This Week's Cover of 'The New Yorker' Was Sketched on an iPad

[SgtPepper12]

I don't know, whenever I hear stuff like that I honestly wonder what the point even is. Could he do something with the iPad he couldn't do any other way? Clearly not. There are lots of ways to create this kind of art style and they actually come in a physical shape, using real colors and tools to create something that's just as real. To me that's still something that defines art to me, that it comes in a unique, physical form. It's hard for me to explain that, but whenever I see a talented artist creating art in a digital form I just feel sorry for the idea.

 

[fourthtunz]

Yeah, uh no. It's well known artists use the iPad as a sketch tool -- especially so on a site that caters to everything Apple. Using a pro tool doesn't make you skilled. I have an iPad Pro and Pencil and I still draw like a kindergatener. My video edited on FCP could not be compared to The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.

Your reply had nothing to do what I was talking about.
I..meaning me..Have not seen much iPad art..and not much Pro art.
So I thought it was nice to see, thats all.
You're off on your own toot, I said nothing about it making you skilled.
Exactly the opposite in fact, the Indian not the arrow.
Have a better day

 

[mdelvecchio]

But but but iPad is only for consumption not creation! My world view...my precious world view....

 

[redman042]

iPad Pro + Apple Pencil is now fully surpassed by the new Surface Pro.

I have both the 9.7 iPad Pro and the Surface Pro 4. Neither is "better". Each has pros and cons. There are digital artists in both camps.

If you want a tight, touch-optimized experience where you can just pick up and draw with minimal fuss, it's hard to beat the iPad + Pencil. The hardware is amazing and there are some seriously great drawing apps for it. But if you're a pro artist, you will probably have to transfer the completed drawing to a PC or Mac with Photoshop to do the final steps. Many artists do and they are fine with it.

If you want maximum flexibility to use a range of pro apps with a full file system, particularly if you want to draw in Photoshop, get the Surface. There are some workflows you can't replicate on the iPad.

As for stylus response, I think Apple's solution is slightly better than the Surface Pro 4, but not enough to matter. Apple does have the SP4 beat on "tilt". The New Surface steps it up a notch for sure. I haven't tried one obviously, but I feel the quality of both is already good enough that your choice of platform should be more based on the ecosystem you want to work in, and the apps you want to use, than the hardware performance. Both have been pretty great for at least a year.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

Not pro. Real pros need access to the file system!

/s

What pros? Professional file clerks?

Funny, professional digital cameras aren't judged by their ability to manipulate the organization of the files on the memory card.

This thread is about doing professional art on an iPad. Professional usage is based on the work that's done, not where or how that work is stored. (Yes, professionals may also have certain requirements for storage and organization of their work, but those are not universal requirements.)

"I want to organize/re-organize things my way" or, "I want to change file attributes" are not essential functions for many pros and non-pros. I long ago gave up on maintaining a topic-driven, tree-structured Documents folder in favor of Search. Nice thing about Search is that it finds mis-filed as well as properly filed data. I most certainly do, and have, used computers professionally for many decades, so I hope I do qualify as a "pro."

Further, on-device storage is so amateur - to be accessible in our multi-user/multi-device world, some sort of server-based storage is essential. Who cares if the new drawing you created on iPad is stored in its default location when, ultimately, it has to be transferred to a server of some sort - the organization on the server is what really counts, whether you're using iCloud Drive or logging into your corporate VPN. There's no shortage of tools for accessing and organizing data on those servers.

 

[44267547]

I don't know, whenever I hear stuff like that I honestly wonder what the point even is. Could he do something with the iPad he couldn't do any other way? Clearly not. There are lots of ways to create this kind of art style and they actually come in a physical shape, using real colors and tools to create something that's just as real. To me that's still something that defines art to me, that it comes in a unique, physical form. It's hard for me to explain that, but whenever I see a talented artist creating art in a digital form I just feel sorry for the idea.

You clearly are lost behind the purpose of this article. It's to show the potential someone who is an artist or graphic designer what they can create digitally and the portability is ideal for on the go. We live a Digital world where paper isn't always the "Norm" anymore. It's convenient and more efficient to utilize the options in the iPad for colors, etching methods, etc. You would be surprised how many graphic designers use the Pro. It's an excellent side kick next to the iMac.

 

[tongxinshe]

Only if stylus lag somehow helps you express your artistic vision.

The new Surface Pro's stylus has already surpassed Apple Pencil as well, in every aspect.
[doublepost=1495820425][/doublepost]

I have both the 9.7 iPad Pro and the Surface Pro 4.

You don't get it, I said the new Surface Pro (and the new stylus come with it as well), not the old Surface Pro 4 of last year.

 

[Kabeyun]

What pros? Professional file clerks?

Funny, professional digital cameras aren't judged by their ability to manipulate the organization of the files on the memory card.

This thread is about doing professional art on an iPad. Professional usage is based on the work that's done, not where or how that work is stored. (Yes, professionals may also have certain requirements for storage and organization of their work, but those are not universal requirements.)

"I want to organize/re-organize things my way" or, "I want to change file attributes" are not essential functions for many pros and non-pros. I long ago gave up on maintaining a topic-driven, tree-structured Documents folder in favor of Search. Nice thing about Search is that it finds mis-filed as well as properly filed data. I most certainly do, and have, used computers professionally for many decades, so I hope I do qualify as a "pro."

Further, on-device storage is so amateur - to be accessible in our multi-user/multi-device world, some sort of server-based storage is essential. Who cares if the new drawing you created on iPad is stored in its default location when, ultimately, it has to be transferred to a server of some sort - the organization on the server is what really counts, whether you're using iCloud Drive or logging into your corporate VPN. There's no shortage of tools for accessing and organizing data on those servers.

"/s" in online forums stands for "end sarcasm." i.e. he was kidding.
[doublepost=1495820827][/doublepost]

The new Surface Pro's stylus has already surpassed Apple Pencil as well, in every aspect.

Says what consensus?

 

[MentalFloss]

As for stylus response, I think Apple's solution is slightly better than the Surface Pro 4, but not enough to matter. Apple does have the SP4 beat on "tilt". The New Surface steps it up a notch for sure. I haven't tried one obviously, but I feel the quality of both is already good enough that your choice of platform should be more based on the ecosystem you want to work in, and the apps you want to use, than the hardware performance. Both have been pretty great for at least a year.

Out of curiosity (and sorry for taking this thread off-topic), which of both would you recommend for note-taking? By that I mean a mix of text and diagrams, ideally with handwriting recognition. I have seen (but not tried) some interesting apps for that on the iPad, but I would be open to switch to a Surface. What puts me off from the Surface right now (aside from Windows) is the higher weight and the fact that the higher-powered Surface still has a fan (and I am not sure how the i5 version compares to the iPad Pro in terms of performance). Any thoughts on this?

 

[redman042]

The new Surface Pro's stylus has already surpassed Apple Pencil as well, in every aspect.
[doublepost=1495820425][/doublepost]

You don't get it, I said the new Surface Pro (and the new stylus come with it as well), not the old Surface Pro 4 of last year.

Read my whole post. I addressed that.
[doublepost=1495821431][/doublepost]

Out of curiosity (and sorry for taking this thread off-topic), which of both would you recommend for note-taking? By that I mean a mix of text and diagrams, ideally with handwriting recognition. I have seen (but not tried) some interesting apps for that on the iPad, but I would be open to switch to a Surface. What puts me off from the Surface right now (aside from Windows) is the higher weight and the fact that the higher-powered Surface still has a fan (and I am not sure how the i5 version compares to the iPad Pro in terms of performance). Any thoughts on this?

I have OneNote on all my devices (iPad, iPhone, Surface) and use it extensively for work and personal needs. Generally I type my notes, and I'll use whichever device is handy at the time. If I really want to handwrite my notes, the iPad is the best form factor for that, though the Surface works fine too. For standing up and walking around, the Surface works but is definitely a little awkward compared to the iPad for that purpose. You can't beat a 9.7" 4:3 form factor for handheld writing.

But OneNote on the iPad does not convert handwritten notes to typed text. OneNote on Windows does (of course you can handwrite the notes on an iPad, then open the same notebook in the Windows version and do the conversion). Though I gave up on that conversion feature a long time ago because it doesn't work very well, at least for my writing.

The i5 Surface and 9.7" Pro both perform very well for heavy office use. Lag on either platform is rare. But the Surface does have a fan and gets warmer. Not so much when using OneNote, but if you open Google Maps in 3D or something like that, the iPad definitely handles it with less "drama".

Hope that helps.

 

[Recognition]

The new Surface Pro's stylus has already surpassed Apple Pencil as well, in every aspect.
[doublepost=1495820425][/doublepost]

You don't get it, I said the new Surface Pro (and the new stylus come with it as well), not the old Surface Pro 4 of last year.

Wait.. you're telling me, a brand new product is better than a product that has been out for around 18 months?!

Well I never!

/s

 

[fel10]

Damn, and I can't barely draw a stick figure.

 

[citysnaps]

The new Surface Pro's stylus has already surpassed Apple Pencil as well, in every aspect.

Since you are likely speaking from personal experience as a graphic artist, I would love to see some of your work. Please post a link.

 

[25ghosts]

Wow - Mac Rumors ;-)

Whats tomorrow ? iPad can shoot photos ?

 

[redman042]

Since you are likely speaking from personal experience as a graphic artist, I would love to see some of your work. Please post a link.

Seriously. He's just reading the press release. And disregarding all the other factors that matter for artists (form factor, software, etc.).

They are both great platforms for drawing. We are lucky to have all these options at our disposal and be able to debate the fine points like this. It's a great time for technology.

 

[err404]

The iPad/Pencil pairing is a real achievement, letting real drawing happen and getting out of the way of visual artists expressing their ideas. It takes a lot of amazing tech to make digital creative tools transparent to the creator. Sorry you don't get it. Maybe these articles will help you:
http://boingboing.net/2015/11/25/apple-pencil-gets-rave-review.html
http://www.fantasticmaps.com/2015/12/an-illustrators-review-of-the-ipad-pro-and-apple-pencil/

What makes you think I "don't get it"? I understand that the iPad is a valuable artistic tool when paired with a Pencil. This piece however is not a good example of that synergy. The piece is intended to be simplistic and just doesn't indicate any need for the high precision or low latency that the device can achieve.
Artistically it is compelling and captures the feeling of the moment. But I don't find this to be a compelling example of the power behind technology.
Frankly I would expect the same results from a capacitive stylus on an iPad 2 (I am exaggerating for effect).
The technophile in me just kinda shrugs.

 

[Jayderek]

Jeez... does every thread on MR need to have negative ninnies spoiling anything that may be positive?

yeah it's ridiculous the amount of people willing to jump on here quickly to be snarky about the art. I'm sure they're putting on the final touches to their own magazine cover. Pretty predictable in the amount of haters that jump on here

 

[44267547]

yeah it's ridiculous the amount of people willing to jump on here quickly to be snarky about the art. I'm sure they're putting on the final touches to their own magazine cover. Pretty predictable in the amount of haters that jump on here

True. I give these artists credit. I have zero ability to do what they do and have the mind to design something past what others see. Fascinating stuff that someone can generate on an iPad with artistry.

 

[err404]

yeah it's ridiculous the amount of people willing to jump on here quickly to be snarky about the art. I'm sure they're putting on the final touches to their own magazine cover. Pretty predictable in the amount of haters that jump on here

Don't confuse being unimpressed with the use of technology for being unimpressed with the art.

 

[Cloudkicker]

Didn't the iPad calculator/weather/stocks app keep interrupting the creativity flow?

 

[Jayderek]

Don't confuse being unimpressed with the use of technology for being unimpressed with the art.

and what exactly would impress you about the use of technology that wasn't mentioned here?

 

[LordVic]

No, admins need access to the file system. Users - no matter if pro or not - do not need access to the file system.

For so many years, computer users have been forced to do unproductive sysadmin jobs like having to decide where to place files in the file system instead of doing their actual productive work. It has become so ingrained in people's thinking that they actually don't realize anymore that this is an admin job, and they actually think it's something a user should do to be "professional".

And it's actually such a dumb unproductive admin job that operating sytems can ge made smart enough to take it off your hands.

no

just no

As an admin, as someone who supports a few hundred people, and clients. It is NOT my bloody job to file manage for my users.

they need to be aware of what files are, file management is, and fully engaged at doing their own file copying. it is a waste of my time, and a waste of the users time to have to fire me an email to ask me to copy files around for them.

People need to be responsible for their own data. Not have to rely on an admin to act like a monkey and do small tasks like moving files around for them.

The point of tech is to engage users and to enhance their knowledge / underestanding.

not to hide it and pretend it doesn't exist so that someone else does things for them. There's nothing unproductive about ensuring that your users know how to put files in the correct places so that they can use them better.
[doublepost=1495826807][/doublepost]

iPad Pro + Apple Pencil is now fully surpassed by the new Surface Pro.

Edit: I made a comment based on a complete reading comprehension failure. Sorry!

 

[TheShadowKnows!]

Wow! So much ugly and mind-less negativity towards a positive. Kudos to the New Yorker for posting an insight onto Colombo's work.

Here is Jorge Colombo's render in video: 0bc5c14e-b5fe-4e5c-90e7-6c7be617a139manifest-ios.m3u8

 

[RickInHouston]

Good illustration of the power of the iPad combined with world class skills.

I agree, you will need works class skills to accomplish even that cover. And how many man hours do you think it took him?

 

[tongxinshe]

The i5 Surface and 9.7" Pro both perform very well for heavy office use. Lag on either platform is rare. But the Surface does have a fan and gets warmer. Not so much when using OneNote, but if you open Google Maps in 3D or something like that, the iPad definitely handles it with less "drama".

The new Surface Pro i5 no longer has a fan. In the new Surface Pro family, only the i7 model has a fan. As to benchmarks, the new Surface Pro i5 is slightly slower than iPad Pro, but at a very very similar level.

The biggest advantages of the new Surface Pro i5 (to iPad Pro) are its any-angle stand (a magical hinge) and its superior type cover.
The biggest shortage the new Surface Pro still carries is its uglier looking. Its weight is no longer of that much difference (from iPad Pro) as its predecessors.