Wapsi Square Forum

Just as a point of interest - Frozen (which was released 27 November 2013) is still in the Top Ten box office this week.

lake_wrangler wrote:

lake_wrangler wrote:Perhaps if you used a brush pen, it would help with that.

Boy, do I feel stupid, now... I should be asking YOU for advice!

*Bows in reverence at the years of multi-media experience*

Nah. I still consider myself an amateur goofing off for relaxation. Nothing to write home about.
My son wants to paint, but I've been trying to convince him to help me convert part of our mostly unused living room into a studio first.

I have a computer desk set up that well, after my computers all had issues and went "zort!", is going unused, so I figured I'd start there, but I have a PILE of boxes of assorted things that folks gave us for "artistic" purposes over the Holidays that contain various things that we have to donate or recycle sitting in there. I am currently drawing on my gaming clipboard, which is fine as long as I remember my posture.

DinkyInky wrote:I dabble with CG art, but rarely deal with digital drawing. it feels so odd and clunky compared to the tools I am used to using. If you have drawn with traditional medium for over three decades like I have, a digital pen(even the custom ones) feel clunky and chunky.

Agree that the pen/brush/paper environment has an entirely different "feel" than digital. I love the way I can erase my way toward whatever I'm trying to sketch -- gradually pushing/relocating a line into the right position to suit the need. On the other hand, once I have the pencil properly scanned and set up, there's no end of fun playing with colors, blends, and textures.

It's funny, though, about remembering all the pencil writing I did in school to the point of having a callous on my finger, but now 30 minutes with a (digital) pen and my hand starts to cramp. C'est la vie...

Atomic wrote:

DinkyInky wrote:I dabble with CG art, but rarely deal with digital drawing. it feels so odd and clunky compared to the tools I am used to using. If you have drawn with traditional medium for over three decades like I have, a digital pen(even the custom ones) feel clunky and chunky.

Agree that the pen/brush/paper environment has an entirely different "feel" than digital. I love the way I can erase my way toward whatever I'm trying to sketch -- gradually pushing/relocating a line into the right position to suit the need. On the other hand, once I have the pencil properly scanned and set up, there's no end of fun playing with colors, blends, and textures.

It's funny, though, about remembering all the pencil writing I did in school to the point of having a callous on my finger, but now 30 minutes with a (digital) pen and my hand starts to cramp. C'est la vie...

I LOVE MY INTUOS 4! I draw half and half. I first do all the pencils 'cause I have terrible hand to eye coordination if I'm not looking right at my hand as I draw! >_< After that, it's all digital. But I can tell you I couldn't digital ink until I got the I4. It's double the resolution of my old Intuos and has a surface that feels a lot like paper! The Graphire is like a toy compared to the Intuos. Seriously, it feels sloppy in your hand and is very small.

A number of Repetitive stress injuries gives me about half the time on the tablet versus a pencil before I get sore. But I do a ton of specific physical therapy learned exercise to keep that manageable.

I never liked analog coloring since you have to get it right the first time! >_< I'm too shaky and sometimes I twitch and the line goes off in a weird direction! Easy to fix on the computer. ^_^

Dragonaur wrote:I LOVE MY INTUOS 4! I draw half and half. I first do all the pencils 'cause I have terrible hand to eye coordination if I'm not looking right at my hand as I draw! >_< After that, it's all digital. But I can tell you I couldn't digital ink until I got the I4. It's double the resolution of my old Intuos and has a surface that feels a lot like paper! The Graphire is like a toy compared to the Intuos. Seriously, it feels sloppy in your hand and is very small.

A number of Repetitive stress injuries gives me about half the time on the tablet versus a pencil before I get sore. But I do a ton of specific physical therapy learned exercise to keep that manageable.

I never liked analog coloring since you have to get it right the first time! >_< I'm too shaky and sometimes I twitch and the line goes off in a weird direction! Easy to fix on the computer. ^_^

I tried the Intuos, but it was HUGE. I like my Graphire(when I have it charged, and my CT is not bothering me), because it is wireless, and I can literally "lightboard" my pencils while having it projected onto my monitors, it fits in my laptop bag, it's light, and for me, I like tiny. Sometimes the scan is just "off", and no amount of digital tweaking fixes it. That's when I ended up with a new scanner, but for some reason, digital colouring just looks off when I do it. It may well just be because I have done it old-fashioned for so long.

See, here's where I differ; I personally love Oil/alkyd painting and water stain washes You can layer and blend the oils, and for washes, I have a cute trick. I go over my ink lines with a crayon. The wax keeps the colours from bleeding into one another. I actually made an old teacher of mine a breakdown for a stained glass window by taking a djanting and making the "lead" in black melted crayon. I then used the watercolours to form the colours of the glass, and say if it was dichroic glass, I would let it dry, and then use more than one colour wash to represent that. With oils, you can blend while it's wet, and get things right, and if it looks just a bit off and blending doesn't fix it, flat brush the area, let it cure a bit, then paint over it. I did a Phoenix like that, and just one wing would not come together.


Very old canvas I did for my Mother: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v633/ ... ure069.jpg

DinkyInky wrote:I tried the Intuos, but it was HUGE. I like my Graphire(when I have it charged, and my CT is not bothering me)

Have you ever considered getting operated on, for that carpal tunnel? My sister's former boyfriend had an operation done, and it never bothered him again. I went to the doctor's, recently, and since my own CT problems have been going on for so long (since I was a teenager, so probably for 30 years or so), he said I should, indeed, get the operation. My symptoms are different than yours, though: we're talking mostly about occasional numbness of the arms, though last summer my symptoms aggravated during a bicycle trip (Montréal, QC, to the North Carolina border), to where the numbness was for a while occurring on a more permanent basis, and it was painful. As it slowly (emphasis on slowly) subsided, my hands felt tingly for a long time (coupled with a fresh-off-the-stove burning feeling), and my fingertips are still feeling overly sensitive. I'm getting operated on the right wrist on March 18, and the other wrist should follow just a few weeks later.

DinkyInky wrote:Very old canvas I did for my Mother: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v633/ ... ure069.jpg

Nice!

Right or wrong, I often cheapen my own artistic talent (i.e. Minimize, belittle, in my mind), in that I can somewhat draw (pencils on paper), but can only color adequately on the computer (my colored pencils are not too bad, though), when I wish I had the talent and knowledge necessary to actually paint.

Incidentally, I worked on a project in January which reminded me just how much I enjoyed working with wood and wood chisels (only did once or twice, long ago, before that project came about). I really need to figure out how to make that fit into my schedule, so I can sculpt some more.

DinkyInky wrote:I tried the Intuos, but it was HUGE. I like my Graphire(when I have it charged, and my CT is not bothering me), because it is wireless, and I can literally "lightboard" my pencils while having it projected onto my monitors, it fits in my laptop bag, it's light, and for me, I like tiny. Sometimes the scan is just "off", and no amount of digital tweaking fixes it. That's when I ended up with a new scanner, but for some reason, digital colouring just looks off when I do it. It may well just be because I have done it old-fashioned for so long.

See, here's where I differ; I personally love Oil/alkyd painting and water stain washes ... With oils, you can blend while it's wet, and get things right, and if it looks just a bit off and blending doesn't fix it, flat brush the area, let it cure a bit, then paint over it. I did a Phoenix like that, and just one wing would not come together.

Very old canvas I did for my Mother: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v633/ ... ure069.jpg

Well, there are three sizes of Intous. I have the medium. Personally I'd love to try a BIGGER tablet since I find the 6 x 8 a bit cramped.

I can totally understand the wireless affinity. I'm just the opposite. I'm very against batteries and so always choose the wired option. I only bought my first laptop last year! ^_^; I'm a luddite!

I did some oil painting a while back. I very much enjoyed it. I also enjoyed throwing away my paint box with leaking tubes and smelly solvents when I realized I've pretty much gone mostly digital! I guess I'm a neat freak. Still, there's nothing like that 3D texture on your finished painting that makes it look truly hand made! Your Picture069 shows that.

But all that said, it's a hobby! So of course the medium you like the most is the most important thing!

As for your CT, if it's mild, it might simply be Tendonitis. I really suggest going to a Physical Therapist. Some really simple exercise can totally turn that around. Most people freak out when I suggest more "work" for the wrist can actually help it. But it did wonders for me. If the expense is a worry, just tell your doctor you need the express econo plan!That's what I did. ^_^

For what it's worth, I had an old, huge Intuos, about 12x14 work area, and it was just too big. Not so much the desk space, but I never quite got the hang of drawing a long, smooth curve. Since then I've switched to a Bamboo CTH-670, with a 6x10 work area. That's just the right size for my eye-hand coordination to make smooth curves. Then again, using Vectors is fun, too!

Snazzy work DinkyInky!

I've had this for 15 years(the issues were around longer before I was diagnosed), with the only times it didn't bother me is when I had regular acupuncture treatments on them(for some reason acupuncture needles do not trigger my phobia). The problem is with no insurance, they get expensive(even if you have a good relationship with the person that treats you).
I'm currently on a really really tight budget. I usually have acupuncture on them for it, but I'm on such a tight budget(and with no insurance, it's a bigger ouch) that I cannot have it done. They basically have to charge a ton because of licensing and all sorts of other fees the government places on non-traditional therapies. The "cheap" and insurance friendly version is electro-pressure, and well, it's so not effective. As a comparison, after the initial treatment, I was asked to inform him how long the relief lasted. I was pain free for a few days. The first time I had the electrical version, the pain went away for a single day, and repeated treatments only increased it to four days max. After I had gotten my body set up for acupuncture, the relief lasted at it's longest, six months. I'd probably have to start over with the weekly treatments, but until then, it is just trying to not aggravate it much.

DinkyInky wrote: The first time I had the electrical version, the pain went away for a single day, and repeated treatments only increased it to four days max. After I had gotten my body set up for acupuncture, the relief lasted at it's longest, six months. I'd probably have to start over with the weekly treatments, but until then, it is just trying to not aggravate it much.

They gave me a variety of treatment. First was the Ultrasonic. That provided the quickest relief. Second was the electroshock. I was privileged in that the doctor let me control the voltage! Woo hoo! >_< Last, but NOT LEAST was a set of exercises to strengthen my wrist. Those have the longest lasting relief, almost a cure I would posit. Best thing of all, is I can do them myself for free! ^_^ Just for reference, when I first started I used to exercise with a coffee mug!

Atomic wrote:For what it's worth, I had an old, huge Intuos, about 12x14 work area, and it was just too big.

Here's why I think larger is better for me: Most "professional" cartoonists I see around actually draw on 11x17 inch paper! How they scan the image short of cutting it in half, I don't know! I draw on both 8.5 x 12 and 6 x 8 paper. Stroke for stroke my 6x8 works are never as nice as the larger works. Why? I can easily put more detail into the larger image. Now there is this dude on the Seattle waterfront who'll write your name on a grain of rice. But I can't do that! >_< Also, the resolution of a tablet is measured in samples PER INCH. Thus a bigger tablet means you have the opportunity to generate more samples with a larger stroke. I generally mega expand the region on screen I'm inking with my tablet because I can see the jaggies start to appear if I'm not zoomed in and I have better control of the pressure on the pen that way. Worse, you can see the wear patterns on my tablet. A fair portion of it is wasted on the tools I've got docked on the left and right, so I'm using even less than I have available! Boo hoo!

So why don't I buy the bigger tablet? Heh heh, I'm cheap! Originally I didn't think I could get enough use out of it. But next time for sure! Unless I go all digital, those video tablets are awfully interesting. But you know I just love drawing with a good old fashioned pencil. Cheap fun! >_<

I don't know exactly what the operation entails, but what I'm getting done is being done by a plastic surgeon. He described it as "loosening" the tendon that goes across the carpal nerve, in a way that is similar to loosening a belt, via a small incision he will make in the wrist.

I am hoping I can actually watch him work, when the time comes. March 18, at 9:30am. Hopefully, I'll be able to tell you more, by then.

lake_wrangler wrote:I don't know exactly what the operation entails, ... in a way that is similar to loosening a belt, via a small incision he will make in the wrist.

AAaaahhhh! Well, here's to a speedy recovery. Good luck!

For what it's worth some years back my wife had carpal release surgery on both hands (not at the same time) and it worked great. Just take your time and go slow. Juggling and card tricks can wait for a while. Good Luck!

Dragonaur wrote:Here's why I think larger is better for me: Most "professional" cartoonists I see around actually draw on 11x17 inch paper! How they scan the image short of cutting it in half, I don't know!

Possibly with something like "panotools" - software which can take an image which was scanned in two or more overlapping "slices", and combine the slices into a single image via automatic alignment and seamless blending. It was originally designed for merging photographs into a larger panorama, and it also works beautifully on flat-scanned images as well if you set the options correctly.

I put together a kit of C software and scripts based on the "pbm" suite about 15 years ago, to let met scan 12" x 12" LP covers in two passes (left and right) and merge them into a single image. It worked fairly well but was a bit finicky. Last year I learned about "panotools", which has a much more flexible and sophisticated image-matching and blending capability, and have since switched to using a panotools-based script for this job.

It's freeware on Linux and similar POSIX-based platforms. There could be a WIndows port or wrapper for it, maybe?

Atomic wrote: Juggling and card tricks can wait for a while. Good Luck!

Really? Darn!

(Reminds me of the joke where the mother asks the doctor if her son will be able to play the piano, after his operation, to which he responds in the affirmative. That's wonderful, she replies, he never could, before...)

Dave wrote:

Dragonaur wrote:Here's why I think larger is better for me: Most "professional" cartoonists I see around actually draw on 11x17 inch paper! How they scan the image short of cutting it in half, I don't know!

Possibly with something like "panotools" - software which can take an image which was scanned in two or more overlapping "slices", and combine the slices into a single image via automatic alignment and seamless blending. [...]
Last year I learned about "panotools", which has a much more flexible and sophisticated image-matching and blending capability, and have since switched to using a panotools-based script for this job.

It's freeware on Linux and similar POSIX-based platforms. There could be a WIndows port or wrapper for it, maybe?

I use Microsoft ICE, for composite image stitching. It's free, works in Windows, and does a good job.

Dave wrote:Last year I learned about "panotools", which has a much more flexible and sophisticated image-matching and blending capability, and have since switched to using a panotools-based script for this job.

It's freeware on Linux and similar POSIX-based platforms. There could be a WIndows port or wrapper for it, maybe?

lake_wrangler wrote:I use Microsoft ICE, for composite image stitching. It's free, works in Windows, and does a good job.

Looks like there are several solutions to this problem!

lake_wrangler wrote:I don't know exactly what the operation entails, but what I'm getting done is being done by a plastic surgeon. He described it as "loosening" the tendon that goes across the carpal nerve, in a way that is similar to loosening a belt, via a small incision he will make in the wrist.

I am hoping I can actually watch him work, when the time comes. March 18, at 9:30am. Hopefully, I'll be able to tell you more, by then.

Well wishes for a speedy recovery.

My son reminded me that my Baoding spheres were nearby, and I was able to relax my hands and wrists slightly. I need to get the next size up soon and mix them together, as the smaller ones my hands are starting to get used to.

lake_wrangler wrote:I don't know exactly what the operation entails, but what I'm getting done is being done by a plastic surgeon. He described it as "loosening" the tendon that goes across the carpal nerve, in a way that is similar to loosening a belt, via a small incision he will make in the wrist.

I am hoping I can actually watch him work, when the time comes. March 18, at 9:30am. Hopefully, I'll be able to tell you more, by then.

My mother had sever carpal tunnel appear overnight (literally) in one of her wrists.

Her surgery was quick (done here in Australia) under local anaesthetic. About 8.30am they wheeled Mum off to surgery, by 10.00am she was having coffee and a blueberry muffin

Tendons heal very slowly - it was 2-3 months before Mum was using that hand fully, but being severe CT they might have had to make a bigger cut to the tendon = longer healing time?

Be prepared to be unable to use that hand for a while.

Mum had to do exercises with her hand/wrist to get movement and strength back.

Best wishes for your surgery.

Well, I had an EMG done last fall, and they determined that there was a "moderate" loss of signal along the nerve. And the doctor told me to expect the operation on the left hand about two weeks later. So I'm guessing he's expecting a not-too-slow recovery... Maybe because it was mostly numbness, and not pain (except during and right after last summer's bike trip, and even then, it wasn't a debilitating kind of pain...) We'll see. I'm only taking one day off for it, and returning to work the next day (I've used up my sick days bank with a cold and some diarrhea, two weeks ago...) We'll see how that goes.