ascii tutorial

Tried again with the ascii tutorial, because it turned out that
just showing how _I_ make one pic wasn't clear enough. So I've come
up with this..... gimme some feedback? ;-)

-Hayley

Getting Started
===============

If you want to make ascii art the first thing you should know is that you
don't need a program, or special skills to make it with. All you need is 
somewhere to type text into - your e-mail program, notepad, wordpad, that
sort of thing - and an idea of what you want to draw. There are no secrets 
or rules other than the following:

1. Use a non-proportional or fixed width font. See the website under
fonts.html, or ask me for the text version via e-mail if you're unsure what
they are.

2. Don't use tabs!! Always, but always use the space bar (or your cursor
keys/mouse if the program you're typing in supports that) for empty spaces.
The reason for this is that different computers and programs interperet the
size of a tab space differently, so although what you see on your screen
looks fine, on someone else's your pic may look all split up.

3. Only use the keyboard characters on an American standard keyboard. That
means all the letters, numbers and punctuation that you can see printed on
the keyboard keys. You can use the shift key, but don't use the alt key to
make characters. The reason for this is similar to that for not using tabs
 - different computers interperet alternative characters in different ways.
The idea behind ascii is that all computers can read it because it's made
up of characters that all computers will recognise.

4. Don't leave empty spaces at the end of each line. Make sure every line
that you type ends on the last character, and not a few spaces after it.
This can cause problems on other systems, with line wrapping and so on.

Your First Ascii
================

The best way to make a start is to take someone else's picture and see if
you can copy it. That way you get a feel for how you can use different
characters. We'll start easy. Try copying these shapes, which only use the
characters: /  \  |  _
 ___               ___
|   |      /\     /   \
|___|     /__\    \___/


Easy huh? Now try making the same shapes again using the characters:

 -  "  .  ,  `  :  >  <

This is what I came up with:

 .---.       .        .--.
 :   :     .' `.     <    >
 "---"     "---"      `--'

Bit more tricky, and it doesn't look as neat, but these characters can
come in very handy at times, which we'll see later.

Have a go at copying these, just for practice. Change them if you like:


 _   _   __   _   _                                   .^._
| |_| |_/  \_| |_| |    /\  /\  /\  /\       /\      /   \|
|  _   _    _   _  |   /  \/  \/  \/  \    .'  `.   /_____V
|_| |_| \__/ |_| |_|  / /\  /\  /\  /\ \  <  <>  >  |[]_[]|
                      \/  \/  \/  \/  \/   `.  .'   | |+| |
                                             \/     `"""""'

Curves
======

It's a handy to know where the characters 'sit' on each line. Ar they at
the top, in the middle or on the bottom of the line. A couple of ascii
characters vary in their position from computer to computer, but mostly
they all sit in the same place. Have a go yourself on your keyboard. Here
are some examples:

Top of line : " ^ ` ' *
Middle      : - = ~ +
Bottom      : _ . ,

You can use all these characters on one line to make a pattern, like these:

_.,-=~+"^'`*`'^"+~=-,._.,-=~+"^'`*`'^"+~=-,._.,-=~+"^'`*`'^"+~=-,._


"^`'*-=~+,._.,+~=-*'`^"^`'*-=~+,._.,+~=-*'`^"^`'*-=~+,._.,+~=-*'`^"

Now we'll try making a simple sig with a decorative border, using all the
characters we've met so far.
                       _________________________
  ..,,++~~--==**''``^^""  Hayley Jane wakenshaw  ""^^``''**==--~~++,,..
 /|\                     flu...@quadrant.xs4all.nl                    /|\
< : > Flump's Fantastic Ascii Collection  http://www.xs4all.nl/~klr < : >
 \|/ "Daddy.. why doesn't the magnet pick up your floppy disks?..."  \|/
  ""^^''``**--==~~++,,..________________________..,,++~~==--**``''^^""


Using The Other Characters
==========================

The other ascii characters fall into three categories. Either they're the
full height of the line or they're half height. Capitals and numbers are
always full height. Compare them to some of the others - which are half
height? Some examples:

Full height: A 7 % @ ! # ) ; & $ ] } | / > l t f k h d ?
Half height: a o v z

And then there's the 3rd sort. The characters that look like half height,
but sit a little lower on the line, like they would in handwriting. These
are: j  g  y   p  q

And all together they can make a slight curve, just like the others:

pqyjgacoevA8!@)lf$%;$fl(@!8AveocagjypqacoevA8!@)lf$%;$fl(@!8Aveoc

That's the basics of the characters and where they sit on the line. Play
with them, see what patterns and ascii scribbles you can make. Have a go at
taking one of my pics, or another ascii pic from some of the excellent
sites around, and copy it. Then change it! See how you can use the
characters to make the picture look different. Can you make the expression
on a face change? Can you make an ascii person fatter, thinner, taller,
shorter? Give barney the dinosaur a moustache, or, much better, multiple
wounds? :-) This is how I learned. Many of my first efforts were absolutely
dreadful. So I looked at how someone else had made the same sort of picture
and learned from it.  And I still do - probably why people often say my
style is very similar to Joan Stark's!

To get you started, cut and past this head into wherever you want to
draw your ascii, and give it a face. Add a hat, or make the hair shorter,
make it a clown or a devil!

           ,-.,~~.
         ,'///||\\`.
        ///(((||)))\\.
       (((         )))
       _)))        |(_
      ._//\       /\\_.
      `-'_/`-._.-'\-`-'
        ' \/=._.=\/ hjw

Lines and Diagonals
===================

There are three basic lines to any picture - straight (either horizontally,
or vertically), diagonal, and the third is the curve, which includes
circles and curves. We're going to look at these last two now.

Horizontal and vertical lines are simple in ascii - here are some examples:

Horizontal: 8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
            """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
            ----------------------------------------------------------
            __________________________________________________________

Vertical:   |    8    :    !    1    I
            |    8    :    !    1    I
            |    8    :    !    1    I
            |    8    :    !    1    I
            |    8    :    !    1    I
            |    8    :    !    1    I

Diagonals are a bit more tricky. You can make a simple one using the / and
\ keys. Diagonals with other gradients need a technique similar to that
used to make slight curves. Experiment yourself to see how you can make
different angles. Here are some examples to start you off:




       /         .'               _,-'                            __
      /        .'             _,-'                        __..--''
     /       .'           _,-'                      __..''
    /      .'         _,-'                  __..--''
   /     .'       _,-'              __..--''
  /    .'     _,-'          __..--''                   ____....----"""
 /   .'   _,-'      __..--''           ____....----""""
/  .'  ,-'  __..--''   ____....----""""



Circles
=======

So. By now we've looked at the basic characters, character height, slight
curves, lines, and slopes. The last thing to look at is what many people
who make ascii have trouble with: circles. You're half way there already,
though, because ascii circles are basically a mix of vertical and 
horizontal lines, slopes or diagonals, and curves. After a little practice, 
you'll get a feel for making different sized circles - I have a basic set of
circles in a file that I refer to when I need a circular or rounded shape
in an ascii pic, so now I can make them easily in all sorts of sizes. Start
making small circles - how many ways can you think of to make a circle 
in under 5 lines? The bigger the circle the more rounded it can be, but 
try making circles of different sizes and see what you come up with.
These are mine:
                                               __
                          _   /""\            /  \
1 line:  O ()   2 lines: (_)  \__/   3 lines: \__/

                                                     ____
           ___               .-''-.                .'    `.
4 lines:  /   \   5 lines:  /      \   6 lines:   /        \
         |     |           |        |             |        |
          \___/             \      /              \        /
                             `-..-'                `.____.'

             _.-""""-._
9 lines:   .'          `.
          /              \
         |                |
         |                |
         |                |
          \              /
           `._        _.'
              `-....-'



Moving Forward
==============

That's all the boring stuff about technique over. :-) What's coming up 
is a step by step demo of how I go about turning a picture into ascii.

When you first start, it's always a good idea to try to draw something simple. 
Gromit the dog is made up of very simple shapes - just ovals and circles, so
I'll use him as an example.

                 [insert photo of Gromit here. :-) ]

To start a picture, I look for the simplest or most prominent feature
of whatever I'm trying to draw. In Gromit's case, I reckon it's his nose.
:-) I'll try the 2 line circle and see where that takes me. After I've 
drawn his nose I'll see if I can draw the shape of his head around it:
         ___
        /   \
       |     |
      /   _   \
      |  (_)  |
       \     /
        `---'

Hmm.. don't like that - the top of his head isn't tall enough, but if I
make it any longer it looks too narrow. If I make it wider, then the nose
looks too small.... 
         ____
        /    \
       |      |
       |      |
      /   _    \
      |  (_)   |
       \      /
        `----'

... and to put the nose in the center, I'll have to make it yet another
character wider.......
         _____
        /     \
       |       |
       |       |
      /    _    \
      |   (_)   |
       \       /
        `-----'

. and though it looks like it would make a nice dog, it's not Gromit,
really is it? So I'll make his nose a bit bigger; 3 lines this time, and
try the face shape again.
                 ____
               ."    ".
              /        \
              |        |
              |        |
              /   __   \
             |   /  \   |
             |   \__/   |
              \        /
               `.____.'


Yep - that's more like it. :-) Next I usually try to fit the eyes in.
                 ____
               ."    ".
              / __  __ \
              |/()\/()\|
              |\__/\__/|
              /   __   \
             |   /  \   |
             |   \__/   |
              \        /
               `.____.'

Nope. Don't like those. Normally I like to make eyes complete circles,
or just use a couple of characters like "9 9" or "e e".But those would be
too small. And these eyes are too big and don't look round enough. I'll 
try two lines instead.
                 ____
               ."    ".
              /        \
              |  _  _  |
              | (O)(O) |
              /   __   \
             |   /  \   |
             |   \__/   |
              \        /
               `.____.'

Much better.Now to add the ears.

       .-""-.            .-""-.
      /    -.`.  ____  .' _    \
      \   .' \ `"    "' ,' \   /
       `-'    /        \    `-'
              |  _  _  |
              | (O)(O) |
              /   __   \
             |   /  \   |
             |   \__/   |
              \        /
               `.____.'       hjw

There are gaps left that look untidy though. This is where I couldn't get
the characters to fit together. Often you can solve this by using a letter.
this is about the only time I use letters and numbers apart from doing
small details like eyes. I'll mess around with my favourite 'connecting'
characters like: y, Y, v, V, x, X, k, j, 7, T, t, f.
I'll use the "Y" for Gromit, I think, because it has the right sort of 
angles in the right places to connect the ears to the head. :-)
       .-""-.            .-""-.
      /    -.`.  ____  .' _    \
      \   .' \ `"    "' ,' \   /
       `-'    Y        Y    `-'
              |  _  _  |
              | (O)(O) |
              /   __   \
             |   /  \   |
             |   \__/   |
              \        /
               `.____.'    hjw

Last stage is to add the little details, and tidy up any messy or unclear
bits. I don't like that left ear at the minute, so I'll, change that. But
in the final version that goes on the web site I might decide to change it
back. ;-)  Now I'll have a last check to make sure he actually looks like
the picture I've been working on, and ask Robbie my fiance if he can tell 
what it is. If the Robbie test succeeds, then I hit the save button, and
start looking for something else to draw. :-)

       .-""-.            .-""-.
      /    ,.`.  ____  .' _    \
      \   /  \ `"    "' ,' \   /
       `-'    Y        Y    `-'
              |  _  _  |
              | (O)(O) |
              /   __   \
             |   /# \   |
             |   \__/   |
              \        /
               `.____.'
               --"  "--     hjw

Related ASCII art in the Gallery

Explore these categories from our collection of 11,000+ artworks:

 _  _
(o)(o)--.
 \../ (  )hjw
 m\/m--m'`--.

  _  _
/` \/ `\_  _
\     /` \/ `\
 '.  .\      /
   \/  '.  .'
         \/jgs

 __ .  . __
(o.\ \/ /.o)
 \__\/\/__/
 /O /==\ O\
(;O/ \/ \O;)

   _______
  |.-----.|
  || jgs ||
  ||_   _||
  `--)-(--`
 __[=== o]___
|:::::::::::|\
`-=========-`() 

     ,sSSs
   ,SSSS_/ ,_
   sS/`))\//
  sS//|_(_/      _,
  SS\\\  `""-.-'` /
sSS` jgs-==-'`'-._\

 ___________
|  _______  |
| |       | |
| |       | |
| |       | |
| |_______| |
|___________|

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