Thick, oils and getting started.

[Banterer]

Hello,

I'm just learning SA (v4) and its interface. I wanted to know if it has any thick, oil brushes similar to what would be found in Painter (Impasto)? I searched extensively for anything related to SA in combination with "Impasto" but found nothing other than some brush presets by David Nagel in about 2003 (v2) but did not know how to determine if they worked with this version.

Also, are there any books on getting started? It seems as though the program has infinite possibilities but only after one "digs arond" and experiments with settings. I tend to learn best and most efficiently by first learning basic operating principles that I can learn and establish some kind of jumping off point onto which I can build/add rather than just trying settings out at random.

Even a tutorial  that would suggest different preset names/categories for certain specific types of paint/rendering styles would be be very helpful.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Jorge

[Dee Flouton]

So how did I end up with a pre 4.04 preset folder if I'm working on 4.05a7?  and how can I get  updated folders?

[John Dalton Synthetik Software]

The Preset folder you initially get is what comes with the studio artist folder when you purchase Studio Artist. You purchased prior to the 4.04 release. The fact that you are running 4.05a7 has nothing to do with what preset folder you are running. They are completely independent. Plus the whole point about the preset folder is that you can customize it to your hearts content, in fact we encourage people to do so

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Also, we posted all of the extra presets we ship with 4.04 previously in the preset sharing group as new presets for the 4.03 app, so my guess is that you actually have those installed in your preset folder as additional collections.

http://studioartist.ning.com/group/coolpresetsharinggroup/forum/top...

http://studioartist.ning.com/group/coolpresetsharinggroup/forum/top...

http://studioartist.ning.com/group/coolpresetsharinggroup/forum/top...

http://studioartist.ning.com/group/coolpresetsharinggroup/forum/top...

The 4.04 preset folder is missing a lot of old presets that you might actually like to use, so just swapping over to the new one is in general not a good idea for people who are used to the way it used to be setup.

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As i said, when we release 4.05 soon, we are going to let people access the pre 4.04 and the 4.05 preset folders at synthetik.com via a preset download page. So bear with us as we put that together. The 4.05 preset folder will be slightly different than the 4.04 preset folder (there are some additional presets we are including, as well as some 'fixes' to older presets to make them work better).

[Dee Flouton]

You're right, I'm sure I have them installed, but most likely customized the lot by adding the Users folders to accommodate some of the older presets and subsequently some newer ones from those posted the Preset Sharing Group. 

[craig deeley]

You might find some thicker looking Preset brushes in this collection:

CD_media_alts_2008.zip

http://studioartist.ning.com/group/coolpresetsharinggroup/forum/top...

The gumball Presets are fat oil like attempts.

There are some more options in this zip:

WC_oil_auto_and-freehand.zip

http://studioartist.ning.com/group/coolpresetsharinggroup/forum/top...

[craig deeley]

And here is another set. Maybe already in one of the other zips.

I would have to agree that the SA "painting" experience is not like the Painter experience - nor actual paints.

I think the auto painting options are hit and miss with the Presets I have created. 

Hope you find something that is enjoyable to use from the many options!

[Banterer]

HI Craig and thanks.

I am now getting to try to look at these presets. I first have to figure out how to install them so I looked that up. Ok, I get that they have to be inside of foldersm , inside of other folders:

• Op Type
• Collection
• Category

What I don't get is where it tells me how I am supposed to konw which collection and how to determine what op type, collection or category something is. So while I have the folders unzipped, I have no idea where to put them.

Is there a chart of some sort that perhaps goes over the naming convention?

Thanks,

Jorge

[John Dalton Synthetik Software]

Here's 2 tips on Preset organization.

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There are training videos here that discuss preset organization.

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People usually say what kind of preset they have posted for download. You can always drag and drop a preset file on the studio artist icon in the dock, and it will open it automatically for you. That would tell you what type it was. Or you can try the different File : Import menu command options to open as well.

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We provide factory collection and associated category folder names. But you can add additional category folders to an existing collection folder. Or you could start a new collection folder, and then place new category folders inside of it. Or you can bypass opt type specific collection-categories, and just drop new category folders into Favorites if you want to access downloaded presets that way. Since you can mix and match preset op types in a given favorites category folder.

[Banterer]

Hi John,

I dragged it onto the icon in the dock and it did open. I see that this preset is the "active" one. Now, what is it I am looking for that will help me identify the type of preset it is?

• Is it that the imported preset is under "Paint:"? Is that the indicator?
• Assuming it was, I proceeded to drop the folder containing the 4 presets into the SA 4.04>Presets>Paint folder. Is this correct?

Now, once inside of SA, how do I go about finding said presets? Is it as simple as going from the top down?

1. First click on the topmost, leftmost menu (I did not see a reference to this on the SA Windows and Palettes page but it seems to default to "Paint Synthesizer Classic". Is this the Preset type drop down? ) then...
2. Work in the "Source area"
3. Look for the preset in the preset area?

I realize that these questions must seem very basic and probably obvious since you all (by habit) now know exactly where to look for these indicators (if there are indeed indicators) but to someone who is unfamiliar with the interface, it is very difficult to find the "flow" to it. I get that I am to open a source file and resize the canvas. It is unclear to me how to then to place the folder in its right location and then find and use the presets from within the program.

Having so many possible presets has to be wonderful (once you know how, where and which ones you want to use). I however, feel that the organization process is either not sufficiently clear or some kind of hierarchical map, chart or bread crumbs are needed to allow new/unfamiliar users a chance to understand the logic behind the folders and the path from top preset category down to the final, individual presets. These are not complaints but observations.

I'm fairly intelligent and am familiar with Photoshop, Illustrator and other graphics programs but cannot wrap my head around this. I understand that although a graphic program, this may not be the same animal because it deals with different potential rendering styles and rendering modes but I am a little frustrated at not being able to decipher what I initially thought would have been an easy task.

Yeah, I know that's a mouthful to read but believe me it was a challenge trying to figure out how to even ask my question. I hope I made myself clear. Of course, it does not help that I can only work on trying to figure this out a few hours every couple of days.

Thanks,

Jorge

[John Dalton Synthetik Software]

Studio Artist is based around the concept of different operation modes. 

When you are printing for instance, you are in Paint Synthesizer Classic operation mode. If you want to select the canvas, you switch to Selection operation mode. If you want to use the vectorizer, you switch to Vectorizer operation mode.

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When ever you switch the operation mode, the Editor palette updates to display information associated with the chosen operation mode. And the preset browser will switch to display presets associated with that operation mode. Assuming the operation mode supports presets, not all do. (Paint Synth Classic support paint preset, but there are no Selection or Bezier op mode presets).

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If you drag and drop a preset onto the studio artist icon, that preset will import. the preset browser will display the preset that opened, and will also be displaying the op mode for that preset. So say you are in paint synth classic operation mode, and you drag and drop an image operation preset onto the studio artist icon. then the preset browser will change to display ip op presets, and the main operation mode will change from paint synth classic to image operation. the operation popup next to the action button in the main operation control bar displays the current operation mode.

I'm going to point you at the tips on preset organization, and the video tutorials on working with presets i mentioned before.

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Here's 2 tips on Preset organization.

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There are training videos here that discuss preset organization.

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If you read through the tip on preset organization, it discusses the preset folder hierarchy. Including screen shots of the finder showing the folder organization. The preset focused training videos show this as well.

[John Dalton Synthetik Software]

In addition to looking at the operaiton mode popup to see what operaiton mode you are in, the preset browser also display that information along with the name of the current preset.

So note that the main operation mode popup at the top of the interface is displaying 'Paint Synth Classic' as the current operation mode. And if you look in the Preset browser, not that the name of the current preset starts with 'Paint:'. This is telling you that it is a Paint preset, named 'A Water Color'.

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If i now switch the operation mode popup to move to Image Operation op mode, then note how the Preset Browser updates (shown below)

Note that the current preset now starts with 'IpOp:', which indicates it has switched to be an image operation preset.

[craig deeley]

Jorge,

In the case of the Presets I added - they go in:

Preset/Paint/

They are Paint Synthesizer Classic presets...

I understand how it would be hard to determine what these were without some naming standard that would point the user to where the presets go... Like starting the Presets (or a folder with them) with the initials "PSC_..."

Luck!

Craig