Hi everybody,
After viewing so much great vector work here in the galleries, I sometimes wonder about how each artist lays or creates the original traces. I'm sure everyone has different techniques they use to lay down the orignial vectors. Some may use original sketches and start tracing, others may use photos and start with an auto trace. There is also the mouse vs the digital drawing pad. Either way we all must start out with a single line vector to create double sided strokes, thick and thin, shapes and gradations.
Some of the work I've seen in the galleries are so complex I can't help but think of the huge amount of time that was spent on creating these vector images if each small shape was created individually with a single line trace. Even if auto trace was used, it would take just as much time getting rid of unwanted nodes as it would tracing each shape manually.
Please post your techniques if you have the time. Maybe we all do it about the same, or maybe I can learn some new tricks here.
Any input will be appreciated.
As far as my own technique goes, I manually trace everything with a mouse. I never use auto trace since I end up spending more time deleting the "to many nodes" that always occure with auto trace. I lay straight lines down, then convert to curves after I close the loop. I then smooth the nodes where needed. The rest is moving handles and nodes around until I get them where I want them.