Okay, so I'm not sure if this is really the right place for it, but if needed, I can move it. Anyways, I just got this nice new laptop/tablet (the back folds back to a tablet) with a pen and I'm itching to start drawing digitally after drawing traditionally for forever. I know it's gonna take a lot of practice and stuff to get better at it, but I would like some tips. Oh! And I should probably mention that I'm a lefty, so if there's any tips for getting around that, that would be much appreciated as well! Anyways, I'm just wanting some general tips on how to shade and such without making it look bad. The program I use is Medibang, and I'm still kinda figuring stuff out with it.
I'd also like some tips on how to deal with 'same face' and 'same body' syndrome. Even traditionally, I'm not the best with drawing varying facial and body types.
I'd also like some tips on how to deal with 'same face' and 'same body' syndrome. Even traditionally, I'm not the best with drawing varying facial and body types.
I hope you have a ton of fun with your new laptop/tablet hybrid! Naaauw, I'm no pro, but there are a few things that I wish I would've done when I started drawing digitally. The most important thing for me though was making sure to CONSTANTLY make new layers. These really help you when you make mistakes/change your mind about something/figure out how to do something better another day. Be obsessive, make a ton, and name them - you don't want to get stuck playing the 'undo' x 1,000 game.
Regarding same face/same body syndrome - It's still tough but I recommend being weird and staring at people in real life (sneakily of course). Notice the things in their face that make them unique and think about how you could incorporate something like it in your work.
OTHERWISE, like I said, not a pro by any means. Looking forward for you to post your works and seeing your progression!
Regarding same face/same body syndrome - It's still tough but I recommend being weird and staring at people in real life (sneakily of course). Notice the things in their face that make them unique and think about how you could incorporate something like it in your work.
OTHERWISE, like I said, not a pro by any means. Looking forward for you to post your works and seeing your progression!
Hey! I've been drawing digitally for a couple years, so I'll see if I can help. 
For shading, I recommend using a multiply layer! I usually take a blue or purplish color (though you could probably use any darker color, I wouldn't recommend straight black though) and shade as much as I need to. I also use the multiply layer for line art, because I tend to use a bunch of darker colors, the multiply layer makes certain the lineart is always darker than my coloring, so it's my best friend right now.
For breaking same face syndrome I recommend this video. Kienan Lafferty is one of my favorite digital artists, and I take a lot of inspiration from him and his videos. He has tons of videos on his process and how to do certain things, so if you have the time I suggest you watch a couple!
Your tablet sounds super sweet so I hope you get the hang of it.
For shading, I recommend using a multiply layer! I usually take a blue or purplish color (though you could probably use any darker color, I wouldn't recommend straight black though) and shade as much as I need to. I also use the multiply layer for line art, because I tend to use a bunch of darker colors, the multiply layer makes certain the lineart is always darker than my coloring, so it's my best friend right now.
For breaking same face syndrome I recommend this video. Kienan Lafferty is one of my favorite digital artists, and I take a lot of inspiration from him and his videos. He has tons of videos on his process and how to do certain things, so if you have the time I suggest you watch a couple!
Your tablet sounds super sweet so I hope you get the hang of it.
Honestly, didn't expect to get any attention on this post 
Anyways, thanks for the advice, guys! And that video is really helpful! I'm gonna follow it and see what I can do with this drawing I'm planning on making! (Gonna try and see if I can draw two characters of mine)
Anyways, thanks for the advice, guys! And that video is really helpful! I'm gonna follow it and see what I can do with this drawing I'm planning on making! (Gonna try and see if I can draw two characters of mine)
Alright, well I finished the first pic. How does it look? Any suggestions to improve it?
Gab wrote:
Alright, well I finished the first pic. How does it look? Any suggestions to improve it?
It’s looks good!
What I would suggest is try using a watercolour brush (wet is my preference but a normal watercolour brush is good too). It blends much easier and much nicer than the airbrush tool does, and allows for a much smoother effect as well
Hey! I draw digitally!
Big tip: use a smaller brush, it will really help in giving more definition as you draw. (You can outline the sketch with a bigger brush if you want thicker lines)
It’s never bad to have a reference near as to draw from it, because drawing from memory is sooooo hard! (Trust me). You can use reference poses (do not trace them) as to train your eye to draw poses better digitally, because when you first start, it’s hard.
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A lot of people said layers, I will repeat that point: layers are so helpful.
I tend to do colour palette themes and art themes to keep my interest high and maintain a good work ethic
Breaking same face syndrome, which you said you want help in, can also mean experimenting with styles. Try the style of another artist and see how it fits your own. I believe your style is anime/cartoon-ish? What are your favourite animes and cartoons that inspire you?
Of course, never, ever, EVER give up! It took me ages to begin expanding as a young artist digitally but it was worth every late night hour and frustrated sigh.
Big tip: use a smaller brush, it will really help in giving more definition as you draw. (You can outline the sketch with a bigger brush if you want thicker lines)
It’s never bad to have a reference near as to draw from it, because drawing from memory is sooooo hard! (Trust me). You can use reference poses (do not trace them) as to train your eye to draw poses better digitally, because when you first start, it’s hard.
(A lot of people said layers, I will repeat that point: layers are so helpful.
I tend to do colour palette themes and art themes to keep my interest high and maintain a good work ethic
Breaking same face syndrome, which you said you want help in, can also mean experimenting with styles. Try the style of another artist and see how it fits your own. I believe your style is anime/cartoon-ish? What are your favourite animes and cartoons that inspire you?
Of course, never, ever, EVER give up! It took me ages to begin expanding as a young artist digitally but it was worth every late night hour and frustrated sigh.
Thanks for the advice guys! I'll try to keep it in mind 
Do any of y'all know how to get as reference image onto Medibang Pro? All I see is adding an image as a layer...
As for anime/cartoons that inspire me, I mostly like Disney movies and shows with a bit of a simple-ish style such as Gravity Falls. I'mm not way too into anime
Do any of y'all know how to get as reference image onto Medibang Pro? All I see is adding an image as a layer...
As for anime/cartoons that inspire me, I mostly like Disney movies and shows with a bit of a simple-ish style such as Gravity Falls. I'mm not way too into anime
Gab wrote:
Do any of y'all know how to get as reference image onto Medibang Pro? All I see is adding an image as a layer...
I don't personally use Medibang, but I know in my program, I just copy/paste onto a new layer? I'm sure searching youtube will come up with something helpful if that doesn't help.
Tips:
-If you do trace a reference, use it as a study. It's one of those things that rarely, if ever, get posted by other artists, but it can be a good way to practice if you do it correctly (I know there are a few tutorials on this around the internet here and there); If it's your picture you're tracing, go nuts on this one, feel free to post it if you want lol.
-For Same Face/Body Syndrome, this just comes down to practice. Do studies of shapes of eyes / noses / lips, etc. etc. What are the minute differences? Find those, focus on them. (Ex: Does a person's cupid bow have an extreme sharp angle, or is it more soft and lumpy? Thin lips or thick lips? Is their nose bigger, rounder? Sharper, smaller? Etc. etc.)
-Find something to obsess over and draw it constantly. Just over and over and over and over again. For me, starting in art, it was my one OC (Coral), for others, it's a character from their favorite cartoon / series / game / etc. Find something you like and never stop drawing it (until you get bored of it, then move on).
-Steal: Alright, listen, I know this sounds bad, but if you have a style you like, find out why you like that style. Do you like how one artist draws eyes? Try doing some studies of their work and see what specifically you like about that style / specific thing in said style, and then try to work it into your own.
Example: I used to line my hair, saw an artist who painted their hair (entire pieces, but I really liked the hair most), so I took a few pieces to practice it until I figured out my own way of doing it, which is the style I currently have now. My shading is the same way: I used to have very minimal shading, saw a person who did it a different way, started using that same technique, and I've pretty much stuck to it since (granted, now I use a softer shading style, so it's still a bit different, but you get the gist)
-Push yourself. It doesn't have to be all the time, but every so often, try something new. Are you only comfortable doing bust portraits? Do a half-body piece every so often. Only ever draw people? Sneak a cat in there or something on occasion. Get your bring thinking about things that it's not used to thinking about all the time.
-Most of all: You're never going to stop learning. If you think you know everything there is to know about art? You're wrong, you still have stuff to learn, go do a study heehee
Hope this helps and wasn't too confusing
Gab wrote:
Thanks for the advice guys! I'll try to keep it in mind
Do any of y'all know how to get as reference image onto Medibang Pro? All I see is adding an image as a layer...
As for anime/cartoons that inspire me, I mostly like Disney movies and shows with a bit of a simple-ish style such as Gravity Falls. I'mm not way too into anime
Do any of y'all know how to get as reference image onto Medibang Pro? All I see is adding an image as a layer...
As for anime/cartoons that inspire me, I mostly like Disney movies and shows with a bit of a simple-ish style such as Gravity Falls. I'mm not way too into anime
There is a way, I just can't remember it right now. I'll see if anything comes to mind
How to get a reference in medibang:
At the top, there is a tab called "Window"
Click on that, and it should have an option that says "reference". Click it so the check box has an X.
On the bottom right side of the tab it should have two tabs that say "navigator" and "reference".
Click on the reference tab.
Then, at the top of the reference tab, click the folder icon. From there you van import an image.
At the top, there is a tab called "Window"
Click on that, and it should have an option that says "reference". Click it so the check box has an X.
On the bottom right side of the tab it should have two tabs that say "navigator" and "reference".
Click on the reference tab.
Then, at the top of the reference tab, click the folder icon. From there you van import an image.
DarkCrow wrote:
Gab wrote:
Do any of y'all know how to get as reference image onto Medibang Pro? All I see is adding an image as a layer...
I don't personally use Medibang, but I know in my program, I just copy/paste onto a new layer? I'm sure searching youtube will come up with something helpful if that doesn't help.
Tips:
-If you do trace a reference, use it as a study. It's one of those things that rarely, if ever, get posted by other artists, but it can be a good way to practice if you do it correctly (I know there are a few tutorials on this around the internet here and there); If it's your picture you're tracing, go nuts on this one, feel free to post it if you want lol.
-For Same Face/Body Syndrome, this just comes down to practice. Do studies of shapes of eyes / noses / lips, etc. etc. What are the minute differences? Find those, focus on them. (Ex: Does a person's cupid bow have an extreme sharp angle, or is it more soft and lumpy? Thin lips or thick lips? Is their nose bigger, rounder? Sharper, smaller? Etc. etc.)
-Find something to obsess over and draw it constantly. Just over and over and over and over again. For me, starting in art, it was my one OC (Coral), for others, it's a character from their favorite cartoon / series / game / etc. Find something you like and never stop drawing it (until you get bored of it, then move on).
-Steal: Alright, listen, I know this sounds bad, but if you have a style you like, find out why you like that style. Do you like how one artist draws eyes? Try doing some studies of their work and see what specifically you like about that style / specific thing in said style, and then try to work it into your own.
Example: I used to line my hair, saw an artist who painted their hair (entire pieces, but I really liked the hair most), so I took a few pieces to practice it until I figured out my own way of doing it, which is the style I currently have now. My shading is the same way: I used to have very minimal shading, saw a person who did it a different way, started using that same technique, and I've pretty much stuck to it since (granted, now I use a softer shading style, so it's still a bit different, but you get the gist)
-Push yourself. It doesn't have to be all the time, but every so often, try something new. Are you only comfortable doing bust portraits? Do a half-body piece every so often. Only ever draw people? Sneak a cat in there or something on occasion. Get your bring thinking about things that it's not used to thinking about all the time.
-Most of all: You're never going to stop learning. If you think you know everything there is to know about art? You're wrong, you still have stuff to learn, go do a study heehee
Hope this helps and wasn't too confusing
Thanks for the advice and don't worry, it wasn't too confusing
StaticNightmares wrote:
How to get a reference in medibang:
At the top, there is a tab called "Window"
Click on that, and it should have an option that says "reference". Click it so the check box has an X.
On the bottom right side of the tab it should have two tabs that say "navigator" and "reference".
Click on the reference tab.
Then, at the top of the reference tab, click the folder icon. From there you van import an image.
At the top, there is a tab called "Window"
Click on that, and it should have an option that says "reference". Click it so the check box has an X.
On the bottom right side of the tab it should have two tabs that say "navigator" and "reference".
Click on the reference tab.
Then, at the top of the reference tab, click the folder icon. From there you van import an image.
Ah! Thanks for the help! I'll do that!
Finished another drawing of Cam! (The girl I drew the last time) Her eyes are kinda derpy and the shading's a bit weird, but I still like it
I've decided I'm not the best with drawing makeup or clothes
I dunno why, but I really liked having her pride flag colors in the background with the last drawing, so I did it here too
Oh yeah! In case y'all were wondering, Cam wears different colored contacts, makeup, and dyes the tips of her hair, hence why she looks sorta different in this one.
I've decided I'm not the best with drawing makeup or clothes
I dunno why, but I really liked having her pride flag colors in the background with the last drawing, so I did it here too
Oh yeah! In case y'all were wondering, Cam wears different colored contacts, makeup, and dyes the tips of her hair, hence why she looks sorta different in this one.
Gab wrote:
Finished another drawing of Cam! (The girl I drew the last time) Her eyes are kinda derpy and the shading's a bit weird, but I still like it
I've decided I'm not the best with drawing makeup or clothes
I dunno why, but I really liked having her pride flag colors in the background with the last drawing, so I did it here too
Oh yeah! In case y'all were wondering, Cam wears different colored contacts, makeup, and dyes the tips of her hair, hence why she looks sorta different in this one.
I've decided I'm not the best with drawing makeup or clothes
I dunno why, but I really liked having her pride flag colors in the background with the last drawing, so I did it here too
Oh yeah! In case y'all were wondering, Cam wears different colored contacts, makeup, and dyes the tips of her hair, hence why she looks sorta different in this one.
That looks great! OwO
Medibang paint Pro is my main software that I use, so if you ever want any more advice (that I'm able to be more thorough about ) I'm always Free
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