iPad 2 - Artistic tool or just a toy?
iPad 2
Introduction
I want to begin with sending a big thanks to CgCoach and all of you who voted for me in the iPad 2 Contest.
I had been wanting an ipad ever since I read the first announcement back when iPad 1 was released.In this article I will try to explain all the benefits I have found as an artist using the iPad 2 and the apps I use the most. Hope you find it useful!
Learning and Reading
The iPad 2 is a really great way to read magazines, both newspapers and tutorial magazines.
 | iBooksThe standard book app from Apple is not only used for reading books, but also a great PDF reader. I always download PDF magazines from different 3D sites to read new and exciting tutorials. Reading them on the PC is not always that fun, but now I can import them straight into the Ipad and flip through them on the metro or whenever I feel like it. |
 | 3D ArtistThis is my number one favourite 3D magazine. Filled with inspiration and useful tips this app is one of my all time favourites. And the price per magazine is really cheap as well! Highly recommended. |
 | Digital ArtistMuch like 3D Artist but aimed for people in the 2D art society. Very useful if you are using Painter or Photoshop etc. |
 | QiozkA swedish magazine app with lots of cool stuff although very expensive magazines which is really sad. How can someone have it in their heart to take roughly the same price for a digital copy as the real deal? |
Art and Drawing
Is the iPad 2 any good for drawing?
 | Sketchbook ProThere are several amazing drawing apps for the iPad 2, but the one that caught my attention was Sketchbook Pro from Autodesk. This is truly an amazing app! With version 2.0 just released it offers a custom Radial menu, up to 12 layers, 20 undo levels and a choice to install new brushes from the sketchbook store! |
 | PS ExpressReally cool to see that Photoshop has made an app of their own. Although it is really slimmed down it still holds important features like crop, exposure, sharpen and much more. Really good for basic editing. |
Inspiration and Comics
Reading comics on the iPad 2 is a must! There are several Comic apps available in the App Store, a few better than others so I will present the ones I use the most:
 | Marvel ComicsIs the comics app I use the most, offering comic like Ghost Rider, X-men, Spiderman and several others. |
 | VIz MangaIs a superb Manga app with an interface much like the marvel app and a large selection of Manga collections like Naruto, Bleach and Dragon Ball Z. |
 | Manga RockAnother great manga app worth mentioning. |
Videos and Movies
If you like me have lots of video tutorials lying around on your computer then this is a great way of watching them. It is not always that easy to watch your videos on the iPad 2 because of unsupported video-formats, but like always there is usually a loop-hole for the persistent. With the help of two different video players I am able to play most of the formats.
 | iPad Video PlayerThis is the standard video player that ships with the ipad allowing you to play the .MOV format. |
 | CineXplayerAnother really good video player that allows you to play the .AVI format among several others! |
 | YoutubeWatching Youube videos on the iPad 2 is a must! Need I say more? |
 | VimeoSince I could not find an App for Vimeo in the AppStore I went on and attached a bookmark from Safari on the desktop. Works like a charm! |
Accessories - Stylus
I am really amazed when seeing people draw on the ipad using their fingers. Everytime I try my fingers stick to the screen like glue making it very hard to paint. I therefore chose to buy a Stylus. After searching the internet for a few days I found the “Boxwave Capacitive Styra”. It had really good reviews in every forum I visited so I wanted to give it a chance. The stylus is about the same size as a regular pen and even has a Ballpoint pen built-in the other end. It is very responsive when you put it against the screen although it can´t compare to a Wacom stylus. The biggest drawback is the lack of pressure sensitivity, but that problem is common for all capacitive tablets. Another drawback also related to capacitive tablet is the way it filters small contact-surfaces as jitter. This means that all styluses must have a tip no smaller than a fingertip which is kind of bad for precision. But since we don´t have a choice at the moment I would say that this is the best stylus on the market today! |
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Accessories - Folio Case
As we all know the iPad 2 is very fragile with its glass front and aluminum back. Even how beautiful and stylish it looks I am just too afraid it will break, therefore some kind of cover for protection is needed. I knew from the beginning that I did not want the smart cover sold by Apple because of the lack of protection on the back. After a lot of research on the internet I found the perfect cover! The “Yoobao Executive Leather Case”.It is made of very thin yet durable leather making it very safe while keeping the low profile of the iPad 2! The only flaw I can find in this case is the wake/sleep function built into the cover. Much like the smart cover this case is able to wake the iPad 2 by removing the lid using. Unfortunately the tiny magnets working this magic are too strong forcing the ipad to go to sleep when you flip the lid around the back. To solve this problem I turned the wake/sleep function off within the settings menu. Regardless of this flaw I highly recommend buying this case since it is a perfect protection whether you are sketching away on the bus or in the safety of your couch! |
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Conclusion
To wrap this up I can only say that I am very satisfied with my iPad 2.
It works great for quick sketches and is very easy to carry around. Watching movies and reading comics on it is pure bliss. But like everything else it also has its flaws. The lack of pressure sensitivity and precision being the biggest.The other drawback I guess stretches over all Apple products. We can call it “the iron hand”.
Everything in the iOS is tightly locked up so you can only use it in the way Apple wants you to. Since I am a Microsoft Windows user this feels like having my hands tied around my back. Too bad since it is such unbelievably wonderful technology. But I guess you can't have everything in life and none the less this is one great piece of product! Love it!
A big thanks to the cgCoach.com team for giving me such a wonderful device and also a big thanks to all of you who voted for me in the competition. I am forever grateful!
//Jonas SkoogComments (2)
Andrewsaid:
 | ... Great article Jonas. I've got an iPad 1, but so tempted to upgrade. I didn't even realise 3D Artists had an app, I'll check it out. |
energisesaid:
 | ... Thanks Andrew! :) I havent tried the ipad 1 but the ipad 2 is very fast and responsive! There is hardly any lag at all. I highly recommend the 3D Artist app and also the 3D creative magazine app that I found a few days ago :) Thanks again for the Ipad! |
