painting posts

Filed under: Multimedia, iPhone, App Review

First Look: Layers for iPhone, natural media painting app

by Brett Terpstra (RSS feed) on Jul 20th, 2009

The very talented Ben Gotow has just released a brand new iPhone app called Layers, his third now after Mathomatic and NetSketch (iTunes links). Layers, not to be confused with the innovative screen capture application on the Mac desktop, is a natural media painting app for the iPhone. Stating the obvious, it incorporates Photoshop-like layers, as well as a variety of brush and color selection options, panning, zooming and the ability to export your masterpieces as JPG or Photoshop PSD files (layers included).

I gave it a run-through and am extremely impressed with the implementation. I am no painter, a fact hinted at by my not posting any screenshots of my own work. However, I'm adept enough with digital art to recognize that this is a very intuitive interface. Manipulating layers is done in a side view with layer previews, allowing a tap-and-drag re-ordering and one-tap addition and subtraction of layers. I especially appreciate the 30 levels of undo history, making it simple to backtrack errant swipes. The application allows for sophisticated artistic expression beyond mere "finger painting," and, with a little practice, you can create some complex imagery. The layering functionality even allows for photo compositing, using multiple layers with photos and the eraser tool to remove portions of the top layers. This is more in line with my personal skill set, so I had some fun with this. Tight erasing can be a little tricky when you have big fingers which are hard to see around, but the undo functionality and some dedication make it perfectly feasible.

Continue reading “First Look: Layers for iPhone, natural media painting app”

Tags: app, app review, AppReview, ben gotow, ben-gotow, BenGotow, design, drawing, iphone, layers, natural media, NaturalMedia, painting

Filed under: iPhone, Graphic Design, App Store, iPod touch

Can you believe it? New Yorker cover done on iPhone app.

by Mel Martin (RSS feed) on May 25th, 2009

Looking at the cover of the June 1 New Yorker Magazine it is pretty hard to believe that it was created with a US$4.99 app on an iPhone.

The app is Brushes [App Store] and it allows painting on the iPhone /iPod touch screen using your fingers and a variety of brush styles. If you have a Mac, you can export your work at resolutions up to 1920x2880. The app also saves a record of your brushstrokes and other actions and can replay them on your Mac. The artist who did the New Yorker cover, Jorge Colombo, obviously has impressive talent. You can see some of his other iPhone work here.

Colombo told the New York Times he loves the app because it "made it easy for me to sketch without having to carry all my pens and brushes and notepads with me, and I like the fact that I am drawing with a set of tools that anybody can have easily in their pocket."

This video will show you a stroke by stroke look at how the cover was created.

If you're looking for more info on this app try the developer site here. Another similar app at the same price is Colors, [App Store] which has also been responsible for some impressive artwork.

Wow. Just wow.

Tags: app store, Brushes, iPhone, iPod touch, New Yorker, painting

Filed under: Odds and ends, iPhone, iPod touch

Apple art redux: David Hockney paints on an iPhone

by Steven Sande (RSS feed) on May 1st, 2009

This seems to be the week for that magical intersection of Apple and art.

On Wednesday TUAW highlighted a Warhol serigraph that's up for auction at a gallery in Portland, Oregon; now TUAW reader Tristan tipped us off to a post on the Daily Mail website about renowned British artist David Hockney using an iPhone to create mini paintings.

The 71-year-old Hockney has had his iPhone for 4 months and is cranking out small paintings which he sends to friends. Among his favorite subjects for "finger painting" on his iPhone are landscapes and flowers. The flower paintings are sent to friends as "fresh flowers" that last a long time.

Hockney likes to use his iPhone in bed to send out illustrated art lectures, and has a tiny easel on which the iPhone sits when he's working on his little masterpieces. There's no word on whether or not Apple will begin selling the easels as an iPhone accessory in their retail stores.

Tags: art, david hockney, DavidHockney, iphone, ipod touch, IpodTouch, painting

Filed under: Multimedia, Software

ArtRage 2: natural media painting on the cheap

by Mat Lu (RSS feed) on Apr 22nd, 2007

ArtRage 2 is a cool, inexpensive "natural media" painting program from Ambient Design. It's cross-platform, and it shows to some degree in its single window interface. The tool palettes, for example, aren't free floating windows, but rather part of the main window as you see above. Nonetheless, it has an incredible number of features for the price, offering different canvas types, painting tools, etc. For instance, you can move the "paint" around with a palette knife, and the texture of canvas affects how the pigment is laid down. All in all, it looks like a great value (and Macworld agrees) for those of us who don't need the power of something like Corel Painter X.

ArtRage 2 comes in two versions: a freeware version with fewer features, and the full version for only $20. It is available for download for both Mac and PC.

[Via Macworld]

Tags: ArtRage 2, Artrage2, painting

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