Drawings to line art

carbongraphite · 05-March-04, 02:58 AM

What is the best way to take a drawing and convert it to line art so I can fill them in with color and apply filters? Like to make clipart for greeting cards or a comic strip. Is it better to trace with a tablet or use Adobe Streamline or are there other programs/methods? I tried the Streamline trial and it did not seem very effective since I would have to have a consistent ink line over the pencil. Any suggestions on how to do this? It would be for things like a simple character or object to complex scenes like the example.

design cognition · 05-March-04, 08:21 AM

there is a tool called "rastervect" or something like that...it'll convert a rasterized (pixel based) image like the one you have into vectors. Then you could use illustrator or corel draw or freehand to fill in the colors.

other option (IMHO best one) would be to just redraw it in PhotoShop. It's easy to trace your curves with the pen tool, then you can mask/layer/render/filter to your little hearts content...and it's wicket fun...here is an example I did....first image is a sketch on newsprint...the second is about 1/3 of the way done, in PS. Hope that helps and good luck!!

-decog

Sparky · 05-March-04, 08:44 AM

Holy sh!t that looks pimp DC. Wonder what that guys thinkin your pic? Man im drunk, i cant even see my hand. Good Job!

design cognition · 05-March-04, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparky


	Holy sh!t that looks pimp DC. Wonder what that guys thinkin your pic? Man im drunk, i cant even see my hand. Good Job!

LOL i guess that's a compliment! hahah thanks man...wish i was sharing some of that with ya!

KayinStorm · 05-March-04, 09:35 AM

I'm a fan of my CanoScan LiDE 30, which is lightweight, portable, USB-powered, and scans anything beautifully. For getting it in the computer, I can't think of much that would beat it.

AntiM · 05-March-04, 11:12 AM

Well, to do what you want to do, you're going to get very frustrated with Steamline and any other raster to vector program. Best way to get vector art from a drawing is scan it, place it in Illustrator and draw the outlines there in a new layer. Only good way to get that clean comic book look.

DC's method is much easier as you could use magic wand and color range masking techniques. But if you want that clean hard black line around everything like a comic, it will come out a bit fuzzy in photoshop.

Dimazz · 05-March-04, 01:16 PM

DC that is really sweet!!!!! You are pro!!!

Joose · 05-March-04, 01:42 PM

even better, draw with fine black marker, then scan it in. Open in Photoshop. Use the magic wand to select white areas and delete until they're all gone. select remaining black line art. Fill with black, then gaussian blur at 1 or 2 pixels to clean up the edges a bit.

That's how I do signatures that need to be scanned - it works really well...

godfoot · 05-March-04, 07:27 PM

I have used AntiM's method many times at work and I must say that once you get your settings tweaked within your scanning software (I have the benefit of a high-end scanner at work so YMMV), this method has proven to be the best IMO.
Pimp Joose's method should work well also but if you have a design tablet I would try tracing into Illustrator (or Corel, Freehand, etc.).

Edit: Then there is the semi-quick method of scanning as line-art, opening in Photoshop and cleaning up the stray pixels. I do not have a home scanner so I am not sure how many are capable of scanning with line-art settings like our Scitex scanner at work.

carbongraphite · 05-March-04, 09:04 PM

maybe ill invest in a tablet and software. my new scanner is a canon from costco and lacks the advanced plot adjustments that my old SCSI HP scanjet had. not to mention its slower. ivebee reading how the web comics do their work and it seems that most of them use tablets. so ill see what comes up. thanks everyone.

Dakas · 05-March-04, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pimp_joose


	That's how I do signatures that need to be scanned - it works really well...

I don't suppose you insist on printing your checks instead of filling them out in pen do you?

carbongraphite · 06-March-04, 12:19 AM

in programs like painter and photoshop is each thing you do like a brushstroke a movable non fixed item like in a CAD program or is it fixed foever like in MS paint?

godfoot · 06-March-04, 12:33 AM

If it is in it's own layer (in Photoshop) you can move and manipulate any object. Once the layer is flattened though (like to save as .jpg or .gif) you lose all of the manipulation of layers.

m3_tw0 · 06-March-04, 01:14 AM

I did the same thing dc did with a recent drawing I made. Here is a link to the original.

Drawn with pencil

Here is after photochopin.

After Photochop

carbongraphite · 06-March-04, 04:56 AM

ive been playing with the cheap version of photoshop that was sitting on the formal dining room table for maybe an hour and i must say after getting past a learning curve for the basics the software impresses me. i might not have to get another drawing program or a tablet. well, maybe a tablet might help ill think about it some more. it seems that i wont be able to have the same level of detail since i will have to ink the drawings.
ahh... fit for my crappy comic. im glad the simple tools can get rid of the graph paper lines and leave the main part. thanks for all the help

godfoot · 06-March-04, 09:00 PM

I am not sure about the "Lite" version of Photoshop, but with the regular version you can draw with a grid as well if you want then turn it off later.

Joose · 08-March-04, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dakas


	I don't suppose you insist on printing your checks instead of filling them out in pen do you?

When you do 500-1000 cheques a day, you print them. The hand gets quite tired after signing 50 cheques in a row.

05-March-04, 02:58 AM		#1 (permalink)
carbongraphite Pow - Hoe playa	Drawings to line art What is the best way to take a drawing and convert it to line art so I can fill them in with color and apply filters? Like to make clipart for greeting cards or a comic strip. Is it better to trace with a tablet or use Adobe Streamline or are there other programs/methods? I tried the Streamline trial and it did not seem very effective since I would have to have a consistent ink line over the pencil. Any suggestions on how to do this? It would be for things like a simple character or object to complex scenes like the example. Attached Thumbnails

05-March-04, 08:21 AM		#2 (permalink)
design cognition CADD-Pro-Hoe	there is a tool called "rastervect" or something like that...it'll convert a rasterized (pixel based) image like the one you have into vectors. Then you could use illustrator or corel draw or freehand to fill in the colors. other option (IMHO best one) would be to just redraw it in PhotoShop. It's easy to trace your curves with the pen tool, then you can mask/layer/render/filter to your little hearts content...and it's wicket fun...here is an example I did....first image is a sketch on newsprint...the second is about 1/3 of the way done, in PS. Hope that helps and good luck!! -decog Attached Thumbnails

05-March-04, 07:27 PM		#9 (permalink)
godfoot A George Orwell fan...sorta	I have used AntiM's method many times at work and I must say that once you get your settings tweaked within your scanning software (I have the benefit of a high-end scanner at work so YMMV), this method has proven to be the best IMO. Pimp Joose's method should work well also but if you have a design tablet I would try tracing into Illustrator (or Corel, Freehand, etc.). Edit: Then there is the semi-quick method of scanning as line-art, opening in Photoshop and cleaning up the stray pixels. I do not have a home scanner so I am not sure how many are capable of scanning with line-art settings like our Scitex scanner at work. Last edited by godfoot; 05-March-04 at 07:48 PM..

06-March-04, 04:56 AM		#15 (permalink)
carbongraphite Pow - Hoe playa	ive been playing with the cheap version of photoshop that was sitting on the formal dining room table for maybe an hour and i must say after getting past a learning curve for the basics the software impresses me. i might not have to get another drawing program or a tablet. well, maybe a tablet might help ill think about it some more. it seems that i wont be able to have the same level of detail since i will have to ink the drawings. ahh... fit for my crappy comic. im glad the simple tools can get rid of the graph paper lines and leave the main part. thanks for all the help Attached Thumbnails

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05-March-04, 08:44 AM		#3 (permalink)
Sparky Apex Tech God	Holy sh!t that looks pimp DC. Wonder what that guys thinkin your pic? Man im drunk, i cant even see my hand. Good Job!

05-March-04, 09:35 AM		#5 (permalink)
KayinStorm Apex Tech God	I'm a fan of my CanoScan LiDE 30, which is lightweight, portable, USB-powered, and scans anything beautifully. For getting it in the computer, I can't think of much that would beat it.

05-March-04, 11:12 AM		#6 (permalink)
AntiM Aqua Pimp	Well, to do what you want to do, you're going to get very frustrated with Steamline and any other raster to vector program. Best way to get vector art from a drawing is scan it, place it in Illustrator and draw the outlines there in a new layer. Only good way to get that clean comic book look. DC's method is much easier as you could use magic wand and color range masking techniques. But if you want that clean hard black line around everything like a comic, it will come out a bit fuzzy in photoshop.

05-March-04, 01:16 PM		#7 (permalink)
Dimazz Sk8-Hoe-r	DC that is really sweet!!!!! You are pro!!!

05-March-04, 01:42 PM		#8 (permalink)
Joose Joosey	even better, draw with fine black marker, then scan it in. Open in Photoshop. Use the magic wand to select white areas and delete until they're all gone. select remaining black line art. Fill with black, then gaussian blur at 1 or 2 pixels to clean up the edges a bit. That's how I do signatures that need to be scanned - it works really well...

05-March-04, 09:04 PM		#10 (permalink)
carbongraphite Pow - Hoe playa	maybe ill invest in a tablet and software. my new scanner is a canon from costco and lacks the advanced plot adjustments that my old SCSI HP scanjet had. not to mention its slower. ivebee reading how the web comics do their work and it seems that most of them use tablets. so ill see what comes up. thanks everyone.

06-March-04, 12:19 AM		#12 (permalink)
carbongraphite Pow - Hoe playa	in programs like painter and photoshop is each thing you do like a brushstroke a movable non fixed item like in a CAD program or is it fixed foever like in MS paint?

06-March-04, 12:33 AM		#13 (permalink)
godfoot A George Orwell fan...sorta	If it is in it's own layer (in Photoshop) you can move and manipulate any object. Once the layer is flattened though (like to save as .jpg or .gif) you lose all of the manipulation of layers.

06-March-04, 01:14 AM		#14 (permalink)
m3_tw0 Apex Tech Fanatic Supreme	I did the same thing dc did with a recent drawing I made. Here is a link to the original. Drawn with pencil Here is after photochopin. After Photochop

06-March-04, 09:00 PM		#16 (permalink)
godfoot A George Orwell fan...sorta	I am not sure about the "Lite" version of Photoshop, but with the regular version you can draw with a grid as well if you want then turn it off later.

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