Using TVpaint for Illustration and graphic novel

[beth]

Hello

I was just wondering how many people use TV Paint for creating illustrations and have any advice they would like to share.
I have a little job for a couple illustrations for a kids magazine and would like to use TVP to create them.

Now, think I am understanding the pixel size issue and how it relates to DPI...but wanted to make sure before I get into trouble.
I need to create a 300 dpi illustration, that is 16.5 inches by 11 inches.
My plan is..to work create this size file in photo shop and then import it into TVPaint create the art there and then when I am finished with the painting export the TVPP project as a PSD and resize the 72dpi to 300 dpi there. Does this make sense?

Sorry if this is obvious but I am just a bit nervous.

Also I am starting to create a mock up for a graphic novel and am wondering if anyone else is using TVP for this? And if so, have any advice on how to handle the text? So far the text brush seems to often have a mind of it's own.

Thanks much,
Beth

[idragosani]

TVPaint isn't designed with print in mind, so some things like working out DPI and CMYK colors in TVPaint aren't supported. If you want an image that is 16.5 x 11 inches, you should figure out the dimensions in pixels for the DPI you want to work in and then create your image in TVPaint with those pixel dimensions. Converting 72 dpi to 300 dpi won't give you the results you are expecting, I don't think. You are better off working at the resolution you want to print at (16.5 x 11 @ 300 dpi = 4950x3300 image)

You can use this site to figure out absolute image size based on the dpi you want to work at:

http://auctionrepair.com/pixels.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

For your second question, regarding the graphic novel, you might be better off adding the text in a layout program like InDesign and just doing the graphics with TVPaint.

[Klaus Hoefs]

TVP has some settings which could give you a starting point:

So your workflow could be:

TVP: starting new project, choosing illustration size / drawing
Indesign: choosing format, converting the illustration to CMYK, doing layout (adding text...)

If you don't have Indesign and your layout app doesn't support images converting to CMYK, you can choose Photoshop (or some other app alike) to do this job.
You can also ask the printing shop to do the conversion.

[slowtiger]

The only thing you need to get right from the start is the pixel dimensions of your work, and you know how to calculate this. Everything else will be fine, since nowadays even RGB images can be printed good enough. You only need some help/ conversion to CMYK if you either have very dark or very light colours, or bleeds of very light colours to white, which need additional treatment in Photoshop.

[Klaus Hoefs]

Every print shop will have to print in CMYK finally - but it's true what Markus said, this can be done by the printing machines automatically.
But the truth is also, that this is as a half as good. If your black tones are looking more like a dark brown or almost gray, it will be hard to complain about.
That's the reason why professional illustrators and advertising agencies asking the print shop for their print profiles, paper specifications (another factor !) and are doing their own color-proofs in CMYK.

[idragosani]

You have to be careful relying on automatic conversion by the print house, because the colors may not be exactly what you were expecting. You are better off using InDesign or PS or similar so you can get your colors matched correctly using Pantone or whatever. Some friends made this mistake a few years ago when getting CD inserts made for an album. Their graphic designer had no experience doing print (just web graphics) and had submitted everything as RGB and everything came back completely wrong!

If you don't have Indesign, you can check out the open source Scribus, which is available for all platforms (Windows, OS X, Linux):

http://www.scribus.net/canvas/Scribus" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[slowtiger]

If you are not familiar with print jobs and don't own Photoshop, just hire a graphicdesigner who is. He/She will only charge you for 1 hour, but will be able to measure your artwork's tone values and convert them corrctly to CMYK. This can be tricky business and requires knowledge and experience, especially with delicate illustrations on special paper.

[beth]

Wow thanks really appreciate all the information. Very helpful!
I guess TVP is not really meant for this but I am in the process of learning the program and don't want to stop.

One more question...is there a trick to exporting a TVP project as a photoshop PSD and still keep the layers?

I thought I did it once but now keep getting one flattened layer.

cheers and again thanks and hope to move into actually animating soon,
Beth

[kariP]

One more question...is there a trick to exporting a TVP project as a photoshop PSD and still keep the layers?

From the export footage panel: instead "Clip: display", select "Clip: layer structure" and you should find what you need.

[artfx]

I don't think it is super tricky doing print jobs in RGB or in TVP. I have almost always used it, in some form, as far back as doing the DVD covers and advertisements for my animation over ten years ago. I did one bad job, my first, and from that I could easily see what was needed to make RGB work for print. I never had color or tone problems again after that. I also did a manga for TOKYOPOP entirely in TVP.

[CartoonMonkey]

Hey Terrence,

This is an old post, but could you detail steps working doing comics work in TVPaint going from RGB to CMYK?

[idragosani]

Another option, if you don't have Photoshop, is to use the open source painting application Krita to do the RGB->CMYK conversion for you:

https://krita.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ZigOtto]

another primordial point to be mentionned imo is to work whenever possible on a "calibrated" screen display,
some factory's default color calibration are really awfull, (I mean for 90% of non-professional display hardwares targeted at the general public),
the brands use to flatter your eyes with a bit contrasted and over-saturated colors ...
otherwise, no chance to get on print (paper) what you see on the screen display.

a last thing, you can inspect in tvpaint the R,G, B channels and the Luma histograms of your image as well,
it could be instructing to detect some slight unbalance, and eventually to test some "localisated" gama correction and see if it goes better in the printed output.