Lessons on Notetaking: Art Student

We know that it can be tough to shift into back-to-school mode—especially after a relaxing summer! We hope that these tips and tricks from student creators can make that transition a little easier.

We spoke to Eric—a recent high school graduate, who is studying Computer Animation. He loves to draw, and enjoys sharing his pencil sketches and art tips in the Notability Gallery. It was inspiring to chat with Eric about his passion for art, and how he uses Notability to further his craft! 

Favorite Features from a Long Time User

I used Notability throughout all four years of high school, for every single period! I found it to be really easy to use and intuitive. When Tape was released, it brought something completely new to studying and it was helpful to me when I'd review my notes. Being able to convert ink to text was nice too. As an artist, I feel like Notability is underrated. It's very good for creating art but people might not realize it since it's seen as a note taking app.

Finding Creative Inspiration on the Gallery ‍

When I browse through the Gallery, I usually look under tags like #sketch, #pencil, and #drawing because I like looking at realistic artwork. The creators in the Gallery are very talented; as an artist myself, I almost feel like they're my competition. I want to see what they're doing so I can try it myself and see what could be integrated into my artwork.

The Introduction of Pencil

When Pencil came out, it instantly became my favorite feature. The Pencil is truly amazing for sketching: the shading, lining, how colors blend together—I used to use the Highlighter for drawing before Pencil came out and now the colors look so much better.

‍Making Art with Notability 

I mostly draw people and cartoons right now. I like doing things like making limbs longer than they should be and exploring different possibilities. I'm working on finding my style. Usually, I start with a blue pencil and I'll make a very blocky, geometric shape. Then, I'll develop my drawing from there by outlining with Pen and shading with Pencil. I also love using the Color Dropper so I can pick the exact colors I want for that specific drawing.

‍Tips for Artists

Don't limit yourself. Try out every tool at least once. Use Notability with an Apple Pencil for the pressure sensitivity!

Thanks for reading! Check out our Help Center to learn more about Pencil, Tape, and other features discussed above. You can download Notability for free through the App Store.

Be sure to check out our previous blog post for more back to school scheduling and planning tips.

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