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I want to make tablet animations in flash but im not really good with drawing with it. I very good with drawing, on paper D: but tablet animation is way different so I wanted to ask everyone for some advice. I mean exercises and tips to get used to the thing, would be great. I saw some really good animations on Newgrounds like Blockhead and and the Awesome series wich were made with a tablet and I don't want to make my animations with this wireless mouse over here D:

Thanks in advance

Updated: 12/07/08 3:44 PM Log in to comment! | Share this!

The People Have Spoken

12 Comments

Dec. 5, 2008 | 4:22 PM K111 says:

don't diss the mouse man, never diss the mouse

Dec. 5, 2008 | 4:33 PM Lesjuh responds:

I was asking for advice, not your praises

Dec. 5, 2008 | 4:32 PM Slick-Productions says:

Just do some test drawings before you set out on anything big.
Eventually, you'll start drawing with it like you do on paper, except this time you can use transform tools, fills, etc. :D

Dec. 5, 2008 | 4:35 PM Lesjuh responds:

I will, thanks for your advice ^^

Dec. 5, 2008 | 4:39 PM Lebowski says:

I don't think there are any short-cuts or tips other than practice.
The more you practice with it, the better you'll be at it.
I always think it's lame when people say "practice" when you're asking for advice, but really, that's the best way to go about such things.
It might help to change the settings on the tablet to make it more accustomed to you, but that's all I can think of...other than practice.

Dec. 5, 2008 | 4:43 PM Lesjuh responds:

I see, mouse speed and stuff. thanks, i'll lower it a bit

Dec. 5, 2008 | 4:49 PM Kenkaku says:

1) Practice

Yeah, everyone says practice, but it's the truth. Tablet animation is always different, even if you're a veteran of drawing on paper. Just doodle a bit every now and then and you'll get the hang of it.

2) Get a comfortable working environment

If you can't get comfortable, drawing is near impossible. I'd have to take breaks every 15 minutes because my wrist would always start to hurt. I recommend buying those beanbag whats-its that you can find at any computer store that you place under your wrist for support. HUGE lifesaver.

3) Tinker with the settings

For me, turning on the pressure sensitivity option for the tablet was the best thing I ever did. With this feature on, you can't possibly get any closer to mimicking actual pencil drawing. You can find this setting, as well as several others you should try out, in the program's settings.

Dec. 5, 2008 | 4:59 PM Lesjuh responds:

I think the settings will do the thing, the cursor was moving too fast anyway. The comfortable working environment sounded interesting too :)

Dec. 5, 2008 | 4:55 PM ImpendingRiot says:

Start with circles and geometric shapes. The biggest hurdle with tablet animation is getting used to looking at the screen while you're drawing with your hand.

When people use the mouse, they're already trained to not look at the mouse for the most part. However, when you use a tablet your writing and drawing instincts tell you to look at your hand. So, getting over that habit, and coordinating yourself is the hardest part. But yeah, start with just drawing simple geometric shapes over and over until you get them where you want.

It'll take a few weeks before you can start to get near drawing on paper. There's no real full replacement for pencil and paper though, you have to have reasonable expectations. Good luck.

Dec. 5, 2008 | 5:04 PM Lesjuh responds:

this is really pushing me to get into flash again, didn't do it for a while. I think i'll get the hang of t sooner or later ^^

Dec. 5, 2008 | 5:09 PM JoSilver says:

MOUSE DRAWERS SHALL RULE NEWGROUNDS!!! and lazymuffin only just got a tablet so Nameless was done with a mouse!!! OTHER GOOD MOUSE DRAWERS...

ME!
LUIS!
STANTA!
THE POPE!

THE LIST GOES ON!!!!

Dec. 5, 2008 | 6:04 PM Lesjuh responds:

I heard, but i do mess up all things i draw in flash with mouse so...

Dec. 5, 2008 | 6:09 PM Deadmen says:

Try with basic exercises, instead of jumping into flash, try some doodlings in photoshop. Draw some clouds, using lots of smudge tools, things which don't require much precision. After few weeks of practice you'll get used to tablet.

Dec. 5, 2008 | 6:18 PM Brundaty says:

What is... tablet animation? =o

Wait... your only 13?? DUUDE

Dec. 6, 2008 | 6:01 AM Lesjuh responds:

:P lulz

Dec. 5, 2008 | 6:24 PM Dylawrence says:

This video helped me a lot... make a rough sketch, then onion skin the next frame to refine the sketch!

http://johnnyutah.newgrounds.com/news /post/232925

Dec. 5, 2008 | 7:34 PM C0mBineD says:

oefenen net als op papier

Dec. 5, 2008 | 11:01 PM tekedo says:

the main thing you need to do is get used to it, and the pen (plastic on plastic dose not feel so life like) location is another thing, if you arent comftrable where you work, it isint going to turn out as well. i recomend doing remedial things with it (tracking, clicking, selecting) so you can get the feel of it, and when you have the movemens down you will be able to move more fluedly. all of these things i have done, becouse my first animation was with a mouse, and it was quite anoying. oh one final tip, try to not focus on your hand, but more ont eh screen, like you do a mouse.

Hope this helps
-Tek

Dec. 6, 2008 | 1:41 AM ben-pasko says:

Bah, tablets are over-rated. I don't make flash videos, but I do artwork for games, and I just figure out what each character will do, then draw by hand and scan it into the comp. It takes long, but change scares me, so it's ok.

lol, but srsly, I reccomend you try to start with circles, the same way you learn to draw on paper. Then move onto other shapes, etc. Hope you learn the tablet!