With 2020 now in full swing, the creativity train is loaded to full capacity. All along the line, creative folks of every ilk are hopping off at their respective stops. Skills in tow most are ready to get back at it! For some “it” is to dream up new ideas. While for others the “it”…

Now that 2020 is upon us its time to get busy flexing our creative muscles anew! So what did ole-Skillcoach go and do? He busted out his markers and set to sketching and videoed it to-boot! Here’s a little teaser of the tasty sketching tidbits coming down the pike throughout the year. First, up “Building…

Have you ever wondered what’s involved to bring a new product to market? Perhaps even now you have a juicy idea scrawled out on a napkin tucked away somewhere. Every time you happen across it you’re thinking “Without a doubt, this here puppy is the next big thing!” Problem is, you have no earthly idea…

Flow by Moleskine is a new digital app that turns your iPhone or iPad into a digital sketch or notebook. Unlike other digital sketching apps, however, Flow wears its notebook origins on its shoulders— going so far as incorporating different paper types and colors, as well as the ability to customize your drawing tools in…

While there used to be a painful shortage of inspirational design sketching books out there, these days, design students and those looking to refresh their skill set may, in fact, have too many to choose from. The good news is, there’s something different to learn from each—so go ahead and build out that library. Among…

Cherished by writers, designers, illustrators, and other creative professionals for its soft dark lead and unique flat eraser, the Blackwing 602 is worth trying at least once—but be forewarned: you may never go back to plain old #2 pencils again. Originally manufactured by the Eberhard Faber Pencil Company from 1934 – 1988, the Blackwing brand…

When it comes to being at the right place at the right time, nothing beats that old saying, “the best camera is the camera you have with you.” Perhaps the same can be said for sketchbooks—the best sketchbook is the one you have with you when inspiration strikes. Which is why the pocket-sized Field Notes…

With over two decades of experience teaching how to design, draw, and render at the highest college level, concept designer Scott Robertson knows a thing or two about what it takes to make concepts ‘stick’ for his students. And as one of the most widely-recognized design sketching masters, he’s proven these concepts in his own…

If you spend a lot of time designing objects for humans, then it would be a grave mistake to arm yourself with knowledge of body proportions and how to convey the use of your objects in context. Unfortunately, sketching humans accurately can be an incredibly daunting process to learn—particularly if you’re not trying to set…

With more digital sketching apps than ever before, picking one that fits your workflow isn’t necessarily easy. Oftentimes, half that battle is just learning how to use it effectively. Featuring both Corel Painter 2017 itself as well as AfterShot 3, ParticleShop, and over 10 Hours of Corel-approved training, the Corel Painter 2017 Bundle is an…

Unless you sketch every day or have a brilliant sense of hand–eye coordination, chances are that sketching in proper perspective doesn’t necessarily come naturally. That’s okay. Join the club. For the rest of us, using methods such as Scott Robinson’s “Draw Through” help keep things looking the way they should, be it a sketch of…

Sure, there’s dozens –– if not hundreds –– of pens out there that are the perfect everyday carry companion. But how many of those are made from Grade A butt-kicking aerospace-grade material? Heck, how many also double as a tablet stylus? The SMRT Limited Edition Carbon Fiber Rollerball Pen offers the rare combination of an…

Used by engineers and designers in nearly every corner of the product design and development industry, the humble Moleskine notebook is often the starting point for hatching the next great product idea. But while sketching in the iconic notebooks happens anywhere at any time, it is often when sketching over a cup of coffee at…

Before the iPad Pro, truly useful designer-friendly apps for iOS devices were a dime a dozen (arguably, they still are). Along the way, the Morpholio suite of apps proved to reinvent the creative processes for designers, engineers, architects artists, photographers and other creative individuals with their suite of cloud-based design utilities for multiple stages of…

While most commonly found in topographic maps to illustrate elevation changes, contour lines can be equally effective for product designers and engineers during the design iteration stage. Among other reasons, it’s a quick and easy way to add subtle design features – such as a groove or a lip – without spending too much time…

If you count yourself amongst one of the early adopters of the iPad Pro, chances are you’ve also been using the device for the bulk of your digital sketching purposes, too. But for users who still prefer analog sketching with paper for the earlier part of the ideation process, digital sketching – iPad Pro or…

Known for his many design sketching videos over the years ranging from basic perspective and rendering techniques to strategies for developing ideas quickly, industrial designer Spencer Nugent has long been heralded as a savior in an industry that puts sketching skills on such a high pedestal. But nearly just as important as having a row…

In the history of sci-fi pop culture, only a few objects have ever elevated to ‘legendary’ status. Of course, the hoverboard from Back to the Future comes to mind – not to mention the Nike Air Mag shoes worn by Marty McFly while cruising on the board. But although it may not be technologically possible yet,…

It’s been awhile since we’ve heard from our favorite ID sketching master Spencer Nugent, but the one-man sketch machine hasn’t slowed down his hustle. Although he normally posts videos on various ID sketching-related sketch tutorials on his personal YouTube channel, the industrial designer recently took time to give us a three-way look at the new…

When it comes to saving sketches digitally, we’ve seen nearly every possible tool or gadget that could possibly be conceived: touchscreen stylus designs that emulate analog pens, sketchbooks that make it ‘easy’ for snapping pics that get uploaded to the cloud, iPad apps that emulate natural writing materials, dual ink pen/stylus combos and professional sketching…

It’s been a long time coming – and many, many third-party stylus designs have come and gone – but Apple is finally expected to release a 12.9″ iPad model designed for professional creatives under the presumed model name ‘iPad Pro’ in the very near future, according to reputable KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. While Apple…

Known for his prolific automotive art and custom car designs, Steve Sanford’s work has been commissioned over the years by custom car builders and car enthusiasts alike – not to mention he’s also helped inspire generations of car designers through his unique rendering techniques. But not only has Stanford been able to make a name…

Along with a host of other announcements at Apple’s Spring Forward event earlier this month was the announcement of an entirely new keyboard and trackpad system that focuses on more intuitive experiences and further flexibility for control. While the keyboard keys will provide a more touch-sensitive experience, the Force Touch upgrade on trackpads will offer…

Your office microwave may soon no longer be reserved for just Prismacolor pencils, stale coffee or the occasional Ham and Cheese Hot Pocket anymore. The Rocketbook Cloud-Integrated Microwavable Notebook, which has currently raised over $260,000 on Indiegogo, just might be the zaniest and most impressive crowdfunded sketchbook concept we’ve seen yet. While the Rocketbook is…

Ever since the first iPad was released in 2010, the discussion regarding what the best portable digital sketching tool or tool combination is has only grown more complicated over the years. Between those who have found success with using the later Microsoft Surface to early adopters of the Wacom Cintiq Companion, the debate ultimately always…

For those who prefer starting their ideation sketching sessions on an iPad, there’s a good chance that FiftyThree’s Paper has been tried at least a few times – if it isn’t already the go-to drawing app on their iPad. The freemium app, which features a bundle of stylized drawing tools to aid in the sketching…

Last time we checked in with master design sketcher (and even-better sketching instructor) Scott Robertson, he was releasing his second interactive design tutorial book How to Render. The book, which follows the equally-awesome design sketching book How to Draw, features what are quite possibly the most in-depth explanations of how to render sketches ever published.…

When it comes to executing design projects exceptionally, communication between the client and the design team is always key. In most cases the design brief is where the conversation starts and depending on what the end goal is, can mean the difference between future collaborations or a disastrous stumble across the finish line…if it even…

Last time we talked with Daniel Simon, we were at the Autodesk CAVE conference in Las Vegas this past December where he was explaining how he finds inspiration for his futuristic vehicle concept art. Between both his own personal projects and various concept design for films such as Oblivion, Tron, and Captain America, he is…

From DIY PVC Marshmallow Shooters to LEGO Mindstorm Kits, young makers who have a passion for making things have quite the gamut of options these days. Despite the lack of wood shop and other ‘hands-on’ classes in school that their parents and grandparents might have taken back in the day, the amount of options for…

No, the above image wasn’t lifted from the pages of a Moleskine Sketchbook folks…those are actual three-dimensional structures. Korean designer Jinil Park’s new ‘Drawing Furniture Series’ is fairly self-explanatory, but certainly plays tricks on the eye when viewed from a two-dimensional image. Representing basic line sketches, the new collection of furniture is the result of…

Lately we’ve been seeing quite a few discussions around various SolidSmack social media outlets discussing the best portable digital sketching tools. Sure, most people will gravitate towards an iPad and the Microsoft Surface based on cost and applications for other uses. However, if you consider yourself a professional designer with the need to have full-blown…

The iPad stylus market has seen an interesting turn in recent months with the release of Wacom’s Intuos Creative Stylus and now this morning, the Pencil by 53. For anybody who has used the iPad app Paper by 53, you might be familiar with 53’s exceptional attention to detail in the user experience and their…

Between incorporating their color library into Autodesk’s Sketchbook Pro and providing drool-worthy retail displays, Copic is stepping up their marker game even further with the upcoming release of 288 color chips. Featuring matte or gloss on curved and flat surfaces, the new chips will be highly-beneficial for better envisioning your product before you even put…