ArtRage time!
That's right -- we finally made it through all of the Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop tutorials... and now it's finally time to play with the paint!
That's right -- we finally made it through all of the Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop tutorials... and now it's finally time to play with the paint!
I use ArtRage every time I paint a cover for Nickelodeon Magazine. ArtRage is a digital painting program that imitates the look of real paint, as well as other natural media like pencils and pastels etc. etc. The thing that makes ArtRage such a wonderful program is that it's ridiculously easy to use -- you can just jump right in and play!
And it's not like I knew how to paint before I used this program. ArtRage is so easy and so funny use that I just gradually picked up the techniques and going to show you by playing around with the program. I've never even read the manual! Okay -- every once in a while I'll look something up in one of the tutorials... but 97% of all the tools and features are totally intuitive.
But it isn't just for play... I've been using this program for professional jobs for the last two years, and I don't need to look any further for a digital art program that gives me exactly the tools I need and the results I want.
work-in-progress version and finished cover
(By the way, if this is your first visit, I've been posting video tutorials that show how I drew, inked and painted this recent SpongeBob and Patrick cover for Nick Magazine. The list of Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop tutorial videos is HERE, and the original post with the full-sized artwork is HERE.)
(By the way, if this is your first visit, I've been posting video tutorials that show how I drew, inked and painted this recent SpongeBob and Patrick cover for Nick Magazine. The list of Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop tutorial videos is HERE, and the original post with the full-sized artwork is HERE.)
Here's the weird part -- for some bizarre reason, this amazing ArtRage application only costs $25. Twenty-five bucks! The "other" famous digital painting program costs $400, and it's so freaking complicated that I always end up tearing my hair out before I can actually get any work done.
There's even a free starter version available at the ArtRage website, but after you try it out, I know that you'll see that the $25 for the full version is the bargain of the century. I strongly encourage you to download this application and try it out. And ArtRage runs on both Mac and Windows!
They have a bunch of great tutorials and very helpful forums on the ArtRage website, too.
Since this is the first video in the series, it's primarily dealing with setup and tools. And a lot more trimming on this series so we could get to the good stuff really fast. ...and just as I did before with the Adobe Illustrator tutorials, I'm going to show you the exact settings that I use every time I fire up ArtRage.
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How to import a PSD file into ArtRage
#1 When you import a layered Photoshop PSD file into ArtRage, it has to be in RGB mode, not in CMYK mode. You can change the mode in Photoshop before you bring it in to ArtRage.
#2 When you import your drawing, ArtRage will put it on the lowest layer and give it an opaque paper background......To be able to see through your linework to the color paint below, DO THIS: On your imported Drawing layer, go to "Edit Paper Settings" and near the bottom of the options dial the "paper opacity" (NOT the layer opacity) to 0%
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I already have the next two videos ready and lined up for posting this week -- so after you watch this one, keep checking back for the next few chapters. This whole series is going to be fast-paced and chock-full of useful information and killer tips
Yeah, Art Rage! Work that digital paint ;)
ReplyDeleteThis is where it gets fun, people. Can't wait to see more, Sherm.
wow! you posted that early! I was looking into ArtRage (after reading about it here) and I'm planning on testing out that free version :)
ReplyDeleteis that the version you work with? i read that there is a pro-version that allows you to save as PSDs. or is the pro the $25?
I save out PSDs in the $25 version, so I guess $25 is as pro as you can go. Nice for a change, right?
ReplyDeletewow that IS nice :) thanks Bob! awesome animations BTW ;)
ReplyDeleteHi Jay...yes, the PRO version is the $25 version! Can you believe it? Full support for Photoshop format and PSD layers, etc! That's the one I use ^_^
ReplyDeleteHi Bob...thanks for the happy note!
Looking forward to the next few video tuts!
ReplyDeleteI was so impressed by your Artrage intro that I downloaded the free version. I love it, so I'm about to buy the 25 buck version.
Howdy Ivan...I'm really glad you decided to give ArtRage a try...you'll be glad you did!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the nice words about the tutes...I'm planning on posting two more in the series this week, and then more after that as long as people are interested ^_^
SHERM! You are the greatest! I'm totally gettin Art Rage and painting the BG's for my next film with it. I almost got acrylics all over my rug. My landlord and myself give you many thanks!
ReplyDeleteThese videos are GREAT. You really clearly show the information, give explanations that are to the point, and keep them at a nice pace. Keep it up! I'm a huge fan!
Long live Cartoon Snap!
Hiya Chris! Yep -- the freedom to play with paint without any mess is a huge plus! Thanks a lot for the cheers ^_^
ReplyDeleteThis looks super-nifty. You've got me very excited to try it.
ReplyDeleteI wish I wasn't on my way to bed! I hope I can sleep now, what with visions of digital paint dancing in my head.
Thanks a million for bringing this to my attention. It looks FUN!
Hi Harley...I think you're gonna love playing (and working?) with ArtRage. Sometimes learning new programs is a hassle, but ArtRage lets you start creating beautiful paintings right away!
ReplyDeleteLet me know how it's working out for you ^_^
what great video. thanks a lot for this. very entertaining. :)
ReplyDeleteI hate to push or sell hardware, but as an artist of 35 years, I recently purchased what might just be the best product I've used for creating digital art... and Artrage comes pre-installed as a standard program!
ReplyDeleteIt's a little tablet computer produced by Intel (the chip maker) for the school system. It's called the "Classmate" (or Schoolmate by some distributors) and is designed with the student in mind... extremely rugged, water resistant, semi-matte touch screen (which flips into tablet mode), finger or pen input, easy-to-carry grip surface... with handle, and many other well-thought-out features.
Though this little computer has been designed for students, I've found it to be ideal for artists as well (and it features Artrage). For example, before I made the purchase, I didn't expect to like having a rubberized handle and planned on removing it... that isn't the case, I now love having a handle to freely carry (and swing) this around, both indoors and out! Now I miss not having a handle on my Macbook, Ibook and Powerbook.
I've been using variations on tablet computers for over 15 years and this little tablet 'for children' is the best I've handled yet. It not only uses pressure-based stylus input (my preference) but also implements palm-rest technology which allows you to rest your palm on the 8.9" screen while you draw! (Did I mention how compact and go-anywhere this is?)
I have yet to see a negative review of this computer. It hasn't received much press coverage outside the education domain, so that means an artist really has to discover it on their own. And, it implements Artrage so flawlessly, I've developed a whole new appreciation for the app as well.
You can tell I'm excited with this touchscreen tool. After 22 years of using computers, they finally 'got it right' in my book! And the low price is just icing on the cake.
Thanks for letting me share.