Doodling.. or what I do in my spare time.

In which I wax lyrical about an apple product..

When I was in Tokyo at the beginning of the year I gave in and bought an iPad.. I had been coveting one for years but couldn't justify the cost, particularly as Himself Indoors had acquired me a second hand Samsung Tablet some years previous.. but ooooh I wanted an iPad,k probably irrationally.. especially for the art apps. 

I'm a doodler. I've always doodled and will always doodle. My notes for my new job have faces and wings and scrawlings all over them. I occasionally surprise myself with something that's reasonably ok, but mostly I doodle because I can't not. 

I had seen people's work with apple apps (sadly the art apps for android are just not there yet) and pined for it. So when the iPad became somewhat affordable (by virtue of exchange rate and lack of tax) I nabbed one. I love it. I get a deep sense of satisfaction from using Art Set. It uses paper, pen, ink and paint in ways that feel wholly natural (but without my entire apartment getting speckled in oils). The thing most people don't like about it is the lack of layers. Once your paint is on the canvas, you have to go with it. But the Oils work and look like oils and the pastels are pastels and the different grades of paper give you a different result for each of the art supplies. It's just a really relaxing app to use. 

The Mermaid (a doodle by Fionnuala Murphy)

The other app I really like to use is Paper. I find it super useful in planning and brainstorming. When I was looking for a job earlier this year I used it to map out my skills and what I wanted in advance of interviews.. I bought their stylus too (called Pencil by Paper). It's the best stylus I've used. It's very intuitive and feels solid in my hand. 

I use Paper more for my old style doodling, it's a lot looser and to some degree more fun. And I get to do things like this.. 

Anyway.. my point is.. I like to doodle and occasionally technology helps..