Drawing by Cynthia Mitchell using Paper by 53
Chrome Ball drawing by Susie
Tablets ready? Are you actually using your iPad to make art yet? I am, not only for journaling and sketching and keeping records, but for actually making designs that I'm using in my work. This intriguing technology not only has potential in my art business, my journaling and sketching, but as well, for any artist who works in surface design and or mixed media. And after my recent workshops in Houston at the quilt Festival, I also know it has great potential for those doing traditional quilt designs as well, with more apps such as Quilt Wizard coming online every day.
Many of the apps now available offer trial free versions, and with just small investments you can apply great special effects using your own photos to make designs, patterns, direct prints or digital files to send to a printer such as Spoonflower.
First, a report on the daylong iPad Adventure and the 3-hour iPad workshops that I led at the Houston International Quilt Festival at the beginning of the month. Both of these workshops were part of the artist development track put together by my coach Lesley Riley. And she reports that similar workshops will be on tap next year at the IQ Festival as well. Both iPad sections that I offered filled, almost instantly. The daylong workshop had enough inquiries that it could have filled more than two times, so I'm guaranteed an opportunity to teach it again next year. I know this response has a lot more to do with the popularity of the tablet, then with people knowing a lot about me and how I approach the iPad as another creative tool in the toolbox. Nevertheless, it's exciting and flattering, and I can't wait to teach more! I have gotten a couple of inquiries from conference presenters and quilt and fiber art groups for workshops, already -- if you are interested, send me the details and I'll get back to you. Since I don't travel often, my out-of-town dates available fill up quickly!
I do have a daylong version of the iPad adventure coming up the Monday after Thanksgiving and it's filled to capacity. Your next opportunity is to sign up for a San Antonio event is February (or March.) How about a great Christmas present to yourself?
Intro to iPads for Art
Feb. 8, $85, repeats March 22
Launching the studio season at our new "cabin in the city" at 539 Senisa Street, near Bandera and St. Cloud.
In this workshop, you’ll discover what to do beyond games, books and email on that tablet, with a sampling of the best art, design and journaling apps, selected and edited by Susie. And, of course, hands-on practice. Use one tablet-created original design for a themorfax screen to take home for printing. Although designed specifically for iPad, most of the apps are also available in Android versions. $85. (Price of apps -- 99 cents to $8 -- not included, but optional for purchase).
And, for the next lesson, a more in depth overnight retreat out at Pipe Creek.
FROM TABLET TO FABRIC, MARCH 7-9
(optional Fri. night potluck)
Take iPad (or other tablet) design, drawing and painting skills from zero to printed fabric. We’ll survey the options in apps, spend lots of time with hands-on tablet art-making and finish up by preparing and up- loading art to make your own fabric through a digital printing service (price of printing ad apps not included). $185
The art work in this post was made using some of the apps I introduce, with as much hands-on time as the day affords. These were all really quick studies made during the workshops in Houston.