14 DAY TRIAL // This month, Apple is launching its much-hyped iPad, a tablet device running an enhanced version of the iPhone OS, with a simplified iWork suite, an iBookstore, and more. It stands on the shoulders of its siblings - the iPhone and iPod touch - as it is capable of running almost every piece of software living in the App Store, and it is expected to improve the experience of using these apps by taking them to 1024-by-768-pixel resolution at 132 pixels per inch (ppi). Taking the most advantage of the enhanced screen real estate are painting applications, we believe.
During the 2010 iPad-focused keynote address, Apple’s SVP of iPhone Software, Scot Forstall, did his usual bit of inviting developers up on stage to demo their latest work. This time around, developers were given two weeks to enhance their existing iPhone apps for the iPad - more than enough time to merely do adjustments. One of these developers was Steve Sprang, the creator of one truly amazing iPhone application called Brushes.
For his demo, he reminded the audience of Jorge Columbo, the artist who found Brushes interesting and did a few drawings that ended up as the cover of The New Yorker. This way, he suggested that the iPad should prove to be even more useful for artists. We’d say Sprang is right. Every feature that Brushes has to offer is only improved by the 9.7-inch (diagonal), LED-backlit, glossy widescreen Multi-Touch display with IPS technology found on the iPad. See the Apple keynote here and skip to around 42:40 for his demo. Don’t forget to come back to finish reading this thing.
After watching Sprang’s demo again, I remembered I had seen more drawings / paintings, done by artists using the same Brushes application. For example, using an iPod touch, French artist David Gribouille did a few remarkable caricatures (available below).
But what’s an app like Brushes without a replay feature, so that everyone can see how the artist accomplished their goal? Well, Gribouille video-taped himself as he did one of these drawings, and then sped it up by 3 times its normal playback rate. The video embedded below shows how he used the advanced painting tools within Brushes to create a face that screams “vanity.” On his blog, David admits it’s merely a fictional character.
However, the iPad will have a a replay function built-in. Brushes for the iPad will not only bring everything it had on the iPhone / iPod touch, but also a few extra gems, such as the Brushes Viewer, which offers the much-needed replay function, on the iPad. Currently, the Brushes Viewer comes only as a standalone program for Mac OS X. It allows artists to replay their Brushes paintings stroke for stroke, export them at very high resolutions, and more.
And this is just one painting app. There are dozens of applications that offer similar drawing / painting features, advanced retouching tools, effects, etc. that should do wonders on the iPad. Titles like Eastern Drawing, ArtStudio, Photoshop.com and even MyPaint Free will take finger-painting and editing to a whole-new level, starting this month. Needless to point out, iPad-specific drawing applications are also expected to hit the App Store, once the device is released. Deployed in schools, the iPad will improve the skills of art-focused students, while modern, non-conservatory artists will love the idea of not having to carry around their paints with them.
Has anyone here done any drawings using their iPhone / iPod touch. You did? Great! How much better do you think they’d have been if you had had an iPad to do them on? Put your answers in the comments, and send in your drawings too at [email protected]. I’d be glad to feature them in a follow-up piece.