Airplane sketches-- trying out some new stuff.

"phenotyp" (phenotyp)
08/07/2013 at 14:00 • Filed to: sketch, reviews, ios

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(Posted this one in the middle of the night, but here it is again, with the rest of the sketches. Procreate and Snapseed on ipad)

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(Adobe Ideas on iphone 4s)

Traveling a bunch the past two weeks, so lots of airplane time to try out a pressure-sensitive stylus on iOS (iphone 4s and ipad). I wanted to see how they really compare to my ancient (but trusty, and still a damn fine tool) WinXP tablet PC. Some of you have asked in the past what I use when I post sketches, and I'm usually pretty cagey in responses, because tools shouldn't matter. But since this is a new software/hardware combo for me (and someone who's generally very Apple-averse), I really wanted to see what the latest generation of iOS toys could do in comparison.

I used a Jot Touch pressure-sensitive stylus on an ipad 4 and iphone 4s, and tried out Sketchbook Pro, Procreate, and a couple of apps that I already use, Adobe Ideas and Snapseed. First thing is that the stylus, while a nice piece of hardware, is really hampered by app devs' adoption of their SDK. Since you're drawing on a touchscreen, the palm rejection aspect of the stylus is really important— and it doesn't work with most software (yet, anyway).

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(Procreate on ipad)

Procreate seemed to match with the stylus better than the other apps, but I'm still a bigger fan of Ideas than any other iOS drawing app— but Adobe hasn't implemented the SDK for the stylus, so most of what it's good for is lost, and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! is damn near as good as the stylus.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

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(Adobe Ideas on ipad)

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(Procreate on ipad)

Final verdict: it's a toy, not a tool. The 7-year-old tablet pc with Photoshop CS2 still wins, and wins big. Sketching on the ipad, even with a nice stylus, is still an exercise in frustration.

[fingerpainting]: http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/more-phone-fingerpaints-511120923 [fingerpainting]: http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/more-phone-fingerpaints-511120923

DISCUSSION (14)

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > phenotyp
08/07/2013 at 14:06

Damn, dude. Those are all fantastic.

phenotyp > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
08/07/2013 at 14:08

Thanks! It was fun trying out new hardware, but disappointing that it's such a crappy experience compared to ancient hardware/software combos. Wacom still wins, in every way. The only thing better about the ipad is the battery life (which, obviously, can't be beat).

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > phenotyp
08/07/2013 at 14:11

Wonder what it would be like on any windows surface pro.

phenotyp > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
08/07/2013 at 14:14

I wondered the same thing. When I bought the ipad last week, what I really wanted to get was the Surface, but since the hardware is iOS-specific, and I needed it for an interview, I had to go ipad.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > phenotyp
08/07/2013 at 14:17

Ah, tis life my friend. Tis life. Good luck with the interview.

phenotyp > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
08/07/2013 at 14:20

Thanks, pretty happy with how they went. Now I'm stuck waiting.

Court AutoTempest > phenotyp
08/07/2013 at 15:40

Mucho badass. Good work on these!

I've had a Wacom for ages but still have yet to do anything worthwhile with it.

phenotyp > Court AutoTempest
08/07/2013 at 15:42

Muchos gracias. Fun to try out new hardware, but sadly it doesn't live up to the task.

Court AutoTempest > phenotyp
08/07/2013 at 15:44

Ya, I just got a Leap Motion controller the other day and have been playing around with it's drawing software. End of the day, same verdict. Real fun for games though!

phenotyp > Court AutoTempest
08/07/2013 at 15:55

Cool, I've wanted to try one of those for a long time. Not sure how useful it'd actually be for what I do, but I've read someone's post on here a few months ago about trying it out with Solidworks.

Court AutoTempest > phenotyp
08/07/2013 at 16:32

The main things I could see it being useful for are:

1. Manipulating 3D environments.

2. Times when you need multiple inputs into something (more than just the single pointer that a mouse allows).

3. Times when you just won't have your mouse and keyboard in hand.

The first two make it super fun for games. The 3D environment stuff could also make it fun for working with 3D art, schematics, or science-y model stuff. Multiple inputs is mostly for games, but could also come in handy for other things. I could see it being most immediately useful though for times when you're working with your computer but don't have your hands on the mouse and keyboard, like if you were using another controller, or maybe working with a MIDI controller of some sort.

Anyway, a lot of reviewers are writing it off because it isn't as good as a mouse and keyboard, or even a touch screen, at doing stuff. But it's strength lies in the fact that it shouldn't even try to do those things, it's strength is the fact that it can go beyond them.

phenotyp > Court AutoTempest
08/07/2013 at 23:16

That's really interesting. My main beef with the iOS environment for sketchy stuff like this is that I'm used to sketching with one hand and playing keyboard shortcuts with the other. If I could draw with one hand and use gesture controls with the other, that might be really fucking cool. Like minority report kinda cool.

phenotyp > Court AutoTempest
08/07/2013 at 23:18

That's really interesting. My main beef with the iOS environment for sketchy stuff like this is that I'm used to sketching with one hand and playing keyboard shortcuts with the other (and the aforementioned palm rejection, so the screen just reads the pen). If I could draw with one hand and use gesture controls with the other, that might be really fucking cool. Like minority report kinda cool.

Court AutoTempest > phenotyp
08/09/2013 at 00:38

Ya, that's totally the type of thing it could be awesome for!

That being said, it's USB connected as it stands, may need to wait for a Bluetooth version.