Art!? (in Off-topic)

I'm wondering, how do people make the really nice artwork, such as my NCB's portrait? It's got the touch of Japanese manga, but I don't know how people get it so nice! Is it just skill? Or computer use? If so a program? Please enlighten me, I've always been interested in these kinds of things.

If you mean Elite's avatar thing, the picture is kind of small so it's hard to make out, but a lot of similar art is drawn freehand on a tablet (such as a Wacom) and then possibly photoshopped with effects.

Most of the time it's actually simply skill.

You might like this guy:
http://ukitakumuki.deviantart.com/gallery/#_browse

Image is small, but looks like a 'digital' painting.

You don't really need talent/skill, just practice. Painting isn't difficult, but like any other activity, to be proficient at it, you need to practice.

You can use a painting program, e.g. GIMP, Paint.net, the list goes on. A graphics tablet will help if you want the painting process to be 'natural.' If you're working off line art - scan it to your PC/MAC and use it as your guide. Learn how to use layers, that's one of the main advantages of painting software.

In the end, there is no correct way, but look at a lot of other works for inspiration and practice, practice, practice. Most techniques painters use can be applied to digital painting too!

I'll try to show a better example tomorrow when I have more time to mess around here. Thanks for the replies, keep this thread going!

Another thing - the graphics tablet isn't a must, I've seen amazing pieces done using just a mouse! It just makes it more easier!

It's a painting they scanned and touched up. Looks like you probably got it from a card game or an online card game like Pox Nora. The images start out as a much larger piece and are scanned, digitally touched up, then shrunk, otherwise you end up with an image 12000x8000. Scanning in a larger format allows for precision editing.

http://www.dollwizard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11009&page=2

This is where I got my avatar or whatever its called for my NCB. It seems like they make it themselves, because they are giving background to the picture, either imagined or from something and they're just reiterating. Can someone teach me how to link things too? I am somewhat technologically disadvantaged.

Bumpitee bomp bomp boop

And just fyi I googled that site through google images, searched something like "warrior angel".

Highly unlikely the posters in that forum created those images, I've no idea what random dribble they're typing, but from the image, you might want to check out CG Society. That's the source of the image, and they've got some good articles you can browse and read through at your leisure.

I see, I bet those drawings could have been hand drawn, but probably after a lot of practice and experience and time. I guess I should learn how to do simple manga and start from there.