Hello!

Thank you for purchasing the Anime CG Tutorial CD! On this tutorial, we’ve included a wealth of information pertaining to computer graphics artwork. From the tools you’ll need, to scanning your image, to coloring and special effects, we’ve tried to cover all the basics--and then some--in order to make this the most useful CG tutorial currently on the market. The techniques discussed are sure to help both the beginner, intermediate, and even advanced anime style computer graphics artist. It is our hope that you find this tutorial CD to be both informative and useful. ^_^

But! Before we jump right into the exciting world of CGing, we feel that it would be best to go over a few points regarding both CG artwork in general, and this tutorial CD specifically.

2. Information about CGing

What is CGing? CG is short for Computer Graphics. Sometimes you’ll hear CG being referred to as CGI, which means the same thing, Computer Generated Imagery. CG and CGI are broad ranging terms that cover any type of artwork that’s made on a computer. From a scratchy image put together in Windows Paint, to a manipulated and edited photo in Adobe Photoshop, to a digital painting in Corel Painter, to the three-dimensional computer generated dinosaurs in the movie Jurassic Park, these are all examples of CG.

For the scope of this tutorial we’ll be dealing with commonly used CG techniques for anime style artwork. Most of these techniques involve the use of the industry standard programs Adobe Photoshop and Corel Painter. If you’re looking to make 3D dinosaurs, you’ll have to look elsewhere.

What is this tutorial about? Anime style CGing. This is a “how to” guide that covers aspects of CGing that would be encountered while doing anime style artwork on the computer. From Scanning, cleanup, and saving to inking, coloring, special effects, and more, this guide will help give the reader a basic foundation in CG artwork, and will discuss beginner, intermediate, and advanced techniques.

Who is this tutorial intended for? This tutorial is aimed at artists who are at least semi-confident in their ability to draw and are interested in either learning how to CG, or improving and expanding their knowledge of CGing. These artists should find this tutorial to be helpful and insightful.

Fans of the artwork on our website can also appreciate this CD -- if you've ever wondered how it's all done, and/or wanted high resolution versions of our artwork and exclusive artwork not available on our website then this CD is also for you!

Why CG? Have you ever heard anyone say, “Everything’s going to computers”? That’s partially the case here, and there’s a good reason why. Computers are capable of so much! Over the years computers have evolved into tools for a vast range of different uses. Artwork creation and editing have been one of the staples of computer industry since the first graphics software was introduced many years ago. At first, computer graphics were simplistic and fake looking. Graphics software had to be written in house and was hard understand and utilize. Nowadays however, computers and their users are capable of producing imagery that looks just as good as traditional style artwork and better. Add that to the flexibility and functionality of computers and you’ve got a pretty good reason to make the jump to CG.

Advantages of doing artwork on the computer:

• Flexibility and functionality
• Smaller workspace
• Higher quality artwork
• Variety of styles and techniques not possible with traditional mediums
• No brushes to wash, or paint to clean up afterwards
• The “undo” button
• High resolution
• Multiple saves allow for room to experiment, and a chance to start over if you mess up
• Every art tool you could possibly want is bundled up into one program

Isn't CGing expensive? Sure, it can be expensive, but so can traditional artwork. A graphics application for your computer can cost quite a bit, anywhere from $50 to $800.

With the computer, you only have to buy your supplies once (until you upgrade, of course). It’s a lot of money to spend all at once, but your digital paint in Photoshop will never run out, dry up, or expire, and you’ll never need to replace it. With traditional mediums, you have to continue to buy new pencils, erasers, markers, paper, paint, and many other supplies, which can cost you a tremendous amount of money.

Now consider other art supplies such as paint. Oil paints aren’t cheap, not by a long shot. One small tube containing one color of paint can cost upwards of $10. Throw in about 10 more tubes of paint, a canvas, brushes, turpentine, and other miscellaneous extras and you’ve practically spent the same amount as what Photoshop or Painter would cost you; maybe even more depending on the quality of the products you’ve purchased. And you’ll have to repeat the process again when you run out of supplies.

Does CG artwork take longer then traditional artwork? Many people are of the opinion that good CGing takes a remarkably long time. This is partially true. It depends on many factors, including the speed of your computer.

Good artwork regularly takes long time to produce regardless of medium. Both digital and traditional mediums have their advantages over the other (i.e. You will never have to wait for a CG image to dry before starting on the next part, but you will have to wait while your computer saves a digital painting). As with all artwork, the more detail you put into something, the longer that something is going to take. The more experienced you are with a medium the less time it will take to complete.

In other words, CGing really doesn’t take longer than traditional artwork. Both take as an amount of time proportional to the amount of detail and effort you put into your work.

How many people are involved in the creation of an image? In contrast to American comic artwork, or animation studio work (where 3-5 artist may be working on a single image), small scale anime style image creation and CGing is usually the responsibility of only one artist. This single artist must be skilled in all aspects of the image creation process, from beginning to end, which includes the initial composition to the pencil work, inking (if necessary), coloring, and any special effects. It’s safe to say that CGing can be a daunting, but not impossible task for someone who’s just starting out.

What skills are important to have before I start CGing? First and foremost is your line work. The better you are at drawing, the better your overall image will turn out. Painting and other such disciplines are just as important. Overall, the more you know about traditional art and artistic method the better your CG will turn out. A good solid foundation in the elements of art (color, value, line, shape, form, texture and space) and principles of art (balance, contrast, proportion, pattern, rhythm, emphasis, unity, and variety) will help your images out immensely.

How can I make the most out of this tutorial? The most important thing to keep in mind while reading through this tutorial is that one cannot gain the most benefit from the instructions presented by simply reading. You need to participate, practice, and experiment with the techniques laid forth, and learn from them.

It is recommended that you first read through the entire tutorial at least twice, the first time soaking in the information presented, and then the second time applying each of the techniques presented in this tutorial to your own images. Remember, the measure of your success depends on how much effort you put into learning. It is not enough to merely read the information. In order to fully benefit you need to practice the techniques presented in this tutorial on your own pictures. Simply owning a copy of this tutorial will not make you a better artist; your improvement will only come through hard work, dedication, and of course, practice. ^_^

Since this is a computer graphics tutorial, owning a computer graphics program of some sort is a definite must! Photoshop and/or Painter users will be able to make the most out of this tutorial, but it still holds valuable information that can be adapted for use on other art programs, and even traditional mediums. It is recommended, but not required, that you acquire Photoshop and Painter to best make use of the techniques discussed in this tutorial.

3. Closing

In closing, we expect that with this tutorial we will be able to help you improve your skill and foundation in CG artwork. Throughout this guide, we will offer you tips, suggestions, and step-by-step guides that you can use when creating your own artwork. It is our hope that you'll find this tutorial to be informative, fun, and helpful. ^_^

Although we wrote this tutorial, please keep in mind that we’re in no way trying to claim that the methods presented in this “how to” guide are the only methods employed in CG artwork. With this tutorial, we are only explaining our methods of CGing, which we’ve spent the past two years meticulously learning through trial and error and refining into the techniques that you’ll learn in this guide.

Have fun and good luck with your CG techniques and artwork! And remember, with practice and dedication, you’ll continue to grow as an artist. ^_^

-- Lindsay Cibos and Jared Hodges, October 2001
-- Visit us on the web -- http://www.jaredandlindsay.com