Art on Touch Screens

Visual artists today work in the digital realm as much as they do the traditional realm of paint, pencils and chalk. Artists have had to quickly adapt to new technologies over the years to meet changing needs, but using the digital canvas hasn't always been smooth. For one, the available technologies haven’t typically been flexible or intuitive.

"Snowboarder" on HP TouchSmart (NextWindow 1900 Series) in Adobe Photoshop

A common method for creating digital art has incorporated pen-based tablet devices, connected to a PC. This approach required artists to look down at the tablet while they drew and look up at the image that was developing on the larger screen. Although artist’s adapted to this tech-heavy approach, it did not come close to the sensory experience of sketching on paper with pencil or using acrylics and watercolors to create a vast array of effects on canvas.

Now, there are sophisticated touch screen PCs and applications that are helping artists bridge the "digital divide" between traditional art-making and computer-based art. A group of visual artists visited the NextWindow offices in 2010 for the opportunity to play with a touch PC and see how it affected the creative process.

The artists were able to choose from several different machines: all-in-one PCs from Dell and HP with 18 to 24 inch screens, or large-format displays up to 50 inches. All utilized NextWindow touch screens. They had free rein to create anything they desired, and could select from several art applications including Photoshop®, ArtRage®, and Corel Draw®.

"Fantasy Flight" on NextWindow 2700 in Photoshop

Also notable is the ability of the technology to adjust to an individual artist’s style and work. If you’re an illustrator or cartoonist, you're probably sitting at a desk while you draw, which makes an 18-22-inch desktop touch PC a perfect fit. But if you're a painter, you may work standing up in front of a large canvas. Touch screens can fit onto displays up to 120 inches, to accommodate this other side of the spectrum.

For visual artists to succeed in the digital realm, the technology needs to almost disappear while simultaneously provide the many advantages not available on paper. Touch screen computing will be one of many new technologies which will enable this transparent creative experience to occur.

Take a minute to watch the digital artist videos on this page, they're short, yet inspirational. They show how touch screens are offering radically new possibilities in terms of how people interact with PCs and create original content. Watch how the touch screen was not only a natural interface for the artists, but how it opened up new avenues of digital expression.

 

Steven Lopez: Digital artist
“It’s always challenging to a learn a new tool but by using an actual brush, it felt more natural and realistic than ever before, which was really crazy for me because I'm a painter first and I'm always trying to keep my style without it being deconstructed on the PC.”

"Singer" on NextWindow 2700 in Adobe Photoshop

In the old days, paint applications enabled artists to designate the width of the stroke and the color, but not much else. These artists, however, were able to simulate the physical process of painting when using a touch PC. In the space of a couple of hours, finely-wrought images appeared on the screens.

Imagine watching this work unfolding as an artist paints a woman's face on the touch PC: they select the acrylic paint tool in the application to "squeeze" the color out of a tube onto canvas, then dip their brush into the mound of virtual paint as they bleed across another color. They then sprinkle glitter on the wet paint and carve out textures with a virtual knife controlled by a real knife. Not the desired effect? No problem. Undo the last few strokes, change the shape of your sprinkles and even adjust the wetness of the acrylic paint while using a real paint brush on screen.

Touch computing is just one way in which new technologies are enhancing, versus hindering the creative process. Compared with older technologies, a touch screen (along with advanced digital art applications) brings the physical world back into the creative process for digital artists. The fact that artists can actually smudge the paint on the screen means that the technology is no longer a significant barrier to the creative process.

Android Jones: Digital artist
“The stroke-making reminded me of painting, of the leisurely standing back and feeling the stroke,” said Android Jones, one of the artists. He said that he enjoyed “being able to play with the texture and surface tension of the material on the screen.”

"Burgundaise" on NextWindow 2700 in CorelDRAW

"Poolside" on HP TouchSmart (NextWindow 1900 Series) in Adobe Photoshop