I adore your shading, and I think I will use this!

also, do you just keep messing around with the settings on the basic 'pen' brush or do you... use the actual 'brush' tool and edit it from there?

Right click the normal brush and go to duplicate. Then you can rename it (soft brush, inking brush1, etc.) and change the settings. If you hold down control and click on any of the tools in the SAI brush area you can actually arrange them however you want too (I just found that out a few nights ago and was SOOO happy)! And for most of the brushes I try to make a matching eraser as well. That way you don't get some JAGGED-ASS lines when you're trying to erase something you colored with a soft brush.

And thanks so much for the compliment! I always kinda feel like I suck at coloring so it's nice to hear that you really like it!

~Justin

I am so jealous of your epic shading and linework

MARRY ME, OH MIGHTY LORD OF SAI

LOL! I'm sure I'm far from being a master at SAI. I still like to switch between that and Photoshop for finishing touches and stuff (will be in the next tutorial). :3

Oh how I've missed your great comments Leon! They always make me smile!

~Justin

aww, thank Justin, I miss commenting on them too!
but you draw so much porn I never know how to comment!

Funny thing is, you bright, cheery artwork makes me smile :D

0///o holy shit that kid is cute. <3 awesome tutorial, man!

Hehe! You think so? I kida thought his eyes were wonky. Wonky but cute tho.

~Justin

i prefer w/out the shading

Haha. Well, flat colors do work well with the right kind of lines. I use a lot of coloring styles though so I'm going to try out a few other ones in the next reference sheet.

~Justin

yay if i do this then maybe my lineart will look slightly more professinal XD looks good

oh lord! thank you very much. Im gonna use this right now. Oh and I need to ask, the brush is always the pen tool?

It's the Brush tool. You can right click and duplicate it; then just change the settings and save them as different names (like inking brush, line brush, soft color, etc.).

~Justin

ok thanks for the tip =P

nice tutorial. I must try it later ^^

Looks very useful! Still love the way you make your lines and color > v <

Aww, thanks! I'm still trying to focus more and make something really impressive. I know I could do a lot better if I didn't get distracted so easily. >_<

~Justin

ah I know how you mean! I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT! Good luck with improvement!

I didn't know about the preserve opacity part.

It is one of the most useful features ever I think! Photoshop has the same function too if you use that. It's called "lock transparent pixels" and is at the top of the layers window.

~Justin

too cool I love these kinds of pictures it still boggles my mind how sketches like the first one get to drawings like the last one wow ^//^

Aww. Well, it just takes some practice. And using the program isn't hard at all once you're used to it. Doing the digital work is the easy part; it's getting a sketch that you like enough to color that can be more challenging.

~Justin

when part two is coming?

I'm not sure if there will be a second part or not. Maybe someday when I don't have soooo many things to finish! x__x

~Justin

thats a lot of good info thanks

Ive been blind....And now I can see.... Thank you you're a life changing god!~