Seeking a more efficient method to transfer my patterns

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Dart Vader

Guest
This is a HUGE issue for me.
I am looking for a more efficient method for transferring my patterns to the paper.
Here is my current method:


  1. Scan original artwork into Photoshop
  2. Trace key areas of artwork with Pen tool (sometimes requires hours)
  3. Resize the path to fit in designated area
  4. Stroke the path within Photoshop with a 3 px solid brush
  5. Print the page(s) as needed
  6. Heavily trace the printed lines with a pencil
  7. Place traced side down on the paper
  8. Trace again to transfer graphite to the paper
  9. Then its time to place the frisket and start painting

Unfortunately, this process can take many hours, sometimes even days.
I would really like to speed this up. Les time prepping and more time airbrushing.
Does anyone have a better, more efficient method to prep their pieces for painting?

Until then, I gotta get back to this tracing work (drudgery)...
 
This is a HUGE issue for me.
I am looking for a more efficient method for transferring my patterns to the paper.
Here is my current method:


  1. Scan original artwork into Photoshop
  2. Trace key areas of artwork with Pen tool (sometimes requires hours)
  3. Resize the path to fit in designated area
  4. Stroke the path within Photoshop with a 3 px solid brush
  5. Print the page(s) as needed
  6. Heavily trace the printed lines with a pencil
  7. Place traced side down on the paper
  8. Trace again to transfer graphite to the paper
  9. Then its time to place the frisket and start painting

Unfortunately, this process can take many hours, sometimes even days.
I would really like to speed this up. Les time prepping and more time airbrushing.
Does anyone have a better, more efficient method to prep their pieces for painting?

Until then, I gotta get back to this tracing work (drudgery)...

Yes get a projecter and a pencil, draw out and freehand it in, hand stencils maybe too, hours of freehanding is more fun than bh a conputer....
 
I'm a beginner, so maybe there's easier ways but i was thinking getting the artograph tracer, sells for 59€ and from reading experiences on several forums it seems to be very helpfull in setting up the basic outlines and will save a lot of time....
 
get a projector....(if its a new one) switch it on.....paint.....(if its an old style one) print on transparency......switch on....paint.....
....
I use an old style over head projector, you can pick them up so cheap.
this is just how I do it darren, someone else will give you a beret way I'm sure
 
Hi, I also use the autograph tracer, it is cheap, small and does the job very well just need to make sure the room is dark as it uses an standard bulb.
 
mine is the old style school ohp works well but I want a digital one
 
It depends on what I want to paint, sometimes I use "posterazer" available for free download via a link here on the forum, to make poster size stencils, you can decide for yourself how big you want these, but like rick says a projector is a good investment, I have mini beamer (projector) which allows me to project images directly from my laptop onto my work surface and I simply lightly pencil in the important outlines, if I do anything with hair or fur, I also lightly pencil in small arrows depicting the different directions of the fur the the rest is totally freehand.

I will be starting a project next week where this process will be used and I plan on doing a step by step of the whole process, although the step by step will not be posted until the project is complete so that I can post the whole project in one fell swoop.
 
Thanks for the posterazer need to test some day .

Picopix is great, and about 2hours on battery with just a sd card with your photos,
 
Darren don't you own a light box as a tattoo artist I would think you would have one?

As crazy as it may seem, I have used this method for a very long time with tattoo patterns as well. Before Photoshop it was ALL redrawn by hand to the desired size.
I am currently attempting to transfer and reproduce one of my old original tattoo drawings in airbrush. It will be less detailed than the Giger piece I was attempting, but still a good exercise in "darker" imagery.
 
Thanks for the posterazer need to test some day .

Picopix is great, and about 2hours on battery with just a sd card with your photos,

Mine is different, I have the usb version, it relies on the laptop for power and the images come directly from the computer, but I find that handy since I can also resize the image and move it around if I need to, it has no SD card slot, it's damned handy little machine and an essential tool, and because it's from Phillips and Phillips is based here in Holland, we get to pay more than any other country for it, lol
 
Mine is different, I have the usb version, it relies on the laptop for power and the images come directly from the computer, but I find that handy since I can also resize the image and move it around if I need to, it has no SD card slot, it's damned handy little machine and an essential tool, and because it's from Phillips and Phillips is based here in Holland, we get to pay more than any other country for it, lol

How considerate of Phillips...
They should take a hint from BlackBerry. (previously known as RIM) In Ontario Canada where BlackBerry is based, the people residing there get great deals on BlackBerry products. I also use my BlackBerry Playbook to display images of the item I am working on at that time. Think that last Giger image got burned into my screen though... I still see a "ghosted" negative image of it on the screen. Or perhaps that is my stressed out mind playing tricks on me. Time for more Tito's reducer/thinner (vodka)!!!
 
How considerate of Phillips...
They should take a hint from BlackBerry. (previously known as RIM) In Ontario Canada where BlackBerry is based, the people residing there get great deals on BlackBerry products. I also use my BlackBerry Playbook to display images of the item I am working on at that time. Think that last Giger image got burned into my screen though... I still see a "ghosted" negative image of it on the screen. Or perhaps that is my stressed out mind playing tricks on me. Time for more Tito's reducer/thinner (vodka)!!!

LOL, I think it is indeed your mind playing tricks, I believe we've all had that.

Incidentally Samsung have a new mobile phone with a built in projector, I saw it in a big electrical shop in Rotterdam a few weeks ago, I almost bought it, but my wife was with me and the punch in the face I got quickly changed my mind, I would love to have 2 hours in an empty room with the nut case who said women were the weaker sex.
 
I have an old overhead projector I use, but would prefer something that hooks straight to the computer.
 
As crazy as it may seem, I have used this method for a very long time with tattoo patterns as well. Before Photoshop it was ALL redrawn by hand to the desired size.
I am currently attempting to transfer and reproduce one of my old original tattoo drawings in airbrush. It will be less detailed than the Giger piece I was attempting, but still a good exercise in "darker" imagery.

I'm going to be doing one of mine soon too it's funny you said that I'll be looking out for it bro
 
If I need to have a drawing/guideline etc, and can't be bothered to copy and redraw it myself, I just enlarge the pic to the size I want, flip the image and then trace it straight off the computer screen, when you turn the tracing paper over the image is round the right way and ready to be transfered. I don't have a projector and this is what works for me, it doesn't have the detail of a projector (I guess you could spend more time on the tracing) but with a printed ref it's all good. But then my work isn't highly detailed photo realism, so maybe no good for some things.
 
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LOL, I think it is indeed your mind playing tricks, I believe we've all had that.

Incidentally Samsung have a new mobile phone with a built in projector, I saw it in a big electrical shop in Rotterdam a few weeks ago, I almost bought it, but my wife was with me and the punch in the face I got quickly changed my mind, I would love to have 2 hours in an empty room with the nut case who said women were the weaker sex.
ah yes the galaxy ben isn't it....projects to like 5o inch our so?
 
What you can do is use velum paper. Print out or enlarge image to required size. Pplace velum paper over image and trace with a .5 pencil. Place frisket over velum and rub over the pencil marks. Lift frisket and pencil drawing will lift with it. Place frisket in desired position. This way you don't have to redraw again and no draw marks on the final surface. If you need to redo a part, just go over it on the velum with pencil again and lift if off again with the frisket.
 
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