Power Cycle

I’ve started a new experimental project, exploring basic fluid horizontal motion. I’m working in an increased frame rate, 30 fps instead of 8, so there are many more drawings to make. I’ve chosen a 10 second music bed from our standard library, and have put together an extremely simple storyboard to fit the swells in the music. I’ve also created a frame log spreadsheet, to see if it helps in anyway.

I wouldn’t be able to do this project without the Cintiq. I’m able to adjust fine details as tight as the thickness of the line, for example. This type of detail work would have been impossible on the Intous.

I did have a little bit of a scare on Sunday. I had unplugged the USB connection on the Cintiq in order to plug in the printer. After I had printed my document, I turned back to the Cintiq to continue drawing, only to realize I had forgotten to plug the USB cable back in. So, I plugged it in and turned once again to the Cintiq, which had been on the entire time. I opened Photoshop, and began to draw only to discover that the brush was making a dot when I touched the pen to the glass, and then drawing a straight line from that point to the point when I released the pen. I scribbled a couple times, and got only straight lines. For a brief moment, I was reminded of a Flash game I had developed years ago – but then slight panic took over when I considered the possibility of damage to the Cintiq.

It turned out to be a simple power cycle solution, to which I was GREATLY relieved. Simply turning the Cintiq on and off made it right at rain!

I will need to get a cloth glove at some point. The screen does get incredibly hot after a few hours use, and when I wear long sleeves I can pull it over my hand. Not only to protect from the heat, but also to ensure smooth gliding over the surface. When it gets hot, my hand gets a little damp, and tacky, which makes smooth flowing lines a challenge. A glove will solve all instances of that eventuality. Until then, I’ll wear long sleeves and kick up the AC.