Matt's A Clutz, New Art Rig Time!
Donation protected
This past Friday, I learned the hard way that coffe, lack of sleep, and high end electronics don't mix.
My trusty mid-2012 MacBook Pro, my primary computer and only functional art rig (when paired with my trusty pair of Wacom Bamboo Capture tablets) met its doom on the second day of my summer break. I had big plans this summer to put in some serious time working on one of several in-progress paleoart projects.
After doing some research, I have decided that as a replacement I'd like to get a dedicated art rig if I'm going to buckle down and finally finish one of these projects. It's been 3 years since I published my last book so I think it's about time!
After much deliberation and many YouTube reviews, I've decided that despite my long time loyalty to the cult of Jobs, a Microsoft Surface Pro tablet computer has what it takes to be an ideal art rig. It's touch screen and pen combo would be more portable than my previous rig, yet retains the functionality of full PhotoShop support. The newest Surface Pen has greater sensitivity and pressure levels than my current Wacom tablet. And the mini display port plus optional USB hub power adapter would easily convert the device into a full PC desktop for finishing and publishing jobs. The only drawback to this plan is that the rig that is best reviewed for artists with 8gb of RAM and a snappy i7 processor is $1500. This rig would far outperform my dearly departed 5 year old MacBook and still be equivalent in price to a lower-end Apple branded replacement, but alas, paleoart is not my profession. I certainly would never quit my day job, which is teaching. And it's June. You see the problem.
Here's where you come in. Everyone who contributes to this campaign will not only get the satisfaction of helping a paleoartist in need, but will help focus my scatterbrain. I currently have several book projects in the pipeline but I want to use my shiny new art rig to focus exclusively on one of them. If you are generous enough to contribute $5 or more, you can vote on which of these will be the next book out the door over at panaves.com and Amazon. And votes stack! For every additional $5 I will count your vote again. Donated $20? You just voted for your favorite 4 times, buddy. How's that for democracy?
Here are the projects I already have decent progress on and would be able to mostly finish over the next few months:
1. Beasts of Antiquity: The Bird-Like Reptiles of North America (a selected history of early North American dinosaur paleontology combined with artwork covering several major formations including Dinosaur Park, Niobrara, Kaiparowits, Morrison, etc.)
2. Dinosaur Plumes (working title): A guide to all known groups of feathered dinosaurs plus a section of pterosaurs exploring the history of thought on feathered fossils and current understanding, aimed primarily at younger readers (middle school level) but with enough interesting information, history, and new artwork to appeal to you older kids too.
3. A Field Guide to the Yixian Formation - I've been dabbling in this since before my first book. So it would include a lot of previously released art. But if it won I'd have reason enough to do lots of new art as well! Maybe even repurpose this as a BoA series entry instead of a Peterson style field guide? Let me know when you vote!
4. A Field Guide to Mesozoic Birds and Other Winged Dinosaurs SECOND EDITION. It's coming eventually. Could it possibly be ready for release by next year? You decide!
Make sure you specify which project you support in your comment when you donate. Thank you in advance for your generous contributions!
My trusty mid-2012 MacBook Pro, my primary computer and only functional art rig (when paired with my trusty pair of Wacom Bamboo Capture tablets) met its doom on the second day of my summer break. I had big plans this summer to put in some serious time working on one of several in-progress paleoart projects.
After doing some research, I have decided that as a replacement I'd like to get a dedicated art rig if I'm going to buckle down and finally finish one of these projects. It's been 3 years since I published my last book so I think it's about time!
After much deliberation and many YouTube reviews, I've decided that despite my long time loyalty to the cult of Jobs, a Microsoft Surface Pro tablet computer has what it takes to be an ideal art rig. It's touch screen and pen combo would be more portable than my previous rig, yet retains the functionality of full PhotoShop support. The newest Surface Pen has greater sensitivity and pressure levels than my current Wacom tablet. And the mini display port plus optional USB hub power adapter would easily convert the device into a full PC desktop for finishing and publishing jobs. The only drawback to this plan is that the rig that is best reviewed for artists with 8gb of RAM and a snappy i7 processor is $1500. This rig would far outperform my dearly departed 5 year old MacBook and still be equivalent in price to a lower-end Apple branded replacement, but alas, paleoart is not my profession. I certainly would never quit my day job, which is teaching. And it's June. You see the problem.
Here's where you come in. Everyone who contributes to this campaign will not only get the satisfaction of helping a paleoartist in need, but will help focus my scatterbrain. I currently have several book projects in the pipeline but I want to use my shiny new art rig to focus exclusively on one of them. If you are generous enough to contribute $5 or more, you can vote on which of these will be the next book out the door over at panaves.com and Amazon. And votes stack! For every additional $5 I will count your vote again. Donated $20? You just voted for your favorite 4 times, buddy. How's that for democracy?
Here are the projects I already have decent progress on and would be able to mostly finish over the next few months:
1. Beasts of Antiquity: The Bird-Like Reptiles of North America (a selected history of early North American dinosaur paleontology combined with artwork covering several major formations including Dinosaur Park, Niobrara, Kaiparowits, Morrison, etc.)
2. Dinosaur Plumes (working title): A guide to all known groups of feathered dinosaurs plus a section of pterosaurs exploring the history of thought on feathered fossils and current understanding, aimed primarily at younger readers (middle school level) but with enough interesting information, history, and new artwork to appeal to you older kids too.
3. A Field Guide to the Yixian Formation - I've been dabbling in this since before my first book. So it would include a lot of previously released art. But if it won I'd have reason enough to do lots of new art as well! Maybe even repurpose this as a BoA series entry instead of a Peterson style field guide? Let me know when you vote!
4. A Field Guide to Mesozoic Birds and Other Winged Dinosaurs SECOND EDITION. It's coming eventually. Could it possibly be ready for release by next year? You decide!
Make sure you specify which project you support in your comment when you donate. Thank you in advance for your generous contributions!
Organizer
Matt Martyniuk
Organizer
Knowlton, NJ