What is Reddit's opinion of
PaintTool SAI?
From 3.5 billion Reddit comments
26 reviews of this app found across Reddit:
- First rule of line art: Stop doing it in Photoshop.
- Second rule of line art: Get thyself a copy of Paint Tool Sai.
- Enjoy blissfully easy line work.
if you don't have a drawing tablet id recommend paint.net its free, has layers and transparency and a useful line tool that is easy to use with a mouse. if you have tabled get pain tool sai its relitivy cheep ^^^( ^^^or ^^^easy ^^^to ^^^pirate) and has good tools works well with tablets and it has STABILIZERS !
>You can download "PaintTool SAI" from below links. This software has 31 days trial period. You can use this software with full function without fee during the first 31 days. (CAUTION: This software disable the file open/save functions immediately when 31 days trial period expired. It means that you lose painting since the saved point.)
>If you'd like to continue using this software after the 31 days trial period expired, you need to purchase the"Software License" from this site.
The license costs 5250 JPY, or about 50 bucks
I'm not sure, I downloaded the English version over 5 years ago. It may have been a cracked version, but you didn't hear that from me. The actual software license is 5400 japanese yen, based on a quick google search.
Doable!
1) Buy a drawing tablet
2) Install MyPaint [free] or SAI [cheap]
3) Replace anime/vidya/reddit time with drawing. Sub to artists on youtube/twitter/pixiv so information filters in. Focus on quality-of-work and fixing mistakes, not speed, and try to polish your drawings rather than just producing a lot of bad ones.
4) Continue for 2 years [you might incorporate books or life drawing at some point]
5) Get as much sweet, sweet karma on /r/awwnime as your heart desires
Oh I see!
Hey, have you ever heard of FireAlpaca?
It's free, and like a mix between SAI and Photoshop! It's also pressure sensitive.
I'll link you to where you can download it: http://firealpaca.com/en (for mac and windows)
You can also download the free trial of Paint Tool SAI here: http://www.systemax.jp/en/sai/ The full version (assuming that you legally obtain it) requires a software liscence that costs like 50 USD or something. Personally I think it's worth the money, it's what I use and it's fantastic for both linework and colouring. There isn't any text option, though I've heard that the second version will have it. However if you can't afford it or download it for whatever reason, FireAlpaca works just as well!
Anyways, I've seen some amazing things done with MS Paint so, yeah, like whatever program you use I'm sure you'll keep producing wonderful art.
hi there!
i'm currently using photoshop CS5 with a wacom bamboo tablet. though when i first started digital art i used paint tool sai which is really super easy to get into if you're just starting out (though now that i've switched to photoshop, i don't even remember how i could use sai in the first place!)
i'll repeat a few things i said to ratta about tablets though; first rule is ~~do not talk about fight club~~ don't buy trust tablets. although they're cheap, i managed to rip through about 3 within my first year of digital art. i've had my wacom ever since.
second thing is that wacom are really, REALLY good, but money can be an issue for some. if that's the case, i've heard monoprice tablets are just as good as wacom's and are cheaper. although i've never owned one, i've only ever heard good things about them.
digital art can be a lot trickier to get into but it's worth it! passionate speech over, good luck yo.
edit: and, of course, should you have any more questions feel free to ask
Actually, I use Easy Paint Tool Sai. There is a trial period for... 30 days I think of the full software, and then you have to buy it if you want to save your files. But it's probably one of the cheapest ones out there at ~$60 (which is one of the reasons I chose it :P). As far as how to use layers and all that, two months ago I was an utter and complete newby with photo editing software (though I will admit I have degree in IT so that may affect how easy it was to learn). And now I'm getting it down pretty well, although I know there is way more that I can learn about it.
If you check Youtube, there really is a wealth of tutorials on Paint Tool Sai and other software available that are really helpful when just starting out (keyboard commands, what buttons do, etc.). And I know it's cliche, but it really is just a matter of sticking to it and not giving up. When I first started I did a little test with the tablet without very much practice just to see where I was at, and made this. Very bad anatomy, I know :(. Fast forward to a couple days ago, I decided to ditch color for now and work on just values of light and dark (at the suggestion of ctrlpaint.com) and I made this. Admittedly, it's still not all that great, but I feel like I've made some progress.
So, don't give up and draw, draw, draw!
If you can play Diablo 3 and Lol and stuff then drawing shouldn't be any problem at all. Unless you go for the insane resolutions I sometimes use (10 000 x 10 000 pixels lol...) but you never need to go that far. Just remember check the minimum requirements for the tablet though, just in case!!
And if you want drawing software I would strongly recommend Paint Tool SAI! It's really good and it's cheap :D
What program do you use? I just got a tablet and after doing a good bit of research and some personal experience, it seems that the way programs are built have a massive effect on the way things are actually drawn. The consensus that I've seen is that paint tool sai (linked official site. Google pulls up some other sites that seem sketchy) is a very good drawing program.
For programs, I'd recommend downloading Paint Tool SAI (it's relatively cheap at around $50, but there are cracks out there if you can't afford it) - when working with Photoshop I've always had issues keeping brushstrokes smooth, and most Adobe programs are very expensive, so they're not worth investing in if you're just starting out.
If you don't have a tablet, buy one. Wacom are the most popular brand but I've found Monoprice tablets are very well-reviewed and highly recommended by artists I follow. They're also a fair bit cheaper.
As for learning the process of digital painting itself, I'd recommend checking out resources from magazines like ImagineFX (which is dedicated mainly to digital fantasy and sci-fi art). For tutorials on particular things, I'd say just google it - there's an incredible amount of resources out there to use.
If you're just getting started, I recommend Paint Tool Sai. It's cheap and super easy to use. Photoshop is what you use when you are really serious and want to do professional work, and it is very daunting if you've never used it before.
Based on the program in the drawing I'm guessing the artist used Paint Tool SAI and maybe some added effects with Photoshop. Paint Tool SAI is a wonderful art program and is very powerful even more so than Photoshop in some areas. It costs about $50 but if you live outside of Japan you might have to pay for the currency conversion (for me purchasing it in the US it was $50 + $14 for conversion). The official site is http://www.systemax.jp/en/sai/.
I also can't offer a tablet, but you may want to look into using Paint Tool Sai. It makes drawing with a mouse a breeze, I didn't believe it myself until I tried it, I now pretty much use nothing else for drawing.
You can try it for 31 days unrestricted to get a feel for it.
Video of someone using it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA5_iUNI-6o
Its like a illustrating program combined with photoshop and epic win.
I'm actually using a program called Paint Tool SAI, which is a fair cry cheaper than Photoshop and excellent for drawing with a tablet (which is what I do, since I just draw mostly as a hobby and don't really have the expertise to wield Photoshop at its true strength).
You can find the program (and where to purchase a license agreement) here.
The English version is here.
It costs 5250 JPY which is about 67 USD.
The two most important things about using a tablet is the program... I personally use Paint tool Sai. Download link -> http://www.systemax.jp/en/sai/ also when you are using paint tool sai you want to go up to the top drop down stabilizer and set that to "S-7" that will create a lag effect on the brush but it will make the lines nice and smooth.
oh, I'm using photoshop. Here's how you switch in GIMP, though: Picture
How to do it in Photoshop. Picture
Heres Sai, which is really nice for tablets, primarily how you can rotate images on the fly, and pressure as size is the default. Sadly its not free. :( Link
What tablet did you get, by the way? Just recently I bought the wacom bamboo pen and touch. I suck at drawing, sadly. Tablet makes it much easier for me to practice, though.
Hi! First of all, sorry to hear of your struggles. Secondly, it looks like you’re using Paint Tool SAI 1.2.x. If you’re upset by it not being updated, you should know that Koji Komatsu, the sole developer, has stopped work on version 1.x and has been developing version 2 as a free update, available in the “development room” part of the web site (most recent build on 8/12/2019).
http://www.systemax.jp/en/sai/devdept.html
I believe your “Canvas Saving Failed” issue may be related to read/write privileges. Is the program possibly not being run with administrative privileges? Might you be able to right-click the executable, select properties, and check a box to run as admin?
It seems that your comment contains 1 or more links that are hard to tap for mobile users. I will extend those so they're easier for our sausage fingers to click!
Here is link number 1 - Previous text "Sai"
^Please ^PM ^/u/eganwall ^with ^issues ^or ^feedback! ^| ^Delete
The thing about drawing tablets is that there are many companies that make them, but only one that makes good ones that will always work - Wacom. It's an investment, and if you ever start doing commissions, it will pay for itself. I absolutely recommend this one for anyone beginning their journey into digital art. At $100 or so, it's more expensive than others, but basically, it's gotta be Wacom or not at all. It will last you years and be your best friend. As for software, the tablet comes with a couple of programs, but Paint tool SAI is a drawing program that a lot of furries like to use. I prefer openCanvas myself, but it's buggy and old and crashes a lot. Then of course, there's Photoshop, but it's expensive.
I can't live without a graphic tablet anymore! I wish I had money to buy a cintiq without getting into debt, haha. Then again I draw for a living :')
Most people have it really hard to use tablet for the first time, but after a while you get used to it and can't function without one.
Which programs are you going to use it with? While Photoshop may be the typical software most people use, there are a couple other programs worth giving it a try, especially if you're on windows. I'd recommend PaintTool Sai (http://www.systemax.jp/en/sai/), since it makes really nice lines and it's very straightforward to use.
Good luck on your artistic endeavours! :D And remember to practice every day at least half an hour to an hour :)
It's a proprietary file type for Paint Tool Sai, which is a great image creating/editing program for things like this.
I believe there is a demo, but you can also go down to the Bay and get a copy if you want.
I have not used it, but I have heard good things about it visiting conventions and the like! I think it's probably a better tool for cell-style art, while Sai is great for painting.
I basically only use PaintTool Sai -- it has pen stabilization which is really a must-need for tablet users, plus a million and one different types of brushes (ink, airbrush, watercolor, marker, pencil...all of which draw pretty reliably as those types). The only thing PaintTool Sai lacks is layer blending options, but I make up for that with Photoshop.
Sai is only $50 (with a free month-long trial period) and has been a really reliable tool for me: http://www.systemax.jp/en/sai/
Photoshop CS2 is "free" since Adobe has stopped supporting it with servers and shit. This is great for taking photos and editing them
As others have said GIMP is also out there. Never used it so look to others for their opinions i guess. It is free so that can be good if you don't want to pay for one.
I personally started using Paint Tools Sai which is pretty good. It cost me $1 for the license agreement. Though this is a Japanese program translated to English. It is good for making your own thumbnails and art work for the channel but it takes time to get use to it and the lack of a circle tool is a bitch if you want to has perfect circles.
Sketchbook pro is another program i use to use and got free with my Wacom tablet. It comes from Autodesk and it 60$ and can be less if you find a sale. This is another draw it yourself kind of thing in that editing photos isn't ideal in it.
How did you end up using SAI? I've never heard of it, until now - I'm really curious. Last version is from 2008, according to http://www.systemax.jp/en/sai/.
I love your palette.
No, I was on baconreader earlier but here are the links. This goes to the official website. This goes to a fansite that has it translated in english