I love: Adobe Illustrator on the iPad’s Pen tool.
Why I love it: I tend to be a multi-tasker. I got so excited about Illustrator on the iPad because I was finally able to take the work I can usually only do at home, in front of my computer, and do it anywhere: sitting in the park, or taking a break after walking across to Manhattan, and get stuff done.
Here’s how I use it: I use a Wacom board when I’m at my desktop computer, so I’m never just clicking a mouse, but on an iPad, it feels even more natural. I use the Pen tool very liberally, to draw as if it weren’t digital work.
First though, I’ll gather photo references and drag them into my document so I don’t have to switch between tabs and windows. Then I’ll create a color palette by making small shapes on the artboard itself that I can use with the Eyedrop tool. Once all that’s in there, I get started with drawing.
When I’m trying to communicate something a little more serious, I use a thinner line, with lots of detail. To me, that usually means food items that are related to my fibromyalgia. When I’m being more cheeky and playful — a celebration of color, or shape — that’s when I use a thicker line, for an almost cartoonish, or less realistic, feel. As much as I’m trying not to be a designer about it, I feel like there is a spectrum!
Going in afterwards with the Smooth tool allows me to have a more organic look. Sometimes there aren’t enough anchor points and the Smooth tool creates more, and I can drag them out or make them more jagged. It’s all a work of imprecision.
Once I add a black outline to a piece, I’ll use it consistently throughout for everything, even highlights. But I’m also open to changing things up; I actually do a lot of work that’s more of a pencil-sketching style. Generally, the things that stay consistent are the highlight blobs and the grounding shadows.
I love the Pen tool because it can be extremely precise or very loose; I find them both useful.
