Wacom

Photoshop CS5, Custom texture brush 300dpi 8 X 10 inch canvas

Do I trust her?  Do I not?  Do I trush her?…..  anyways, happy easter.

..Lightning Muse actually.  She’s the superhero I created for charity a couple of years ago.  She popped into my head this morning on my way to work.  Been waiting all day to do a sketch so here it is.  Happy President’s day…

Been wanting to fire up Camtasia and do one of these for a while so here it goes…  I’ll get fancy later and add commentary and such but for now, it’s best to post one straightforward.

It’s done in the lab using Photoshop CS3. It’s an 8 x 10 inch canvas set at 300 dpi.  The brush is a simple hard edged circular brush set to maximum hardness (yes I know.. that’s what she said) It’s continuous and unedited which turned out not half bad but as with any straight sketch like this, there are imperfections mainly in her hip area. (too narrow)

I could certainly whip out the free transform tool and fix that but the purpose of the demo is to encourage laying down consistent and economical lines without an under drawing.  This skill is quite helpful especially if you’re a storyboarder.

Progress on STEEL NOODLES Number 2 from last night.  It was a good night of drawing…..  The book is getting sketchier and hence, NICER.

Been a while since I posted one of these so here you go…  The other 2 videos are on my YouTube channel. Click on the button on the upper right corner where all the social media buttons are or HERE.

I should really fire up Camtasia again and do a desktop capture instead of filming it on my iPhone….

No matter how busy you are (especially with storyboard deadlines) you’ve got to find time to draw for yourself.  Here’s a quick design of someone who is ready for a tropical night out…

Done using the magic combo of Photoshop CS5 and Wacom Cintiq.  300 dpi 5 x 7 inch canvas using a custom texture brush.

While the Axiotron Modbook chills I decided to get me one of these. Behold the unboxing…….

….no box cutter? No problem!

Just got a big whiff of that factory smell… mmmmmm

…I can hear angels singing from the heavens!…

The mount and adjustable stand

The stylus came with 3 different nibs. The black tipped graphite is my favorite.

Here’s my setup. As much as I want a big old 8 core Mac Pro tower, my trusty G4 Powerbook will do nicely.

……………………………….

Since working intensively on one at Nickelodeon for six months I realized I really couldn’t do without one. The Wacom Cintiq 21UX is one remarkable achievement in technology and function and has immensely impacted how artists create and present their work. The Cintiq has been a mainstay at feature studios for a few years now and slowly but surely, the television side of the the business is catching on.

If implemented correctly and with the right set up, it can substantially simplify any production pipeline especially in storyboards and reels, not to mention a obvious reduction in paper consumption. Back in 2005 when I first demo’d one at SIGGRAPH, I was impressed by the fact that Wacom not only created such a revolutionary device, but they really did it right. It’s a product that delivers exactly what it claims to do and exceeds all expectations. It’s simple and easy to use regardless whether you are tech savvy or not.

So while I still want a portable tablet device to lug around, I wanted to make sure I upgraded my home set up as well. Now all sorts of digital alchemy await.

I wasn’t really due for a new computer but I just ordered one of these puppies:

It’s a portable tablet computer called the MODBOOK by a company called AXIOTRON. They take a stock Intel dual core Apple Macbook (not a macbook pro) and replace the flip-top monitor and keyboard with a Wacom digitizer screen that’s placed under reinforced plexiglass and framed in a tough magnesium alloy chassis. The digitizer and pen is identical to the one on Wacom’s incredibly hard to get and expensive CINTIQ tablet monitor.

The result is a machine that everyone, at least in my industry has been clamouring for for quite some time now. For my purposes, it will enable me to digitally design and storyboard directly into the computer without the hassle of scanning. (although my love for real media will continue so it doesn’t completely eliminate scanning) Plus i’ve since ran out of storage room for reams and reams of storyboarded material in my house, so it should help cut down on paper usage. As far as the drawing surface, the forceglass on top of the digitizer has been precisely etched to mimic the feedback of paper. This makes all the difference because it will directly affect how much pen pressure is applied in any particular stroke. (On regular tablet PC’s, it feels like you’re dragging a pencil on plain glass)

Another cool feature (which came free if you where one of the lucky ones that got to pre-order) is an optional Global Positioning System (GPS). This should come in handy should I be sketching and going walk-about and happen to get lost in the middle of nowhere for no apparent reason. In reality i’m actually pretty good with directions but i’m sure this is one i’ll be breaking out at parties and such saying “hey there, wanna check out my GPS?”

Of course, all of this comes with a pretty hefty price tag. But I was willing to shell out $2400 for a Cintiq anyway. For about the same price, I get a free computer to come with it.

So how do you write nasty-grams and send email without a keyboard? I mean you’re really not telling me I paid that much money to scribble the letters myself? Of course a portable mini-keyboard is probably one accessory i’ll be lugging in my gig bag, but thanks to Apple’s INKWELL software (now just plainly called INK) you can use your regular chicken-scratch of a handwriting to create text to use in any application. I’m sure muscle memory from writing secret code on your etch-a-sketch when you where six will come back anyway.

Personally, I just can’t wait to get my hands on this baby. In the meantime, the good people at Axiotron and OTHER WORLD COMPUTING who are the exclusive distributors of the Modbook have happily obliged some colleagues with an actual demo next week. I hope to post some pictures and further details then.

Detailed product info and technical specs on the Modbook can be found here, here and here.

Better yet, wanna see the Modbook in Action? Where would we be without YouTube?….