Digital sketching--Sketchbook Pro

Sketching using a digital program is easier than many might think. The biggest issue is learning the program. Today, the number of programs available for simple sketching, on a tablet like an iPad or a pressure-sensitive tablet or even a high-end display/painting tablet is enormous. My own favorite is Sketchbook Pro. I've been using SBP for a couple of years but still haven't mastered it. It's a bit like learning a new, real-world medium like say casein or acrylic. But computers are very forgiving--thank goodness for the "Undo" command--and provide lots of practice with no cleanup or mess. Others may like Photoshop, or perhaps ArtRage. I have both and have used them, but for user-friendliness and intuitive use, SBP has become my go-to program. When Microsoft issued their newest OS, Windows 10, there were some compatibility issues with Sketchbook, but those have been resolved.
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Here are a few SBP sketches.

The Iowa Capitol, 2015

This was actually done from a reference photo of the capitol building in Des Moines in very late afternoon. I was especially interested in a limited palette of complements.

Red Riding Hood, 2015

This image began as a way to look at darker values and also practice with a limited palette. In particular I was interested in adding one more intense color note in an otherwise dull schema. When I began I had not actually thought of the fairy tale.

Greco-Roman sculpture (drapery study), 2016

Over the past few months one of my projects has been to improve my understanding of drapery and clothing. As I posted not long ago, that has meant both drawing with traditional materials--graphite mostly--and with SBP. This is a digital drawing of a Greco-Roman sculpture from a couple of millennia ago. I concentrated hard on getting the various types right in the drawing. You can see diaper folds, pipe folds, half-locks and others in this drawing. It emulates a pencil underdrawing and a pen and ink finish.














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Sketchbook by Autodesk