What app and how to use it.

I need help with something guys.

If I wanted to draw something graphic, like a logo or a bare outline for someone to colour in, like in a children's colouring book, I would need to keep the line weight constant and clean. Try as I might I just cannot hold my hand still enough to get that sort of mechanical neatness using freehand software and a tablet and pen.

How do you draw images that require one thickness of line freehand? What apps can I use and what recommendations do you have for using them? For example, do I need a vector program, or can it be done in photoshop?

Any help will be gratefully received!

You should try the Path tool in Photoshop. It allows you to draw freehand and smooth the lines to get rid of any shakiness. Then when you're done you just select Stroke Path and it automatically draws around your lines with the seleced brush.

Either an application with a vector/path option, or something like Manga Studio/ArtRage which have line correction options. Or, google Lazy Nezumi.

That's interesting, thanks Val.

Sadly, I don't have a full version of photoshop. I use elements 9. So, I don't think this app has a paths tool.

What apps do?

Edit: Thanks Banj. I need to look into these different types of digital art. I get asked to do this sort of thing quite often and I sort of bodge through with my freehand techniques. I could do with getting something more professional looking.

2nd Edit: Yeah, that's the "technique" I was talking about Chuck! I just about get by doing it that way, but I feel I need to try something else. If for nothing else, just to fill out the repertoire a bit.

I usually just draw way bigger than the end result (so small shakies won't show) EDIT: and I forgot to say I also use the eraser a lot and redraw and erase the edges and redraw again 'cause I erased to much and so on and on...

And I guess if you want constant line width, you could set a pen to not react to pressure etc? Still, those path tools (I never understood them) probably give the cleanest result.

I think Gimp has a similar path tool if you can cope with the interface.
And as Banj said artrage has a smoothing pen option but I think that has a tapering line weight rather than a keeping a consistent brush size. Òr maybe I just use it wrong!

Artrage and Manga Studio. You can add some auto correction and get some nice smooth ink lines. Manga studio was on sale last week for $19.00 so you can get it super cheap when it's on sale.

I will look into GIMP I think. I have it on my computer coz it's free!

Valence wrote: And as Banj said artrage has a smoothing pen option but I think that has a tapering line weight rather than a keeping a consistent brush size. Òr maybe I just use it wrong!

You can switch off the taper in the brush properties to give a consistent width end to end.

EDIT - piccy

ArtRage has a smoothing function that can even be a bit annoying (if it smooths more than you want). You can usually choose the setting for tapers though so yeah it can produce same width lines. I tried to draw a few circles using my mouse just now, but it ended up looking like a bum and since I'm tired I giggled until I had zig zag lines all over the place. I think it's way past my bedtime. Again.

EDIT: and I'm typing so slowly that THREE people managed to post while I was trying to get my little message together...