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New sketching medium set to save time?

Recently my love of the trusty sketch pad and pencil has suffered a blow by the purchase of a stylus for my iPad and Adobe Ideas app. Before all the traditionalist sketchers get up in arms, I haven't put the 2B down for good, but here are a few things I've found the Adobe Ideas app can do:

• The interface is simple and well designed, with all controls located down the side of the screen to use with your non-drawing hand.
• There are more complex drawing apps available but I was surprised by the level of depth and complexity a drawing can have once you get used to the interface. Plus, just how similar some of the drawings look to what I would normally achieve with a graphite pencil on paper. You can work in a similar way by starting with loose light lines, then strengthening the line and working in the detail, much like sharpening your pencil when drawing!
• I can see real time saving advantages for using the app in jobs where you might send hand-drawn story-boards or visuals on a project as there is no need to scan the sketches then tidy up in photoshop. It can also be directly emailed in vector format (so it is scalable as well).
• You can also save all the thumbnails you do in a job folder for future reference which is far easier than somebody digging out your sketch-pad. You could also record quick sketches in a client meeting which can then be emailed to any colleagues working on the job.

Here's a list of things that I can do drawing on the iPad that my humble 2B and paper can't:

• Perfect erasing. There are only so many times you can rub out the same spot on your page before the surface gives out!
• Layers. Trying different things on different layers to see if they work or not without messing up the overall drawing is a real luxury.
• Duplicate. Create a new version at the touch of a button and take it in another direction to see where you end up.
• Undo. Many, many times!
• Zoom. Very handy to go in close and work in more detail.
• Vector format. This means you can reproduce your masterpieces at any size!

Below is an example story-board along with what I call my "train" drawings, which help me fill my commute. I'm working on a new one at the moment (which made me miss my station the other night getting wrapped up in hair detail) which I will post up soon. Hope you enjoy!
 

Ben
The Creative Type