Aim
By interacting with the digital pen, stylus and the computer can the experience of drawing on a computer reflect in some way the experience of drawing with a pen or pencil on paper.
By asking individuals, mainly theatre design students and professional attending the SBTD (society of British Theatre Designer) exhibition at Nottingham, to ‘try out’ drawing with a digital tablet and stylus I hope to gain insight into the physical and emotional experience of sketching on a computer screen
Objective
My objective is to obtain qualitative date about the sketching abilities possible potential use, and personal response of exhibition visitors when using a digital stylus and pen.
Development : Stage 1
With aim to get the participant to not worry about the drawing but embrace the experience and record their response I wanted to choose a subject which they could all draw, that could be easily be designed so the focus of the experiment was on the drawing activity and not the design. Initially I intended the participants to draw a beggar woman. I decided this character would be stereotypical and call for little need for design consideration. A beggar women could be of any period, any style, and for numerous production but could also lend itself to a scratchy non-finished look which may be all novice participants could achieve in this brief encounter with the equipment.
I chose to use PhotoShop as the software to perform for the experiment. Firstly as I am familiar with the programme, I feel comfortable that I would be able to support any problems which may occur. Secondarily, as the most popular art software program, even if the participant had little experience of using it, they would most likely have come across its interface at some point.
When planning the exercise it was important for me to approach it as if I were a participant. The very first thing I realised is that if they don’t have basic computer skills then I would have to introduce a few fundamental elements of Photoshop. This reflection has lead me to decide to limit the use of Photoshop tools to the following:
1. Paint tool (using the pen): This tool may change its size and brush style using the paint pallet
2. The eraser tool:, (turning the pen over) if the participant wishes to correct a mistake
3. The Zoom tool: (To be able to draw straight on to the screen can be hard and to be able to zoom in can make details easier to sketch.
4. The colour pallet: if they wish to add colour to the image.
Trying to echo the same experience as a participant at the exhibition I decided I would not take to much time over the drawing. Though not rushed a person at the exhibition would not want to spend a long time on something they had not anticipated to schedule into their day.
So following rules I had set out and using the digital stylus I draw a beggar woman. Image 1 took approximately 10 minutes.
From this I observed the following:
1. I found the exercise hard and a little clumsy, a bit daunting and not very inspiring. I have some experience of drawing with a stylus and I found the blank screen and the subject a challenge thing to start.
2. To get proportion right on a screen first time is difficult and though the pen is fun to make marks the activity could be a negative one if someone used to drawing freehand with a pencil suddenly not being able to draw proportion or anything that resembles there own drawing.
Outcome and areas to change:
1. Re-try the same exercise using a body as a template.
2. Allow participants not familiar with the stylus (or Photoshop) a few moments mark making to get used to it.
Image 2 was drawn over a template (on a another layer the template was hand drawn by pencil and scanned in)
Observation:
1. Drawing over a template is easier to keep proportion but, working on top of a template could restrict the participant to feel free to use the pen naturally. This has however highlighted an experiment I can do with my students later this year about ownership and authenticity.
2. The subject character is wrong. A beggar woman is hard to draw because there is a huge element of design decisions which has to go into it. Designer however hard they try will try to design it and not just experiment with the illustration style.
3. However experienced or not the participant is they may feel their drawing ability is on TRIAL which may make them feel insecure and judged. This may generate negative response just because of the surroundings and not the activity.
Outcome and areas of change:
1. Try an image which does not need precise accuracy, can be easily designed (stereotypical and not to serious) make them feel is ‘just a bit of fun’ to get involved in.
2. Don’t use a template but emphases the importance of a quick marking session and the unimportance for a ‘good’ illustration. Its just to have a go.
I decided to draw a clown. (image 3)
Observations
1. Though a clown can obviously be designed the general look it is a stereotype and design ideas can form quickly easily and the essence is easy to convey quickly in an image. It’s also fun!
2. Proportions can be over emphasised and not necessarily important and the use of colours can lift the image.
Outcome:
1. I have decided to use this the clown as the subject of the trail experiment with my students and then evaluate the outcome.
2. I will make sure there is a mark making/ warm up exercise built is into get used to the pen.
3. My verbal attitude and introduction to the exercise will need to be up beat to make sure the emphasis is on the fun, ‘have ago’ side.
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