TAKEAWAY: For the artist in everyone of us, here is Paper 53, the drawing app for the iPad. Let that great idea be captured quickly on the white canvas of the screen.
Sketching on the go made easier, fun
Here are some of my doodling of the past few days: from a turtle done for fun, to entertain a grandchild, to ideas to use in presentation, to actual sketching
It’s like a new toy for me, and readers of the blog already figured this out: my use of Paper 53, the recently released drawing app for the iPad is increasing. Obviously, I am not the only one loving Paper 53: The app has been downloaded by 1.5 million people in the first two weeks.
I am not a graphic artist or illustrator, but that is part of the magic of Paper, that it makes you believe that you are. Somehow, the more scribbles you make using Paper, the less intimidated you are by the presence of a white canvas in front of you. In fact, unlike other such apps, this one is minimalist: no settings panels, menus, or adjustable line widths. A blank page invites you to make that first line or circle.
On a daily basis I take my special pencil out and doodle. I make notes during phone conversations, I sketch pages or screen concepts right after an inspiring run, or I just kill time between meetings drawing everything from newspaper page sketches to turtles or headers for the blog.
The color palette is simplistic: nine color choices. There are several brushes allowing me to draw thin or thick strokes, although my favorite is the one that feels like one is rubbing an inked piece of cotton on the page (screen). The watercolors are my favorite, however. I can achieve the special effect of text columns, or images within a photo, all using the pastel colors and the special brush.
It is no substitute for the real thing, and I realized that yesterday as I ran thru Hyde Park in London, and, suddenly, in my path, to the side of a park bench,a young artist was painting on his canvas, a tin can with about 30 brushes by his side, a sunny morning and, presto, this one was recreating the view in front of him. I wondered how he would feel doing the same using Paper on his iPad.
I even thought that perhaps tomorrow I may take the iPad out to the park and try to sketch my surroundings using Paper.
Seriously, however, Paper 53 allows us to capture everyday on the fly.
No need to wait till we have pencil and paper handy. Sketch that idea immediately. Save it. Share it on Facebook or Twitter, or email it,as I often do with my team.
Talk about making the finger happy. Here is the app to elevate the finger, and your drawing skills, to new heights.
Read more about Paper 53 :
Paper: the great next iPad app, from the brains behind Courier
http://www.theverge.com/2012/3/29/2909537/paper-drawing-ipad-app-fiftythree-brains-behind-courier
Download Paper from the iTunes store:
http://itunes.apple.com/app/paper-by-fiftythree/id506003812