[...] intro post, the brainstorming and thumbnails, the first pass storyboards and my feedback of them as part one here and part two [...]

Thank you again, Aidan and Karen.

All the actual drawings are pencil and paper (in particular, red Prismacolor pencils for the roughs, and standard 2B and 4B’s for the solid lines…the paper is arbitrary). These are scanned, put in Photoshop and given a layer for very light brush tones, which is something like a 20% black. Like a lot of artists I know, it’s very tempting to render the hell out of these drawings, but since boards are often disposable it’s not very time-wise to render them all out, UNLESS they’ve been approved (I’ve seen a lot of great storyboards that were fully rendered out, such as Simeon Wilkins’ HELLBOY boards, but I highly doubt they were first passes…Karen, some input?).

Whether or not you draw with traditional tools or a Wacom tablet is really up to the individual artist to decide; likewise, whether you use Photoshop or Toonboom or Sketchbook Pro or Maya or Flash is up to you (unless you’re working for a studio which insists their artists use a certain program…in which case, be flexible).

I hope that helps, although I’m sure Karen will have some insight (i.e. mocking me…jeez, Karen, let my wounds heal already!). I think the most important thing is that you have clear, understandable boards which can be read and understood by anyone.

But I do think Sketchbook Pro is a really nice drawing program and very easy to use. It’s just a digital way of drawing and isn’t a ‘storyboard program’, but it’s quite nice and affordable. The drawings can end up looking like you did them on paper. And it also works with layers.

I’m still noodling with Storyboard Pro and want to try it with an actual job before I make a recommendation. It is becoming standard in some studios (not the ones I work for, yet). It’s a bigger program with a bigger price tag too. And some of the tools just won’t be used by the actual board artist, but by the studio itself. (Not that that’s a bad thing.)

K

I had a few technical questions, if anyone can answer or share their thoughts, that would excite me for the rest of the month! Aidan, did you use Photoshop for the board? (it looks awesome and oh so very clean) and if so, are you one to use Layers in order to move things around easier without having to redraw? Or perhaps you scanned everything in and just added tone and highlights!? Since boards do need revisions and sometimes even more revision, whats the best way to prepare your panels for a complete make-over? (like cropping/ resizing figures, changing background/scene/ perspective…etc)

I also wondered if anyone out there has tried other software like Toonboon Storyboard or Sketchbook Pro for boards..and if they’re any better in preference. I’ll be quiet now, thank you all.

I think storyboard artists should always be thinking about the next person working from their boards. The layout people. The animators. What would make their life easier and help them take this work to the next level?

Very important stuff. Give them all the information they need to do their job the best possible way. And that includes those start poses and hook-ups!

(Yes, we teachers just love our red pencils, don’t we?)

@ Kasana – I’m laughing WITH you. Not at you.

Me knowth not why the avatar will not behave. Drat!

K

@Karen
Thanks. Ma notebook is ready.
And my Avatar…Why?…Why ?

I’m enjoying these critique posts. Reminds me a lot of being an animation student and thinking I had everything ruffed out with key poses, and then my teacher would come along (sometimes with a red pencil) and draw all over my work, adding more breakdowns and inbetween ruffs to make the movement ‘read’ more clearly.

Probably not so surprising as we were taught that every movement is a micro-story. As such it needs it’s own clearly told storyboard.

We talk the same language, just slightly different dialect.

And I don’t know why the avatar didn’t change. I cleared my cache to see and it’s still the same. Hmm. Dunno.

@ Aidan – Pimp!
K