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WackyWacko
WackyWacko
Finally.
Sep 9 2009, 4:33 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 9 2009, 5:04 PM EDT
Well, JK, I'm finally caught up on my plethora of kid's book assignments. With any luck at all, I'll find time to get back to creating some animation projects, but still have enough work flowing in to keep the cats swaddled in warm sweaters this winter. I plan to get back to Toon Boom and I'm sure I'll be over here picking your well-stocked brain as I stumble along.
Hope all is well with you and yours.
-Wacky Do you find this valuable?    
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WackyWacko
WackyWacko
1. RE: Finally.
Sep 9 2009, 5:03 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 9 2009, 5:03 PM EDT
I didn't realize I was starting a thread, but since I did, I'll ask the first question.
JK, do you (or anyone else here) recommend the Toon Boom Workout #1? It goes for $26.99 US and offers three hours of basic instruction. It's been a while since I used Toon Boom and I could use a refresher course. At least for now, I don't plan to use some of the features offered by TBS, like the motion paths. I want to work in a more free drawing style similar to the work of Chris Hinton. I especially want to experiment with a more loosey-goosey approach to animation and it seems that Toon Boom should be perfect for my needs.

Also, another question addressed to anyone who haunts this site: I'm thinking about getting the Wacom Cintiq. The 12 inch. I'd appreciate any input on that tablet. I've never been comfortable using my Intuous 2 tablet, although I've been using it for several years. It helps to have Toon Boom's Rotating Canvas feature, but it still feels unnatural compared to my analog drawing tools. Seem to me that the Cintiq might do the trick, but since the 12 inch costs around a thousand bucks, I hate to get one and find that it doesn't do it for me. I don't know anyone with a Cintiq, so I haven't had a chance to try one out.

Thanks in advance.
-Wacky

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JK-TGRS
JK-TGRS
2. RE: Finally.
Sep 17 2009, 8:57 AM EDT | Post edited: Sep 17 2009, 8:59 AM EDT
JK, do you (or anyone else here) recommend the Toon Boom Workout #1? Not really, I believe that reading through the material posted at my Cartooning in Toon Boom blog will give a better foundation and refresher course and it is totally free. (Thanks for your recent contribution, it was much appreciated.)

I have been using a Cintiq for several years now. (21" size) There is not much comparison between that and a tablet. It is a totally different experience. Just like regular drawing (hand eye relationship) except for the slight difference in tactile feel between the glass and using paper but that can be adjusted using preferences etc. One major trick is to use a product called SmudgeGuard http://www.smudgeguard.com/ which is a partial glove that keeps your skin from trying to stick to the drawing surface. This product is great for tablet drawing too. Best $14.95 I've spent in years.

E., Sorry to be so slow responding. I've been swamped working on Bug Pudding (www.bugpudding.com) and haven't been checking this site often enough. -JK Do you find this valuable?    
WackyWacko
WackyWacko
3. RE: Finally.
Sep 17 2009, 9:30 AM EDT | Post edited: Sep 17 2009, 9:30 AM EDT
Thank you, JK. Don't apologize, I'd rather you keep rolling along on your wonderful Bug Pudding (great name!) and peck away at this site when you have time. Pudding reminds me quite a bit of Walt Kelly's Pogo and you've even tipped your hat to that master with the enlarged & bold lettering throughout.

Since I posted my query, I did check out yourCartooning in Toon Boom tutorials and they are great. You've long been of invaluable help to those (me) needing help in understanding the complexities of TBS and I can't thank you enough for sharing your knowledge. I've bookmarked your Toon Boom Fundamentals and I hope to dig in soon to learn from them.

Thanks, also, for the Cintiq info. I'll see if I can wheedle one of the 12 inch models out of St. Nick. I used to don photographer's gloves when inking-in my final art and adding watercolor. That kept the oils from my hand from rubbing onto the watercolor paper. I stopped using them for that purpose, but I have a packet of gloves left, which I might try when I get the Cintiq. They are made of a gauze-like cotton and I'd cut off the fingers so that I could better grasp my pen. Still, I'll check into those SmudgeGuard gloves.

By the way, you suggest using SketchBook Pro. I have Painter and, of course, Photoshop--is SketchBook Pro a superior drawing program for animation and, if so, can you tell me why? NO RUSH on answering this question. I'm just curious.

Best Wishes,
-Wacky
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JK-TGRS
JK-TGRS
4. RE: Finally.
Sep 17 2009, 10:47 AM EDT | Post edited: Sep 17 2009, 10:47 AM EDT
I use SketchBook Pro mostly for doing rough layouts for Bug Pudding. I like the ease of the user interface. It is also excellent for hand drawn animation because it has a feature that lets you flip between documents using the PageUp and PageDown keys, although there is no Onion Skinning between documents. I could probably just use Photoshop for my comic layout work but I just found SketchBook to be a little less of a distraction because of the way it lets you work.

And I am glad that Bug Pudding reminds you of Pogo and Walt Kelly. He was always my hero and a huge influence on my love of cartooning. In some cases I have used his influence as a learning guide to "how it should be done". But in most cases I find Kelly to be a subconscious influence that just creeps into my work without any direct thought. I can't help but use his work as the gold standard of satirical comic strips and therefore my goal is to eventually be at least fractionally at that level. An unreachable place but a great motivation for constant improvement. -JK 1  out of 1 found this valuable. Do you?    
WackyWacko
WackyWacko
5. RE: Finally.
Sep 21 2009, 10:34 AM EDT | Post edited: Sep 21 2009, 10:34 AM EDT
Thanks, JK. I said I'd be over here, pecking about and I have been. I'll never have your comprehensive knowledge of Toon Boom (or animations technique, either), but you somehow manage to make the program's idiosyncrasies comprehensible. The cats at Toon Boom should award you a large, solid-gold watch for that. Thanks and I'll keep pecking away.
-Wacky Do you find this valuable?