Variable Width Lines

[Commander Argus]

I've been playing around with some of the pen tool functions in Paint Shop Pro, and thus far I haven't found out how to make lines with varying widths, without laboriously creating multiple lines and using the fill tool (which doesn't always work the way I think it should because of feathered edges.)

Take for instance, many pictures of Kim feature the line defining her chin as being thicker around the bottom, where if I were to draw her in canon style, the line would be the same from beginning to end, with tapered ends created with the eraser tool.

Is this a function in Photo Shop (I've tried "Elements" and ended up taking it out of my computer)?

[Levelord]

Well, that's how I make my varying lines. I painstakingly use many many pen tool points and use the fill tool to fill in the selection.

[Commander Argus]

In the immortal words of Shego: GAAAHHHH!

[Bobman32x]

Adobe Illustrator is the King of drawing Lines:) It has Variable Width Lines

[nabusan]

levelord said:

Well, that's how I make my varying lines. I painstakingly use many many pen tool points and use the fill tool to fill in the selection.

I recently discovered that! It was like a lightbulb went off in my head.

I always thought you were meant to use the simulate pressure option. But the results always came out sucky.

[Levelord]

I use the stimulate pressure option as well as a second technique. I used it for the Memo Pad pic. I just use the pen tool and stroke with stimulated pressure, then i stroke again, but this time with a thinner brush and non-stimulated pressure before finally removing the path.

[nabusan]

What brush sizes do you use? I hear bigger is better. ;D

[destinyinevitable]

Umm..I use the cheap, quick way - a Sakura calligraphy pen for medium lines, a thin-ish expo marker for thick lines, and a fine point sharpie (oil based preferable) for thin lines.

[Commander Argus]

destinyinevitable said:

Umm..I use the cheap, quick way - a Sakura calligraphy pen for medium lines, a thin-ish expo marker for thick lines, and a fine point sharpie (oil based preferable) for thin lines.

Ah, yes, but my technique is to do a rough sketch in pencil (a .7mm mechanical to be exact) then photograph the sketch and use it as the basis for a completely digital piece of artwork. Since I trace the pencil work, none of it remains in the finished product.

[drakkenlover]

What I do is first I Fill the path on a certain area or color. Then, I use the pen tool and go around the area and finally stroke it. My usual brush width is 3 pixels, but I go to 4 sometimes. I use 2 px when I need to do thin lines like the wrinkles in the Ferret mask in my "Do i Get To Say Thank You" pic. That's pretty mch how I do my drawings.

[Commander Argus]

My technique is to use the pen tool to trace the original line-art, then I 'trim' it to neaten the junctions. I then use a magic wand tool to define the area I want to color, and expand that area so the feathering gets a color mix (using multiple layers)

[drakkenlover]

I think we all have unique styles! ;D

[Commander Argus]

I've been playing around trying out the point and fill method. Yes, this is a tracing, but I redid the image (from Monkey Fist Strikes) to feature Kim's new duds:

[slicknickshady]

That's so hot Commander. I can just imagine a life size cardboard cutout of that,

That is amazing. You know what i'm talking right? Life size cut outs like some athletes have and actors have. That's Hot.

I also love your new sig.

[ViridianSin]

There's this thing with the brush settings that I do...

And the "Stroke path" option, I guess it's called. Makes the line taper off so that the width varies on the ends. There's probably a better way to do it though. I've only just started using the pen tool, most of the time I paint over line art.

[Commander Argus]

I've decided to go back and redo some of my favorites. This is part of my "Kim and Ron at the Senior Prom" pic, which is one of my most popular at DA.

First is the original version (which I am preserving):



Then the new version with better line art:

[slicknickshady]

Hot.