Graphics Tablet or Pen and Paper?

Just wondering how everyone managed to digitize their drawings when making their decks. Did you use a graphics tablet and draw directly on that? Or did you draw on paper and scan it in later? Or perhaps you did something else entirely? Thanks for any info.

Hi Juliana,
For Bonefire, I scanned each canvas. We have semi decent printer scanner. The files were then put into illustrator for boarders and titles and saved for printers as PDFs. I sent these off on a disc, but could have been sent on line.
Hope this helps.

Pen and paper, then scanned in, put onto a CD and taken down to the graphics shop who did the card printing.

Guess it depends on what a persons most comfortable with. I'm currently designing my deck from scratch with a drawing tablet on Photoshop. This way gives me some flexibility to re-size and edit certain features of a card digitally. I wouldn't be able to do that with pen and paper.

I think it really depends. My roommate is an artist, and she does amazing things on a Wacom, although she does in oils on canvas as well, she just uses them for different things or styles. Ciro once said he drew on a tablet (although don't quote me on that)

It's pencil on cartrisge paper for me, then scanning in. I edit the scans digitally. Am still experimenting with printing.

Painter 12 and Wacom Tablet

Hi Juliana,

I used Painter 12 on my iMac and a Wacom Tablet to create my deck. Painter provides you with simulated brushes that behave much like paint, pen, pencil, crayon etc. I got the largest tablet available at the time.

Painter X3 (because they can't say 13) is out now and I understand there is a new Wacom tablet whose interface presents your visual image to the drawing surface not the screen (Cintiq 24HD touch). However, it is expensive ($4,195). It is profiled in Photoshop Projects Magazine Volume 13 in case you are interested.

I love Painter 12 but it is buggy and crashes a lot, and I haven't had time to upgrade the bug fixes. I plan to upgrade to Painter X3 in the next couple of weeks, but I have to do some OS upgrades first.

Check out the Game Crafter website as it points you to some free graphics software and does a good high level review of some of the other tools around. You can also find templates for their cards there - it helps to start with the end in mind.

My personal preference is digital - it gives you so much more scope for producing your art, but I do know artists who like more physical contact with their media.

Hope this was helpful
Lorelei

Zephyros said:

I think it really depends. My roommate is an artist, and she does amazing things on a Wacom, although she does in oils on canvas as well, she just uses them for different things or styles. Ciro once said he drew on a tablet (although don't quote me on that)

Click to expand...

That is correct. But all tablets and pens are not equal.. If you get a system that recognizes the angle you are holding the digital pen at, and it acknowledges the pressure you are appliying then its really can be a similar experience to 'traditional' media.. To take this process one step further I have splashed out on the new Apple iPad pro and digital pencil. (The pencil won't be delivered until mid January) but i did test drive it at the Apple store, and found it intuitively easy to use. I see this as the next level because i can now detach myself from my workstation and "sketch/paint" away from the comfort of a the sofa, while watching TV, or a doctors waiting room, or plane flight. Just as I would have done years ago with a pencil and paper sketch pad.....
https://www.youtube.com/audio?feature=vm&v=7E3QLfoWRjg

) old topic but welcome!)
I painted my deck with standard mouse on old laptop and GIMP!)
plan tablet with active digitizer for next!^^XD ))
point is to get right combination of hardware and software!^^
or work in media you feel most comfortable!^^ )

p.s cirom your link is not working!^^ XD )

I produced the original Gilded Tarot using a mouse. So yeah it works, but its extremely klutzy and limited. Treat yourself to a Wacom tablet and stylus, even if its just one of the small ones, I think you'll find the difference quite amazing.... far more natural and comfortable...