Advice: A bit of everything

(-Introduction-)

Basically this little section is about what little useful information I've picked up from my college program Multi-Media Design and Productions as well as the many books/resources I've read over the last few years. Now a Multimedia Graduate I wanted to share what little I know cause I understand how frustrating it can be to get trying to find information. Hopefully this will at least get you guys thinking and get you off on a head start in which ever section you want to focus on.This doesn't really focus on one thing so if you are interested in one thing more than the other topics check out the links below.

(-Helpful Clubs-)

- If you wish to explore more on whichever section you can go to either my helpful links at the bottom of my latest journal or go to the Artist Hospital gallery for the tutorials(including anime art and coloring) or resources you need.



- Also Tutorial Club for anything else like photography tutorials as well as many other things.



(Updated) Feb 9 2009

I thought it would be nice of me to provide the resource books and magazines I usually get. I also fixed up and added additional content to existing sections. enjoy

(-Resources and other reading material-)

Available video training video's

Structure of Man (Beginning to Advanced drawing of the human body from your mind) found by:Senor_Sausage

-very good tutorial for learning how to draw from your mind and goes over lots of steps in order to complete a whole person. It does cost money to get the rest of the DVD's its good to have especially when your the type of person who learns by being shown rather than reading through books and online tutorials.

The first lesson is free:

[link]

Magazines

Photoshop

ImagineFX

-This magazine was quite useful when it comes to creating and colouring in photoshop. The first few pages or so are full of interviews with people within the artwork and design bussiness as well as showing the latest art made by talented people. The next several are questions by people on how to perform certain things like "how to color this" or certain techniques to get certain results in photoshop. Also comes with tutorials and a cd with training, and custom brushes and textures royalty free.

-Each issues has a theme to it if you may or may not want to buy it for that theme but you can always get it anyways for the other interesting information and freebies it comes with.

-the site also has some neat stuff to look at resource as well if money is an issue.

-each tutorial has a step by step process so you can follow along

Focus Guide: Photoshop(covers photoshop elements as well)

-Nice magazine to learn about special techniques/tool that otherwise you wouldn't have thought of. Its very descriptive to what you need to do in order to get certain effects you want. This also comes with a cd if you aren't a fan of reading there is video training on it as well as additional video training on fixing up photos both digital and regular(working files included to follow along with the lessons).

-each tutorial has a step by step process so you can follow along

3D

3D World: The magazine for 3D artists(zbrush,Maya,3dmax etc)

-this is a pretty awesome magazine it contains the latest news in the industry and like ImageFX contains a section where people have asked questions and get them answered in detail. This too includes a tutorial section on what the theme is in the section.

-each tutorial has a step by step process so you can follow along

Books

Storyboard Design Course

[link]

-This book focuses mainly on creating proper storyboards and talks a bit about drawing and other useful things.
- this book can help you for planning out:
media productions
animations
computer games
movies/tv shows
plan out and pitch an idea to clients

-overall the book is really good at explaining different camera shot and how to portray your idea's and thoughts effectively.

Animators Survival Kit

[link]

-nice informative animation book put together by Richard Williams the animation director of the movie "Who Framed Roger Rabit. Its pretty funny to read but allot of the content is technical so if you wanted step by step info its lacking but its useful to those who want to animate both 2D and 3D.

Cartoon Animation: by Preston Blair

[link]

-this one was very good at instructing you how to properly frame by frame a cartoon. Allot of examples given from the ground up but lacks the technical instructions that the Animator's Survival kit provides.

All About Techniques in Drawing for Animation Production

[link]

-this book was very good when it came to learning about animation. Talks about what kind of materials they use,drawing characters and backgrounds,story boarding and giving overall tips and talks about different themes.


Mixed informal magazines

Web Designer(dreamweaver,flash,and photoshop)

-Another good magazine that informs you about the current news in the multimedia world. The first bit of it contains interviews with the latest developers and content they have made. They also talk about current news and this one too contains tutorials,free fonts and plug ins for the applications.

-each tutorial has a step by step process so you can follow along.

-if your interested in more than one program than the other this might not be the magazine for you since its tutorial about using all three of them.

Which drawing book or reference I should get?

I have allot of books but if you are willing to take that step to get some from a book store here is what to look for. These tips can apply to magazines as well.

-Look for art books that show you step by step ways to draw something. Sometimes the ones that tell you through words aren't as good as seeing the steps.

-be mindful to what the book contain some may appear to be useful but some skip allot of steps to the end result. (For example a cooking show will show you step by step on how they make something but not necessarily the in-between steps)

-keep an open mind even though if certain books are not in your interest or lacking in teaching drawing you can always get a fantasy "how to draw book". allot of them cover if not more so the right ways to draw people, proportion/anatomy, landscapes,facial expressions, and color and lighting too.

-anatomy books are good to have no mater what style of art you do for reference or when your fixing up a drawing of a person or animal.

For any interest in what particular book or even traditional drawing how to books I have send me a note and I'll note you the ones I have gotten

(-Art-)

-Keep improving don't give up pretty much if your having trouble drawing look up tutorials buy some how to draw books and anatomy. If money is an issue I already have a few links .

-If you plan on doing art or any media for a living that case its always good to expand your horizons trying new things.

-For example you can't have a portfolio all anime cause you are pretty much limiting how well you are promoting yourself.

-Clients like to see that you have touched appon allot of different subjects areas like realism, landscaping perhaps even photography.

-You can still show all your other stuff that you have done too but just be aware what kind of person they are looking for and what kind of things they expect from you if they hire you.

-Its always good to do some research on the company ahead of time just to show that you have taken a interest in there business and to give you some insight on what you will be getting into.

for ideas on different art styles and video/websites: [link]

(-Media-)</u>

-Generally no ones good at everything(expect those odd few) some are more stronger in areas one person can be good and flash another coder in the field its good to have connections with many people.

-for stuff like my multimedia design and productions course or animation/3D animation or whatever its good to make a demo reel.

-From what my professor told us you should at least update(or make a new one) every year and have it around 1min 10 seconds to 2mins.

-Just showing your art in a video clip isn't really appealing to anyone the best way is to add music. Picking a good song is critical its what makes or breaks the presentation.

more in depth explanation

demo reel 101 :[link]

Interview 101: [link]

Freelancing 101: [link]

examples of demo reals: [link]

(-Flash-)</u>

-doing some research ahead of time is good too you can pick up flash specific magazines or web designer magazines or if money is a issue then there are tutorials.

-first thing you would normally do when you make something in flash whether it is a application or a cartoon is to do some rough drafts(planning out how you want everything to look and for what to do). I have many examples of this in my scraps and you may print this storyboard layout link off to plan out your stuff as well.

-you can plan out you scenes in flash as well if you are uncomfortable drawing everything with a pencil.

-The proper process of making a flash cartoon is(you can wing it if you want):

1.script
2.voices/music(skip voices if you don't have any)if you want tips to voice act or you need some people to do voices in your flash: [link]
3.planing it out with the script/music/voices
4.animate
5.polish it up(final checking/fixing of the different scenes)

If you plan on doing a collaboration of work with a buddy or a bunch of people check out
[link]
[link]

for examples or to join some.

(-Group work-)</u>

-picking the right bunch of people is good too who share the same interests and views as yourself. Everyone must be supportive, organized, and sticking to the plan everything out(who does what and deciding on the overall look). Be careful to whom you choose to work with sometimes working with friends can be a problem but other times could be beneficial.

-keep in contact with your group make sure no one is left un-aware of any sudden changes this may cause conflicts later.

-setting up deadlines in what everyone does(this can change if you are working with a bunch of people who are busy but don't leave things to the last minute cause it will make your work appear crappy).

-if you are working with an actual client on a project create some sort of guidelines to follow(what your doing,time,how much, etc) otherwise the client would keep pestering you to keep their site or project intact for free. However if you set up your guidelines with a client you can agree to this and can discuss additional fee's to meet the persons needs.

-Be aware of the clients budget though most of us would like to invest alot of time and effort into something a client might only want to spend so much. Complete the basic needs first and from there talk about what they want and work out to what they can get. The reason behind this is most clients want certain features from other sites but don't know the amount of time and hours go into getting certain things to work properly. Just do what you can then with what they offer and perhaps later on they will contact you later to add the features they want to their site or project.

-Well if you plan on doing group work with either art pieces or video/flash stuff then this site will be nice to bookmark. The "You send it" website is a good way of sharing working files over the internet and its free.

[link]

(-Source material-)</u>

Human figure and drawing tutorials

[link]

-Read the Persons terms of use on their photography

if you are to use them some have restrictions especially if you plan on using them for photo manipulation.

-here is a link with a bunch of deviants who create stock submissions. You can use them to practice your drawings or trying to capture different poses to your creations. There is also tutorials on how to properly draw a person.

Animals and drawing tutorials
[link]

-Read the Persons terms of use on their photography

if you are to use them some have restrictions especially if you plan on using them for photo manipulation.

-Basically the same as the one above but with animals

(-free down loadable Software-)

Gimp
[link]

-gimp is a pretty neat program works like photoshop in most way your can photo edit and create digital artworks

Tutorials:
[link]

Blender

[link]

-a free down loadable 3D program you can use if you would like to do some 3D related artworks. Any tutorials or tips in working with the tools can be found on the site.

Additional tutorials: [link]

Easy Toon

[link]

-nice little animation program you can download. Included with the link are instructions and tutorials. It's all in black and white and it doesn't have the coding abilities like flash but its still a decent program to use if your into making animations.

Tutorials: (within the previous link)

Pencil

[link]

-haven't used this but by looking through the tutorials the interface is allot better than Easy Toon and is easier to do frame by frame animating since the onion tool is included that flash uses.

Tutorials:
Pencil tutorials

Inkscape

[link]

-free illustrator like program

Tutorials:
[link]

Audacity(windows only)

-quick and easy way of editing current audio files as well as recording your own voice's and sounds for either video or flash animations and games.

[link]

ChaosPro(windows only)

[link]

-- a fractal generator for MS Windows with support for many different fractal types (2D and 3D), true color support, animation support.



Feel free to suggest anything to add