Chapter 1 - Introduction

• Introduction - Your first destination. Provides a brief explanation on the how, why and what of CGing, in addition to a warm welcome from the authors/artists.

• Tools of the Trade - A recommended list of tools, supplies, computer programs, and components.

• General Drawing Tips - A good drawing is the first step to creating a good CG image.
• Scanning - The process of transferring an image from the real world onto a computer for digital editing. The following sections will help you produce the best scan of your artwork.
  • Scanning - Part 1 - An introduction to scanning, covering topics such as what type of scanner you should purchase, how to prepare an image for scanning, and an in-depth explanation of DPI.
  • Scanning - Part 2 - Covers TWAIN, pre-scanning and scanner settings.
• Cleanup - The process of tidying up and removing unwanted elements from a scanned image. This section will teach you how to optimize the quality of your scan, from removing smudges and gray areas to making the line art transparent.
• Saving - Covers various file formats (PSD, RIF, TIF, JPG, and GIF) and image sizes for both archival and web purposes.

• Introduction to Painter - A beginner's guide to the art program, Corel Painter.
  • Painter Basics - This section contains descriptions of Painter's tools that pertain to anime style artwork, suggestions on how to best customize Painter, and explanations of the three commonly used functions (undo, move and rotate) you'll need to perform while working within the program.
  • Shortcut Keys - A handy list of CG specific shortcut keys in Painter.
• Introduction to Photoshop - A beginner's guide to the art program, Adobe Photoshop
  • Photoshop Basics - This section contains basic information and suggestions to help get you situated within the program, including brief descriptions of the tools, palettes, and menus that pertain to anime style artwork.
  • Shortcut Keys - A handy list of CG specific shortcut keys in Photoshop.
• Layers - An essential lesson on layers.
• Inking - Inking helps achieve a more precise and professional look to your artwork. Inked lines are much more bold, distinct and definitive than pencil lines. The following sections will guide you through the specifics of inking, from tools to techniques.
  • Inking Overview - Includes an introduction to inking, reasons on why you would or would not want to ink your artwork, and a list of recommended traditional and digital inking tools.
  • Inking - Traditional vs. Digital - This section goes over the pros and cons of digital inking and traditional inking, and even describes an in-between method.
  • Inking - Techniques and Styles - Depicts several different examples of inking, and shows how style portrays the mood of the artwork.
  • Digital Inking - Preparation - How to set up your image and tools in preparation for digital inking.
  • Digital Inking - Procedure - How to produce various shapes (straight lines, circles, squares) and colored lines. Also includes a section devoted to time saving techniques.
• Color - A splash of color completes the image. These sections will show you how to select the perfect colors for your picture, and then fill them in correctly.
  • Color Selection - Learn how to choose the best colors for your image from highlights and shadows to skin tones.
  • Color Filling - How to fill your artwork with colors without destroying the underlying line art.
• Shadows and Highlights - Lights and darks play a crucial role in defining form by giving a two-dimensional image a three-dimensional appearance.
  • Introduction to Shadows and Highlights - This section offers advice and tips for rendering well-placed shadows and highlights.
  • Guide to Shadows and Highlights - A reference guide to both common and advanced light sources, showing how the light affects the human figure from different angles.
• Cel-style Coloring - CG cel style artwork strives to recreate the appearance of a traditional animation cel. The following sections will teach you how to create your own cel-style artwork.
  • Introduction to Cel Artwork - Explains what cel art is, both in terms of traditional animation cels and digital cel-style artwork.
  • Cel Artwork - Production - A step-by-step walkthrough to creating cel-style artwork.
• Watercolors - This section will teach you how to use Painter's watercolor brushes, which simulate traditional watercolors, in your own anime style artwork.
  • Watercolors - Preparation - Contains an introduction to Painter's watercolor tool, information about the watercolor layer, and instructions on how to set up brushes and papers for the purpose of water coloring.
  • Watercolors - Application - Contains information on preliminary planning steps, blocking in colors, shadows, and blending and highlights as it pertains to digital watercolors.
  • Coloring Clothing Part 1 - Discussion on clothing and a step-by-step walkthrough on achieving a shiny pearl-like look to the clothing in your artwork.
  • Coloring Clothing Part 2 - Listed in this section are a few other examples of clothing, colored in a way to simulate certain types of fabrics and show various textures and effects.
  • Coloring Hair with Watercolor - Tips and suggestions on coloring hair with the watercolor tool.
  • Detail Work - Coloring metal and other details.
  • Wet on Dry Technique - The advantage to wet on dry work is that it creates an interesting layered wash effect that that no other digital tool can do. This section will show you how to utilize the wet on dry technique.
• Airbrush Coloring - Digital airbrushing techniques are quite common in anime style illustration work, giving the image a soft look due to the lack of distinct separation between colors. The following sections will illustrate the various techniques involved.
  • Introduction to Airbrush Coloring - An introduction to Photoshop's Airbrush tool. This section includes information on the tools and required prerequisites. Also includes a comparison between the digital and traditional airbrush.
  • Airbrush Coloring - Preparation - How to properly prepare your image for airbrush coloring.
  • Airbrush Coloring - Walkthrough - Specifics on airbrush coloring a character's skin, clothing, and other details.

• Filters and Effects - This section discusses filters and special effects: which to use, when to use, and how to use.
  • Mini Tutorials - Tutorials for a selection of filters from Photoshop, Eye Candy, and Xenofex.
    • Motion Blur - Shows how to apply two different types of motion blur to your image.
    • Flag - Shows how to make flags that stretch and ripple in the breeze.
    • Cel Style Conversion - Shows how to convert a realistically shaded image into a cel style picture.
    • Electricity - Shows how to create awe-inspiring electrical effects with ease, which is great for images where your characters are showing off their special powers.
    • Fire - Shows how to get results with Eye Candy's Fire filter.
• Backgrounds · Backgrounds set the stage, and give the characters a world to exist in and interact with.
  • Background Painting Preparation - Step-by-step instructions on how to properly set up your image and tools for the purpose of painting backgrounds.
  • Background Painting Production - Walkthrough of the entire background painting process, from the rough underpainting to the final details.
  • Simple Backgrounds - A background need not always be a complex, painted scene. A flat color, photo, gradient, pattern, or even text can often work just as well.

• Glossary - A list of terms relating to CG artwork, and their definitions.
• Image Gallery - A bonus collection of high quality images in JPG, GIF, and PSD file formats.
• Our Workstations and Artistic Processes - Two short sections detailing the tools we use, and the steps we take to create a piece of artwork.
  • Lindsay Cibos - Lindsay's Tools and Artistic Process.
  • Jared Hodges - Jared's Tools and Artistic Process.