Sketch of the Week: Digital Iris

Today's sketch is something new to the Fanciful Lobster. Sure, the subject is familiar enough, I've featured plenty of iris here, but what makes this little flower different is that it's entirely digital.

That's right, I drew it on my phone.

A few months ago I upgraded to a new Android device that included a stylus, and I've actually been using that tool for some time now, writing up grocery lists, taking research notes, jotting down ideas, and so forth. Last week, however, I decided to test out its drawing capabilities and downloaded a sketch app. I've played around with it a little bit already, but today I began exploring its plein air possibilities by drawing this iris growing outside the Museum.

My conclusion on digital sketching? It's a very useful tool. Don't get me wrong, digital doesn't replace the tactile pleasures of paper and pencil, but it's a delightfully versatile tool in its own right. I especially liked being able to vary the opacity of line, enabling me to achieve a watercolor-like effect without having to haul the actual water around with me (and have it spill in my backpack, which has been known to happen). For me at least, digital sketching is another tool I can add to a vast arsenal of drawing techniques. It won't replace my sketchbook, but rather supplement it.