iPad Art at Apex High School

 This year we will be adding a new feature for both Art One and Computer Art... drawing on iPads. 

So far we've got two drawing apps installed. First Layers. If you've not drawn on an ipad yet, this is a good app to start with. It's easy to use but still has some of the advanced features of the more detailed apps. See my first attempt at illustrating with Layers here.

The second app (pictured above) is SketchBook pro. This is a serious drawing app with custom brushes, layers, stamps and a host of other tools like transform, text, etc.. you can read more about Sketchbook Pro here.

There will be a stylus available for each student. to use. This makes it easier to draw than using your finger. 

Meanwhile, if your looking for a fun app to draw with at home that is as simple as  box of crayons, check out Art Set. I might add this fun tool to our list as well. More about Art Set here.

 

In our always continuous effort to improve the Computer Art class.... more Adobe Illustrator! 

Quick and easy Adobe illustrator CS4 tutorial demonstrates how to take a hand draw image and convert it to vector and then turn that image into a symbol which can be repeated and manipulated at will. Basically, create the image above in less than 4 minutes. How very exciting! 

Watch the video tutorial here-->

Drawing to Symbols in illustrator from iansands on Vimeo.

Halle Exhibit 2012

It's become a tradition that at the end of every school year, the Halle hosts the art of Apex High School students both current and former. And every year i go to the exhibit and take really bad photos and post them on the web. 

Above, is one former and one current Apex art student. They are sisters and they don't like to have their picture taken. Eileen, (closest) now goes the SCAD.

This is a dinobird made out of recycled cans. Pretty neat.

There is usually food so I feel obligated to make sure i capture that important fact on film.

These guys are scary. What are these type of hooligans doing at the art show?

Yay! This makes me happy!

Chelsea made scary hooks. I'm starting to think it's good she graduated and decided to go to college 5 hours away... :) JK!

Sebastian needs one of those back scratchers.

She made the stuffed monster thingy. Yay!

Brian is my neighbor. He thinks the show is "thumbs up!"

Even I have a piece in the show. It's a talking zonkey. Shocked, aren't you.

Another illustrator Tutorial

 

In a never, ever, ever ending effort to improve the Computer Art class.... more Adobe Illustrator! 

If you know how to use pathfinder and gradients then creating these cool button thingies in Adobe illustrator CS4 is quick and easy. How very exciting! 

Watch the video tutorial here-->

2D Icon buttons in illustrator from iansands on Vimeo.

3D Illustrator Tutorial

 

Above: 3D icons created in Adobe Illustrator

In a never ending effort to improve the Computer Art class, next year we'll be incorporating more Adobe Illustrator projects into the class. 

To get things started, here is a brand new video tutorial that demonstrates how to use pathfinder and gradients to create 3D logos in Adobe illustrator CS4. How very exciting!

3D Logos in Illustrator CS4 from iansands on Vimeo.

Photoshop Space Tutorial

 

Early in the year, the Computer Art class played around with Photoshop to create an image that looks like it came from space. This short video tutorial shares some of the tricks we learned to create the space image above.

Photoshop CS4 : Space Tutorial from iansands on Vimeo.

Oh, So We Have iPads Do We?

So, Apex HS just bought a class set of iPads for students to use and yes, I do plan to incorporate these devices into my lessons.

So, I'm trying to find a decent drawing program on the ipad. So far I've downloaded Layers, Sketchbook Pro and 123D Sculpt, a 3D program. All I've messed with is Layers. 

What I like about layers is how simple it is. It has a brush, an eraser and a smudgy finger. That and of course, layers. I'll probably start my classes off learning this program because of how simple and basic it is. 

To start, I just wanted to sketch in layers,... try out different brushes and stuff but without any real concern for the image. Then I wanted to take that first image and see if I could make it a little more 3dish. 

Now I need to move on and try Sketchbook Pro. It's got a lot more options. Then onto the real 3D world 123D Sculpt. how very exciting, yes I know!

Already looking forward next year!