For this week's graphics tablet challenge, I'd like you to use any paintbrushes you find to create 2 photo blending masks. Don't forget you can also use brushes as tips for the eraser in many programs. I'd also like you to draw and decorate 2-3 Easter eggs.
Your designs can be as simple or complex as you'd like (or have time and patience for), but remember that the point is to get comfortable using your graphics tablet; the more intricate you make them, the more practice you'll get!
Once you're finished for the week, show us your artwork, and then feel free to use your brand-new items in a kit or layout.
This challenge is due on 4/15.
My mask skills are weak but I did create some eggs. I drew the shape in illustrator then moved it to procreate to decorate.
My favorite egg was the blue one I made with a watercolor brush. No matter how hard I try, I always end up with brightly colored items. I LOVE @GinaJones eggs. The pastels are lovely
Thank you Amara. I love your egg! I especially like the yellow one.
I cannot believe I only found this challenge today. Here are my two eggs - I think I will be making more tomorrow, but for now I want to get these posted within the deadline LOL.
I love your eggs Joyce. The yellow one really speaks to me; it very much suits my style of design.
What kind of tablet is everyone using? I am always interested in those kind of details.
I finally managed to finish mine today...it's been crazy here this week! Click to download if you'd like these.
Thank you Gina, and I'm personally using an old wacom intuos. It's not touch sensitive, but it does have pressure sensitivity (hence how I got the wonky lines!)
Holly, I really love your rabbit egg. It just seems to pop off the screen with the way you made the ears.
Gina, I'm using an old Wacom Bamboo Pen and Touch (CTH-460) that I bought new back in 2010 to help with editing photos. It's still doing well after all these years, which says something considering it was their entry-level model and only cost around $100 at the time. While I will someday upgrade to a tablet monitor, that's a spendy proposition on a disability budget, so I'm playing the long game on this one as long as it works.
Joyce, I was finishing up the second egg when I thought to do a rabbit egg for my third.
I'm debating adding a few other critters to my stash now!
To everyone:
I was hoping some more of you would try to make some photo blending masks, though I understand life gets crazy sometimes, especially with all the social distancing work-from-home kids-out-of-school stuff going on right now. Do try it sometime--it's harder than it looks, but it's not horribly difficult to get a nice-looking basic mask made.
Holly, if we could come back to the photo mask part later, I plan on it. I've just been very busy this week, but I need to work on my June blog train kit and was planning on including a mask or two in it.
Gina, I love the chalky look to your eggs.
Everyone else's eggs are so cheerful too. Not sure if I'm going to get around to doing that part of the challenge myself, but I love what you all have done.
I'm currently using an Intuos BT M that I bought last year, to replace my old (very old) Intuos 2 that finally died. Well...half-died. The stylus gave up the ghost, and the tablet doesn't work without it, and it was going to be a not insignificant sum to buy a replacement stylus when I could just as easily pick up a newer tablet. While I'd love a tablet monitor like a Cintiq, I've had enough practice with a regular tablet that I can't really justify the expense, and the BT M has suited me just fine so far. I just wish the stylus tips didn't seem to wear out quite so quickly.
We can certainly come back to photomasks later, Amanda!
Ok, then! Since I CANNOT find the pen to my Huion, I either need to see if I can get a replacement, or start fresh with a new tablet.
On that note, what is the consensus on what is the BEST and most user friendly tablet out there?
I'm so not good with this stuff.
Great stuff here!
Too bad I do not have a tablet right now... love all the contributions. Many thanks for sharing!
Gina: your pastels are absolutely divine.
Lisel, if your Huion isn't too old, getting a replacement stylus might be feasible.
I know Wacom's Bamboo line is meant to be beginner-level and user-friendly (though I feel the Intuos are also user-friendly). I know there are other good brands, but I don't know what they are because I'm a Wacom gal myself.
Just stumbled across this challenge and it sounds like a lot of fun! I'll be joining in on future graphics tablet challenges.
I have a Wacom Intuos Pro Medium. I've had it for a couple years, but consider myself a beginner since I barely used it for the longest time. I haven't really used it to draw yet so these challenges will be great to get me over that hurdle. So far I've used it for color correcting photos and extracting images to use as elements.
@Lisel, I use an ipad and apple pencil with procreate. The advantage is I can draw directly into the program without having to look at the monitor instead of at what my hands are doing. I save things to the cloud then open it up on my desktop (PS) to finalize, add texture, etc., etc. I got it exclusively for drawing so it serves as a tablet. It was not necessarily easy for me to learn to draw in procreate but I'm assuming it's no more complicated that learning to use any tablet.
Thank you Bina. I found that color palette on Pinterest and loved it but never used it. Easter was quickly approaching and I knew it'd be another year before I'd even consider using it. The Easter Egg portion of this challenge was the perfect opportunity.
Ok, made two simple photo masks to double up for both this challenge and to go in my Kumbaya blog train kit. In the spirit of the challenge, I stuck to brushes that worked better with a tablet than a mouse for the most part. Normally I might include more stamped elements in a photo/paint mask, but that sort of thing I usually do with a mouse instead of my tablet because I have better precision control with the mouse for single-click stamping.
I was aiming for an organic feel to both since my Kumbaya kit is leaning toward camping and outdoor excursions as a theme.
Your challenge came out wonderful Holly.
Can I ask what is the best way to share freebie files? Particularly, where do you host the files? Thanks!!
@Karen. It's probably going to be different for everyone. I use google drive for hosting things for blog trains and such but for most other things, I share from DigitalScrapbook.com. As you work your way through the different levels (on the commons), you can add more and more stuff and eventually you can add kits. This is a great way to get feedback and see what the public likes and wants. (People who do not subscribe are still able to download with the daily download credits). I gained a lot more notoriety from sharing on the commons than I have ever gotten from my blog.
Thank you Gina! I appreciate hearing how you do it.
@Amanda. I can def see those masks being for camping and/or outdoorsy. They looks good.
I started a mask the other day but it ended up being a tree. LOL
@Gina, for some reason the line "I started a mask but it ended up being a tree" made me giggle.
@Amanda. I giggle (and laugh out loud) at myself all the time. That's my life.
I finally got some masks created.
Looking good, Gina!