Vector-based art technique books?

[jasonditz]

I've been poking around on my own a bit and haven't found anything, but does anyone know if there's a book that describes drawing anime-style artwork using vector-graphics techniques?

I've got a slew of books already, but they're all based on the assumption of pen and paper artwork... I've been seeing some really cool vector art lately though and would love to learn how its done.

[heyvern]

"Anime" style done in vector applications would use the same techniques as any thing else. Instructional books for creating vector illustrations rarely focus on a specific artistic style. It is the use of the tools in the application that are focused on. After the application is mastered those techniques can be applied to ANY style of illustration.

Anime style is still "strokes" and "fills" which is what all vector illustration is based on. Also the same "hand drawn" concepts apply to computer illustration.

-vern

[slowtiger]

What vern says. (I use that phrase quite often, don't I?)

To my knowledge, there's no book available about this special combination of subjects. But you will find heaps of books about anime style drawing, which covers one part of the question. The other part is a bit tricky because you have to extract the knowledge out of books which focus either on certain programs (like Illustrator) or on animation techniques. It is likely that the information you look for is covered in only two chapters: one about scanning and vectorising drawn stuff, and one about constructin cartoony characters with a cerstain vector program.

Don't forget that you will need the pencil and paper part for developing your characters. Do sketches first, then transfer them into vector.

[mkelley]

I'll disagree with ST here -- I don't think you need preliminary sketches if that isn't your style. But that's not what you're asking.

ST sort of hit it when he said there isn't a book per se on using the computer for Anime but rather books on drawing Anime, books on vector software, and you need to figure out how to make the two connect. If you're using Adobe Illustrator there are *tons* of books out there on specific techniques to achieve certain looks (I'm thinking right now of the "Wow" series of books off the top of my head) and you could use many of these tips even within AS.

Also, look on the e-frontier site as there is a tutorial on drawing with AS -- not Anime, but the concepts of using vector art to "skulpt" are something I've been examining for several weeks now. I truly think this approach is a brand new way of creating art, something that cannot be accomplished with pencil and paper (and if you think about it that's very rare).

[jasonditz]

It sounds like I definitely need a more general purpose introduction to using vector-based software.

I'm really hoping to eschew hand-sketching if at all possible... I've never been much of an artist, and I've got really shaky hands now (annoying disorder that runs in my family) which would make it all the more difficult to use pen and paper or a graphic tablet the way I could when I was younger.

Lately I've been seeing a lot of crazy-good vector art, and while I doubt I could ever accomplish something like, say, this, it seems like it ought to be possible for me to make a solid, consistent look that I could use for the purposes of animation (which I'm just doing for fun, not as a career like a lot of you guys)

[heyvern]

Lately I've been seeing a lot of crazy-good vector art, and while I doubt I could ever accomplish something like, say, this

Holy cow! I'd hate to be the printer who had to output that file (it would "choke the rip"). It almost seems pointless to do that with a vector application. There aren't many who could do that kind of work with vectors... and Anime Studio probably couldn't handle that kind of detail either... I think it would crash.

it seems like it ought to be possible for me to make a solid, consistent look that I could use for the purposes of animation (which I'm just doing for fun, not as a career like a lot of you guys)

I hate to say this and by all means prove me wrong, but SOME small amount of artistic skill would be necessary. You could go with taking photos and chopping them up into "puppets" in AS. Or you could go with very simplistic cartoon characters. At some point there is going to be a need for a modest amount of artistic talent. I strongly believe though that anyone can learn some artistic talent. Maybe they won't become a Rembrandt.

You will need talent if you want to do anime style. I don't particularly care for anime myself but the people that do it well are incredibly talented artists. There is "crap" out there but the good anime has some serious talent behind it. If it is "crap" it looks like "crap". You may want to look for a different style. Some styles lend themselves to those with less artistic talent. Like moving around simple puppets just to tell a story.

My sister is not an "artist" (she is my sister so who knows). She wrote a book and wanted me to illustrate it. She had done some simple drawings on her own. They had that simplistic child like "primitive" style. I told her to do the drawings herself. Her drawings were nothing like what I would do but they gave her book a different style. So I did the layout and text and did the illustrations:

http://www.lulu.com/content/478312
(click on preview book to see more illustrations)

She never went to art school. She never drew much before at all and she hated doing those drawings (she complained constantly about the cramps in her fingers). She got very annoyed when I told her to redo an illustration, but they turned out pretty good.

The only way to know for sure is to try.

-vern

[jasonditz]

I'm more than willing to try, the issue is I don't know the first thing about using a vector-based art program yet. Surely even in the absence of formal manuals for ASP itself, there exist at least some general purpose books on the subject of creating artwork in such a manner, right?

[heyvern]

There are a ton of books out there for vector drawing and software instruction. There are also free resources on the web. AS however doesn't work like any of those other vector programs except for clicking to add a point, and dragging to move it.

For AS use the help and tutorials, and this forum. If you read the entire help from start to finish, follow all the tutorials (we can help if you get stuck) and you still don't know what to do or where to start... uh... well... maybe there might be some other problem we don't know about.

-vern

[jasonditz]

Hmm... I would've thought there'd be at least something of a market for general purpose vector drawing books.

[human]

I've been poking around on my own a bit and haven't found anything, but does anyone know if there's a book that describes drawing anime-style artwork using vector-graphics techniques?

I'm disappointed that no one has mentioned Learn to Draw with Anime Studio by Philippe Cizaire (Hypercomics). I think there are now two volumes.

viewtopic.php?t=8577&start=0&postdays=0 ... ypercomics

As I previously pointed out, it would be sad to pass up Philippe's book just because one mistakes the drawings for kid stuff. He knows what he is doing, and it ought to work for a kid of any age. Philippe's handle on the forum is P6R.

For a different approach, there is Dr Nick's tutorial on drawing in AS. I believe this is the link:

http://www2.bc.edu/~nagelh/characterDrawingInAS/

Recently, I think. mkelly has been echoing my own reaction to Dr. Nick's approach. I was startled and delighted by how radical it is. Dr. Nick takes a "rapid development" approach to vector shapes, sculpting them from simple beginnings. Dr Nick is also a dedicated teacher who crafts his lessons with great care--a model for us all.

Speaking of great teachers, at this point, you should be ready for the marvelous tutorials by fiziwig:

viewtopic.php?t=10266

In these references, you will find much of what you need to get started in vector drawing in AS (including, admittedly, lots of things I myself have yet to learn).

The library of animation books you already have should supply the rest of the things you need to know about character design--just don't forget about the importance of simplicity in character design for animation.

[jasonditz]

This is just the sort of stuff I was looking for, thanks.

Do you know offhand if there's a new URL for the "Learn to Draw" volumes? Because I can't get any of the links in that thread to work.

[mkelley]

The author sent me this link to the 2nd book:

http://www.contentparadise.com/us/user/ ... duct_34783

And his first book is here:

http://www.contentparadise.com/us/user/ ... duct_31551