art and technology

(Pic #1) “Little Monsters” – My first sketch with a stylus on the new iPad, using an app called “Pro Create.” Totally freaking.

Learning something new can blast you into a supercharged creativity zone.

New tech? Color me paralyzed. It happens every time I’m introduced to a new fangled gadget or upgrade. Heck, for the longest time I even balked at learning the tech of blogging. But my fearless techie friend Amy sat me down in 2010 for weekly sessions until I was able to “enter through the back door” as they say, and troubleshoot my own writings and photo layouts. I went kicking and screaming, but she swears I was just a big baby with irrational fears of technology.

(Pic #2) Illustration by San Diego artist Beau Hufford, using the Pro Create App.

Fast forward 8 years: I’m still kicking and screaming, but the difference is I’m starting to use my fear to make each new artistic experience an exciting adventure. Yesterday, I bought a new iPad, and it was my first day using a stylus (on the screen of any device) — and it felt weird. But exhilarating. My good friend and life-long illustrator (Pic #2) Beau Hufford told me about the insane Pro Create App, and I had to jump in.

I expected to be frustrated and clueless when I started, and guess what — I was right. But the joy I felt in teaching myself something fresh and new far outweighed any angst. In fact, I couldn’t put the pen down. I couldn’t stop exploring all the digital paint brushes, fat and skinny lines, magic markers, and a tool that shoots out spray paint in real time.

The cool bonus in learning new things like this is that it’s good for your brain. According to CCSU Business & Development, “practicing a new skill stimulates neurons, which forms more neural pathways and allows electrical impulses to travel faster across them.” That means we learn better. It can even help us stave off dementia.

And oh, by the way — these innovative artistic experiences end up being way cheaper than therapy.

David Hockney’s digital obsession: now showing in Paris

Obsessed with new technology, David Hockney says he’s not alone. He has made the iPad his new canvas–and now paints with his fingers.

Hockney’s masterpiece app

Hockney trades sketch pad for iPad

Hockney’s new show in Paris, “Fleurs Fraiches” (Fresh Flowers) showcases 300 of his newer digital pieces–shown on actual iPhones and iPads. Drawing with an iPhone app called BRUSHES, it’s become a daily habit for one of the best known artists of his generation.

In 2009, Hockney told the Telegraph: “I draw flowers every day on my iPhone and send them to my friends, so they get fresh flowers every morning. And my flowers last. Not only can I draw them as if in a little sketchbook, I can also then send them to 15 or 20 people who then get them that morning when they wake up. Picasso tadalafil would have gone mad with this. So would Van Gogh. I don’t know an artist who wouldn’t, actually.”

The iconic British painter/photographer has now moved on to the larger iPad. Reviews say his digital images are “luminous,” though “less detailed.” From those I’ve seen, they are classic Hockney, with simple lines and fresh color.

iPad painting: a daily habit

The app is fun for exploratory artists as well. I’ve experimented with it on my iPhone, and I like the immediacy. Thousands of other artists are making the big switch, enjoying the freedom from bulky supplies. The big headline last year was that the cover of The New Yorker was designed by an artist using the BRUSHES app. See the process in action via this ABC news story.

View an interview with Hockney on digital art here.

David Hockney: Fleurs Fraîches – on view at the Fondation Pierre Bergé – Yves Saint Laurent in Paris through January 30.

The Fear Factor: Make It Work For You

Picasso and the iPad: Hockney says, “He would have gone mad.”