A Pad for a Pad Campaign

There is no question that I could use an upgrade. I was one of the first adopters of the original Ipad and purchased it with the full hope of using it for quite sometime knowing there would be more around the corner. So less than a year later when the IPad 2 was announced I was still content in the gem I had picked up months before. My only complaint was a  form of claustrophobia I felt after purchasing the small 16GB version.

One of my original Ipad Sketches

Now there is a 3rd generation Ipad out on the market that has given me a reason to upgrade. Having worked almost 2 years off the original Ipad I can tell you the limitations of having your artwork exported out at a 1024 resolution can be a challenge. A 1024 image can produce a 8x10 inch print at best.  This severely restricts the size and kind of work I can produce.

The new Ipad doubles the output of workable images to at least a 2048 resolution. And with the retina display an artist is capable of working in an environment that is as crisp as working on paper without having to see the actual pixels we became accustomed to.


It does change the game quite a bit for artists wanting to move on to a mobile platform like I did awhile back. Yet unfortunately independent artists like myself involved in freelance illustration, web comics, or fine art live on very tight budgets. Its just not as financially accessible to run right out and pick up new equipment while developing and saving for looming print costs ( not to mention paying rent).

Traditional Mixed Media Work

So to offset the cost I have decided to start up a little side project here at Stickman. Over the next few months I will be doing the "Pad for a Pad Campaign" where for the first time in years I will be working on non-digital artwork for sale and commissions. Each piece will be created in ink and other medias on a 9"x12" pad of bristol covering everything from cartooning to realism works.


Over the years I have done commissions involving everything from portraits, tattoo concept designs, comic book art, and various other forms of illustration. This is a rare chance to obtain one of my original pieces since I made the move to digital illustration many years ago. Each piece and commission will range between $25 to $40 and once the 20 sheets of bristol are used up the offer ends.

Non-commissioned pieces will be posted here on my blog as they are completed and added to my eBay store for purchase. Art that was created by request will be shared here only after being sold and shipped to the individual who commissioned the piece.

To ask for a commissioned piece of art simply drop me a email at stickman@stickmanstickers.com with the details of your request and I will be glad to discuss your ideas. All payments can be accepted via paypal at the same email address or through other methods upon completion of the artwork. Some readers may feel inclined to donate through paypal as well to this cause and I can't say it wouldn't be appreciated, but I would still expect to provide them a piece of art in exchange to show my appreciation.

Regardless of the outcome I look forward to having a lot of fun on this campaign as I work side by side with my digital illustrations that are already in progress for sticker products that will be available sometime this Summer.

The "Anything Will Help" Art Show

I had the pleasure of seeing the "Anything Will Help" art show in downtown Portland last night where my fiancee had a piece of her own on display. Was a wonderful event showcasing not only local Portland artists but creative talents around the country who were able to mail in their art just for the show.

The only rules to participate in the show was that each artist was required to use recycled cardboard as their canvas and no piece entered could be priced over $50. Works consisted of every visual media possible from acrylic paints, water colors, pen and ink, aerosol paint, and any substance the artist could come up with to exercise their craft.

The turnout had impressive numbers in patrons who came to view, socialize, and purchase the art on display. It was hosted at the Jack London Bar located in downtown Portland by the Oregonized Galleree.

Although there were some traditional pieces featured, many of the works showed a deep appreciation for street art from vibrant colors, lettering, and even hand screened materials.

Several of the artworks consisted of deep print and graffiti influences while a local sticker art crew was on hand selling their work as well. And although this "Stickman" didn't have any of his merchandise or artwork up for sale at the show I discovered another "Stikman" did. ( sure hope there is room for the two of us)

It was difficult to come away from the show and not be inspired in my own art. Since coming to Portland last September I will confess this was one of the better art events I was able to make it to and I was glad I did. That even though I am starting a Sticker Company which is what this site is built for, I am still driven to be a part of a community that supports and promotes other artists as well. 

Future "Stickman Speaks" articles featured on this blog will set out to prove just that by featuring other artists and those that inspire me to do what I do. And perhaps at the end of the day there just might be a space left on a wall somewhere for me. 

If you enjoyed the photos in this article I invite you to check out my G+ profile which can be found at plus.ly/stickman. More photos from this show as well as some of my other photography work can be found there. 

Welcome Shannon!

I would like to take this moment to introduce you all to Shannon Kidwell, our new Facebook community administrator. Shannon will be overseeing our Facebook page and community while I handle the day to day of our G+ communities. You can reach Shannon at Shannon@stickmanstickers.com.  

Not only is Shannon our liaison to our Facebook audience but she is also a talented painter and arts photographer. You can view her work at kidwellstudios.blogspot.com where she is currently accepting commissions for paintings and other creative projects.

Tools of the Trade Part: I

I felt for this week's post I would take a moment to show just some of the tools I use in creating the designs for stickers here at Stickman. The work you will see produced here at the Stickman Sticker Company is actually created on the 1st generation Ipad that is then synced to an old EEE PC netbook for print corrections, backups, and storage.

These are the Ipad apps I use to create our designs:

For Vector Art:

• Adobe Ideas ( Its ability to allow freehand vector is currently unmatched )
• Inkpad ( My main go to app for creative vector art and blending textures )
• IDraw ( The closest thing to Adobe Illustrator on the Ipad )

For Photo Editing:

• Filterstorm ( Allows me to actually freehand brush in all my image corrections)
• Snapseed ( Just a fun way to knock out quick filters, textures, and effects)
• Laminar ( Newest app added to my arsenal that brings desktop level photo editing to the Ipad )

For Digital Painting:

• Artstudio ( Great for caricature and toon styled illustrations with auto-save!!)
• Sketchbook Pro ( Still my favorite for my digital airbrushing techniques )
• Procreate ( When I want to paint traditionally with brush strokes, this apps allows me to get down to business with a UI that stays out of your way )

Although it may seem like I use a lot of Apps, I find its easier to use certain ones to create a certain look. Some Apps work quicker on my older IPad like Artstudio and Procreate than Sketchbook Pro for example. While Sketchbook Pro never fails to give me that smooth airbrushed look while the other apps can appear to be a bit too cartoon styled for certain illustrations.

   

                       Sketchbook Pro                                                     Adobe Ideas with Inkpad

Photo Edited By Snapseed

In future segments of "Tools of the Trade" I will share other Apps that are used daily in my workflow. Apps that are used for writing, publishing, and working other medias such as video and audio on mobile platforms. I hope you have all enjoyed this little peak into my tool bag and look forward to hearing any feedback you may have in the comments bellow. I will be glad to answer any questions about the apps featured in this article.