I is for Ipads for Artists

'Red Rocks are Calling' 8x10 pastel ©Karen Margulis SOLD

I did it. I got the new Ipad. Of course I justified it by thinking up a list of ways the ipad can help me with art. Today I put it to the test by using the ipad and it's beautiful display screen to show my reference photo as I painted. I was very happy with how well it worked. The photo was bright and clear and the image was full of light....so much nicer than a photo printed on paper. I placed the ipad on a stand in front of my easel so it was if I was painting plein air and looking at the scene in front of me.

My reference photo shown on my new ipad

There are many ways to get reference photos on the ipad. You can save images you find online from copyright-free sources such as the Wet Canvas Image Library. You can add your own photos to the photo app. And if you have an ipad 2 or the newest ipad you can take a photo with the built in camera. A friend who just returned from a plein air pastel workshop told me that on a rainy afternoon everyone worked inside painting from their ipads. Many had snapped photos on their ipads before the rain started.

My Southwest Plein air Pastel Box

Today's painting is a scene from the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. In two weeks I will be heading to Las Vegas for the 1st Annual Plein Air Convention. Here is a excerpt from their website:
"The Plein Air Convention & Expo in the Red Rock's of Nevada promises to be a historical part of today's plein air movement as hundreds of painters gather to learn, paint, visit with friends, fine tune their skills, and mingle with the top painters in the world."
Even though this is a plein air convention I wanted to travel light and I have pared down my supplies. Instead of bringing my Heilman box of pastels I put together my own set. It consists of my favorite Terry Ludwig Arid Landscape set along with some other colors that I think I might use such as more blues and oranges. I did today's painting with just this set and it seemed right. I will do a few more desert scenes before I go and tweak the set if necessary.

Using the ipad as a reference photo viewer is just one way an artist can benefit from an ipad. I am compiling a list for a future post so if you have an ipad use for artists you'd like to share just comment below!