Useful Programs and Tools

In the interest of full disclosure, this is a shameless plug for the programs I tend to overuse in my spare time. Also note that for nearly all of these I have used the educational versions, which are available (usually) for free from their respective websites. If you decide to have a go yourself, don't forget that they aren't meant to be used for any commercial purposes, and that the cost of the proper, commercially viable versions can cost upwards of $5,000 (I'm looking at you, Autodesk). I've taken the liberty of adding a brief review of each, which an explanation of how they fit into my workflow. I'm going to focus on two programs in particular, and these are the two that I am most familiar with for digital illustration. I may go through some of the 3D Design programs I use at a later point in time.

Yet again this is entirely subjective, and if you have any ideas of how I might improve the process, please feel free to mention it in the comments below. So without further to add, here they are.

Digital Illustration: 

Sketchbook Pro: 

They say:"Autodesk® SketchBook® Pro paint and drawing software enables you to transform your desktop computer, laptop, or tablet PC into the ultimate sketchbook. With professional-quality sketching capabilities and an intuitive interface, even new users can be productive within minutes."

My take: One of the first programs I used for digital illustration, I fell in love with it almost immediately. It might not be the most advanced program on the market, but its simplicity and ability to emulate copic markers (the latest update includes a special copic edition). When I'm using my convertible netbook, this is my program of choice for quick sketches and colour studies. It's a simple, portable and easy to use program that allows you to quickly render out scenes which may or may not require further work.

 Sketchbook Designer:

 They say: "Explore design concepts and produce stunning artwork with Autodesk® SketchBook® Designer illustration software. In addition to the professional-quality sketching capabilities that people have come to expect from Autodesk SketchBook software, SketchBook Designer enables professional designers and artists to use a hybrid paint and vector workflow for concept design illustration and graphic design. Within its intuitive creative environment, even new users can be productive in minutes."

My take: To put it simply, this is Sketchbook Pro on steroids, with the addition of vector illustration tools. Sketchbook Designer offers a ridiculous amount of control, and in my experience compliments Sketchbook Pro nicely. With a robust toolset, and three different illustration options that can be used simultaneously (these are vector, canvas and paint, each with their own layer) it offers a toolset which rivals Adobe's Illustrator.

I've found that using Sketchbook Pro to complete any preliminary sketches and colouring and then bringing it into Sketchbook Designer for further refinement works exceedingly well. You can tidy up line drawings by opening them into Designer and using the vector tool to control your line art nicely. This is especially handy for those who wish to finish up presentation quality renders but find that Sketchbook Pro doesn't offer them the full control they need.

If either of these programs interest you, both have educational versions available from Autodesks website. This does require you to have a student email, and remember again that these aren't meant to be used in a commercial environment. For more information, head to http://students.autodesk.com/.