h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

How would someone with an interest and an eye get started &/or involved with making graphics like these?

Andy

You mean to volunteer? Call in at CommunityArtists .



Amy

Incidentally, I did a graphic for the Ask Mr. Thinker column in that might be of interest to you. See A903043.

I looked at the graphics connected to this page & am most impressed

Perhaps I should explain a little more, when I said I have an interest and an eye, that's about the extent of my experience! Looking for tips and information, which programs do you use etc.?

This is something I'd like to get involved with, but don't really know how to. Thought you would be the folk to ask.

I've mucked about with Twinkles Icon generator & have a few bits floating round h2 here and there. I enjoy painting & drawing but do much too little, would like to have a reason to have a go at something new.

Ah, I see.

Most of the pictures in the library have been produced using Adobe Photoshop. Some of the other programs used for drawing are Corel Painter, CorelDraw, Adobe Illustrator, Freehand and Fireworks.

Many of the pictures in the library are of a vector graphics style. They are made up of shapes that are represented by a mathematical algorithm. The shapes can be altered using little handles and they can be scaled to make them bigger or smaller without loss of detail. It's easier to draw shapes using a graphics pen (Wacom is the best known brand) rather than a mouse. The shapes can be assigned a stroke (an outline) and a fill (the colour in the middle).

Some of the pictures have been drawn using tools that simulate pens, pantbrushes, airbrushes, crayons etc. The information is stored dot-by-dot (a bitmap) and scaling the pictures results in a loss of information. If you make the picture bigger it goes all blocky and if you make it smaller it sometimes looks a bit blurred.

When the pictures are ready to be shown on h2g2 they are saved in one of the file formats that compresses the information to make a file with a smaller filesize. The formats we use are jpeg and gif.

If you already draw in real media, you'll probably get on best with Painter. A cut down version usually comes free with the graphics pens. The A6 graphics tablets may look small but in fact they're quite adequate and affordable. The bigger tablets really aren't worth the money for a beginner.



Amy

think I understand the past paragraph LOL

Thanks Amy I'll go hassle someone in my local 'puter shop!
I've seen the pens, but never had a go with one, it just might be the right time to try.
How much abouts would I expect to pay for the sort you recommend?

If I get anywhere I'll come back and have a look at the link you provided above. & if I happen to get stuck can I ask you for some advice? Oh and if you find time now and then a good kick up the bum will probably keep me moving in the right direction! ()

The A6 tablets work out at about £65 plus VAT. It takes most people about a week to get used to them. I use mine all the time - my last died of neglect .

You're most welcome to ask advice.



Amy

Good, my right index finger is developing a severe case of mouse related strain.

Thanks again

<./>B2584134white</.> is an example of a vector graphic whereas <./>B2697608white</.> was done mostly with an airbrush. I used Corel Painter for both of them.

The results with an airbrush look superb

Do you need more tools, or a different application of the same one?
*wishes she had done computer graphics at school once upon a time*

Thank you.

All the programs I mentioned above offer vector drawing tools and an assortment of painting tools in the same package. Painter has the best natural painting tools. Illustrator is probably the best for a more technical vector approach.

You can get specialised airbrush pens from Wacom but they're really not worth the money unless you earn a living designing packaging or something like that.

BTW, there's a bigger mammoth, a mammoth mammoth if you get my drift, here: <./>B2697615white</.>

Me again, I'm seriously looking in to getting one of these things in the near future; and fortunately enough I have a birthday coming up

I've done a search on amazon and have come up with some likely candidates, but I have no real clue of which I should go form so far I've been going by the rough price guide you gave me, but still ... I don't want to land myself with the worng thing!

Who better to ask than a pro? I'd be very grateful for any recommendations (for models, manufacturer features to look out for etc.) and/or information you could give me.

Thanks
Andy

I would go for the Wacom Graphire2. See http://www.wacom-europe.com/uk/products/graphire2/the_pen.asp



Amy