About sprites and Graphic Designing Questions.

[Nibre]

Ill get straight to the point.

So, i would like to become a Graphic Designing or atleast keep it as a hobby. More likely, i would like to design characters for games, in the beginning 2d sketches and why not 3d models. So, my first question is, what do I have to learn  first to become a decent graphic designer, how to start, and what should i focus on? I would atleast like to get on a level that i could do something like this, which i know must take years of practice:

 

 

My second question relates to Paint.NET. So, i've been experimenting with making sprites of images that already exist, by taking parts of them and putting them together, and changing colours and stuff. But now that i've tried making sprites of my own, i've got some problems of making a starting black and white sketch. I've been using the lines and curves tool but the curves are hard IMO to use. I would wanna know if i could copy somehow curves and reverse them, ill give you an example of why I want to do it.

The head of the sprite would be cooler, if both right and left side would be symmetric. (This is my first sprite, so be not tough judge )

 

Edited May 31, 2013 by Nibre

[pdnnoob]

Mirror over line plugin in Evan's Effects

[Ego Eram Reputo]

I've done a bit of this sort of design. IMHO if you want to sketch or get into this line of work you should buy a drawing tablet like the Wacom Bamboo or similar. Paint.NET does not support pressure sensitivity of the stylus but it should be much easier than using the mouse.

[Nibre]

Thanks for your answers, I'm going to try the mirror application asap. And btw, the sketch i did myself was not what I ment, I did put a video link in the space between the two paragraphs, which seems like I'am not allowed to add(?).Nevermind, the level i would like to reach in designing, I ment that would be doing characters sort of, are like League of Legends characters, search League of Legends Art Spotlight to see what I mean. Do you still recommend me the same pen? I've forgot to tell you that i'm more-less new to this program, and making any sort of art, so I would just wanna get started with the tools I have,  i would buy extra tools, because i know they are necessary when i'll get sure i wanna do this, still, i really appreciate your anwers.

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Get started with Paint.NET by trying some of the tutorials in the Beginners section.  Those tutorials are designed to introduce you to the tools, techniques and methods of using Paint.NET.

[pdnnoob]

If you are looking to draw characters like those in the League of Legends splash arts, I highly recommend switching to photoshop or another program with a similarly complex brush system. Much of that is done with brushes which happens to be one of paint.net's weak areas.

[Nibre]

Thanks for the advice, but since the PS costs a lot, ill stick to PDN to practice.

[skullbonz]

I bought a bamboo but prefer the mouse because it doesn't work right with paint.net and was driving me crazy every time I went to draw another line somewhere else and scribbled across the page,lol. I almost threw it out the back door in the woods but it cost me 80 bucks,lol.    

[Nibre]

I think you just have to get familiar to it.

[wayne98]

Thanks for all your nice and kind information.