James Akers
Can You *Really* Design In Procreate?? | ...

Can architects and designers *really* design in Procreate, or is it just a glorified digital sketchbook? In today's tutorial for architects, designers and students, I demonstrate the "super powers" of Procreate that make it the ideal choice to imagine your design, develop it in scale, then hand it off for further development in Rhino or Sketchup. What makes Procreate such a powerful design tool is that it combines the best of both worlds…

Can You *Really* Design In Procreate?? | Procreate for Designers
James Akers
From My Perspective

Good things really do happen when you expect them the least.

For years I’ve been on the lookout for good ways to explain the advantages of designing and rendering by hand with Procreate, versus traditional designing and rendering by hand with pencil on paper. I haven't found the exact right words yet, but I keep looking.

Then this morning I woke up and saw on Twitter that the cartoonist Gary Larson was starting to cartoon again. He retired from drawing "The Dark Side" about 10 years ago, but according to this announcement he was starting to draw again-- for fun. Not the deadline-based, cartooning with which he entertained the world for 15 years, but drawing for his own amusement. Naturally my interest was peeked! But then it got better.

From My Perspective
Procreate app technique
James Akers
Gestural Concept Sketching Techniques for Use ...

In today's masterclass, I show you how quick gestures with Procreate brushes can be all you need to create compelling concept design renderings full of life and energy

Gestural Concept Sketching Techniques for Use with Procreate Over Sketchup
Procreate app technique, Sketches
James Akers
Procreate, Architecture & Design: Sketching ...

In today's masterclass, I show you how designing with sketches can give your ideas the time and attention they need to grow, bringing your client into the creative process, as opposed to shutting them out with the false promise of half-baked photorealistic concept designs.

Procreate, Architecture & Design: Sketching as an Essential Step Before Digital Photorealism
Procreate app technique, Sketches
James Akers
Procreate, Architecture & Design: Sketching ...

In today's masterclass, I show you how Procreate can help you develop the details of your design, while simultaneously creating sketches that make your design real and "human" to your client.

Procreate, Architecture & Design: Sketching As Part of the Design and Presentation Process

My Friend __ Is Cool

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My Friend Tom Is Cool

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My friend Tom Schaller is cool. Back in the 1980s, he just about single-handedly brought back the tradition of architectural watercolor rendering (it had long-since been replaced by pen-and-ink) when he wrote a book called Architectural Rendering in Watercolor. Along with Steve Oles' books, they were mandatory reading for any aspiring architectural illustrator at the time, and for a lot of architects, too.

I remember going to the bookstore at the Helmsley House on Madison Ave. to get my copy in 1990. Clark and I used to keep it open on our desks when we were working together like I told you. Tom sort of blew everyone's mind because he did these images for himself and for his books, with no client involved. Did you ever have friends like that? That's when you know a true artist. So there we are trying to figure out how this guy does these amazing architectural renderings in watercolor and these amazing watercolor techniques, and just when you think you may have figured out one of his moves, like underpainting, which sounds like "underpanting" but isn't, which Tom, because he is actually a pretty wild and crazy guy would probably laugh at if you did it to somebody, he...

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My Friend Clark Is Cool (Warning: this is a long post)

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My friend Clark Smith is cool. Just look at his amazing watercolors below and tell me he's not. I call him my friend, which he is, but if you landed here from Mars right now, you would say "Why is he your friend? You haven't seen him in 5 years?" And I would have to say, well, true enough, but it seems like we just had lunch yesterday, and I don't think guys hold it against each other if their friendships lapse for, like, ten years at a time. They just pick it up again like everything was normal. Otherwise we'd have to gaze into the existential abyss and wrestle with some sort of deep feelings, and I like to leave deep things like that to the guy that makes the Hobbit movies.

traditional architectural rendering, digital rendering, architectural illustration and architectural sketching

Ok, let's start there. Clark likes tuna fish, just like I do. He used to eat it every day for lunch, just like I did. That way you don't have to make any decisions; you're just like, "Hi, can I have tuna on a roll with lettuce tomato and muenster cheese, please?" and the guy doesn't even say anything but just starts making it, and I think the deli guys actually secretly appreciate that. That way they don't have to think either.

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My Friend Jim Is Cool

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My friend Jim Bouton is cool because he a) pitched for the Yankees (and my next coolest baseball-related friends Dave Bell and Jack Lauer only played for Madison High School varsity, although come to think of it they both played against Willie Wilson for two seasons when Willie played for Summit High School) b) he wrote two famous books about pro baseball--Ball Four and Foul Ball--and c) because he put my name in the second book, and there is nothing cooler than when someone puts your name in their second book...

The proposed future promenade of the renovated stadium. Come on, how cool would that have been?

 

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Sketching Barns for My Cool Friend Maria

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I have the coolest friend named Maria. She has an amazing garden and amazing barns and amazing dogs and a cool truck and a pretty cool boyfriend, but mostly she's just a great person and a generous friend. She is always having someone over to cook for, and she makes the best food. If you get an invitation to Maria's, you should consider yourself lucky--you are definitely going to have a good time eating really good food and talking to smart and entertaining people. And you might get a little schnockered. This is her dog Dash. Actually it's Roberto's dog, but everyone assumes she told him what kind of dog to get so it would match her dogs better. And it does! It's amazing.

Anyway, I have to draw where to put her barn for her, so I'd better get going. But here's a sketch I did for her oven. It was eventually built, albeit in a different form, by Mark Mendel, who is an amazing mason and an amazing person whom I met at one of Maria's dinner parties, even though I already knew him. Mark knows a sh_tload about jazz, which is cool. And even though he probably winces when he hears people say it, who doesn't want to know how to build cool stone walls? Anyway, hope you enjoy it and stay tune here for lots more drawings of things for Maria. I like to do it and it makes me feel better about all the times I eat food at her house.

This is actually the wrong drawing because I can't find the one I did for her but hopefully she doesn't mind.

This is actually the wrong drawing because I can't find the one I did for her but hopefully she doesn't mind.

(Author James Akers is a registered architect and illustrator with over 25 years experience. He provides both in-house and studio-based sketching, rendering, and what one might call "design stenography" services to many of NYC's and Boston’s leading architects.)

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