Changes.

The Boring Stuff...

Going through changes in the coming months at my day gig and there will be "spillage" into my art. No. Not in the actual subject matter (though subconsciously this could be possible)
And not for the better. More hours for less pay is never a good thing (unless it is art that you enjoy doing).

The Spin

I was wondering how I was to spin this into an art week blog? Initially while they try to get things "streamlined" there will be "more time" for some months until everything goes online in the Spring. So I have to get everything I ever wanted to do started in full and well along its way.

Prioritization

That will be key. We all do this even when we have more hours for art in our day. With less hours coming I am/was looking for shortcuts. I considered a paperless digital option like an Ipad or a Tablet/laptop but not loving drawing directly on screen I had to consider my options and in the end I chose the:

ASUS Slate EEE EP121


Technology

I picked up a ASUS slate (Tablet) this Summer (when I had money) after reading many reviews and having a hands on for a week or so and it is still a tough recommend.

Firstly 1) Tablets are NOT laptops. They perform some of the similar functions but don't go into the purchase thinking it will be your replacement computer. It is my portable sketchbook with a 64 gig SSD and a Wacom digitizer pen on a Windows 7 64 bit system...

Tom's Hardware did an excellent in depth review here.

I'll quickly go over my pros and cons below:

The good:

12.1 inch screen
Pressure sensitive pen
Portable/wireless
Artrage Studio software installed
The Bad:

Price 1300.00
Pressure Sensitive Pen (only 256 points of pressure)
Battery life 2 to 2.5 hours full Brightness mode (4.0 hours turned down)
64 GB SSD Drive

Conclusion:

If I had to buy it over I wouldn't. I wouldn't buy an Ipad either though. I like what the reviewer in the Tom's Hardware article said about the slate being 2 years behind the Ipad as Microsoft OS Tablets go (akin to the first Ipad). For an artist the lack of pressure sensitivity (256 pressure points) might be the deciding factor. For me as a sketch tablet it is great! For a pro as a inking tablet it is lacking...

Final thoughts:

If you are swimming in dough and need a tablet with a portable digitizer pressure sensitive pen then this is pretty much your only option right now.

In two or three years when ASUS goes another generation or two Digital artists will be wondering what they ever did without it?


What is Going On!?!

I am doing a sketch daily as you can see if you frequent anywhere Jahhdog/Michael Wawrow and some are being done on my Slate and some on my Wacom tablet. I am still learning the Artrage Studio software and am definitely working on my colouring.

Reading Railroad:

Finished Bagges Buddy Does Jersey (I love to hate! I do!!!) read old blogs...

Read Coward from Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips




Some excellent criminal fiction with expressive art

4 howls outta 5.

Baltimore. 1 : The plague ships 1st ed.

by Mignola, Michael.

Contributors: Golden, Christopher. ; Stenbeck, Ben. ; Stewart, Dave.

Year/Format: 2011, Book, 128 p.

Yes I am a Hellboy fan and this reminds me of early Hellboy. Creepy, interesting and dark. Great art and colours just add to this story. If you are a Mignola or Hellboy fan it is a worthwhile read.

3.5 Howls outta 5

Draw Pardner!

Hey friends, artists and hangers on. Go and create something. Some recipe, some love, some joy. And I will do the same!

ArrrOOooo!