Apple Pencil (+iPad Pro)

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heiseman
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Apple Pencil (+iPad Pro)

Post by heiseman »

This looks interesting:
http://www.apple.com/apple-pencil/

Imagine ASP (or Flash) working on an iPad Pro with this Pen. I'd love to animate on one of these things.
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Greenlaw
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Re: Apple Pencil (+iPad Pro)

Post by Greenlaw »

The Pencil tech for the iPad Pro seems very nice but this is still an iOS device so you're not likely to see Anime Studio or Flash running on it.

Which is a shame because I enjoy drawing on my older model iPad using the Wacom Creative Stylus and an app called Procreate. As a matter of fact, I used these tools to design our last Anime Studio project. Some pics were posted in this thread: New From Little Green Dog.

That said, it should be interesting to see what new animation programs will be developed for the new iPad.

G.
Lychee
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Re: Apple Pencil (+iPad Pro)

Post by Lychee »

In my opinion, buy a Surface 3, Pro 1,Pro 2 or Pro 3 is a better investment.
Because with a Surface you can install every things you want from a "real" computer, like Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effect, Z-Brush, Toon Boom, Anime Studio, Word, Exel, every "real" games and Professionals softwares...
You can also plug-in every peripheral you want like, hard drives, USB keys, and other things you cant do easily with the iPad Pro.
For now (again in my opinion) the iPad Pro is a good machine, but not for a demanding artist, but in the future...
heiseman
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Re: Apple Pencil (+iPad Pro)

Post by heiseman »

And another video of the Apple Pencil in action for those interested:
https://vimeo.com/138856763
Check out my animations:
Motionlab Animations
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Droxon
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Re: Apple Pencil (+iPad Pro)

Post by Droxon »

The surface pro 4 is expected to be announced this october and is rumored to come with a 14 in screen, better stylus, latest skylake processors and full windows of course... you should wait a bit more to see what microsoft has to offer.
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jezjones29
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Re: Apple Pencil (+iPad Pro)

Post by jezjones29 »

Cintiq companion 2, ipad pro, Note pro 12.2, surface pro... so many options...but $99 for a pencil :roll:
I have an old HP Compaq TC1000 which has a wacom pen, runs XP and an old copy of AS (<£70 on eBay now) :)
I use a Note 10.1 for drawing digitally on the move.

If there was a way to connect the ipad pro to my MacBook pro then I may be interested.
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slowtiger
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Re: Apple Pencil (+iPad Pro)

Post by slowtiger »

A wacom replacement pencil is about 150.- €.
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AS 11 MacPro 12core 3GHz 32GB OS 10.11 Quicktime 10.7.3
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Greenlaw
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Re: Apple Pencil (+iPad Pro)

Post by Greenlaw »

I agree with the above: if you want to run animation program for production today, you don't really want to do it with an iPad Pro. Apple may have a vision of replacing current workhorse computers with iPads but that day is still pretty far off, IMO.

For animation production today on a tablet computer, the real choices would be the Wacom Cintiq Companion 2 or a Surface Pro 3 or, if you want to wait, possibly the upcoming Surface Pro 4 (specs are still only rumored at this stage).

I got the Companion 2 Enhanced when it came out last spring but only recently have I been able to realize its potential. This computer was purchased as a replacement for my HP TM2 tablet PC, which I used for almost everything for about 5 years--in fact, Scareplane was almost entirely drawn and animated on that tablet PC. The tm2 was a fine portable computer but it was starting to show its age. The Companion 2 has significantly higher specs, so I thought I was looking at my 'dream machine'. In reality, the Companion actually made me less productive for several months. The problems I ran into should have been expected because they were typical of new technology: key graphics and animation software I use daily were not yet compatible with the hardware, and for my part I needed to learn how to adapt my workflow to using the new tool. (The tm2 may have been an older model Wacom pen and touch screen device but the user experience was really quite different.) Happily, I'm finally reaching a point where I feel like I can do anything on the Companion that I can on a desktop computer.

If you're a Mac user, you might be disappointed to hear that both the Companion 2 and Surface Pro 3 are Windows based, but one feature of the Companion 2 is that it can be connected to a Mac via HDMI and used like a regular Cintiq screen tablet. I'm not sure you can do that with a Surface computer. (Maybe the upcoming 4?)

G.
heiseman
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Re: Apple Pencil (+iPad Pro)

Post by heiseman »

I guess, we all can't judge until we give it a try. For drawing and cel-animation, it could actually be a very capable setup. Particularly if there is less lag than other options out there.
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Greenlaw
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Re: Apple Pencil (+iPad Pro)

Post by Greenlaw »

That's true but I still think it will be some time before you see anything truly competitive with animation programs designed for desktop platforms like Win and Mac OS. At the moment, the only animation programs on the iPad are basically 'toy' programs. Fun to play with (I like to use 'Animation Desk') but not necessarily practical for production work.

As for the pen's tilt tech, that's been available in Wacom tablets for at least a decade, so it's not really ground breaking. Programs like Painter have been using tilt for at least that long. (Yes, even the Companion 2 supports tilt.)

I would need to see some stellar animation programs that offer much more than what's available for the Companion and Surface before I'm convinced to switch to the iOS as my 'mobile animation' platform.

To be clear, I'm not anti-iPad at all; when I want to design while on the road, I use Procreate on an iPad with a Wacom Creative Stylus, and it's great! I much prefer it to most paint programs on desktop computers. But that's because it's an amazingly well-designed gesture based UI that transcends the limitations of the iPad. To be fair, I could possibly consider the new iPad if Procreate was updated to use its stylus (as I'm sure it will be.)

But I don't think I want to spend that much for an iPad either. The one I have now is a second hand one I bought from a friend, plus I'm just not sure I need another computer right now. :)

G.
chucky
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Re: Apple Pencil (+iPad Pro)

Post by chucky »

:twisted: About freakn time apple got on board, they have been dragging their knuckles for years on this one.
I am very pleased for all digital artists, just because it raises the profile of the stylus and its uses.
Also pushing pro tablets with bigger screens is a really important step for us to get what we need eventually.
Surface 4 @ 14 inches with a proper os is certainly the better option, but nevertheless even as an apple hater I am very pleased and impressed by this positive step from the ipad ranged.
I would really like to see pen tablets to be even larger though, 17 or 18 inches but still relatively portable with the cpu onboard.
Right now I've got my cintiq 22hd on my lap ( with a little couch table) but I don't like it that much , it's too heavy too expensive too much wasted space and has to be hooked up to a cpu also it scratches easily and has these horrid little speckles in the surface that kill my eyes by trying to see past them. The ep 121 is too small and gutless but the screen is stronger and clearer . Bring on the new stuff. :D
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funksmaname
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Re: Apple Pencil (+iPad Pro)

Post by funksmaname »

I'm drooling for this. I have an Ipad Air which I use with a modified Jot Touch - the pressure sensitivity is amazing (the mod is I got a teflon tip from another brand of stylus and replaced the plastic tip, it works so well!)

It may not solve your 'primary use' case where you need full fledged software, but for concept work Procreate is a dream. It's so convenient and responsive, I can only imageine with a Pro and Pencil.

I just got a Cintiq 22HD recently and amazing too, but I still want this, because of the portability, and for using it as an ipad. I may be wrong, but any 'portable' PC stylus solution will either be under powered, under batteried or over weighted - reviews I've seen of Cintiq Companion suggest you should be plugged into the mains, which kind of defeats the object for me.

If anyone interested, I did my entire 100 days project last year on procreate - and it records timelapses of your sketching.
Check out some of them here if interested: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... X043sRBlLi
or the images at funks.co.nz (some are better than others - it was a 100 day project! :P)
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Greenlaw
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Re: Apple Pencil (+iPad Pro)

Post by Greenlaw »

funksmaname wrote:... reviews I've seen of Cintiq Companion suggest you should be plugged into the mains, which kind of defeats the object for me.

If anyone interested, I did my entire 100 days project last year on procreate - and it records timelapses of your sketching.
Check out some of them here if interested: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... X043sRBlLi
or the images at funks.co.nz (some are better than others - it was a 100 day project! :P)
I usually have the Companion 2 plugged in but I've been taking out of the studio more an more lately. This past weekend, I took it to the public pool where my daughter is taking swimming lessons, and I was sculpting in 3D Coat with it. You can set up a 'mobile' power configuration preset easily which can greatly extend battery life to maybe 3 or 4 hours (depending on what you're doing with it of course). Also, ever since I dropped the screen res from 2560 x 1440 to a more sensible, I'm getting even more life out of the battery. That's not nearly as nice as the 6 to 8 hours I used to get with my hp tm2 tablet PC but then again, the Companion is a whole lot more computer too.

Generally, 3 to 4 hours untethered is plenty for me. I don't typically hang out at a diner or coffee shop for that long and if I'm on a bus or train, I'm generally not riding for anywhere near that long either. When I'm working on one of my projects away from home, it's usually at the public library where I can plug-in if I need to.

I'll have to do a comparison but I do think it was easier to see my iPad's screen outdoors than it is to see my Companion 2'
s screen. That seems surprising considering the iPad has an absolutely glossy screen. (But then, so did my tm2.)

FYI, I'm writing a review for my blog. Will let you know when it's up.

G.
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funksmaname
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Re: Apple Pencil (+iPad Pro)

Post by funksmaname »

Sounds good. If you're not working away from home much (or at all, like me) then isn't a Cintiq better value? you're using it with your primary machine...
The ipad for me is more about sitting in front of the TV sketching - for that it needs to be light, untethered, quiet and cool - I'm really surprised by Procreate's performance (only because no other app seems as responsive, which is a shame, as the hardware is clearly capable when using Procreate as a benchmark)

Looking forward to your review!
D.
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Greenlaw
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Re: Apple Pencil (+iPad Pro)

Post by Greenlaw »

funksmaname wrote:Sounds good. If you're not working away from home much (or at all, like me) then isn't a Cintiq better value? you're using it with your primary machine....
Not in my case. The Cintiq I have in my home studio is an old 12WX so it's significantly lower resolution and the color range is quite poor compared to my Companion (or even my old Dell monitor for that matter.) I haven't plugged the Companion 2 into my desktop yet but it will eventually replace the 12WX. But most of the time, I'm using the Companion 2 to draw at the sofa or dinner table. It's bigger than the tm2 I used to used for animating with ASP and drawing comics, and I think it's a little lighter too. So, for me, the Companion 2 is a greater value even when I staying at home. I could not possible do that with my old Cintiq 12WX.

As for a larger Cintiq, I don't think I have the space for it in our home office anyway. I use one with the swing arm at work, and while it's very nice but it does take up a lot of room...and of course if I had this model at home, I couldn't casually take it to my dining table or living room at whim. :)

Lately, I've been taking the Cintiq Companion 2 outside of my workplace to draw at the neighborhood park or one of the local eateries. I'm still getting used to that but it's mostly working out for me.
The ipad for me is more about sitting in front of the TV sketching - for that it needs to be light, untethered, quiet and cool - I'm really surprised by Procreate's performance (only because no other app seems as responsive, which is a shame, as the hardware is clearly capable when using Procreate as a benchmark)
I agree. One of the reasons I like my Cintiq Companion 2 is that it's the only tablet with Express Keys on the bezel, which largely eliminates the need for a keyboard when using graphics programs. But Procreate on the iPad demonstrates that a well designed paint program shouldn't require a keyboard at all. I think Windows and Mac developers could learn a lot from studying Procreate's GUI.

G.
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