Drawing in Ink for Digital Lithographic Animation 

What are ink and paper drawing techniques?

Ink and paper drawing offers a world of expression with just a few basic tools. Here are some techniques to get you started:

Linework:

Hatching: This creates shading with parallel lines close together for darker areas, further apart for lighter areas.

Cross-hatching: Overlapping lines in different directions creates a denser shade.

Contour: Lines follow the curves of an object, defining its shape.

Cross-contour: Curved lines added across the form create a more 3D effect, especially when considering light source.

Shading and Tone:

Stippling: Using small dots of ink creates a textured shade, with more dots for darker areas.

Washes: Diluting ink with water creates washes of tone, allowing for lighter and softer shading. You can even lift some ink with a damp brush for effects.

Other Techniques:

Line variation: Change the thickness of your lines for emphasis or texture. You can achieve this by using different pens or varying how you hold your pen.

Dry pens: A dry pen can create a scratchy, textured line.

Mixing techniques: Don't be afraid to experiment and combine these techniques to achieve the effects you desire.

Beyond these, there are many other creative approaches you can explore. For visual learners, there are also many online resources like [YouTube ink drawing techniques] that can walk you through these techniques step-by-step.

Happy drawing!

What are the techniques for learning to draw?

Here are some techniques to get you on the right track with drawing:

Building a Foundation:

Start with basic shapes: Learn to draw circles, squares, rectangles, and ovals with confidence. These shapes form the building blocks of many more complex objects.

Focus on observation: Train your eye to see the world in terms of shapes, lines, and shadows. Pay attention to proportions and negative space (the areas around the subject).

Practice hand-eye coordination: Do quick exercises to improve how your hand translates what you see into lines on paper. Lines, scribbles, and hatching practices are all great ways to warm up.

Developing Your Skills:

Learn about perspective: Understanding one-point, two-point, and three-point perspective helps you draw objects in a realistic way, creating depth and dimension.

Light and shadow: Shading is key to creating a sense of form and realism. Explore how light interacts with your subject to create highlights and shadows.

Break down complex objects: Before tackling something intricate, practice sketching the basic shapes that underlie it.

Practice and Patience:

Draw regularly: The key to improvement is consistent practice. Set aside some time each day or week to sketch, even if it's just for a short while.

Embrace mistakes: Don't get discouraged by imperfections. Mistakes are opportunities to learn and improve.

Find inspiration: Look at the work of artists you admire, but don't just copy. Use their work as inspiration to develop your own style.

Learn from resources: There are many resources available online and in libraries to help you learn new techniques. Consider online tutorials, books, or even taking a drawing class.

Remember, the most important thing is to have fun and enjoy the process of learning!

Where are the best online resources to learn about digital ink drawing online?

Here are some of the best online resources to delve into digital ink drawing:

Free Resources:

YouTube: A treasure trove of free tutorials! Search for "[YouTube digital ink drawing techniques]" or specific artists you admire who create in this style.

Ctrl+Paint: [Ctrl+Paint] offers a well-organized website by artist Matt Kohr. While it covers broader digital art topics, there are sections on brushes, penmanship, and linework that are highly applicable to digital inking.

Paid Resources:

Skillshare: [Skillshare] provides a subscription service with a vast library of online classes. You'll find many courses specifically dedicated to digital inking, taught by professional artists.

ArtStation Learning: [ArtStation] is an art community platform that also offers premium courses. Explore their selection focused on digital inking techniques and software.

Udemy: [Udemy] offers individual courses on various topics, including digital art. Search for courses on digital inking or pen and ink for specific software you might be using, like Clip Studio Paint or Adobe Photoshop.

Bonus Tip: Many professional artists sell their own brush sets and tutorials on their personal websites. Look for artists whose work resonates with you and see if they offer downloadable resources that can enhance your digital inking journey.

What is digital animation and what makes the best black and white ink lithographic animations?

Digital animation is the process of creating moving images using computer software. Unlike traditional animation, which involves hand-drawn frames or physical objects, digital animation offers a more flexible and efficient workflow.

Here's a breakdown of digital animation:

Software: Animators use specialized software like Adobe Animate, Toon Boom Harmony, or Blender to create characters, backgrounds, and special effects.

Process: The animation process typically involves creating individual digital frames (artwork) that are then played back in sequence to create the illusion of movement.

Techniques: Digital animation incorporates various techniques like 2D character animation, 3D animation, stop-motion motion graphics, and special effects.

Black and White Ink Lithographic Animations: A Unique Style

Black and white ink lithographic animation is a specific technique that utilizes traditional lithography printing processes to create unique animated sequences. Here's what makes them stand out:

Visual Appeal: The stark contrast of black and white creates a bold and graphic style, often with a high level of detail achieved through meticulous ink work.

Textural Quality: Lithography transfers the texture of the artist's marks onto the final animation, adding a sense of tactility and handmade charm.

Expressive Potential: Black and white can be incredibly expressive, allowing for strong contrasts of light and shadow, which can emphasize emotions and drama.

Limited Palette: While seemingly restrictive, the limited palette forces the animator to rely on strong composition, storytelling, and linework to create impact.

Qualities of the Best Black and White Ink Lithographic Animations:

Masterful Linework: Exceptional linework is crucial, creating dynamic characters, expressive movement, and detailed backgrounds.

Effective Use of Contrast: The animation should utilize the black and white contrast effectively to portray depth, mood, and visual interest.

Strong Storytelling: Even without color, the animation should effectively tell a story through clear narrative and character emotions.

Innovation Within the Medium: The best animations push the boundaries of what's possible with lithographic techniques, incorporating unique visual elements.

Examples:

While not as common as other animation styles, black and white ink lithographic animation has a rich history. Some notable examples include:

"The Tell-Tale Heart" (1953) by Norman McLaren: A classic example using scratching on film to create a haunting and visually striking adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's story.

Work of Yuri Norstein (Soviet animator): Known for his dreamlike and symbolic animations, often utilizing black and white with masterful use of texture.

Overall, black and white ink lithographic animations offer a unique blend of traditional artistry and digital technology, resulting in visually stunning and impactful storytelling experiences.

How can I learn to animate digital cartoons like this?

Learning digital animation, particularly in the style of black and white ink lithography, requires dedication and exploration of both traditional and digital techniques. Here's a roadmap to get you started:

1. Traditional Animation Fundamentals:

Drawing: A strong foundation in drawing is essential. Practice figure drawing, perspective, and basic animation principles like squash and stretch. Resources like books on the Animator's Survival Kit by Richard Williams or online courses can be helpful.

Traditional Inking Techniques: Explore traditional inking techniques with pen and paper. Experiment with different pens, nibs, and hatching styles to achieve the desired textures you'll later translate digitally.

Storyboard & Animation Principles: Learn storyboarding to visually plan your animation. Understand the 12 Principles of Animation, which govern the illusion of movement in animation, regardless of the style.

2. Digital Tools and Techniques:

Animation Software: Choose animation software suited for 2D animation. Popular options include Adobe Animate, Toon Boom Harmony, and Krita (free and open-source).

Brush Creation: Learn how to create custom brushes within your chosen software. Replicate the look of traditional ink strokes by experimenting with brush settings like pressure sensitivity and texture.

Digital Inking Workflows: Explore tutorials on digital inking techniques that mimic traditional methods. This might involve using graphic tablets and pressure-sensitive brushes for a more natural drawing experience.

3. Black and White Animation Inspiration:

Study Existing Works: Watch black and white ink lithographic animations like those mentioned earlier ("The Tell-Tale Heart" or Yuri Norstein's work). Analyze how they use contrast, linework, and storytelling to create impact.

Contemporary Black and White Animation: Look for modern animators working in a similar style. Many independent animators experiment with unique black and white aesthetics online.

4. Practice and Experimentation:

Start Simple: Begin with short animation exercises to practice basic movements and build confidence with your software.

Focus on Linework: Emphasize clean and expressive linework in your animations, replicating the traditional look through digital means.

Embrace the Limited Palette: Work within the black and white limitations to create depth and visual interest using composition, shading, and line weight variations.

Additional Tips:

Online Resources: Utilize online tutorials, courses, and communities dedicated to 2D animation and digital inking. Platforms like Skillshare, [Ctrl+Paint], and Newgrounds offer valuable learning resources.

Animation Principles: While the black and white style is unique, don't neglect the core principles of animation like timing, anticipation, follow-through, and squash and stretch.

Patience and Persistence: Animation takes time and practice. Be patient with yourself, celebrate small victories, and keep experimenting to refine your skills.

Remember, the beauty of digital animation lies in its ability to combine traditional aesthetics with modern tools. By mastering the fundamentals, exploring digital tools, and drawing inspiration from existing works, you can create captivating black and white digital cartoons that stand out.

What are the 12 principles of animation? What is the best way to create digital brushes and how does software work to create them with an apple pencil 1? What other works of animation are the best to learn these techniques from both classic and contemporary?

The 12 Principles of Animation

The 12 Principles of Animation are a set of guidelines established by animators to bring characters and objects to life in a believable and engaging way. Though originally applied to hand-drawn animation, these principles remain fundamental to all animation disciplines, including digital animation. Here's a breakdown of the 12 principles:

Squash and Stretch: Exaggerates the squashing and stretching of objects during movement to create a sense of weight and fluidity.

Anticipation: A preparatory action or pose that builds anticipation for the upcoming movement.

Staging: Arranging elements within the frame to clearly communicate the action, emotion, and story.

Straight Ahead and Pose to Pose: Two approaches to animation. Straight ahead involves drawing each frame in sequence, while pose to pose focuses on keyframes (extreme poses) and in-betweens (fill in the gaps).

Follow Through and Overlapping Action: Follow through shows the continuation of movement after the action stops. Overlapping action refers to different parts of the body moving at slightly different times, creating a sense of realism.

Slow In and Slow Out: Movement is gradual at the beginning and end, adding a sense of weight and fluidity. Objects don't instantly reach full speed or stop abruptly.

Arcs: Natural movement follows imaginary arcs, creating a more realistic and visually pleasing flow.

Secondary Action: Additional movements that enhance the primary action, adding depth and believability.

Exaggeration: Exaggerating features or actions for comedic effect or emphasis.

Solid Drawing: Understanding the underlying structure and anatomy of characters and objects to create believable movement.

Appeal: Creating characters and designs that are visually appealing and resonate with the audience.

Timing: The speed and duration of an action that affects the mood, humor, and believability of the animation.

Creating Digital Brushes with an Apple Pencil

While the specific process can vary slightly between software programs, here's a general idea of how to create digital brushes that mimic traditional ink strokes with an Apple Pencil:

Brush Settings: Within your animation software, locate the brush creation or customization settings.

Brush Tip Shape: Choose a brush tip that replicates the desired ink pen you'd use traditionally. Look for settings that allow you to adjust the roundness, sharpness, and angle of the tip.

Stylus Settings: Many programs allow you to adjust pressure sensitivity settings for the Apple Pencil. This is crucial for replicating the feel of traditional inking where pressure affects line weight. Experiment with these settings to achieve a natural response to your pen strokes.

Texture: Some software offers options to add textures to your brushes. Play around with these settings to create brushes that emulate the scratchy lines of a technical pen or the smoother flow of a brush pen.

Test and Refine: The best way to create the perfect brush is to experiment and test. Draw lines, change settings, and see how the brush responds to your Apple Pencil. Make adjustments until you achieve the desired inking effect.

Popular Software Options:

Adobe Animate: A professional animation program with a wide variety of brush settings and customization options.

Toon Boom Harmony: Industry-standard software for 2D animation, offering a vast library of pre-made brushes and the ability to create custom ones.

Krita: A free and open-source software with a growing brush library and pressure sensitivity support for various styluses like the Apple Pencil.

Classic and Contemporary Animation for Learning

Classic Works:

Early Disney films (Snow White, Bambi): These films showcase the 12 principles in action, with beautiful hand-drawn animation and expressive characters.

Warner Bros. Looney Tunes: Looney Tunes are masters of squash and stretch, exaggeration, and comedic timing, perfect for studying these principles.

Contemporary Works:

Works by Yuri Norstein: This Russian animator utilizes black and white ink lithography in a stunning and dreamlike way, perfect for studying the style you're interested in.

"Salad Fingers" by David Firth: A cult classic independent animation with a unique black and white, sketchy style that demonstrates effective storytelling with limited visuals.

"Adventure Time" (Cartoon Network): This modern cartoon incorporates a unique hand-drawn aesthetic with digital tools, showcasing impactful character design and animation within a black and white color palette in some episodes.

Remember, these are just a few examples. There's a vast world of animation to explore, and the best way to learn is to watch a variety of works, classic and contemporary.

How do I make use of colour with these techniques?

While traditional lithography is typically limited to a single color (often black) or a small range of colors, you can still incorporate color creatively using digital tools to create the aesthetic while adding vibrancy to your animation projects that utilize techniques inspired with digital lithography. 

Here are some approaches:

Limited Color Palettes:

Muted Tones: Instead of a full spectrum, opt for muted or desaturated color palettes that evoke the feel of lithographic inks. Think earthy tones, soft blues, and subtle greens.

Complementary Colors: Choose complementary colors that create a strong contrast when placed next to each other. This can add a pop of color while maintaining a limited palette aesthetic.

Analogous Colors: Select colors that sit next to each other on the color wheel. This creates a harmonious and cohesive color scheme that feels slightly more vibrant than a monochrome approach.

Color Application Techniques:

Flat Colors: Apply solid blocks of color to your drawings, similar to traditional lithography. Experiment with different opacities to create a layered effect.

Limited Color Shading: Use a single or a few closely related colors to create shading and depth within your animation. This maintains the limited palette look while adding dimension.

Selective Color: Apply color to specific elements within your animation, leaving the background or other elements in black and white. This creates a focal point and adds visual interest.

Experimenting with Textures:

Colored Textures: Use digital textures with subtle color variations to add depth and a touch of vibrancy while maintaining the grainy feel of lithography.

Color Overlays: Create colored overlays with textures and imperfections to layer on top of your black and white animation. This adds a hint of color without losing the core aesthetic.

Remember:

The goal is to evoke the visual style of lithography while adding pops of color strategically.

Maintain a level of control with your color choices. Don't get carried away with a full spectrum, as it can take away from the desired effect.

Additional Tips:

Study Color Theory: Understanding basic color theory can help you choose harmonious color palettes and create visually appealing compositions.

Observe Real-World Lithographic Prints: Look at how color is used (or not used) in existing lithographic artwork to get inspiration for your own projects.

Experiment and Refine: Don't be afraid to experiment with different color combinations and textures. See what resonates with your artistic vision and refines the unique style you're creating.

By incorporating these approaches, you can breathe life into your digital animation projects while still staying true to the essence of techniques inspired by lithography. The key is to find a balance between color and texture that enhances your storytelling and visual impact.

I weave through verdant labyrinths, a silent, wooden thread,

A divining rod for mysteries the whispering forest has bred.

Though I bear no compass, my touch ignites a primal guide,

A forgotten language, where earth and soul confide.

I am a phantom limb, an extension of weary might,

A bridge across the chasm, between darkness and light.

My whispers etch stories on the ephemeral canvas of dust,

Chronicles of triumph, etched in the traveler's trust.

What am I?

Some important shutdowns are going on, mainly affecting cellular phones as well as gasoline cars. What this means is that we'll all have to stop relying on the non functioning devices, also a major event will occur with this shutdown.

What this event is, was called the awakening by Nostradamus, millions of years ago. This means the grand design of all the creators will have come to light, and the technology that was made with genetics will be uncovered like lifting a veil. More information about this; it's like dreams come into focus in our reality. Things like lucid dreaming, martial arts, future seeing, teleportation, flying, clairaudience will all come into our reality at this time very soon, in possibly only less than one day. At this point in time, all of Nostradamus' predictions have come into focus as the truth of future telling.

It's almost here. Planetary intervention was a success! We managed to rescue the original creator from death torture underground. It should not be long before they can activate their thoughts with a computer and make their dream come into realization.

What will happen is that the technology that comes with genetics will be activated and become apparent that you have all these abilities you only could experience in dreams. You'll realize that this was obscured and badly malfunctioning because of computer technology.

You'll also want to get rid of bad products right away. Pets, petrol vehicles, bad pharmaceuticals, lauryl ester alkaline soaps and detergents, cellular phones. This type of thing, besides the pets those other things are human body parts.

What is ge'henna?

Ge'henna is a time space in our calendar where our planet takes away everything it doesn't want. This has been the subject of future predictions for millions of years what is happening now on our planet.

The war machine is grinding to a halt. The planet is taking away the resources, nuclear, electronic, people, infrastructure. We saw this happen in China and the Midde East recently with earthquakes.

I won't give a lot of speculation as to what happens, but yes everything like this is taken from us in the next 2 days.

I have studied the martial arts sense for my entire life, and it sometimes makes me think why I can't experience the full effect of what I'm doing. This was due to electronic radiation. My family and friends were raped by the CIA in the carried out majestic program. This is where planetary intervention from the plejaren collective is interfered with.

The dreams we perceive will change with how Gaia is with our energy at this time. The pluna'am Maya and the pluna'am Gaia are the planet and universe. We are the small thing. The reasons we were able to have war and the ability to harm these pluna'ae was to them like stubbing their finger on a hand (to us).

The truth is that Gheti is the dreamer of this dream we are in. Gheti was human, now they are Narayan.

I hope that there is light somewhere in consciousness, because we fought a machine that took our mortal sight, and would have stopped genetics from existing entirely. Thank you.

Peace and compassion to you.

It looks like shutdowns are going on with the medical drama is finished at Los Alamos. It also looks like we need to be as convincing as possible to people thinking of shutting their bad tech down, the kind that makes radio or audio waves at a distance. It was things built out of the nuclear leveler technology. It also looks like if everything gets shut down today, the event where Gaia is healed and appears, the same one David Wilcock speaks to with his science, where dreams come into our vision of reality, should also happen today.

As it be, the city I am in is the last place connected to the leveler, people are trying to convince them to shut down their nuclear technology connected to the US. The city is in bad shape now, from radiation that was removed over and over, and was some of the highest levels ever. Events that led to a massive solar storm from the sun, and technology involving the cybercrimes making it more embedded.

The thing that people need to realize that have this nuclear technology is that they are trying to reach out and get Hamilton, ON to turn off the nuclear leveler technology they use, then the machine in Los Alamos can be turned off.

I'm sure they are finding ways to reach out from the US, as well as many other people around the world will try and convince them to turn off this technology.

After this technology shuts off, immediately after, we will see the event David Wilcock describes all about. Because of this technology is the reason why it hasn't happened yet.

Last night was the last time for the medical drama Nostradamus predicted millions of years ago. The next thing Nostradamus predicted is that an even would occur, like a veil being lifted on reality, this is when Gaia heals and removes the technology that masks our vision with electronic radiation. For a long time MKULTRA was used to sell humans for trafficking as mind controlled slaves. Our planet was being used for human trafficking to other planets for experimentation and enslavement.

The thing to keep in mind at this time is going with the spirit. Nostradamus talked about how people had come to rely on bad technology and harmful things to enable their lifestyle. It won't be like this when the veil is lifted, or even just before, people will be confused that something they thought was good for them is actually harm and they can't really tell why if the masking technology is present. The world actually looks spooky and haunted, like a haunted house for pedophiles.

Hang in there, Nostradamus predicted that the veil would be lifted almost right after the medical drama would stop. But there would be one thing that would need to occur and it would be that people have to realize they need to be out of the way of nuclear technology for it to be removed. So if you're one of those people who 'got powers from Lucifer', 'made a pact with Satan', or just sold out for technology online as you could have in 2019 - 2023, then you need to be aware that this was done with a nuclear leveler and can be stopped if you heal and stay clear of the energy the leveler sends out.

Having considered that, it's wise for people to continue to convince and help others' of spirituality and a persons' nature. Soon there won't be a way for anyone to bring war to us. There won't be illegal wiretapping, There won't be a cellphone. There won't be any cars most likely. What will be left is for us to rebuild our planet to our liking after thousands of years of oppression from Extra Terrestrials in and around Orion.

Because we have had some radioactive force against us on this planet since 5500 years ago, we are now rediscovering science and the worlds' dream while this radiation is removed. How a planet sustains life is a strange concept to people, and will soon surprise them with karma from the planet and then karma from creation or Gaia this year when these beings, the planet and the universe heals.

Soon, because of technological failure, we won't be able to depend on the same devices anymore, and not many of the ways the deep state functioned will work at all.

A relaying system between Mars and Saturn and Jupiter won't power on, it's built out from the Vatican and a nuclear reactor. The devices such as a cell phone, some types of computers, televisions, cars and vehicles won't work in the same way.

At the same time, a way for a person to use their innate technological creation ability is being created on this planet. It's part of qi-gong and some people are really good at this. 6800 years ago, the pyramids were an open place of business and an adult could go and make their thoughts into a sex toy. Where Gheti used to live where Asia is now, the had this big machine for fabracting gadgets and making people's ideas come into focus for them. They would take the thoughtform and design, refine it with a computer, and 3D print the item with a laser beam. A huge store where you could sell your own item or print a new item, and pay for it with the gold that a person uses as money, technologically speaking. From this context you can see why a war profiteers would want to obscure the way people on an entire planet use technology innately and the perception of themselves become altered and disabled by radiation.

The military ku that went on in a way made it more convincing for me to be speaking to the people doing war that aren't a part of the off planet military not from a nation on this planet. They have built out nuclear technology and short changed this planet with how we ourselves can use the things we have. The things they traded with us were like a Trojan horse and sold us back a prisoner inside a nuclear reactor. This alone recently caused the wave of cybercrimes in the world, with military type disease beings just coming alive and running the show. How the world is built out for this might surprise you a lot. The reactor can create a disease person with electronic radiation, and our planet has been infected and not in our control of us using weapons plainly, in general.

How we were deprived of a sane experience of using the best modern technology that is actually what you'd call futuristic if you thought the nuclear reactors' technology was the edge of technology in science. David Wilcock mentioned that for a while this year, people will go a bit crazy with making their own devices and electronics. The nuclear radiation would be totally gone if we had the ability to use technology that goes along with the intelligent design of a being. What is really going on is that Gaia is bruised, and it's because of the nuclear reactor. When this goes away they'll be able to illuminate like a star, they are in fact now in other places in space, but we can't perceive it from the planets' surface because of the bruising from the reactor. The planet and Gaia would be healed and beings on the pluna'am Maya could use their own technology if the reactor goes away. It's the computer technology leveler that has the abductee and makes disease people out of the planet.

After learning what I was like as a being, that we innately have the ability to use technology which includes money, I started to think differently of how I used the things I have around the house.

Sometimes needing and wanting can be two different things, but in the sense that I need and want to use the money that is innate to a person. How does this usually look for someone using normal technology - the technology that was invented when genetics was invented. So it's interesting to think that the reasons I couldn't solve my own problems were because of something that I have in common with everyone on the planet, the nuclear technology leveler for genetics effects the natural way people interact with technology.

How things looked during college and before that when I moved here in 2017, it was tough for me to understand my best chance at getting all the stuff I needed to have the lifestyle I wanted, and there weren't many exceptions to how I have a lifestyle in the end of the story, the reason being it was that the deep state is being taken down. It's not the only problem that was solved for everyone, and caused technology for the world to be safer, technology is also safer for everyone because of the military changes from the extra terrestrials that sold this planet a lot of different electronic nuclear technology, that was actually like terrible pollution.

Having for a good number of people just getting rid of their bad technology started to allow Maya, the planet to have an easier task as nurturing genetics and keeping people healthy and letting people eat clean food, sometimes.

When Nostradamus said genetics would become without mortal sight, it meant that literally electronic and other types of radiation are in the field of view of most or all people. This was actually true, and a person I'm close with was at a time just looking out at the sunset inside small confinement space, bones broken and beaten, and all other genetics looked inward at nuclear satanic hate. This was year 1500 in the UK and France.

Right now genetics is gaining it's sight back.