Interview with Corliss Blakely
Interview by Donny Yankellow
I recently reviewed ArtStudio for MyMac. ArtSTudio is a fantastic painting program for your iPhone and iPod Touch. While reviewing the app I discovered Corliss Blakely – a wonderful painter who paints on the iPhone with ArtStudio (among other apps). Many of her pieces can be found at http://www.artistinvermont.com. I contacted her and she agreed to answer a few questions about painting on the iPhone. Her are the questions followed by her answers as she typed them and some of her iPhone paintings thrown into the mix to brighten up the text. By the way, she’s a Mac user too!
MyMac: How long have you been and artist? and is this your full time job?
Corliss: I’ve been an artist all my life. It’s the only thing I ever wanted to do. I’m a professional full-time artist.
MyMac: Did you go to school for art?
Corliss: I attended Vesper George art school and the Museum School in Boston. After a few years I left and returned to Vermont.
MyMac: What kind of computer do you use for painting? or are you a Mac person?
Corliss: I have a Macbook Pro, but I only paint on the iPhone.
MyMac: Do you prefer traditional or digital art?
Corliss: Up until last year I would have said tradition art. I’ve spent my life painting in watercolor and oil. But now I would say I prefer to paint on the iPhone.
MyMac: When did you make the transition from traditional media to digital/iphone?
Corliss: About a year ago I was waiting for a 40" x 60" panel to arrive for a commission that I was doing in oil. I was at my studio and I had some free time, so I decided to try it out. I bought the Brushes app and started painting, and I haven’t stopped.
MyMac: What is your software of choice for digital painting off the iphone and on the iphone?
Corliss: I only do digital painting on the iPhone. I just bought ArtStudio three weeks ago, and I think it is the best painting app available. Before that I painted with Brushes, Inspire, and Layers. ArtStudio has everything that I need to paint with, and I love the way I can look at all my layers next to the painting. When I’m painting I use the same techniques that I use in oils. ArtStudio has given me the freedom of designing every brush I work with. The flexibly of moving the layers around, hiding them, and changing their transparency. These things are essential to the way I paint. It’s really hard to go back and paint with oils after the experience of painting with ArtStudio.
MyMac: What are the challenges of painting on the iphone?
Corliss: I don’t find painting on the iPhone challenging. I really forget that I’m painting on one once I start. I have to build an easel for the iPhone because I need to stand back and observe the painting during the process.
MyMac: About how long does it take for an iphone painting?
Corliss: I have done paintings in five minutes or five hours. I spend a couple of hours on most of my paintings. One of the hardest thing for an artist is to know when to stop.
MyMac: There are so many apps out there for the iPhone for painting with so many features. I saw on your website that you have, like me, tried many of them. If you could design an app for artists/painters what are your top 5 must have features in an app (besides the basics)?
Corliss: Layers, dry brush or blender, a palette that save your favorite colors, a large selection of brushes and an eraser. That’s why ArtStudio is my favorite painting app. It has everything I could possibly want to create a painting.
MyMac: I see you use the Pogo Sketch for drawing on the iphone…do you find that lets you get more detailed?
Corliss: Yes, I always paint with a Pogo Sketch. I lost my first one three days after I bought it. Now I have 3 three. One stays at the studio and the other 2 two are always with me. It is just like painting with a fine sable brush. Not only can I get more detail, but when you use your finger it covers up the painting with the pogo sketch the painting is more visible.
MyMac: Do you plan on getting an iPad for painting?
Corliss: Yes. I have to wait for iPad 3G to come out, because I live on an island in the summer with no wifi or electricity. I’m really excited about the size of the iPad, and I believe it is the new canvas for artists. I’m ready. I have already bought iPadpaintings.com.
http://www.mymac.com/2010/03/interview-with-corliss-blakely/
Hopefully since this interview was done 2 years ago on my birthday by chance, that there will be maybe some different answers. Also I have not asked all the same questions as this interview. She is currently at Macworld a convention in San Francisco. She is going to email me in a couple of days.
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