How can I get a professional looking CG?

[ss_goku4]

Hey all. If any of you out there know how to gte a proffesional Anime type CG look. Im working with Photoshop CS, Illustrator CS, and Painter 7. Outside my computer, I use a regular .5 lead pencil. Can anyone help?

[zillford]

your question is fairly vague, but the first step to making ANY proffessional looking work is to "know thy subject".

approaching coloring with ANY media requires a strong grasp of lighting, composition, and (possibly most importantly) color theory.

now, some short-cuts are afforded for "typical-anime-coloring". most things have only 2 shades, and they rarely reflect accurate light coloring. usually a shadow is merely a slightly more saturated and darker shade of the base color. but this is employed because a animation team needs to work quickly and cheaply.

so, if you want to create something that looks like common anime, just do some eyedropper grabs from whatever you're referencing. otherwise, you should start working on color theory by studying photos and real life, as well as reading articles and books on the subject.

as for the technical side of "making proffessional stuff" you'll just need to hit tutorials and experiment on your own. the only true definition of "professional" is whether you get paid for it. and let me tell you, many paid artists in any field are not at the top of their game.

for example, Pokemon is HIGHLY 'proffessional' in that it makes money.
while Falcoon posts all his work for free, and is the BEST anime artist I've ever seen.

[ss_goku4]

ooh, my bad. I really should have said that I am aware of the key elements. Other than that I wish I can show what I have. I saw Falcoons art and I must say that he IS good. I just see that my quality seems really off of what anime really is. People tell me its good, but for me its not good enough. But you know what, im just gonna continue what i've been doing for the past 4 years, and just practice up. It couldn't hurt. Thanks anyways.

[get_a_life]

Originally Posted by ss_goku4

Hey all. If any of you out there know how to gte a proffesional Anime type CG look. Im working with Photoshop CS, Illustrator CS, and Painter 7. Outside my computer, I use a regular .5 lead pencil. Can anyone help?

a great way to build up technique is copying. EVERY artist out there experiments with copying. even picasso copied. but anyways copying builds technique bc it forces you to reach a certain outcome, and to reach that outcome you'll try any and every way, and thus finding the best technique that suits you to that outcome.

all i can say is find any piece of work that you consider "professional" and COPY THE HELL OUT OF IT. you wont know how it goes together unless you break it apart.

and thats that! start copying!! but dont post up copied work, thats a no-no.

i hope that helped.