DXS Machina

This entry has a really long name just for Google. This is a FAQ to fix a stupid issue that I was having with Photoshop CS’s eyedropper tool. The eyedropper tool is used to select colors on your image, normally it puts these selected colors in a box called the “foreground color” then you can use this color to paint and airbrush and fill whatever you want. Well, recently this tool has helpfully been selecting to the “background color” which does nothing unless you’re using the eraser tool (the background color is really useful in other ways but not in this case.)

I had no idea how I made the switch to the wrong color area and I had no idea how to fix it. I tried to search hoping to find a solution but most of what I found didn’t really help or wasn’t clear enough to make me realize that they could help (this is because there are two ways to fix the problem, one for newer versions of Photoshop and one for the old versions, but they are basically the same solution so my eye glazed over the helpful articles.)

I tried to reset my preferences in Photoshop which messed everything up and it fixed the issue for a bit. But when I started having this trouble again I was determined to figure out what the hell was causing it without screwing up my preferences. Here’s what I found presented here as an incredibly long image. I hope this helps people.

Yay!

Tags: FAQs and Tips, News by Diana Sprinkle
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I see myself and others and more in this essay about how to be creative. If you make stuff, I’d take a look at it. Keep scrolling as the author explains each point under the list.

Tags: FAQs and Tips, News by Diana Sprinkle
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Hello everyone, after talking to people about comics and the problem we seem to have with them I decided give away some stuff I use. So, to go with my Inking FAQ I’m going to give out templates and files that help me with making my comics. This will include these print quality screen tones at 600 DPI!!!1 Whee!

Yeah, see I’ve been thinking it over and while it would take time to explain how I make tones in Photoshop I could give away the printable usable files much easier. So for download you will find a zip file of 25 screen tones in bitmap mode at 600 DPI. Nothing too fancy but they are of the simple dot tone pattern variety that most people think of with ‘manga.’ Whatever that means. =]

All of the screen tones were made by Michael Vega who has given me permission to give the files away to anyone who wants them because it’s not hard to make them. Really. I could do them myself but he’d already made them so I just ask for permission instead. However neither of us wants to explain the technique since others have done it better…

So, if you’d like an explanation of how to make screen tones like these or in general how to color or make comics that print correctly using Photoshop, I would strongly suggest purchasing Pat Duke’s ‘Photoshop For Comics Master Course’ CD from Radio Comix. This cd is a great resource for information about Photoshop and comics. =D

So anyway on to the tones. Please right click and save to disk. The file is a zip file and about 1.1 MB.

The zip file is also on Deviant Art: http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/11813974/

For Mac users that have trouble with zips. Here is the sit file version, it’s about 1.6 MB. Please right click and save to disk.

There’s a read me file that gives some info about the tones, tips as to what not to do, and also has info if you wanted to send us a dollar in support (not required.)

As to who the hell we are… well both me and Michael Vega have been working in small press/indy comics for years and years and now we are busy working on a comic/manga for TokyoPop. These tones are the tones that we are currently using for our Tokyopop book and we know that they print with no problems. Edit: We have stopped working as artist for Tokyopop. Be that as it may please enjoy our tones. =>

Mostly we’re hoping that this will help people out by giving artists access to nice crisp high dpi screen tones. Although this isn’t as high a DPI as I could have gone… I just don’t want to file sizes to be too ridiculous.

Feel free to post links to this for Nanomango or on forums so that other artists types can find this. =D

Tags: FAQs and Tips, News by Diana Sprinkle
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Updated: April 10th, 2008

First off. All of the cool pens in the world won’t help you if you ink on shitty paper… although the people who master ‘Inking on shitty paper’ are awesome and can rock it any where… but how about trying the nice stuff first before poking your eyes out struggling on the crap stuff? =D

To illustrate, I’ve always hated watercolor because the first things I did with it were done on regular printer paper and looked like crap. However watercolor is cool if you don’t have to fight your supplies too. But don’t worry the paper I’m suggesting is cheap and good so I won’t break your wallet.

Inking paper…

Deleter Comic paper is good and comes in two sizes. Doujin size is classified as Type-B and is a paper size of A4 is (about 8.5 x 11.5 inches) or Pro size which is a paper size of B4 which is classified as Type-A which is bigger (about 14.5 x 10 inches), all packs are 40 sheets, thin weight (about 1 ply) so making comics doesn’t stack up all crazy like, and will run you about 3.00-7.50 a pack now about 4.00-8.50 a pack. I personally like the plain or blank kind because I didn’t need the Japanese comic grid as I draw in the panels on the computer now but the grid can be useful. You can find a whole list of Deleter paper for cheap here: http://japanimation.com/ or here: http://www.akadotretail.com/ New links!

I also like this Borden & Riley #234 Paris BleedProof Paper for Pens. It rocks hard core for inking or markers and it’s smooth so you could use it for color pencil too. It’s a little more expensive then the Deleter brand about (7.00-13.00) (now about 7.60-15.00) but the paper size is in inches and it goes a size larger then the Deleter paper. Like Deleter it’s also 40 sheets a pack and is lightweight, about 1 ply. You can buy this stuff cheap here:
http://www.dickblick.com/zz106/01/products.asp?param=0&ig_id=931

I use some other types of paper for commissions and art show pieces but that stuff is more expensive and I don’t really use it for comic inking so we’ll move on.

Inking pens…

Right now I’m using 3 types exclusively and I’m hardly using the last type, the brush pen. I’ve left that one for last because it’s expensive (almost 30.00 with shipping) and I’m not currently using it for my comics. However I personally love that pen so I’m leaving it in because I’ve inked whole comics with it. I’m just not right now.

I use these cool Tachikawa Japanese nib pens for my base inks…
http://www.ghostcircles.com/dxs/images/pen.jpg *Update* They now have these new version of this pen… I have never used this one but it’s probably still pretty good. =] It now looks like this: http://www.ghostcircles.com/dxs/IC-tachis.jpg

You can buy them here for the low price of 3.75 (shipping is cheap too and after searching around I believe this place has the best price.) The new version runs about 5.00 a pen but since they are refillable it’s probably still a pretty good deal honestly… I found them for sell here: http://www.akadotretail.com/product_info.php?products_id=8015#

They make this sexy thin line and you can fill/refill the ink cartridges with your own ink. However you have to run the tip of the pen under water sometimes to get the ink flowing again. Although it might be that I have to do this because I put Rapidograph black India Rapidraw ink.

That’s a serious ink type. Waterproof and shiny black. I like it but it’s a bit much for these pens. I actually think the ink they come with is okay and not as tough on the pens as the stuff I use. But then I’m picky about how black the ink is…

For a rant on the Rapidograph pens please scroll down to the bottom of this FAQ.

I also use a point 1 Zig Millennium pen to vary the line weights or add more depth. http://www.ghostcircles.com/dxs/images/pen2.jpg

You can buy them here cheap!

These can also be found at Hobby Lobby, Kinko’s, and some art stores although Hobby Lobby is the cheapest at 1.44 a pen now 1.99 a pen (in Texas wear I live). The Zigs have a plastic tip so they don’t fray like Microns do and they last a good long time. The only warning I have is to stay away from the 0.005 (they are the smallest tip) in Zigs because the tip is too small and it bends easily… which is no good. Besides if you wear down a point 1 it will draw a thin line like the 0.005 so really there’s no need to buy the 0.005 pens.

And then there is the Kuretake Japanese brush pen, which is refillable. This brush is my favorite affordable brush pen and I love it. Sadly, I think I’m killing mine slowly. But I was given serveral more to play with! Yay! I bought mine super cheap (under 10.00) but now the best I can do is 19.99 with crazy 8.00 shipping. =/ Oh well. holy crap! Really? Really, 38.00 a pen and 9.00 shipping… for a single pen?????? Man, get a friend in Japan. the cheap version of this pen runs maybe 12.00 and small packages from Japan jammed full of pens is only like 5.00. =/ Sheesh. Anyway if you still want to get one this place has refills for the brush tips as well at 18.00 which at least is a break on buying a whole new pen the next time… http://www.fineartstore.com/ pens, which are apparently now made of gold. Rolls eyes.

Dick Blick also offers the brush pen at a slightly cheaper rate: http://www.dickblick.com/zz207/46/

But yeah those are the pens I tend to use. Alone or all together depending on the project. Right now on the TokyoPop inking job I’m using the Tachikawa nib pen and a Zig point 3 and that’s about it. For my own secret comic I’m using the Tachikawa nib pen and a Zig point 1. When I use the brush pen I use it to do outlines and a Zig point 1 for all of the other lines. Makes the characters pop out of the backgrounds that way.

I spot almost all of the heavy black areas using the computer now because it’s much easier that way. I do a lot of things digitally now. Also as much as I love to ink I still want to do a more laid back pencil comic one day and let it be messy.

Well that’s my inking supplies that I like. However there are more pens that I use on and off depending on the project but these three are the ones that I like the most.

Rant about Rapidograph Pens.

Sidetrack… The Rapidograph ink is one of the only things that held over from when I use to use the Rapidograph drafting pens. Which were suggested to me as a young artist as TEH INKING PENS!!!! I think everyone suggests these things to young artists but, and this might be an unpopular opinion, but I’ll tell you right now Rapidograph pens are a waste of money for a young artist.

For one, the Rapidograph pens are hard to clean. They also leak and the ink dries in them easily which then leads back the hard to clean problem. If you bend the tip… you’re screwed. I’ve bent my shares of tips, at least 4 pens were lost this way. Also the pens are really expensive and the line they make never varies which is good for what they were originally design for, drafting.

I’m not saying to never use them or that they suck I’m just saying that these pens might not be the best for teachers to suggest to young/new/starting out artists. I mean WTF!!! Here’s something expensive, tempermental, with no line depth, oh and also it’s easy to break… tee hee, go art young one! XD

If I could break my art teacher’s fingers… Please guys learn and play with the cheap pens then buy the cool drafting pens when you want to fool around. That way you won’t be bitter about it like me… Anyway.

Go make some comics!

Tags: FAQs and Tips, News by Diana Sprinkle
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