Easy to use digital graphics program?

=cookiefur Aug 1, 2012 Student General Artist

Hi!

I don't know if I've done a forum topic similar to this before, to my recollection i don't think i have, i hope not anyway.

I've really been getting into digital art over the past few weeks, i love the many advantages it has over traditional based work, (no mess, clean, wide array of colours to name a few) i'm even starting to prefer using this format with certain things i do (cartoons, etc)
Right now I'm currently using Muro, which i love, but even with extra brush packs, i don't believe it has enough for me. (no fur brush for example, which i really need -.-)

Also, no matter how hard i try, i can't get perfectly straight, clean lines on my digital drawings, which really bugs me. I've been asking certain deviants questions about their work, to see which program they use, and how they achieve elements that i find difficult to achieve.

When i ask for a software recommendation, most people have said, "use Paint SAI", but the operating system i run doesn't support it. Photoshop is out of the question too, i cannot just jump into it.

Which brings me back to my main question, is there an easy to use, decent program that is better than Muro, and is available for Mac?
I can run x11 applications, but not PPC apps...

I hope i get some answers, i wish to advance in this field quickly, with practise of course.

---------------------

Thank you, Thomas

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Devious Comments

~wezenbeesje Aug 8, 2012 Professional General Artist

Everything is better than Muro.

Shi-painter and chibipaint are both online, but no fur brush.

I know shi-painter has some kind of vectorish tool to make clean lines. But creating clean lines just takes practise.

=cookiefur Aug 8, 2012 Student General Artist

May look into that shi-painter, might be just what i need if i combine two programs

~wezenbeesje Aug 8, 2012 Professional General Artist

Well it's online. The only site I know where you can try it without an account is dutch.
Anyway, just go here: [link] Select shi-painter from te list and in the program, look under "freehand", there is the "bezier" tool. I never used it, but it might be something you can use.
If not, flash and illustrator also have those kind of tools, but they cost money.

~Vaance Aug 7, 2012

have you tried art rage? is very good and simple to use

=cookiefur Aug 8, 2012 Student General Artist

I've messed around with it, i find it to be very similar to sketchbook.

*Gikamoth Aug 6, 2012 Digital Artist

For the lines, i find its easier to get them straight while fairly zoomed in. Also some directions are easier to make a stroke in for others, I'm not sure if this is a thing or not.

~narutokunobessed Aug 6, 2012 Student General Artist

Looks like Pixlr is really getting around!!!

Ok theres copic sketchbook, alchemy, Gimp, Art rage Starter edition, and Open Canvas 1.1. I know there is a way to have SAI in a Mac.

Gimp, SAI, Paint.net, pixlr, and maybe alchemy are the only ones I know of that will use custom brushes. Art Rage, Copic sketchbooks, and Opens canvas probably not. They work simular to traditional.

Though in a way, you should be very basic and traditional as possible when you paint, and then gradually add in the custom brushes.

Straight lines without shift, takes long practice and it should be done on and off tablet Concept artist, have to draw lots of straight lines. One tip is to use your whole arm to draw and quickly.
@7:44
[link]
Sinix Design
[link]

=cookiefur Aug 6, 2012 Student General Artist

I must look into Pixlr

I've recently downloaded copic sketchbook, i've yet to try it out. I love sketchbook express however!

I got a copy of Artrage 2 bundled with my tablet, it's ok but it never caught on for me...
And gimp is too advanced for me at the minute, also, sai doesn't work on my platform yet

Thanks for the additional tips and links, they will definitely come in handy

~narutokunobessed Aug 6, 2012 Student General Artist

I wouldn't also say pixlr isn't bad. Its just online and accessable.

~narutokunobessed Aug 6, 2012 Student General Artist

The only things I really tried for painting is Artrage and Gimp.

I found artrage through this guy and it was pretty inspirational.
[link]
I probably came for the music too, which was delete over( play the original at the same time [link] ). But man I love the colors and the painting effect used. And later it was feature in the Imagine FX magazine for manga. It's interface is just simpler then painter, and is the program that simulates traditional painting.

Just remember, even if something look advance, you never know till you dive into it. I don't think it would hurt to try it anyway. Gimp, although I hated it, it could be a total different experience for you. I didn't have the tablet to work for gimp or photoshop, but you probably have something now. I don't think all artist will use every tool in the program. Because some of these guys like to take the traditional approach so its more familiar to them, and it quickly simplifies your art process.

Its also the thing that an artist just goes around and plays with their tools. Explore the software bit by bit, and experiment with tools. Start out with what you know about drawing like using the basic, and then slowly integrate thinking. Like say your painting and your all done. Then you seen some proportions are off. You start to think, hey if this software is advance enough, maybe there is a tool to nudge the painting. Turns out a neat tool call liquify does that for you. It nudges all the off proportions of an art piece.

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