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cleanup

Hi,
I've been avoiding this for a while now, but I was doing clean up in flash, and placed side by side by a talented coworker, my drawing was likened to the "line tool", although both his and mine were done with the brush tool
this came as no surprise, my sense of line simply doesn't exist - other than the rule of heavier lines at the bottom of objects, I really don't know much else
is there much else to know?
does anyone know of a good tutorial I can look at? not necessarily for just flash (though cleaning up in flash is a challenge all its own) but inking in general?

Study good cartoon art, from guys like Bill Waterson, Mike Kunkel, Jeff Smith, the list is very long and there's all kinds of different styles.
Regular inking tutorials will probably focus more on realistic inking approaches. I'd focus on art samples from Disney and Warner Bros material, newspaper comic strips and similar stuff.
Comics like Asterix have really luscious, appealing line quality to them.

"We all grow older, we do not have to grow up"--Archie Goodwin ( 1937-1998)

Asterix!

Yep! I agree... Asterix artwork is brilliant, especially if you want to learn how to draw for animation. Best way to learn is to study and learn from the best.
Do you ever try to copy from artists you admire? Thats how you get good... copy their drawings, then try and adapt their techniques by doing your own, using what you learned from them.

I've read Astérix since early childhood (the comics used to sell even better in Germany than in France), but since Goscinny's death the whole series has steadily and greatly deteriorated, both in form and content. Best stick to the early and middle periods. Immortal classics are Astérix and Cleopatra, Astérix in Britain, Astérix and the Normans, Astérix and the Laurel Wreath and Astérix in Belgium. Of the Uderzo-only ones, Astérix and the Magic Carpet is fair. The latest volume, Astérix and the Falling Sky, is considered an all-time low by many fans. It scored an amazing one and a half star rating on Amazon.de, based on 290 reviews.

cool thanks guys
I'll get to practicing

I posted this on my blog recently , discussing digital inking , and how this handy little guide from the Fleischer Studio (c. late 1930's) is still very helpful even in the post-cel age of animation. Just read past any reference to "cels" and think about inking on paper or on a Wacom tablet. The tips are still relevant to laying down a nice clean up line ----

It's mostly about repetition , practice, practice , practice ...

http://inklingstudio.typepad.com

"EustaceScrubb" has left the building

For inking in Flash specifically take a look at the work of Jessica Borutski.

She has one of the best lines I've seen in Flash.

Jessica Borutski example 1
[URL=http://jessicaborutski.blogspot.com/2007/02/foxy.html]
Jessica Borutski example 2 [/URL]

Jessica Borutski example 3

These are all inked in Flash using the brush tool . Search through the archived posts on her blog , she has other good examples of clean-up done in Flash .

"EustaceScrubb" has left the building

terrific eustace, thanks!

the link to your blog doesn't work though?

terrific eustace, thanks!

the link to your blog doesn't work though?

You're right. Thanks for pointing that out . Fixed it in the post above .

and here it is again:

http://inklingstudio.typepad.com

"EustaceScrubb" has left the building

haha no way, I already have your blog bookmarked. I work at Powerhouse Animation; I believe you know Frank Gabriel, he showed me your blog. Then again, maybe not, he may have found your site through a mutual friend.
I was messing around on his Cintiq today, and found it a lot easier to draw nicer lines in Flash. I don't want to use the tablet as an excuse, since obviously people are able to draw well on other tablets, but it does make a difference.

haha no way, I already have your blog bookmarked. I work at Powerhouse Animation; I believe you know Frank Gabriel, he showed me your blog. Then again, maybe not, he may have found your site through a mutual friend.

OH, yeah, I've corresponded with Frank ! I like what you guys have going on there at Powerhouse . Good stuff . I struggle a bit with doing good clean-up in Flash , too . The drawing tools don't make it easy in Flash (I prefer TVPaint , but it's not vector , so it has to be vectorized in an intermediary step if I take it over to Flash or ToonBoom for finishing. Not a big deal , and for me it's worth it to get the more sensitive drawing tools in TVPaint . ) That's why I'm so blown away with Jess Borutski's fluid, expressive line work in Flash . She's made it work for her style and it looks great .

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