybe you need to add me or something

___________________________________________________ Beta. Software undergoes beta testing shortly before it's released. Beta is Latin for 'still doesn't work.'

Edited by: OneThinkingGal  at: 4/23/02 3:20:14 pm
Mr Colossal 
Break out the Bubbly
(4/13/02 5:34:39 am)
Reply
Re: pics gallery
i made a new tutorial, it's at my site

[this is the 3rd time announcing this]

squeeeeeebonk!

eric

edit:

ah yes, i found this too:

www.geocities.com/rotokoco/tutorials/selout/

it might help some people or at least give them some tips, i don't think i totally get it tho


Spritin' Ain't Easy

Experience Kafka's Koffee and be the coolest kid on your block.
Digital-Chris Jones
Digital-Helm
AGS Community White Board

Edited by: Mr Colossal  at: 4/13/02 6:55:56 am
Mr Colossal 
Break out the Bubbly
(4/18/02 3:04:48 am)
Reply
Re: pics gallery
so i made another tutorial

kafkaskoffee.tripod.com

look in games/tutorials/drawing a character from a photo source

and there we go

eric loves you


Spritin' Ain't Easy

Experience Kafka's Koffee and be the coolest kid on your block.
Digital-Chris Jones
Digital-Helm
AGS Community White Board

MillsJROSS
Break out the Bubbly
(4/21/02 3:59:48 am)
Reply
Re: pics gallery
Eric...I love you're tutorials. There so great! If only you would take the time to put that genius into a game with a cool MIDI made by an annonymous person.

-MillsJROSS

alienfetus
Beginner
(4/23/02 2:38:08 pm)
Reply
elfwood tutorials
elfwood.lysator.liu.se/farp/

This is one of the best art tutorial sites I've ever seen. I can't believe noone's mentioned it yet. It's focus is on fantasy art (not that that's a bad thing :) ) but the tutorials are still relevent for any style of art. There are lessons on pretty much ANYTHING, with a lot of them being on general art techniques and stuff (which is good to know for anyone who wants to learn to draw) plus lessons on scanning drawings in, colouring in with paint programs etc.

yay this is also my first post too. Hi everyone!
Adventure games hold a special place in my heart having grown up on them since Space Quest 1 (EGA version of course :) ) and I've always lamented the fall of Sierra from it's glorious adventuring throne, so when my brother told me about AGS I was stoked. It's awesome to see classic adventure gaming still alive and kicking!!

Edited by: alienfetus at: 4/23/02 2:50:01 pm
MrPanda
Expert
(4/23/02 5:13:29 pm)
Reply
re
I'm too lazy to check out all of these freeware paint programs.
which one is the best?
also, where can I find painbrush?

Layabout
Break out the Bubbly
(4/24/02 8:07:22 am)
Reply
--
I recommend d/lding psp 7.04 and cracking it with one of those illegal patches. It's nice and good.

Paintbrush is known as MS Paint in win 9x - xp. Paintbrush is the old version included with win 3.x - us old users...

Esseb
Fountain of Knowledge
(4/24/02 3:08:58 pm)
Reply
Re: --
Unless he's referring to cornjobs "painbrush" program. Brrrr. :)

Gee, I hope I spelled that right

MrPanda
Expert
(4/24/02 5:15:19 pm)
Reply
re
I was. why the "brrrr"?

Esseb
Fountain of Knowledge
(4/25/02 12:19:17 am)
Reply
Re: re
There's a reason "pain" is part of the name :) . I don't know the url, perhaps corny can shed some light.

Gee, I hope I spelled that right

jannar85 
Posts too much
(4/25/02 8:25:40 am)
Reply
Re: Art Tutorials (and other Art links)
Wow ThunderStorm! :D
That tut was really good! I needed this, thanks! :D

Sincerely
Atle Ragnar Jarnęs

Adventure Pit

Capn Nintendo
Getting Started
(4/30/02 10:24:18 pm)
Reply
Re: Art Tutorials (and other Art links)
Are there any tutorials on making cartoonish backgrounds/characters? I've looked at most of those and they all seem too realistic.

Capn Nintendo
More fun than wacking off to a pampers commercial!

CPage 
Expert
(5/2/02 7:33:10 am)
Reply
Re: Art Tutorials (and other Art links)
well it took me forever to load but here is a link to the great 2ma2"s tute user.tninet.se/~vqb114l/ilb/tutorials/char.htm


(Insert witty signature here)

comicguy
Beginner
(5/6/02 10:32:01 pm)
Reply
hello everybody
I'm new here though I visit these forums from time to time.

my two cents about free 2d software.

gimp for windows (very powerful but a bit complex if you're beguining) has all the tools and more.Animation export and playback from layers.
user.sgic.fi/~tml/gimp/

Pixia, gives a smooth wacom pen stroke
www.ab.wakwak.com/~knight/index.html

Bright 1.06. Good 2d editor. Some animation support. The company seem to have disapear. It was a non limited shareware. But some sites anonuced it as freeware. The site is impossible to find. Here yet there's a link to download (because this guy actually hosted the file ) :
www.gratilog.net/graphi2.htm

http://www.ultimatepaint.com/ I have used this one, I mention it again because though the stroke is much worse than Pixia's, for people with mices, and deluxepaint lovers, is a cool thing, and as all here, freeware. Take in cosideration all the buttons you have to keep pressed to see more options. has many things that DP had.

1.91 version is still there; it is yet freeware(scroll down downloads section).


This one is for making seamless tiles for backrounds.
http://www.users.qwest.net/~sharman1/

I also use reptile 2.0 for that:
www.sausage.com/supertoolz/reptile2.html

One that I think you'll like. Is cool for making the kind of sprites you use to make for ags games. I also learned well to use it, it's also free, and has onion skin feature (you can see the previous or next frame in transparency)
http://www.netmag.co.uk/downloads/default.asp?subsectionid=17&articleid=54112&pagetype=2

Imageforge freeware, somewhat limited but saves the anim in bmp filmstrip, and has some curiouse features.
www.cursorarts.com/ca_imffw.html

lastly www.irfanview.com as the greatest viewer.

And a vectorial freebie if I would just remember one now...would be great as it helps a lot in sprites creation.

I think these are very cool free applications for the stuff to be made in old style 2d games (my favourites)

Hope to have told you something new ;)

I may post a drawing or something in critic lounge soon :)




comicguy
Beginner
(5/6/02 10:41:34 pm)
Reply
my fault
soory, i made a mistake: Gimp for windows is here -> www.gimp.org/win32/

Lay
Unregistered User
(5/7/02 4:02:00 am)
Reply
--
I'll add these in later when I can be bothered to login...

M0DS 
Dispenser of Justice
(5/9/02 10:33:57 pm)
Reply
Re: --
Please stick this topic at the top, forum mods!

:)
Mods

Mark "Mods" Lovegrove



Screen 7 | AGDzine | AGS Opera | Indiana Jones & The Fountain Of Youth | My Music | Rodekill.com | Google (search) | Bad Land

"Why is it always you Mods, why?" - Las Naranjas | "The world is wierd and I'm scared." - Rodekill | "Game maker, heart taker, and private investigator...that's our MODS" - Greek Guy | "MadMcMan, your name is mad!" - DGMacphee | "It doesn't matter who I am, I'm an American - and I'm eating, cos thats what we American's do. We EAT...I'M A FAT SLOB!!" - Grundislav | "He did not made any adventure game." - Helm | "I can't even write a basic program in Basic" - Bruised Weasel

OneThinkingGal 
Expert
(5/10/02 12:09:41 am)
Reply
Re: --
Um....aren't you the forum mod? :|

tsugumo.swoo.net/tutorial/default.htm - dunno if anyone posted this

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Whatever you are - be a good one.
It's great to have opinions on everything, but sometimes it's best not to express all of them. - 'bean

Edited by: OneThinkingGal  at: 5/10/02 12:12:21 am
Layabout
Break out the Bubbly
(5/10/02 1:20:08 am)
Reply
--
In about 2 days we will have the same questions in the ags general: HOW ARES I DRARWS TEH BARKGRUNDIS!>!?!?!!?!1!!1

Less people check here and the regs know it is here. More people check the ags forum.

OTG: yep, i put that link there. And mods is only mod ofthe ags general.

OneThinkingGal 
Expert
(5/10/02 1:42:32 am)
Reply
Re: --
That's why I said to leave it there but someone moved it!!

And at the top it says moderated by: M0ds or am i seeing things? :|

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Whatever you are - be a good one.
It's great to have opinions on everything, but sometimes it's best not to express all of them. - 'bean

Chris Jones
Respect my authoritai
(5/10/02 12:34:51 pm)
Reply
Re: --
I've just made mods a mod here so that there is someone to deal with sticking topics and the like :)

Esseb
Fountain of Knowledge
(5/10/02 1:02:33 pm)
Reply
Re: --
Yes, mods is good with sticky things.

Gee, I hope I spelled that right

OneThinkingGal 
Expert
(5/12/02 7:13:48 pm)
Reply
Re: --
Anyone using neopaint 4 know where to enter serial numbers?

___________________________________________________________________________________________ Write---edit---check--edit--done!

Whatever you are - be a good one.
It's great to have opinions on everything, but sometimes it's best not to express all of them. - 'bean

cornjob dot com
Fountain of Knowledge
(5/12/02 9:46:15 pm)
Reply
Re: --
I noticed someone was talking about Painbrush... Well you should able to get it... follow the "Run Hot" link in my sig. It should be listed in one of my more recent updates.

Technician Reality-on-the-Norm
Run Hot
Cornjob.com

OneThinkingGal 
Expert
(5/13/02 3:59:37 am)
Reply
Re: --
www.megatoon.org/ - very nice walk cycles.

http://www.planetquake.com/shattered/shine/images/ref/index.htm - a collection of references (anatomy, architecture etc.)

___________________________________________________________________________________________ Write---edit---check--edit--done!

Whatever you are - be a good one.
It's great to have opinions on everything, but sometimes it's best not to express all of them. - 'bean

Edited by: OneThinkingGal  at: 5/13/02 4:01:50 am
comicguy
Getting Started
(5/16/02 9:00:48 pm)
Reply
some tools
www.webattack.com/get/bitstrip.shtml
That's cool

What allows you is once you have made you animated sprite, let's say a gif animation (it only takes gif as an input, so limited in 256 colors. But you can redraw later on with whatever.The bmp generated is 24bit however) and creates a perfect filmstrip, from left to right or up down, I think. I tested it with the crappy character I made at lunch the other day...it works sweet. I don't know if AGS as many 2d engines use a filmstrip as sprite input. I find it cool fo recoloring, as allows you to work seen the previous and the next frames in a confortable way.You can copy and paste and modify frames easier than with layers or onio screen, mostly in low pixel res.

Imageforge (link in previous pages) freeware seems also to have some support of filmstrip way of working, but didn't manage to find how.yep I think it can save as bmp filmstrip also. Remember Imageforge is a paint software with animation output. Though I prefer Bright1.06, being very similar. but this specific feature, seems not to be in Bright.

Other options:

TrentStrip (scroll that page)
www.trentsoft.com/software/

I was looking for the opposite thing, to create a gif anim or avi from this bitstrip thing...to make it more useful...


I think one of them is GifMovie gear 2.6x (yet was free)..it seems to be free (you'll find some other free gif animation creation software):
http://www.williamlogan.org/FreewareIndex/GraphicsGifAnimation.html

The pitty is that seems there aren't any free one for this.

and well...of course adobe premiere+Ps, but we're talking about freebies.

by the way, for those of you who wish to limit to 256 colors, here's a palette editor. jasc, adobe and painter compatible.
www.agentur-simon.de/pedit/

and some other sites/tools

www.whitsoftdev.com/unfreez/


OneThinkingGal 
Expert
(5/17/02 11:49:03 pm)
Reply
Re: some tools
Comicguy, can you tell me what tweaks I need to do for pixia to work better with my wacom? :)


___________________________________________________________________________________________
Hello.

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"Ah, you're crazy." "Am I? Or am I so sane that you just blew your mind?!" - Jerry and Kramer

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comicguy
Getting Started
(5/18/02 10:55:29 am)
Reply
yep
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comicguy
Getting Started
(5/18/02 11:02:28 am)
Reply
yep...prepare a cup of coffee...
Save this post an read it in several days (i wrote it in several minutes :rollin )

so you have a wacom...good choice. :)

I feel totally unable to explain this with 3 words, so, don't read if you're not so interested on it. ;)

previous thing: The most power in your PC, the better the stroke. An AMD athlon with 256 megs of ram, an old geforce or tnt2, and a defragmented not very ocupied hardrive, (if it is a 7200 rpm ide, barracuda or the like, or even better, then great) I experienced it to be by far the best solution. Probably in systems like NT, win 2k, or XP, due to the better memory and resources handling, you'll notice a really significant improvement.

anyway, an old celeron or k6-2 can do well the stuff, but you need good setting knowledge (I'll try to provide it here)

First, and very important: load the 2d application you want to configure wacom with (remember, each application can have different wacom settings)

in your windows Control Panel, double click the wacom icon.

Hope you're familiar with it already ;)

If you didn't set up wacom before for that software (if you did, you already have it in the horizontally scrolled list of icons, search for the specific one) , then you just click add menu, then settings for an specific application or something like that.

You'll see a list of the applications you have loaded (note that you could set up IE or wordpad if you wish! but probably with the wacom mouse, better ;D) select the 2d freebie, and select wacom pen instead of wacom mouse.

First, proyection tab. You'll set up there which area of the tablet correspond to which area of the screen and how. Mess around with each package (well, if you already made cool sensivity seeting (bellow explained) for an specific application) till you get the best performance, response, or accuracy between the movement distance produced by your hand and the distance created in teh screen. All non wacom tablets had a hard setting up of that, often you noticed your horizontal movements would porduce less pixels than vertical hand movements. That could happen yet with wacom and some applications.Just keep it in mind. One to one proyection should work best in theory, but I happen to have almost all setup to a refined proportional proyection. Make your own tests.

In tip sensivity, click on the more options button.

You'll see how appears 2 new square areas. You draw in the right square a very soft, continuous stroke, that'll change the settings, as you''l be seing at the left square.

(you could after that also touch the silder in the left square)

I often start a trial and error thing, even touching the sliders at the left square, making alt+tab all the time to switch to the painting application I am making the settings for. As I see the results improving touching here and there, I learn how every application reacts better to what changes. It's never the same proccess.

That's the key. It is not simply draging the tip sensivity slider at the top which most people do. Is a complex bunch of things. I only use the simple slider when I want no sensivity or very low sensivity.

Ok. An important thing: you can map your pen buttons to a key short cut so you have them more 'handy'.

that's 'tool buttons' tab I think. You may setup a key for undo (ctrl+z) in the first pen secondary button (I call the primary the tip, the one which really draws) and right mouse button for secondary button.Why? because in pixia, right mouse button is the color picker ;)

You could set the tilt, but for some reason I don't remeber, in the work the way I wanted and have it with no tilt. I use to deactivate tilt angles when it gives problems. Test your self as always.

That's enough for the windows wacom tool. Now, with the part of setup inside Pixia.

Hit F7 key, or View/Settings menu. That'll bring wacom settings inside Pixia.

Those are not very powerful. But still have some influence on your strokes. Ok, in setting tiny window, click on 'tablet tab'.

do you see the +,- suare dialog where says streght pressure...? that's only changes it roughly, but good for quick change while in a drawing, suddenly you don't want so much ink been spread ;) (really, a well configured Pixia+wacom surprises me as i don't see much difference with a real stroke. Doesn't have the digital touch nowhere)

Well, now check the settings you wish every moment:

reflect on pen size is just that depending on the strenght it will change the size of the brush.

on density, it'll make a more coarse or if press, more dense stroke.It depends on the pattern used, think of old Deluxe paint airbrush, that's the idea, but much powerful. The way a real choke (is it the word?) or brush will do.

reflect on thick is is that it has now a sensivity for transparency.It is VERY important.But in case you want supper soft transparency strokes as I sue to need, you can lower the brush strenght in an another added way:

In tool panels: You'd see a bunch of icons. Do you see the pencil icon? (bellow it's the blur, smudge, rotate, etc..smudge and blur could be useful. ) well, bellow them you'll see some sliders. Really they look as greyscale gradients. they're not. The left one puts a 't' before. That's for Transparency manual setting. People without wacom can use that for soft strokes. People with wacom will set with it the softer stroke.


make a clear test.pick black color in tools bar. Uncheck reflect on thick, pick a big brush size in the tools pannel. uncheck pen size also.
Drag the 't' slider left or right you have 256 levels (plus the 1024 of the wacom intuos or the 512 of the wacom graphire ;D)
Put it to 32, and you'll a really soft stroke with your already setup for pixia wacom pen.

Ok. cool one. Now, the right gradient slider. It puts a 'd'.It's for density. uncheck reflect on density (you'd better hae it unchecked for last example) darg the slider to a low value, again. This time use a 5 or 12 value. hitting on the number instead of draging the slider will be more precise -but slower-. Now you'll see a stroke similar to deluxe paint or Windows Paint airbrush. Very disperse pixels.

You got it. the idea is to mixe all that I said, it's very easy to achieve a totally natural stroke or whatever you wish every moment.But a previous setup in wacom windows tools for the specific Pixia software is needed.

At last but very important:

er sorry, right mouse button is coor picker if you set it up in the view/setting dialog box.(F7) In paint tab. 'right clicking' setting. The undo pen is better to be setup in the first secondary button, as it's often used.

Important: In this paint tab, ensure antialias is checked (it eats computer power, but is necesary. Uncheck if you have problems and see they're gone wit unchecking it. Though I really doubt it.)

in 'speed' setting I always have it to 100. Experiment your self, but i have seen is the best for me by far.

Menu image/Double accuracy. Set it checked.

Menu File/preferences.

My settings:

Basic tab: checked-- small icon (gives you mour drawing space.Don't do if you're at 1024x768 windows desktop, i work at 800) , auto adjust windows size, autoinitialize tone filter.

layer: 'Default display setting' In theory, only one layer as default...may give you more memory (so better stroke) but at the beguining you don't have layers created. A thing to check for really refining response. Checked:'Composition, ' 'No redrawing...' and 'double accuracy as default'.

Undo: I have it to 10 undos. More undos, more memory eating, less stoke good response. Keep it in mind. restrain during freehand. Unchecked. Only check if you're into very big problems with stroke response (i should recomend to stop using that 286 then ;D )

file : 'no warning...' checked.

Advanced option1: Freehand/Position smoothing-- Well don't remeber, but I had to make trial and error here. My setting is 6. try with that. Antialias. You'll have it checked if you set it up in (F7) view/setting dialog box. I have it in standard as I use mostly Pixia for pencil like sketching. But for colouring with large brushes...you may notice a bit better transitions but not really very noticeable. Try standard.

Advanced option2. Image buffer, and work buffer. Put it to physical, not virtual. At least allways try this first. As it should mean it's using ram (faster memory) instead of hardrive memory.

Lastly, something to note. note that you have another tool bar at the top, (if you use zoom a lot you may use to change the button size back to bigger ones in preferences) where you have the zoom + - buttons, the pen or the selection modes buttons. take this in consideration. The pen button is the mode you're in . It is not enough to have clciked on pencil icon, at the left (or right) vertical menu. If the top toolbar pencil icon is not pressed, the you have pressed some selection button and your in selection mode, you can't draw now but select. Select again the pencil icon. If you selected something by error, hit escape.

if you didn't save, you wrecked the drawing, you want it all clear, hit the clear button at the top toolbar, besides zoom icons.

layers and selection need a bit UI rework in my humble opininon. but hey, you may find it useable. i use to make my layers/selection work in bright, Gimp, or Photplus 5.

But as you prefer.

oh, for panning you have the space bar like adobe...er...with a bit of blinking..if taht upsets you, use the scrollers.

Remember between last Pixia 2.4g and previous versions there's a huge difference . Ensure you have this one.

few. That's why i don't want to make tuts. But it did cost me a lot to set exactly Pixia how I wanted it...it works softly with default settings...it woks perfect with all this paranoic messing. ;)

Hope it helped.It's my longest post in months :)


comicguy
Getting Started
(5/18/02 11:20:54 am)
Reply
an important addition
The performance is an important thing always, but even more in wacom response. Add this to the 'improving system' part ;) :

In win98 (probably in w95 also, and don't know in XP)You may wish to right click on My Computer icon on your desktop. Click on properties....Performance tab...'file system' (well the one bellow at the left) ...and now the first tab which appears: Hard drive. Set it to server instead of Home Pc , in case you have 64 Mbs or more. i always seem to notice a really big improve of general performance with this simple thing.I also notice an improvement (many other people is of this opinion) when in performance tab, the button more at the right, Virtual Memory, if you click it, and then check the specify amount of virtual memory, I set it up for a maximun 300 and a minimun 300 (for 170 MB of ram) it works better for me. But in some systems may mean more crashes.
Take care that quantity depends on your installed ram, and also you need in w98 a good value of free memory plus the 300 already taken. Fleaving a hd with less than 100 mb free is something I never do.

Also, remember to have always latest video dirvers installed.

Now you should have no problems now with your wacom :rollin


OneThinkingGal 
Expert
(5/19/02 4:56:58 am)
Reply
Re: an important addition
Wow what a post - I had to read it twice even tho I knew some of it.

Thanks comicguy! :)


___________________________________________________________________________________________
Hello.

Write---edit---check--edit--done!

"Ah, you're crazy." "Am I? Or am I so sane that you just blew your mind?!" - Jerry and Kramer

It's great to have opinions on everything, but sometimes it's best not to express all of them. - 'bean

comicguy
Getting Started
(5/19/02 12:34:17 pm)
Reply
:)
:)

Igor S1
Knows their stuff
(5/19/02 6:55:13 pm)
Reply
Re: :)
OneThinkingGal, what is the URL of Pixia program? I couldn't find it among already posted links.

Btw, Comicguy- really useful tutorials :)

OneThinkingGal 
Expert
(5/19/02 7:22:32 pm)
Reply
Re: :)
This is the URL for pixia:

www.ab.wakwak.com/~knight/

Its very good! :)

Comicguy: In pixia, is there any way to get two views on the same drawing like Photoshop lets me do? I can't zoom in and view my whole drawing otherwise. :(


___________________________________________________________________________________________
Hello.

Write---edit---check--edit--done!

"Ah, you're crazy." "Am I? Or am I so sane that you just blew your mind?!" - Jerry and Kramer

It's great to have opinions on everything, but sometimes it's best not to express all of them. - 'bean

Edited by: OneThinkingGal  at: 5/19/02 7:34:45 pm
comicguy
Getting Started
(5/19/02 11:35:56 pm)
Reply
hi

can't?...hehe....I did imagine many people would have that problem...so I said also that in my long, long tut..so long that important details get lost in so much data ;)

The tool bar...The one at the top, not the side panel...that top tool bar has a pair of icons with a + and a - on them...with typical zoom icon on them selves.At the right end of the tool bar.

just hit those buttons. You may have set up small icons in preferences, so you didn't notice.


Now, 'different views of the same image like in adobe'..let me check that...

well, I'm too tired now, but very quickly (I may tell you more tomorrow) you have the duplicate function , but that just makes another window of a copy of the image you're working in...but the changes you make in one are not been done in the other.

Besides, you have the magnifier (another kind of zoom, I never use it but for low pixel res maybe good) 'Paint' menu/ Magnify. A smaller window were you draw in a zoomed screen and you can navigate and paint over it. Can set up another zoom number in a window option there.

An powered version of that thing in the MS PaintBrush zoom window.

I made a tut about how to set it up for a good stroke...but not for handling the software...anyway, one day I may make it :) ...just I know how much I involve myself in a tut... :rollin



comicguy
Getting Started
(5/20/02 10:21:48 pm)
Reply
new pixia

pixia's version 2.5m came out yesterday.. :) :) :)

i was just working with 2.4 g...oops

I'll tell you later on my first impressions

Oh, I forgot. There's a plugin that allows to use adobe compatible pluggins inside Pixia. There are a bunch of them for free. You can use Pixia, or ImageN for this purpose.


OneThinkingGal 
Expert
(5/20/02 10:27:32 pm)
Reply
Re: new pixia
Kewl! You're really into these programs heh.

Does anyone know where I can get PSP or adobe premade palettes?


___________________________________________________________________________________________
Hello.

Write---edit---check--edit--done!

"Ah, you're crazy." "Am I? Or am I so sane that you just blew your mind?!" - Jerry and Kramer

It's great to have opinions on everything, but sometimes it's best not to express all of them. - 'bean

comicguy
Getting Started
(5/21/02 8:58:32 am)
Reply
well, something could be of you interest

hi :)

i think I have somewhere a palette editor free. It allows creation of the pals by hand or extracting from a bmp file. (i used to make last one and rework it)

In facty I have more than one in my CDs. But they're also everywhere on inet.

One very good one allows the export and import of .pal, .ado, .act. Which with I think you have them all.

You're maybe looking for the palletes , not a tool.There maybe probably be somewhere, but I'd prefer to create my own.

Also I have in other cd a tiny tool which takes a bunch of images (ie frames of a sprite) , creates a common pallete for them (making some kind of average) and making each bmp use that pallette. Also a tool which automatically crops frames from a single whole bmp where you draw all the sprites...it just searchs for the rectangles you had to paint around them.

I'll put the links later, now i'm in a hurry :)




OneThinkingGal 
Expert
(5/21/02 3:11:53 pm)
Reply
Re: well, something could be of you interest
Yes! Post the URL of the program that makes a palette from an image please. :)


___________________________________________________________________________________________
Hello.

Write---edit---check--edit--done!

"Ah, you're crazy." "Am I? Or am I so sane that you just blew your mind?!" - Jerry and Kramer

It's great to have opinions on everything, but sometimes it's best not to express all of them. - 'bean

comicguy
Getting Started
(5/21/02 6:11:25 pm)
Reply
here we go ;)

ok...that was called unipal...I'll make a search on my hd...

but here is the other I also think it's good (remember you'll probably need the vbrun60.exe which is also provided in his site)
www.agentur-simon.de/pedit/

well, but there wer some more...
wait...

yep... www.directnet.com.br/~overlord/
that was the page for Unipal. It's for less-than-256-colors sprites whenever you need to make all frames to use the same pallete, for example, the palet of one of them (you could easily create an empty frame with the colors you think you'll use in all the animation, and that file will export the palette to the others, if I'm not wrong)

another palette editor, DACWORKS
www.janw.de/software/download/index.html

Another old good one...
www.step.sk/marian/fixpal.htm

And there ar emuch more, but it'll take me time to search in the CDs. ;)



non so palette related, but have some tools for it...(or just rediscovered 2d tools) :

i don't know how, but I yet didn't mention DogWaffle, a 2d editor with some animation support, with lots of filter. It's free. www.dogwaffle.com/cyberop.htm
If you have a not really slow conection and can download a file of 10 MBs without much hassle, then it's easier for you to download from this reviewer, than from author's page.
http://www.dailypost.com/download/files/general/graphict/dogwaffle/index.html


Photoplus5 has a nice interface, and clever use of layers, some support for animation, and a bunch of filters and image handling .i posted before, but I am rediscovering some features...
www.myfreephotoplus.com/

That one is easier than Gimp, though Gimp1.23b for windows is much powerful, and finally, reasonabily stable.

Gimp1.23b for win has a good indexed palette editor inside it. I liked it much more than adobe ps one. Anyway, you may have a hard time to handle Gimp, and with wacom , you need to make a .bat and put it inside the \bin folder of gimp (where the gimp binary is) with just: gimp --ignore-wintab

www.gimp.org/win32

Or you wont be able to paint ok with wacom with it.

A new discover: It's a warping tool. Warp technique some times is good enough for animation...
www.homestead.com/xiberpix/




CPage 
Expert
(5/22/02 5:14:07 am)
Reply
Re: here we go ;)
DAMN
you are a foutain of knowledge


(Insert witty signature here)

comicguy
Getting Started
(5/22/02 7:40:29 am)
Reply
er..
Look at Igor's page...I'm still recovering my self from that amount of artistry.. . ;)

comicguy
Getting Started
(5/22/02 7:41:56 am)
Reply
I mean
he is the fountain :)

CPage 
Expert
(5/22/02 7:49:17 am)
Reply
Re: I mean
I know igor is a GOD


(Insert witty signature here)

Igor S1
Expert
(5/22/02 9:53:17 am)
Reply
Re: I mean
Stop it! Stop it!
You'll make my ego rise way over the top ;)

comicguy
Getting Started
(5/22/02 6:15:22 pm)
Reply
>D
hehe

comicguy
Getting Started
(5/22/02 6:17:16 pm)
Reply
it's just that...
...I like to see my name always as the 'last one to post' :rollin

CPage 
Expert
(5/22/02 9:03:25 pm)
Reply
:P
:P

ratracer2
Expert
(5/24/02 4:49:02 pm)
Reply
what's a wacom?
what's a wacom?

OneThinkingGal 
Expert
(5/24/02 6:18:17 pm)
Reply
Re: what's a wacom?
It's a graphics tablet also called a lightpen. To see a picture go to www.wacom.com.

Its handy but most of the stuff I've posted, I've done with a mouse. :p


___________________________________________________________________________________________
Hello.

Write---edit---check--edit--done!

"Ah, you're crazy." "Am I? Or am I so sane that you just blew your mind?!" - Jerry and Kramer

It's great to have opinions on everything, but sometimes it's best not to express all of them. - 'bean

comicguy
Getting Started
(5/24/02 10:53:09 pm)
Reply
really?
even though you have a wacom?

:-?

comicguy
Getting Started
(5/24/02 10:57:03 pm)
Reply
optical or 'traditional'
someday I'll buy an optical one...

Igor S1
Expert
(5/25/02 2:29:05 pm)
Reply
Re: optical or 'traditional'
I'm looking forward to a new model of graphic "tablets" where you draw directly on screen: instead of tablet, you get a flat monitor. It's still quite expensive, but once the price will drop a bit, i think it will become a "must" for any serious work.
The problem i have with Wacom is, you need to look on monitor while drawing on tablet (pain in the a** if you need accurate results). That's why i think it's nice for coloring, but can't really beat paper work...
Now imagine you can draw directly on monitor :p No more scanning :p :p

Esseb
Fountain of Knowledge
(5/25/02 2:56:04 pm)
Reply
Re: optical or 'traditional'
Isn't the Incubus like that? A flat screen you draw right on?

Gee, I hope I spelled that right

OneThinkingGal 
Posts too much
(5/25/02 4:15:56 pm)
Reply
Re: optical or 'traditional'
Yes the mouse works ok for pixel level stuff - for larger pics I switch to the tableta.


___________________________________________________________________________________________
Hello.

Write---edit---check--edit--done!

"Ah, you're crazy." "Am I? Or am I so sane that you just blew your mind?!" - Jerry and Kramer

It's great to have opinions on everything, but sometimes it's best not to express all of them. - 'bean

comicguy
Knows their stuff
(5/25/02 5:13:31 pm)
Reply
well...
Igor, I am sure you already messed a lot with the wacom settings...I had -some months ago- a wacom graphire at work, and I always have a Intuos 12x12 at home...

I mess a real lot into the settings...that which I told for tuning it for Pixia is just some quick steps...Sometimes a really spend time on setting up.

Well, what i can say is the following. In my overloaded of freebies celeron, non reinstalled windows in almost one year (I keep tweaking performance, I hate to reinstall), and with very lowered performance in comparison to when it's a fresh installation, it works similar to hand drawing, but just similar.

But...at that work I was...in an Athlon 750, with 512 MBs of ram, a geforce, a quick disk (barracuda 7200 rpm), and stable and GOOD SO, I experienced (with my hard tweaking for every 2d/3d software) real softness...if it was not like pencil, it was pretty near that...In that PC it worked as a very different product. Made hundreds of drawings on it. Of course still many times quicker and better in traditional paper. But much by far it came to be incredibly better for colouring compared to traditional methods (and I'm an oil-and-whatever painter ;D)

In conclussion: I only noticed a bit of less accuracy in line art drawing, and yes, much less speed. But besides, I earned lots of hours due to the by far eaiser cleaning , correcting, undoing, and colouring with wacom+pc.

So...I couldn't tell you. I also hate scanning and cleaning, though my best results are achieved making line art in traditional, colouring with wacom.

But hey, just talking about high res drawings.

Once you're talking about interface elements, icons, and sprites,with that low res, I am too many times quicker with wacom than with mouse...and also than with traditional plus scanning and then colouring in PC.


I know what are you referring too..look at that dwarf, still at sketch level, in my only post with drawings. No previous sketch and scan. If I have to sketch, lately I use pixia for it's almost identical appearence to pencil stroke. But have much less co