This here blog of mine has been up and running (well, jogging) for about 4 months (since July 05) and I’ve yet to post anything about Illustration! What’s that about?! ...
Illustration is my main joy. Don’t get me wrong – design (web and graphic) and animation ‘float my boat’ big time, in fact my career and most of my (humble) ‘success’ and expertise are in the web and design side of things. I have also been blessed to work on projects that combine all my creative offerings – the Doktor Chocolate project is a good example of this.
But there is nothing more expressive; nothing more therapeutic, than sitting down with some pens and some paper and drawing. Just your mind, something to make marks, a blank canvas and your imagination. No code, no extra angle that needs attention, no special software to install – a welcome break, in a way! ...
I am also a big fan of life drawing – I believe all artists and designers should do it. Also [clears throat] ...
I feel it is an essential activity for strengthening drawing skills and improving overall visual communication skills. Life drawing deals with all elements of art and design in their most clear and raw form, you are faced with explaining the following problems – space, structure, composition
and form.
These are all problems we are faced with in Illustration and Design everyday. Being able to communicate an idea clearly in a visual way can be the difference between convincing a client of your idea or not, and therefore either winning a pitch or the client going elsewhere.
This is why I feel Life Drawing is such an important practice.
I am going to upload some life drawing samples to t’other web site – kevadamson.co.uk.
But, saying all that …
I’ve just ordered a Wacom Intuos3 A5 Tablet Pen and mouse from Amazon.
Is is the end of my ‘just-pen-n-paper’ days? Nah. I love ‘old school’ too much.
But my thinking is that I do spend a lot of time sat at my computer writing XHTML and CSS, and doing the whole ‘web-thing’. So if my ‘Wacom’ is close at hand, maybe I’ll be more tempted, and get more opportunity, to do some drawing of sorts.
From a professional point of view, I’m also hoping it will speed up productivity and also perhaps add something unexpected / extra to my work.
Does anyone else use a Wacom Tablet or other? What are peoples thoughts / experience / opinions about them? Go on! Tell us! ...
COMMENTS
Recently started using a tablet and pen. Actually found it quite tricky at first, but it’s gradually becoming a friend. Know what you mean about paper though, there’s something soothing about a blank page
I use my wacom tablet and my laptop in my weekly Life Drawing sessions just like I used to use a sketch book and pencil. This saves a lot of time and paper.
I highly recommend getting a laptop and taking it with your tablet to a weekly life drawing session. This way you get to work on developing your drawing skills and get used to working on the Wacom tablet at the same time.
@ David : Hmmm, that does sound interesting. I’ll have to get myself a laptop but that would definitely be an interesting approach … Cheers
I’ve used a wacom tablet for seven years now starting with an Intuos 12×12 and now an Intuos3 12×12, and I can’t go a day without it. I’ve gotten to the point that on design jobs I find myself using it. It takes a lot getting used to, though. As long as you didn’t watch your hand while you were drawing, but instead focusing on the picture you shouldn’t have too much trouble adjusting to looking forward at the monitor and not at the tablet.
It’s been so long ago I don’t know how long it took me to get used to it, but it wasn’t too long. My sister is an artist as well and she just got one. She gets annoyed every time she sees me lean back in my chair drawing with my tablet like I was sitting there drinking a nice cup of tea or coffee. You might be disappointed with it at first, but be adamant in learning to use it. After you do you can do things with it that you wouldn’t have imagined doing at all before you had it. Any illustrator shouldn’t find himself without one. It opens up tons of possibilities in Photoshop and Painter. Good luck, and I’m greatly happy for you getting a tablet.
@Dustin: Cheers for the info. I have kinda stop using it for a while now – I’ve even bought some old-school inks for an up-coming poetry project for poet Chrissie Gittins (update: Click Here to read a sample poem and see a sample illustration) – but I do want to get back into using my wacom at some point.
Your site has some great examples on – especially the Manga stuff. I guess I’m stuck in a bit of a routine … but I will keep experimenting with it as I’ve heard nothing but praise for them and, besides that, it cost a fair bit of ‘wedge’!