#Art tools

[godbirdart]

it appears 2024 will continue the trend of art companies proudly representing themselves with the use of art theft generators [aka, AI generators]

original tweet is now deleted, but wacom used a generated image of a dragon for their 2024 lunar new year promo on twitter.

if you're shopping for art tablets, huion, artisul, and XPPen tablets do just as good a job as their wacom equivalents for less, sometimes even half the price.

when you buy a wacom you're paying almost exclusively for the Brand Name, not any actual quality.

[kittydisk]

here is a master list of great art tools that can make your workflow easier! 👇 (consistently updating)

posemaniacs.com/en

if you want to learn human anatomy with the benefit of preset poses, this is for you! you can use it standalone, but as a bonus you can also import poses into the clip studio paint 3D models. (File -> Import -> 3D Pose (Posemaniacs)

line-of-action.com

great for gestures and observational sketches!

zvork.fr/vls/

browser based rig for lighting & shadows

MY FAVORITE BRUSHPACKS

truegrit texture supply - https://www.truegrittexturesupply.com

thedawner procreate & csp packs - https://ko-fi.com/thedawner/

ADDITIONAL TOOLS COMING!

[remidiy]

We Don't Gatekeep Art Resources | A Comprehensive List

Here's a list of some of the tools/sites I currently use or have used previously for works/studies. I'll separate it into Software/Utility, Reference, and 'Other' which will be just general things that could help you map out things for your experience with art. **[Free highlighted in pink, paid highlighted in green. Blue is variable/both. Prices Listed in USD]**

Software/Utility:

2D

Krita Painting app (PC) (my main digital art software on PC for 5+ yrs)

Clip Studio Paint [PC] [CSP 2.0+ allows for 3d modelling within the painting app and a lot of other cool features] [apparently allows up to 6 months free trial]

Procreate (12.99) [iPad/iPad Pro] (the GOAT)

Artstudio Pro [iPad/iPad Pro] (An alternative to Procreate if you enjoy the more traditional art app layout) -- I find this app handy when Procreate is lacking a feature I need, or vice versa. (you can easily transfer files between the two, but keep in mind Procreate's layer limit)

2D "Collaborative Painting/Drawing apps"

Magma Studio

Drawpile

Discord Whiteboard

Gartic Phone (Pretty decent for 2d animation practice, but has a hard limit on frames)

3D

Blender [3D Modelling, Sculpting + Layout] (PC)

Sculptris [PC] (it's an old unsupported version of Zbrush, but can help to get ideas out, and functions better than browser sculpting apps

Nomad Sculpt [iPad/iPad Pro] ($20) Works pretty well if you prefer a mobile setup, but it is a bit intense on the battery life and takes some getting used to

References + Study

Magic Poser [ PC and Mobile ] Has both free and paid versions, I've made do with just the lite version before

Artpose ($9.99) [Iphone + Steam]

Head Model Studio [IPhone] A 3D head, with both a basic blockout version for angles, and a paid version with more detail

Cubebrush [simply search "[keyword] pose reference pack"], they usually have good results + they frequently have sales!

Line of Action [Good for Gesture practice + daily sketching], also has other resources built in.

Quickposes Similar to Line of action, more geared toward anatomy

Drawabox | Perspective Fundamentals Improvement modules (Suggested by @taffingspy )

Sketchfab, this skull in particular is useful, but there is other models that can help you study anatomy as well.

Pinterest can be good, you just have to be careful, usually you're better off just finding reference pack if you have the money, sometimes certain creators have freebies as well

Artstation Marketplace can be decent [make sure to turn on the Aye-Eye filter so it doesn't feed you trash], a colleague of mine recommended this head model for practicing facial blocking, there is also this free version without lighting.

Local Art Museums [Unironically good for studying old "master work" if you're into that, or even just getting some inspiration]

Brushes + Other Useful software:

I personally have used both of these brush packs before making my own

(I actually don't know how to share my daily brush set because I frequently switch between Krita, Procreate, and ASP, but once I figure that out I'll be sure to do that lol)

Marc Brunet's Starter brush pack [Technically free but supporting him for this if you like it is ideal, there's some good brushes]

Dave Greco Brush Pack [$3]

Gumroad in general is a good place to find brushes and art resources. *Note; for Krita specifically, brush packs are a bit weird, so it may require you to find different packs, or import them in a particular way

PureRef [PC] - Reference Compiler/Moodboarding

VizRef ($3.99) [iPad] - Moodboarding/Reference Compiler

Artist Youtubers/Creators that helped me improve/guide me along as a self-taught artist from when I first started digital art to where I am today:

Proko

Marco Bucci

Sinix Design

Sycra

Hardy Fowler

Lighting Mentor

Winged Canvas

Moderndayjames

Swatches

Chommang_drawing

Marc Brunet (YTartschool)

+ Observing a lot of speedpaint art by people whose work I enjoy on social media/youtube, trying to dissect their processes

If you've gotten this far, first of all, congrats, you can read a lot, and second of all, thank you for reading and I hope this helps! I'll continue to come back and update this if I find any new resources in the future, or if my processes change :)

Much Love,

-Remidiy

[joreeroj]

slime tutorial

[bowelfly]

Love your snug bug illustration! What watercolors do you use?

that was done with kuretake gansai tambi watercolors. they're pretty nice!

[rednblacksalamander]

Disclaimer: for entertainment purposes only, just a joke, in a videogame, save it for the Terminators, etc.

[gold0kapi]

Some figure updates (under the cut)!

*They have no clothes, clothes are expensive and first and foremost these are art tools (but I do want to get clothes someday)

First: SOAP. Unpainted Soap, and I'll probably never get around to painting it lol. I also accidentally somehow broke his knee trying to get it on, so he's perpetually lame in his right leg (maybe I'll get him a tiny knee brace and he'll be even more canon lol).

(Bottom pic) I finally broke down and got the 1/6 body, but then had to get a head separately (dunno why they don't come with heads but ok), and so of course I went with a head with a mohawk. It finally arrived the other day! I feel like if I painted his eyes blue he'd actually look quite a bit like Soap though...

Now I need a female body (probably a Phicen 1/6). I don't think I'd get 1/12 size again; I already have a lot of them, and I want 1/6 now for detailed anatomy references, like if an arm is bent in a very specific way, or even all the veins and stuff. BUT the smaller figures are better for quick pose ideas (especially the Bandais, because I'm not as worried about breaking them as the 1/12 Phicens). They're all great though, 10/10 would recommend any of these figures.

*Figures are:

2 x Bandai (the grey and black plastic ones)

2 x TBLeague Phicen 1/12 TM01A and TM02A (one figure is more muscular than the other. The Soap head is on the more muscular body)

1 x TBLeague Phicen 1/6 male M34 body (head from eBay)

[bleaksqueak]

New reward up at the Solivaga Patreon

This month's main resource reward is a modular wing kit I made back in october when working on the halloween illustration. This version of the kit is completely free for use, you can edit it, use it in your projects, whatever you like. I've included edits of my own for other colors and varieties, but feel free to make your own. Every example in the previews is made using the kit. Copy and paste, free transform, liquify... edit them and have fun!

Included this month is the full working size save of the new tarot card, pages 36 - 40 of chapter 2,full sized, textless, and a few extra tidbit assets for patrons to use (The new tarot border, little scraps of torn notebook paper)

Thank you to all supporters, and to anyone who would like to snag some goodies and support the production of the comic, head over to the patreon and grab them (✨Here✨)

[joyousjoyfuljoyness]

So friggin excited! Figured out how to extend my display to my Huion tablet and switch screens with a button touch. Now I can have all my tools on one screen and my painting on my main screen!

Treated myself to Rebelle 7 Pro after hearing how much it's improved with this edition. Can't wait to paint with it!

[knotty-et-al]

Today I have crafted these two pen(cil) bags/rolls.

How I did it:

I cut a large leather rectangle (the black base) and a long band of leather (the light brown).

Then I cut slits in the large leather rectangle, The slits are slightly more narrow than the width of the brown leather band.

Then I threaded the brown slice through the slits in the black large rectangle base.

Then I stitched one end of the brown band onto the large black rectangle base.

On the other end of the slice one can do whatever with the excess band. I just tucked it somehow to the backside.

[art-tnt]

Free Watercolor Brushes for Procreate by Birk Gonsholt

[whats-in-your-art-is-right]

Hello artists of tumblr.com

Mind helping out an amateur?

One of my main goals this year is to get better at understanding techniques and structure in art. From basic definitions of terms to how to notice and use those techniques in a piece on my own.

Any recommendations on where to start? Websites to check out, book recommendations, exercises that can help, anything!

I really only focus on traditional art (pencils on paper, and occassionally markers) if that makes a difference.

Thank you for all your help 😊

[dustyskies747]

Made an inktober prompt list since I (and many other people) didn’t seem too fond of the official list! This is the one I’ll be using myself and if you want feel free to use it as well!!!

(Note: I’m going on vacation for a week in October so I might be behind on the list 😅

[start-your-art]

Art is NOT a talent. It's a skill.

Absolutely nobody picks up a pencil or paintbrush for the first time and creates a masterpiece.* Nobody is born automatically "talented."

*If you're trying out a new medium like say acrylic painting and have previously built up skill drawing with pencils there ARE transferable skills and some people can still make amazing artworks their first time but there is still a learning curve! Your mileage will just vary.

But so much of what we see online and in galleries and in textbooks is finished artwork from artists that have spent years or even decades developing their craft and their skills. It's not fair to compare beginner artwork to that but we do. It's easy to feel like some people are talented and some people aren't.

Image ID: A photo of The Starry Night painting by Vincent Van Gogh. The lower 1/3 of the painting depicts a small village. To the left is a large dark mass that stretches from the bottom of the canvas to the top. The sky is built out of thick black, blue and white brushstrokes that form swirling shapes. As well as yellow stars encircled by lighter brushstrokes and a big yellow crescent moon in the top right corner. End ID.

So how do we stay motivated to learn a skill when we don't feel talented?

Practice 1: Don't compare your work to anything else. This is ideal but really hard to do! Especially when the internet makes it so easy to access art from anywhere, anyone, and any time! And it's pretty impossible to go your whole life without interacting with art whether it's film, music, paintings, sculpture, posters, books, etc.

In practice this might mean going offline when you feel bad about your art or your work. It might mean avoiding engaging in art an hour or so before you begin work on something. Or avoiding the internet while you're working.

Practice 2: Compare your newer work to your older work. It can be really helpful to see how far you have come. But it can also still be frustrating if it's not at the level you want it to be. It can also be frustrating to see older work that's "better."

In practice this might mean keeping a folder or portfolio of work you are proud of that's easy to access whenever you need a boost of inspiration. You can also try sharing your work with friends and family if you can rely on them to express joy at seeing your work and lift your spirits when something doesn't turn out exactly as you wanted it to.

Side note: I have run into many cases on Tumblr where people say it's IMPOSSIBLE to get worse at your chosen craft. It's not. Skills aren't linear. If for any reason you have to take a break from your craft you will probably be rusty when you return to it. Sometimes trying something new with your craft won't have the results you want. And even if you practice every day and get really good at your craft, you're still human. Humans have bad days. It happens. But this is why even comparing yourself to your own art isn't perfect. (And if you are losing skills because of mental or physical health problems that can be uniquely frustrating but know that even if you can't create at the supposed "higher level" you were at before, any art you make is still wonderful and worth making and sharing!)

Practice 3: Seek out and enjoy different kinds of art! Seek out beginner art. Seek out different kinds of art!

In practice you can try following so-called amateur artists online with small follower counts and uplift each other in the comments. You can seek out new art forms and styles that don't meet the "perfect" or "highly talented" standards you set for yourself. (Hint: Linda Berry's art is great for this. She intentionally creates art the way a child might and has done small workshops at art schools demonstrating how freeing it can be to let go of notions of perfect anatomy, perfect proportion, etc).

I have one final thought:

Image ID: A sketch on what looks like a yellowed piece of paper. On the left is a building constructed out of simple rectangles. Extending from the right of it is a simple line for the horizon with a couple tiny triangles and half circles representing boats in water. There is a flat railing made of two horizontal lines and many small vertical lines in-between that divides the water and the land. Roughly sketched plants in a gated area beside it. And a simple lamp post extending from the bottom right of the page towards the top. End ID.

If this were hanging in a museum across from The Starry Night would you think it belongs there? Do you think the artist that made this drawing is less talented than the one that made The Starry Night? What if this artist kept drawing landscapes? What if this artist took up painting? What if this artist tried experimenting with colour? What if this artist experimented with brushstrokes? What if I told you that Van Gogh was the artist that made this sketch called View of Royal Road, Ramsgate in 1876, thirteen years before he painted The Starry Night?

You can visit this page to see hundreds of his early works if you don't believe me: https://www.wikiart.org/en/vincent-van-gogh/all-works#!#filterName:all-paintings-chronologically,resultType:masonry

Practice 4: Look up old works from your favourite artists if you can. What they created when they started will likely be much different from what they're known for. And it might be something easier for you to aim for if you wish to practice to create like them.

Everyone starts somewhere.

-

TLDR:

Art is NOT a talent. It’s a skill.

Nobody is born automatically “talented.”

It’s not fair to yourself to compare your work to finished artwork made by artists that have spent years developing your craft.

So instead:

Try hard not to compare yourself to others. Minimize how much or when you engage with other art if needed.

Remind yourself of work you’ve done that you love and how much you have learned and accomplished. Work to enjoy the process of creating more than the finished product.

Seek out different kinds of art that’s made by beginner artists or that doesn’t look “perfect”. You'll be less hard on yourself for not meeting unrealistic standards.

Take inspiration from your favourite artists but not just the work they’re known for. If you can, seek out their beginner, rougher work. Their work that you admire will seem much more possible when you can understand how they got there.

Everyone starts somewhere.

My hope is that my new blog @start-your-art will be a good resource for anyone looking to start or continue their art journey.

[sarathrwizard]

My art tools!

For you @li1vv I'm sorry I didn't understand your question the first time.

For my device, I use an "Amazon Fire 7 " tablet. They cost around 50$ to 60$ US dollars. (But on Cyber Monday you can find one for around 40$ to 50$ US dollars.)

For the styles, I use a "Mixoo Styles" pen. They cost 8$ US dollars. (they come with two types of tips, I use the flat disc tip.)👌

I also use a "Palm Rejection Glove" So that the device wouldn't get confused if you lay your hand on the screen. Cheapest I could find is around 6$ US dollars.

Last but not least, the app I use to draw is called "ArtFlow" It has a FREE version that gives you 2 layers and many paint brushes! (But pro version is 5$ US dollars (I think.) and gives you practically unlimited layers and more paint brushes!) But I've found ways to work around the limitations, so I stick with the free version.😉

So there you have it! There is all the equipment I use to make my comics! I hope you find this helpful! Lord bless you!❤