January 2015 Video Tutorial -- Tracing Is Not Cheating!

[Barbara B]

January 2015 Video Tutorial -- Tracing Is Not Cheating!




If you need a photorealistic element in a scene, you take a photograph of it! And then trace over it! It’s that simple—you own the photo, you own the resulting art. This month, Gary shows you step-by-step hot to reproduce a watering can in a scene, so well-defined, many people won’t notice it’s a drawing. It’s that’s your goal, kick some time and effort into it and watch the video.

View it here. Post your traces in this thread.

[Gare]

I'd like to point something out about this month's video tutorial—it's more like a 1/2 hour TV show, although neither Robert Downey Jr. nor David Tennant are not in it. I wanted to provide our community with a top to bottom, beginning to finish tutorial on how to not just trace over a photo, but then how to bring the tracing to life using at least three different techniques. It is absolutely, no holds barred, the way I sometimes approach an illustration.

You might consider watch the first ten minutes, repeating my steps shown there, and then coming back after you caught your breath. I apologize to those who can't stand a video over 4 minutes, but this subject is much larger than a "tip" or "trick" and demanded the breadth that I used to bring you what might be an entire chapter in a book.

It's my gift to the Xara community, it took over 20 hours to create and produce, and please treat it for what it is instead of spamming me.



My Best, Private Bouton, RCMP (retired)

[stygg2003]

It is a fantastic tut. Gary and for a tut. that is so defined and explained is amazing. I will be following every step, there is more to tracing than I thought. Thank you so much for the time you have put in to make this vid. it is certainly appreciated very much by me.

Stygg

[csehz]

Gare thanks very much for the tutorial, no question it is worth all the 29 minutes. That would be impossible to put so lot of techniques together in shorter time so it is absolutely normal. It is very valuable tutorial for those who search how to translate a photo or a 3D object to 2D vector shapes.

I just would like to show the result after the first try without too many adjustments, the target is simple that would like to post faster than Stygg (no no just had day off today )

[Penny O'Rorke]

Thanks, Gare, for your very hard work. A riveting and informative video.........

[Hajeem]

Needing every minute of this great tutorial. There is so much to learn from it besides the tracing. Thank you.

Hélène

[stygg2003]

Nice one csehz, going to change your name to "Quick draw M'cdraw" Well done mate.

Stygg

[csehz]

going to change your name to "Quick draw M'cdraw"

At last once in the year I was able to be more diligent than you Stygg

Anyway surely worth to mention those lot of small tricks in the tutorial - setting the nudge size and like that collect the ready shapes, seeing that white color is used at the tracing, also how the shapes are pulled away and the colours are picked for the gradients. Basically it is very good info how the process goes through during the whole video time.

[angelize]

While I haven't had time to actually do it yet I did watch it through to the end. Anyone who complains about it being too long should be rapped on the knuckles with a ruler! It's an in depth tutorial that actually teaches you something very worthwhile. I think of it as a lesson or a class and later tonight I will do my homework!

[stygg2003]

At last once in the year I was able to be more diligent than you Stygg

Anyway surely worth to mention those lot of small tricks in the tutorial - setting the nudge size and like that collect the ready shapes, seeing that white color is used at the tracing, also how the shapes are pulled away and the colours are picked for the gradients. Basically it is very good info how the process goes through during the whole video time.

Thanks for the insight csehz, I have watched the video but won't be able to attempt tracing for a few days as I have relatives visiting from Greece but as you note and from watching the vid. it is, as Francis pointed out also, an in depth tut. and I totally agree with her comments.

Stygg