My problem isn't so much with my monitor. There is a big difference when I just color copy it. I'll keep playing around with it.

Another great resource for artwork and body design etc...

Some might already know of it some not those who dont enjoy i'm learning new things more and more everyday.


http://www.carbodydesign.com/car-design-tutorials.php

Hello, New member here! DVierstra from So. Cal. I have also checked out carbody design website. Also have work on cardesignnews in their portfolio section. Getting odd jobs here and there it is either feast or famine!

Been doing automotive illustration off and on for years. I am attaching a quick Photoshop illustration I did of a modified '73 Laguna wagon converted into a two door wagon. I use both Photoshop & Illustrator to achieve desired effects. I really like this forum!
A helpful group of members.

Thanks,

DV

Giving this thread a bump, and sayin hey to DV ... I'm pretty new here too but, welcome!

Thanks Colter. I like your vector style illustrations. I checked out your deviant Portfolio. Like the Cuda! I also do vector illustrations. Here's a sample of a recent Car created in Adobe Illustrator Ford Wagon

It was a long process...used some transparencies of some graphic shadow elements to get the desired effects...

Thought I would give this a little bump, and I would like to know how many people use the wacum tablet. And from those who don't, how do you get it not to look like your coloring with different size circles?

Thanks,

I've thought about getting one of those but didn't feel like spending the money. I don't know that you really need it, it's more of a convenience thing I guess.

Not sure I know what you're referring to regarding "different sized circles". I'm guessing that you are talking about either the pencil tool or the airbrush tool in PS? It's next to impossible to get a nice, straight line using those. You need to use the bezier tool (looks like a pen) to create an adjustable path. Then you convert the path to a selection region (in the path toolbar) and use the stroke command (Edit menu-->Stroke) to make a line....sort of a pain but it's easier than redoing your pencil line 50 times to get it to look right.

As far as doing an airbrushed gradient, make the airbrush large and feathered towards the edge (like an airbrush). Then use your eraser to remove what you don't want. To make a sharp edge, follow the instructions for the path selection above.

Hope this helps.

yeah Ben pretty much has you covered. you're getting the multiple circle effect by using a hard brush with some opacity. by using a selected path as Ben described you're giving yourself the lines that you don't want to color outside of ... if that makes sense. This way you can use the brush in one quick stroke with the mouse. There is also select> feather, this would let you make a selection and then give it blurry edges rather than just being a hard shape of color. I have a wacom tablet but it's more to simulate painting. It is to take advantage of pen pressure and the zillion brush effects that you can get with PS. It's more for blending color than making a consistent gradient of color - the latter being more useful for automotive art. You'll notice that people who don't do what Ben does, have some sort of outlines on their cars for a "toon" effect. This is how they color inside the lines. Somehow, the key is, give yourself some boundary that allows you to make one pass of the mouse to color a large section and if necessary, remove what you don't want, or put something on top of it on another layer to cover it up. Then again, keep in mind that however you go about it, is part of what makes it your style.

btw, I don't use my tablet for drawing cars. Part of the reason is that I use Illustrator not PS, but I do use the pen tool and it works the same in both programs more or less - let me say that using it is the same. It is just as easy or easier to use the pen tool with the mouse as it is the tablet. Even if I used PS for drawing cars I'd likely use the tablet very little. ... And as a side note, I have a tiny tablet and for what I do I just don't see the point in a big one. I got my refurbished from wacom for 70 bucks and just bought the new Bamboo for my brother for 100 ... so you don't HAVE to spend a lot for a quality tablet.

You can also "Stroke" a path in photoshop. When you stoke the path you can also set it to simulate stroke pressure, so that it gets wider in the middle and thinner on the end.

Make your path with the pen tool. Make sure the pen tool is set to paths and not shapes. Once you have your path defined, right click on the path or anywhere in the screen for that matter, and click stroke from the pop up. You must still have the pen tool selected to do this. The simulate pen pressure is awesome and it will use the last brush selected in you brush tool.

Really a cool way of simulating pressures.

Carter