For a long time I’ve run into a little problem creatively using my computer and wacom tablet. If I want to sit down and treat it like a sketchbook and just open a program and start doodling around, I can do that, but at some point I have to save what I’ve done, and then my brain has to shift gears and start thinking things like, “Ok, is this for a specific project I’m working on?” “Should I create a new folder for this or is there a place on my hard drive that would work somehow?” etc and so forth. A lot of times I hit this wall and just give up the whole thing and close it without saving at all and maybe pick up a pencil and paper instead. Nothing wrong with that of course, but it adds an additional step of scanning if I choose to take it to the “next level.” Also, if the paper sketch is something I want to keep or reference later I have to figure out where to store it yadda yadda…
Sketching Isn’t (Always) Intentional
I wish there was an app that approached sketching more like a program like Yojimbo – where you can just start drawing and messing around and even if your drawing is unnamed its autosaved and added to the list of drawings within the app. My way there’d be no deciding on a name right away and no need to organize it in an appropriate folder. You could let your ideas flow without worrying about all that stuff, and then when you’re ready you can name, categorize and organize it within the app.
Your list of sketches could be displayed as nice big thumbnails in one section of the app, and the other would be of course the canvas and drawing tools. In the thumbnail section there would need to be a way of organizing them all- by tag, date, and maybe even by what project they are related to with a shortcut to that folder on the hard drive or something.
Thats it really. I think sketching specifically (and not full-on image-editing/creating ala Photoshop) would benefit from this kind of an app because its vital to lose yourself in the drawing and painting and not worry about what its for or where it fits right away- and sometimes not at all.
Anybody have a good system for non-premeditated digital creativity – or an app that you love with your heart that does this kind of thing already?