Magenta-Fantasies on DeviantArthttps://www.deviantart.com/magenta-fantasies/art/AI-Shading-Style-Experiment-364098218Magenta-Fantasies

Deviation Actions

Magenta-Fantasies's avatar

AI Shading Style Experiment

Published:
532 Views

Description

Full view strongly recommended.

Yes, there is a story behind this...

In my graphic design course I've been learning a lot of techniques in Adobe Illustrator lately, and decided to experiment with some tools, particularly gradients and gradient meshing, on art outside of class assignments (speaking of which, I WILL actually upload some of the stuff I've done for class; just wait!).

First decided to test out the Live Trace tool. I was leafing through my little box of sketches until I stumbled across this sketch
(which has an amusing story concerning one of my OTPs behind it:XD: ) and decided it would be absolutely perfect for testing out Live Trace because of all the different line thicknesses and lengths as well as the fluidity of the fabric and the tight vs. flowy contrast. Extravagantly rococo dresses are just so fun to draw! :D

Conclusion: Live Trace is really handy for capturing a flowy, calligraphy-esque effect that I'd probably have a really hard time doing with the pen tool and inking large areas, but it takes a bit of refining with the pen tool and it's a total pain in the butt to color, especially with Gradient Mesh.
In conclusion, I'm not sure if I'm going to use it again. I don't love it, but I don't hate it, and I'm honestly not sure if it saved me any time or not (though I have to admit clicking out some of the lines in the dress would've been a pain with the pen tool). It could be because I haven't gotten used to using Live Trace yet.

I'm still deciding what shading technique I like better. On the left is cel shading, something I've never actually done with my style, but I have some experience with from drawing in Sonic style and from coloring manga scans (done in Illustrator). In the middle is soft cel shading, my traditional shading style (done in Photoshop) and on the right is my experimental gradient shading style (done in Illustrator). Both have their advantages and disadvantages.
For instance, I have a lot more freedom with where the light and shadows go with cel shading, but with gradient shading the shading/lighting looks more even. I also think the color looks more natural with soft cel shading.
All three take about the same amount of work (though it helps that I already have a lot of experience shading in Photoshop whereas gradient shading is fairly new to me).
I've also learned how to gradient color eyes, and even if I choose to stick with cel shading, I might want to incorporate that aspect into my coloring style. It just looks so pretty, but I can't decide if I like my current way of coloring eyes better (since my way is more unique and more western).

Conclusion: I just don't know. Which do you fans prefer?
Image size
1820x1820px 1.92 MB
© 2013 - 2024 Magenta-Fantasies
Comments5
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
The-Quill-Warrior's avatar
Since your artwork is more bold and two-dimensional, it might best to go for the Illustrator Gradient Shading.
Although cel shading would probably be even better.