The Pen is mightier than.....

One of the most integral tools used in digital illustration on iPad medium is a Capacitive Stylus.  I used 2 capacitive pens to illustrate Tincup and the Tornado.  I used the first one until the rubber tip fell off.  And the second one finally gave up on me today.  It was unresponsive and when it did work it was so off calibration that I decided to go buy a new one.  Most capacitive stylus pens are simple metal with rubber tip.  I used this type for Tincup and have decided to keep using this type for the new book.  You can buy Technical Capacitive pens for a considerable more amount of money but most have to be bought online for most stores in my neighborhood do not carry them.  I think using a simple rubber tipped capacitive stylus pen works for me right now.  It gives me the feeling of a pencil, marker, and crayon all in one.  Maybe in the future I will put up the money and buy a Technical Pen and give it a try.  The tools you use for illustration completely depend on how comfortable they feel in your hand and how it works for the medium you are using.  The last thing you need is working with a precise drawing pencil and then switching to a big fat crayon right in the middle of an illustration.  Many of the pencils I have used over the years have never left my side.  I have drawing pencils and pens that are well over 20 years old because they have been dependable and help define my style.

Book 2: The Nature of Progress

I received the first draft of the second book in the last week of December 2012 and am happy to report that work has begun. Book 2 has a lot going on and will introduce many new characters and historic time periods and places.

With the introduction of these aspects to the book brings new challenges to create more people, architecture, and beautiful trees to the ever evolving world that will be represented in Leah's new story.

This go around the illustrations will be presented in a more graphically designed style based on the places and characters involved. Tincup and the Tornado was presented in a stylized scientific "chaotic" design to represent the randomness of nature in its purest form. The end of the book is finished with a more graphical approach with the introduction of society and its evolution of architecture over time. That design will continue in the Book 2.

Stay tuned for more updates.

TinCup And The Technology

One of the first things I point out to people who are interested in TinCup and the Tornado is the fact that it was illustrated entirely on an iPad 2.  The reason for doing the illustrations in this media was its immense environment and the vast time period it covered.  Traditional illustrations are done by sketching ideas on paper or canvas and then redefining and detailing your vision until satisfied with the outcome.  Then the sketching process is over-layed with ink or paint to give your illustrations shadow, depth, and color on many different kinds of canvases.  Imagine if you could take this entire process and condense it into a small handheld device with the ability to change or erase it without using one single piece of paper or canvas.  It is possible, and it is AMAZING!

 The initial sketches were done on traditional sketch and scanned into computer using Adobe Photoshop.  After consideration I realized that detail and resolution would have to be sacrificed to complete the illustrations in this manner.  Other options were using a Wacom Tablet in conjunction with illustration programs but they are clunky and very unresponsive.  After setting down and doing some research I found that there were considerable great programs for the iPad that could mimic the sketching process and would eventually allow anyone to finish with a fully crafted painting.  Using this process would make an illustration that would normally take countless hours or days by traditional method, and allow you to produce it in a single sitting in an afternoon.

The great things about doing it in the digital format is that illustrations can be modified and duplicated with much more ease giving you more time to refine your drawing/painting techniques.  Illustrations can be shared or emailed with the press of a few buttons and can also be collaborated across platforms with the same programs.  The digital format was great for brainstorming ideas and fleshing out final drafts, but the skills needed come from traditional illustration/painting.  I recommend anyone interested in any type of illustration, sketching, or painting, to give it a try.  You'll be amazed at how much more you can accomplish.


The illustrations for TinCup and the Tornado were done using Sketchbook Pro for iPad.