Wednesday, March 04, 2015

ARTISTIC DEXTERITY.....MAYBE

I played with a few digital drawing/doodling/sketching application on my iPad. One which seems favoured by a few artists certainly demonstrated some real merit.  As you play with it for the first time, you find that fingers and capacitive pens do interesting things;it is almost controllable. The fingers and styli generate swirly coloured lines and non-specific shapes. It is almost like magic, if you don't think about the amazing technology that allows all of it to show up. This playtime is quite seductive.

It doesn't take long for the seduction to lead you to interesting-looking purpose made pencils.  Pencils and computer tablets? You might well ask.  They let you take all sorts of fascinating actions according to the information,  they allow you to manually [digitally] sketch, soften lines and work with the colours. You are urged, "BUY NOW".  These pencils can even be purchased on a well known web seller's web site.  Eeeeek! One pencil,  on the website, (it shows a brown one) costs the princely sum of £49 (sterling).  Replacement capacitive rubber tips exclusively for the pens, (top tip and bottom tip) are £8 a pair. I have not looked at the selling prices of pens on the app's own site. For one pen that is some price, plus maintenance. You will not be surprised to hear, I have decided I am not that serious an artist.
I have bought an A4 pad of general drawing paper. I did not need to buy lead pencils, I have various grades, I have coloured ones too.  So far, I have not had the urge or inspiration to open up the pad of paper and draw anything. Perverse or what!

8 comments:

Snowbird said...

gosh, that is a princely sum.....i do hope you get a little inspiration and begin drawing, i look forward to seeing your sketches. p.s.....if i use capitals in this comment the comment box disappears....strange but true.xxx

ZACL said...

Your comment box, or, is it mine(?) has some odd 'artistic' quirks.... No capital lettering, how strange. Gremlins working overtime, oh dear.

It seemed to me Snowbird, each colour of pen attracted its own colour, but then, I could wrong about that. Perhaps that idea is too clever to exist, yet, apart from being ridiculously pricey. My finger and oridnary stylus selected palette colours, I am therefore inclined to believe one sky-high priced coloured ( of your choice) pen required to do the same.

Hope lettering returns to normal service soon. Xxxx

Anonymous said...

Ah, jumping on the bandwagon of new technology - presumably they are wanting to make as much money as they can now, before people dream up more economical options!

Hope your drawing fingers will soon be inspired. I heard the other day that colouring is becoming a popular pastime with adults - you can now buy colouring books for us. I must admit, I can see the point - it's such a relaxing activity!

ZACL said...

I saw colouring books, but, Gilly, I was in the children's educational/pastime section of the store. Me, as I am now, am not someone who would enjoy colouring books, nor painting by numbers. I outgrew all of that twice! The second time round was with sprog, who, left it behind pretty quickly too. Freehand was and is creative freedom. I can see where the availability shape or line guidance can be helpful, just not for me.

The art application is offered free for a very cut down taster version. Having seen the cost of a dedicated pencil, I have not investigated how much the 'Pro' art application is. You have to be engaged in art, or connected with it, I think, to dispense lots of money.

Anonymous said...

I would certainly stick to an A4 drawing pad and some pencils.
Have fun when you do decide to use yours. xx

ZACL said...

Thanks Mr F, if I don't think too much about pencilling in creativity, something just might happen. :)
xx

Anonymous said...

I think it's only after we get really carried away by some aspect of creativity, that we are willing to part with a lot of money for just the right tool that suits us... But when it happens, I knw I have become much more forgiving of the price than once I was.

ZACL said...

A very interesting perspective Shimon. I can relate your thoughts to photography, the equipment produced is very complex and highly technical, as are computers and peripheral hardware. Looking at the tool offered for the art programme it appears to me unworthy of its price tag, it is just too highly priced for what it is and what others have developed and put on the market at more realistic prices. If someone desires this particular item derived from what already exists elsewhere, advertising the company logo, so be it. It is not for me. There are beautiful brushes, palettes and spatulas that I would consider over and above an over-priced capacitive stylus.

It is all relative, I grant you, like everything in life. Relativity in these circumstances relies on the views of the beholder.

Your comment made food for thought. Thanks.




Where you are in the artistic league may decide what cash you dispense on your materials and tools.