Last night, for the March Visual Journal Collective meeting, we had guest speaker James Nutt presenting on digital sketching.
With the popularity of iPads and iPhones, it is no wonder that apps for sketching digitally are getting more attention these days, among artists. There might not be an exact equivalent for Photoshop, Illustrator, or InDesign, but competition and app capabilities are expanding, as technology gets more advanced. For example, according to James, iPad apps are just as powerful as Adobe Illustrator, but cost significantly less. Nutt put it well when he said that things are, "sophisticated enough to get simple". The apps may not have all of the options that say, Illustrator has, but the options the apps do have are really all that you need.
There are a lot of choices for apps, which can be overwhelming when you first start looking to buy something. Thankfully, James had a few suggestions to share with us.
APP SUGGESTIONS by James Nutt
1. ArtStudio-draw, paint and edit photo by Lucky Clan
Works on the iPhone and iPad.
2. SketchBook Pro for iPad by Autodesk Inc.
3. Auryn Ink for iPhone and iPad
and for those of us who love the book format . . .
4. Paper by FiftyThree for iPad
If you Google any of these, you will easily find reviews and online tutorials on how to use the apps.
James said that the good programs are all starting to act the same, so you really don't need more than a few.
A tip I learned about using these apps, is that you can use a stylus, or you can just use your finger. If you are interested in purchasing a stylus*, Amazon.com is a great source.
*At the end of this post, there is a video on stylus options.
James expressed that one of the coolest things about sketching apps on the iPad or iPhone is that they give you the ability to draw in the dark. Also, you almost always have your iPad or iPhone with you, and not necessarily your whole arsenal of art supplies. James wittingly said in regard to the potential purchase of an iPad, "all of the art supplies are free, you just have to buy a $700 piece of paper."
To learn more about digital sketching, James Nutt will be teaching classes at the White Bear Lake Center for the Arts this April 2013.
*Here is a video from TheVerge, all about stylus options:
