The Future Is Now
In the fine tradition of cliches the (western) world over, I have indulged in some retail therapy. I am now the proud owner of a shiny, new Wacom Intuos5 Touch tablet. The big one (not the extra big, just the big, I do have some self-restraint after all also, Memory Express didn't carry the extra-large). It is 3x the size of my poor, abused Intuos4 and it is glorious.
(The clerk asked me if I was a professional artist and I laughed and laughed and laughed. Fair question, I guess. Art isn't exactly an inexpensive hobby, but if you weigh out the amount I've spent on paper, markers, and paint over the years, the money *cough* I don't have *cough* that I spent yesterday will go a lot further)
I no longer have to pan all over the place to work on a piece, the input surface is easily large enough to accommodate pretty much anything I want to do, and it for some reason I do want to pan, I don't have to interrupt my workflow by flailing for my mouse--it responds to simple gestures. THE FUTURE IS AMAZING! \o/
It also came with some bundled software and I really like Sketchbook Express -- using a rough stylus nib and the pencil tool actually feels like a real sketchbook except my hands aren't filthy when I'm done and I haven't smudged all of my lines with my awkward why-would-I-lift-my-hand-off-the-page grip. I'm looking forward to playing around with it some more.
The real star, however, is my 90-day trial of Corel Painter 12. If you've ever discussed digital art with me, you've heard me whine about tools that don't behave like tools and the inability to replicate the random drips and streaks that make my style come alive. I've had two years to adjust to this and I mostly haven't. Painter 12 means I don't have to.
I just spent three hours playing with digital charcoal and the only difference between the digital and the traditional is that I don't have anything to clean up tonight. It even smudges like charcoal! And I can choose between willow vine and hard conte and then I can throw a bunch of water at it and it will wash.
...
I think I'm in love.
Then I hopped over to DA and did a quick self portrait using the daMuro application. I needed a new icon for reasons.
You can actually watch my half-assed process below:
Hello World by *not-sleeping on deviantART
On that note, is anyone on my f-list in need of a used Wacom Intuos4 medium? The input surface is scratched, but it's still functional. The stylus went a round with Loki at some point and it's missing the retainer cap, but it does still work. You will definitely need new nibs if you don't want to buy a new stylus, mine are all worn out. It's a good starter tablet if you're interested in learning digital art. Just pay for shipping and she's all yours. Message me if you're interested :)
(The clerk asked me if I was a professional artist and I laughed and laughed and laughed. Fair question, I guess. Art isn't exactly an inexpensive hobby, but if you weigh out the amount I've spent on paper, markers, and paint over the years, the money *cough* I don't have *cough* that I spent yesterday will go a lot further)
I no longer have to pan all over the place to work on a piece, the input surface is easily large enough to accommodate pretty much anything I want to do, and it for some reason I do want to pan, I don't have to interrupt my workflow by flailing for my mouse--it responds to simple gestures. THE FUTURE IS AMAZING! \o/
It also came with some bundled software and I really like Sketchbook Express -- using a rough stylus nib and the pencil tool actually feels like a real sketchbook except my hands aren't filthy when I'm done and I haven't smudged all of my lines with my awkward why-would-I-lift-my-hand-off-the-page grip. I'm looking forward to playing around with it some more.
The real star, however, is my 90-day trial of Corel Painter 12. If you've ever discussed digital art with me, you've heard me whine about tools that don't behave like tools and the inability to replicate the random drips and streaks that make my style come alive. I've had two years to adjust to this and I mostly haven't. Painter 12 means I don't have to.
I just spent three hours playing with digital charcoal and the only difference between the digital and the traditional is that I don't have anything to clean up tonight. It even smudges like charcoal! And I can choose between willow vine and hard conte and then I can throw a bunch of water at it and it will wash.
...
I think I'm in love.
Then I hopped over to DA and did a quick self portrait using the daMuro application. I needed a new icon for reasons.
You can actually watch my half-assed process below:
Hello World by *not-sleeping on deviantART
On that note, is anyone on my f-list in need of a used Wacom Intuos4 medium? The input surface is scratched, but it's still functional. The stylus went a round with Loki at some point and it's missing the retainer cap, but it does still work. You will definitely need new nibs if you don't want to buy a new stylus, mine are all worn out. It's a good starter tablet if you're interested in learning digital art. Just pay for shipping and she's all yours. Message me if you're interested :)