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From: bodom@cs.indiana.edu (brian odom)
Subject: Talk-line: i'm starting to learn solid art
Date: 1996/02/24
Message-ID: <4gmov8$j75@miso.wwa.com>#1/1
X-Deja-AN: 140876290
sender: boba@sashimi.wwa.com
organization: Computer Science, Indiana University
newsgroups: alt.ascii-art,rec.arts.ascii


i'm getting the hang of this.  it is quite fun.  but, i have to draw lines
first as a guide line.

i got a technique.  an example is included.  all i want to do is to make the
outer rings dark.  first, i had this:
 
                     _____
               _,--""     ""--._
             ,'  _.--"""""--._  `.
           ,'  ,'             `.  `.
          /  ,'   _..-----.._   `.  \
         |  /  ,-'           `-.  \  |
        |  Y  / |\[~"|"|)/\|"|" \  Y  |
        |  |_|__|/|_ | |\\/| | __|_|  |
        |  | |  |)|(`"|"/\|\|(`  | |  |
        |  L  \_| |_) | \/| |_)_/  J  |
         |  \   `-.__     __.-'   /  |
          \   .      """""      .'  /
           `.  `-._         _.-'  ,'
             `._   ""-----""   _,'
                `--.._____..--'
 
quite simple.  bland.  no color.  the next thing to do is to at least fill
in the spaces and underscores that you want colored.  i choose to use H.
 
                     _____
               _,--""HHHHH""--._
             ,'HHH.--"""""--.HHH`.
           ,'HH,'             `.HH`.
          /HH,'   _..-----.._   `.HH\
         |HH/  ,-'           `-.  \HH|
        |HHY  / |\[~"|"|)/\|"|" \  YHH|
        |HH|_|__|/|_ | |\\/| | __|_|HH|
        |HH| |  |)|(`"|"/\|\|(`  | |HH|
        |HHL  \_| |_) | \/| |_)_/  JHH|
         |HH\   `-.__     __.-'   /HH|
          \HHH.      """""      .'HH/
           `.HH`-._         _.-'HH,'
             `.HHHH""-----""HHHH,'
                `--..HHHHH..--'
 
notice all the spaces and gaps.  the next thing to do is smooth the side edges.
you have 4 characters to choose from.  d is for ' and / (lower).  b is for
` and \ (lower).  P is for , and / (upper).  ? is for . and \ (upper).
 
                     _____
               _,--""HHHHH""--._
             ,dHHHP--"""""--?HHHb.
           ,dHHP'             `?HHb.
          dHHP'   _..-----.._   `?HHb
         |HHP  ,-'           `-.  ?HH|
        |HHY  / |\[~"|"|)/\|"|" \  YHH|
        |HH|_|__|/|_ | |\\/| | __|_|HH|
        |HH| |  |)|(`"|"/\|\|(`  | |HH|
        |HHL  \_| |_) | \/| |_)_/  JHH|
         |HHb   `-.__     __.-'   dHH|
          ?HHH.      """""      .dHHP
           `?HHb-._         _.-dHHP'
             `?HHHH""-----""HHHHP'
                `--??HHHHHPP--'
 
next fill in stray -'s with o.  i prefer o, but a and n and other small
characters are just fine.  the -'s near the very top would ruin this picture.
we would have  dHHHPoo"""""oo?HHHb.  obvious, the o's here should be in
transition with the "'s (need a top heavy key).  unfortunately, in ascii,
there aren't very many top heavy keys available.  use ^.  the same situation
is also at the very bottom row.  also use ^.
 
the "'s at the very top need to be filled in.  either H or the transitional
b and d will work fine.
 
                     _____
               _,ooHHHHHHHHHoo._
             ,dHHHP^^"""""^^?HHHb.
           ,dHHP'             `?HHb.
          dHHP'   _..-----.._   `?HHb
         |HHP  ,-'           `-.  ?HH|
        |HHY  / |\[~"|"|)/\|"|" \  YHH|
        |HH|_|__|/|_ | |\\/| | __|_|HH|
        |HH| |  |)|(`"|"/\|\|(`  | |HH|
        |HHL  \_| |_) | \/| |_)_/  JHH|
         |HHb   `-.__     __.-'   dHH|
          ?HHH.      """""      .dHHP
           `?HHbo._         _.-dHHP'
             `?HHHHbboooooddHHHHP'
                `^^??HHHHHPP^^'
 
and we are finished!  looks pretty good, doesn't it?
i'm just learning these little subtleties, but i'm sure this advice can
prove quite useful even though i'm a neophyte solid ascii artist.
i'm sure the major ascii artists follow a similar method.
 
just fyi.
--
brian odom
i think i may go add "color" to a bunch of my older asciis!  :D