Category Archives: illustration

Digital Art Software Part 4: 3D Art & Animation

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My Top Picks for 3D Art and Animation Software with Product Descriptions

Manga Studio Debut 4

  • Sketch original art with a mouse or tablet, scan in existing art, or import artwork or graphics to get started
  • Invigorate your artwork using color, express motion using speed lines, apply dimension with screen tones and add dialog through built-in word balloons
  • Export professional quality manga from Manga Studio Debut 4 to various Mac and Windows file formats such as JPG, BMP, PSD, TGA, PNG, TIFF and PICT
  • Dynamic help offers instant access to information about tool palettes and menu options

Poser 8
  • Affordable, powerful, yet easy to use 3D character animation solution
  • Includes 3D character tools and over 2.5GB of ready to use scene content and figures; no need to model 3D characters from scratch
  • Includes 8 brand new, ready-to-pose, fully textured human figures with over 400 morphs and body controls to fully customize each character
  • Renders photorealistic or stylized images and videos for print, web or animation projects
  • With included Wardrobe Wizard, fit your Poser clothing assets to the new Poser 8 figures


Adobe Photoshop Extended CS5

  • Tools that let you create and edit 3D and motion-based content.
  • Go beyond traditional image editing by bringing 3D elements to your 2D artwork directly within your favorite digital imaging application
  • Digital imaging applications, which now offers an easy on-ramp to 3D image creation.
  • Fast performance on 64-bit hardware systems,
  • Smoother interactions thanks to GPU acceleration, and dozens of time-savers throughout the application.
  • Solution for advanced digital imaging, delivering all the capabilities of Photoshop CS5 plus breakthrough tools that let you create and edit 3D and motion-based content.
  • Access your assets in the context of what you’re working on by using the customizable Adobe Mini Bridge panel in Photoshop.
  • Easily manage media with more flexible batch renaming, and access your assets in the context of what you’re working on by using Adobe Mini Bridge panel in Photoshop.
  • Select, adjust, paint, and recompose images with tremendous precision and freedom.


Autodesk Mudbox

  • Digital sculpting and texture painting solution ideal for 3D/2D artists, fine artists, web and multimedia professionals, traditional sculptors, students
  • Work interactively in an environment in which high-res 3D models retain their subtlety, realism, and detail
  • Provides an organic brush-based 3D modeling experience that includes 2D and 3D layers to easily manage sculpting and painting iterations on multiple meshes and maps
  • Designed by professional artists in the film, games, and design industries
  • Interoperates well with Autodesk Maya and Autodesk 3ds Max, as well as with other 3D software applications, making it a natural choice for experienced artists


LightWave 3D

  • Feature-rich 3D animation, modeling, and rendering application
  • Soft-body dynamics, particles, unlimited render nodes, and more
  • New animation tools; new file formats; workflow enhancements
  • Optimized speed; improved visual feedback and rendering flexibility
  • More powerful modeling; includes Motion Mixer 2.0

<< Prev: Digital Software Part 3

Digital Art Software Part 3: Drawing & Painting

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Software Specifically for Drawing and Painting with Product Descriptions


Corel Painter 12

  • Painter’s RealBristle brushes represent a major milestone for digital painting, reproducing the movement and feeling of traditional art on canvas when paired with a graphics tablet.
  • Exciting new Kaleidoscope and Mirror painting features let you create electrifying patterns and colors on canvas, leveraging the symmetry, speed and precision of mirrored planes. This Kaleidoscope painting capability is exclusive to Painter!
  • A new interface streamlines your brush selection, libraries, color controls and image set up. High-quality rendering gives you a clear view when zooming into the finer details.


Auto Desk SketchBook Pro

  • Autodesk SketchBook Pro software offers best-in-class sketching capabilities for professional designers and artists from all industries
  • Fast and intuitive user interface; designed specifically for use with digitized pen tablets and Tablet PCs
  • Free up the sketching process with ultra-responsive digital pencils, pens, markers, and airbrushes that look and feel just like the real thing
  • Communicate more efficiently by emailing sketches and annotations instantly to colleagues and clients
  • Open and save common file formats, including TIF, BMP, JPG, PNG, and PSD files

Corel Painter Essentials 4
  • The simple-to-use home art studio that makes it easy for you to draw, paint or turn your photos into paintings
  • Great way to get started with digital art
  • Tutorial-based guidebook and accompanying video tutorials/sample files teach you the application while you complete fun, instructional projects

ArtRage Deluxe
  • All the artists’ tools you need to draw and paint on your computer
  • Paint with oil brushes, palette knives, airbrushes, paint rollers or paint tubes; Draw with pencils, erasers, chalk, felt pens or crayons
  • Import and export PSD files with layers and blend modes; crop, scale, move and resize any layer
  • Tracing paper function gets you drawing immediately with reference images
  • Supports multi-monitor systems and tablets

Click here to browse all digital art software on Amazon

Digital Art Software Part 2: Advanced Software

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My top picks for advanced photo editing software

Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo

  • PaintShop Photo Pro X3 lets you manage, adjust, edit and share your digital photos all in one place
  • Organize, rate, tag and sort with photo management tools
  • Manually adjust groups of RAW photos with RAW Lab
  • Quickly fix common photo flaws with Express Lab
  • Email photos, print online or at home, and send directly to Facebook, YouTube and Flickr


Adobe Photoshop CS5

  • Breakthrough capabilities for superior image selections, image retouching, and realistic painting; and a wide range of enhancements.
  • Create and refine images using state-of-the-art photography tools that deliver superior results
  • New creative possibilities that enable you to select, adjust, paint.
  • Accelerate work flow with fast performance on 64-bit hardware systems, smoother interactions thanks to GPU acceleration.
  • Access assets in the context of what you’re working on by using the customizable Adobe Mini Bridge panel in Photoshop.
  • Easily manage media with flexible batch renaming.


Adobe Illustrator CS5

  • Used by design professionals worldwide,
  • Adobe Illustrator CS5 software provides precision and power with sophisticated drawing tools, expressive natural brushes,
  • A host of time-savers, and integration with Adobe CS Live.
  • Take advantage of exceptional precision and power to create distinctive vector artwork.
  • Combine highly controllable drawing tools with expressive natural brushes and dramatic effects to make unique, striking designs.
  • .. And character styles, paragraph composition, underlining and strikethroughs, transparent effects, and more.
  • Incorporate vector artwork into essentially any project and deliver resolution-independent graphics across media.


Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo

  • Lets you manage, adjust, edit and share your digital photos all in one place
  • Organize, rate, tag and sort with new photo management tools
  • Manually adjust groups of RAW photos during the loading process with the new RAW Lab
  • Quickly fix common photo flaws in the Express Lab
  • Email photos, print online or at home, and send directly to Facebook, YouTube and Flickr


CorelDRAW Graphics Suite

  • Offers everything you need for professional graphics illustration, layout, tracing, photo editing, Web graphics
  • Animation in one complete suite of integrated applications that is easy to learn and use.
  • Built-in learning tools and valuable video tutorials
  • Design insights from experts and a visually rich guidebook
  • Over 1,000 professional fonts
  • Supported file formats, including PDF, JPG, PNG, EPS, AI, TIFF, PSD, DOCX and many more, let you import and export files quickly and easily.

Click here to browse all digital software on Amazon


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Wacom Pens / Stylus

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Differences between the different Wacom digitizer stylus/pens

 

wacom cintiq 6d art pen digitizer pen

Wacom Cintiq 6D Art Pen – digitizer pen (ZP-600)

  • Offers 360 degrees of barrel rotation
  • Includes both hard plastic and felt nibs for different “feels”, and 1,024 levels of pressure-sensitivity
  • Patented cordless, battery-free technology for reliable and consistent operation
  • For use on Intuos3, Cintiq 21UX, Cintiq 20WSX & Cintiq 12WX tablets (not compatible with Intuos, Intuos2 or Intuos4 tablets)
  • Includes pen stand

Product Dimensions: 10 x 3 x 1.8 inches ; 0.5 ounces

wacom intuos4 cintiq grip pen

Wacom Intuos4 / Cintiq21 UX Grip Pen

The Cintiq 21UX Grip Pen features a new contoured barrel designed to minimize grip effort, reduce stress to your hand and wrist, and otherwise emulate the feel of your favorite writing instrument.

Featuring Wacom’s new tip sensor technology, pressure sensitive response begins at only a single gram of pen pressure. When combined with 2048 levels of pressure sensitivity, the Grip Pen captures even the most subtle nuances of pressure. This cordless, battery-free pen puts two customizable side switches right at your fingertips and features a contoured barrel with a cushioned grip. The Grip Pen ships with the following accessories: 10 replacement nibs, a nib puller, and a weighted pen stand.

Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 3.1 x 2 inches ; 4 ounces

wacom bamboo fun pen

Bamboo Fun Pen

  • Great for digital drawing and painting, touching up photos, or writing in your own personal script
  • 512 levels of pressure sensitivity to more accurately mimic physical drawing
  • Compatible with all major software but This pen will NOT work with Bamboo tablets whose model number starts with CTL or CTH
  • Works with both Windows and Mac operating systems

Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 0.8 x 2 inches ; 0.8 ounces

wacom penabled tablet pc slim pen

Penabled Tablet PC Slim Pen (MP200)

Pen will work with any Tablet PC that uses Wacom Penabled technology.
Device Type: Notebook stylus (no pressure-sensitivity)
With a diameter of only .22, the Penabled Tablet PC Slim Pen has a tip and a single side switch. If this pen is not designated to be an exact replacement for the original pen, please do not attempt to insert it into the pen holder of the Tablet PC.
wacom stylus ipad

Bamboo Stylus for iPad (CS100K)

  • Elegant, high end design
  • Milled brushed aluminum
  • Unique smooth pen to paper feel
  • 25% smaller tip vs. competitor models
  • Ergonomic design with optimal in-hand weight and balance
  • Durable non-scratch rubber tip
  • From the leaders in digital pen technology
  • Replaceable rubber tips

Product Dimensions: 4.7 x 0.4 x 0.4 inches ; 0.2 ounces

Click here to read more about the Bamboo stylus for iPad.

wacom bamboo pen

Pen for Wacom Bamboo Craft (CTH461) & Bamboo Fun (CTH661)

  • Compatible with CTH461 and CTH661
  • Rocker-switch
  • Eraser
  • Pressure-sensitive

Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 2.0 x 0.05

wacom intuos4 cintiq21ux airbrush pen

Intuos4 / Cintiq21UX (DTK2100) Airbrush Pen

A true digital airbrush, the pressure-sensitive airbrush incorporates a pressure-sensitive tip and eraser, tilt sensitivity, and a finger wheel to control the application of digital paint. Comes with pen stand and nibs.

Product Dimensions: 10 x 3 x 2 inches ; 1 pounds
wacom intuos4 airbrush pen

Intuos4 only Airbrush Pen

A true digital airbrush, the pressure-sensitive Intuos4 Airbrush incorporates a pressure-sensitive tip and eraser, tilt sensitivity, and a finger wheel to control the application of digital paint. Note: The Intuos4 Airbrush works with Intuos4 generation tablets only.
Product Dimensions: 0.7 x 6.4 x 1.3 inches ; 0.8 ounce

wacom intuos4 cintiq21 classic pen

Intuos4 / Cintiq21 Classic Pen

The Cintiq 21UX Grip Pen features a new contoured barrel designed to minimize grip effort, reduce stress to your hand and wrist, and otherwise emulate the feel of your favorite writing instruments.
The Classic Pen has the same feature set as the Grip Pen, but has a slimmer profile that does not include a rubberized grip.

Product Dimensions: 10 x 3 x 2 inches ; 4 ounces

wacom intuos4 inking pen

Intuos4 Inking Pen

This pressure- and tilt-sensitive drawing pen was created to provide the immediate feedback of actual ink on paper. Simply place a sheet of paper on top of your tablet and your Intuos4 inking pen can both “draw” on the paper and digitally record the drawing on the tablet. The Inking Pen comes with “inking cartridges” and two standard pen nibs for standard pen tablet “inkless” input.

The Intuos4 Inking Pen has the same pressure sensitive tip as the Intuos4 Grip Pen, but does not have a digital eraser or the side switches. Note: When you purchase an Inking Pen, it comes with a standard nib in the pen. Use the nib extractor (silver ring) to gently remove the standard nib from the pen. Then insert one of the silver-colored cartridges that come with the Inking Pen. The cartridge tip has a waxy coating that you will need to rub off before you can begin inking. Note: The Intuos4 Inking Pen works with Intuos4 generation tablets only.

Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 3 x 2.1 inches ; 1 pounds

wacom intuos4 art pen

Wacom Intuos4 (KP701E2) Art Pen with Stand

In addition to pressure-sensitivity and tilt-sensitivity, the Art Pen is also sensitive to rotation. Rotating the barrel in supporting applications such as Corel® Painter or Adobe® Photoshop creates a unique effect. The Art Pen ships with both standard and chisel nibs. Ships with the following accessories: 10 replacement nibs, a nib puller, and a weighted pen stand.

Product Dimensions: 10 x 3 x 2 inches ; 1 pounds
wacom intuos4 pen accessory kit

Intuos4 Pen Pro Accessory Kit

The Professional Accessory Kit contains a number of tools that help you customize the feel of your pen.

The kit includes:

  • 1 Standard Black Nib
  • 5 Stroke Nibs, 5 Hard Felt Nibs
  • 5 Flex Nibs
  • 1 Wide Body Grip (no hole for the button)
  • 1 Standard Grip (no hole for the button)
  • 1 Side Switch Replacement
  • 1 Nib Removal Tool
wacom bamboo intuos4 replacement nibs

Wacom Bamboo Replacement Nib Set (Pen NOT Included)

  • 5  Replacement Nibs for your Digital Tablet
  • Includes Extractor Ring to Remove old Nib
  • 5  Replacement Nibs for your Wacom Tablet

 

Great Books for Learning Digital Painting

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Teach yourself how to draw and paint with a graphics tablet

This list is based on my personal favorites and the favorites of other graphic designers from newbs to professionals.

digital Painting TechniquesDigital Painting Techniques: Practical Techniques of Digital Art Masters

Includes tips and techniques that are practical for painters and animators from professional digital artists.
If you aren’t sure if this is a good book for you, 3dTotal will you a sample chapter of the book on their own site so you can see what you’re buying.

 

dc Guide to Digital DrawingThe DC Comics Guide to Digitally Drawing Comics

This is NOT a “How to draw” book! It is better described as a “How to draw using your computer” book. This is a great book for shifting into digital drawing and comic book illustration. The author/designer does a great job of explaining the process.

 

Digital Painting Fundamentals Corel Painter 12Digital Painting Fundamentals with Corel Painter 12

Unlock your digital artistic talent with Corel Painter 12, the industry standard for pixel-based drawing and painting. Digital Painting Fundamentals with Corel Painter 12 provides step-by-step instructions for using the basic features of Painter X along with a Wacom graphics tablet.

 

Force Dynamic Drawing for Animators

Force: Dynamic Life Drawing for Animators

Capturing the dynamic motion of a pose that is the prime factor in an appealing drawing.
This isn’t an animation book per se, but no one interested in animation or any other form of figure drawing should pass up the lessons Mattesi teaches.

 

Photoshop and Painter Artist Tablet Book The Photoshop and Painter Artist Tablet Book

Traditional drawing and painting theory exercises, coupled with real-life projects, to show readers how they can use Painter and Photoshop with pressure-sensitive tablets to draw and paint with a computer.

 

 

Adobe Photoshop CS5 Classroom in a Book

Adobe Photoshop CS5 Classroom in a Book

Creative professionals seeking the fastest, easiest, most comprehensive way to learn Adobe Photoshop CS5 choose Adobe Photoshop CS5 Classroom in a Book from the Adobe Creative Team at Adobe Press. The 14 project-based lessons in this book show readers step-by-step the key techniques for working in Photoshop CS5.