DIGITAL TOOLS: PAPER 53

Steemian @kassimbass32 asked what digital tools did I use to create my last post.

I thought it would be a good time to answer that question as a post and let you all come behind the curtains. This is the software I used to make 100 EOS logos, 100 or so patterns, and many images for poetry art.

On my phone I use Font Candy and Paper 53 a lot.

For this post I will focus on Paper 53.

Intro

Paper 53 is my favorite app for simple digital art creation. The learning curve is not steep and you will immediately forget you are even making art after a while.

Here are some of the simple yet powerful tools I spend the most time learning and playing with.

I have paid for many of these tools, but they have honored my puchases across several devices.

Stylus

All illustration tools, with the exception of the pen and pencil are pressure sensitive.

I use a stylus for increased accuracy and speed. The pressure sensitivity is easy to invoke with a stylus, but you can get some effects with your finger.

As far as styluses go, many times you can pick up free styluses. I recommend getting styluses with a hard tip, as the soft tips break down over time.

With Paper 53, I have had the best luck with Griffin styluses.

Watercolor Brush

A combination that is butter on Paper is the black Pen/Highlighter with Watercolor Brush. This combination is great for creating outlines that you want others to color in or with zentangles.

The watercolor brush is unique and can build up or fade as you continue to use it over the same spot.

The color wheel (circle on the bottom left) allows for accurate color fades.

The colors on the bottum right palette can be overwritten to whatever colors you create. Colors can also be sampled from images

Working with Images

You have the ability to bring in images on a separate layer and trace them or create patterns with them.

Edges/Lines

The edge tool straightens your lines for any time you need a clean grid or even geometry.

Plot Tool

The plot tool can make semicircles, spirals, or plot graphics.

Cut Tool

The cut tool removes specified areas of illustration and allows you to move them on the workspace.

Print

Printing on 8.5 x 11 inch paper looks like this:

If you want to go bigger, I recommend using Inscape's Bitmap Trace tool to convert the raster inage from Paper 53 to a vector image.

There are many features I left out, but download it and give it a spin. It is free to try with the basic tools.

Link: Paper by FiftyThree - Sketch, Diagram, Take Notes by FiftyThree, Inc.
https://appsto.re/us/KfqkE.i

I also use Font Candy, Gimp, Inkscape, Sketchup & Maxwell Render, and Hexagon for certain types of art. If you want a walk through of those pieces of software, let me know.