not for typical digital or on paper art, but i found silicone/rubber kitchen sheets pretty cheap and good enough alternative for fake skin to practice tattoing
Bro that thumbnail guide is a gamechanger I need to make some of those! I’m trying to thumbnail more and it annoys me that the frames I make aren’t consistent or I don’t have a way to check aspect ratio, when that’s such an important part of composition. Absolutely making that a little project!
I keep a travel bottle of hair spray with me for graphite drawings in my sketch book. It's cheap enough that I don't mind using it on all my drawings and small enough to stick in your purse or art bag if you are on the go.
also books too. i found a cheap one in a thrift shop. it wasnt just animals, it was a mix of a bunch of stuff. but im glad i found it. havent tried it yet. but when the moment comes im ready :D
The problem with using books to trace from is copyright issues.It's O.K. to use them to DRAW from and measuring all their proportions from a center line to make them symmetrical.However you shouldn't actually TRACE them because then you could be accused of violating their copyright if you don't get permission to use the image.Also you should ALTER the image (especially around the perimeter) so it becomes extremely difficult to prove who created the original image
Funnily enough, the art tool that's really been a "game-changer" in my art has just been a copic fineliner pen that a friend gifted me a while ago. For most of my life I've been in a place with drawing where I'm better at drawing than most people but not good enough to enjoy pursuing it. But the super clean lines from the pen just changed everything. It felt novel and almost "professional" in a way, much better than the faded lines that my mechanical pencil would make. Now I'm actually trying to get better at art.
Great hack. Small sketchbook on a theme/1 idea (5in x7in or less). It helps me not think so hard. "Just do" and then turn the page and "do" again. I've literally filled up an entire sketch book in a matter of days instead of months/year. It really helps keeps me from getting stuck on a single idea and makes me develop a broader concept. Just barely halfway through...and you are really out of ideas. You really have to start thinking differently and then all these other ideas start developing like a flood lol.
there are small lightboxes that are like 15-30 dollars as well, but i love the glass table idea lol also im DEFINITELY using that thumbnail card tip thats a game changer
Hehe ive done phone references. In architecture school my friend showed me the Pencil spray and we used similar frames outside to pick the frame of our drawings of buildings (oh veiwfinder). Weve got lightboxes at the school i think forgot about those
i had an issue w not painting consistently/forgetting about my paint and my acrylic paint drying up before i used it all which was a pain to have to re-mix colors so i looked into wet palettes. didnt have the money nor did i want to spend it so i made my own out of an old ferrero rocher box, paper towels, wax paper and water
Really simple and intelligent ideas, many thanks! I got one for you: if you use oil or acrylic paint, it's much cheaper to get plastic or glass containers in the kitchenware department in some stores than buying professional godets. Plus these containers often come with plastic lids, so it's much easier to store the paint anywhere (I keep my oil paints in the fridge, they last for a pretty long time)
I've been using a cube timer for ~2mths now it really does help with breaks AND productivity! I love the card idea, my thumbnails are much smaller usually so maybe I can even fit 2 boxes in 1 card.
Using minifigs of any types not just lego for reference it helps so much especially for like long distance shots where something is not close to the "camera". It may sound silly 😂
Love using thumbnail cards too. Not much of a trick, but I have a designated scribble book where I test design with the simplest scribble possible before I even spend time drawing a proper sketch. It's the fastest way to sort through ideas.
I learned about stepping away from your project for a moment from my graphic design tracher and they gave us two reasons. It's incredibly unhealthy to focus your eyes for a long period of time at one distance, taking breaks and looking at something that's further away is something that's really important. Also like you said, you really do see things you didn't notice before when you look at your work after a break. Looking at it from different distances can help too because sometimes you look so much at the small details that you forget the whole composition. In digital art you're even thought to mirror your image and suddenly you notice big problems with proportion that you couldn't see before. For traditional art you could use a big mirror or take an image with your phone and mirror it.
@@ChromaMoma That's terrible, I didn't even know that can happen. You really did a good thing by explaining to people that taking breaks is important. I very much felt that pressure in the past, especially when I was doing an apprenticeship for school, that daring to take a break was a bad thing and I just have to push through. It took me getting older to understand how bad that place was.
If you use a tablet without a screen try putting a piece of water color paper over the tablet to give your pen an extra grip. It's not for everyone and it reduces the lifespan of your nib, but it has a different feeling to the way you draw
When the packaging says "well-ventilated area" that's no joke. In some cases when breathed in the aerosols can reach the deepest parts of the lungs and cause permanent damage, and even in milder cases you could have an irritated throat for days. Just use it outside, almost no one has an actually well-ventilated room.
For some reason I never think of tracing from digital to traditional. I always think it as draw traditionally and then edit digitally, including colouring. That is a neat idea, thank you. Plus, a piece of glass might be way cheaper. Not as convenient as the proper thing, but hey, it works. You can also trace on a digital tablet I believe? Set to white and bright and there you have your option. Just don't push too much on it.
Tiny little rubber/silicone o-rings! Using them, you can convert cartridge ink pens into fountain. Just slip the o-ring over the threads, then fill the base with ink (use an eye dropper/pipette) and screw in the head. Just test for leaks with water before using ink - some pens might not cooperate. I use uxcell Fluorine, 9mm outer diameter, 7mm inner, 1mm wide. YMMV
Sticky notes. It's something that became popular in sketchbook videos a while ago, and they work. When I want to sketch in pen and not worry about making mistakes I just slap those on. Sometimes I use purple glue stick to make a better adhesion. Index cards. I don't know of any index card brands that are also great drawing paper, but they are useful supplements to sticky notes and thumbnail cards. The larger index cards will fit on a small clipboard like a sketchpad, and in that role it's useful to be able to take them out and spread them over the desk to get a lot of reference in one place. I also like using them as the hand guard for pencil sketching since they aren't as big as full sheets. Binder clips. They are so useful for transporting work without creasing it. They also help with the cheap lightpads because they move everything closer together.
I've been making thumbnail cards for a couple of years now after seeing them in one of your videos. Blunt syringes are also clutch for anyone into using different inks. I am about to try refilling an (off brand) micron pigma style liner, so I'll have to report back on how that goes.
Mine is not a hack, but a convenience thing. I bought a 2.0mm mechanical pen with 2B sticks couple of months ago. It is soo convenient, you don't have to sharpen it, there is no leftover wood mess and you get the benefit of pencils without the downsides. Also it never shortens :D
Drawing boards are relatively inexpensive and have saved my back and my drawings. Rest it on your thighs and lean it back against your desk. The paper is near perpendicular to your face and you aren't hunched over your desk. If you don't have a lightbox but you have a large enough mobile device for the paper you want to draw on you can use that. You might want to look up how to enable guided access(iOS) or pinned apps(android) to keep from accidentally exiting the picture app as you are handling the device. As well as adjust the screen timeout settings.
For artists using fountain pens. Purchase a Platinum Preppy fountain pen and convert it to an eyedropper fountain pen (very simple conversion). Holds tons of ink, reusable, costs less than $10, and l lasts a very long time.
Would you make a video on the basics of Procreate, for an amateur hobbyist, if you do use Procreate that is? Like just the basic brush and colour-filling methods. I have seen many videos, but I still am not able to grasp it all.
Bonus Tip: Morpheus can wait… And fixative as no oxygen. Outside air is free, refreshing and administers itself. Draw outside if the weather won’t mug you for peace.😅
Game changer in art ? Hmmm... having a fine needle (not puncture one, those to knit) to check the vertical "lines" when studying a subject and see how things align as forcing the brain not to fool itself. Like, often the most mass isn't where our brain "think" it see it.
New ChromaMoma video lets go 😂 0:25 Bold of you to think I have enough space for a desk 💀 2:00 I used to use something similar but overtime due to being very good at drawing straight lines I stopped using them 3:55 I have never heard about this I guess being poor limits your viewpoint a bit too much 5:24 I prefer working like this otherwise my concentration gets lost and I loose my reason to draw so yeah kind of useless for me 6:26 One of my favourite things to do in life, refilling inks 😂 7:48 A glass table or anything transparent should work, I remember I did a school project's inking perfectly by doing that. A technique for inking that I like to use in traditional inking is to take anything with a good shape and dunk it in ink and test what sort of mark it leaves on the paper. Sometimes you get interesting shapes that you can later on scan to produce great digital brushes or you can you that object as a tool from now.
The thumbnail card is such a good idea!!!
Actually useful actually cheap tools, we love Chroma moma
Just be aware that using hairspray on your sketches can eventually yellow your paper.
not for typical digital or on paper art, but i found silicone/rubber kitchen sheets pretty cheap and good enough alternative for fake skin to practice tattoing
Bro that thumbnail guide is a gamechanger I need to make some of those! I’m trying to thumbnail more and it annoys me that the frames I make aren’t consistent or I don’t have a way to check aspect ratio, when that’s such an important part of composition. Absolutely making that a little project!
I keep a travel bottle of hair spray with me for graphite drawings in my sketch book. It's cheap enough that I don't mind using it on all my drawings and small enough to stick in your purse or art bag if you are on the go.
The desk mirror is cool unfortunately I'm a vampire and don't cast a reflection. 😢
Your local Inquisition service providers would like to know your location.
Cheap pencil extender (I go through a lot of colored pencils) was such a huge realization for me.
Good one!
The aspect ratio card is genius!
If you're into drawing creatures you can find cheap vinyl animal figures at discount stores or online to use as references.
That's a great tip!
Yes! Or those rubber cast ones too, theyre 2-5 usd a pack
And theyve gone up in quality since i was a kid , some even have dynamic poses now its crazy
also books too. i found a cheap one in a thrift shop. it wasnt just animals, it was a mix of a bunch of stuff. but im glad i found it. havent tried it yet. but when the moment comes im ready :D
The problem with using books to trace from is copyright issues.It's O.K. to use them to DRAW from and measuring all their proportions from a center line to make them symmetrical.However you shouldn't actually TRACE them because then you could be accused of violating their copyright if you don't get permission to use the image.Also you should ALTER the image (especially around the perimeter) so it becomes extremely difficult to prove who created the original image
New chroma moma video just as I open youtube! Thank you!!
Thanks for the video. My favourite tool is a simple divider , helps me alot.
Funnily enough, the art tool that's really been a "game-changer" in my art has just been a copic fineliner pen that a friend gifted me a while ago. For most of my life I've been in a place with drawing where I'm better at drawing than most people but not good enough to enjoy pursuing it. But the super clean lines from the pen just changed everything. It felt novel and almost "professional" in a way, much better than the faded lines that my mechanical pencil would make. Now I'm actually trying to get better at art.
I know the feeling. It's the little things.
those view finders are such a good idea! 🥰
I think so too!
One really useful alternative to the syringe is the needle bottle you can fill with ink and dispense to your pens as needed.
Great hack. Small sketchbook on a theme/1 idea (5in x7in or less). It helps me not think so hard. "Just do" and then turn the page and "do" again.
I've literally filled up an entire sketch book in a matter of days instead of months/year.
It really helps keeps me from getting stuck on a single idea and makes me develop a broader concept. Just barely halfway through...and you are really out of ideas. You really have to start thinking differently and then all these other ideas start developing like a flood lol.
That's awesome, I'm glad it works for you!
there are small lightboxes that are like 15-30 dollars as well, but i love the glass table idea lol
also im DEFINITELY using that thumbnail card tip thats a game changer
Hehe ive done phone references. In architecture school my friend showed me the Pencil spray and we used similar frames outside to pick the frame of our drawings of buildings (oh veiwfinder). Weve got lightboxes at the school i think forgot about those
the window as a ligthbox is just genius
that timer looks so awesome
I’ve used my iPad as a light box before when I needed to transfer a digital drawing to paper to later transfer to a linoleum block for carving.
I have used my computer screen 😂
i had an issue w not painting consistently/forgetting about my paint and my acrylic paint drying up before i used it all which was a pain to have to re-mix colors so i looked into wet palettes. didnt have the money nor did i want to spend it so i made my own out of an old ferrero rocher box, paper towels, wax paper and water
That's clever!
On a light box, try putting a piece of tissue or tracing paper between your art and drawing paper if you want the lines to pop
Really simple and intelligent ideas, many thanks! I got one for you: if you use oil or acrylic paint, it's much cheaper to get plastic or glass containers in the kitchenware department in some stores than buying professional godets. Plus these containers often come with plastic lids, so it's much easier to store the paint anywhere (I keep my oil paints in the fridge, they last for a pretty long time)
I use those Mon-Sun pill sorters for paint :D
Spray Fixative in Sketch book is the Best idea to not loose our draw.
I've been using a cube timer for ~2mths now it really does help with breaks AND productivity! I love the card idea, my thumbnails are much smaller usually so maybe I can even fit 2 boxes in 1 card.
That is awesome!
Using minifigs of any types not just lego for reference it helps so much especially for like long distance shots where something is not close to the "camera". It may sound silly 😂
I’m going to try that!
Was just recommended this, I absolutely love your video style!
Yay! Thank you!
The thumbnail card is a game changer! I need to make one for myself and my sketchbook, thanks for such a simple but so useful idea!!!!!!!!!!
Glad it was helpful!
dang, taking both pills????!!!
''It's not about the size, it's how you use it'' - I see what you did here, hehe. Great video, thanks!
Love using thumbnail cards too.
Not much of a trick, but I have a designated scribble book where I test design with the simplest scribble possible before I even spend time drawing a proper sketch. It's the fastest way to sort through ideas.
me too :D
8:03 Dang what album? Hopefully it’s as good as the cover
I learned about stepping away from your project for a moment from my graphic design tracher and they gave us two reasons. It's incredibly unhealthy to focus your eyes for a long period of time at one distance, taking breaks and looking at something that's further away is something that's really important. Also like you said, you really do see things you didn't notice before when you look at your work after a break. Looking at it from different distances can help too because sometimes you look so much at the small details that you forget the whole composition.
In digital art you're even thought to mirror your image and suddenly you notice big problems with proportion that you couldn't see before. For traditional art you could use a big mirror or take an image with your phone and mirror it.
I've had colleagues with detached retinas from drawing for too long.
@@ChromaMoma That's terrible, I didn't even know that can happen. You really did a good thing by explaining to people that taking breaks is important. I very much felt that pressure in the past, especially when I was doing an apprenticeship for school, that daring to take a break was a bad thing and I just have to push through. It took me getting older to understand how bad that place was.
Speaking of light boxes, you can also use light box Aps on your phone/iPad and just upload a picture of your sketch 😊
If you use a tablet without a screen try putting a piece of water color paper over the tablet to give your pen an extra grip. It's not for everyone and it reduces the lifespan of your nib, but it has a different feeling to the way you draw
"Please use in a well-ventilated area"... Great video, as always.
When the packaging says "well-ventilated area" that's no joke. In some cases when breathed in the aerosols can reach the deepest parts of the lungs and cause permanent damage, and even in milder cases you could have an irritated throat for days. Just use it outside, almost no one has an actually well-ventilated room.
For some reason I never think of tracing from digital to traditional. I always think it as draw traditionally and then edit digitally, including colouring. That is a neat idea, thank you. Plus, a piece of glass might be way cheaper. Not as convenient as the proper thing, but hey, it works. You can also trace on a digital tablet I believe? Set to white and bright and there you have your option. Just don't push too much on it.
It's amazing how simple things can make such a difference
Tiny little rubber/silicone o-rings! Using them, you can convert cartridge ink pens into fountain. Just slip the o-ring over the threads, then fill the base with ink (use an eye dropper/pipette) and screw in the head. Just test for leaks with water before using ink - some pens might not cooperate. I use uxcell Fluorine, 9mm outer diameter, 7mm inner, 1mm wide. YMMV
and o-ring grease too!
Bro! Love this video but, that Eames shirt is just...chef's kiss
Haha! Thanks for noticing. 😉
thx u for the tools and video! nice video!
You're welcome!
Sticky notes. It's something that became popular in sketchbook videos a while ago, and they work. When I want to sketch in pen and not worry about making mistakes I just slap those on. Sometimes I use purple glue stick to make a better adhesion.
Index cards. I don't know of any index card brands that are also great drawing paper, but they are useful supplements to sticky notes and thumbnail cards. The larger index cards will fit on a small clipboard like a sketchpad, and in that role it's useful to be able to take them out and spread them over the desk to get a lot of reference in one place. I also like using them as the hand guard for pencil sketching since they aren't as big as full sheets.
Binder clips. They are so useful for transporting work without creasing it. They also help with the cheap lightpads because they move everything closer together.
That's a great way to use them!
Can’t wait to have a desk for all these things to draw lol
I've been making thumbnail cards for a couple of years now after seeing them in one of your videos. Blunt syringes are also clutch for anyone into using different inks. I am about to try refilling an (off brand) micron pigma style liner, so I'll have to report back on how that goes.
Please do!
This is an awesome video, thank you!
You're welcome!
Mine is not a hack, but a convenience thing. I bought a 2.0mm mechanical pen with 2B sticks couple of months ago. It is soo convenient, you don't have to sharpen it, there is no leftover wood mess and you get the benefit of pencils without the downsides. Also it never shortens :D
Yes! Another video lets go! :D
I'm excited you're excited!
01:05 I think it's called a view catcher/finder.
You are most actually the man - 100% verified!! ✊🤓❤️🔥
Thank you for this! I was considering getting a syringe for my brush pens. I’m getting sick of cartridges so I’m going to give this a shot
There are some waterproof fountain pen inks. India inks might compromise the pen.
@@mf-- good to know! Thank you 😊
FOUNTAIN PEN INK ONLY
Drawing boards are relatively inexpensive and have saved my back and my drawings. Rest it on your thighs and lean it back against your desk. The paper is near perpendicular to your face and you aren't hunched over your desk.
If you don't have a lightbox but you have a large enough mobile device for the paper you want to draw on you can use that. You might want to look up how to enable guided access(iOS) or pinned apps(android) to keep from accidentally exiting the picture app as you are handling the device. As well as adjust the screen timeout settings.
I love the idea of using a drawing board!
Proper useful video thks !
Nice video! What desk lamp do you use?
tape in a pice of sandpaper in a matchbox for "zero waste graphite workflow™" 💯💯💯
I use a working fixative.
i got a lot out of this, thanks
For artists using fountain pens. Purchase a Platinum Preppy fountain pen and convert it to an eyedropper fountain pen (very simple conversion). Holds tons of ink, reusable, costs less than $10, and l lasts a very long time.
OMG CHROMA MOMA I LOVW UOUR VIIDDDSSSS AAAAAA
Would you make a video on the basics of Procreate, for an amateur hobbyist, if you do use Procreate that is? Like just the basic brush and colour-filling methods. I have seen many videos, but I still am not able to grasp it all.
babe new kenn video dropped
I like to use action figures for my references especially if they come with accessories like guns or swords.
Bonus Tip: Morpheus can wait… And fixative as no oxygen. Outside air is free, refreshing and administers itself. Draw outside if the weather won’t mug you for peace.😅
"One of the greatest joy of life is getting a bang for your buck."
I finally found someone like me.
I like your glasses and wish to buy a pair. What are they called? Company/model number? Whoops. Also great video thanks m8!
I have a white and a clear plastic clip boards for cheap light boxes. Though now I have a cheap USB A3 board that cost around $40?
Where were the links to the other tutorials with the water brush and inks?
Should be there now!
"Its not about the size its how you use it" 💀 😂
I use a glass shelf from my fridge as a lightbox.😂
That’s pretty clever!
Game changer in art ? Hmmm... having a fine needle (not puncture one, those to knit) to check the vertical "lines" when studying a subject and see how things align as forcing the brain not to fool itself. Like, often the most mass isn't where our brain "think" it see it.
window is free only is your house is already paid in full
cries in millennial
The great Gatsby
Can you show how to do our own thumbnail cards.
Fixative and hairspray ready and… he continues spraying towards his computer screen set up (whoops 😅!)
New ChromaMoma video lets go 😂
0:25 Bold of you to think I have enough space for a desk 💀
2:00 I used to use something similar but overtime due to being very good at drawing straight lines I stopped using them
3:55 I have never heard about this I guess being poor limits your viewpoint a bit too much
5:24 I prefer working like this otherwise my concentration gets lost and I loose my reason to draw so yeah kind of useless for me
6:26 One of my favourite things to do in life, refilling inks 😂
7:48 A glass table or anything transparent should work, I remember I did a school project's inking perfectly by doing that.
A technique for inking that I like to use in traditional inking is to take anything with a good shape and dunk it in ink and test what sort of mark it leaves on the paper. Sometimes you get interesting shapes that you can later on scan to produce great digital brushes or you can you that object as a tool from now.
Wow this was super helpful thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
epiç
A Gillette for inking.
Speaking of, I like your video creation composition, what do you edit with? What DONT you recommend?🔥
please dont use hairspray as a fixative, i used it a lot in college and after time your drawings get a slightly yellow tint
The timer is $15 now lol.
Ugh don’t use styling spray, it’s acidic - it will yellow and eventually disintegrate your paper
I haven't had that experience, but it makes sense.
Not first
You're better off taking pictures of those geese and then tracing them off of the screen because they are copyright free and not patented either
For the pomodoro technic I use the App Focus To-Do. So you dont even need to pay for the cube because the app is free.