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Wacom Intuos 4
By Colin Smith -

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Autodesk SketchBook Pro 2010

By Bruce Bicknell

Autodesk has come out with their latest version of SketchBook Pro (2010) and it does not disappoint at all! Packed with new features and continuing to be the sketching program of choice by many artists Autodesk has put to bed the worries (and yes, I was one of those who worried) that Sketchbook would suffer since the acquisition of Alias a few years back. 

For those of you who are not familiar, SketchBook is basically a digital sketchpad designed for use with pen tablets and tablet pcs. With an easy to use interface you can access great features including pencils, brushes, markers, layers and pan/zoom tools. The pencil tool is by far the closest thing that I have found in any program that gives me a realistic representation of traditional lead pencils and this gives a comfortable feel while sketching. Another great feature is the ability to create layers which allows me to export the image to Photoshop for finishing as it will save in most formats (it uses layered TIF images but it will also open/save BMP, GIF, JPG, PNG files and PSD files). This is a key feature that gives maximum versatility with my designs. The ways that you can use it are endless and I often use it for conceptualizing character and layout design as well as storyboarding and overall sketching.

The new Symmetry, Elliptical Template and brush creation tools are probably the most notable upgrades in SketchBook Pro 2010. The new Symmetry Tool is my favorite as it allows you draw on one side of the X or Y axis (you decide which axis) and the program draws the exact opposite on the other side. This is great if you are trying to draw a figure, car or anything quickly that has similar or same sides.

So what are the new features of SketchBook Pro 2010

• Symmetry Sketching
• Custom Lagoon Preferences
• Custom Marking Menus
• DIY Brushes
• Textured Brushes
• Blur/Sharpen
• Straight Edged Ruler
• Elliptical Template
• Rotate Canvas
• Blur and Sharpen
• Brush Manager
• Custom marking menus

Personal View

Pros:
The most realistic drawing tools on the market.
Intuitive interface.
New Symmetry Tool Rocks!
New Brush Tools and Elliptical Template.
Price point
Cons:
None!

Buying Advice

This is one of my favorite tools in my arsenal and nothing out there can match SketchBook Pro 2010 for sketching and rapid drawing. With the new features (not to mention the low price point) that have been added it makes this a more invaluable tool that I would highly recommend to anyone looking to improve their workflow.

RATING: 5/5 This is a great program and worthy of an Editors pick!

Price:
Sketchbook Pro 2010 Full Version Mac/PC - $100

System Requirements For Autodesk Sketchbook Pro 2010 Macintosh

• Apple® Mac OS® X 10.4 or 10.5
• Apple® Power Mac® G4, G5, or Intel®-based processor*
• 256 MB of RAM
• Graphics card capable of 1,024 x 768 display

*Autodesk® SketchBook® Pro software for OS X is delivered as a universal binary supporting both PPC and Intel-based Apple® Macintosh® systems.
For Autodesk SketchBook Pro 2010 Windows

• Microsoft® Windows® XP or Microsoft® Windows Vista®
• 800 MHz processor
• 256 MB of RAM
• Graphics card capable of 1,024 x 768 display

SBP in Use by Ali Sabet- Sabet Brands, Founder/CEO

Video demonstrating my use of SKB - This is truly the process of me creating a character.

There has never been a software that has allowed me to leave my physical sketchbook at home. I've 200 sketchbooks that are filled with ideas, doodles and finished identity concepts. I truly love sketchbooks. Then comes Sketchbook Pro by Autodesk and I'm floored. No longer do I need to carry around heavy sketchbooks to jot down my ideas and concepts for my identity work or character design.

My physical sketchbooks have served multiple purposes over the years. For one thing, they serve as a way to warm up my conceptual brain. I tend to doodle and write little tidbits with out any purpose for an hour or two a day, now that's all done in SBP. I used to sketch all my logo ideas on paper, now I draw them up in SBP and drop them into illustrator. This also allows me to leave the bulky digital camera home.

I'm always looking for ways that make the human/computer interaction as natural as possible, Sketchbook Pro has made that happen on so many levels. I replaced the mouse with a WACOM tablet over 10 years ago, but not until just recently have I enjoyed the full capacity of the tablet.

I still carry around a little sketchbook around out of habit and the fact that my computer isn't with me all the time, but when the computer is on, so is SBP. The layout and functionality of the program is intuitive and a joy to use. The revolutionary tool sets are pure bliss while working and allow maximum work space. I truly enjoy SBP and would shed a tear or two if it were to tragically disappear of my system.

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RATING SYSTEM
1 cup  - bad
2 cups - not bad
3 cups - good
4 cups - excellent
5 cups - a must have

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