How to really LOCK the Canvas layer?

[pixlart]

Hi:

Painter does not currently have the facility for locking the Canvas. The best way around this is to duplicate the Canvas (Select All, Copy & Paste), then lock the new duplicate layer immediately above the Canvas.

Viva la Painter!

[Jinbrown]

Hi,

Your best solution is to get in the habit of checking the Layers palette to see that the Layer you want to draw on is highlighted.... before you begin drawing or painting.

In the meantime....

Try this on a test image to see if it works for you. It does work for me in WinXP Home SP2 using Painter IX.5.

If you accidentally draw black line art on the Canvas and want it on a Layer:

1. With Canvas highlighted in the Layers palette, use Select > All (Ctrl/Command+A) to select the entire Canvas.

2. Click the F key to activate the Layer Adjuster tool, then click inside the selection to lift the Canvas to a Layer. The Layer will be in Composite Method Default and the white background will be visible along with the black line work.

3. To fix that, change the Layer Composite Method to Gel and the white background will now be transparent.


If you already had a Layer with black line art on it, you can make that Layer and the new Layer lifted from the Canvas a single Layer:

1. Hold down the Shift key and, in the Layers palette, highlight both Layers.

2. Use the Group command (Ctrl/Command+G). Now the two Layers are part of a Group.

3. Use the Collapse command (Ctrl/Command+Shift+X) to collapse the Group to a single Layer. You'll see the white background again.

4. Change the single Layer's Composite Method to Gel and the line work from the origiinal Layer and the Layer lifted from the Canvas are now combined in a single Layer with a transparent background.

Again, try to get in the habit of checking the Layers palette before starting to draw or paint so you won't have to use this workaround.

[deecaywonder]

Thanks folks! I sort of already build that habit. It's just that I have tiny little bit hope that after I upgraded from XI to XI.5, they may add the feature in. Oh well.


You guys are awesome, and I so glad that I finally found a Painter community that is alive. I think I should set up my tiny gallery, and get more involve in the community.

Speaking of involve in the community, can you think of a place where I can put my artwork online and have others to criticize them? I mean I know there are sites that does it, but usually lack of using involvement. I mean, I am not that great a digital painter, I am very willing to learn and don't mind some harsh criticize.

Anyway, as a start, let me put some of my work in my CGTalk account as a start.

Deecay

[Jinbrown]

Hi,

Try these sites for forums where you can show your work and ask for critiques and suggestions.... and get a lot of inspiration:

Right Here at CGSociety Forums - Main Page (http://forums.cgsociety.org)

This Forum - CGTalk Corel Painter Forum for Corel Painter Specific Questions (http://www.cgtalk.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=112)

ConceptArt.org Forums (http://www.conceptart.org/forums)

ConceptArt.org Painter Forum for Corel Painter Specific Questions (http://www.conceptart.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=23)

Sijun.com Forums Main Page (http://forums.sijun.com/)


Here's another site where you can show your work and ask for critiques:

Art Critique Gallery and Forums (http://artcritiquegallery.com/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi)


..................

[Jinbrown]

Just added another link to my post above.

[Mu]

Hi,

on occasions like these I like to point out the artistic anatomy and figuratives art forums (http://forums.cgsociety.org/forumdisplay.php?f=177), here on cgtalk, not only because it abounds in reference, tutorials and highly frequented free online workshops, but also because you can have your own sketchbook or anatomy thread which will provide you with a lot of helpful feedback by talented and devoted artists.

It helped me in so many ways that the space in this post is not enough to describe it properly.

Do check it out (esp. since you are focused on figurative art, judging from the nice studies in your portfolio!)

:)

[deecaywonder]

Wow, thanks for all your suggestions! I know I still have a long way to go but now I have incentive to press on.

Yeah, Mu, you are right on about the fact that I am mostly interest in drawing human figures as I want to eventually use my illustration as part of the story telling. I prefer the Japanese manga style since that's what I grew up with. But then basic anatomy should be applicable regardless of drawing style.

BTW, I am using the book "Techniques For Drawing Female Manga Characters" by Hikaru Hayashi. I didn't though it was useful but turns out following the exercise in the book like a few pages per day. Nice book.


Deecay

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