I have an art source and they can draw well, very well. But, how do I get all that nice art into my game? For this particular application it is browser based and it is a lot of static images. I'm not sure if I just scan it and put it on the web pages or if there are are other things to do. Just looking for advice. The art is more for ambiance than anything but it still needs to be on there. Thanks.

The artist is someone you know in real life and who does their art on paper, not on the computer? Then yes, every piece of art will need to be scanned, adjusted/cleaned, set to your desired size, saved as your desired file type, uploaded to your webhost, and linked to in your application.

Quote: Original post by sunandshadow
The artist is someone you know in real life and who does their art on paper, not on the computer? Then yes, every piece of art will need to be scanned, adjusted/cleaned, set to your desired size, saved as your desired file type, uploaded to your webhost, and linked to in your application.

Yes. They draw on paper. I can use Photoshop but I'm not sure how to handle this kind of artwork.

Well what is it exactly - just pencil on paper, or ink on paper, or colored pencils, or markers, or what? Whatever it is, you will need to scan it, and if it's a messy medium like colored pencil or charcoal be sure to clean and dry the scanner between scans if necessary. And be aware that you aren't going to be able to get transparent images from a paper-based source without serious work, you're pretty much stuck with white backgrounds in simple geometric shapes (circles and ovals aren't too hard although of course rectangles are easiest.)

Most artists draw on paper, then use their tablets to digitalise it, either by tracing or by scanning and then tracing using layers. If you scan and then want to trace it, you could even use a mouse. THe thing is that this is much faster than clearing the mess. Once it has the right size and colours, it can be used in games. Some even use tablet just to draw.

I am no artist but I know this is how all is done.

What do you mean tracing by layers?

If the original is colored or has hatching or other fine pencil detail, it is basically impossible to digitalize it by tracing without either destroying the quality or having the artistic ability to replicate the original. Did not seem to me to be what the original post is talking about at all.

I personally sketch on paper then scan and trace - I use Inkscape to vector-ink my lines, but it accomplishes basically the same thing as people who use a tablet to bitmap-ink. But this process just doesn't do justice to a finished detailed drawing, it's intended for sketches which are only linework.

*Takes a guess at what "tracing using layers" might mean* It's possible to use layer masking to convert an image's background to transparent and clean up the outer edge so it doesn't have white/grey flecks making it look ugly. If an image is colored very simply, you can use the same process to digitally replicate color fills, texture fills, or gradients fairly easily.

Alternative interpretation, if the original has different colors of linework, you would want to trace each on it's own layer when trying to replicate it.