The Photoshop and Painter Artist Tablet Book

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A Book Review
by Linda McNeil

fmp8vsg Title: The Photoshop and Painter Artist Tablet Book: Creative Techniques in Digital Painting

Author: Cher Threinen-Pendarvis

Price: $49.99

Publisher: Peachpit Press

ISBN: 0-321-16891-7

Levels: Beginner and Intermediate

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

Description:
Ever since the introduction of computers, new opportunities for integrating art and computers have evolved for everyone. As an artist, I live in a world where creativity abounds. I'm constantly bombarded with ideas for watercolors and other projects. When I hear people say they "don't have a creative bone in their body", I realize how fortunate I am. However, today's digital world is about to change that for the general public. You might ask, "How can that be?" Today there are computers in most homes to fulfill the basic functions of our technological society. The applications are so well constructed that you find people using programs like GarageBand to create their own music and iLife to create their own movies and DVDs. But most importantly, the artist today has a virtual toolbox of endless possibilities. As the author, Cher Threinen-Pendarvis, points out, every tool is readily available from the finest paintbrush to the roughest chalks. Better yet, you will never run out of supplies when you work as an artist in the digital world. No need to worry if you have enough paper or fresh tubes of paint for a project. Life in the digital world revolves around a computer screen, mouse and/or Wacom tablet, and an application such as Adobe Photoshop or Corel Painter IX. No need to go out and buy canvases, paint, easels, and other tools for art projects. Everything at your disposal on the computer.

One factor however plays an important role in both of the worlds — Talent. There is a lot of unrealized talent in today's world. To be successful an artist must overcome the learning curve. This is where this book plays a significant role. The author has worked in a traditional fundamental art background. She provides the transitional exercises necessary for computer users to close the knowledge gap between traditional techniques and digital complexities.

The book itself is subdivided into the following sections and chapters:

The Digital Art Studio
Photoshop, Painter, and Tablet Basics for Artists,
Assembling Brushes and Paint
Drawing and Tablet Exercises
The Illusion of Volume
Sensitive Tone and Modeling
A Sense of Atmosphere
Starting with a Scanned Drawing
Using a Photo Reference for Painting
Defining the Focal Point
Simulating Paper and Canvas
Mixing Media
Retouching, Tinting, and Painting
Composing from the Imagination
- Gallery
- Appendices
- Index

As an educator, Cher provides an informative classroom that you can enjoy in your own home and at your own convenience. It is a classroom where the student can revisit a lesson again and again, using the same techniques on different projects. In other words, the book's usefulness is only limited by the reader's creativity.

I found the layout and organization lessons to be the most helpful aspects of the book. Each chapter set the stage for the lesson by starting with an introduction to the project, followed by an artist statement about the painting. Also helpful are the four types of sidebars used throughout the book:

Palette identifies conceptual aspects of the projects and tips from the artist.
Hand with a stylus provides tablet tips.
Eye identifies Photoshop information and tips.
Paint bucket identifies Painter information and tips.

Several times as I worked on a project, I found myself wandering into the wrong application even though the artist materials boxes are color-coded to differentiate between Painter and Photoshop (lavender-purple for Photoshop and teal for Painter). The boxes even go so far as to give you an example of brush strokes needed to complete the exercise. Lastly, there are Learn More sidebars that will tell the reader where to find additional information about a topic.

The book is almost square, measuring 9"x9.5". It includes full color illustrations, paintings, and screen shots. The color is beautifully displayed on the clay-based paper stock. The inclusion of an Appendix and a detailed index make this a good reference tool. Its beautiful format and paper quality would also make it an excellent coffee table book.

Strengths:
Cher, an award-winning artist, has been creating illustrations on the Macintosh since 1987. She is known for her mastery in Photoshop, Painter, and her demonstrations of the Wacom tablet. In this book she has designed the lessons to push users' skills further, using the pressure sensitive tablet in conjunction with Photoshop and Painter IX. The book itself is unique in that it explores all three tools highlighting their technical features and their strengths in relation to fundamental art concepts such as composition, drawing techniques, etc.

During an interview with DT&G magazine ( graphic-design.com/DTG/interviews/cher/), Cher was asked what prompted her to put the book together. Here is her answer:

"I was inspired to write a book that would teach as a traditional art book would teach. The focus of The Artist Tablet Book is on the art concepts and the development of the art instead of just technical directions. I have enjoyed using digital art tools for nearly two decades, and I am amazed by how the tools have matured and become more sensitive and user-friendly."

When asked for words of encouragement for aspiring artists, she replied:

"Whether you are an experienced artist or are just beginning to dabble and are nervous about your artistic skills, the computer can help you reach new freedom and confidence. If you are an experienced artist, you can paint from life using the eye-to-hand coordination that you developed as an artist. If you don't feel confident drawing from scratch, this book offers exercises that will give you practice.

Remember that painting with a computer is more forgiving than most conventional media because you can draw or assemble a composition and save multiple versions as you work. You can try new approaches to your composition, undo without ruining your work, and open a previously saved version and begin again from that point. So much is possible with the computer.

Drawing using a good quality tablet and cordless stylus is completely free and natural whether you draw from life, from memory, or use a reference. The art tools and hardware have become so good in recent years that you can work with the new tools and become immersed in the creative process in much the same way that you can using traditional tools."

Weaknesses:
Cher has turned a potential weakness into a positive by designing this book to work with different versions of both Photoshop and Painter IX. The tools utilized have been available in older versions of the software. They will also be available in future releases of the applications. In essence this provides a timelessness to the projects presented in the book.

Although the book's format is great for a coffee table book, I would have liked a different binding to make it more versatile beside the computer. Workspace is always a premium in an artist's studio. It is hard to position an open book by my monitor. I found myself folding the binding over and securing it so I could work on the lessons.

Summary:
Anyone who wants to tap into your creative side and develop your own unique style — this book is for you. The author includes traditional drawing and painting theory exercises accompanied by real-life projects which use the applications and the tablet. In some cases this book is a bridge between two worlds allowing the digital artist to understand fine art and vice versa. Traditional artists will need to learn how to manipulate the "digital brush".

This is a book that you will want to open again and again because the pages and illustrations are so beautiful. I thoroughly enjoyed it and its challenges. I learned a lot about both applications and the Wacom tablet. I found new ways to use them in my artwork. But alas, I will probably only ever dabble (or play) in the digital world of art because there is something tactile about putting down a wash of pure color on a rough sheet of watercolor paper and watching the two intermingle.

Reviewer: Linda McNeil

Linda is a member of MLMUG, also a member of MACS@PACS, MACBUS, National League of American Pen Women, Tri State Young Adult Review Committee, and other organizations.

This site has many more reviews, all written by MLMUG members.
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