iPad as artPad

For the artist, as well as the photographer, technology has most certainly evolved. I purchased Adobe Illustrator 88 (in that year), for something close to $500, to do design work on my $3,500 Mac SE. And of course also had to have Photoshop soon after. In 1990 Fractal Painter came along for another few hundred dollars. As the years went on the computers kept getting bigger and faster; and each iteration cost another $3 – $3,500; plus continuous software, memory and harddrive upgrades. The “serious” digital artist also needs calibrated monitors for accurate prepress work; and a Wacom tablet, starting at around $300, to most closely approximate the “feel” of traditional art materials. The 12″ Wacom Cintiq, which incorporates an LCD screen into the tablet will run $1,000; with the 21″ version running a cool $2K. And all this pretty much needs to be tied down to the desk.

Today I can grab a $500 iPad and any one of  a number of  $5 (ArtStudio) to $8 (Brushes or SketchBook Pro) apps and have an experience “similar” to using a $1K tablet on a $3.5K computer while sitting in a coffee shop, on a plane or in a train. The accuracy of the finger (or stylus) will not equal that of a Wacom pen… but… hey it’s a sketch pad.

(click images for larger view)

figuring — iPad “painting” by Lottermoser

And of course one can bring photos into the apps for “artistic” effects as well.

ann — iPad photo manipulation by Lottermoser

At this time the iPad artwork is limited in pixel dimensions. Yet it offers the artist a very portable, clean and useful set of tools whether a figurative, representational, or abstract expressionist. David Hockney recently exhibited a series of  work done on his iPhone and iPad using the Brushes app.

growing during chaos — iPad “painting” by Lottermoser

first out — iPad “painting” by Lottermoser

My friend, and painter, Jack Hernon, recently visited. I plugged in the headphones and set him loose in ArtStudio. We certainly agreed that the iPad would be a great companion on his flight home to Winston-Salem, NC.

Leica M8, 50 mm Summilux Asph