Hej Stylus

I haven’t had a chance to play around with this yet but it looks interesting. The idea is that by offsetting your stylus you can get more of a brush stroke. I’m not entirely sure that will do what they claim but you can check it out for yourself easily enough by downloading it and trying it out.

You can learn more here.

Phree device on Kickstarter seeks to let you write on anything

Here’s an interesting device that seeks to allow you to write on anything and have it instantly transfer to your phone. It’s more or less like a Wacom pen but there’s no tablet. Anything you draw anywhere transfers in real time to your phone. Kinda cool but I wonder if that means you can draw on the screen itself and it will still work. After all you can draw on anything so…

Apparently the pen will also let you talk on it like a phone should you so desire to look that silly.

If you’re interested in backing them, drive your browser over here.

The Poor Animator’s Guide to making it in a Digital World

So let’s say you’ve decided to become an artist, or you came up old school and have yet to traverse across the digital bridge to the 21st Century. Of course there are devices that work well such as the Wacom Cintiq, The Surface Pro, The Wacom Companion and the Lenovo Helix, but all of these are expensive as hell, and you might wonder what you can do to keep the hard earned cash in your pocket. Fear not animators and artists, Animation Insider’s got your back for cheap alternatives! One look at the items necessary to be a professional digital artist these days can make you think twice about continuing in your endeavor. In order to buy all the essentials like a Wacom Cintiq, Storyboard Pro, Adobe Suite, Autodesk Maya you’d almost have to sell a kidney to have the cash to shell out for these fine items.

Or do you?

Hardware
For digital drawing hardware there are many cheaper alternatives out there to the industry standard; the Wacom Cintiq and while honestly none of them are as high quality as a Cintiq, if you’ve never used one to begin with you’re unlikely to notice a difference.

Yiyinova MVP22u

The Yiyinova MVP22U is a capable Cintiq replacement and about half the price but for now that’s the only alternative to a desktop Cintiq alternative I can recommend and even that has the caveat of shipping from China. To be fair though if a Cintiq breaks you’ll have to ship it to Germany so it’s a fair enough tradeoff.

Luckily there are other smaller devices you can buy as well that work decently enough.

The Asus EP121 tablet PC is a decent tablet that even has a touchscreen. No it’s NOT an iPad but honestly I’ve found those to be crappy at best while trying to produce professional art, and they won’t run professional programs like Storyboard Pro, or the Adobe Suite. Besides I find it hard to support a company that will not listen to the artists out there by purposely excluding a stylus option for the iPad despite a clear market for it.

For the record a much better alternative for artists is the Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 12.2, which while it will not run the above mentioned applications either it DOES come with a stylus and that alone makes me think it’s worth it. We reviewed it last year if you want to take a look.

Asus-Ep121

The Asus EP 121 will run all the standard applications artists use today in a professional environment and do it well. Flash, Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, and Premiere all run handily on the Ep121. It will even handle Maya, 3D Studio Max, Mudbox and Motion Builder and sometimes you can even find it for less than $300 bucks. Right now the cheapest I’ve found the 64 gb configuration for is $550 (which you’ll need to install all that software) but still with a Cintiq costing $2000 you’re getting a good deal. It will even support an external monitor too boot.  It comes with a wireless bluetooth keyboard as well.

I happen to be selling one of these right now if you’re in the market so give me a shout if you’re interested.

Used_LE1700_Tablet_Motion_Computing_EE544523252_view1

The old standby though has to be the Motion Computing’s Motion series, in the form of the LE1600 and the LE1700 both of which run Sketchbook Pro like champ and if the studio is asking you to use Photoshop, it natively handles .psd files perfectly. The LE1600 is the cheaper of the two and for that you’ll sacrifice a bit of computing power but it still will run decently for the price. You can get a Motion Computing LE1600 at Gainsaver for $107 bucks! Not bad huh? It will even do light Maya chores, which for $100 is pretty damn spiffy in my book!

The more powerful device is the LE1700 though and for the extra price you can get a much more powerful processor. Granted it will NOT run Storyboard Pro, but it WILL run Flash, Photoshop and Sketchbook Pro. You can get a LE1700 cheaply at Gainsaver for about $125 bucks but if you do, I would suggest you change the processor configuration to the Intel 1.5 ghz Core 2 Duo and have them install Windows 7 on there for you. I would also bump up the hard drive to 80gb. This will only set you back $374 bucks but you can ‘probably’ get away with the default configuration if you just use Sketchbook Pro. Also this handy lil’ device WILL run Maya which is pretty cool but you won’t be able to have dozens of characters and huge backgrounds in one scene. It’s great for modeling. animating and rigging though. It’s not going to run any serious games or anything processor heavy but you can easily draw and animate with it.

Also, with Sketchbook Pro’s latest addition of the Flipbook 2d animation timeline, you can now animate in 2D for a VERY low startup price using both of these devices.

Software
For software, of course you can always buy used software on eBay as well, but quite often that’s just pirated software packaged to look legit and when you get your disks delivered sometime programs won’t register so I’d stay away from that.

There are alternatives as well and so you don’t really have to go to your friendly neighborhood software pirate to get decent software. Most don’t know this, but there are many academic sites that offer the ability to buy cheaper software legally. All you need is a scan of a student’s report card (and if you’re taking classes ANYwhere you qualify) which you’ll upload and they’ll create an account for you which will allow you buy all SORTS of discounted software.

The best I’ve found is called http://www.journeyed.com/ but there are others and they all offer around the same discounts.

Watch for our Artist’s Guide to Tablets 2014 to get advice on everything you could want for an artist coming next month.

Autodesk Sketchbook Pro 7 released!

SketchbookI’ve been working on the beta for this new version for the last six months and of course I have not been allowed to say anything but today I can finally break the silence on the brand spankin new Skletchbook Pro 7 which releases today at Sketchbook.com!

the biggest news about this new version is much awaited Flipbook feature which brings a timeline to Sketchbook and allows to actually ANIMATE within the program! Add to that the ability to draw with the most natural pencil tool on the market and this is a VERY powerful tool for animators. Now I won’t lie to you, it’s a work-in-progress and as of yet, you can not put sound on the timeline nor can you export a video. You render out frames, place them in a video editor and build a movie that way. You do however have the ability to have multiple layers and the background layer actually stays throughout the timeline which allows you to actually do a background behind your animation. You could also use that layer to place a studio’s board template on it which will allow you to storyboard.

Sketchbook Pro 7 is available online both Mac and PC for $65 at Sketchbook.com right now. Also, new with this build is the option now to subscribe for only $24 a year and of course you’ll get free upgrades as they add new features.

A natural drawing experience

Draw in SketchBook Pro and discover an authentic, natural drawing experience that is as close to pencil, pen, marker, or brush on paper as a digital art tool can be.

Autodesk SketchBook Pro Steady Stroke

Steady Stroke

Steady Stroke brings greater predictability and control to strokes, helping with precision and confidence.

Autodesk Sketchbook Pro Traditional Tools

Ruler, Ellipse and French Curve

Ruler, Ellipse, and French Curve tools for designers who enjoy working with traditional toolsets.

Autodesk SketchBook Pro Brushes

Customizable Brushes

Do-it-yourself brushes give maximum control over the finest details of your art.

Autodesk SketchBook Pro Perspective Tool

Lay down perfect perspective with all-new Perspective Guides

Lay down perfect perspective in seconds with 1 point, 2 point, 3 point, and fisheye perspective guides. Freely adjust vanishing points and horizon lines on, or beyond, the canvas.

Flipbook key frame animation toolset

For the first time, artists can express motion with SketchBook Pro. Built in collaboration with the Autodesk® Maya® team, this simple key frame timeline enables a traditional animation workflow in the familiar SketchBook environment.

Autodesk SketchBook Pro Flipbook

Layer enhancements for even more control

New layer blend modes, multi-layer selection, ten levels of layer grouping, and background layer color selection makes whole or partial image manipulation, transformation, and selection easier than ever.

More features to discover and explore

Experience the Copic® Markers and the Copic® Color Library along with over 100 preset brushes, pens, pencils, markers and airbrushes.

Autodesk SketchBook Pro Enhanced Selection Tool

Enhanced selection tools including magic wand selection and drawing within the selection.

Autodesk SketchBook Pro Distort Transform Tool

Distort transform gives you the freedom to manipulate your image easily.

Autodesk SketchBook Pro Flood Fill Tool

Dynamic flood fill tools with solid, linear, and radial gradients with complete control of the fills.

Discover amazing art created with SketchBook Pro

Bobby Chiu

Bobby Chiu

Creature Box

CreatureBox Inc.

Creature Box

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News: ACCLAIMED ANIMATOR GLEN KEANE DEBUTS NEW SHORT FILM PROJECT, “DUET,” AT GOOGLE I/O CONFERENCE

glen keane prod FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, June 26, 2014 ACCLAIMED ANIMATOR GLEN KEANE DEBUTS NEW SHORT FILM PROJECT, “DUET,” AT GOOGLE I/O CONFERENCE A celebration of life through the hand-drawn line, DUET is the latest in a series of Google ATAP’s Spotlight Stories, interactive short films made exclusively for mobile devices DuetPublicityStill_Original Acclaimed animator Glen Keane unveiled a first look at his latest and most personal project to date, DUET, as part of a special ATAP (Advanced Technology and Projects) Session this morning at the Google I/O Conference in San Francisco, California. Presented together with Regina Dugan, who leads the ATAP group, Glen gave a live demonstration and talk through the creative process behind DUET. The public can view the entire presentation via YouTube here… Animated in its entirety and directed by Glen Keane (former Disney animator and creator of such beloved characters as Ariel, Beast, Aladdin, Pocahontas, Tarzan and Rapunzel), DUET tells the story of Mia and Tosh and how their individual paths in life weave together to create an inspired duet. The unique, interactive nature of the story allows the viewer to seamlessly follow the journey of either of the two characters from birth to adulthood. DuetPublicityStill_Post DUET is the third in a series of Spotlight Stories, which is a new way of telling stories on mobile devices. The stories blend world-class artistry with innovative rendering and interaction technology for mobile to create a new canvas for the next generation of storytelling. DUET is the first traditionally animated, hand-drawn film to debut as a Spotlight Story. The film offers a glimpse into what’s possible on mobile devices, a rich, modern canvas for creative expression and immersive works of art and technology. DUET will officially launch later this year and will be available on all capable devices with proper hardware capabilities and OS version higher than Android 4.2.

The Duet short start’s at 1:15:08 so be sure to check that out too!

 

ABOUT GLEN KEANE AND GLEN KEANE PRODUCTIONS

A 38-year veteran of Walt Disney Feature Animation, Glen Keane is most noted for creating and animating such legendary Disney characters as Ariel in “The Little Mermaid”, Aladdin, Pocahontas, the Beast from “Beauty and the Beast”, and Tarzan. Glen also served as Supervising Animator and Executive Producer on Disney’s 2010 box office hit, “Tangled”. In the spring of 2012, Glen decided to leave Disney Studios in pursuit of further artistic exploration. In his departure letter he stated: “I am convinced that animation really is the ultimate art form of our time with endless new territories to explore. I can’t resist its siren call to step out and discover them.” In 2013, he launched Glen Keane Productions to pursue his personal projects.

ABOUT ATAP ATAP is a small band of makers and believers charged with breakthrough innovations in mobile computing and accelerating the development of promising technologies to market. PUBLICITY CONTACT: Fumi Kitahara, the pr kitchen fumi@theprkitchen.com 310-291-9716

Review: Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 By Harry McLaughlin

Review: Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2

By Harry McLaughlin

 

01-note 12

 

2014 is already an interesting year for digital artists and animation professionals as far as technology advances in the tools of our trade.

Samsung kicks things off with the massive Galaxy Note Pro 12.2, launched on Valentine’s Day, 2014.  (Currently US $749 for 32GB model)

Of particular interest to artists: the large size, high quality screen and built-in Wacom (S-Pen) technology used throughout Samsung’s Galaxy Note line.

This was a device I’d been waiting for. As an owner of the Galaxy Note 2 and Note 3 smartphones, I’ve liked having a digital sketchpad/ computer in my pocket at all times. I’ve wanted the same technology in a larger size. Samsung certainly accommodates this wish: The Galaxy Note line (smart phones and tablets) ranges in size from 5.5”, 5.7”, 8”, 10.1” and now 12.2”

By far the most striking feature of the Note Pro is the screen.  At 2560 x 1600 (247ppi) the screen is beautiful to look at. Colors are vibrant, with nice inky blacks. For displaying high-resolution artwork, photos and movies, the Note Pro excels.

02-size compSize comp with the Galaxy Note 3

 

In fact, watching HD video on the Note Pro is probably the pinnacle of tablet entertainment.

The Note Pro’s screen almost perfectly matches the size of a standard comic book. Reading digital comic books on the Note Pro is a joy; you’re able to read a full comic page with no zooming/scrolling.

 

03-comicsAbove left with an actual comic book over the screen.

 

Holding the device in portrait mode for comics, magazines and books does make the device’s downside readily apparent; it’s heavy! Held in portrait, the full mass of the tablet bears down on your hands for any extended length of time.  The tablet is far more comfortable to hold in landscape mode, and it seems made to be oriented this way most of the time.The Note Pro’s screen is so large that I found reading in landscape as two-page spreads to be perfectly comfortable, with only a modest amount of zooming and scrolling needed for digital comics and magazines.

But how does the Note Pro stack up for artists?

 

04a

 

The answer depends on your needs, and what technology you may already be used to for creating digital art.  If you require an experience rivaling a full Wacom Cintiq setup, with a slew of desktop-quality applications, then the Note Pro is definitely not for you.  However if you can cope with the trade-offs of a mobile operating system (Android) or are already using an Android device to create artwork and do productivity tasks, then the Note Pro will easily be the BEST Android device you’ve used. If you’re already in the market for an iPad Air, or other 10” Android tablet and want the added benefit of drawing with a Wacom digitizer and pressure sensitive pen, then I’d highly recommend the Note Pro. It does a great job of bridging the divide between premium media consumption vs. light productivity and content creation.

04aI use the Note Pro 12.2 to view PDF storyboards.

All-in-all, I’d say Android is in its infancy for producing finished, professional quality artwork. The closest competition to the Note Pro, (in the race for an iPad-like sub $1000 Wacom-enabled tablet for producing professional artwork) is Microsoft’s Surface Pro 2.  For drawing, the Surface Pro 2 is the better choice, certainly in terms of software since it can use desktop Windows software.

That said: the Note Pro is an amazing tool for artwork and productivity in its own right.

The key is navigating Android’s minefield of applications and separating the quality apps from junk. Another factor is improving the tablet’s included S-Pen. (Which I will outline.) With the best creative software Android has to offer, the experience of sketching and drawing on the Note Pro is very good. A few apps manage to achieve a low enough latency that the feel rivals last-generation tablet PC’s. (For example, I find drawing to be similar to a Motion Computing LE1600 Tablet PC of 2007 vintage.) Compared to the LE1600 (and most last-gen Tablet PCs) the Note Pro is light as a feather. So to achieve near the same level of drawing performance in a lighter package (relatively speaking) is a major plus. Also, keep in mind the bang-for-buck mobile applications give you. Many quality applications can be had for $3-$5. Quality desktop applications usually start much higher, and can skyrocket into the thousands  Samsung includes $25 in Google Play Store credit with the Note Pro, so you can go shopping for some of the apps you will need on their dime.

APPLICATIONS:

Here’s a list of a few of my favorite Android apps for use on the Note Pro:

ART APPS:

Autodesk Sketchbook for Galaxy (Included)

05

 Included with the Note Pro. Don’t bother to install SketchBook Pro for Android in place of it, according to Samsung these are virtual identical apps, but Sketchbook for Galaxy includes some under the hood fine-tuning that’s specific to the Galaxy Note and S-Pen hardware.

 

The mobile version of Sketchbook Pro is fairly barebones compared to its full desktop counterpart, but enough features are intact to produce decent artwork. Out of the box, I was a little disappointed with Sketchbook Pro on the Note Pro; I was looking for the feel of it to be more accurate, closer to the feel of pencil/pen on paper.  But some fine-tuning and modifying of my S-Pen improved the experience greatly, enough that I wanted to outline a few basic procedures you can try yourself to improve the sensitivity of the S-Pen. (Later in this article). Once I took these steps (as well as tweaking my brush and pen settings in Sketchbook) I found the results very satisfying.

YEE-HaaaAn example of art you can do with a Note Pro 12.2 (done in Android Sketchbook Pro)

Sketchbook Ink ($4.99)

06

This is a one-trick pony to be certain. It has no features, other than 10 pen settings that simulate inking styles.  The latency is surprisingly high. Still, I was able to easily do some very fine line cross-hatching using the pressure sensitive pen setting. Since it uses vector lines, you can create artwork that looks great at even the highest resolutions.

 

Artflow (Free,  $4.99 in-app purchased Pro license)

07

This was a pleasant surprise for me. I find it has the lowest latency of any drawing app I’ve used on Android. Drawing with it feels very natural. The free version lets you use a small selection of customizable pens and pencils; the paid version adds an assortment of paintbrushes, airbrushes, rollers and pattern pens.  The Pro license also allows export to PSD with layers.  So far, this has been my go-to app for drawing on the Note Pro.

S Vermeer (Free)

08

A very nice drawing app with some of the most realistic colored pencil and watercolor effects I’ve seen for Android.  Minimalist interface and controls, but there’s plenty to work with, including the ability to import photos. Optimized for S-Pen and good palm rejection.

 

Serious Paint (Free,  $3.99)

09

This is probably the closest thing to Painter or ArtRage on an Android tablet. The latency is a little high, but not enough to prevent creating nice work with it.  The free version is fully functional; the paid version adds on the ability to tweak and customize brushes to your heart’s content. My favorite feature is a full-screen color palate, called up from a corner button.  The ‘color sweep’ function allows you to paint with up to 5 palette colors at once.

Infinite Painter (Free, $4.99 for Galaxy Note version)

10

The latency is a little high, but this app makes up for it with a huge assortment of brushes, paint blending and mixing, wet and dry effects, unlimited layers and S-Pen optimization. You can import photos or drawings and paint over them.  The ads plastered across part of your canvas will have you either uninstalling it, or ponying up for the $4.99 ad-free Galaxy Note version.

 

Markers (Free)

11

A really nice app for drawing using flat colors. I was really impressed by the fairly low latency and S-Pen optimization and great pressure sensitivity response for accurate lines.  In particular, I like the controls for precisely changing brush thickness variation.

 

ANIMATION APPS: 

Animation Desk (Free, $3.99)

12

Ported over from the iPad, this software is more fun than it is useful for actual production. Still, it’s a great way to do quick pencil tests. The interface is an approximation of an animator’s light table, with peg bars and onion skinning a user-selectable range of frames forward and back. There’s no pressure-sensitive pen support so the drawing tools are pretty rudimentary.  Also the resolution is fairly low. Still, it’s a fun app to play around with.

 

FlipaClip (Free, $2.99)

13

This is a great app for pencil test animation. The tools and frame manager are more robust, and it can export your finished animations to file or straight to YouTube and Facebook. The app was built with S-Pen support in mind. The $2.99 unlocker removes ads, gives you improved onion-skin controls and removes the FlipaClip watermark from exported files.

 

NOTE TAKING APPS:

S Note (Included)

14

It may seem like bloatware at first glance, but S Note is actually a great tool for note taking. Since it’s made for S-Pen, it’s easy to take notes that are true to your handwriting. On the Note Pro’s gigantic screen, it’s truly like a large digital notepad. Notes can be exported to Google Drive and synched to Evernote. Best of all, S Note is Multi-Window capable (as most of Samsung’s native apps are). More on Multi-Window later.

Handrite (Free, $3.98)

15

Handrite is a notepad that features a unique ‘continuous writing’ system. Rather than write directly on the page, Handrite captures your pen strokes and arranges them in order, like typing into a word processor. I’ve found it makes note taking extremely fast. You simply write in large strokes across an area in the middle of the screen, and the app keeps the output neatly aligned on ruled paper. The paid version allows export to PDF and unlimited notebooks. Unfortunately, it isn’t Multi-Window ready.

Papyrus (Free, $4.99 PDF Import,  $2.99 Tool Pack, $2.99 Cloud Services)

16

This is a great app. Papyrus is designed to feel like pen on paper for handwritten notes. I found it fast and accurate for taking notes. Because it uses vector graphics, everything you write or draw remains sharp even when zoomed in.  It’s also Multi-Window ready.

 

OFFICE APPS:

Hancom Office (Free with the Note Pro)

17

After registering your device with Samsung’s Apps service, you can download a specialized full version of Hancom Office that’s only available for the Note Pro.

Hword is the closest thing to Microsoft Word that I’ve used on Android.  When I paired my Note Pro with a Logitech Bluetooth Keyboard, using Hword felt just like using Word on a laptop.  Also included is Hcell for spreadsheets and Hshow for presentations.

 

 

17aAdd a Bluetooth keyboard and you have a 12” laptop.
Currently ZAGG makes a $99 Cover-Fit keyboard and Logitech just unveiled a $130 Pro Keyboard case for the Note Pro.

 

MULTI-WINDOW – A KILLER FEATURE ON THE NOTE PRO
On smaller devices, Multi-Window (running apps side by side in multiple windows) doesn’t seem like such a useful idea. On a 5.5” smartphone I’ve rarely felt the need to use it. But the Note Pro’s  screen is so large that Multi-Window is actually a killer feature.  Further, Samsung has expanded Multi-Window to four panes from its original two.

17bMulti-Window with 3 applications at once.

I’ve used it to have a script open, side by side with an animatic movie, a storyboard PDF and a note pad for jotting down notes. (Papyrus or S Note). Each quarter of the screen is about the size of my Note 3’s entire screen, so even split 4 ways there’s enough room to comfortably view and work on each individual task in each pane. And split two ways, half of the Note Pro’s screen is roughly the size of a full 7” tablet. Multi-Window lets you resize the panes to your liking.  The Note Pro’s Exynos Quad-core processor (1.9Ghz) really shines when using Multi-Window. Running multiple windows (with Pen-window apps and videos running over top of that) I didn’t detect any hint of the tablet slowing down in any application.

IMPROVING THE S-PEN

18The Note Pro’s S-Pen (black) is slightly longer and thicker than a Note 3 pen.

Out of the box, I was slightly displeased with how the S-Pen felt on my Note Pro. Lines were coming out a little too thick, and I felt the pen was over-sensitive, not giving me enough line variance. I liked the feel of my Galaxy Note 3 much better. Then I noticed that the Note 3’s pen was just as good when used on the Note Pro, so it was clear the pen itself was the problem.

I discovered while doing some reading on the site xda-developers (where any Android enthusiast should be a member) there’s a way to fine-tune the S-Pen’s sensitivity.  These are the instructions in a nutshell:

  1. Use an exacto blade or small screwdriver to very carefully pry up the S-Pen’s click button. Do it carefully, it will come up with just a small amount of pressure.
  2. Locate the small potentiometer toward the tip of the S-Pen. (DO NOT adjust the one toward the rear). It’s hard to see, but there’s a small slot on top. Use a very small eyeglasses screwdriver to turn the dial: clockwise to decrease sensitivity and counter to increase it.  Test the pen on the screen until you find the sensitivity setting that’s best for you. Carefully snap the button back into place.

It took some trial and error, but I managed to fine-tune my Note Pro’s S-Pen to the perfect degree of sensitivity for me, allowing finer and more accurate lines.

AN INEXPENSIVE S-PEN MOD

18a

Another issue with the S-Pen led me to a bit of hackery, but I’m very happy with the results.  The pen is a bit too small to be the best choice for artwork or extended note taking. I wanted a larger full-sized stylus. Unfortunately, ready-made options are limited.

Most ‘penabled’ Tablet PC styluses will work with the Galaxy Note line, as long as they are the Wacom variety. (Note: Wacom Cintiq and drawing tablet styluses will NOT work with the Note).

My LE1600’s stylus works with the Note Pro- but there’s a catch. Most of the penabled styluses are a few pixels off on a Galaxy Note; (where you press the screen and where the line is actually drawn is offset by 3-4 pixels.) The difference can be overlooked for simple note taking. But for precise drawing, it’s a deal breaker.

Unfortunately, even Samsung’s own $20 8pt Wacom Touch Pen stylus that seems like it should work with the Note Pro suffers from a slight offset. The standard S-Pen is a great stylus as far as function- all it really needs to be more comfortable is a weighted holder.  Samsung does make a somewhat pricey S-Pen holder, but there’s also a cheapskate solution that works very well. On XDA, I came across a method of repurposing a common Pilot G2 ballpoint pen into a perfect S-Pen holder.

You’ll need:

1. A Pilot G2 pen -I used an 07- ($2).

19

 

 

2. An S-Pen replacement from eBay or Amazon. ($8 – $16) Assuming you don’t want to sacrifice the Note Pro’s stylus. Make sure you buy an S-Pen that’s labeled “Original” or “OEM” so you don’t get a cheap knock-off. I found an OEM S-Pen (for Note 3) for $8 on eBay that works perfectly with the Note Pro.

 

19a

 

 

 

 

3. A package of foam or gel pen/pencil grips. ($2 – $3)

20

 

 

Unscrew the G-2 and discard the ink barrel and spring. (I left the clicker as counter-weight).

21

Use a utility knife to very carefully slice about ¼ inch off the plastic tip. Push the S-Pen through the front barrel until it fits snugly, and with enough tip sticking out to write comfortably.  If you can live without the click-button, you can screw the pen together and start using your larger stylus. If you want the click button, remove the rubber grip (note: this is hard to do, the grip is on incredibly tightly!)  Easiest: cut the rubber grip off with an exacto blade, Later you can replace it with a foam or gel pencil grip.

 

22

 

 

 

 

Mark where the S-Pen’s click-button is through the clear barrel.  Remove the S-Pen, and (VERY CAREFULLY!) use a utility knife to cut open a corresponding notch in the pen barrel.  Easiest: heat the blade with a candle flame to melt the plastic some. Be careful not to melt too much of the barrel and warp it. I used a utility knife to shave down and smooth out the opening.  I didn’t do the neatest job of it in the above example, but it doesn’t matter- this is hidden under the gel grip. More advanced DIY’ers can likely use a Dremel tool.

Push the S-Pen back in the barrel and line up the opening. Once you can easily click the button, cover with a foam or gel pencil grip. I was easily able to click the button through a gel grip, and a slight indention cues you where the button is. The replacement gel grip is also more comfortable than the G-2’s original plastic grip.

I found this modification to be a tremendous improvement for the S-Pen. I highly recommend this if you do any drawing or writing with an S-Pen. (I chose a garish blue G-2 pen to prevent it getting mixed up with common pens.)

23

 

 

 

 

 

 

SUMMARY:
I wouldn’t recommend the Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 for artists that require as close to a Wacom Cintiq experience as it is currently possible to get from a tablet. I would instead recommend a Windows 8 Tablet PC with Wacom digitizer like the Microsoft Surface Pro 2 or similar.

But for anyone already on the lookout for a tablet like the iPad Air, that you plan to incorporate into drawing and animation work, I would very much recommend the Note Pro 12.2 as a more capable alternative. The larger, higher-res screen and addition of the Wacom digitizer and S-Pen puts it ahead of the iPad for basic drawing tasks. (An advantage for iOS is a greater selection of high-quality tablet applications vs. less selection from Android.) For viewing and editing documents (storyboards, scripts, spreadsheets etc.) taking notes, viewing animatic and other footage while multi-tasking, the Note Pro is a very valuable productivity tool.

At its $749 (32GB) introductory price, the Note Pro is expensive, and will keep many away until the price eventually drops. Consider that Samsung also makes the Galaxy Note 10.1” 2014 edition at around $449 that may be a better fit. Samsung’s Galaxy Tab line is less expensive still, but sans S-Pen and Wacom hardware.

I wouldn’t recommend the 64GB version of the Galaxy Note series tablets, as each has a microSD slot allowing you to add additional storage. Currently a 64GB microSD card can be found for around $45. The combined 96GB of storage is plenty for movie files, tons of documents, applications, photos and digital media.

AT A GLANCE:
The Note Pro features a quad-core 1.9ghz processor, 3GB of memory, 32/64GB, internal storage, 12.2-inch 2560×1600 WQXGA TFT Display, microSD card slot, 8 MP (rear) 2MP (front) cameras, USB 3.0, Bluetooth 4.0, Choice of white or black, ships with Android 4.4 (KitKat)

Harry McLaughlin loves all kinds of gizmos and gadgets. He’s currently an animatic editor on “American Dad” for Fox TV Animation. He also dabbles in writing books for kids, as featured on his website Zaptoons.com.