[ImageOmega]

Well, almost every sketch I see seems to be perfectly free of any type of "sketchy" lines that were used to build up the drawing...And I'm tryin to figure out how they look so clean all the time...I use two diff lead variants (one to sketch, other to darken) and after erasing, when you look, you can still see most of those sketchy lines.

Now am I just pressin too hard w/ my 3h (pencil lead used to sketch) or am I just not erasing well enough? I use a kneaed erase if you'd like to know...Or is it some big secret that a lot of the times, ppl don't even use building blocks, guiding action lines, when they sketch?

I've been told always use them =) and I've always had .

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ImageOmega
[email protected]

[Affected]

What I fear the answer to be is that these people are just so damn secure with their drawing that they get the lines right the first time around...

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Affected

Democracy is a lie

http://affected.xs.mw

[black_fish]

There is an easy trick in Ps to get rid of the light 'sketchy' lines. After scanning your work go the Image menu > Edit > Levels. When you're in there move the little arrows at the bottom and see the effects on your image. You should be able to choose exactly what kind of lines you want to keep.
Easy and good!

Thank you Photoshop!

[Shousetsu]

dont erase anything, trace it on a new sheet of paper. Simply tape another sheet of paper ontop and use your computer screen as a light box, or you can buy a real light box so you can see the lines.

[WacoMonkey]

What Affected says is for the most part true. Clean, deliberate linework comes from practice and the confidence that creates. In my ID classes, our teachers really stressed the abolishment of "scratchy-scratchy" drawing. We had to do pages and pages of cubes in perspective freehand with single lines. One trick was to put a point down at the beginning and quickly put a another at the end of your intended line. This "teaches" the hand where it needs to go, and when you immediately put the line down after, it's almost like "connecting the dots" instinctively. Also the quicker you put down a line, the smoother it will be. Even if your first line is a little off, try to resist "sneaking up on it" with more and more lines and creating a hairy mess.

Francis is a master of clean line art. He also has a great way of making his lines a little 'shaky', which gives them character and draws the attention away from when the line isn't perfectly straight. It's hard to believe, but I've rarely seen him use a straight-edge.

As for inking, I've never been able to make my line art all that clean! Maybe lack of patience, but blending a straight line into a curve has always given me fits!

[egerie]

ImageOmega: Shouldn't you sketch with a softer pencil ? I've always been bashed in art class to use 2B at the hardest. I loved sketching with Steadler 6E but they're discontinued

Shousetsu : I never thought of using the screen as a light box ! Great idea !! But I still prefer animation discs

Anyhow, I think sketching is good and pretty. I doubt this is a sign of unexperience or unsecurity but of research. A bit like 30% pantone sketching ; the artist focuses on the shapes and general look of the drawing to then 'clean up' his/her work.
Even the finest architects leave no 1 lines on their plans

WacoMonkey: I use a err.. Pentel "brush-pencil" for ink. It's great. I used to have trouble making a clean long line wit ha curve in it. I now use my wrist for more control or even elbow for smooth articulate motion. Oh and I learned to hold my pencil further back from the tip and turn the paper around.
blah waffle blah. :x

[Dizzogg]

Try using a t-square, triangles, oval & circle templates, a snake....These all aid a shaky hand...Ive seen some very good artists still use tools in the aid of their drawings....It doesnt make you a bad artist to use aids I dont think....

[micke]

I only use on pencil.Often 4B, wich is very soft. Clean sketches can be a cleaner version
of the first rough one, or simply just a very secure first try. It's not good to try
to go too clean at once. Make a rough one,
take a new sheet of paper and trace it in order to get rid of unnescessary lines.
If you have a light-table it would help a lot. I use xerox paper wich is pretty thin so i can see what's under.
Hope this can help a little
-Micke

[Chapel]

micke you sketch on xerox paper? What do you do if you want to ink your sketches?

[synj]

eheh just be confident with your lines. only use ink for a couple years and see how many wonders it works. in commercial art I was using a pen 90% of the time hehe and eventually i learned that redoing something really sucks and my brain said hey okay I will do them right now.

-synj www.synj.net

[micke]

Chapel:I Just ink right on the paper.
It's no problem at all.I think everything i've posted here is done on xerox-paper, then scanned in.
-micke

[Chapel]

Yeah I had a brain fart earlier. I wasn't thinking.