Coloring help?

[x]

I'm begging for help from this site's good artists.
 
 
The thing is, I can draw excellent on paper with a pencil, traditionally. BUT I can't use traditional coloring (i.e. colored pencils) without ruining what I drew, and even if ink then color it looks gross.
 
I can color very well with a computer, and I have a tablet to help me color. BUT I can't draw on the computer with my tablet to save my life.
 
This brings conflict. How can I draw something tradionally, then color it digitally? I have tried, but it's very difficult because I run into these problems:
 
1) I can't fit my whole drawing into the scanner, so i have to peice it together by drawing half of a character's body on one sheet, then half their body on another sheet, then scanning both in and using the lasso tool to peice them together.
2) I can't draw on the computer, and I can't ink on the computer, because it's very difficult for me to hold my hand steady.
3) Pencil colorings look gross.
 
How would you do it? How do you do it now?

[WingedZephyr]

Pencil coloring can look very nice; the key is to press hard in order to get the color on smooth, and utilize color blending.

But if you really want to digitally color traditional drawings and can't scan them in, use a camera. If you have a decent camera, take pictures of your work is a very well-lit area, or outside on a sunny day. Don't take pictures too close to the paper or the edges/corners may get warped.

[Vine Tabris]

Well, one trick to use to help practice traditional coloring is to take a drawing you want to color, then scan it on the computer, and print out copies and try coloring those. That way you won't ruin your original lineart, and can still practice coloring without having to worry about the outcome.

1) Well, I would say that you should try drawing on smaller paper, but it is easier to draw on bigger paper...What version of Photoshop are you using? If I recall correctly, all Photoshops after CS4 have a feature that will automatically stitch together images for you. As long as both images are clear it can easily put the images together for you.
2) Drawing with a tablet can take some getting used to, but with enough practice it'll become second nature. I used to be terrible with a tablet, then I would practice with scanning lines then coloring with the tablet, and now I just draw directly onto Photoshop with the tablet. All I can say is to keep using it, and eventually it'll feel just like drawing with a pencil.
3) What color pencils are you using? It might not seem like it, but not all color pencils are the same, and quality can effect the outcome. Prisma Colors can probably be one of the better quality color pencils you can find. But, depending on what kind of color pencils you're using there's different techniques to coloring. Coloring lineart with color pencils can also be a bit of a hassle, since a lot of color pencils can cover up your lines, and trying to redraw them can clog up your pen. Which is why many artists use markers to color, since markers won't cover up the lines. As long as you wait long enough for the ink to dry, it won't smudge the lines either.

Do you have any examples of your colorings or drawings?
It's easier to give advice when we can see what kind of work you're doing.
 

 

 the key is to press hard in order to get the color on smooth, and utilize color blending.

I don't mean to step on any toes here, but this isn't always the case. When working with some better quality color pencils, the trick is to often color lightly, and layer on with different colors until it's smooth and blended. This works especially well with Prisma Colors. But like I said earlier, it often depends on what kind of color pencils you're using.

[WingedZephyr]

 

 the key is to press hard in order to get the color on smooth, and utilize color blending.

I don't mean to step on any toes here, but this isn't always the case. When working with some better quality color pencils, the trick is to often color lightly, and layer on with different colors until it's smooth and blended. This works especially well with Prisma Colors. But like I said earlier, it often depends on what kind of color pencils you're using.

No worries. I'm a digital artist, so I don't have a ton of experience with colored pencils. I'm not an expert, by any means. That's just the only way I've been able to get decent color out of the pencils I've had.

[x]

Pencil coloring can look very nice; the key is to press hard in order to get the color on smooth, and utilize color blending.

But if you really want to digitally color traditional drawings and can't scan them in, use a camera. If you have a decent camera, take pictures of your work is a very well-lit area, or outside on a sunny day. Don't take pictures too close to the paper or the edges/corners may get warped.

I think it's the quality of the pencils..crayola...and limited number of color choices that really make it difficult, plus I haven't been coloring with them in a long time so it's a learning process all over again. Because I have such few colors to choose from I have to press light to get the color I want, then hard to get the shading color I want, but that looks bad.

How can I take a picture then color it? Wouldn't I have to ink over it digitally to get rid of the grey and warpedness, or is it about holding the camera to take a picture of it straight on?

Well, one trick to use to help practice traditional coloring is to take a drawing you want to color, then scan it on the computer, and print out copies and try coloring those. That way you won't ruin your original lineart, and can still practice coloring without having to worry about the outcome.

1) Well, I would say that you should try drawing on smaller paper, but it is easier to draw on bigger paper...What version of Photoshop are you using? If I recall correctly, all Photoshops after CS4 have a feature that will automatically stitch together images for you. As long as both images are clear it can easily put the images together for you.
2) Drawing with a tablet can take some getting used to, but with enough practice it'll become second nature. I used to be terrible with a tablet, then I would practice with scanning lines then coloring with the tablet, and now I just draw directly onto Photoshop with the tablet. All I can say is to keep using it, and eventually it'll feel just like drawing with a pencil.
3) What color pencils are you using? It might not seem like it, but not all color pencils are the same, and quality can effect the outcome. Prisma Colors can probably be one of the better quality color pencils you can find. But, depending on what kind of color pencils you're using there's different techniques to coloring. Coloring lineart with color pencils can also be a bit of a hassle, since a lot of color pencils can cover up your lines, and trying to redraw them can clog up your pen. Which is why many artists use markers to color, since markers won't cover up the lines. As long as you wait long enough for the ink to dry, it won't smudge the lines either.

Do you have any examples of your colorings or drawings?
It's easier to give advice when we can see what kind of work you're doing.
 

 

 the key is to press hard in order to get the color on smooth, and utilize color blending.

I don't mean to step on any toes here, but this isn't always the case. When working with some better quality color pencils, the trick is to often color lightly, and layer on with different colors until it's smooth and blended. This works especially well with Prisma Colors. But like I said earlier, it often depends on what kind of color pencils you're using.

Ah yes, the classic scan copy and color! I can't believe I forgot about that. Duh.

I suck too much at drawing to fit a full figure onto one single 8 by 11....it's always either a detailed character or a full bodied character, I have to sacrifice detail to fit a full figure on such a small peice of paper.  I would love adobe CS-whatever number, but I can't afford anything more than elements, and that was a gift. My balance is $0 LOL. I've got Manga Studio and SAI too, but they kinda fail at technical stuff. (though they make up for it in artistic stuff)

Slowly, I'm getting used to tablet work, and at least can draw better than I used to with one. But it's soo hard to follow along a line lol. My tablet (Bamboo) is also really small, but I've seen artists do amazing with a Bamboo so I guess I shouldn't use that as an excuse!

Well, this drawing sucks and is from a long time ago, but the quality of the colored pencil colorings is the same as it is now...I still use color pencils the same...and it's hard
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm150/darkangelofsadnesskayley/scan0001-1.jpg

And here is an example of both digital drawing and inking of mine...I'm not so good at drawing

[Vine Tabris]

I think it's the quality of the pencils..crayola...and limited number of color choices that really make it difficult, plus I haven't been coloring with them in a long time so it's a learning process all over again. Because I have such few colors to choose from I have to press light to get the color I want, then hard to get the shading color I want, but that looks bad.

Ouch, it can be hard to work with Crayola, since it's the basic of the basics. But, it's not impossible to make things look good with them, just takes a good eye and patience.
Since the colors are limited, try layering colors on top of each other for a better effect, like laying down a light layer of blue and going over it with another layer of green to get a nice color. Of course that color combination is just an example, but it doesn't hurt to experiment on a different sheet of paper before trying something on a drawing.

How can I take a picture then color it? Wouldn't I have to ink over it digitally to get rid of the grey and warpedness, or is it about holding the camera to take a picture of it straight on?

It is possible to get good results with a camera, but most of the work it put on your image editing program. When taking the picture you have to make sure you have a flat surface, good light, and a steady hand. Try to take the picture as straight on as you can so that the drawing doesn't get skewed when you upload it to the computer.
Once you've uploaded it you need to put it in your image editing program and mess with the Brightness/Contrast, Levels, and exposure until you get the cleanest lines possible (also helps if you desaturate the image beforehand). If done right, your lines should come out clear, no problem.

I suck too much at drawing to fit a full figure onto one single 8 by 11....it's always either a detailed character or a full bodied character, I have to sacrifice detail to fit a full figure on such a small peice of paper.  I would love adobe CS-whatever number, but I can't afford anything more than elements, and that was a gift. My balance is $0 LOL. I've got Manga Studio and SAI too, but they kinda fail at technical stuff. (though they make up for it in artistic stuff)

Slowly, I'm getting used to tablet work, and at least can draw better than I used to with one. But it's soo hard to follow along a line lol. My tablet (Bamboo) is also really small, but I've seen artists do amazing with a Bamboo so I guess I shouldn't use that as an excuse!

 I understand, it can be difficult to work small, so I don't blame you for working on bigger paper. Though, bigger paper is more of a hassle to scan/picture, which is why I've switched to just drawing straight onto Photoshop.
Yeeahh, it's unfortunate that Photoshop costs so much, but GIMP does have a good handful of Photoshop features. Can't say I've used Elements or Manga Studio before, so I don't know what features they have or don't.
But yeah, Sai and Open Canvas are great for coloring.
Yeah, Bamboos are a bit tiny, but great stuff can still be done on them. When I first got my tablet I got use to it faster by using it not only for drawing, but for normal computer use as well. Even if you're not drawing it helps you get the feel for your tablet faster and better know its perimeters.

Well, this drawing sucks and is from a long time ago, but the quality of the colored pencil colorings is the same as it is now...I still use color pencils the same...and it's hard
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm150/darkangelofsadnesskayley/scan0001-1.jpg
 
And here is an example of both digital drawing and inking of mine...I'm not so good at drawing

Awh, don't be so hard on yourself, even Da Vinci had to start somewhere, yeah?
Now, coloring technique and lighting theory, although different things, go hand in hand, since your coloring relies on your lighting, so I'll try to go over both.
First things first, and this applies to both your traditional and digital drawings: Lighting. In the first drawing you're making a slip up that all artists go through at some point; Pillow shading (it's something that I commit as well sometimes, it happens to the best of us).
I'm not too good at describing things in words, so here's a pillowblob to help me illustrate;



It's preferable to avoid pillow shading the best you can, since good lighting can really add dimension to your drawings, making them more 3D and more believable. It's not often that your light source will result in you having to do pillow shading unless it's a low light or in a dark area. More often than not, if it's brightly lit, then you shouldn't pillow shade.
Your second drawing doesn't have much pillow shading, but the lighting could be a bit more defined.
For more info in lighting theory (or Chiaroscuro), here's a simplified guide:

Spoiler for Hidden:

You should also keep in mind that the brighter your light source, the sharper your shadows are.

Now, more for coloring technique~
In your traditional drawing, the main area that needs improving is your drawing direction and flow.
Again, I'll use sum' pictures to illustrate what I mean;


You can usually give your drawings more shape and dimension when you follow the form of the shape you're coloring, making it pop out more.
If your strokes go against the form of the shape, then it'll make the object appear flat.

The flow and consistency of your shading and pencil strokes also counts when coloring; when you color evenly and consistently then your drawings will look more complete and neat.



Okay, I'll stop here before I go on even more of a ramble.
I'm sorry for posting such a HUGE text wall, but I am an art mentor, studying to be an art teacher, so this is my tunes here, ehe.
If you have any questions I'd be happy to explain further.
Your drawings are good and have potential, but no matter what art level you're on there's always room for improvement, it just takes practice to get to the level we all want to be at. As long as you keep at it and don't give up you should be fine.
 

[x]

Wow, this was sooo much help, I'm really going to have to look into all this~ And yes, pillow shading is one of my many pitfalls lawl