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Sketching Gone Simple

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PCQ Bureau
New Update

ArtRage is an easy-to-use software for painters. We played around with the

free edition of ArtRage, which is a 3 MB download and extremely easy to install.

The software, by default, starts with a white interface that actually has the

look and feel of a canvas. Using the software is also very easy. Just select the

brush, 'dip' it in the color and off you go on a painting spree. Let's now draw

a simple sketch of Calvin using this software.



To zoom in, rotate or scale the canvas, select the icon at the centre-bottom.
From the File menu select 'new' and choose the image size, canvas paper,

background color and option to load a tracing image. ArtRage provides several

tools that can be adjusted to give different effects. On the left-hand corner

there are various sketching tools; simply click to make them active. Below them

is the tool size control, use either the mouse or the plus/minus icon to adjust

the size. To create an outline, select the pencil tool, go to the tracing image

and press the left mouse button, keep the button pressed and move the mouse over

the canvas. The pencil tools offer options like setting the pencil pressure for

dark and light marks and the tilt angle of the pencil to adjust the shading

strokes.

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Direct Hit!

Applies To:

Graphic artists




Price:
Available in 2 editions: Free and

Full.Latter costs $20




USP:
Multiple layers, easy to use



Primary Link:







http://www.ambientdesign.com
/artrage.html






Google Keywords:
ArtRage

The color palette, in the right-hand corner, is very easy to use. Click

on a color and then drag the slider on the side to adjust the shade of the

color. To fill color, select the oil paint brush tool and use 45% pressure and

75% loading option and paint the centre of the face. Although it gives a thick

layer of paint, do keep in mind that like a real oil brush, it eventually would

run out of color if used continuously. The amount of pressure can be adjusted to

get a thick or thin layer of paint, and the loading settings determine the

amount of paint the brush can carry on one continuous stroke. Keep the

auto-clean option on to clean the brush at the end of each stroke, thus,

avoiding mixing of colors. Select the felt pen tool and stroke across the body.

Make sure to stroke evenly over the whole area, else you would get different

shades of the same color. To fill the color near the outline, select the palette

knife and carefully smear the paint near the outlines. Make sure you smear in a

circular motion to get an equal color shade over the entire area. Once you are

done, go to the toolbar on top and save your painting. The painting would be

saved in .pgf format. However, if you need to use it in other software, export

the image using the Export image option in the File menu and save it as an image

file.

The free version disables the use of multiple layers and a few sketching

tools. Overall, this is one of the cheapest and the easiest sketching software

with loads of options and great results.

You can choose from various canvas sizes and

types, colors and loading of a tracing image




The selected tracing image is visible in a

background layer on the canvas
A basic outline of the character is drawn

using the pencil tool. Defining an outline would help while inputing colors




Use the oil brush to fill the face, start

from the centre and move outwards in circular motion. Now color the hair
Select the felt pen tool and strike across

the body in even strokes. Do the same for shoes




Use the palette knife to spread the paint

near the outlines. Make sure the paint does not go outside the outline
The final output can be saved as an ArtRage

file or you can export it as an image file to use it in other software
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