From books and pens to a handy workstation, we round-up the best new tools for illustrators this month.
October came and went; and we spent a good deal of that time reviewing more tools for artists and illustrators. So whether you're working from home or in a busy creative studio, here are some useful tools to help fuel your creativity and get your work noticed.
An older book, but certainly worth the read, is this gem written by Austin Kleon. Here you'll discover how to get yourself out there, and how to get your work noticed. Kleon's 10-step approach provides a blueprint for self-promotion and self-discovery, and it shows how success is using the network versus 'networking'.
Who doesn't like a good sketchbook, right? The Masterclass Premium 9-inch is perfect for sketching your next idea. The acid-free paper is perforated, so if you're looking to pull out and save some of your favourite ones — or pass them out to people you know — it's absolutely possible. If you do a lot of sketching while you're away from your desk, you'll come to appreciate its hardcover, which acts as its own mini-desk.
This set, which is endorsed by colouring book artist Johanna Basford, consists of 36 colours ranging from black to neon pink. Each pen has a super fine 0.3 mm porous point and contains acid-free, non-permanent, "dry safe" ink. If you're like me, and forget to cap the top, your ink should be good for a few days.
While I do not personally own one of these, the reviews speak volumes as to its overall quality and usefulness. Prior to my move to primarily digital work, one of the things that bothered me about drafting tables was their lack of a place to keep supplies when the table was set at an angle. The OneSpace 50-CS01 Craft Station addresses this problem by utilizing built-in compartments to hold your tools. Hands-down, it's the most useful feature I've seen.
Really? An assorted pack of retractable ballpoint pens? Yes, really. Today, we have access to some of the most high-end tools around, but there are times when it's nice to just return back to the basics. Recently, I spoke at Úll, which is held in Killarney, Ireland. You can read about my experience in Ireland, and see my random sketches here.
During the conference, I spent a lot of time sketching, using the hotel's free pens and pads. I must tell you, doing this unleashed a fury of creativity which has recharged my desire to create. So, yes... ballpoint pens. Give them a try, especially if you're feeling a bit disconnected from your creative source.
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And this concludes another round-up of new illustration tools. So what are you waiting for? Go out there and give these a try!
By the way, if you'd like to share an illustration tool you've been using, let us know in the comments. We're always looking for something new.
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Tammy is an independent creative professional, author of Apple Game Frameworks and Technologies, and the maker behind the AdventureGameKit – a custom SpriteKit framework for building point and click adventure games. As an innovative problem solver and industry leader, Tammy enjoys working on projects from content creation – including books, tutorials, videos, and podcasts – to the design and development of cross-platform applications and games. For Creative Bloq, she has written about an array of subjects, including animation, web design and character design.
