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	<title>The Tools Artists Use &#187; sketchbook</title>
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	<link>http://thetoolsartistsuse.com</link>
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		<title>Aurélie Neyret</title>
		<link>http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/2010/03/aurelie-neyret/</link>
		<comments>http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/2010/03/aurelie-neyret/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 26 Mar 2010 14:02:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bill Turner</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[acrylic paint]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Adobe Illustrator]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Adobe Photoshop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[brush pen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[colored pencil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Conté Pierre Noire pencil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Corel Painter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pentel Brush pen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pilot pen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sketchbook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wacom tablet]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[watercolor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[watercolor pad]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Winsor & Newton watercolors]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/?p=1400</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Aurélie Neyret is an artist and illustrator living in Rhône, France. What are some of your favorite drawing tools (pens, pencils, markers, drawing tablet, all of the above)? I enjoy both traditional and digital processes and try to practice both. For my professional work though, I often go digitally. I&#8217;m more comfortable with, and it&#8217;s [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>Aurélie Neyret is an artist and illustrator living in Rhône, France.</em></p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/aneyret-valentine2010.jpg" rel="lightbox-aneyret" title="Valentine 2010, by Aurélie Neyret"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/aneyret-valentine2010-300x211.jpg" alt="aneyret-valentine2010" title="aneyret-valentine2010" width="300" height="211" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1407" /></a></p>

<h4>What are some of your favorite drawing tools (pens, pencils, markers, drawing tablet, all of the above)?</h4>

<p>I enjoy both traditional and digital processes and try to practice both. For my professional work though, I often go digitally. I&#8217;m more comfortable with, and it&#8217;s faster for me. I can come back on any step of my process, and I love the technical possibilities that digital provides. I use a <a href="http://www.wacom.com/productinfo/" rel="external" title="More information, or product page for Wacom tablet">Wacom tablet</a> and <a href="http://www.adobe.com/photoshop" rel="external" title="More information, or product page for Photoshop CS4">Photoshop CS4</a>. I start from zero in Photoshop, so my digital work is 100% digital. But I also love drawing with good old pens and pencils. Recently my favorite pencil is a <a href="http://www.lefranc-bourgeois.com/" rel="external" title="More information, or product page for Conté Pierre Noire">Conté Pierre Noire</a>, I love it because it makes really deep blacks. My friend <a href="http://entdroid.absens.net/" title="Victoria Maderna's portfolio">Victoria Maderna</a> also gave me a wonderful little pencil: Schwarz Black soft, by Faber Castell. It&#8217;s soft and oily, but not greasy. Sometimes I draw with pens as well. For the colors, I&#8217;m an addict of watercolors.</p>

<h4>If you prefer pens, is there any particular brand, color, or type of ink you like best?</h4>

<p>I do not prefer pen rather than other medium, but sometimes I feel like drawing with them. My favorites are Pilots, I have several of that brand. I try to use different sizes in the same drawing, but depends, sometimes I start doodling with a ball pen and I end up filling a full page. Another one that I find very useful, is this Japanese ink pen, with a brush: <a href="http://www.pentel.com/catalog_product.php?id=3982" rel="external" title="More information, or product page for Pentel GFKP">Pentel GFKP</a>. The brush is really good, allowing to vary the line density, and easier to carry on than an ink bottle.</p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/aneyret-cerise-concept.jpg" rel="lightbox-aneyret" title="Cerise concept sketches, by Aurélie Neyret"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/aneyret-cerise-concept-150x150.jpg" alt="aneyret-cerise-concept" title="aneyret-cerise-concept" width="150" height="150" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1404" /></a></p>

<h4>How do you like your color? Watercolor? Acrylics? Oil? Colored pencils? Markers?</h4>

<p>As I said, my favorites are watercolors. These are awesome and also frustrating to use, but I love it. I have two boxes of <a href="http://www.winsornewton.com/products/water-colours/" rel="external" title="More information, or product page for Winsor &#038; Newton watercolors">Winsor &amp; Newton watercolors</a>, had them for ages, and they still feel kind of magic. Plus you can take them anywhere, they fit in any pocket! It happens that I use color pencils as well, or acrylics, but I&#8217;m not that good with paint. I never trieds oils, and I feel quite ashamed about that haha! In the near future I would like to practice more painting though.</p>

<h4>Is there any particular type of notebook or drawing pad you prefer? Or does any scrap of decent-sized paper work in a pinch?</h4>

<p>I&#8217;m quite difficult about paper. For exemple, I don&#8217;t like Moleskine paper much, because it&#8217;s yellow and you can&#8217;t really add water on it. They are good for pens though. I often prefer watercolor paper, or Canson. About sketchbooks, a friend of mine who is an artist too, <a href="http://www.jensclaessens.com/" title="Jens Claessens's portfolio website">Jens Claessens</a>, always buy these A4 and A5 books for me, in a little art store of his town. They don&#8217;t have any particular brand I guess, they are only huge books with an hard cover, black or blue, with nothing on it, and the paper is perfect for me. That said, depending of the context, I draw on anything, like on a paper napkin, wood, stones, or the walls of my bedroom&#8230;</p>

<h4>Have you ever tried a new pen (or paper, etc) from reading about it, or seeing the results in another artist&#8217;s work?</h4>

<p>I don&#8217;t recall this happened, except maybe in school, trying out my schoolmates&#8217;s tools. I like being inspired by others but I try not to “copy” other artists process too much. I would be afraid of losing my own personality by trying the tricks of other artists. That said, most of the mediums I use are pretty common. I think it&#8217;s how an artist uses a tool that makes it unique, more than the tool itself.</p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/aneyret-cerise-fishing-the-flying-fish.jpg" rel="lightbox-aneyret" title="Fishing the Flying Fish, by Aurélie Neyret"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/aneyret-cerise-fishing-the-flying-fish-150x150.jpg" alt="aneyret-cerise-fishing-the-flying-fish" title="aneyret-cerise-fishing-the-flying-fish" width="150" height="150" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-1405" /></a></p>

<h4>If you create purely-digital art, what are the software programs you use? Is one used more than another?</h4>

<p>I only use Photoshop. I used to mess around a little bit in <a href="http://www.adobe.com/illustrator" rel="external" title="More information, or product page for Illustrator">Illustrator</a> and <a href="http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite/us/en/Product/1166553885783" rel="external" title="More information, or product page for Painter">Painter</a> few years ago, but not seriously. I&#8217;m a bit of a noob!</p>

<h4>If you work both digitally and non-digitally, which do you find yourself doing more? Is there a reason you would prefer one of the other? Is it because of the tools available in either space?</h4>

<p>I work digitally for my commission work (for press, graphic novels, illustrations for clients), because it&#8217;s easier. I love the freedom that digital process provides me. For quite a long time I didn&#8217;t had a scanner, so I learned to draw everything digitally, without traditional sketching. It was more a constraint at the beginning, but in the end it made things easier. I developed my style this way and I can work quite fast now. For my own pleasure I still draw traditionally though, but less than digitally. I sell original artworks on Etsy. I do some when I have time to produce stuff just for fun. No pressure. It seems more difficult for me to work traditionally for a client. I&#8217;m not confident enough with it, less practice.</p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/aneyret-sketch.jpg" rel="lightbox-aneyret" title="Chromaraja, by Aurélie Neyret"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/aneyret-sketch-150x150.jpg" alt="aneyret-sketch" title="aneyret-sketch" width="150" height="150" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1406" /></a></p>

<h4>I asked about post-processing on a computer, but do you think the computer is a helpful tool for making art? Whether it&#8217;’s looking for inspiration online, or using it to build a weblog to promote yourself and your art, do you think a computer is necessary, helpful, or a distraction (or all of the above)?</h4>

<p>Definitely all of the above! It would be crazy to say that it&#8217;s not helpful. Not especially for creating art, there is tons of full traditional artists that don&#8217;t really need a computer as a tool of creation. But for creating a network, contacts in the industry, for job seeking, to have a website, to communicate with clients, to find reference, for inspiration, etc. Computers and the internet are obviously a huge resource.</p>

<p>Like mostly everything else, it also can be a huge distraction and a tool of procrastination. It&#8217;s up to people to use it in a clever way. I&#8217;m still trying to figure it out!</p>

<p><strong>Thanks Aurélie!</strong></p>

<p><em>Aurélie Neyret can be found online at her weblog <a href="http://ecartez-vous-jarrive.blogspot.com/" title="Aurélie Neyret's weblog">Clo!</a> and on Twitter (<a href="http://twitter.com/ZeuClo" title="Aurélie Neyret's Twitter stream">@ZeuClo</a>). Prints of her work can be found at <a href="http://www.inprnt.com/profile/clo/gallery/" title="Prints of Aurélie Neyret's artwork available at INPRNT">INPRNT</a> and some originals are available on <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/AurelieNeyret" title="Aurélie Neyret's Etsy shop">Etsy</a>.</em></p>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Joanna Davidovich</title>
		<link>http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/2010/02/joanna-davidovich/</link>
		<comments>http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/2010/02/joanna-davidovich/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:17:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bill Turner</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Adobe Photoshop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[charcoal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Col-erase pencil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[colored marker]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[colored pencil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[graphite pencil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Prismacolor pencil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sketchbook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[watercolor pencil]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/?p=1358</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Joanna Davidovich is an artist and freelance animator living in Atlanta, Georgia. What are some of your favorite drawing tools (pens, pencils, markers, drawing tablet, all of the above)? My favorite thing to draw with is col-erase pencils - red. But generally, I love grab-bag art supplies. I have boxes and cases of old markers, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>Joanna Davidovich is an artist and freelance animator living in Atlanta, Georgia.</em></p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/cupojo-sketching.jpg" rel="lightbox-cupojo" title="Doodlin' Away, by Joanna Davidovich"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/cupojo-sketching-300x225.jpg" alt="cupojo-sketching" title="cupojo-sketching" width="300" height="225" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1374" /></a></p>

<h4>What are some of your favorite drawing tools (pens, pencils, markers, drawing tablet, all of the above)?</h4>

<p>My favorite thing to draw with is col-erase pencils - red.  But generally, I love grab-bag art supplies.  I have boxes and cases of old markers, colored pencils, watercolor pencils, graphite pencils, charcoal pencils, pens that I&#8217;ve scavenged over the years.  If I&#8217;m in an experimental mood I like switching mediums.  It can help get you out of a rut too.  </p>

<h4>If you have a wide collection, how do you decide on which to use on a particular drawing, project, or day?</h4>

<p>It depends on my purpose- though I rarely finish drawings traditionally anymore.  Mostly I just doodle- my choices of drawing utensil are dictated by my whims.  </p>

<h4>If you prefer pens, is there any particular brand, color, or type of ink you like best?</h4>

<p>Haven&#8217;t found one that I&#8217;ve stuck with yet.  I usually get what&#8217;s on sale.  </p>

<h4>How do you like your color? Watercolor? Acrylics? Oil? Colored pencils? Markers?</h4>

<p>I need to learn watercolor&#8230; Now I just play around with markers and colored pencils - Prismacolor.</p>

<h4>Is there any particular type of notebook or drawing pad you prefer? Or does any scrap of decent-sized paper work in a pinch?</h4>

<p>I don&#8217;t usually get sketchbooks larger than 8.5 x 11 inches, or less than 65 pound weight paper.  Beyond that, again, it&#8217;s whatever&#8217;s on sale.  My favorite sketchbook is the one I made myself out of animation bond packaging cardboard.  I call it my Crapbook- its a really low-tech, low-pressure kind of sketchbook.  I never feel like I&#8217;m ruining a perfectly good blank sheet of paper by drawing in it.  </p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/cupojo-pupsaver.jpg" rel="lightbox-cupojo" title="Design and characters for PupSaver animation, by Joanna Davidovich"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/cupojo-pupsaver-150x150.jpg" alt="cupojo-pupsaver" title="cupojo-pupsaver" width="150" height="150" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1369" /></a></p>

<h4>Do you ever do any kind of post-processing (like adding color in Photoshop or similar tool) to your drawings?</h4>

<p>I use <a href="http://www.adobe.com/photoshop" rel="external" title="More information, or product page for Photoshop">Photoshop</a> - nothing fancy, just to add a little color to my sketches.  </p>

<h4>Have you ever tried a new pen (or paper, etc) from reading about it, or seeing the results in another artist&#8217;s work?</h4>

<p>I&#8217;ve wanted to get a Moleskine for a long time, but I can&#8217;t bring myself to buy one.  They&#8217;re so expensive!  Have you noticed yet that I&#8217;m cheap? ;o)</p>

<h4>If you work both digitally and non-digitally, which do you find yourself doing more? Is there a reason you would prefer one of the other? Is it because of the tools available in either space?</h4>

<p>I draw traditionally, and finish digitally if I finish at all.  I just can&#8217;t get the freedom of traditional drawing on paper with a tablet, and as for finishing digitally, its just easier to experiment with color that way.  </p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/cupojo-peabody.jpg" rel="lightbox-cupojo" title="'Mr. Peabody's Mermaid', by Joanna Davidovich"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/cupojo-peabody-150x150.jpg" alt="cupojo-peabody" title="cupojo-peabody" width="150" height="150" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-1379" /></a></p>

<h4>I asked about post-processing on a computer, but do you think the computer is a helpful tool for making art? Whether it&#8217;’s looking for inspiration online, or using it to build a weblog to promote yourself and your art, do you think a computer is necessary, helpful, or a distraction (or all of the above)?</h4>

<p>A computer is a terrific tool!  For all the reasons you stated and more.  The only problem arises is when it becomes more of a crutch than a tool.  Thats why I need to kick my own butt and work traditionally again.  </p>

<p><strong>Thanks Joanna!</strong></p>

<p><em>You can find Joanna Davidovich online at her portfolio website <a href="http://www.cupojo.net/" title="Joanna Davidovich's portfolio website">cupojo.net</a> and her weblog <a href="http://jothezette.blogspot.com/" title="Joanna Davidovich's weblog">Cup O&#8217; Jo</a>.</em></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Juan Carlos Solon</title>
		<link>http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/2010/02/juan-carlos-solon/</link>
		<comments>http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/2010/02/juan-carlos-solon/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 12 Feb 2010 16:16:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bill Turner</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Adobe Photoshop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dr. P.H. Martin Concentrated Watercolors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fabriano Venezia artbook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mechanical pencil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pentel pocket brush]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pilot G-tec C-4 rollerballs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pilot HI-TEC pen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sketchbook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Staedtler Triplus Fineliner marker]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wacom tablet]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/?p=1311</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Juan Carlos Solon is an artist from the Philippines living and working in Toronto. What are some of your favorite drawing tools (pens, pencils, markers, drawing tablet, all of the above)? My all time favorite tools (for now) : Pentel pocket brush, Pilot G-Tec C4 (0.4), Pilot Hi-tec point V5 (0.5), Any technical pencils, Wacom [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>Juan Carlos Solon is an artist from the Philippines living and working in Toronto.</em></p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/solon_cutoff.jpg" rel="lightbox-jcsolon" title="'Cut Off' illustration for The Financial Post, by Juan Carlos Solon"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/solon_cutoff-201x300.jpg" alt="solon_cutoff" title="solon_cutoff" width="201" height="300" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1324" /></a></p>

<h4>What are some of your favorite drawing tools (pens, pencils, markers, drawing tablet, all of the above)?</h4>

<p>My all time favorite tools (for now) : Pentel pocket brush, Pilot G-Tec  C4 (0.4), Pilot Hi-tec point V5 (0.5), Any technical pencils, <a href="http://www.wacom.com/productinfo/" rel="external" title="More information, or product page for Wacom Tablet">Wacom Tablet</a>.</p>

<h4>If you have a wide collection, how do you decide on which to use on a particular drawing, project, or day?</h4>

<p>Depending on what I&#8217;m working on, I&#8217;ll choose the most suitable tool to use. When I&#8217;m doodling or sketching I like using my ink pens and colored inks. For roughs or defined roughs I usually use a pencil. I used to use pens for my roughs, but recently I&#8217;ve been using pencils and have been pretty happy with the results.</p>

<h4>If you prefer pens, is there any particular brand, color, or type of ink you like best?</h4>

<p>I absolutely love pens, especially of the black ink variety. The main pens that I use, and have used for years are: Pilot G-Tec  C4 (0.4) and the Pilot Hi-tecpoint V5 (0.5). I have tried dozens and dozens of pens, but these seem the most reliable to me. The G-Tec is water resistant so it’s nice to add watercolor on top. The Hi-tecpoint is not, but when added with water makes a nice effect. The G-Tec is also very nice for cross hatching.</p>

<h4>How do you like your color? Watercolor? Acrylics? Oil? Colored pencils? Markers?</h4>

<p>I love color, in my earlier ink illustrations I used very bright colorful primary colors to balance with my dark line work. Nowadays I&#8217;m experimenting with more subtle tones. </p>

<h4>If you do use paints, inks, pencils, or markers for coloring, are there any in particular that are your favorites? Do you prefer travel sets of paints to a full set?</h4>

<p>For color on my ink works, I use mainly Dr. Ph Martin&#8217;s Transparent watercolor. I bought the full set of 36 inks, however I realized later on that I only needed 4-5 colors.  The inks have a nice immediacy to them, they are bright and colorful and are really fun to play around with! I also recently bought a set of Staedtler Triplus fineliner color markers for doodling. They work really well, and have a really nice flow.</p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/solon_pearlweb.jpg" rel="lightbox-jcsolon" title="'Picking The Pearl of Stocks' illustration for The Financial Post, by Juan Carlos Solon"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/solon_pearlweb-150x150.jpg" alt="solon_pearlweb" title="solon_pearlweb" width="150" height="150" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1326" /></a></p>

<h4>Is there any particular type of notebook or drawing pad you prefer? Or does any scrap of decent-sized paper work in a pinch?</h4>

<p>The Fabriano Venezia artbook is my tried and true sketchbook I’ve been using for almost 5 years. I always try to use another one, but I just have been too accustomed to the paper and set up. I find everyone has a different sketchbook that suits their style of sketching and work. There is no right sketchbook to buy but, there is a sketchbook that’s right for the artist.</p>

<h4>Do you ever do any kind of post-processing (like adding color in Photoshop or similar tool) to your drawings?</h4>

<p>Yes, lately I have been finishing my work with color in <a href="http://www.adobe.com/photoshop" rel="external" title="More information, or product page for Photoshop">Photoshop</a>.  I really like the solid clean flatness you get with Photoshop colors. Even with some of my works with ink, I would scan the ink textures and  line drawings to fix them within Photoshop for the final illustration. </p>

<h4>Have you ever tried a new pen (or paper, etc) from reading about it, or seeing the results in another artist&#8217;s work?</h4>

<p>Yes all the time, sometimes the results are good and some bad, but curiosity is a great ally when trying to explore new ways to express yourself. Word of mouth of new pens, inks, paper or techniques on Photoshop is a great way to learn new things.</p>

<h4>If you create purely-digital art, what are the software programs you use? Is one used more than another?</h4>

<p>In my pure digital art, I use tend to use just Photoshop.</p>

<h4>If you work both digitally and non-digitally, which do you find yourself doing more? Is there a reason you would prefer one of the other?</h4>

<p>It is always a fight between digital and non-digital. The convenience of digital sometimes shadows the feeling of doing something traditionally. To me, both are equally as important to master, especially nowadays. For rough drafts and defined roughs, I usually tend to stick more to a traditional approach with pencils and pens. However I prefer to finish with Photoshop because I feel that sometimes there is a nice blend with a traditional approach finished digitally.  I&#8217;m finding myself using digital a lot more lately due to tight deadlines. However in the end I would prefer traditional over digital. There is a rewarding feeling about finishing traditionally and feels nice to hold onto something after you finish a piece.</p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/solon_pundit.jpg" rel="lightbox-jcsolon" title="'Hang the Pundit' illustration for Travis Magazine, by Juan Carlos Solon"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/solon_pundit-150x150.jpg" alt="solon_pundit" title="solon_pundit" width="150" height="150" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-1328" /></a></p>

<h4>I asked about post-processing on a computer, but do you think the computer is a helpful tool for making art? Whether it&#8217;s looking for inspiration online, or using it to build a weblog to promote yourself and your art, do you think a computer is necessary, helpful, or a distraction (or all of the above)?</h4>

<p>I do believe in the present day that the computer is a very important tool people should embrace and not take for granted. The internet has been a great source for networking with other illustrators, finding a community of artists and finding inspiration through various blogs and websites.  I found it enormously important to keep my blog and website up to date, to gain interest from the public and the art community. The blog is also a nice way to show your more of your personality and connect with other people. Websites have allowed work to be seen all around the world, and even allow you to create a shop to sell prints.</p>

<p>However I do believe a computer to be a double edged sword. I think finding inspiration and references online is great and a sure time saver, but I always try to tell myself to remember that there is inspiration out there other than my computer screen. That there are beautiful images around us that Flickr and Google images sometimes don&#8217;t have. Of course with really tight deadlines people usually do what they have to do to make sure they get a great image on time…Man life is complicated!</p>

<p><strong>Thanks Juan Carlos!</strong></p>

<p><em>Juan Carlos Solon can be found online at his portfolio website <a href="http://www.juansolon.com/" title="Juan Carlos Solon's portfolio website">juansolon.com</a>, on his weblog <a href="http://donkeyjuan.blogspot.com/" title="Juan Carlos Solon's weblog">donkeyjuan.blogspot.com</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Juan-Carlos-Solon/109931780946" title="Juan Carlos Solon's Facebook page">Facebook</a>, Twitter (<a href="http://twitter.com/juansolon" title="Juan Carlos Solon's Twitter feed">@juansolon</a>), and on <a href="http://www.society6.com/JuanSolon" title="Juan Carlos Solon's activity stream on Society6">Society6</a>.</em></p>
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		<title>Natascha Rosenberg</title>
		<link>http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/2010/01/natascha-rosenberg/</link>
		<comments>http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/2010/01/natascha-rosenberg/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 20 Jan 2010 14:54:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bill Turner</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2B pencil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[acrylic paint]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Adobe Photoshop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[canvas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Clairefontaine notebook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Col-erase pencil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[colored pencil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[drawing tablet]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[graphite pencil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HB pencil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lyra pencil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pencil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rapidograph]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rotring Art Pen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sketchbook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[toothbrush]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Van Gogh watercolor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[watercolor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Winsor & Newton watercolor travel set]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wood]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/?p=1260</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Natascha Rosenberg is an illustrator that splits her time between Madrid, Spain and Berlin, Germany. What are some of your favorite drawing tools (pens, pencils, markers, drawing tablet, all of the above)? When I began working as illustrator I always used Van Gogh watercolors, but now I prefer to use acrylics and pencils and I [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>Natascha Rosenberg is an illustrator that splits her time between Madrid, Spain and Berlin, Germany.</em></p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/nataschar_dream.jpg" rel="lightbox-nataschar" title="Dream, by Natascha Rosenberg"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/nataschar_dream-295x300.jpg" alt="nataschar_dream" title="nataschar_dream" width="295" height="300" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1267" /></a></p>

<h4>What are some of your favorite drawing tools (pens, pencils, markers, drawing tablet, all of the above)?</h4>

<p>When I began working as illustrator I always used Van Gogh watercolors, but now I prefer to use acrylics and pencils and I use a drawing tablet for the final details or to fill big surfaces.</p>

<p>I use 2B and HB pencils to sketch and sometimes I try to colour with watercolors or coloured pencils. </p>

<h4>If you have a wide collection, how do you decide on which to use on a particular drawing, project, or day?</h4>

<p>I don&#8217;t have a very wide collection, so it&#8217;s not a difficult decision. If I use a product and I like it then I don&#8217;t need to look for another.</p>

<p>I start sketching with a graphite pencil and after that I try different tools.</p>

<h4>If you prefer pens, is there any particular brand, color, or type of ink you like best?</h4>

<p>I don&#8217;t use pens very often but I like to ink using my Rotring 0.5.</p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/nataschar_childbirth.jpg" rel="lightbox-nataschar" title="An illustration for a Spanish association's campaign about childbirth, by Natascha Rosenberg"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/nataschar_childbirth-150x150.jpg" alt="nataschar_childbirth" title="nataschar_childbirth" width="150" height="150" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1269" /></a></p>

<h4>How do you like your color? Watercolor? Acrylics? Oil? Colored pencils? Markers?</h4>

<p>I started using watercolors but now I use acrylics and colored pencils. It depends on the project. </p>

<p>Lately I love to sketch with a red Col-Erase and colour with Da Vinci gouache.</p>

<h4>If you do use paints, inks, pencils, or markers for coloring, are there any in particular that are your favorites? Do you prefer travel sets of paints to a full set?</h4>

<p>I have a Winsor &amp; Newton watercolor travel set.  I use it to paint my sketches. At the moment I am really enjoying using a set of colored pencils by Lyra.</p>

<h4>Is there any particular type of notebook or drawing pad you prefer? Or does any scrap of decent-sized paper work in a pinch?</h4>

<p>With the years I&#8217;ve become more and more neurotic about the notebooks. I need one where I write and do my sketches. I was overwhelmed having scraps of paper everywhere with notes and sketches. But I don&#8217;t have a preferred brand. The most important thing for me is that the paper is smooth. I think that for writing, the best brand is Clairefontaine. I&#8217;ve never tried a Moleskine, maybe I should!</p>

<h4>If you paint, is there any particular type of canvas you prefer? Do you like to paint on wood or any other materials?</h4>

<p>I like to paint on wood and on canvas. But I don&#8217;t have any preferences. Most of my work is on paper. When I buy paper it has to be minimum 180 grs and smooth.</p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/nataschar-the-pursuit-of-happiness.jpg" rel="lightbox-nataschar" title="The Pursuit of Happiness (painted collage with acrylics on board), by Natascha Rosenberg"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/nataschar-the-pursuit-of-happiness-150x150.jpg" alt="nataschar-the-pursuit-of-happiness" title="nataschar-the-pursuit-of-happiness" width="150" height="150" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-1271" /></a></p>

<h4>Do you ever do any kind of post-processing (like adding color in Photoshop or similar tool) to your drawings?</h4>

<p>Well, I try to avoid digital post processing but sometimes I make some changes using it. It helps very much.</p>

<h4>Have you ever tried a new pen (or paper, etc) from reading about it, or seeing the results in another artist&#8217;s work?</h4>

<p>Yes, I read about the Rapidograph in Danny Gregory&#8217;s blog <a href="http://www.dannygregory.com/" title="Danny Gregory's weblog">Everyday Matters</a>. I tried it but I&#8217;m not comfortable with it. But he does wonderful drawings with it.</p>

<h4>Do you have anything you use out of the ordinary for making your art?</h4>

<p>No, I don&#8217;t think so. I use paper when I do collages. Toothbrushes to add color and sometimes I make my own stamp to create a pattern in an illustration. And I use fabrics, too.</p>

<h4>If you work both digitally and non-digitally, which do you find yourself doing more? Is there a reason you would prefer one of the other? Is it because of the tools available in either space?</h4>

<p>I&#8217;m always doodling in my notebooks and they&#8217;re sometimes a very useful resource when nothing comes to my mind. I start sketching with pencils and I try to maintain this type of line. For other work I try to use not line at all, so I work with the computer a little more. But I work mostly non-digitally. I find that it&#8217;s more fun and it&#8217;s very relaxing.</p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/nataschar-pippa.jpg" rel="lightbox-nataschar" title="Pippilotta (For a colective show 'Astrid Lindgren 822 September' in Cagliari (Sardegna)), by Natascha Rosenberg"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/nataschar-pippa-150x150.jpg" alt="nataschar-pippa" title="nataschar-pippa" width="150" height="150" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1276" /></a></p>

<h4>I asked about post-processing on a computer, but do you think the computer is a helpful tool for making art? Whether it’s looking for inspiration online, or using it to build a weblog to promote yourself and your art, do you think a computer is necessary, helpful, or a distraction (or all of the above)?</h4>

<p>The computer is a great tool. It saves a lot time and effort to try colors on the computer. It&#8217;s very helpful for me.</p>

<p>The computer and being online it&#8217;s a very fast and useful way to be in contact with other artists, to get to know and to see things in places where I wouldn&#8217;t be able to go.</p>

<p>Working alone at home it&#8217;s become a very important tool to promote my work and to share ideas with other artists.</p>

<p><strong>Thanks Natascha!</strong></p>

<p><em>You can find Natascha Rosenberg online at her portfolio website <a href="http://www.natascharosenberg.com/" title="Natascha Rosenberg's online portfolio website">natascharosenberg.com</a> and on her weblog: <a href="http://nataschasrosenberg.blogspot.com/" title="Natascha Rosenberg's weblog">Natascha&#8217;s Blog</a>.</em></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Whitney Pollett</title>
		<link>http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/2009/09/whitney-pollett/</link>
		<comments>http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/2009/09/whitney-pollett/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:22:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bill Turner</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[acrylic paint]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Adobe AfterEffects]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Adobe Illustrator]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Adobe Photoshop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ArtRage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[canvas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Copic marker]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dr. P.H. Martin Concentrated Watercolors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Escoda travel brush]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[extra fine sand paper]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gel pen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gesso]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kunst & Papier sketchbook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Maya]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mechanical pencil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pigma Micron Pen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Prismacolor pencil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sakura Koi watercolor sketch box]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sharpie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sketchbook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sketchbook Pro]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tombow marker]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wacom tablet]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[watercolor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Winsor & Newton Kolinsky brush]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ZBrush]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/?p=1207</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Whitney Pollett is an artist living in Los Angeles, California. What are some of your favorite drawing tools (pens, pencils, markers, drawing tablet, all of the above)? I have to admit, being a girl first and nerd second, I spend all of my money on art supplies, video games and shoes. I love my Wacom [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>Whitney Pollett is an artist living in Los Angeles, California.</em></p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/wp-athena.jpg" rel="lightbox-whitneyp" title="Athena, by Whitney Pollett"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/wp-athena-282x300.jpg" alt="wp-athena" title="wp-athena" width="282" height="300" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1217" /></a></p>

<h4>What are some of your favorite drawing tools (pens, pencils, markers, drawing tablet, all of the above)?</h4>

<p>I have to admit, being a girl first and nerd second, I spend all of my money on art supplies, video games and shoes. I love my <a href="http://www.wacom.com/productinfo/" rel="external" title="More information, or product page for Wacom tablet">Wacom tablet</a>&#8230; one day it will be a Cintiq. Dr. P.H. Martin Concentrated Watercolors are great and last a lifetime. Any old mechanical pencil will do, Prismacolor Pencils (always True Blue and Crimson Red). Any and all paper, the stranger the size and texture, the better. Gray Tombow markers, Copic Markers, Winsor &amp; Newton sable brushes (the Rolls Royce of brushes), acrylic gesso, extra fine sand paper, and Guitar Hero for when I can&#8217;t think of anything to do with all those art supplies.</p>

<h4>If you have a wide collection, how do you decide on which to use on a particular drawing, project, or day?</h4>

<p>I honestly can&#8217;t! I go crazy when I walk into an art store, buying everything I see, and then I put it all away in my closet never to be seen again! HAhaha! I usually open it up whenever I feel inspired, get overwhelmed, close the door and walk away. My little sketchbook from my bag and my laptop are usually where all my ideas end up.</p>

<p>If there is a project that can&#8217;t be done digitally, like painting a vinyl or a canvas, I usually pull out my P.H. Martin watercolors and some acrylic paint. The two blend well and are incredibly vibrant!</p>

<h4>If you prefer pens, is there any particular brand, color, or type of ink you like best?</h4>

<p>I like warm gray Tombow markers, gel pens and Pigma Microns. Also, dried up Sharpie markers are fun to play with, especially when you take out the felt from the inside and ball it up to use as an underpainting. </p>

<p>My friend, <a href="http://stefsketches.blogspot.com/" title="Stephane Kardos's weblog">Stephane Kardos</a> taught me that. Merci!</p>

<h4>How do you like your color? Watercolor? Acrylics? Oil? Colored pencils? Markers?</h4>

<p>I usually color everything digitally because it&#8217;s 100% forgiving. Plus you can quickly reference textures and photo elements with ease and apply those bad boys to your painting directly. </p>

<p>I think using <a href="http://www.adobe.com/photoshop" rel="external" title="More information, or product page for Photoshop">Photoshop</a> automatically makes you a p*ssy. HAHah! You don&#8217;t chose to be, you just become one unwillingly!</p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/wp-piccolina-sketches.jpg" rel="lightbox-whitneyp" title="Piccolina character sketches, by Whitney Pollett"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/wp-piccolina-sketches-150x150.jpg" alt="wp-piccolina-sketches" title="wp-piccolina-sketches" width="150" height="150" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1218" /></a></p>

<p>I like to think that Photoshop is like a kind, nurturing mother who feeds you three well balanced, delicious meals a day&#8230; reads you a bed time story and then tucks you in at night until you realize that you&#8217;re thirty years old, have a flabby backside and you haven&#8217;t seen the sun in 6 years!  So then one day you leave home, finding that the world is a terrifying place and you&#8217;re a hot mess! </p>

<p>Traditional media is the reality that&#8217;s harsh and unforgiving and it&#8217;s tough going to that from something so predictable and forgiving.</p>

<p>Not for me man, I&#8217;m sticking with Photoshop&#8230;. and maybe acrylics and watercolors if I&#8217;m feeling craaazy!</p>

<p>I really admire artists like <a href="http://www.travislouie.com/" title="Travis Louie's website">Travis Louie</a>, who can achieve what us digital artists can with just their hands and a canvas.</p>

<h4>If you do use paints, inks, pencils, or markers for coloring, are there any in particular that are your favorites? Do you prefer travel sets of paints to a full set?</h4>

<p>I love cheapy mini watercolor sets. The color&#8217;s usually aren&#8217;t too saturated which is great for subtle sketching and quick tonal gestures under any ink or pencil drawings. It&#8217;s really fun and not too permanent.</p>

<p>Sakura Koi watercolor sketch boxes are my personal favorite. It&#8217;s refillable so you can swap out the little color cakes for any color you choose, which is great because pre-determined watercolor sets usually have a lot of &#8220;blah&#8221; colors.</p>

<p>And did I mention it comes with a refillable water brush! Sha! Awesome!!</p>

<p>Also Escoda travel brushes are great for field paintings and are gorgeous.</p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/wp-stitch.jpg" rel="lightbox-whitneyp" title="Experiment 626, by Whitney Pollett"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/wp-stitch-150x150.jpg" alt="wp-stitch" title="wp-stitch" width="150" height="150" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-1220" /></a></p>

<h4>Is there any particular type of notebook or drawing pad you prefer? Or does any scrap of decent-sized paper work in a pinch?</h4>

<p>I like sketchbooks. </p>

<p>As artists, I think we&#8217;re a little disorganized by nature, so we have to be extra attentive to our collective selves to keep us from tripping over stacks of papers and spending hours looking for something in a cluttered office. I don&#8217;t mind the size or the type, as long as it&#8217;s recognizable and in some way bound together. </p>

<p>On that note, I love Kunst &amp; Papier sketchbooks. They have a great variety of sizes and won&#8217;t fall apart if they get wet or when you&#8217;ve schlepped them around with you for a while!</p>

<h4>If you paint, is there any particular type of canvas you prefer? Do you like to paint on wood or any other materials?</h4>

<p>I love series paintings so if I can find a canvas or material that&#8217;s an interesting shape with a couple different variations to match, then that&#8217;s what I&#8217;ll get!</p>

<p>Like any artist who wanders the aisles, wood piles, junkyards, etc. You look for that canvas that inspires you. </p>

<h4>Do you ever do any kind of post-processing (like adding color in Photoshop or similar tool) to your drawings?</h4>

<p>Always! Photoshop is the artist&#8217;s crutch but I love it.</p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/wp-vegas.jpg" rel="lightbox-whitneyp" title="By Whitney Pollett"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/wp-vegas-150x150.jpg" alt="wp-vegas" title="wp-vegas" width="150" height="150" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1221" /></a></p>

<h4>Have you ever tried a new pen (or paper, etc) from reading about it, or seeing the results in another artist&#8217;s work?</h4>

<p>Of course! I often look at <a href="http://www.cartoonbrew.com/" title="The Cartoon Brew website">Cartoonbrew</a>, <a href="http://Conceptart.org/" title="The Concept Art website">Conceptart.org</a>, <a href="http://CGsociety.org/" title="CG Society website">CGsociety.org</a>, and blogs like <a href="http://animationbackgrounds.blogspot.com/" title="Animation Backgrounds weblog">animationbackgrounds.blogspot.com</a>, and <a href="http://characterdesign.blogspot.com/" title="Character Design weblog">characterdesign.blogspot.com</a> for inspiration. </p>

<p>Blogs are great for getting the artist&#8217;s perspective on the project rather than just looking at a finished piece with a limited description.</p>

<h4>Do you have anything you use out of the ordinary for making your art?</h4>

<p>Well sometimes I use a chain saw and human blood but that&#8217;s only on special occasions.
&#8230;.That was a bad joke, I&#8217;m totally kidding!! BAAH!</p>

<p>Well, honestly, I sometimes use my hands, cotton, beaver whiskers, sharpened sticks, whatever is lying around that you think might make for a nice effect. Being an artist is being an inventor and an engineer&#8230;. and in some cases a MacGyver too.</p>

<h4>If you create purely-digital art, what are the software programs you use? Is one used more than another?</h4>

<p>Well I wouldn&#8217;t say &#8220;purely&#8221; but I use a lot of different software. It all depends on the project. As an artist, it&#8217;s good to learn as many different tools as you can so you have a bigger tool box, so to speak, when a particular projects presents itself. </p>

<p>For me, I rely predominantly on <a href="http://www.adobe.com/illustrator" rel="external" title="More information, or product page for Illustrator">Illustrator</a>, ArtRage, Sketchbook Pro, Maya, Zbrush and AfterEffects.</p>

<p>These days, I&#8217;ve been doing a lot of digital painting so Photoshop and ArtRage are my apps of choice! ArtRage is the MOST fun and only something like $25! Also, Alias&#8217; Sketchbook Pro is great for sketching and cartooning. They have a free trial on their site too so go check it out!</p>

<h4>If you work both digitally and non-digitally, which do you find yourself doing more? Is there a reason you would prefer one of the other? Is it because of the tools available in either space?</h4>

<p>I usually always start a project with a sketch in my sketchbook or on marker paper. Siiigh&#8230; nothing is more exciting than getting a new book of marker paper and tearing out the first page for scannage! Am I right!?? Ooh life&#8217;s simple pleasures&#8230;. </p>

<p>Sooo, I usually start a project using just a regular mechanical pencil and some paper. Then I&#8217;ll scan it in or take a digital photo and paint on top of it in Photoshop. I&#8217;d say I rely 70% traditional, 30% digital.</p>

<p>I prefer sketching out my ideas before I scan them into the computer because it keeps me focused on the idea rather than the techniques and the color. Too many options can become distracting and before you know it, you have a beautifully rendered, boring idea. Kind of ironic how eliminating your options can make you more creative.</p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/wp-snow.jpg" rel="lightbox-whitneyp" title="By Whitney Pollett"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/wp-snow-150x150.jpg" alt="wp-snow" title="wp-snow" width="150" height="150" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-1219" /></a></p>

<h4>I asked about post-processing on a computer, but do you think the computer is a helpful tool for making art? Whether it&#8217;’s looking for inspiration online, or using it to build a weblog to promote yourself and your art, do you think a computer is necessary, helpful, or a distraction (or all of the above)?</h4>

<p>It can be all of the above! I can&#8217;t tell you how many hours I&#8217;ve spent researching something for unspeakable amounts of time when I should have started the project long before. But that&#8217;s what&#8217;s so incredible! The internet is an endless recourse. I&#8217;m going to sound like a huge dork right now, but technology has brought so many ideas to life, so many questions to resolution and so many seemingly unattainable dreams to reality. I&#8217;ve met people via Facebook and LinkedIn that are freaking giants in the art world and they&#8217;ve taught me so much! Social networks and blogs have bridged generational, occupational and experiential gaps like nothing has ever done before! And online tutorials are teaching people things that us chumps paid, oooh, only about 100K for! Hahah (this is where I break into Kip&#8217;s &#8220;Technology&#8221; song from Napoleon Dynamite).
Anyway, I like learning new tools and with the internet and software today, the skies the limit! </p>

<p>Some good sites for meeting other artists are: LinkedIn, Facebook, CGSociety, ZbrushCentral, Etsy, Artist&#8217;s Blogs, Artist&#8217;s Websites, and Google.</p>

<p>If you play your cards right and try not to freak anyone out (which I&#8217;ve done myself too many times to count hahaha) you can directly email your idols using these sites! Just tell them that you&#8217;re an artist looking for some feedback, blah blah blah, whatever! More often than not, you won&#8217;t hear back, but sometimes you will and that&#8217;s what makes it all worth while! One day when we&#8217;re all rich and famous artists, someone will randomly write us for guidance and we&#8217;ll be happy to help!</p>

<p><strong>Thanks Whitney!</strong></p>

<p><em>You can find Whitney Pollett online at her portfolio website <a href="http://whitneypollett.com/" title="Whitney Pollett's portfolio website">whitneypollett.com</a>, and on her weblog <a href="http://whitneypollett.blogspot.com/" title="Whitney Pollett's weblog">whitneypollett.blogspot.com</a>.</em></p>
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		<title>Tin Salamunic</title>
		<link>http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/2009/08/tin-salamunic/</link>
		<comments>http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/2009/08/tin-salamunic/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2009 20:21:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bill Turner</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Adobe Illustrator]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Adobe Photoshop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Corel Painter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Moleskine sketchbook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pilot Precise Rollingball V7 pen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sketchbook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[transfer markers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wacom tablet]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[watercolor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[watercolor brush pen]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/?p=1153</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Tin Salamunic is an artist and illustrator born in Bosnia and currently living and working in Richmond, Virginia. He also teaches art courses at Virginia Commonwealth University. What are some of your favorite drawing tools (pens, pencils, markers, drawing tablet, all of the above)? For my sketchbook drawings, I use a Pilot Precise Rollingball V7 [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>Tin Salamunic is an artist and illustrator born in Bosnia and currently living and working in Richmond, Virginia. He also teaches art courses at Virginia Commonwealth University.</em></p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/ts-black-market.jpg" rel="lightbox-tins" title="Black Market, by Tin Salamunic"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/ts-black-market-300x240.jpg" alt="ts-black-market" title="ts-black-market" width="300" height="240" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1163" /></a></p>

<h4>What are some of your favorite drawing tools (pens, pencils, markers, drawing tablet, all of the above)?</h4>

<p>For my sketchbook drawings, I use a Pilot Precise Rollingball V7 (fine tip) Pen..in colors black and red. 
For my commercial work I use the <a href="http://www.wacom.com/productinfo/" rel="external" title="More information, or product page for Wacom Tablet">Wacom Tablet</a>. I also ink my commercial pieces digitally.
For Spot coloring and some full page coloring in my sketchbook, I use watercolor brush pens.</p>

<h4>If you have a wide collection, how do you decide on which to use on a particular drawing, project, or day?</h4>

<p>Trial and Error is the most honest answer. I have tried every pen&#8230; every tool on the market. And while I don&#8217;t believe that the ones listed above are the best of the best in general, they are the best for me. Everyone needs to find their tool of choice..and sometimes it might take years of experimentation and quite a bit of failure. However, the proper tool can not only make drawing and/or painting easier..but also better looking.</p>

<h4>If you prefer pens, is there any particular brand, color, or type of ink you like best?</h4>

<p>Pilot Precise Rollingball V7 (fine tip) Pen-  They flow beautifully on the Moleskine paper of my sketchbook.  The &#8220;FINE&#8221; thickness is perfect for me, because the thinner the pen, the more it slows me down. I use the color black for my main drawings, and accent details and fill negative space with a red pen.</p>

<h4>How do you like your color? Watercolor? Acrylics? Oil? Colored pencils? Markers?</h4>

<p>For my sketchbooks, watercolor mainly&#8230;rarely acrylics.</p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/ts-sketchbook.jpg" rel="lightbox-tins" title="Self portrait in sketchbook, by Tin Salamunic"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/ts-sketchbook-150x150.jpg" alt="ts-sketchbook" title="ts-sketchbook" width="150" height="150" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1160" /></a></p>

<h4>If you do use paints, inks, pencils, or markers for coloring, are there any in particular that are your favorites? Do you prefer travel sets of paints to a full set?</h4>

<p>There are rare occasions where I find myself traveling and working on sketch journals. In those instances, I prefer to use the watercolor brush pens&#8230;not any kind of sets, because I prefer to limit my color palette.</p>

<h4>Is there any particular type of notebook or drawing pad you prefer? Or does any scrap of decent-sized paper work in a pinch?</h4>

<p>I always use the Moleskine sketchbooks. I use the 100-page one with slightly thicker paper to reduce transparency and support watercolor and/or paint application. The feel of my ink pen flowing on the Moleskine paper alone is reason enough for me to use this sketchbook.</p>

<h4>If you paint, is there any particular type of canvas you prefer? Do you like to paint on wood or any other materials?</h4>

<p>Have not painted since college :(</p>

<h4>Do you ever do any kind of post-processing (like adding color in Photoshop or similar tool) to your drawings?</h4>

<p>My commercial work has gone full digital now. However, I do find myself fixing up, adjusting and adding digital touch-ups to my sketchbook pages. Pretty much every sketch page that I scan is carefully fixed up in <a href="http://www.adobe.com/photoshop" rel="external" title="More information, or product page for Photoshop">Photoshop</a>&#8230; even if it is the simple addition of the white color in some spots.</p>

<h4>Have you ever tried a new pen (or paper, etc) from reading about it, or seeing the results in another artist&#8217;s work?</h4>

<p>Everyone has been praising the pen that James Jean uses. Once I got a hold of a box&#8230; I realized that it is nothing more than a very think ball-point pen that has a tendency to smear and is too thin for my taste. But that just goes to show that there is a specific tool for everyone.</p>

<h4>Do you have anything you use out of the ordinary for making your art?</h4>

<p>My sketchbooks are the most experimental works that I have. My recent experimentation was playing with transfer markers and xerox copies&#8230;nothing out of the ordinary, though.</p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/ts-playboy.jpg" rel="lightbox-tins" title="Illustration for Playboy Magazine, by Tin Salamunic"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/ts-playboy-150x150.jpg" alt="ts-playboy" title="ts-playboy" width="150" height="150" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-1166" /></a></p>

<h4>If you create purely-digital art, what are the software programs you use? Is one used more than another?</h4>

<p>It&#8217;s all Adobe Photoshop. On very, very rare cases, I use <a href="http://www.adobe.com/illustrator" rel="external" title="More information, or product page for Adobe Illustrator">Adobe Illustrator</a>&#8230;and even more rare cases <a href="http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite/us/en/Product/1166553885783" rel="external" title="More information, or product page for Corel Painter">Corel Painter</a>.</p>

<h4>I asked about post-processing on a computer, but do you think the computer is a helpful tool for making art? Whether it&#8217;s looking for inspiration online, or using it to build a weblog to promote yourself and your art, do you think a computer is necessary, helpful, or a distraction (or all of the above)?</h4>

<p>A computer is a tool. As long as the artist keeps that in mind, it is extremely helpful. Most people these days misuse the computer, causing endless circular debates whether it is good or bad. If you cannot draw..any tool is useless and cannot be used to your advantage. if you can&#8217;t paint, oils are us eless too. The only bad thing about the computer is that it allows those without skill to cheat..and those people are the only ones creating the problems in the first place.</p>

<p><strong>Thanks Tin!</strong></p>

<p><em>You can find Tin Salamunic online at his portfolio website <a href="http://www.salamunicart.com/" title="Tin Salamunic's portfolio website">salamunicart.com</a>, on <a href="http://salamunicart.blogspot.com/" title="Tin Salamunic's weblog">his weblog</a>, on Twitter (<a href="http://twitter.com/Salamunic" title="Tin Salamunic's Twitter stream">@Salamunic</a>), and he also contributes to the group weblog <a href="http://urbansketchers.blogspot.com/" title="The Urban Sketchers group weblog">Urban Sketchers</a>.</em></p>
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		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Bob Flynn</title>
		<link>http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/2009/08/bob-flynn/</link>
		<comments>http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/2009/08/bob-flynn/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:09:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bill Turner</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2B pencil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Adobe Flash]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Adobe Photoshop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ArtRage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blue pencil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bristol board]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[copy paper]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dip pen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Higgins ink]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Intuos drawing tablet]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pentel pocket brush pen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sketchbook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Subway Stub nib]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/?p=1108</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Bob Flynn is a cartoonist based in Boston, Massachusetts. What are some of your favorite drawing tools (pens, pencils, markers, drawing tablet, all of the above)? When I&#8217;m in the studio, I typically draw with 2B pencils, but any old pencil will do for doodling. I sometimes draw with a non-photo blue pencil when I&#8217;m [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>Bob Flynn is a cartoonist based in Boston, Massachusetts.</em></p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/bf-comic-spread.jpg" rel="lightbox-bobflynn" title="Spread from Argh! #5, by Bob Flynn"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/bf-comic-spread-300x215.jpg" alt="bf-comic-spread" title="bf-comic-spread" width="300" height="215" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1122" /></a></p>

<h4>What are some of your favorite drawing tools (pens, pencils, markers, drawing tablet, all of the above)?</h4>

<p>When I&#8217;m in the studio, I typically draw with 2B pencils, but any old pencil will do for doodling. I sometimes draw with a non-photo blue pencil when I&#8217;m really trying to work something out in a study. If I&#8217;m inking on paper, I prefer nibs to brushes, though I&#8217;m trying to transition to brushes by working with brush pens. I find the Pentel Pocket Brush Pen particularly fun to use. But lately I really only ink my comics on paper—most of the inking I do is done in Flash MX with an Intuos drawing tablet. People familiar with my work already know I&#8217;m a large proponent of using Flash as an inking and drawing tool. I grew accustomed to it through animation; it really creates a fantastic brush-like line once you get the hang of it. I&#8217;ve actually written <a href="http://bobjinx.blogspot.com/2009/01/flashtip-1-drawing-with-brush.html" title="One of Bob Flynn's tutorials on his weblog">a few tutorials</a> on my blog, <a href="http://bobjinx.blogspot.com/" title="Bob Flynn's weblog">Drip!</a>.</p>

<h4>If you have a wide collection, how do you decide on which to use on a particular drawing, project, or day?</h4>

<p>When it comes to comics, I always prefer working on paper with a dip pen. I really enjoy working with ink, and it&#8217;s much easier to lay out a comic on bristol board than it is on a computer screen. Plus I like to work big, normally at 14x17—a screen can feel so tiny. I ink with an assortment of vintage nibs, the Subway Stub being my favorite. But when I&#8217;m working on an illustration or just doodling around, my instinct is to hop on the computer and draw in Flash. It&#8217;s the quickest way for me to draw something that looks sharp and professional—so, speed and ease-of-use are deciding factors. I&#8217;ve mentioned this elsewhere, but in my opinion Flash MX (note, not MX2004) is the best version of the app for drawing and inking. They (being Macromedia/Adobe) screwed something up along the way.</p>

<h4>If you prefer pens, is there any particular brand, color, or type of ink you like best?</h4>

<p>I haven&#8217;t tried too many inks, but Higgins Black India Ink seems to do the trick.</p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/bf-draw-yourself-at-100.jpg" rel="lightbox-bobflynn" title="Wrinkles (for Phil McAndrew's Draw Yourself at 100), by Bob Flynn"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/bf-draw-yourself-at-100-150x150.jpg" alt="bf-draw-yourself-at-100" title="bf-draw-yourself-at-100" width="150" height="150" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1123" /></a></p>

<h4>How do you like your color? Watercolor? Acrylics? Oil? Colored pencils? Markers?</h4>

<p>I haven&#8217;t used gouache or acrylics in awhile. I do most of my coloring in Flash or Photoshop. On a tip from friend and fellow cartoonist Sherm Cohen, I&#8217;ve been playing around with a fabulous digital painting app called ArtRage. It&#8217;s basically an easy-to-use stripped down version of Painter, offering up only a dozen tools. I couldn&#8217;t recommend it more, and its cheap. So, ArtRage for texture and Flash/Photoshop for laying in flat colors.</p>

<h4>Is there any particular type of notebook or drawing pad you prefer? Or does any scrap of decent-sized paper work in a pinch?</h4>

<p>Any kind will do—I keep a few sketchbooks at a time. One for jotting down ideas and working rough in pencil, and one that I do cleaner inked studies and doodles in. I&#8217;ve tried Moleskines, but they are a bit small and I normally feel inclined to dirty them up. I just got a new sketchbook that I&#8217;m breaking in. I keep a stack of 11x17 copier paper nearby for drawing because its fun to sketch big and loose.</p>

<h4>Do you ever do any kind of post-processing (like adding color in Photoshop or similar tool) to your drawings?</h4>

<p>When I begin on paper, my drawings always end up in <a href="http://www.adobe.com/photoshop" rel="external" title="More information, or product page for Photoshop">Photoshop</a> for coloring. I spend time tiling and cleaning up my scans, and I correct the few marks that need editing in my inks. I don&#8217;t use white-out as much for corrections anymore, as it can be done just as easily in post on the computer.</p>

<h4>Have you ever tried a new pen (or paper, etc) from reading about it, or seeing the results in another artist&#8217;s work?</h4>

<p>Yes, I&#8217;ve picked up tips from an assortment of blogs and on Twitter—a recent tool being the Pentel Pocket Brush Pen. I just inked a comic with it. I&#8217;m looking to get my hands on a G nib, and Meg Hunt recently reviewed a Akashiya bamboo barrel brush pen. I love trying new tools, especially when it comes to working with ink. I was recently disappointed by my first chance to try a Cintiq. I like my Intuous, but something about the Cintiq really irks me. Maybe it&#8217;s because they are so expensive, but I found it really distracting to have my hand in the way as I drew on the computer screen. Not to mention the gap because of the glass. There is something profoundly predictable and intuitive about working on paper that the Cintiq attempts to mimic (and fails at, in my opinion). We&#8217;ll see—I&#8217;ll might come around eventually.</p>

<h4>Do you have anything you use out of the ordinary for making your art?</h4>

<p>Not really. Though, I stumbled upon a box containing my father-in-law&#8217;s writing pen from grade school (a dip pen). Drawing with it was what first turned me on to inking with pen nibs, and I seek out vintage nibs because of it.</p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/bf-nick-mag.jpg" rel="lightbox-bobflynn" title="Bob Flynn's Spongebob comic from Nick magazine"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/bf-nick-mag-150x150.jpg" alt="bf-nick-mag" title="bf-nick-mag" width="150" height="150" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-1127" /></a></p>

<h4>If you create purely-digital art, what are the software programs you use? Is one used more than another?</h4>

<p>Again, Flash MX, Photoshop, and ArtRage. But Flash is open most of the time.</p>

<h4>If you work both digitally and non-digitally, which do you find yourself doing more? Is there a reason you would prefer one of the other? Is it because of the tools available in either space?</h4>

<p>I work digitally when I want to get something done quickly and if I know I&#8217;ll be making edits along the way—traditionally when the piece requires a certain amount of care. Comics, in particular demand a traditional touch, and I like to have the original piece to hold in my hands when I&#8217;m done. I&#8217;ve worked digitally for so long that I find myself wanting to do more on paper.</p>

<h4>I asked about post-processing on a computer, but do you think the computer is a helpful tool for making art? Whether it&#8217;’s looking for inspiration online, or using it to build a weblog to promote yourself and your art, do you think a computer is necessary, helpful, or a distraction (or all of the above)?</h4>

<p>I find it extremely useful—I&#8217;d be kidding myself if I didn&#8217;t say so. But in addition to the tools I use (like Flash), the online community of artists is an endless source of inspiration and the Internet provides a wonderful way to connect with like minds. You need to know when and how to tune it out, but it&#8217;s here for good&#8230;and I think for the better.</p>

<p><strong>Thanks Bob!</strong></p>

<p><em>You can find Bob Flynn online at his portfolio website <a href="http://www.jinxthemonkey.com/" title="Bob Flynn's portfolio website">www.jinxthemonkey.com</a>, his weblog <a href="http://bobjinx.blogspot.com/" title="Bob Flynn's weblog">Drip!</a>, Twitter (<a href="http://twitter.com/bobjinx" title="Bob Flynn's Twitter feed">@bobjinx</a>), Flickr (<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bobjinx/" title="Bob Flynn's Flickr stream">bobjinx</a>), and contributing to the group weblog, <a href="http://fablefolk.blogspot.com/" title="The Creative Juices group weblog">Creative Juices</a>.</em></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Lauren Albert</title>
		<link>http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/2009/07/lauren-albert/</link>
		<comments>http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/2009/07/lauren-albert/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:33:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bill Turner</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bristol board]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[brush pen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chartpak marker]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Corel Painter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Crowquill nib]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gouache paint]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Higgins ink]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marker]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mechanical pencil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mica]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Papermate Pro Touch II pencil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sequins]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sketchbook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Speedball india ink]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Strathmore drawing pad]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tinsel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wacom tablet]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/?p=998</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Lauren Albert is an illustrator and textile designer living in Brooklyn, New York. What are some of your favorite drawing tools (pens, pencils, markers, drawing tablet, all of the above)? Lately I&#8217;ve really been into using a .5 mechanical pencil (Papermate Pro Touch II) with millions of Chartpak markers. I&#8217;m starting to get into using [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>Lauren Albert is an illustrator and textile designer living in Brooklyn, New York.</em></p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/la-ponytail.jpg" rel="lightbox-laurena" title="Ponytail, by Lauren Albert"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/la-ponytail-300x245.jpg" alt="la-ponytail" title="la-ponytail" width="300" height="245" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1058" /></a></p>

<h4>What are some of your favorite drawing tools (pens, pencils, markers, drawing tablet, all of the above)?</h4>

<p>Lately I&#8217;ve really been into using a .5 mechanical pencil (Papermate Pro Touch II) with millions of Chartpak markers. I&#8217;m starting to get into using brushes and brush pens for lines.</p>

<h4>If you have a wide collection, how do you decide on which to use on a particular drawing, project, or day?</h4>

<p>When I&#8217;m sketching it really just depends on my mood what tools I&#8217;m going to use that day. I can tell if I feel like drawing scratchy or drawing smooth and I choose my tools accordingly. It&#8217;s all about texture and what it feels like for me to draw with what. If it&#8217;s not right in front of my face, I tend to forget I have it. With my markers, I keep them all in a bag that I just reach into and grab around in until I find one that works (and is the right color). </p>

<p>For finished pieces, the idea usually comes into my head fully formed. I see what it looks like so I know what materials I need to use, or else I figure it out after a couple of tries.</p>

<h4>If you prefer pens, is there any particular brand, color, or type of ink you like best?</h4>

<p>Depending on what I feel like, I go between 3 different pens. One is this great super dark black watercolor brush pen (SAI). The other is a Crowquill nib and Higgins inks (Speedball for black). I like the super fine pencil like lines I can get from using light ink with the crowquill, it kind of makes me feel like I&#8217;m doing a naturalist sketch log. I also have this great square shaped .38mm black super inky pen that my cousin got me from a Korean dollar store. There are little cartoon pigs all over it, I think its name is MonokuRo Boo. For some reason I only like to use it for lifedrawing. It&#8217;s probably a good thing, too, because I wouldn&#8217;t know where to find another one if it runs out.</p>

<h4>How do you like your color? Watercolor? Acrylics? Oil? Colored pencils? Markers?</h4>

<p>Before I started at art school in 2004, I have to admit I never really experimented or used much of any actual art materials. I did mostly really, really horrible, amateur digital art. So when I got to school I was blown away by all this real media I never really knew about. I started in on this process of trying to find the Right Coloring Materials (and figuring out what I don&#8217;t like on the way). I think it&#8217;s a quest for what will give me the flattest and brightest colors. I was seriously into inks for a while, switched to cut paper, then gouache. I&#8217;ve got a short attention span and I am always changing how I do what I do. Right now I am really into markers. I love Chartpak markers for the flat color I can get with them when they are super fresh. I think I might try gouache again next.</p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/la-the-big-one.jpg" rel="lightbox-laurena" title="The Big One, by Lauren Albert"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/la-the-big-one-150x150.jpg" alt="la-the-big-one" title="la-the-big-one" width="150" height="150" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1059" /></a></p>

<h4>If you do use paints, inks, pencils, or markers for coloring, are there any in particular that are your favorites? Do you prefer travel sets of paints to a full set?</h4>

<p>About a year ago my friend <a href="http://flickr.com/milkattack" title="Carly Schmitt's Flickr stream">Carly Schmitt</a> introduced me to Chartpak markers. Everytime we went to the art store we would test out a lot and then pick one or two and get them. Since I started doing that I&#8217;ve gotten a collection going. Even though I have a lot of colors, from picture to picture I like to try to keep my pallet somewhat limited. I&#8217;ve found that sets, while they might be able to save me money, seem to have a lot of useless colors, and never the ones I need.</p>

<h4>Is there any particular type of notebook or drawing pad you prefer? Or does any scrap of decent-sized paper work in a pinch?</h4>

<p>I usually have 2 or 3 sketchbooks going at once because at different times I just feel like working on different surfaces. Sometimes when I sit down to draw or sketch, one doesn&#8217;t feel right and I have to switch. I just finished a Moleskine. I really like the paper in those, it&#8217;s so smooth and off white. But sometimes I absolutely hate it and have to switch to something rougher, just a regular store brand sketch pad, sometimes a small Strathmore drawing pad. For bigger pieces sometimes I break out the smooth bristol. I&#8217;m sort of cheap when it comes to buying materials though, so I don&#8217;t get much fancier than that. </p>

<h4>If you paint, is there any particular type of canvas you prefer? Do you like to paint on wood or any other materials?</h4>

<p>I only ever painted when I was in school and it was usually on canvas board (because it was cheap). I was not a huge fan of it, or painting, either.</p>

<h4>Do you ever do any kind of post-processing (like adding color in Photoshop or similar tool) to your drawings?</h4>

<p>When I&#8217;m working physically or digitally, it&#8217;s all or nothing. I don&#8217;t like to change my physical drawings too much on the computer. When I know a piece is finished, it&#8217;s how it&#8217;s supposed to look. I don&#8217;t like to add anything to it that you&#8217;re not going to see in the original. </p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/la-textile.jpg" rel="lightbox-laurena" title="One of Lauren Albert's textile designs"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/la-textile-150x150.jpg" alt="la-textile" title="la-textile" width="150" height="150" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-1064" /></a></p>

<h4>Have you ever tried a new pen (or paper, etc) from reading about it, or seeing the results in another artist&#8217;s work?</h4>

<p>Yes. When I try working with something that I&#8217;ve seen another artist use I feel like I can unlock all of their secrets. A lot of the tools I&#8217;ve been using lately (like markers and brush pens) were introduced to me by other artist friends.</p>

<h4>Do you have anything you use out of the ordinary for making your art?</h4>

<p>I have a couple boxes of sparkly things (mica, tinsel, sequins) I like to toss in sometimes. I haven&#8217;t really been using it lately, or doing much else out of the ordinary. I know a lot of artists like to draw on hard surfaces or desks, but I really prefer just to rest my materials on my lap with a piece of cardboard underneath. I guess that is sort of unusual.</p>

<h4>If you create purely-digital art, what are the software programs you use? Is one used more than another?</h4>

<p>When I&#8217;m doing something all digital, I really like using <a href="http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite/us/en/Product/1166553885783" rel="external" title="More information, or product page for Corel Painter X">Corel Painter X</a>. I got it while I was in school and I really like fooling around with all the different tools it&#8217;s got, even if I don&#8217;t end up using them in the end. I really like it for digital drawing because the pens and brushes are pretty close to real tools. It works well with my dinosaur <a href="http://www.wacom.com/productinfo/" rel="external" title="More information, or product page for Wacom tablet">Wacom tablet</a>. For finishing that stuff and color corrections, I like to use photoshop. Another cool program is Alchemy, though I really use it just for fun. I do more fooling around digitally than actually finishing anything real.</p>

<h4>If you work both digitally and non-digitally, which do you find yourself doing more? Is there a reason you would prefer one of the other? Is it because of the tools available in either space?</h4>

<p>I do more non-digitally unless I have this idea that I know I can only execute digitally. I have a better time drawing on paper because I can physically feel it. It&#8217;s more real. I like to sculpt or carve out with line, which doesn&#8217;t feel the same on the plastic of a tablet. Also since I draw looking down at something on my lap, usually hunched over with my face a couple inches away, it&#8217;s a big difference to look at what I&#8217;m doing straight ahead on a screen. I mostly use the computer when I have an idea that is huge in scale or requires a ton of colors that I know I wouldn&#8217;t be able to put down smoothly or brightly enough in the physical. I&#8217;d like to work on combining the two, but so far I haven&#8217;t really found a way that I&#8217;ve been satisfied with.</p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/la-mixed.jpg" rel="lightbox-laurena" title="a piece made with cut paper, gouache, mica , by Lauren Albert"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/la-mixed-150x150.jpg" alt="la-mixed" title="la-mixed" width="150" height="150" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1066" /></a></p>

<h4>I asked about post-processing on a computer, but do you think the computer is a helpful tool for making art? Whether it’s looking for inspiration online, or using it to build a weblog to promote yourself and your art, do you think a computer is necessary, helpful, or a distraction (or all of the above)?</h4>

<p>For me it&#8217;s definitely all of the above. I need to be distracted to concentrate (I guess that is something else out of the ordinary). Being able to go online opens up this endless universe filled with reference material and inspiration. It&#8217;s all right there. I&#8217;ve got this huge image file of  art, photos and useless junk that I can go through whenever I want to.</p>

<p>Reading blogs and looking at artists&#8217; sites helps to keep me motivated, too. I see what other artists are doing. And looking at my own stuff on my blog or website, I can see what I&#8217;m doing, what I&#8217;ve done and what I need to do to keep going. It&#8217;s like a personal timeline.</p>

<p><strong>Thanks Lauren!</strong></p>

<p><em>You can find Lauren Albert online on her portfolio website <a href="http://plslala.com/" title="Lauren Albert's portfolio website">plslala.com</a>, her personal weblog <a href="http://no-growing.livejournal.com/" title="Lauren Albert's personal weblog">(exegesis)!!</a>, her alien-art weblog <a href="http://plslala.blogspot.com/" title="Lauren Albert's Alien-art weblog">ALIEN</a>, and on Flickr (<a href="http://flickr.com/plslala" title="Lauren Albert's Flickr stream">plslala</a>).</em></p>
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		<title>Andrew DeGraff</title>
		<link>http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/2009/06/andrew-degraff/</link>
		<comments>http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/2009/06/andrew-degraff/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:56:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bill Turner</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[acrylic paint]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Adobe Photoshop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Arches paper]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Canson Field Sketchbook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Daler Rowney bound sketchbook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Daler Rowney Fabriano colored paper sampler book]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Daler-Rowney watercolors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gouache paint]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Higgins ink]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Il Torchio notebook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NY Central Acrylic Gesso]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[R. Baldwin 150 gms cartridge book]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rives BFK paper]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sketchbook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Speedball india ink]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Strathmore Bristol paper]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[watercolor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Winsor & Newton watercolors]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/?p=992</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Andrew DeGraff is an artist living in Fort Greene, Brooklyn and teaches at the Pratt Institute. What are some of your favorite drawing tools (pens, pencils, markers, drawing tablet, all of the above)? I&#8217;m definitely an old fashioned type of fella when it comes to drawing. My favorite of the past couple years is brush [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>Andrew DeGraff is an artist living in Fort Greene, Brooklyn and teaches at the Pratt Institute.</em></p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/adg-sugarfactoryflat.jpg" rel="lightbox-adegraff" title="Sugar Factory, by Andrew DeGraff"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/adg-sugarfactoryflat-300x192.jpg" alt="adg-sugarfactoryflat" title="adg-sugarfactoryflat" width="300" height="192" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1011" /></a></p>

<h4>What are some of your favorite drawing tools (pens, pencils, markers, drawing tablet, all of the above)?</h4>

<p>I&#8217;m definitely an old fashioned type of fella when it comes to drawing.  My favorite of the past couple years is brush and ink.  I have yet to find anything that gives me equal helpings of control and spontaneity.  I love the Silver Ultra mini brushes - they keep a fine point and last a while if they&#8217;re kept clean.  The only thing lacking with the old brush and ink is it inability to travel well.  For portability I, like so many, like the .005 Micron in various colors.  I love to be able to mingle some different colors in a drawing, especially if I&#8217;m working outside or on the subway.  I&#8217;m also a fan of the Micron Brush Pens.  I&#8217;ve also become a fan of the COPIC sketch markers.  They&#8217;re a little pricey, but they&#8217;re dual tipped with a fat, flat end and a pretty sharp brush end.   I also buy cheap calligraphy markers, mostly in black.  I&#8217;ve been picking up Elegant Writer pens and using them to death for quick sketches.  Again, the variable line is nice and you can do really fast fills.  The line decays through the stroke, but that can give things a nice character and give you something more than a flat saturated black - something almost more photographic, especially in small sketches.</p>

<h4>If you have a wide collection, how do you decide on which to use on a particular drawing, project, or day?</h4>

<p>For a drawing day at the Natural History Museum, or the subway, I like to make purposefully random selections.  A handful from the maker bin, and then try to go make it work.  Illustration can get formulaic by design, so a strange assortment of pencils and pens can be really helpful to get out of a drawing rut.</p>

<p>For an illustration, I&#8217;ll generally rough in pencil, and then move right to ink, or gouache of late, to lay out the line structure.</p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/adg-kingkong.jpg" rel="lightbox-adegraff" title="King Kog, by Andrew DeGraff"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/adg-kingkong-150x150.jpg" alt="adg-kingkong" title="adg-kingkong" width="150" height="150" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1015" /></a></p>

<h4>If you prefer pens, is there any particular brand, color, or type of ink you like best?</h4>

<p>As far as ink, I&#8217;m still trying to find the perfect ink.  Since I use a lot and can correct in photoshop after the fact, I will use the old standard, Higgins waterproof black.  I find it&#8217;s pretty wishy-washy.  For more gallery type drawing I have been using Speedball&#8217;s Super Black India Ink.  It gets better coverage and cavernous deep blacks.  Although it professes to be non clogging, I find just the opposite.  It can get a little chunky, and even syrupy if left open even a little too long.  It also has a slight but noticeable bleed.   I have experimented with Bombay inks as well, but find they have an iridescence I&#8217;m not too fond of. </p>

<h4>How do you like your color? Watercolor? Acrylics? Oil? Colored pencils? Markers?</h4>

<p>I was an acrylic painter for a longtime, and love the saturation.  Maybe it&#8217;s because I&#8217;m getting older I&#8217;ve moved to watercolor and gouache paint gouache.  Gouache can give you that really nice saturated color without the chunkiness of acrylics, along with a really nice matte finish.  Since a lot of my work is reduced pallette work, it&#8217;s nice to do a full tone of watercolor on the bottom with a little mask to leave some of the white of the paper showing, and then draw with gouache on top.</p>

<h4>If you do use paints, inks, pencils, or markers for coloring, are there any in particular that are your favorites? Do you prefer travel sets of paints to a full set?</h4>

<p>For watercolors and gouache, I definitely like the <a href="http://www.winsornewton.com/products/water-colours/" rel="external" title="More information, or product page for Winsor &#038; Newton">Winsor &amp; Newton</a> stuff, and for watercolor I do use a Winsor &amp; Newton 14 color travel set as my default setup.  It does have some drawbacks - the cools in travel sets always seem to be a little weak.  I pull out the cobalt and substitute cerulean (I love the plastic-y, processed look of cerulean).  I will also premix some gouache in the water dish that I&#8217;ll use as my major line color.  I also have a Daler Rowney 12 set that Ive been pretty happy with too, and is a little smaller.  </p>

<h4>Is there any particular type of notebook or drawing pad you prefer? Or does any scrap of decent-sized paper work in a pinch? / If you paint, is there any particular type of canvas you prefer? Do you like to paint on wood or any other materials?</h4>

<p>In general, I think paper is the most underrated supply people buy.  Unfortunately, sketchbook are always notoriously filled with weak paper: 60lb paper is just sort of weak for my purposes.  That does lower the price point and make it more expendable, which I suppose is the point, but I find sketchbooks a little frustrating to buy.  I generally use the Daler Rowney bound sketchbooks.  My favorite, which I&#8217;ve had a hard time finding of late, is the Canson Balloon Field Sketch book.  It&#8217;s wire bound from the top which I definitely prefer.  Dealing with the gutters in the bound sketchbook can be frustrating when you just need that extra half inch to make it work.  I also like a Il Torchio notebook my cousin brought back for me from Florence.  It has a really nice tooth and holds up really well for 50lb paper.  My other little fettishy sketchbooks are a 3&#8221; by 5&#8221; R. Baldwin 150 gms cartridge paper book from England, and a 4&#8221;x 5&#8221; Daler Rowney Fabriano colored paper sampler book. </p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/adg-hellanation.jpg" rel="lightbox-adegraff" title="Hellanation, by Andrew DeGraff"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/adg-hellanation-150x150.jpg" alt="adg-hellanation" title="adg-hellanation" width="150" height="150" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-1022" /></a></p>

<p>As far as painting, if I&#8217;m working on canvas or board, it gets the same treatment.  I use the NY Central Acrylic Gesso - about 5 layers - and sand it down to as glassy smooth a surface as I can get. </p>

<p>I&#8217;ve come to prefer painting on paper, and haven&#8217;t found anything I like better that Arches 300lb, hot press for gouache and acrylic and cold press for watercolor.  I also like their 140lb cold press for mixed media work and watercolors with very controlled but small bleeds.  I will also use Strathmore smooth Bristol, but mostly for work line work that then gets re-colored in photoshop.  Rives BFK is a close runner up, probably my drawing favorite for straight ink and pencil.</p>

<h4>Do you ever do any kind of post-processing (like adding color in Photoshop or similar tool) to your drawings?</h4>

<p>I often do, especially for quick turnaround illustration assignments.   I still draw everything by hand but will work with black and two or three arbitrary colors (generally a hot and a cool) to flesh out the design, and then assign them new colors in <a href="http://www.adobe.com/photoshop" rel="external" title="More information, or product page for Photoshop">Photoshop</a>.</p>

<h4>Have you ever tried a new pen (or paper, etc) from reading about it, or seeing the results in another artist&#8217;s work?</h4>

<p>I saw a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcel_Dzama" title="Wikipedia page for Marcel Dzama">Marcel Dzama</a> show at the <a href="http://www.richardhellergallery.com/" title="Richard Heller Gallery website">Richard Heller Gallery</a> a few years ago, and it really made me realize the power of working on paper. I had been making acrylic paintings that were really emulating silkscreen and woodcut prints, and realized that they should be on paper to really get that matte finish I was looking for.  Acrylic suddenly felt way too plastic.</p>

<h4>Do you have anything you use out of the ordinary for making your art?</h4>

<p>I generally use the edge of an old credit card to apply gesso, a trick I picked up from Tom LaPadula, one of my teachers at Pratt.  It saves a lot of time with sanding down a canvas or board.</p>

<h4>If you work both digitally and non-digitally, which do you find yourself doing more? Is there a reason you would prefer one of the other? Is it because of the tools available in either space?</h4>

<p>After a few years of creating art that was about half digital, I&#8217;m really trying to move back towards more traditional media.  Mostly because I am working in better spaces and have constructed a light table and have the space to really avoid putting things into the computer until it&#8217;s sitting on the scan bed.</p>

<p><a href="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/adg-foodallergies.jpg" rel="lightbox-adegraff" title="Illustration on food allergies for American Medical News, by Andrew DeGraff"><img src="http://media.thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/adg-foodallergies-150x150.jpg" alt="adg-foodallergies" title="adg-foodallergies" width="150" height="150" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1021" /></a></p>

<h4>I asked about post-processing on a computer, but do you think the computer is a helpful tool for making art? Whether it’s looking for inspiration online, or using it to build a weblog to promote yourself and your art, do you think a computer is necessary, helpful, or a distraction (or all of the above)?</h4>

<p>The computer is an amazing resource.  I was very anti-computer as a young idealistic artist/idiot, and have come around big time.  I use to feel that digitally produced work was a rather hack-y type method, but I&#8217;ve long since seen the light.  What people are doing now with digital collage and painting and drawing is really incredible.  I keep finding out people who I thought were traditional illustrators are working totally digitally. </p>

<p>As far as work as an illustrator goes, it&#8217;s a double-edged sword.  In this economic downturn, magazines and newspaper are having a rough go.  As more and more go online, it&#8217;s more common than not that the illustrators they used to hire don&#8217;t come with them, or if they do, the illustrator works for smaller fees.  Conversely, having a website which you can construct and update yourself for free, a blog you can post on for free, and emails which you can send for free - it&#8217;s pretty convenient.  It does have a democratizing effect of allowing new people to get wide coverage, and allowing me to look at work from all over the world.  That being said, it can be a bit of a distraction.  It&#8217;s easy to find yourself lost in a multimedia labyrinth only to emerge a hour later and none the wiser&#8230; </p>

<p><strong>Thanks Andrew!</strong></p>

<p><em>You can find Andrew DeGraff online at his portfolio website <a href="http://andrewdegraff.com/" title="Andrew DeGraff's portfolio website">andrewdegraff.com</a>, his own weblog <a href="http://andrewdegraffillo.blogspot.com/" title="Andrew DeGraff's weblog">DEGRAFFLOG</a>, and on the group weblog <a href="http://welcomefriendorfoe.blogspot.com/" title="The Welcome Friend or Foe group weblog">welcome friend or foe</a>.</em></p>
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		<title>Yuta Onoda</title>
		<link>http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/2009/06/yuta-onoda/</link>
		<comments>http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/2009/06/yuta-onoda/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:50:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bill Turner</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[acrylic paint]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Adobe Photoshop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ballpoint pen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[brush pen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ceramcoat paint]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[colored pencil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lyra pencil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Moleskine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pencil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sketchbook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stonehenge paper]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wood]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/?p=868</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Yuta Onoda is an artist originally from Japan and currently living in Canada. What are some of your favorite drawing tools (pens, pencils, markers, drawing tablet, all of the above)? My favorite drawing tools are pencils, ballpoint pens and brush pens. I love switching them around when I work on illustration work. I love trying [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>Yuta Onoda is an artist originally from Japan and currently living in Canada.</em></p>

<p><a href="http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/yo-stream_of_unconsciousness.jpg" rel="lightbox-yutaonoda" title="Stream of Unconsciousness, by Yuta Onoda"><img src="http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/yo-stream_of_unconsciousness-225x300.jpg" alt="yo-stream_of_unconsciousness" title="yo-stream_of_unconsciousness" width="225" height="300" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-918" /></a></p>

<h4>What are some of your favorite drawing tools (pens, pencils, markers, drawing tablet, all of the above)?</h4>

<p>My favorite drawing tools are pencils, ballpoint pens and brush pens. I love switching them around when I work on illustration work.</p>

<p>I love trying something new and making mistakes. I think this progress is essential for artists to grow.</p>

<h4>If you have a wide collection, how do you decide on which to use on a particular drawing, project, or day?</h4>

<p>I guess it really depends on what kind on project I am working on. I would have to pick materials that I can work faster if a short time is given for the project. I would probably pick something that I can take my time working with if I have extra time for the project.</p>

<h4>If you prefer pens, is there any particular brand, color, or type of ink you like best?</h4>

<p>I mainly use the pencils from Lyra (Germany) from 8B-4H. These pencils are very smooth and are very comfortable to work with.</p>

<h4>How do you like your color? Watercolor? Acrylics? Oil? Colored pencils? Markers?</h4>

<p>I use Acrylics the most. It&#8217;s because it dries faster. I would love to start using oils when I get a chance though.</p>

<p>I have recently started using Colored pencils as well. They&#8217;re fun to mix with Acrylics.</p>

<p><a href="http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/yo-happiness_of_being_loved.jpg" rel="lightbox-yutaonoda" title="Happiness of Being Loved, by Yuta Onoda"><img src="http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/yo-happiness_of_being_loved-150x150.jpg" alt="yo-happiness_of_being_loved" title="yo-happiness_of_being_loved" width="150" height="150" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-917" /></a></p>

<h4>If you do use paints, inks, pencils, or markers for coloring, are there any in particular that are your favorites? Do you prefer travel sets of paints to a full set?</h4>

<p>I have been using Ceramcoat paints which are very cheap like one tube for a dollar. I love them because they are really chalky and I love how they look when they&#8217;ve dried. It makes an odd texture and it&#8217;s great material to give some texture to a piece.</p>

<h4>Is there any particular type of notebook or drawing pad you prefer? Or does any scrap of decent-sized paper work in a pinch?</h4>

<p>I use the Moleskine. I used to use another kind of sketchbook but I guess they have stopped producing them. I have been looking for a good sketchbook but it&#8217;s really hard to find one.</p>

<h4>If you paint, is there any particular type of canvas you prefer? Do you like to paint on wood or any other materials?</h4>

<p>I normally paint on Stonehenge paper and wood. I work with a lot of layers of paints, as I mentioned, so I like the material to have a harder surface so that it dries faster and I can work efficiently.</p>

<h4>Do you ever do any kind of post-processing (like adding color in Photoshop or similar tool) to your drawings?</h4>

<p>I often take a photo of my sketch before starting painting to check what colors would work the best. It&#8217;s hard to start painting without visualizing how it&#8217;s going to be done, so I normally try to use <a href="http://www.adobe.com/photoshop" rel="external" title="More information, or product page for Photoshop">Photoshop</a> to check when I paint.</p>

<p>When I work on illustration, I normally combine both traditional and digital, so I would say 50% of an image is done by traditional and the other is done digitally.</p>

<p><a href="http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/yo-all_is_mine.jpg" rel="lightbox-yutaonoda" title="All is Mine, by Yuta Onoda"><img src="http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/yo-all_is_mine-150x150.jpg" alt="yo-all_is_mine" title="yo-all_is_mine" width="150" height="150" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-916" /></a></p>

<h4>Have you ever tried a new pen (or paper, etc) from reading about it, or seeing the results in another artist&#8217;s work?</h4>

<p>I have tried so many materials because I love to try out something new. I forget the name of the ballpoint pen Joe Morse (illustrator) uses. </p>

<p>He was teaching a life drawing class one day and I had a chance to see his sketchbook. I was so amazed how fine his line work was.</p>

<p>And I bought the same pen and tried it out. Then I figured it&#8217;s not because of the pen, Joe Morse has such an amazing control of pens. He is so amazing.</p>

<h4>Do you have anything you use out of the ordinary for making your art?</h4>

<p>I often make textures out of Acrylics and scan them in.</p>

<h4>If you create purely-digital art, what are the software programs you use? Is one used more than another?</h4>

<p>Definitely Photoshop. I am not really good at other software programs to be honest.</p>

<h4>If you work both digitally and non-digitally, which do you find yourself doing more? Is there a reason you would prefer one of the other? Is it because of the tools available in either space?</h4>

<p>It&#8217;s hard to decide actually. I think both of them are very different from each other. I love painting because every decision you make is crucial, so it&#8217;s very adventurous. I love digital because it allows me to undo things and try many things, so it&#8217;s very adventurous as well.</p>

<p><a href="http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/yo-beautiful_mourning.jpg" rel="lightbox-yutaonoda" title="Beautiful Mourning, by Yuta Onoda"><img src="http://thetoolsartistsuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/yo-beautiful_mourning-150x150.jpg" alt="yo-beautiful_mourning" title="yo-beautiful_mourning" width="150" height="150" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-940" /></a></p>

<h4>I asked about post-processing on a computer, but do you think the computer is a helpful tool for making art? Whether it&#8217;s looking for inspiration online, or using it to build a weblog to promote yourself and your art, do you think a computer is necessary, helpful, or a distraction (or all of the above)?</h4>

<p>I think it&#8217;s a helpful tool for making art. Especially when I need to reference something, it&#8217;s very accessible and time saving.</p>

<p>It&#8217;s a distraction sometimes though. It makes me procrastinate.</p>

<p><strong>Thanks Yuta!</strong></p>

<p><em>You can find Yuta Onoda online at his portfolio website <a href="http://www.yutaonoda.com/" title="Yuta Onoda's portfolio website">yutaonoda.com</a>, his <a href="http://yutaonoda.blogspot.com/" title="Yuta Onoda's weblog">weblog</a>, and he is beginning to sell prints of his work at <a href="http://www.inprnt.com/profile/1741/" title="Yuta Onoda's prints for sale at inprnt.">inPRNT</a>.</em></p>
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