A problem with pencil to digital

[Sapphire]

Hello, I've just recently began posting here, but mostly have hung around in the DSG. I have a bit of an issue when it comes to transferring pencil drawings I've done to be painted in a digital art program (namely PSP). I will do detailed mechanical pencil work on a character, say, but then the background will be blank because I won't have wanted to make the image confusing; once I get it into PSP and color the drawing, if I want to add a background it usually doesn't match the rest of the style because I have to make it completely digital. Also I only have a mouse, which doesn't help.

Can anybody help me? I'll post some of my work, to illustrate what I mean, colored and not.

-Sapphire

http://sapphire-art.50megs.com/images/geniroomsm.jpg http://sapphire-art.50megs.com/images/geniesm.jpg

[Sapphire]

...And here are a couple more thingies...

http://sapphire-art.50megs.com/images/phoebesm.jpeg http://sapphire-art.50megs.com/images/treeandfungussmall.jpg

(Oddworld fan art)

http://sapphire-art.50megs.com/images/nativecolorcsm.jpg

[lavhoes]

You're right, and I'm being honest here: your pencil stuff is much better than the digital stuff you add in. I think a tablet would help this immensely, but also maybe working in the finer details like you do with the pencil aspects of the piece would help unify your work.

[Shadowkiller]

have you thought about trying ink to digital? it might work better just a thought.

[Sapphire]

I have done ink to digital, and it sort of has the same problem... lemme dig it up...

http://sapphire-art.50megs.com/images/henrycolorwingsm.jpg

I think a tablet definitely would have helped me there. Maybe I'll get one for birthday or Christmas? <:}

[malicious]

it's quite possible paint with a mouse. i find it tedious and frustrating, and (to my knowledge), you're limited to photoshop, as painter heavily relies on pressure sensativity.

few things to try while you're stuck on a mouse. if you're doing this already, disregard and color me foolish.

know your hot keys, or at least those most important to you, eg, B is for Brush.

use [ and ] to change your brush size on the fly.

when you're using a hard-edged brush, the numeric keypad can be used to change your brush opacity, eg, 4 for 40%, 4 5 for 45%. if you're using an airbrush, this changes your flow settings.

alt-click to pick up a color (eyedropper).

to realy build up color as though painting, use lower opacity )20-40%) and alt-click frequently. you can blend colors pretty well like this if you're patient. such is the story of mouse-painting. patience.

you can get a dinky tablet for "only" $100. they're no where near as nice as the $400 tablets, that i say from personal experience.

hope some of that is useful :|

[Sapphire]

I have paint shop pro... do those hotkeys still apply?

I can paint digitally, its just backgrounds I find especially frustrating.

Thanks for your advice!

EDIT: Here's an oldie, as an example...

http://sapphire-art.50megs.com/images/the_judge_sm.jpg

[Random Chaos]

if anyone can add in their methods of cleaning up scanned pencil work in the computer before you color it would be highly appreciated.

[Lost Dragon]

Cool stuff.

This tutorial (http://www.tonycliff.com/tutorials/tutorials.htm) might help you.

:chug:

[Carnifex]

i personally use this (http://www.apsylus.com/tutorials.shtml) tutorial although it might be approximately the same as^'s

[Sapphire]

Thank you! I'll look at those both right away...