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I confess. While I wasn’t the girliest of little girls, I did love to collect horses. And My Little Pony fell close enough into the “Horse” category that I was all over them. I loved Gusty the most. She was sarcastic, boyish, a prankster, and not afraid to tell you like it was. I haven’t watched My Little Pony since the early 90s, but you’d have to be living under a rock to not know that these cute little Hasbro ponies are making a large comeback. They were first created in 1982, but they have lost none of their charm. A few friends of mine have started creating some of their own original MLP designs (you can see whole slew of custom MLPs on deviantart) and I’ve recently found myself doodling little Applejacks in the corners of my notebook. Oh how I love nostalgia.

The real reason for this post is to share with you a recent project called the Pony Creator, created by DeviantArtist GeneralZoi. I have her to thank for spending way too many hours on this thing, creating my own custom pony. GeneralZoi has given the user a multitude of options to customize every pony – including a bajillion hairstyles, colors, eye shapes, accessories, and even developed a way to allow the happy little My-Little-Pony-lover to post their pony in whatever position.

I’m serious. This thing is badass. And will take ALL of your productivity away within minutes. I’m warning you now. While she probably spent a lot of time making this awesome customzier, I have probably spent even more time making ponies. But I’m willing to sacrifice my Pony time in order to share with you this find. Because I’m nice like that. Now it’s your turn.

What does your My Litlte Pony look like?

Enjoy! Thank you GeneralZoi for making my life a little more My-Little-Pony-ish.

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As the results of last month’s poll clearly show, the majority of you either use or would like to learn more about using a tablet device for illustration and sketching. In reaction to that we will be tweaking some of the content over the next few weeks to explore the tech side of our industry a bit more with news and tutorials showcasing some of the latest illustration-related technology. In a bit of perfect timing, Wacom announced its newest device last week called the Inkling which essentially bypasses the need for scanning your sketches.

Here’s the official product description:

The Inkling digital sketch pen captures a digital likeness of your work while you sketch with its ballpoint tip on any sketchbook or standard piece of paper. Designed for rough concepting and creative brainstorming, Inkling is ideal for the front end of the creative process. Later, refine your work on your computer using an Intuos4 tablet or Cintiq interactive pen display.

In addition to capturing your sketch, stroke by stroke, Inkling allows you to create layers in digital files while you sketch on paper. Digital files are transferred to your computer using the Inkling Sketch Manager software, and later, exported to applications such as Adobe® Photoshop® and Illustrator®. Files can also be opened with the included Inkling Sketch Manager software to edit, delete, add layers or change file formats.

The two things that I find most remarkable about this new device are the abilities to create new layers while sketching and the fact that it digitizes your exact sketch as a vector graphic– that’s pretty cool! At an initial price point of $199 when it goes on sale later this month, the Inkling seems like more of a luxury item than a necessity, but it’ll be interesting to see if the new device warrants the expense once it’s released.

What do you think: necessity or luxury?

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Some of you may have noticed a subtle new feature on the sidebar this week, it’s a poll asking whether or not you currently use or are interested in using an iPad or tablet device as a sketchpad or even for finished illustrations. Though it’s mostly there for our curiosity, you’re responses will also help us better tailor the content of the site if enough of you are interested in this technology. As an illustrator myself, I have yet to explore the capabilities that are available to artists on mobile devices, but there are others who have.

Case in point, illustrator Kyle Lambert received a fair bit of buzz this time last year for his series of celebrity portraiture… all done using a iPad app called Brushes. He’s also done similar works of art on the iPhone, see Jennifer Aniston Speed Painting. It’s pretty impressive, not to mention fun to watch (see above) and really got me thinking of mobile devices as a viable tool for illustrators and artists who are always on the go.

My artwork combines traditional painting techniques with cutting edge technology to produce rich, realistic portraits and character based concepts and designs. The iPad expands the possibilities for artists like myself to take digital artwork creation away from the computer and out into the world.”

How about you– do you currently use an iPad or tablet device to sketch or draw? Cast your vote and let your voice be heard!

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Today we’re joined by Guest Contributor, David Bounder, who wanted to share a few words on what it means to be an illustrator and (for those seeking more information) how to pursue a higher education in the field with OnlineSchools.org. David grew up in a small town outside Austin, TX, where he learned about all things farming. Not finding his niche, he moved to Dallas where he studied the arts and illustration. Wanting to stay engaged in his passion for writing, he spends his time writing for some of the best websites for the arts online. When he has spare time, Bounder spends it with friends and family. He enjoys cooking, shopping and playing with his dog Alphie.

The Power of Illustration

There is an undeniable power in the art of illustration that can truly capture and inspire the viewer’s imagination. It is the illustrator who displays his or her vision to the world. It is he or she who can put their creativity and originality at full flight to be witnessed by others. Whether it is a simple drawing of a character, or perhaps an extremely detailed design of an entire world, it is ultimately the illustrator who brings their vision to life. It is a magnificent trade, truly an art that is mostly raw talent; however there is also a lot of skill and practice required to be a masterful illustrator.

Visualization is all around us

One thing many people might not realize is the significance of visualization. It is something that is everywhere, and is often overlooked. The best example of this is to step outside and look around you. First there is the nature that is all around us; from the sky, to the water, to the trees, and even its animals. Nature is full of real-life illustration that can serve as great inspiration for drawing artists. Another good example is the people within the natural world, living their daily lives; the way they look, the way the act, and the clothes they wear. Their appearance is an ultimate form of visualization, and people give off a different interpretation. Then there are the things around us, the man-made objects that fill our natural world. Objects such as cars, buildings, streets, billboards, light-posts, and on-and-on. Each thing has its own architecture, its own design, and its own different form of display. To look upon these things and to admire their difference is capturing the essence of visualization.

The Magic of a Visual

Along with visualization comes the power to create a mood. Everything in life that we see or interpret creates some form of immediate emotional disposition. It is an immediate personal reaction, people get when they visualize certain things. This sensation is often ignored and not realized; yet it is very real and also quite powerful. Whether it’s the cloudy sky, a well-dressed person, or perhaps a cuddly dog, each sight creates an immediate sense of feeling. To see the cloudy sky, may be depressing to some while inspiring to others. The same is for a well-dressed person, or a cuddly dog. The main point is that with visualization, comes not only a sensation of sight, yet also of mood.

Therefore to be an illustrator is be a creator of visualization. In a metaphoric way, illustrators are like magicians, where their pencil is their wand. They create their vision for the world to see and interpret. And by creating a vision to be seen, they can also create an idea to be understood and to be interpreted. Through a powerful illustration, they can manipulate minds, for better or for worse. It is a magical art, an incredible gift, yet also a realistic passion that people can practice.

How to Become an Illustrator

If one can realize their passion to create and inspire minds, then all that is needed is a bit of practice and understanding of the art. There are many methods in improving one’s skill set of illustration. And although art is in the eye of the beholder, there are still many principles to be learned. The many rules of illustration, such as the overall outline, base colors, shadow, highlights, and so many other techniques that can really bring an illustration to life. It is a practice that can be efficiently learned through illustration schools online, and many other forms of education. As important as a portfolio may be, employers especially enjoy the idea that their artist is also knowledgeable and also certified in his art. Therefore a certified degree from an online school, can truly promote an artist, and thus turn the world into his or her canvas.

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Although the growing popularity of mobile devices such as the iPad and smart phones have ushered in an age where digital comics are more commonplace, there’s still a lot of room left for innovation. That said, the crew at South Fellini, an independent publisher based in Philadelphia, have built their business digital distribution and with four titles under their belt it seems to be working. The boys behind Fellini were kind enough to reveal some details on their latest book: Carnivale de Robotique.

Visit South Fellini | Find Johnny on Twitter |  Find Tony on Twitter

Artwork courtesy of South Fellini © All rights reserved

You’ve tackled nuns with vampires (LaMorte Sisters), ultra-violent girl gangs with zombies (Black Cherry Bombshells), and now robots in a circus (Carnivale de Robotique). How do you manage to blend such genres together?

JZ: We like to marry a story and a high concept that support each other thematically. LaMorte Sisters is about high school frienemies. The Bombshells is really a gangster epic and Robotique is about love, life and growing up.

TT: They say “write what you know” and we just happen to be vampire hunting zombies with six years of tap training.

You’ve been a big adopter of digital comics, taking advantage of DC Comic’s Zuda imprint and now Comixlogy. Is this where you see the future of the comic industry?

TT: Absolutely. Comics are catching up with the Music Industry. That’s a good thing. The big distributors have entered the fray and are trying out new things. Independently; artists are connecting with a wider audience in a genuine retail sense. It’s competitive because technology has leveled the playing field. Of course print will always be around; it’s the difference between owning the Bluray and watching it On Demand.

JZ: Print is still important, especially for attracting young readers. We actually started a comic book donation drive in cooperation with Reading is Fundamental. Last year we collected 10,000 comic books and the literacy organization distributed them to classrooms across the country. This year’s Comic Book Donation Drive begins in December.

Artwork courtesy of South Fellini © All rights reserved

Your latest book, Carnivale de Robotique, is about a droid who runs away to join the circus. How did this concept for come about?

JZ: Everyone wants to run away and join the circus. I think its a powerful day dream, ya know? “If I could just show the world what I’m really made of!” And I guess the hope is that someone might love you for that.

Who are some of the main characters in the story and what are their roles?

JZ: Wendy is a nanny droid who runs away to be a ballerina in Lil’ Miss Mighty’s Carnivale De Robotique. There Wendy meets Baal, the artificial strong man, and Pagliacci the clown; who both fall madly in robot-love with her.

TT: Rounding out the Robotique cast is Remington Thunder (dare devil), The Gazpacho brothers (acrobatic kitchen appliances) and The Eli-Copters (flying, pink, robo-elephants).

Artwork courtesy of South Fellini © All rights reserved

There are a number of pop culture references inlaid within the story, such as Pagliacci who, at least to me, seems to invoke Max Headroom. What is it specifically about the pop culture that influenced you the most?

JZ: Every issue is full of new characters and hilarious parodies of things like Stretch Armstrong, The Care Bears, Ronald Regan, Mr. T, Simon Says, Bay Watch, ET and the Electric Slide. We tried to use the pop culture references as metaphor for the real life institutions we were talking about.

TT: In the second issue the Robotique must compete against a rival circus or fold-up their tents forever. The Festival Maximus is really all hype and no substance. They lure people in with loud ads and cheap prizes. So all of the characters are based on toys from the 80’s… the kind that were gimmicks before they went on to become beloved cartoons and warp a generation.

Who’s the artist on the book and how did your collaboration come about?

TT: Mark Fionda jr. does the pencils, inks and water colors for the whole book. He’s an amazing, rockstar talent from the Philadelphia University of the Arts. Everything he draws is hilarious.

JZ: Mark was a student of Christine Larsen, the illustrator on LaMorte Sisters, and she introduced us. His style is so fun and natural that you just get swept up in this fairy tale. He has some work for sale at the 1988 Gallery in LA right now. Go check it out.

Artwork courtesy of South Fellini © All rights reserved

The book was originally intended to be a one-shot for Indy Skip Week in 2009. How did you build upon that story for this 4-issue mini series?

JZ: When we put together the first issue for Indy Skip Week it was a self-contained 22 page story. Carnivale De Robotique was about setting your own course and finding happiness as a result. We managed to sell enough copies and people liked it so much that Comixology suggested a mini series.

TT: We knew we wanted to talk about other grown-up things like business, politics and religion without getting all preachy. We started to research caricatures and parables; looking for the best way to present our ideas. You aren’t going to find the meaning of life in a comic book but there should be some interesting stuff to chew on with your brain teeth.

What’s in the pipeline next for the South Fellini crew?

TT: Carnivale De Robotique #4 drops in November. Moon Girl #3 in December and we’re debuting Dogs of Mars with Paul Maybury right after the new year.

JZ: We’re also releasing tee shirts in support of Moon Girl and Carnivale De Robotique just in time for Christmas. The STORE goes live at the end of the month.

Interested in seeing more Carnivale de Robotique? The entire issue is now available online for FREE! You can check it out online at www.carnivalederobotique.com.

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For those of you who know me, you know that I am a huge animal lover and I’m very passionate about the many animals that are in my life. Combine that with my love of art and you’ve got the perfect mix for today’s article: a showcase of three incredibly talented pet artists. These three woman create beautiful pieces of artwork in very different styles that bring to life beloved dogs and cats a like (and horses and goldfish and what have you). They all have a passion for animals as well and it can plainly be seen in the love and detail they put into every single painting. Enjoy!

Chelsea Conlin

Find Chelsea at:

• http://paper-nautilus.com
• http://twitter.com/cacodaemonia

Rachael Rossman

Find Rachael at:

• http://rachaelrossman.com
• http://twitter.com/rachaelrossman

Kristin Bowen

Find Kristin at:

• http://doghousepetportraits.com
• http://www.twitter.com/doghousepetart

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Part One: 12 Simple Steps to Maximize Social Networking

• Are you afraid of social networking?
• Do you see it as a relentless time-suck with no quantifiable payoff?

Your fears are shared by many, and they are justified. Even in our increasingly online world, some creative professionals are still wary of using social networking as part of their self-promotion efforts. Some artists dismiss the idea as a superficial or detached way of trying to make connections and secure future work, while others just see it as the latest passing fad. However, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to justify these perspectives as more and more Art Directors, Agents, Illustrators, and Designers are finding success at building relationships and creating fame through the use of social networking.

12 Simple Steps

Contrary to what some may think, making proper use of the more common social networking sites can boost your profile and spread the word about how great you are, while making potentially lasting relationships with others in your field. Here are some tips that might help you to network online to the best effect:

• Pick a few that work. While it can be valuable to have a profile on as many sites as possible, it’s more practical and effective to devote your time and energy to the ones that are working for you.
• Be genuine. You may have noticed that I’ve used the word “relationships” a couple of times already. While this might seem like an odd way to describe the often impersonal interactions that take place over the internet, real connections do happen. Start genuine relationships with people rather than spam everyone you meet.
• Be generous. Share your knowledge and help those less experienced than yourself. This will help to make the types of connections mentioned above while presenting yourself as an expert in your field. People are searching online to have their needs met, and they will remember those who help them along the way.
• Broaden your scope. You may find yourself interacting with your artistic peers, and that’s great. However, it’s important to avoid the mistake of only networking with your fellow creators. This can lead to some great relationships, but it can also be limiting when it comes to attempting to promote your Illustration or Design business. Try to seek out and connect with Art Directors and others who hire people like you.
• Stay active. Submit regular updates to the few sites that you are most active on. It’s a good idea to stay on everyone’s radar and remind them that you’re an active, working artist, rather than a lifeless robot who posted a profile years ago never to return. No one is going to remember a name on a screen, but they will remember someone who is doing things that pique their interest, or even inspire them, on a regular basis.
• Be professional. It can be easy to overstep the line and start talking about your family, your favorite pet, and what you ate for breakfast. Unless you are providing something of value to people, they will quickly tune you out. Set clear boundaries for yourself to keep too much of your personal life from creeping in.
• Be personal. Balance the last tip with a healthy dose of humanity to remind people that you’re a real person. While it’s not a good idea to divulge to much personal information, real-life stories can be inspiring and helpful to others, as well as a deeper look into who you really are.
• Present a consistent brand. Try to make every aspect of your online presence visually cohesive through the use of logos, images, and color schemes whenever possible. That way, when someone stumbles upon your profile at any given social networking site, you will not only be planting yourself deeper in their memory banks, but you will also be showing yourself to be a professional business.
• Link to your website. Strangely enough, this step is often overlooked., but it’s one of the most important things you can do to draw someone into your world and present your brand and services. Your portfolio website is where you have the most control over your message and your efforts to convince your visitors to contact or hire you.
• Manage Your Time. One of the biggest dangers of social networking is losing yourself in an endless stream of friend requests and useless distractions. This is one of the things that gives social networking a bad name. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be that way. Set aside a few hours a week for this part of your business, and try not to overdo it at the expense of your valuable time. Some artists choose one day each week for social networking.
• Combine with offline efforts. Online networking is great, but don’t lose sight of the value of face-to-face connections and print promotions. Pay attention to any announcements of local networking events, and try to connect with other like-minded creators who live in your area.
• Don’t force it. Even with all these tips, social networking isn’t for everybody. You may find that certain sites are just not a good fit for your brand, your aesthetic sensibilities, or your personality. As with any part of your business, ditch anything that simply isn’t working for you and keep up with what is showing positive results.

Everything’s Going to Be Okay.

Social networking is not going to kill you, or your business. In fact, it can be quite the contrary. Social networking is changing the way the world does business, but it doesn’t mean that you have to abandon everything you’ve learned before. Rather, it’s just another set of tools to choose from in your daily promotional efforts. It can be extremely valuable to try and approach social networking as an opportunity to open some doors and see what lies on the other side.

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(be sure to check out Jonathon’s previous post, Business 101: If You Believe It, It Will Become)

Ok, lets see if I can make two points at the same time.

When I first graduated and was ready to take the illustration world by storm a well-respected art director at The Times gave me the advice, “when it comes to clients, start at the top and work your way back.”

It’s great advice, especially to those people who are saying to themselves ‘oh I’ll just send stuff to my local weekly newspapers… “Smaller publications”… because it will be easier to get work from them…’. (here comes the first point) If you are beginning an illustration career you should not see ‘small’ clients as the only places you are worthy to work for just because you are new to the business; In general terms getting work is not about time spent as a professional, it is about the quality of your product. Plain and simple.

Now the other side of the coin.

The pervious advice should be bullet point number one on any new illustrator’s business plan, but it doesn’t mean a person should discard the so-called small stuff either. What I propose is to see the landscape of illustration clients on a level plain, treat the Philadelphia City Paper with equal respect and importance as Rolling Stone Magazine; my reasoning:

It is true that we as business owners want to do work for places that provide the most joy and fulfillment, but let’s be honest, we also want to make as much money as possible. Arguably the bigger clients will pay more money per illustration, especially when compared to a small B/W spot from a weekly paper. This is a logical approach, but don’t lose sight of the bigger picture. A magazine such as Rolling Stone can offer a nice payday for an illustration, but as a monthly magazine you can assume they are not going to call you more than 1-3 times a year (*average estimate). While these jobs are exactly what we all want, don’t brush off the importance of the smaller stuff.

Consider this: A weekly occurs 4 times more a month than a monthly, based on numbers alone, your likelihood of having steady work or at least more frequent offers from weeklies is much higher. Sure $100 sounds small compared to a nice $2000 pay day, but remember if you cultivate a good relationship with the weekly client and you get one spot a month you’re looking at an extra $1200 for the year. Now imagine you land 2 of these clients…$2400…you get the picture. Believe me, at the end of the day it makes a difference.

With the variety of pay scale that we as illustrators deal with, the smartest business decision is to look past the pyramid of clients and take it all on a level playing field. Each client you work for, whether big or small, will present its own set of benefits to your career and business. The idea is to keep your head up and always consider the long term. Don’t underestimate the power of the ‘smaller jobs’, but don’t think that’s all you are good for either.

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Like most things in life, making a living as an illustrator takes time. Sure for some it comes quicker, but for others it takes years and years of hard work and focus until they can fully say ‘I am making a full time living as an illustrator’. Daunting isn’t it? Ok, but it doesn’t have to be.

The concept of time is a hard one to become comfortable with and accepting it is a major obstacle that young illustrators have to face. It’s the first hurdle and if it cannot be cleared you will never move on in the race. To clarify, when I say ‘get comfortable with it’ that by no means implies you should put the drive in cruise control under the assumption that a full time career will take a ‘forever’ to reach. Still try hard, bust your ass, be frantic (but professional!), be anxious; just respect the effort it will take.

To get over this hurdle and others like it we as business owners (regardless of success) need to be able to play mental games with ourselves. The point here being the more you say something the more it begins to feel real. From day one treat illustration like a job. Sure it’s an amazing job that is a whole lot of fun, but it’s still a JOB and you are still running a business. Tell yourself that. Tell yourself constantly. Get up 5 days a week (although I would suggest more), start working at the same time each day, take 1 hour lunch breaks, hell, buy a punch clock if you have to ( I know people who do that), but most importantly tell others. When people ask what you do tell them. I don’t care if you have a part time job at Pet Co. or the local bar, tell them: “I have two jobs, I am a freelance illustrator and work a few days at Pet Co.”. These things sound awkward and trivial, but I promise it will make a huge impact on your attitude. Soon enough, after saying it out loud enough times it beings to settle in your brain that you are actually working as an illustrator regardless of making any money or not. As soon as you start believing that you are truly a working illustrator, the sooner the goal of being a financially sustained working illustrator will feel achievable.

On paper, working as an artist, getting paid to make pictures, sounds too good to be true. As a result many people don’t understand how it is possible. Overcoming that isn’t going to directly put cash in your account, but it is one piece of the puzzle to put you down the path that will.

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The talented and all around nice fellow, Ryan Snook, has invited us to spend Wednesday with him. Check out his studio, his music, his routine, his stuff, and even photos of his wife’s HOT coffee…

Typical Wednesday with Ryan Snook

Wednesday starts the same as every other weekday, I get coffee ready for me and my wife, Beth.

Then once Beth leaves for carpool and the 30 – 45 min commute and I take my coffee and commute to work…

And here is where I will sit for the next couple of hours. Above my desk I have the ICON 5 poster by Edel Rodriguez, a comic page I did for our wedding that worked as a program and a great little painting by Travis Lampe that Beth gave my for Xmas last year.

Next to my desk I have this Gary Panter print that was also a gift from Beth.

And here is the bookshelf where everything is stored. This thing creaks anytime I take something off it and I suspect it will topple over any day now. The top shelf hold a lot of my published work and at the bottom is a framed print of superman I did.

Now it’s time to work, so on this day I had some Kid Cudi playing.

Below are some pics from the work I was doing on a full page illustration for Bicycling Magazine.

LUNCH BREAK!

Wednesdays are the best for lunch breaks because generally every week I meet up with friend and fellow illustrator Alex Perkins for a trip to the comic shop and some pizza. We usually go to The Beguiling first…

I picked up a few comics.

Now it’s time for pizza.

YUM!

Before I go home I check out what Alex has been working on, lately he’s been putting together a wicked Dr. Doom mask!

Back to work, finishing up the full page for Bicycling Magazine. The final version ended up changing but this is pretty close what will end up in print.

And finally I finish the day with starting sketches for Boston Globe. Beth arrives home and that’s just another typical Wednesday for me.

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Budapest based illustrator Lehel Kovács’ concept of sketching from Google Maps is so clear and simple that is it easy to overlook the brilliance of the idea. He has started a series of alphabet drawings of cities using Google Maps’ Street View as his guide and reference. Beginning in Italy, he has ‘traveled’ to the United States and the United Kingdom, selecting locations by name, then using the Street View interface to compose his scenes. The drawings themselves are detailed, while maining a lightness, confidence, and energy that imbue them with life, capped off with hand lettering and patches of color befitting each location. FYillo can’t wait to see where Lehel visits next.

• Lehel Kovács: illustration / google street view sketches (flickr)
• Google Maps: about street view

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Today we meet studio cat Gretel, who spends her time with the super talented Jillian Tamaki. Gretel art directs from her perch alongside Jillian’s computer and even occasionally assists with the scanning. She’s at her best modeling and handling the business side of things.

Likes:

Laps, Sunbeams, Tunafish, Animated String, Talking, Window Ledges, Tortilla Chips.

Dislikes:

Spraybottles, Breaking Dishes, Unattentiveness.

Nicknames:

G-Unit, Pooh, Poony, Boo, Boody, Babies, Noonie, Noon, LLCoolG.

• Jillian Tamaki: illustrations / sketchblog

Let us know if you have a studio pet/boss you would like featured by emailing us using the form on the top bar.

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If someone gave me the opportunity to grab one drawing implement and one drawing implement only, without a doubt, I would reach for my Pilot Precise v7. Yes it’s an office pen, but it’s my office pen. Of course, I said one implement, and drew two. The v5 and the v7 look exactly the same, the v5 is a bit thinner (v2 thinner, I guess) and gets used for fine detailing, but it can be left behind.

What drawing implement do you prefer?

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When it comes to professional illustration software (and by this, we are talking about drawing software), the computer world seems pretty set. Adobe’s Photoshop and Illustrator lead the way, with some people still swearing by Corel Draw and Painter. So, for the most part, software companies don’t seem to be trying to wow the drawing world…

And then along came Rhonda!

Rhonda is a stripped down 3D drawing tool!? Grab your mouse or Wacom tablet, draw, rotate, draw, zoom, draw, swivel 360º, draw. the interface is simple (truly barebones, you can undo, but not erase). to get a feel for what can be done with this software, check out Rhonda’s website and the video of James Paterson drawing away. We assume there are current 3D offerings that can do what Rhonda does, but the intuitive nature and simplicity of this software is what truly impresses. You don’t need to know anything about 3D software (this editor, for one) to use this app, just sit down and start drawing.

You can sign up on their website to join the beta testing program, which includes free software download, more tutorials, and forum access.

• Rhonda / @rhondaforever
• Presstube (James Paterson)

If you’ve tried out Rhonda, we’d love to see your drawings, post them to the Fuel Your Illustration flickr group.

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Below are the steps for figuring out the width and rotation of an even, radially repeating design.
Note: this can be done cheaply and might look right to do it by “eye” but I wanted to figure it out because I’m a perfectionist.

Step 1:

Draw a perfect circle. Choose a whole number for it’s diameter, e.g. 27 pt. Calculate the circumference of the circle. The circumference is the diameter times pi (d * PI). Note this number. (e.g. 27 * PI = 84.823)

Step 2:

Draw the shape that you want to tile radially, for example, the shape shown below:

Place this shape so that the part that you want to connect is even with the circle from step one, like this:

The red dotted line segment shows the length that we are concerned with for this step. Take the circumference of the circle from step 1, and divide it be an integer. This integer could be any whole number, and it is equal to the number of times you want to tile the shape.  For instance, in this example we’ll use 34 as our integer, so 84.823 / 34 = 2.495, so we want to make the length indicated by the red dotted line segment to equal 2.495.

Step 3:

Now we need to find the rotation for each repetition.  Basically, this is just 360º divided by the integer from the last step.  So in our example, we’ll use 360º / 34 = 10.588º.

Step 4:

Copy the shape from step 2, rotate it 180º, and place them so that the red-dotted line segment lines up with opposite sides of the circle and justify everything center.  Select both of them and copy paste and rotate the number from step 3 (10.588º), then copy, paste in place, repeat (cmmd-C, cmmd-F, cmmd-D) for half of the number of times in step 2. (e.g. 34 / 2 = 17)

Have fun!