What I Use

Helllooo fellow bloggers and blog readers!

Not much has gone on in regards to upcoming projects except for a freelance consulting type gig the last few weeks.  I client I worked with recently is getting a novel published and needed help setting up some social media sites (facebook, twitter, blogger, etc) as well as looking around for website possibilities.  Its hard to just jump in and try to get all that stuff set up at once. I'm glad I could meet with her and help her out :)

What I wanted to write about today is some of the equipment I use in my mini "studio". (In all reality, it's more like Harry Potter's "cupboard under the stairs"). I would love to upgrade a lot of this stuff but it all works really well and until I have the money to change it, I'm glad I have what I have!

* First things first! I purchased a 15" Macbook Pro in 2006 and this baby is goin' strong! I'm so impressed with Apple computers and glad that I decided to go Mac.  I'm thinking my next computer will definitely be a desktop with a bigger hard drive. This is a laptop (albeit an amazing one!) and it unfortunately cannot hold all the programs, music, pictures, and giant art files I have on here. It's just not big enough. If all goes well, this laptop will still be the travel buddy after I get the desktop. For more info here's the link to the most current version of my Macbook Pro. 

*Next up is my printer. When I purchased my computer through the educational program Apple offered, I could add a printer onto it.  The lowest one was free but they had additional options I could pay a little extra for. I think this one was $50 more. I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure.  I have a Canon PIXMA MP600 That has been a GREAT All-in-one printer.  It's definitely worth the money I paid for it. There are some issues with printing lines if the image is very dark, but most of the things I use it for are light images, scanning, sketch printing, and document printing.  It suits what I need and the scanning quality is really really good. The ink can be expensive if you buy it all at once but it's not too bad and its readily available at any place that would have office supplies (including Walmart).

*Sticking with computer electronics, I went to costco and purchased a 750GB Maxtor external hard drive.  I believe it was around $100. Again, it was around 5 years ago so I could be wrong on that. Ive barely put a dent in the storage space with all the files I have on it. I've also transferred over my iTunes and my iPhoto because my laptop hard drive couldnt hold all of the photo/music files I have haha!

*The next one, I'm super happy to own.  Last year, I used some extra funds to purchase a Wacom Intuos tablet! It's so much fun to use! I actually need to get back into using it. Sometimes when I just want to get the sketch out, it can be pretty easy to set it aside and knock it out with a regular pencil.  I used Wacom tablets in school and they're amazing to use.  I'm so glad I invested in one myself.  (maybe next will be the Cintiq.... ;p)

* Last but not least, I have a couple cameras I use to document my work.  The first one is a Nikon Coolpix 12 megapixel point and shoot camera. This is pretty handy because it's light weight, has different settings, can get amazing detail, and it's fairly inexpensive when you consider how much $$ you can spend on a big ol' legit camera.
I also have access to a Nikon D60 that I've messed around with a few times.  I'm thinking that I need to experiment a little more regarding artwork photography but it has potential to be a great tool.  And I know that Nikon is a great brand of camera. 
Finally, believe it or not, I've been utilizing my iPhone4s to take a lot of pictures of my work.  I don't know how they did it, but photos from this phone are incredible.  Its portable, easy to use, has a flash, and I can even add video documentation. It a great thing to be able to use.

Well, that about wraps it up!  I'd be interested to know what anyone else uses or has used, or even if they have opinions about what I use. Hope you all have a wonderful rest of the week and I'll see ya in my next post!

4/4/11 Sketch

I'm on a spending ban... which means of course that I want to buy EVERYTHING!

The nail polish brand OPI has a new collection coming out based on the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie. It features a lot of pastels for spring and summer with the funnest names based on the movie.

 

The one I'm particularly excited about is this one entitled "Mermaids Tears"

Mermaids Tears

 Isn't this such a beautiful color?  I have a crackle black nail polish I got a couple weeks ago also by OPI that would look so fun on top of this!
Other colors include:
Skull and Glossbones - a bone grey color
Steady as She Rose - a light pink
Planks a Lot - a purple
Sparrow Me the Drama - a cool bright pink
Stranger Tides - a sage green
& a Silver Shatter
(all of these will be out in May 2011)


Wait... Isn't this supposed to be a sketch of the day?? YES! haha Here's the tie in...

The name of this nail polish got me thinking. If Mermaid tears were sold as a medicine or herb, how would one bottle it?  They'd have to be some pretty intense glass or something to hold it in because from what I've heard about these tears is they can be pretty powerful.  I imagine you'd have to bottle in a thick glass like a pure oil with a cork top and it would be sold by a holistic (is that the right word?) shop.  You know, where you'd find crows feet, or sage bundles, or lizard eyeballs... (i dunno, go with it!)

So ya! that's my take on it anyway.  I'd imagine they'd be more blue that teal and be sparkly and shiny like pixie dust. What do you guys think?

late 4/3/11 Sketch

When you're on a diet or trying to eat healthy, it's inevitable that you're gonna start craving something. I don't think I've made or eaten as many cookies as when I'm supposed to be eating healthy. It just happens.  Although if I was able to control this phenomena then i probably would not have to be continuously trying to eat more healthy... hmmmm...

April Challange Day 1

ok I need to put a disclaimer on this one because although I don't think i did a horrible job.... haha this sketch needs help!
I'm not very good at using an Intuos tablet and the only experience I have is using it in one class in my entire school career. Even then it wasn't my go to method for working on the computer. Soooo I'm forcing myself to get better on it with this challenge and it will be interesting to see how far I come (or don't) by next month. You know the saying... "Practice makes BETTER!"

so here's the sketch for today...

he needs a little help... he has a "leaning problem"

My dad and I met up with my cousins today and went on a hike.. er well maybe like 10 mini hikes all over the place :) But I'm pooped! This sad little penguin is a bit how I feel right now. haha I'm ready for bed!!

This was a short sketch, I want to keep them loose and not put a huge amount of time put into them to make them perfect.  This is a sketching exercise and while I want to make them worthy of showing, I think it would be unfair to post "finished" sketches.  That's not really the point of this. I bought the Intuos4 last year knowing that I need to become accustomed to using it and haven't had the chance to really focus on learning it well.  Now's the time!

Anyway, So long till tomorrow! :)

Something Wonderful this Way Comes!

look what appeared on my doorstep ....... :) .........






look at all this fantastic packaging! it was a surprise at every fold


................



AWWWWWWW!!
..... so of course now that i have one of these babies, I shall now be the World's Best, Most Talented Illustrator, right??

I Wish! haha

So far I've just spent some time getting used to it and getting the feel for how it works. I'm already in Love :)