Written by Ako Lamble

Hi Everyone,

I deliberately call my class “iPad Art” class instead of calling “iPad Painting” or “iPad Drawing” class because it is not just for draw/paint digitally, you can do more with iPad, I’ll show you one of the good examples today.

My back ground is Photography, I spent my college days in the dark room, if not I was chasing lights and shadows in the field. It took a while for me to handle colours properly after I studied and practiced the B&W photography for long time.

However, it was a happy surprise to know the training I had with photography of how to see the lights and shadows helped me a lot when I started drawing and painting afterwards. I can see the subject much clearer, I instantly make the subject into a black and white picture in my mind and find the lines, negative spaces, perspective and so forth. Even the times I can’t draw properly, I can see what is wrong at least.

I recently invented a way to do a fun sketching with iPad. I call it “Pretend sketching”. You sometimes see a photo like this (below). People take a picture of their sketch and subject together, I got the idea from it.

Mike’s sketch.

I have a few collections of beautiful scenery images. I chose one of them and made this (below) with iPad and Procreate app.

One of the pretend sketching templates.

Then I drew the scenery within a sketchbook area as if I were sitting there and sketching, the result is this (below).

“The rainbow field” iPad Art by Ako Lamble

Soon then I started using my own photos instead of using beautiful images taken by someone else. The process is interesting because it starts from the final image in your mind otherwise you will easily forget to make a space for a sketchbook which you would draw on later, so when I found something interesting (usually it has good light and shadow), I clearly picture in my mind where my sketch book would be located and how the subject is going to be seen in the background then shoot it. I quite like using a small moleskine sketchbook now which has the off-white or yellowish papers that give warm and organic feelings which is very important to me when I do digital art, I also like it having a sewing line in the middle of the two-page spread and make sure I don’t loose it after I draw, I enjoy very much creating the illusion that way.

I consider this whole process is iPad Art, from finding and taking photos of a subject to drawing and sharing them with your friends.

Oh, I should tell you that all my iPad paintings listed here didn’t take me more than 15 minutes (because it’s done as “drawing for a 15 min a day project“), it took another 15 minutes to take a photo with my iPhone and then assemble the background with iPad.

“The Autumn carpet” iPad Art by Ako Lamble

Winter is the best season to take a great photo because sun light is nice and soft which travels at a low angle and gives long shadows during most of the day. You don’t need to go to Paris to take such a pretty picture, it can be created right in your own backyard, kitchen or living room if you have winter sun there.

“The lights though blinds in kitchen” iPad Art by Ako Lamble

We have started the weekly classes for iPad Art this term, and it has been going very well. This would be the way to go if you would like to do it at your own pace. Your questions will be answered and instructions will be given according to your level of understanding on a weekly basis, so come to the class with your well-charged-iPad, have fun and make your iPad a powerful art tool which you won’t want to be without! Download Enrolment form.

Go to iPad Art Weekly Class Page >>

Good news is you can learn iPad Art as an optional in the Monday night class (7-9pm) from term 4, it’s good for those who only have their free time in the evenings.