Coloring is still a pain in the ass for me. But I do believe I'm getting better. Still takes way to long to do a good job of it, but I'm becoming a little more satisfied with the results. Let me know what you guys think. I appreciate feedback.
Coloring can be a pain in the rump, but if it's inked well you can do the flats fairly quickly with a few tricks. Shading, I like to use a lot of layers for (cuz I suck).
What program are you using to color?
Coloring can be a pain in the rump, but if it's inked well you can do the flats fairly quickly with
I use GIMP. Because I'm cheap, and do most of my work on linux. It doesn't have fancy anti-aliasing, like Sai, so I have to either be very careful, or use a paths tool for inking. Otherwise it looks all ragged and crappy.
I don't like using a lot of layers, because they pile up so fast, and I inevitably get them confused, and screw something up horribly. I've been trying to find ways to consolidate the layers. But I do keep my ink and colors separate for easier manipulation. I sometimes do shading on the color layer, and sometimes do additional shading on a new layer.
In this case the inks were too light for the shading, so I had to copy the ink layer, desaturate it, turn it's brightness all the way down, and set it to overlay. There are parts of the ink that are still too bright, though. Since I do all the inks on a single layer, I can't adjust the color independently. I prefer working with just black inks, but I'm trying to push myself and be more accurate to the HTF style.
I use GIMP. Because I'm cheap, and do most of my work on linux. It doesn't have fancy anti-aliasin
I've used GIMP before, not a big fan of it, but as you said it is free and can be quite powerful. For the lines, I'm not sure if what layer options it has, but normally in PS or SAI I would recommend using the multiply layer. That way the lines would just be a darker color of the color used under it.
I'm somewhat surprised GIMP doesn't have anti-aliasing as most software has it these days, but it is free open-source so meh. Also most programs offer both the ability to label the layers, and to make folders to organize the layers. Either is a good option for keeping them in order. Though I know some really good artists who only use one layer for all the coloring.
In my opinion the ink and colors should always be kept separate, it just makes life easier, the last thing you want to do is accidentally color over the lines and have to touch them up constantly, god that would suck. The other thing is that you SHOULD be able to "merge" layers. I don't generally do this, but normally you can merge the layers into one. Each program does this a little differently though. SAI for example lets you merge the selected layer down on to the one below it. PS lets you merge a selection of layers at once.
I would however strongly urge you to get a windows boot, and get yourself a copy of SAI. I don't know if it'll run through WINE but that is also a thought. GIMP is good for what it's meant to do, but it's not a replacement for the other tools. It's just not meant to be.
I've used GIMP before, not a big fan of it, but as you said it is free and can be quite powerful. Fo
GIMP has anti-aliasing, it's just not that good at it. From what I was seeing in Sai the brushes just run together much more smoothly. GIMP can merge layers, too. But the point of having them separate is for easier editing. I would merge them towards the end when I get things how I want them, but I'd probably save a copy. I'm not sure if GIMP can arrange layers in folders, but that would help a lot. I could put layers I'm no longer using out of the way.
I wouldn't want to set up the ink layer as an overlay, because I use it to conceal the ragged edges of the color layer, and that would just make them look that much more ragged by darkening them.
GIMP has anti-aliasing, it's just not that good at it. From what I was seeing in Sai the brushes ju
In photoshop there is a little trick ;3 (I am sure other programs have a similar thing in their settings)
First mark the area you wanna color with the select tool. Then go to a new layer below. Then go to Select / Modify / Expand. Then put in 1-3. The program then addes 1-3 pixels to the selected area. The thicker your lineart is the more you can add here. When you colorfill now, the color layer will expand under the lineart and there will be no little bits (expect at very point things like pointy ears, teeth, etc...). But correcting those takes much less time than correcting all. ^^
Alternatively you can draw with the pencil (only makes black dots, no greys) and draw in very high res. Then you can simply color fil directly and don't have to worry about little bits. When you shrink it down it becomes invisible :3
In photoshop there is a little trick ;3 (I am sure other programs have a similar thing in their sett
