From Paper to iPad

I've been fascinated by Patricia's posts (NYC USk).  She uses and iPad to create her original work and includes in her write-up the details of what programs she used, what "paper" she used, the type of stylus, etc.

The work I've done in the past with the iPad convinced me at the time that it was unsuited to content creation.  I found it awkward and didn't like the feel of drawing on glass.  However, my mind was opened this summer by a course I took in Barcelona at the USk World Symposium. The Digital Urban Sketching course taught by Monica Cid and Josu Maroto opened my eyes to the potential for using Digital Media.

View of the FDR Drive from the Governors Island Ferry

I could see there were things you could do with digital that you couldn't do with a pen, a pencil or a brush.  You could argue that the traditional ways are the best, but I think that puts you on the wrong side of history.

From what I remember from Art History, there was a time when people painted in tempra and created frescos, but no one had come up with the idea of mixing pigments in oil.  Within a generation oil paint "technology" swept Europe.  Why?  Because you could do things with the new technology - oil painting, that you couldn't do with traditional means.

So my way of dipping my toe into these new waters was to scan  a couple of my weekend sketches into the iPad and to use digital media  to "colorize" my drawing.  The result above looks like what I'd do with watercolor, although the detail around the road sign is probably more careful than I can usually manage.  The point with iPad sketching is that it's easy to make corrections and fix those little slips that can ruin a sketch.  It's also easy to blow up a tiny area to get the details right.

A woman checking out her iPhone on the subway

Reading on the Subway

The two people were quick sketches done on the subway.  I never manage to get out my watercolor kit on the train.  Instead of imitating my usual watercolor approach, instead I tried to use the iPad to apply  color more like an airbrush.

As far as I'm concerned, the jury is still out, but it seems like something worth exploring further.