Wow...talk about late (although I still have a book review to do from 2011), here's my thoughts on PenGo Creative's stylus for iPad, Tablets and smartphones.
I like it.
Done.
Oh, more detail. Okay.
Two years ago, Bruce and I met the good folks at PenGo Creative. They had a boot at Comic-Con, selling their stylus for iPad and a drawing program. I got in a little fun time with program, but since I didn't have an iPad (and didn't win one in their drawing) I went on my merry way.
This summer, the good folks at PenGo were back at Comic-Con. They're still selling their stylus, but now the drawing app is free. I got in a lot more fun time with the drawing app, and since I have access to tablets and iPads, I was all over this. Apparently my enthusiasm was infectious. They gave me a stylus to take home and try out. Thank you!
I've been playing with the stylus since June and still really like it. It has a good weight to it, on par with a nice pen. It is very easy to get used to. I downloaded PenGo Paint as soon as I got home and went to town. The app is pretty intuitive, and I found it to behave like a stripped down version of Photoshop. Very handy since I do a lot of my work on the computer. You can download images into the program for mucking around, build up layers, and when you're done, e-mail them to yourself in a .psd format.
I like that feature. I really, really like that feature. Let's me use the iPad as a digital sketchbook, and skip the need for scanning drawings off of napkins (my preferred method of working).
PenGo likes to promote their 'brush tip' which is supposed to mimic a paintbrush. Unfortunately they didn't have any at the booth for us to demo, and they were sold out online when I got home. Personally, I don't miss it. The brush controls in Paint give me most of the results that I need. For all other effects, I upload to Photoshop or Illustrator for clean up.
Stylus and apps are like anything else you might use with your iPad, you get out of them what you put into them. I have been thoroughly enjoying the PenGo Brush Pen. I think some of you out there will to.
Their website:
www.pengocreative.com
Download the Paint app here:
http://pengocreative.com/pages/apps
Pricing depends on what you buy, but a stylus with all the tips runs 29.99. A stylus with an actual ball-point pen at the other end is 24.99. I've been playing with the 24.99 model.
See my finished projects below:
All the preliminary sketch work was done using the PenGo Paint app. Rough sketches were e-mailed to myself, then finished in Illustrator. I must say, there's something about being able to doodle in the dentist's waiting room and have it waiting for you at home when the drugs wear off.
As you can see, the image has changed some since the first sketch on the iPad. The layout hasn't changed much, but I simplified the colors and details as I tried to recreate the feel of an old-timey WPA poster. Remember kids, sometimes less is more.
And yes...I'm still on a Star Trek kick. Soylent Green cereal box was done because I have a twisted sense of humor
- Excelsior!
(Ha! Trek AND a Stan Lee reference. You guys should read my stuff more.)
