Comic Genesis Forums

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 5:39 pm

Sounds to me like a stuck-up art student.

Skylark King · Post by **Skylark King** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 5:41 pm

It's about as cheating as using a level to hang pictures. Tools are meant to be used, much like stuck-up art students are meant to be, uh, eaten.

Warofwinds · Post by **Warofwinds** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 5:42 pm

Sounds to me like a stuck-up, IDIOT, art student. If that person wants to ignore a very useful tool, well, whatever. Doesn't meant they have the right to put their (unfounded?) on everyone else. Weirdo.

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 5:47 pm

Wait, I just thought of something: how the Hell is using any sort of art supply "natural"? If they aren't painting things in blood or.... ah.... anything else from their body, with some part of their body, isn't that cheating?

ART SUPPLIES R TEH CHEATING!!

Escushion · Post by **Escushion** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 5:50 pm

Personally, I find a straight edge ineffective. I make all my panel borders on the computer; the strips are drawn panel free and cut and pasted where they need to be on the border file.

Now that's cheating.

Garneta · Post by **Garneta** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 6:01 pm

I do all my paneling on the computer, too...I paste the picture where I want it to go, then seperate it with a 15 pixel-wide white line. I do own a ruler...but I hardly ever use it.

Jac · Post by **Jac** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 6:04 pm

Cheating? I didn't know we were being tested. Is this open book?

But, sweiosly Pom Pom...

If a straight edge is cheating, than Photoshop-slash-Illustrator is a downright fellony. The point of art is to make things look cool... so straight edge=A-OK.

McDuffies · Post by **McDuffies** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 6:24 pm

I don't know how could anything short of outright stealing from other artist, be considered cheating. Art is not a contest so that you have a set of rules, and there's an infinite number of ways to create good art.
For one, I don't think that technical shortcuts can be considered cheating. They just ease the production and let artist concentrate more on what's more important.

But I don't really know in which context the guy was speaking, was he all that serious and whether he really used the term 'cheating'.

I can see where the guy is coming from. I do believe that to hand-drawn art, hand-drawn straight lines are more natural choice, they fit in more and straight lines can indeed look alienating, just like, some industrial font for lettering.
It all depends on a comic, art style and what you're trying to achieve. I usually go for a freewheeling, even sloppy look, and I don't think that drawing lines with the rulers inside the frames would fit in. Thus I don't even think of drawing things like windows, buildings, stairs, with a ruler. If I am able to draw a line straight enough to look like a building wall, great. If I'm not - fuck it, I need more practice.
I also think that hand-drawn frames fit in better, but I know that many people see that as "lazy", "unproffesional". So for little bit of crowd-pleasing I allow myself, I put some effort in drawing panel frames with a ruler.
That's generally what I think about it. I think that, though I prefere hand-drawn frames, aid of ruler is ok, and that use of ruler inside of frame usually looks awkward and out of place. However, if the drawing style itself is more perfectionist, cold, then such straight lines may fit in. Ironically, artists who execute such art are usually able of draw perfectly straight lines without aid.

But that's more a thing of what goes better. I don't think that using a ruler could ruin otherwise good comic or something.

Linkara · Post by **Linkara** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 6:48 pm

By necessity I use a ruler and I sure as hell don't think it's "cheating." As another poster suggested, if it's somehow unnatural, then one needs to be fingerpainting with "natural" paints, if such a thing exists outside of blood or dirty water. Since I hand draw all my strips and then ink them with photoshop/Paint Shop Pro, I make the straight lines better after I discover that they were at the wrong angle I needed them to be at. I couldn't do it without using a ruler or real straight lines.

Mvmarcz · Post by **Mvmarcz** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 7:17 pm

didn't you know that?

on a related note using ink pens is cheating too because you're supposed to actually use a quill and your own blood to make it "real art"!

christ people are so ...ugh

no it's not cheating, that guy is an idiot. straight edge, line tool, whatever you will. it's all just tools to meet a desired result. Next time tell them it's cheating to use store bought paper

Black Sparrow · Post by **Black Sparrow** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 7:22 pm

Cheating? In art? What sort of art student is this? Isn't art supposed to be whatever you create, however you create it?

I don't consider it cheating to use a straight edge. In fact, the times I don't use one reveal tilty buildings and sketchy floor tiles. Just not pleasant.

Seriously, cheating in art...? The only way I can think to "cheat" is if you're tracing straight out of a comic book. Jeez.

Jackhass · Post by **Jackhass** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 8:10 pm

Whoever told you that is in a word...retarded. Don't let his bullshit bother you.

Humbug · Post by **Humbug** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 8:19 pm

I learned drawing lines freehand style in art class. It's one of many techniques really, the lecturer even commented that with enough practice, we can draw lines straighter than a ruler can. I personally think that's a load of bull. In the end it's all about preferance, if you want to draw free hand, go ahead. Using a ruler? It's not going to kill you.

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 8:50 pm

Humbug wrote:Using a ruler? It's not going to kill you.

I don't know...some of those rulers can get kind of sharp.

Vorticus · Post by **Vorticus** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 9:03 pm

Cheating? How silly. I laugh at them.

Gengar003 · Post by **Gengar003** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 9:10 pm

Humbug wrote:with enough practice, we can draw lines straighter than a ruler can.

Wait, WTF? Poorly-made rulers, *maybe*, but...

OP: Use a ruler if you want. It's not cheating. And unless you're actually participating in some sort of contest event, art's not even a GAME.... at least not one with rules.

Yeahduff · Post by **Yeahduff** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 9:15 pm

I don't use a straight-edge, largely for the same reason as this kid, but I don't expect anyone else to subscribe to my feelings on the matter.

Did he say it was cheating or did he say for him it felt like cheating?

Humbug · Post by **Humbug** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 9:19 pm

Tim wrote:I don't know...some of those rulers can get kind of sharp.

Well, pretty much anything can kill you if used correctly.

McDuffies · Post by **McDuffies** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 10:26 pm

...idiot... ...stupid... ...retarded...

You know, I'd leave the actual mental evaluation of this guy for when we get to know him a little better, or at least when we know his exact words, exact tone and contest in which he said it. It's not like OBS's post is really that informative. And just because guy isn't around to defend himself doesn't mean it's a call to use this kind of atributes.

Princess · Post by **Princess** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 10:36 pm

I say a ruler drawn line looks out of place in a picture where no other tools are used, but it's not cheating.

If it feels good/looks good do it- that is the nature of art