Art101Contact Info / Websites
Kinsei uses an etching cream called Armour Etch to do the actual etching, with packing tape as a resist. A lot of people recommend using vinyl stencils if you have them, but if you don't then packing tape will do, as follows.
How to etch glass, from Kinsei, slightly edited:
Ok, here is my ridiculously crude process. It is crude but effective.
1. I took some old packing tape I had and tapped the glass. it smells like ass, but it gets the job done. I tried to make sure there wasn't any air bubbles. Any that got trapped, I poked a hole in to them and pushed out the air. Another problem is creases. These will really fuck your shit up so try and avoid them.
2. Print out or draw your design and tape it to the glass. Just try and get the template as flat as possible.
3. Take your knife and start cutting. The paper stencil parts will fall out pretty easily, but that's not a big deal since the tape on the glass itself will remain. An exacto knifewill be good for this if you have one.
4. Finish cutting and then start popping out the pieces you want etched to the glass. Using the tip of your knife will help you get them started until you can get a hold of it with your fingers or tweezers or something. Be sure to remove all the pieces you want etched.
5. Apply the Cream! Let it set for the proper time.
6. Wash it off and wash it well. Running water from a sink will do just fine. You can remove the stencil at this point, but waiting will let you touch up any missed spots.
7. Touch up any missed spots with some more cream. I'm still new to this stuff so I didn't know if a second coat would actually work. But it did and all is great, This would be why you would want to wait on removing the stencil, I didn't so I had to be a bit more careful.
See the final below. Although there are some mistakes in this one it came out well enough.
A dremel (a kind of handheld rotary tool that has a a variety of rotating accessory bits and attachments) with the right bits can also be used to etch glass, but it's hard to control the path of the bit. A Sand Blaster might work for things on a large scale using vinyl stencils.
Composition is the arrangement of elements in an artwork, and the most well rendered piece in the world will still look horrible without good design.
First off, let's start with your materials. I don't mean canvas and paints, I mean the basic elements that you manipulate to create a good composition. These are the building blocks of design.
Basic Visual Elements
Line- the visual pathways that guide the eye along a work
Shape- areas defined by edges. Shapes move the eye around the composition. They can point or line up to imply lines. They can be geometric or organic (aka biomorphic). Organic shapes suggest life, and have irregular, rounded edges.
Value- relative lightness or darkness
Color- hues in various values and saturation levels. Check out the Color tutorial for details.
Texture/pattern - surface qualities that give the illusion of tactile properties
Space- the areas taken up by positive objects and negative areas
Basically, you want to decide what the focus of your artwork will be, and compose your basic design elements accordingly to create a composition that leads viewers to respond as the artist desires.
Unity
This is the concept that the elements of a design have a connection and belong together. The human mind tends to group objects into larger units. A sense of unity can be enhanced through proximity, by repeating elements throughout a composition, or by connecting forms throughout a composition with a line, edge, or direction.
Eye Magnets
Dominance of a visual element is achieved through contrast, which is the relative visual difference between one area and another. Every good 2d composition has at least one focal point, a place to which the eye is drawn. Sometimes works have multiple focal points, but if unless one is more dominant than the others this is usually detrimental to the work. It's best to make your focal point emphasized but still integrated within your work. A focal point is created by introducing variety into a unified environment.
-Places of high contrast- One thing that is different than everything else, whether in orientation, dimensionality, color, saturation, size, shape, texture, value, or whatever. Note how the hood pops here.
- We're geared to focus on things with faces. Also, newgrounds loves naked people.
-Places that multiple elements in the composition flow towards
-An element takes on visual significance through its isolation from other design elements
Stability and Tension
Horizontals and verticals suggest stability
Distortion and diagonals create tension.
Visual Weight -the higher a shape is on the picture plane, the heavier it appears to be. The darker it is, the heavier it will appear to be. Geometric shapes appear to be heavier than organic ones. Textured areas are heavier than untextured ones.
Balance and Imbalance
This is based on the distribution of visual weight within a composition.
Horizontal balance is the balance between the left and right sides of a composition.
Vertical balance is the balance between top and bottom of a composition. Our sense of gravity makes us comfortable with compositions weighted towards the bottom side of the composition.
Symmetrical balance is the simplest kind of balance, and it creates static, stable, boring compositions, usually creating a focal point along the central vertical axis.
Asymmetrical balance works by using dissimilar objects with comparable visual weights to balance a composition. A small area of dark can balance a larger light area, for instance, and a small textured area can balance a larger untextured area. Furthermore, a large element near a central vertical axis can be balanced by a smaller element closer to the edge of the composition.
Radial balance is where the compositional elements radiate out from a central point, and it can be symmetrical or asymmetrical.
In an allover pattern, there is no focal point and weight is distributed evenly throughout the composition.
Other factors to consider when building a composition:
Focus and diffusion of attention
Pattern- repetitive 2d surfaces with clear organization. The irreducible unit of a pattern is called a module, and pattern is created by repeating that module through rotation, reflection, translation and offset reflection. Repetition reduces the visual impact of a module.
Economy
Design deals with essentials. Abstraction (simplification) retains essential elements for communication. If the removal of an element does not destroy the piece, remove said element.
Rule of thirds
Placing your subject in the dead center of your work makes for boring compositions. To avoid this, artists often make use of the rule of thirds, which places focal points and other areas of interests near where lines dividing the composition into three equally large rows and columns would intersect. Here's a grid.
Pyramidal Compositions
Pyramidal compositions are fairly common and they're used to give an impression of stability or draw attention to a certain place. Artists construct pyramidal compositions by placing elements so that they form an imaginary triangle or pyramid- for example, Viktor Vasnetsov's Sister Alenushka Weeping about Brother Ivanushka, Evelyn de Morgan's Medea, or various works by newgrounds users. Théodore Géricault's The Raft of the Medusa features two pyramids, visible here.
-Tools to Create an Illusion of 3 Dimensionality
-Overlapping forms
-Transparency and interpenetration of forms
-Object scale shifts- we read objects as the same thing at different distances
-Position- things farther down on the picture plane appear closer to the viewer
-Receding forms- for instance, a trapezoid can appear to be a rectangle that is receding in space
-Fading. high contrast forms appear closer: atmospheric perspective aka aerial perspective refers
to the idea of things fading as they recede in space. Think of a distant mountain range; landscapes
also usually take a tinge of the sky color as they recede.
-Foreshortening- a form of close up, amplified perspective
-Variations in line quality- thick lines read as near, while thin lines read as far away.
-Perspective- this includes elements of all of the above. Check out our splendid tutorial on it!
PERSPECTIVE!
Linear perspective is a wonderful tool discovered by Renaissance artists for making two dimensional art appear three dimensional.
One Point Perspective
Step 1. Draw a horizon line. Draw a dot for your vanishing point on the horizon line. It can even be off the page.
Step 2. Draw the vertical and horizontal lines that form the front edges of your form.
Step 3.Connect the ends of your front edges to the vanishing point.
Step 4. Draw any back edges that you want on your form.
Step 5.Erase any extra lines you don't need. Draw in any that are needed.
Step 6. Keep going.
Two Point Perspective
Two point perspective is great for showing angles rather than head on. It's often used for cityscapes.
Step 1. Draw a horizon line. Draw two dots for your vanishing point on the horizon line. They can be off the page.
Step 2.Draw the vertical line that forms the front edge of your form.
Step 3. Connect the ends of your front edge to your vanishing points.
Step 4. Draw two verticals where you want the back edges of your form to be.
Step 5. Connect the new verticals to your vanishing points.
Step 6. Erase any lines you don't need.
Three Point Perspective
Great for implying overwhelming height or depth.
Step 1. Draw a horizon line. Draw two dots for your vanishing points on the horizon line. They can be off the page. Draw another vanishing point either above or below the horizon line
Step 2. Draw a vertical line starting at the the far front corner your form and running to the vanishing point that isn't on the horizon. This will form the the front edge of your form. Draw another two lines on either side of that line, they will be your other "verticals".
Step 3. Draw your "horizontals" by connecting the corners of your front edge with the vanishing points on the horizon line.
Step 4. Connect the newly formed corners on your back edges to the remaining vanishing point.
Step 5. Erase any lines you don't need.
Atmospheric perspective AKA aerial perspective-
This refers to how things lose saturation as they recede in space. Think of a distant mountain range; remember also that landscapes usually take on a tinge of the sky color as they recede.
Isometric Perspective
Isometric perspective is most commonly used in pixel art.
It's similar to two point perspective, visually, but instead of having all lines converging towards a pair of points, all lines are parallel and form an identical angle with the horizon. This makes an infinitely repeatable system that's particularly convenient for gameplay.
While it's based on a 30 degree angle, the nature of computer monitors is such that 30 degrees gives a super ugly line, so the angle we use is more like 26.565 degrees, with the line going one pixel up and two across each time.
Havegum has a more in-depth tutorial here. Here's a grid useful for making isometric art. Goon Toweris a good example of the art itself.
Curved perspective coming soon.
[Tutorials List]
[Art Forum Navigation]
Fonts can make or break a project... and there are a TON of places on the web to find them... for FREE!!!
Looking for fonts?
Check out these sites:
dafont.com
1001fonts.com
blambot.com
fontdiner.com
fontsquirrel.com
fontspring.com
fontsforflash.com
simplythebest.net
floodfonts.com
fontfabric.com
creativenerds.co.uk
designyourway.net - 100 Fonts
designyourway.net - 87 Fonts
cruzine.com - 100 free fonts
myfonts.com has some free fonts, but you'll have to do some digging. (search by price of $0)
Need to find the name of a cool font you saw used somewhere?
Try whatthefont
Have a favorite site you want to share??
Leave a comment with a link!!
[Tutorials List]
[Art Forum Navigation]
Weeklies
"Weeklies" are contests organized by regulars to entice fun and a bit of competition around the art forum. Typically artists will have one week to draw a picture related to a certain theme, in the following week people can vote on their favorite entry.
If you wish to revive a weekly that is on HIATUS, contact an art forum mod and the last active host of that weekly.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Anagram Weeklies: ACTIVE
1 / 2 / 3 / 4
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
COWs (Creature Of the Week): HIATUS
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 20 / 21 / 22 / 23 / 24 / 25 / 26 / 27 / 28 / 29 / 30 / 31 / 32 / 33 / 34 / 35 / 36 / 37 / 38 / 39 / 40 / 41 / 42 / 43 / 44 / 45 / 46 / 47 / 48 / 49 / 50 / 51 / 52 / 53 / 54 / 55 / 56 / 57 / 58 / 59 / 60 / 61 / 62 / 63 / 64 / 65 / 66 / 67 / 68 / 69 / 70 / 71 / 72 / 73 / 74 / 75 / 76 / 77 / 78 / 79 / 80 / 81 / 82 / 83 / 84 / 85 / Xmas 1/ Xmas 2 / Xmas 3
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SCOWs (Simple Character Of the Week): HIATUS
1 / 2 / 3 / 4
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
CHOWs (CHaracter Of the Week): HIATUS
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 20 / 21 / 22 / 23 / 24 / 25 / 26 / 27 / 28 / 29 / 30 / 31 / 32 / 33 / 34 / 35 / 36 / 37 / 38 / 39 / 40 / 41 / 42 / 43 / 44
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
ACW (Art Challenge of the Week): HIATUS
1 / 2
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
CSOW (Comic Strip Of the Week): HIATUS
1
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
EOWs (Environment Of the Week): HIATUS
1 / 2 / 3 / 4
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Doubles Showdown: HIATUS
In the Doubles Showdowns, artists are randomly paired and have to make a submission together.
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
PMotW (Photo Manipulation of the Week): HIATUS
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SOTW (Sig of the Week): DISCONTINUED
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 20 / 21 / 22
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
NGSM SOTW (NGSM Sig of the Week): ACTIVE
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16 / 17 / 18
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Flood the Portal Fridays: ACTIVE
In Flood the portal fridays, artists are challenged to submit a pic in the given theme, with the provided thumbnail, to the Art portal at exactly the same time. This happens on the first friday of each month.
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13
Holiday Flood 2011
[Tutorials List]
[Art Forum Navigation]
Active Collabs:
Memory Collab Collab in Progress
Artpocalypse Now Collab in Progress
NG Pixel Poster Collab Collab in Progress
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Finished/Closed Collabs:
Cupcake Collab Collab Finished: Link to Flash
MiniBoss Collab Collab Ended
You`re A Tool Collab Ended
Clocktopia Art Gallery Collab Finished: Link to Flash
Sonic Art Collab Collab Finished: Link to Flash
Monochrome Art Collab Collab Finished: Link to Flash
Notepad Drawing Collab: 2010 Collab Finished: Link to Flash
Getting Screwed Over Again Collab Finished: Link to Flash
Robot Day '10-Poetry Art Collab Collab Finished: Link to Flash
Newgrounds Gijinka Collab Collab ended
Pirated Collab ended
NG Levels Collab Collab Closed for entries.
Tricolor Collab Finished: Link to Flash
Nintendo Collab Finished: Link to Flash
GRIM art Collab Finished: Link to Flash
Notepad Drawing 09 Collab Finished: Link to Flash
Drawing Monsters Collab Finished: Link to Flash
The Zoo Collab Finished: Link to Flash
NG Poster Collab Finished: Link to Flash
Storybook Project Collab Ended, don't post any more entries
Metropolis Disaster Collab Closed
Newgrounds Rail Collab Finished: Link to Flash
Food Chain Collab Finished: Link to Flash
The Red Line Collab Finished: Link to Flash
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
NG Sketchbook Tours:
NG Sketchbook Tour 2009 Collab Finished: Link to Flash
NG Sketchbook Tour 2008 Collab Finished: Link to Flash
NG Sketchbook Tour 2007 Collab Finished: Link to Flash
NG Sketchbook Tour 2006 Collab Finished: Link to Flash
[Tutorials List]
[Art Forum Navigation]
Running Contests:
Newgrounds Hip Hop Art Competition Deadline April 20th
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Finished Contests:
Figure Painting Contest
Robot Day 2010 Art Contest
NG Raffy Design Competition
Super Zeroes Art Contest
Newgrounds Comic ad 2
Bioshock 2 Art Contest
Design a T-shirt
Make An App Icon
Show us your Meat!
Violent Encounter
2010 NG Calendar
Newgrounds Comic ad
Papercraft
Bad Game Fan Art
Ng Miniposters Girl
Isometric Pixel Art
Wacom Nude Portrait
Intergalactic V-day
Perfect Pet
Colossal Cock Joke
Newgrounds Holiday
9/12 TRIBUTE
Heavy Metal mag cover
Japanese Vending Machines
Pico Day 08
High-def Sprite
Ng Shirt Design
Ng Diy Munny
Pumpkin Carving
Chest Bursters!
Diy Teddy Troops Design
Ng Print Calendar '09
Tentacle Monsters...
have a suggestion for the next official NG Contest? POST IT HERE
[Tutorials List]
[Art Forum Navigation]
Cool Projects:
1ByDay (new diddy)
Art Forum GroupShot
Building MindChamber
Epic Quest (NGCYOMSPA)
How To Make A Wooden Sword
Hot Porn ( But Better )
I desecrated a famous artwork!
The Newgrounds Car
Re-imagining of Optimus Prime.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Themed Threads:
This is a list of threads that have specific themes, so if your current project fits into one of these POST THEM THERE
15 Minute Sketches Here.,
3d Artists Over Here!!!
A story including you! 2
ABC easy as 123
Anime
Art Collaboration Thread
Art Forum Revival Project (artrap)
blood and gore
Castle Crashers Fan Art.
Design a weapon!
Doodlage
Draw a dragon or learn how!
Draw A Cartoon Pic Of Yourself!
Draw A Cat
Draw A Bee
Draw A Mandala
Draw A Rockstar
Draw A Superhero
Draw a zombie!
Drawing Monsters
Draw Salad Fingers
Draw The Person Above You
Draw Your Favourit Game Character
Easytoon Animation Showcase...
Free Artistic Inspiration Here!
Furry Art
Grim Reaper Thread
Help him get passed the traps.
I drew a boob
I drew a penis
im 13 or 14 and awl draw u
iscribble!
Let's draw Blockhead!
Lets Draw Megaman
Lewd Cathouse Banners!!!
Lined Paper Sketches
Madness Fan Art!
Misadventures of the Ng Art Forum
Movie Characters.
My First Sketch with a tablet!
Newgrounds Artpad Thread
Newgrounds Staff Style
NG Graffiti & Tagging
The Official Alchemy Thread
Official Graffiti Playdo Thread.
Photography
Porn Artz
Post Your Abstract Artwork!
Post Your Spengbab Drawnings!!
pico drawing thread
riddle pictures
robots with wieners
Self Portrait thread
Silly Spongebob
Sonic Art
Steam powered mech/robots
Street Fighter
Stupid Animated Gifs Thread
Symmetry!
Teh Pixels Thread!
The Eye Topic, Post Eye Drawings!!!
The MS-paint thread
Tracing thread
Yay! Buildings!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Any suggestions for other threads to go on these lists are more than welcome.
One of the most important things to any artist is the surface they are drawing on. Because when the surface changes, the technique, media, quality, and overall look of the piece change with it. So here is a handy guide to help you decide which paper is right for your next project.
|||--TERMS TO KNOW--|||
Weight - This is how much a ream (500 sheets cut into 1m squares) of the paper weighs. The higher the weight, the more abuse and higher quality the paper tends to be. Most computer paper weighs in at about 20-30lbs. While water color or wet media paper tends towards 200+lbs. The heavier the paper the more of a media it can hold, as long as it has the right amount of tooth. Also heavy paper is thicker.
Tooth - This is the texture of the paper. The more tooth a piece has the more texture it has, and therefore it can generally hold certain medias better than others. There is no numerical measurement for tooth and you really just have to feel the paper and look at it to see what kind it has. Light weight paper tends to have little tooth and be smooth, while heavier paper has more and is rougher. Be careful though, because some of the cheaper papers have a grid like tooth to them (if you look close you will see a grid like patterning to the areas where the tooth is). High quality paper will have an even tooth all around.
Archival - This is more important than it may sound. Its how long your paper will last. Non-archival acidic paper will yellow rapidly and deteriorate and eventually just disintegrate unless kept in very very special conditions. Nowadays most paper is archival and acid free, but some or better than others. If you treat your paper well your art will outlive you and your great great great great.... grand kids. If you don't, even if it is archival it will start to yellow and disintegrate in as little as 10 years. Avoid sunlight and moisture. Note that "Neutral pH" is not identical to "acid-free"- acid-free papers are created in entirely alkaline environments, and Neutral pH merely means that it has a pH of 7.0.
Roll, Pad, And Sheet - Most mid range art papers come in a pad (a book like thing containing a bunch of papers). The higher quality stuff is sold by the individual sheet. Occasionally you can find paper in large rolls. The rolls are the best bargain and are great for large projects, but only buy one if you are going to use lots of that one kind of paper. Rolls can be made of really cheap craft paper, or super high quality print making paper. Water color or really heavy paper tends to be too stiff to roll up so its generally sold by the sheet.
Dry Vs. Wet Media - Dry media generally refers to pencil, graphite, charcoal, pastel, chalk, ect. Dry things. But it includes some markers and pens. Wet media normally means paint, watercolor, ink washes, nib or quill pens (pens where you have to dip the tip in ink).
Cold Vs. Hot Press - This refers to the end process of when the paper is being made. Its not important to know how its made, all you need to know is Hot press is smooth, Cold press is rough (lots of tooth)
Sizing - Sizing is any of various additive substances including starch, synthetics and animal glues that are added to paper to reduce the paper's ability to absorb liquid (such as ink). There are two types of sizing- surface sizing is applied to the surface of the paper and increases the surface strength, printability, and water resistance of the paper, and internal sizing, which is added to the furnish and improves fiber paper strength and drying time.
|||--PAPER TYPES--|||
Newsprint - This is good sketching paper because its cheap, low quality, and has a decent tooth that can hold a fair amount of most dry medias. Comes in white and off white colors generally. It tends to be non archival even though it may be acid free. The weight is generally between 50-100 lbs.
Computer Paper - Smooth, not really suitable for medias of drawing but is alright for pen, some markers, and pencil.
Craft Paper - Really cheap, very low weight, sometimes has a tooth, tends to be brown, non-archival, not suitable for any media, but is great for cover sheets and drop cloth.
Drawing Paper - Mid range quality, good tooth, 70-110lbs, comes in many colors, good for most dry media.
Sketching Paper - A Little higher quality than Newsprint and tends to be white, 50-90lbs, better tooth than newsprint, more archival as well. Good for dry media.
Charcoal Paper - A bit higher quality than drawing paper, similar tooth, comes in various colors, good for dry media.
Bristol Board - Generally smooth, but very high weight, 100+lbs, good for pencil, pen, and some wet medias. Not good for things that create lots of dust, because the low tooth doesn't let that stuff stick very well. Bristol paper is made by pasting multiple sheets together to form 2-ply, 3-ply, etc, although in the printing industry Bristol also refers to solid paper with a thickness of .006 or up. The name comes from the early days of papermaking when paper would be shipped to Bristol, England for pasting.
Illustration Board - Can be either smooth or toothed. Very stiff. Think of it as a piece of drawing paper stuck on top of a piece of cardboard. Excellent for dry media and pens.
Wet Media Paper- Heavier than charcoal and drawing paper, 120+ lbs, great for pretty much any media, but the tooth is a little to much to be used with pencil or weak charcoal.
Water Color Paper - Stiff, very high tooth and weight, 200+ lbs for the good stuff, good for wet media, to much tooth for most dry media, durable.
Print Making Paper - Excellent for all medias, heavy 200+ lbs. good texture and tooth, very durable. Great all purpose stuff that can be bought on a roll or by the sheet.
Transparent Paper - Not just tracing paper, tracing paper tends to be very low weight, have no tooth, and is flimsy. There is also Mylar, Acetone, and Duralar which are heavy papers that either either completely transparent (like saran wrap) or slightly opaque like tracing paper. They tend to be smooth, and offer a nice creative alternative to drawing on plain white or colored paper.
|||--BIG BRANDS--|||
Strathmore - Good mid range stuff, great for a starting artist who is sick of drawing on computer paper. Relatively cheap.
Arches, Rives, Stonehenge - Really high quality paper, especially the printmaking and water color. If you haven't ever drawn on any of these before, go out and buy a sheet and experiment with different medias on it. Particularly the Rives BFK line. A bit expensive though.
Canson - Good mid range stuff, cheaper than any of the above ones, and a bit higher quality than Strathmore stuff.
Dahler Rowny - Similar to Canson
ONE LAST THING
If you buy a good sheet of paper, don't be afraid of it just because its expensive. If you are worried about ruining it cut off a strip and experiment a bit. Nothing will cripple a drawing more than being afraid of your paper, learn what your paper does and doesn't do well and push it to its limit. Experiment with all kinds of medias on all kinds of paper and you will learn what you can and cant do with each, then you can have that knowledge next time you get an idea of what paper will work best for it.
[Tutorials List]
[Art Forum Navigation]
So people don't spam the art forum with favors:
Art Commissions Thread: you can post a variety of art requests here, however, you must have a decent compensation for the artist's hard work. Want a nice image? Might cost as little as $5. Be sure to read the starter post.
Movie/game Art Request Thread: If you are looking for someone to team up with for a movie or game, post here.
Newgrounds Sig Makers: Same as the Userpage Designers but with sigs.
Profile Pic Makers: Profile pics only.
Userpage Designers: here you can ask for a user image, a banner and an icon. Post premade images and give a good description of what you want.