Eager new animator :)

[ShipWrex]

Hi all!
I'm Whisper, or "ShipWrex"

I've very recently become very interested in animation. No, I've been interested for awhile, but I'm finally acting upon it. I fell in love with the work of this one youtuber, and when I asked her what program she used she directed me here. Over a year later, and I still remembered and am finally checking it out, now that I have the resources.

I'm currently using the trial version, and of course, my first issue came up with the download. It loaded easily enough onto my mac, but I really wanted it on my laptop (more portable..) I download the program, and when I go to open it a window pops up that says it can't open the file, and that "to open the file windows needs to know what program to open it with..."
I'm at a complete loss. ^^" Do I need to buy a program to use this program? I didn't for my mac..?

Also, I'm thinking of investing in a new tablet (mine is useless, no pressure sensitivity.. so it's more or less like working with a mouse) I'm considering buying a "wacom intuos4" Do you have any suggestions on what size would be best? Small or medium?
Also, any tips for getting good at drawing with a tablet? I'm really good with a pencil, but it's been hard to adjust to a tablet. (I think my biggest issue is the fact I also do my drawing with a sketch book in my lap.. I need to get better at using a desktop instead)


Thanks in advance!

(Please forgive me if I posted this in the wrong place :/ )

[artfx]

If you’re good with a pencil on your sketchpad, you may want to consider getting a tablet computer, which would allow you to draw directly on the screen like with a Wacom Cintiq. Of course, a tablet computer would cost a lot less than a Cintiq, and some might be in the same range as an Intuos.

The only way to get good at drawing on your tablet is to practice, practice, practice! Draw everyday and every chance you get. Don’t stop and before you know it, you will see the results you’re looking for.

[Paul Fierlinger]

I'm old school (and just old too). I believe in assuming the proper position of the body to the work at hand; to learn how to position oneself in relationship to the craft. Drawing on your lap is good for sketching when outdoors and it becomes a necessity. But for serious work I recommend getting into the habit of the proper setting for future big jobs (if you are serious about becoming a full time animator). One day you will need the power and space of a desktop machine and most likely you will want at least two screens, if not three.

I suggest to get the Wacom 4 or Cintiq, but I don't like the Cintiq for many reasons discussed on several threads-- others do. In either case, you will need to be sitting in a chair at a desk, so don't start with lazy habits drawing on your lap. You might think you draw nicely that way, in which case you should realize that you will draw really well when sitting upright at a desk. Animators end up drawing thousands of in betweens, which is not exactly the same as sketching.

Once you get the Wacom (medium is just right, small being too small when you have more than one monitor and large takes up too much desk space, positioning you too far from the screen.

It is IMPORTANT to get get the ratio of the Wacom's settings, tip's pressure sensitivity and the mapping so that when you draw a circle on your tablet a circle of the same size appears in your project window. It is not a good idea to use your pen to cover every space on your screens, because then you will end up drawing smaller circles on the tablet than the ones appearing on the screen and that's what makes you feel clumsy.

There is more to all of this but this is what you need to know for starters.

[ShipWrex]

Thanks for the tips you guys! I guess it's about time I got used to drawing on a flat surface, anyways. If thats what it takes to become good at this, then that's what I'll do:)

Also thanks for the size tips! I'll be getting a medium, then.