iPod Touch to Manga Studio

• Supernova playtime

After trying for months, I've concluded that I can't finish outdoor iPod touch illustrations on location (glossy screen + scale). But the portability of the iPT is hard to shelve. So I've been experimenting with using the Brushes app on an iPT to take "field notes" which I then finish in Manga Studio. Here's 2 Brushes to Manga Studio comparisons.

• update:  another pair, this one is a splash pad. I forgot to mention in the original post that I used Manga Studio oils for the first time (they're great).

Digital apuntes

Here's some location studies on my iPod touch using the Brushes app. The lock transparency feature (used on the awnings) and desatureate (when the skies turned gray) make the first 2 uniquely digital.    

• Last one: these are stack dryers in a laundromat (if too abstract)

Manga Studio EX 5 plein air

This is my first painting using the latest version of Manga Studio. Based on the exceptional but underrated painting capabilities of the previous versions plus the new fluid brushes, I expected MS5 to be the best painting app I've ever used. It is.
     This man was enjoying a cup of coffee at an outdoor cafe.

Outdoor location painting with Manga Studio

 

 

Here's some recent Manga Studio EX4 painting studies of outdoor subjects. These had to be done from inside 2 coffee shops and a library because I had to use my laptop power adapter (dead battery). Although with the sun reflecting off of my aluminum Powerbook much of the time, it felt like I was outdoors anyway. The goals were to gain milage with various pencil compositing modes, geometric rulers, temporary layers and color palettes.