I live in a crazy world: sketching Mars rocks with a digital tablet, no big deal

I live in the crazy future.

Tonight, I needed some inspiration to practice drawing. Here is what I came up with:

Yep, those aren’t earth rocks. Those are rocks on Mars, sucka.
Halfway through the simple tracing, I realized I’m using crazy software that simulates a pencil in digital space with digitizing tablet with 2,048 levels of pressure sensitivity to draw rocks on a planet that is at most 249 million miles from me. (photo)

Wow. I know there is an ongoing discussion around the lack of access to digital tools. Many people don’t have access to a computer and in some areas, most use a  smartphone as the main computer. I realize that. I’m passionate about sharing what I know about technology with others who don’t have it.

But I don’t lack of tools. I have too many digital tools.

But I don’t lack of tools. I have too many digital tools. My local library has a 3d printer and lessons to use it. I can generate eBooks from my computer and create interactive children’s books in a matter of minutes. I publish four audio podcasts. In a anemic way, I’m a publishing company). From where I sit, there are five computers in eyesight, a camera and a drawing tablet- all that could generate digital content of some sort.

Along with the tools I noted above, there are scores of people seeking to help me use them. Here’s a quick list of what I learned tonight:

• Use the “multiple Layer” option on your drawing layer to make the white area see-through. ThingsInSquares
• Test your color palette by viewing your image in grayscale. BrianMCL
• “Don’t be too attached to any one part. It can ruin the whole”. BrianMCL
• Illustrator’s Live Trace tool can do the rest of the magic…”And by magic, I mean the dishes” Lauren Haldeman.

   

What should I make today? A video? A digital art piece? a Web comic? A podcast? I’m a bit overwhelmed.

 

What should I make today? A video? A digital art piece? a Web comic? A podcast? I’m a bit overwhelmed. The good thing is that many creators agree- just make something. Jessica Abel’s amazing Out On The Wire podcast inspired me to “pay attention to what I pay attention to”. So, tonight I was paying attention to rocks and so I drew ’em: 

Above sketches were made using the great Stumpy Pencil brushes.