OMGPop / Zynga’s Draw Something


Posted on April 7th, 2012 by Merlin.
Categories: Communication, Drawing, Gadgets, Game, iPad, iPhone, Pen, Sketching.

OK, I am addicted to this game. I really is quite a fun game to play. What this game is Pictionary on Steroids. When you purchase the game you get a basic set of colors and a blank canvas. Find yourself some friends to play by Username or by friends that are playing on Facebook.  But here is a little history about OMGPop and their deal with Zynga. NYTimes did a great article on this.

I am not the best artist – and I find it sometimes frustrating not having the full set of color available right off the bat. But that is the fun of the game – you earn your color / stripes by purchasing them with the coins you earn for drawing and guessing correctly.  Currently I have 2 additional sets of color. I am close to earning my next set of colors. Just have to figure out what colors I want to purchase.

Here you can see some of the drawing people have done with Draw Something.

Draw Something - Snookie

If you really like this game I highly recommend one of the following drawing stylus.

I prefer these two:

Below are my two favorite pens for working on the iPad / iPhone

This pen is one of the firtst ones that I purchased for my iPad & iPhone. I have had this pen since 11/2010 and still working and is easy to use and handle. This is the Alupen from Just-Mobile.

The AluPen is a nice weight and feel and I love the rubber tip. It is thinner then your finger but for detail work it is a little hard to see. that is why I love the next pen. But to be honest I switch between the two quite often. Just depend on how I feel or what is close at hand at the moment.

The AluPen on the iPad screen is smooth on the screen. Very nice to work with. It really doesn’t need much of a touch for it to register. This is one of the nicest rubber tipped pens I own. I have tried a few of the cheaper ones first and they just didn’t work. I have the Pogo Stylus and it just doesnt’  draw as nice as this one does. The Mushy tip of the pogo is just too soft for me.

This rubber tip is perfect for one of my go to stylus.

The next one I show you on the right  is the Adonit Jot Pro Stylus. I backed this on KickStart and I really am glad I did this really is a nice and a very different type of stylus.

This Uses a clear disk on the tip to do its drawing. I feel this gives a more precise feel and it also glides across the screen. I also love the fact that it has a magnic in it to attach to the side of the iPad. This works really well. I have not had it fall off once..

The Adonit pen come in multiple colors and designs. Their newest also includes a pen to write on paper if you still do that. So you can doodle on paper or on your screen. Just don’t mix up the two sides. LOL

Well, Hope to see you playing Draw Something by OMG Pop / Zynga. Let me know your screen name in the comments and I will try playing a game with you.

Happy Drawing.

Merlin


0 comments.

«

Guide to Writing in Elvish – Free Online Tutorial


Posted on January 29th, 2007 by Merlin.
Categories: Anything Else, Art, Communication, Drawing, Freeware, Hack, Journaling, Movies, Sketching, Tutorial, Weird Stuff.

How to Write Merlins Tower in ElvishHad a long hard week and for some fun I learned a new language – well only learned how to write in Elvish. Ever see those fancy scrolls in Lord of the Rings or any of the other movies / books / games that have Elvish Language written on them? Well This web page has a quick and easy guide on how to convert any english writing in very artistic and fancy elvish writing. Well To the left is my first time trying to write Merlins Tower in Elvish. It really is pretty easy to follow along and accomplish. I can see doing this with a nice broad nibbed fountain pen or a wide italic cut nib. I didn't have any of my wide nibs with me so I had to make due with what I had at hand. This was accomplished with my art book using a find sharpie marker to get the nice broad strokes. (I filled in the lines I drew) I really want to try this out with some of my calligraphy pens when I have a free moment. This guide can be printed out for ease of use. This would be pretty good for making your own scrolls and Mystical Books. Or if you just want to hide what you are writing.

Well thats all for today – Enjoy – Stay Warm and enjoy some nice tobacco in your pipe – You know I am. 8 :-?  <– Merlin Smoking a Pipe  

Technorati Tags: calligraphy, handwriting, fountain, pen, fountain+pen, ink, art, elvish, lord, of, the, rings, scroll, writing


5 comments.

» «

Just Found – Tornado Elite Pencil


Posted on January 7th, 2007 by Merlin.
Categories: Art, Gadgets, Journaling, Leather, Miquelrius, Office, Photography, Sketching.

I totally forgot that I even owned this pencil The Retro 51 Tornado Elite Pencil – I was received this Mechanical Pencil over 2 Years Ago and I thought I has lost this forever when one day it just dissapeared.

 

Retro 51 Tornado Elite Pencil

 

But so I happened to be digging in one of my Photography bags and low and behold this was stuck at the bottom just waiting to be found again. I really like this Mechanical Pencil as it was so classy looking but has an aire about itself.

The one I received was the Stainless Steel Version with a beautiful matte finish to it. The clip is very strong and will hold this pencil in place where ever you put it. (Unless You don't clip it to anything like me and Don't check the bottom of the bag Frown)

I bought this to go along with my Business Card / reporter style notebook (Another Gift as well). I was using this to take notes and sketches while shooting some photographs. It was the prefect size too only 3.5 Inches long and clipped to the Reporter Notebook Easily and it stayed in place.

What I really liked about it was the Lead Size. This Pencil Requires a 1.1mm Lead which is a much heavier line then the standard .5mm or .7 Mechanical Pencils. Plus I loved the fact that this was a twist knob top to advance the lead. This is just one very stylish looking mechanical pencil. I was upset when I could not find this pencil anymore (well more possibly upset over the cost of it and that I only had it several months)

The Current price of this Retro 51 Elite Pencil is $14.95 with a few extra leads. It was just the right price. Not too expensive but still not cheap.

I think I will be using this again for quick sketches I make and ideas. Plus this clips onto my Leather Jacket I made for my Miquelrius Journal nicely So I can have both Fountain Pen and Pencil within Easy Access.

The only drawback is that it doesn't come with an eraser built onto this pencil. So, if you need to erase something you need to carry an eraser pen with you. This doesn't bother me as I like to doodle and draw with it thus I don't need the eraser portion.

Can be Bought as "The Writers Edge" 

Technorati Tags: Mechanical, Pencil, Retro+51, Elite, Office, p0rn, gift, lead, pencil, drawing, sketching


0 comments.

» «

The Ink Free Writing Instrument!


Posted on January 2nd, 2007 by Merlin.
Categories: Anything Else, Art, Communication, Craft, Gadgets, Journaling, Sketching.


1 comment.

» «

Dust Art


Posted on August 27th, 2006 by Merlin.
Categories: Art, Craft, Sketching, Weird Stuff.

Yes you  read that right – This beautifully painted artwork was done on the back of a car.

Scott Wade using a very different canvas Automobile Windows covered in dust and road grime.
He creates them using fingers, paint brushes, chewed popsicle sticks, and more.

I love trying to sketch and these sketches/drawing/paintings by Scott Wade are amazing. This type of art is unbelievable for the amount of time put into this, and  that once the rain comes or these people take their car to the wash these works of are gone forever.

Technorati Tags: , , , ,


0 comments.

» «

MiquelRius Journals on Sale: 20% off


Posted on August 3rd, 2006 by Merlin.
Categories: Art, Journaling, Miquelrius, Sketching.

leather-look note booksOk – You heard it right – You can order your MiquelRius Journals and Books Tomorrow Aug 4th for 20%. Here is the Info that was sent out today talking about this sale and they said we could share this coupon code. So all you MiquelRius Fans Aug 4th is the day to do some shopping. Time to replace all your Moleskine Journals with a nice Miquelrius Journal. :-)

Save 20% ONE DAY ONLY! August 4th!
It's hot, sizzling hot here! Why not spend some
extra time inside in the cool air by shopping online!
One day only – 20% off at ShopMiquelRius.com. You
MUST enter the COUPON CODE: HOTT (that is Two
T's!)

Tags: analog, Journal, Miquelrius, Moleskine, notebook, notetaking, Office Supply Porn

 


1 comment.

» «

Esterbrook Fountain Pen – Some History and….


Posted on July 21st, 2006 by Merlin.
Categories: Art, Sketching.

Esterbrook instructionsAs you may know from a previous post I just purchased several pens via eBay – One of the pens I purchased was Manufactured by Esterbrook.

First I would Like to give you a little history lesson on the Esterbrook Pen Company:

Richard Esterbrookesterbrookdisplay who was a stationer by trade opened a factory at the foot of Cooper Street in Camden NJ (Opens Google Map of Cooper Street Today) in 1856.

First known as the United States Steel Pen Manufacturing Company – Later to be renamed the Esterbrook Steel Pen Manufacturing Company.

It was opened with only 15 workers – 5 of which were taken from a competing pen manufacturer (Corporate Brain Drain was even happening way back in 1856).

At this time there were only 4 pen companies in the United States and 2 of them were located in Camden, NJ. (FYI: C. Howard Hunt Pen Company – at 7th and State Streets was the other Camden Pen Company)

At the pinnacle of the Esterbrooks run – They would have over 450 employees working daily and would produce over 600,000 pen a day) – quite a few pens.

The Esterbrook company did how ever move it operations in 1964 to an industrial park off Rt 70 in Cherry Hill.

Then in November of 1967 Esterbrook merged with Venus Pen Company of New York and then by 1969 the Venus-Esterbrook Phased out the Cherry Hill Operations.

Various Notes of Interest:
The average price of an Esterbrook Pen was Only $1.50 And by using the Relative Value Chart from the EH.Net’s (What’s Is it Relative Value) $1.50 in 1938 would be worth about $20.73 today based on the Consumer Price Index.

Some Users of the Esterbrook:
Carl Barks – Famous Disney Cartoonist who drew for Disney Comic Books for three decades invented Uncle Scrooge among other Disney Characters drew his cartoons with an Esterbrook No. 356 art and drafting pen.

Plus

Everett Peck – Another Cartoonist, and Illustrator and the creator of Duckman draws his cartoons and illustrations with an Esterbrook Fountain Pen with a no. 048 Falcon Nib.

Nib and Pen Info:
This Esterbrook.net Website – Has Scans of the various Instruction Sheets and Nib Chart – Plus they have more details of all the various pens and some pens for sale.

The Vintage Pen Website has another nice Nib Chart Scan showing usage and what the nib would look like.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,


1 comment.

» «

Older » Next Page »