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View Full Version : So what tools and software do you use?


tahbikat
01-09-2016, 12:57 PM
Wasn't sure where to post this. Hopefully this is okay?

I was wondering, for you artists on the site, what tools and software do you use for your creations? I'm highly curious, as I'd like to get better tools/software eventually when I'm not so broke haha!

I do have a cheap little tablet, but lost the pen to it and need to buy another. I also use GIMP for graphics and creating my sprites. First I draw a sketch with pencil and paper, take a pic with my phone (phones these days have clear photos, i'm tellin ya), and pixel over it.

Pixels will always be close to my heart, but I would still love to be able to actually draw and color digital images too, especially for certain images on my site I'd like.

So yea, if you don't mind, what do you use? (:

Kyttias
01-09-2016, 02:23 PM
I have a Wacom Bamboo FUN (CTE-450) (http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B000V9RL3Y/ref=sr_1_9_olp?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1452370350&sr=1-9&keywords=Wacom+Bamboo+FUN&condition=used) which I've had for almost a decade straight and I've never had to replace it or it's pen. I use it nearly weekly and sometimes use it entirely in place of a mouse at all.

My preferred art program is Paint Tool SAI (https://www.systemax.jp/en/sai/). It's simple but it has just the right amount of features for me. It costs ~$45 to get a license right now (though there are less legal means of obtaining it, of course). Free alternatives that I hear are pretty good are FireAlpaca (http://firealpaca.com/en) and Medibang Paint Pro (http://medibangpaint.com/en/). Sometimes I still use Paint.NET (http://www.getpaint.net/index.html) (also free) for basic functionality if I'm in a hurry, though.

Eagle9615
01-09-2016, 04:08 PM
I have a Wacom Bamboo Create Pen+Touch that I got refurbished off of Amazon about two years ago. The only thing I've needed to replace on it was the cord that connects to the computer, because I bent the cord it came with.

For art, most of it is done entirely on the computer. Although occasionally I'll do a sketch in pencil and then take a photo of it with my phone. I use both Paint Tool SAI and FireAlpaca. Which one I decide to use depends on which computer I'm on.

tahbikat
01-09-2016, 04:11 PM
Thank you Kyttias and Eagle! Seems SAI is really popular. I know a lot of artists use it. I guess that will be on my wishlist! c:

I think my tablet is up to par then. Just gotta find or buy a replacement pen for it!

SapphirePhoenix
01-09-2016, 05:17 PM
I use Fire Alpaca. I no longer use GIMP.