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Myers Briggs Type Indicator – Being an INTJ Artist

by Ben June 11, 2021 in Art Talk, Personal, Thoughts 0 comments tags: #arttalk, personality

artist pic1

 

MBTI and Art

Much of my life has been spent attempting to understand both myself and the world I inhabit. Part of this journey of discovery involved reading up on Psychology related topics where I'd learnt about the MBTI (Myres-Briggs Type Indicator). It's a test to reveal which 1 of 16 specific personality types you resemble. You can take the test here if you're interested in seeing which type you belong to.

My type? INTJ. I'm a person with the Introverted (I), Intuitive (N), Thinking (T), and Judging (J) personality traits.

"These thoughtful tacticians love perfecting the details of life, applying creativity and rationality to everything they do. Their inner world is often a private, complex one", says 16personalities.com.

Are all INJTs artists? From what I've found, most aren't! INTJs like myself are usually given the label of 'Architect' or 'Strategist'. I should be the type to work as a scientist or analyst, playing chess and reading technical books for fun. While I do enjoy analysing things, playing board games and would often rather read a manual or something more factual than fiction, I also love art and design. Rather 'ISFP' types are often considered to have the artist personality type in the MBTI world.

As a side-note, 'Psychology Junkie' assigned a Myres-Briggs type to a list of famous fine artists with different personalities on their site. It's interesting but may not be completely accurate. It at least highlights the fact that no matter your personality, there's potential for you to become an artist if that's what you want to do. 

 

My Experience and thoughts...

One thing I often felt didn't quite work with the MBTI was determining a person's stress sensitivity. Whether or not an individual is more prone to positive or negative emotions makes a big, noticeable difference in one's life choices, habits and interests. Unlike another personality model- 'The Big 5', stress sensitivity wasn't taken into account with the MBTI. Take the big 5 test here. Although 16personalities.com have added a suffix of T for Turbulent / stress-sensitive types and A for Assertive types to help address this. Although this does now kind of indicate 32 potential personality types and starts to defeat the purpose of pigeonholing in order to make quick generalizations. Suffice to say, MBTI is not the perfect personality model, but is still useful.

The reason I bring this up is because unfortunately for me I'm high up on the negative emotions spectrum. A guy with the 'Turbulent' INTJ variant who's easily stressed and cautious. And so my experience of being an INTJ artist might differ from the next INTJ. I want to discuss my experiences all the same.

[Aside: Having a more cautious personality can have it's advantages. Without going in depth; You'll be less likely to get involved in risky activities or having accidents. It'll make you more aware of and considerate towards the people around you - an otherwise common criticism of the INTJ type. To know stress and negativity so well allows one to fully appreciate positivity when it does arrive.]

 

Why do you create the things you do?

It's a deep and interesting question.

I would speculate that the type of art you focus on i.e. the theme and style would have some correlation to your Myers-Briggs personality type. Although I'm sure other personality dimensions such as orderliness and agreeableness could be used to more likely determine the theme and style an artist tends to prefer. Our tastes are shaped by both our innate personalities, but also the experiences we've had throughout our lives. Having grown up on 80s cartoons as a kid, then moving to anime into my pre-teens ensured a desire to imitate what I thought was inspiring. Hence I went on to produce and sell a million copies of manga related art books as an adult.

 

Being an INTJ makes me very forward-thinking

When it comes to creating art, I'm often focused on the end result rather than process. This can be challenging when I have a 50 hour image waiting to be created and I'm not always 'in the moment'. I've often felt agitated or unsatisfied until I'm on the home stretch and working on the last 10-20% of an image.

 

I want to bring beauty into reality

My philosophy for creating has always been "because it looks cool". A sentiment I share with one of my favoured anime directors Yoshiaki Kawajiri. As well as comic artist Todd McFarlane. I care about the aesthetics more than the deeper meaning behind the image. Every artwork an artist creates will communicate something, but my aim is to convey my own tastes with a literal illustration. Style, technique and subject often takes precedent over producing narrative, mood, something abstract and ambiguous.

Don't get me wrong, I can walk into a modern art gallery and understand what I'm looking at, unlike the laymen who might question "what the hell is this supposed to be?", but I have little interest in producing modern art and hate the pretentious side to it. Ascribing meaning to nothing then giving yourself a pat on the back? Yuck!

 

I want to create perfection

If an image doesn't look as close to perfect as I'm able to produce, I'm unhappy. I'm bound by the limits of my own competency, so while I know I'll never achieve true perfection, if such a thing exists, at least I'll try to get as close to the best thing I'm capable of. Not that perfectionism is an INTJ specific trait, but there's satisfaction when the plan comes together and everything looks just right.

Expertness is important to me. In general I like to be good at everything I do. Perhaps it's some ego thing whereby I don't want to believe I'm as useless as I actually am? But certainly I'm happier when others can recognise my accomplishments. If art happens to be something I'm being praised for, then I'll continue to do it. But more important to what anyone else thinks, I want to produce work to my own self-imposed, exacting standards. 

 

Best suited art careers for INTJs

INTJs are not the typical, whimsical artist types. INTJs will need to find a way to make certain artistic roles work to suit their needs. I've spent the past two decades dabbling with different artistic jobs and some worked better for me than others. I list these below.

I appreciate no two INTJs are the exactly same, and in fact some won't even understand the point of art! But INJT types like myself are a testament to how it's still possible to pursue and succeed in different disciplines within the field of art and design.

Most art jobs are going to require 1- a lot of time on your own (being an introvert makes this easier) and 2- devoting a lot of time to building competency in your craft. If you happen to be an INJT, or even if you're not, here are some job options within the field of art and design:

 
Graphic Designer:

Graphic Design roles gives an opportunity to create but with tighter restrictions than working with a blank canvas and paint. For example, you might like the idea of exploring the subtleties of typography and becoming an expert on the use of lettering. It's direct, clean, to the point and serves a purpose. No messy paints required since it's mostly all digital. Freelancing from home might be the way to go if you don't like the idea of mixing with other employees in an office or studio.

 
Web designer:

Allows for planning how a site should look and function, while coding gives the mathematical and logical circuits of the brain a chance to fire up. There's something quite satisfying about being able to read a page of code as well as design the visuals for an attractive, functional site.

 
Illustrator:    

This can be for books, ads, promo material. I suspect that understanding the rules of art and design and then applying them is the best way to go for an INTJ type. There are rules to art such as composition and colour theory, and once those rules are established, being able to come up with a plan to maximize each design's potential is the way to go. Illustration has a clear goal to communicate something specific up-front. Often the best advertising illustrations are well thought out and witty, giving an INJT like myself an opportunity to make use of that part of my mind.

 
Concept Artist:

For those who love to create characters or environments for games and films. INTJs may prefer this as it requires becoming a competent technical artist. Non-INTJ artists who are keen to create but have no talent, little skill or patience may instead gravitate towards abstract, modern art or learn to blag their way to a successful art career. You can't blag a your way into a concept artist roll. Of all the artist fields, I would guess Concept art might be one of the hardest art professions to succeed in due to the fact it's so popular and already holds a large pool of highly competent artists. 

 
Tattoo artist:

One of the few art careers these days which will allow for a lot of time away from the screen. You'll be more likely to get praise from customers on a daily basis, which helps facilitate the need for acknowledgment of accomplishments. It means working with people and being social which introverts generally prefer minimizing, although it's primarily 1-1 communication. Having worked part-time as a tattoo artist myself for over 10 years, I can say that the aspect of dealing with customers can be challenging but has helped me grow as a person.

 
Animator:

Although having worked on a several basic animation projects, I've not professionally worked as an animator for any length of time. It requires technical skills and patience which an INTJ might have a better time dealing with. Although animation takes a long time to reach your future vision and it's often repetitive. Despite being a huge fan of anime, cartoons and animation, I've always been put off by the prospect of needing to devote an entire day or more just to make a character move an arm or walk from one room to other for example.

 
Manga / Comic Artist:

This requires high level of technical ability. If you can handle lot of time on your own, this will suit you. If you like to write and conceptualise your own stories, this is the career for you. Although most employed comic artists will end up spending much of their time working from another writer's script. Having a successful career as a manga ka (artist) or comic artist is extremely tough. I would imagine the task of conveying different emotions through characters might be a little challenging to INTJs at first also.

 
Fine Artist:

You'll specialise in a particular medium and concentrate on a particular subject matter and type of art i.e. landscapes, portraits. It allows for a lot of autonomy which is great, but you'll need to work on selling which will be the hardest obstacle for an INTJ as selling will involve interactions with other people either face to face or through online videos. Having the freedom to create whatever you want is the dream of many artists, but for most, monetizing your creations will be extremely difficult.

 

[Aside: Being an artist is not someone who does modern dance, plays drums or writes poetry. As per what was described in a Reddit thread I was reading while researching this post. All those things are considered creative pursuits, sure, but you're only an artist if you design and create something tangible in 99.9% of cases. There's no criticism towards being a dancer, musician or creative writer, however there's no point over complicating definitions.]

 

 

To finish off

While I love art, design and illustration I often wonder; if I were to re-play my life would I have chosen it as a career? It's probably too late to trade up this profession so I shouldn't have regrets. I've been doing it a while and couldn't bare to give up the 20,000 or so hours I've invested in my pursuit of art and design. I suspect that inheriting my dad's  traits (a fellow INTJ) while having an artistically minded mum encouraging my creative side would always lead me to where I am now?

I can't feel guilty for my time spent on art. And I'm sure I would engage in it even as a hobby, if not my career. To think of an idea and to then bring it into reality through one's creative endeavours is an amazing thing and a worthwhile goal. No matter your 'type', if you're making or improving something, even through analysis and carefully considered critique then you're on the right track. I would argue, to bring beauty into existence is one of humanities' most important contributions to the universe. What do you think? Are you contributing?

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Art Questions and Answers #9

by Ben December 23, 2020 in Art Talk 1 comments tags: #arttalk, q and a

art q and a 9

 

What digital drawing software would you recommend for a beginner, other than Adobe Photoshop?

I can’t say I have a great answer for this one since it’s been years since I used anything other than Photoshop. I guess the reason for using something other that Photoshop would be to save money. Or find something that suits you better- whether it be simpler and easier to use or more relevant to creating the type of art you produce. I used to like Paint tool Sai, Painter and Clip Studio Paint  (was known as 'Manga Studio' back in the day when I used it). Krita should do the job if you don’t want to pay any money.

It's also worth looking into tablet based drawing apps which tend to be easier to learn with limited functionality. Autodesk Sketchbook, ArtRage and Procreate are spoken of highly within the artistic community. Although I've personally never tried them - I don't have an Ipad or Tablet computer.

The best thing would be to try all of the above and see which one suits you. Most Apps will provide at least a 30 day free trial if they're not already free. How about setting yourself a project to create an artwork with each piece of software? This would allow you enough time to evaluate it's pros and cons before making a decision about which to use on a regular basis.

 

What challenges do you often come across when creating your drawings? (software difficulties, time limits)?

Every single artwork usually has at least one challenge. The level of difficulty and challenge often depends on exactly what I’m creating and how complex it is.

Since I’ve been using digital software for so many years, I don’t usually get stuck with the software. Unless there’s some unusual conflict with my operating system, graphics driver or graphics tablet. Occasionally a new software update can set me back if there’s a new tool or process to learn.

Time is often an issue for me due to the fact I typically create artwork with an art style that has a high level of finish; so lots of smooth blending and attention to detail. This is generally more time consuming to create opposed to looser, sketchier or painterly styles. I've found that I work quite slowly in general- perhaps a trait or my perfectionist nature? So I've had to accept this is a fact and take it into consideration when sit down to create anything. Also over time I've learned when it's time to quit fiddling around with a piece of art and consider it finished. Sometimes setting yourself a deadline is enough to help determine when a piece of artwork can be considered finished.

 

I will be creating an original character of myself, what tips would you recommend for getting the right proportions and features of my character?

For proportions, stick to real life reference to start with. Then consider ways you can tweak your style to make it more ‘manga’ or whatever it is you want to go for. It might be worth taking photos of yourself at different angles and in different poses and sketching them in order to work with a base which you can then tweak and overlay with costume and accessories.

 

When creating a character and a background, would it be best for both to be detailed, or only one of them to keep the focus on one feature?

If the brief / objective is to create a character for example, concept art character designing, then focus entirely on the character. Sure, you can add background elements to give some context, but it’s not necessary to go too detailed unless you are deliberately illustrating a scene.

 

Do you have any other tips or recommendations on digital drawing or creating an original character?

Before even picking up a pencil, it’s worth writing down 3-6 themes or elements you want to include in the character. Ask yourself- What’s their gender? What genre/s are you designing for? What part of the world are they from? What’s their job/role? What kind of abilities do they have? What tools do they use to help with their duties? What type of clothing would make their job easier? For example:

Gender: Male

Genre: Medieval fantasy

From: The Mountains

Role: Hunter

Abilities: Strength, tactics and cunning

Tools: Bow and Arrow, Axe

Clothing: Something to keep him warm in the mountains and camouflaged and protected when hunting

 

Once you’ve figured out these questions, think of a feature that makes them special and stand out from every other generic hunter character. Maybe he’s got a crazy scars from battle, or a huge, magical bow that fires 20 arrows at once?

Also consider what wouldn’t work with this character. For example, a metal arm wouldn’t help if you’re in cold environments. Loud and colourful clothing wouldn’t help sneak up on your prey. It’s about creating something over the top and fun, but whilst still being somewhat believable. I touch on this question in both The Artists Guide to Drawing Manga and Digital Manga also.

 

~~~

If there's a question you'd like answered relating to art, or digital illustration, feel free to contact me or leave a comment.

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Art Q and A #8

by Ben May 05, 2020 in Art Talk 0 comments tags: #arttalk, q and a

Art QA 8

 

Do you do tutorials?? Any tips??

The best thing would be to check out one or more of my How-to-draw books. Lots of advice and tips in those :) The Artist's Guide to Drawing Manga is always a good place to start. Search for 'Ben Krefta Book' on Amazon or visit your local book store alternatively.

The first question is kinda funny since half my career has been spent delivering tutorials and it doesn't take more than a few clicks through this website or swipes down through my social media feeds to find a post advertising or mentioning one of my How-to-draw manga books.

The second question is so broad and without context (such as who you are, what level you're at right now or specifically what you want help with) that I, or most artists are never going to be able to reply with much more than "you just need to practice" or "draw lots". I'll often see people complain about pro artists giving the unhelpful "just practice" line of advice. It's even become a bit of an internet meme and sure, it's obvious, generic advice barely worth stating. But as the saying goes, "if you ask a basic question, you'll get a basic answer". There's some things you, the aspiring artist wishing to improve, should consider when seeking out advice from a pro or someone more skilled:

  1. Like I say, firstly, be specific about what you want. "Any tips?" or "how do I get good at art?" are horrible questions. Similarly, imagine someone asking you, "how do I get a job?" or "how do I make a good song?". Without more context and details (in these cases, the job they want or type of music they're interested in) an answer will always be generic, broad and obvious. Or an answer might potentially miss the mark and not tell you what you really want to know.
  2. Every artist of a decent calibre probably gets asked this question all the time and might be bored of continually trying to answer. Or perhaps they simply have many other things they could instead being doing. So consider how you can persuade them to devote their time to you (a stranger)? Don't put a pro in a situation where they might feel like they're wasting even 5 minutes of their time in replying to you specifically. 
  3. Be polite, complimentary and sincere with your request. Explain you're at your wit's end, having tried and failed and in need or deserving of help. Perhaps a pro would be more forthcoming with some answers if they had some back story and knew you were genuine?
  4. One thing I notice- if someone isn't enthused enough to message with more than a quick, "got any tips?" they'll more than likely be less eager to implement any advice given. It makes a professional reconsider helping.
  5. Forget even writing a question to begin with! Instead, first ask yourself the question you're asking of someone else. It might turn out, you kind of know the answer already. What do I mean by this? Surely you've heard other artists mention things like "learn anatomy, perspective, composition and other fundamentals"? "Learn fundamentals" had got to be the most frequent answer to any art improvement question. And so maybe instead of asking someone for tips, ask yourself, "how do I find some resources on anatomy, perspective and composition etc?". It doesn't take more than a quick Google search to find a site, article or pro willing to offer some basics to get you started.
  6. Furthermore to point #5 - Instead of asking questions, just buy a tutorial book, online resource or training course. If you're not willing to invest even £10 on a book (even if just asking for it for a Birthday present), then any quick advice you get from an email or social media message probably isn't going to be sufficient help much anyway.
  7. Lastly, give a sincere 'thank you' in response to any advice given. I'm more willing than most to reply and always try to respond to every question I receive, however it's a shame that being sent a 'thank you' message afterwards is rarely given.

By all means, ask for advice. That's what these Q and A articles are all about :) But if you ask better questions, you'll likely get better answers so it's worth thinking about that, whether you're asking for art advice or help with anything in life.

 

I want to print one of your pictures on my motorcycle. Can you tell me if that's possible or not? Is it legal?

Practically speaking, I guess with any images you find on the internet, you could use them and so long as the owner doesn't find out it technically doesn't hurt anyone. Personally, I don't mind my art being used for non-profit purposes. Especially since I know that once I post anything online I lose some control over it anyway. In this specific example about using it on your bike, go for it. However, if you want a high-res version of an image, or to profit from it, we'll need to discuss a fee for that.

Legally speaking every image has an owner and unless it's stated as being royalty-free or you specifically have permission to use it, there is always a chance of come-back and even being sued if you're seeking to profit from another's property. I don't allow my artwork to be used for commercial purposes unless we have agreed a licencing fee, which permits it's use on a product or for a service.
Aside: I've ranted about art thieves who persist on using low-res versions of my work illegally for profit- check out earlier Blog posts if you're interested in this. It's a real pet peeve of mine.

Morally speaking, to use images you didn't create or without consent isn't cool. Providing you can track down the artist with a reverse image search (if they're not already credited), it doesn't take much to just ask if it's ok to use it. If you can explain it's just for private, personal use, I'd imagine most artists wouldn't mind it being used.

 

I feel like I'm getting worse at art even though I'm drawing more! Any help?

From what I understand of other artists, myself included, this is quite common of all of us. We will make progress, then make some more, then suddenly fail to create something even half-decent. We are left doubting our abilities. We may also plateau- being stuck at the same level and standard without seeing any signs of improvement for a long time. Progress needs to be measured over a long time and when it comes to art, you'll take a step back for every two or three steps forward. It's just part of the process and something to be aware of and accept.

If you feel like you're going backwards, take a break from whatever you've been working on or struggling with and re-approach it later when your mind is clearer and had chance to reset.

 

~~~

If there's a question you'd like answered relating to art, or digital illustration, feel free to contact me or leave a comment.

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Art Q and A #7

by Ben August 02, 2019 in Art Talk 0 comments tags: #arttalk, q and a

Manga Art Questions 7

 

How can I become a professional fine art painter?

I would love to be an fine art painter. I have a passion in art. I have many people that buy my art for charity and I would love to do for a living, but where do I start?.

You'd probably be best-off finding a fellow fine art painter to give advice how they got started. Most of my art career has been geared more towards the design and illustration side of things. If I were you, I'd get together a portfolio of my work and knock on the doors of local galleries to see if they would be interested in displaying and selling your art. Or perhaps ask local restaurants or coffee shops? Starting an online Etsy store might also be something worth looking in to? With this kind of thing it's something you're going to need to continue to built up gradually over time. Both to build your artistic skills and to find an avenue to market and sell your art. It's hard to be specific with the best venues or online platforms to sell at since different selling strategies will work for different people and depending on different styles of art. It will need to just be a case of trying a few things and see if one turns into a business you can sustain and grow.

 

How do you make money with art?

Are you making any money on your great artistic abilities? How old are you now? What kind of artwork are you doing nowadays??

Thanks. I do. I sell my art prints online and at conventions here in the UK. I also sell my work through Print on Demand sites like Spreadshirt and Zazzle. I take on commissions for companies who contact me through this website- usually in the form of mechanise art, designs for ad campaigns or book illustration. Plus I work part time as a tattoo artist, which takes up about 2-3 days of my week. I think most artists these days need to consider multiple sources of income and opportunities for their work unless they specialise in one area or niche and have one or two clients who can provide a regular stream or work.

As I write this, I'm 36. Nowadays stabbing people with tattoo needles takes up a fair amount of my time. The tattoo designs I create typically aren't manga characters, but I still lean more towards an illustrative and comic book style.

I talk more about money and work in Art Q and A #6 and other articles on my blog.

 

What Graphics Tablet do you use and what should I get?

I'm thinking about investing in a tablet and saw what your using. Would you be able to share what you use and anything else I need to get started? Thanks Ben :)

I'm using a Wacom Cintiq 27QHD Touch screen-based graphics tablet for most of my digital artwork. I also have a XP-Pen Artist 15.6" screen-tablet which is a little more portable and fits in my laptop bag. While Wacom make some nice products, I wouldn't necessarily advise beginners to start with a 27QHD. The price tag alone means you'll need to be seriously committed to digital art to make it worth your while. My first graphics tablet- A Wacom Intous 1 served me well for over 10 years before I upgraded to a Cintiq 22HD and then the 27QHD. Having the built-in screen/monitor isn't necessary to be able to create good digital art on the computer. It all depends on budget and what you can afford. Starting with a cheaper tablet regardless and getting used to it is definitely the way forward before shelling out thousands on something like a Cintiq.

In my books I always recommend Photoshop as my software of choice but there are low-cost and free alternatives.

 

How do I draw manga hair?

Like with anything you want to draw, it's a case of looking at examples of existing manga characters you can use as reference to figure out how other artists are doing it. Usually it's a case of simplifying and grouping clumps/bangs of hair together into sections or spikes, then considering gravity, wind and how that will effect the direction the hair is moving. If you're a beginner to drawing manga, I'd suggest checking out one of my How-to-Draw books such as 'The Artist's Guide to Drawing Manga'. Read it cover to back, and if you're still having trouble with anything specific, let me know and I'll do my best to answer.

 

Will you be my art mentor?

Sure! I've taught 1-1 in person several times locally (Kent, England) and if you're interested in this, let me know and we can arrange a plan. This is something I charge for on an hourly basis.

However, I'm somewhat sceptical of this request as it often comes from random users of social media who want and often expect me to give them my time for free. I rarely have time to give, especially for nothing in return. If you're serious about improving your art, you'll need to pay for your education- be that in the form 1-1 tuition or critique, purchasing tutorial books, classes or downloadable resources. And if money is an issue, you'll need to make do with any resources you can find for free online.

 

~~~

If there's a question you'd like answered relating to art, or digital illustration, feel free to contact me or leave a comment.

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What Equipment do you use for Digital Art?

by Ben July 12, 2019 in Art Talk 0 comments tags: #arttalk

Working on a Wacom

 

Searching for a Magic Pill

One of the most common questions I've been asked over the years relating to art and design are ; "what tools do you use?", "what software do you use?" or "what equipment do I need?

There's load of amazing tools, Apps and hardware out there which can improve your ability to create art. But before I discuss what I use, it's worth noting that there is no one tool that'll make your work look significantly better if you're just starting out. I'm sure a lot of beginners think, "if I just had the correct piece of software I'd be creating art like my favourite artists!". I certainly I used to believe this might be the case. I later realised that being a good artist requires knowing how to create something. Acquiring skills and knowledge about art and design are the first thing an artist must do in order to create a good looking artwork. No tool or particular piece of software will ever significantly improve your artwork.

I know; it's annoying to have to devote hundreds if not thousands of hours to art before seeing significant improvements, but this is just something us artists must endure (but ideally enjoy!).

As a side note- software and Apps have come a long way over the decades. It is indeed possible to convert existing images or photos through a single-press digital filter to create something totally unique and somewhat artistic-looking. Whether or not these kind of derivative images could be considered 'art' is up for debate. Although it's true to say chucking a filter over the top of a image taken from a Google search is at least lazy, uncreative and limited.

 

A bad workman always blames his tools?

Do you look at your work and think it sucks? Not satisfied with the software you use? Your problem might not be anything to do with the tools you use. It's fair to to say that if you're at a level whereby you feel somewhat clueless how to, for example; go about proportioning characters, drawing clothing, folds or choosing how to shade and colour your designs, then I'd recommend ditching the computer altogether. Instead start spending most of your time with a pencil and paper. Once you're making progress with traditional media and able to create some decent work, sure- try going down the digital route.

To answer the question "what tools do I use?": For digital work, I use a Laptop PC, Wacom Cintiq Graphic Tablet and Adobe Photoshop CC.
Is this what you need? Not at all- If you want to, for example, work on a Mac with a Huion tablet and Clip Studio Paint as your software of choice, there's nothing wrong with that. It's possible to create virtually all the same content with most combinations of any modern hardware and dedicated art software available.

 

Stick with what you know

Part of the reason I use PC, Wacom and PS is due to habit and what I'm familiar with. You might ask the question, 'why stick with what you know?' and sure, I'm always open to the possibilities of new equipment being able to improve my workflow. But, the familiar can be your friend. I know how to diagnose and resolve potential computer crashes on a PC, I know where all the tools are in Photoshop and Wacom has always provided decent tablets which so far haven't let me down.

When I was younger I wanted a job as a graphic designer. In the graphic design industry Macs are (or at least were) the norm, so I went to University, in part, to get to grips with the hardware and software which the industry was seemingly demanding. While it wasn't a massive hardship to understand the differences and quirks between a Mac and PC, there was a still learning curve which I now feel wasn't necessary to tackle. Particularly as a freelancer artist, my clients are only concerned with the finished results and files they can open and content they can view. So long as it looks good, no one cares what you use to create it and so my new-found Mac skills are kind of redundant.

Like I say, whatever you're familiar with should be top priority. The more used to it you are, the quicker and smoother your experience of creating art and designs will be. Without wanting to go into a Mac vs PC debate, a PC (in my case, Laptop) has some definite advantages. The main one being the fact it's cheaper so I can afford a higher spec machine or update and upgrade components more often. Also where I'm located we have 4 or 5 power cuts/ outages every year so having a laptop with battery avoids a sudden loss of work. The portability of my laptop means I can take it to and from a place of work.

Why I do I choose Photoshop? I discuss hardware and the advantages Photohop and the advantaged of digital in-depth in my book Digital Manga. If you're a beginner to intermediate artist who'd like a good grasp of Photoshop in relation to character creation and colouring, I'd recommend buying a copy- I don't know of a better resource.

 

Hardware Tech / Spec Summary:

To be more specific about what equipment I'm using as of 2019 (and for the tech nerds out there):

  • Laptop: MSI Prestige PE70 7RD-221UK 17.3" 1080p:
  • CPU: i7-7700HQ @ 2.8GHz
  • Memory (RAM): 32GB DDR4 @ 2666MHz (G-Skill Ripjaws)
  • Graphics: Geforce GT 1050 Graphics 2GB (GDDR5)
  • Hard Drive 1: (For OS) 250GB SSD: Samsung 960 EVO 250GB M.2-2280 (Increased speed over deafault 128GB by 4.7x)
  • Hard Drive 2: (For Data) 2TB Seagate HD
  • Hard Drive 3: An external 5TB back up and overflow drive.
  • Operating system: Windows 10 
  • Graphics Tablet: Wacom Cintiq 27QHD Touch 
  • Tablet and Laptop Stand: Ergotron LX Arms x3
  • Additional Monitor: (For reference images) LG IPS 21"
  • Scanner: Plustek OpticPro A320 Flatbed A3 Scanner
  • Printer: Epson Stylus 1500W A3+ Deskjet printer
  • Mouse: Microsoft Wireless Mobile 5000
  • Additional Keyboard: Microsoft Microsoft Comfort 5050
  • Speakers: Logitech 2.1
  • Additional Web Cam: Microsoft LifeCam HD-3000 and mounted Microphone is a Samson C01U
  • Chair: Steelcase Black Leather
  • Screen Colour Calibrator: Spyder 5 Elite
  • Extras: 90x40cm Custom Mouse Mat to rest tablet on + Gel wrist mouse mat to avoid RSI. Blue-light screen glasses from Prospek.
  • Also, see my Post: My Work space / Desktop Area for my previous Tech / Spec List

 

Cost-wise, this is all reasonably expensive kit which I've accumulated over the years. As a beginner to digital art I definitely wouldn't recommend spending thousands of pounds on a similar set up and instead look for entry-level equipment or whatever you can afford. If I really wanted to, I could upgrade a lot of my equipment but I couldn't justify the expense. I'd likely need to spend 3-4x what I had paid to get for my current set-up to get, perhaps a 10-25% increase on performance. It's just not worth it. I'll likely stick with what I've got for the next few years. I'm pretty satisfied with it all for the most part.

If anyone wants a non-bias opinion on any aspect of the above tech or set-up, leave a message and I’ll add a follow-up comment 🙂

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Art Q and A #6

by Ben June 03, 2019 in Art Talk 0 comments tags: #arttalk, q and a

Art Questions 6

 

How and where did you find your first freelance work opportunities?

The first paid jobs I did were for friends or people who knew me- just inexpensive commissions to paint a pet portrait or character as a gift.
The first jobs I got when trying to find work were album covers and posters for bands. I’d write dozens of emails to bands I liked to see if they’d be interested in having some album art or promo work done.
After that, many of my jobs came from people who found my website and online portfolio.

 

What do you think are the best ways to find freelance work as a manga artist?

Although the platforms and formats have changed, I still think having both an aggressive and passive approach can work.
By aggressive I mean, doing the leg work- speculative letters or cold calls to businesses you feel might be interested in what you can offer and applying for jobs and projects you find .e.g. via crowd sourcing sites, with passive being to create a portfolio or social media channel that potentially brings people to you.

 

Do you feel that it is difficult to find work with a manga art style in the west compared to artists who work in a western cartoon/comic style?

Most artists aren’t particularly forthcoming about exactly how much work they’re getting or how much they’re earning so it’s hard to say. As someone who’s produced work in both styles (and a combination of the two), I’d say there is definitely a market for both. In fact I think I might have more success if I just stuck with manga, but I’d I like to try other styles.

 

Would you ever create a Manga novel and what audience would you aim at if so?

Sure. I would like to. I’ve had 3 or 4 ideas for stories I’d like to turn into a manga for shonen (teen boys) or seinen (men) audience. The reason I haven’t thus far is due to time. I’m relatively slow at creating work and I don’t think I, nor the rest of the world would have the patience for me to create it. And if I took a year off to make it, I doubt I’d earn a year’s wage from sales to make it financially viable. I’m going to have to stick to illustration projects for now.

 

Where do you feel are the best places to sell and promote freelance manga artwork?

I think it depends on exactly what you’re producing. One specific site might work for one artist and not the other; depending on the competition, style, subject matter and so on. All you can do is try loads of avenues and see which works for you.
I promote my art through social media- Instagram generating the most engagement, but I also repost my Insta posts on Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, Pinterest so gain more coverage and have actively built a following for these platforms. This drives a tiny percent of followers to my main portfolio site to buy the occasional print or book and enquire about commissioning me to create some custom artwork.
I also sell prints on Etsy, Ebay and Amazon. I sell via comic cons (which took a while to figure out how to profit from, but now finally seeing a profit).
I sell on POD (Print on Demand) sites. E.g. Café Press, Zazzle, Red Bubble, DesignbyHumans, Society6.
I’ve got some work through crowd sourcing bids- Freelancer.com, Upwork etc. And entered and won a few competitions in the past with cash pay-outs.
Some of these sites aren’t necessarily the best. Certainly, making a career solely from crowd sourcing sites when you have the overheads of living in a first world country would be tough. The point is to try things out and see what works for your art.

 

What advice would you give to a freelance artist with a manga art style?

I was going to say, don’t waste your time pencilling for Marvel, but perhaps there is an entire untapped market for manga style versions of popular Marvel comics? As long as you’re really good at what you do and have a good portfolio, I really don’t think it matters what style you work in.

 

~~~

If there's a question you'd like answered relating to art, or digital illustration, feel free to contact me or leave a comment.

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Art Q and A #5

by Ben January 12, 2019 in Art Talk 0 comments tags: #arttalk, art talk, q and a

Art Questions

 

What do you listen to while you draw?

For me personally it depends on my concentration level. For maximum concentration when working on challenging artwork, silence is best. When things ease up, instrumental music (no lyrics). Songs with lyrics or Podcasts are for when I draw something more routine when my brain is in less demand and I’m more able to take in information.

 

How to you make sure inked art doesn't smudge?

How on earth do you make your drawings so clean? Whenever I erase the pencil lines on mine, it smudges.

I know the feeling. Smudges are so annoying and I still get them from time to time. I usually wait a few hours before erasing pencil lines to make sure the ink is dry. Another tip is to carefully sandwiching a piece of toilet paper or paper towel between sketchbook pages can help it dry quicker and reduce smudges. Too much graphite from pencil lines can cause the ink to sit on top of it and then smears, so lighter or less pencil strokes can help. And lastly, try experimenting with different pens and papers. As soon as you find a good combination, you know you're good to go for life.

 

Photoshop Alternatives?

For those of us who can't get to Photoshop, what tools (color pencils, marker, paint or etc...) have you worked with to get really bright/shiny colors?

You can get bright and shiny colours with all of those. Although for deep, solid colour I'd choose to go with acrylic paint. Markers can look a little watery and pencil can sometimes look grainy, depending on the type of pencils and paper you use. Paint definitely takes the most practice. With paint it's more a case of working with larger brushes and areas before focusing on and refining details. Where as markers are more consistent, whereby you'd more likely finish a smaller area of the artwork at a time before moving on to the next area. Perhaps I'll create some basic tutorials on these if there's enough interest :)

 

Do I need a Drawing Glove for my Digital Art?

Are those artist gloves necessary? If so, how do they benefit you? (Been thinking about getting one.)

Originally smudge guard gloves were used to prevent graphite smudges on paper then became a thing for digital artist to minimise friction and to avoid a sweaty hands on a graphics tablet - particularly screen based tablets like a Cintiq.
If I'm just doing, say, 20 minutes of touch ups I don't put mine on, but for longer sittings I find it very useful.
Just gotta ask yourself, are you finding it a bit annoying when your hand or fingers aren't gliding around the screen so much? If so, buy one and try it out. They're not too expensive and come as single gloves (not a pair) with either one (pinky) or two fingers covered (pinky and ring finger).

 

How do I bring my characters to to life- giving them personality and story time?

You could try writing down what you want from a character before even putting pencil to paper. Ask the question- what do they do and what to they want out of life? Then ask yourself how could I represent this?
For example, a mechanic will be dressed more practically and isn’t going to be too concerned if they look dishevelled and dirty, where as a princess from an upper-class aristocracy will more likely be well-presented, perhaps with a big, flowing dress where practicality is secondary. Are they lazy or indifferent? Determined and ambitious? Happy and energetic? These traits can effect their pose, facial expression or even physique.

I think once you can build a mental picture of what you want from your character, you can then start sketching with an objective and you’ll have something specific to aim for, opposed to doodling without any focus.

 

What type of art request do you immediately say no to? Regardless of whether you're being paid or not?

I'll turn down anyone who uses the line "I won't pay you but It'll be great exposure for you". They might as well just say, "I don't like to adequately compensate professionals for their time and expertise and I think artists are so dumb and worthless that they will settle for a credit in a project no one's ever heard or probably never will".

 

~~~

If there's a question you'd like answered relating to art, or digital illustration, feel free to contact me or leave a comment. 

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Art Q and A #4

by Ben December 29, 2018 in Art Talk 0 comments tags: #arttalk, art talk, q and a

Art Questions

 

How do you become an actual artist?

Becoming any kind of pro (proficient) basically means you’ve worked your arse off to a level where you can either impress a substantial amount of people with your skills or be good enough to make an income from what you do. Doing so as an artist just takes a lot of practice and understanding of your craft- how to make things look beautiful, and/or communicate well. Once you’re there, it’s time to market yourself and your work so people know you exist

 

How do I become a manga artist?

I’m sorry if I’m intruding you with these questions and you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to but I was wondering how did you start your business as a mangaka? How did you get contacts and create these guide books that’s able to sell worldwide? I’m a total newbie when it comes to this so I was hoping to get some tips and insights on how to start business and broaden it myself, thanks a lot! ^_^ 

Thanks for the question and you're not intruding at all. The way I got my stuff published was kind of unconventional. I don’t want to lie to people or give the usual non-specific BS of “work hard at school and it’ll all pay off” or “post your work on the internet and perhaps you’ll be discovered by a publisher” - That one almost NEVER happens in this day and age I’m afraid. 

However, luckily that did happen to me. The difference being, I got my first book published back in the day when the internet was still a baby and there wasn’t much competition- a publisher happened to be on the look-out for a UK based artist who could draw manga style and I happened to have a portfolio website online which ranked on the first few pages of Google (I’d image for the keywords “UK manga artist”). They found me, asked if I’d be interested in working with them and even though I felt my artistic standard wasn’t up to scratch I took the opportunity anyway and it then led to creating 3 other books over the years…

So for me- it was a case of creating artwork, posting it online, then a simple case of luck! Being in the right place at the right time. Also being willing to take the opportunity that arose.

What can you do? 

Luck can happen at any time, so in the mean time, I’d suggest improving your skills and being patient. Everyone’s path to success will differ. There’s the social media route to raise your profile and allow people to find you- Some develop a Youtube channel and invest 1000s of hours into creating unique content for it, others Instagram, Tumblr, Facebook, or art specific sites like Deviantart and Behance. Or try being bold- write to publishers and companies directly to pitch your ideas and portfolio and expect 100 rejection letters or non-responses before you succeed, or if that doesn’t work, move on to something else. I’d say just keep trying things. Think outside the box. For most artists expect a massive chunk of your time to go into marketing, trial and error business ventures or experiments in order to get noticed or profit from your art. Or maybe you’ll also find some luck. Perhaps entering a competition to create a serialized manga, which ends up landing you a full-time gig? Look out for stuff like that too.

 

Where can I purchase cheap bulk Prints?

I recently went to an art market/mini Comicon thing in my hometown, and I'm thinking about selling some of my stuff there next year. But then I thought....how do I get cheap bulk prints of my work to sell there? Any suggestions?

Great- Give it a go! I'm always interested to hear how people get on at events. So far as prints go, I have a large format printer so can print my own. This helps since I can produce small quantities to test the waters and not over-stock. Googling ‘custom poster prints’ or ‘giclee prints company’ in your country might be the way to go. Searching for those terms on eBay might even be an idea.

 

How much does your art cost?

I have prints and original pencil drawings available to buy at in the Shop.

If you’d like to commission me to draw your character, logo, mascot, or work on your project, the best thing to do is send me a brief/description of what you’d like and I can provide a quote. A head shot for example might be less than half the price of a full-body image so it’s it’s best if I give a price once I know what needs creating. Head over to the Hire Me section for me info.

 

~~~

If there's a question you'd like answered relating to art, or digital illustration, feel free to contact me or leave a comment. 

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Art Q and A #3

by Ben December 08, 2018 in Art Talk 0 comments tags: #arttalk, art talk, q and a

Art Questions
 

How should I handle criticisms of my design?

Every artist will get criticised at some point- it’s to be expected. And it’s common for clients to not be satisfied with your work on the first attempt every time. Even though it’s often not personal, I always still find it frustrating when having produced a great piece of work (as far as I’m concerned) to then be told it needs amending. If a client is stressing me out with changes and criticisms, I take a break, talk to my friends or do something else for a while to calm myself down. If it’s trolling, you have to do your best to ignore it.

 

Do you work individually or do you work with other team of designers?

Almost always I’m on my own, which is the nature of freelancing. I’ve worked in-house on web design projects in the past, but these days it’s not common. I might liaise with another graphic designer or art director, but this is often only ever over email.

 

Have you worked with any print media before?

Many times. Other than my how-to books, I’ve created art and designs for magazine covers, posters, leaflets, apparel and gift items. There are certain considerations to think about when working for print compared to web, for example; print resolution, colours models such as CMYK, calibrating your screen and digital set up to mirror print profiles and reproduce your work as accurately as possible. I explain these in my book ‘Digital Manga’.

 

How have you been able to manage your time ensuring you have time for your family and friends?

It can be difficult when you freelance- you don’t always have the opportunity to work set hours. If there are deadlines to meet, you must work long days to compete the task. However, I also get quiet periods when there is not much work and I use those times for social and leisure time.

Having said that, I make sure not to overload myself and not work those crazy long hour days if I can help it. I’d rather have less money and a life than become a work machine.

 

Are there other people's designs that you admire, what is unique about their designs?

Sure. I love looking at art even more than producing my own! I’m a big fan of both eastern manga artists, and western comic artists, illustrators, graphic designers, tattoo artists and concept artists.  Too many to name.

The uniqueness is hard to pin point. It often comes from the attention to detail and flourishes added which gives the creation more depth, interest and vibrancy than a typical, bland piece of work.

 

What are the major qualities of a good artist/designer?

Every designer will have their own unique qualities and skills they can bring to a project. Universally we all share a love for art, visual communication, creating and aesthetics. A good artist is never satisfied with their current level of ability and aspires to improve and achieve a high standard of work.

 

~~~

If there's a question you'd like answered relating to art, or digital illustration, feel free to contact me or leave a comment.

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Art Q and A #2

by Ben November 10, 2018 in Art Talk 0 comments tags: #arttalk, art talk, q and a

Art Questions

 

Getting paid to draw in Manga style?

Since you're a freelance, is it difficult for you to find companies in the UK interested in manga drawings and style?

Its harder to find work compared to a more mainstream style (which I also have for customers who want an alternative to manga). However there is often a company or organisation who will find and contact me specifically asking for manga style artwork for a Japanese themed promotion or event. Speaking of events for example, Hitachi Europe (based in the UK) were exhibiting at a trade show in Holland a few years back and they had opted for a Japanese themed area that year to display their products. These included interactive large screen pen displays. To add to the Japanese flavour, I was hired to draw manga style art on the displays during the event in real time. I would never have expected that kind of work to come about, but goes to show there's a call for manga, even at non-related events. Having this website is the main portal for connecting me with customers. If you haven't already, make one of your own and then attempt to funnel as many prospective employers to it as you can.

 

Are you a fan of Comic Cons? Do you participate in any of them?

I really enjoy them, although attending lots throughout the year isn't economically viable for me.

I've participated in 17 cons here in the UK to date. If you're an artist interested in participating in any comic conventions, check out my extensive UK Comic Con article.

 

Should I sketch my designs before converting them to digital format?

Several years ago it was typical for me to sketch out all my work in pencil before scanning it in and colouring it digitally.  To this day there's nothing wrong with that. These days a lot of people are drawing and sketching digitally with a graphic tablet as well colouring, rendering and painting over the top digitally- myself included. The main reason being time saving. The best thing to do is to try different methods and see which works best for you.

 

How long should it take a designer to design a 300x400 banner?

That question is too open ended to give a simple or specific answer.

If the designer needs to create an intricate illustration, rendered art or animation as a part of that banner along with time for research, idea development and input or changes from a client, it might take 20 or 100 hours+ However a simple text banner created by someone who knows their way around Photoshop or Illustrator might take 5 minutes.

Clients need to consider their briefs in detail when hiring an artist or designer. Basic questions like "how much do you charge?" Or "how long does art take?" Are equivalent to "how long is a piece of string?"

 

What inspired you to get into designing?

Growing up on a diet of visual entertainment- cartoons, video games and fantasy movies along with a love of aesthetics and a drive to create something of my own.

 

At what age did you first design a marketable graphic?

The first time I took on a paid commission online was in 2001 when I was 19. I created an album cover for a rock band featuring the 4 band members as comic book characters. I think I earned around £80 for it. I had been paid to draw a few times before then while at school, painting a little graffiti style character for my teacher's grandchild and a painting my friend's mum's cat!

 

~~~

If there's a question you'd like answered relating to art, or digital illustration, feel free to contact me or leave a comment. Check out Art Q&A #1 for more.

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