Duane Willoughby

Duane Writes and Draws

Author: Duane Willoughby

Reader Mailbag:

August 10, 2024 /

Duane, you have this cool website, but you haven’t updated it since November!
– Debbie Dunham
Modesto, CA

DW: I’ve updated it billions of times. Perhaps it was some of the best writing ever written by a human and posted on a WordPress platform. We may never know if DuaneWrites is the pinnacle of human creativity because of the CrowdStrike Meltdown.

You’re going to blame CrowdStrike for your lack of content?
– Laurie Henderson
Modesto, CA

DW: CrowdStrike messed up travel, public services, and Arby’s. It’s reasonable to blame CrowdStrike for missing content. 

Hackers 1995

What do you know about CrowdStrike?
– Carol Morrison
   Modesto, CA

DW: I thought CrowdStrike was a group of hackers from the movie HACKERS. 

You could update your website instead of creating a conspiracy. 
– Herby and the Heartbeats
Modesto, CA

DW: A high-level conspiracy to silence me is more interesting than telling you I didn’t want to update the website. However, I will update DuaneWrites more often. Probably. 

I bet you haven’t updated DuaneWrites because you lack website focus.
– Terry “Toad” Fields
Modesto, CA

DW: It’s not just website focus I lack.

You’re not a fan of the Disney Entertainment Complex?
– Bob Falafa
Modesto, CA

DW: Disney entertainment is the best, and I’m just saying that because I want them to hire me.

American Graffiti 1973

Don’t you think it’s strange that all the “readers” are from Modesto?
-Steve Bolander
Modesto, CA

DW: Yes. Yes, I do. 

Favorite Art Apps and Programs

May 30, 2023 /

Pad

I used my iPad Pro to storyboard my book, EDDIE EATS EVERYTHING. The iPad Pro is a fantastic device for all skill levels. The iPad Mini is great as a small sketchbook. The regular iPad is a solid entry device for digital art.

PROCREATE: Procreate is user friendly and inexpensive. All skill levels will enjoy using this app. There are a lot of tutorial videos to help users learn various skills.
Current cost: $13

CLIP STUDIO PAINT: This is the BEST program for creating web comics, comic books, and comic book looking art. CSP has a PRO version and EX. I used the EX on my computer and Pro on my iPad. The EX has more features, but I don’t need them on my iPad.
The iPad version looks exactly like the desktop version. This is subscription based, and people are often salty about this business model. The cost is reasonable at $25 a year.

 If I could only have one, I’d choose Procreate.

ASTROPAD: Pairs your iPad and your computer to create a drawing tablet. It allows artists to use more powerful desktop programs on their iPad.

Desktop

I use a Mac Mini and a Wacom Cintiq Pro for desktop illustrations.

CLIP STUDIO PAINT EX: I’ve used this program for years. I have the EX-version on my Mac because it allows me to create graphic novels. There are other features, but I don’t use them enough to talk about them. Lots of tutorials online.

PHOTOSHOP: The Photoshop photography plan is $10 a month. This includes Behance, a portfolio site, cloud storage, free brushes, fonts, and updates. Photoshop is (mostly) easy to use, and Adobe provides fantastic tutorial videos.

I am using a teacher discount for Creative Cloud, and it’s nice trying all the apps. However, I’m not sure it makes business sense to keep all of them.

OTHER

AFFINITY PHOTO and DESIGNER: I have both on my iPad and desktop. They are wonderful programs, but I haven’t used them in a while because I switched to the ones I mentioned. Lack of tutorials was my main issue with Affinity. I also didn’t like the UI in the iPad versions.

*UPDATE: Version 2 is out for Affinity products. I am going to update because it is a less expensive option to Creative Cloud. They’ve made improvements to the UI, and there are more tutorials available. While Affinity might not replace Creative Cloud, it provides a solid option.

I illustrated my first book, EDDIE EATS EVERYTHING, in Affinity Designer. I used Affinity Publisher for the book’s layout.

RETRO SUPPLY COMPANY and TRUE GRIT TEXTURE SUPPLY: Great sources for brushes, paper, and other digital art supplies. Both companies feature products to make digital art look retro. I have more brushes from Retro Supply Company, but I like the paper from True Grit.
Both have links for free samples.

QUESTIONS FROM MY READER

June 26, 2022 /

Columbo

Why haven’t you posted anything in almost a year?
There was a pandemic.

Posting on a blog doesn’t require you to be near people.
I returned to teaching and didn’t have time.

You wrote nothing all year?
I wrote and sketched a picture book. I also wrote and sketched EDDIE: BOOK 2.

You couldn’t find a few minutes to blog?
I don’t blog, but sometimes I like to write stuff.

Isn’t that the same as blogging?
That’s a post for another day.

© 2024 Duane Willoughby

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