Help Becoming an Artist

[nmaster64]

With you guys, I'll be blunt, although this is supposed to be a secret...

I've got 6 months to go from a no-talent, no-experience hack of a artist to a professional-level manga inker and editor. Them's the brakes. Nothing's impossible if you put your mind to it, right?

Well, I may have no artistic talent, but luckily I don't actually have to learn to draw for this. I'm not doing the drawings, I'm taking the drawings and cleaning them up and putting together the manga panels and whatnot. I'm doing the editing and inking from the sketches basically. I handle all the computer-side stuff after the hand drawings.

theOne, you seem to be the big artist around here, know anything about digital inking? I don't even know where to start with all this, but 6 months doesn't seem like much time to me if I balancing it with 3 jobs and school, so, I need to get to it!

Can anybody point me to some good photoshop tutorials? It's almost like doing a webcomic. Oh, and there's no color, all B&W. After I master inking, then I have to learn shading and stuff I guess...ooo...this is going to be tough...can't wait to start...

[theONE]

Adobe's Illustrator --> http://www.adobe.com/products/illustrator/

Adobe® Illustrator® CS2 software gives you new creative freedom that lets you realize your ideas quickly and powerfully. Instantly convert bitmaps to vector artwork and paint more intuitively. Save time with intelligent palettes and optimized workspaces. Plus, tight integration with other software allows you to produce extraordinary graphics for print, video, the web, and mobile devices.

Basicly it lets you paint pictures you scan/draw on computer. You can do it with Photoshop, but this program is speciallized for your exact need. But sorry, I've never used it. Altohugh I hear its good.

[nmaster64]

You really think Illustrator is a better route to go than Photoshop? I don't see what your basing that judgement on...

Even if it works a bit better, I think Photoshop is more established and all the tutorials would probably be for it...so I think that would still be the easier route...

[Sparks]

If you're going for Photoshop, I'd recommend GIMP instead.
It's completely free, no stupid "are you sure you don't want to pay for this" ads.
It has all the same buttons and features, and i'm pretty sure i saw a tuorial/walkthrough on the site.
I can vouch for GIMP, seeing as i've used it for god knows how long now, and it hasn't let me down yet. Although to be fair, i did get confused when i started using it, but you get the hang of it soon enough.

[ShadowMarth]

Several major webcomics use Illustrator.

[nmaster64]

I've got Photoshop CS2, and Manga Studio Debut 3.0, so I really don't want to go get Illustrator too. I think between those two I'm all set for editing...

Know I just need to learn HOW to...

[theONE]

F*** gimp. Use CS2/Illustrator. If I get some time I'll try to find some tutorials for you, but my knowledge of THIS branch of art is next to none.

[nmaster64]

Yeah, there's no way in hell I'm using Gimp. Like I said, between my Photoshop and Manga Studio, I should be set...

What I need now are tutorials. First comes inking...

Webcomics are done in a similar manner to manga...PA for instance does inking in the same way I'm trying to learn how to...

[Wraith]

I have no links to anything but Id like to say Good Luck Nmaster!

[Sparks]

Can i just ask?
What the hells wrong with GIMP?!?
Probably no-one here has used it, so why all the hate?