CAB21: March challenges

[annapods]

March! Northern hemisphere friends, we’re getting really close to the end of that seasonal depression, hang tight.

Ask the cover artist: tools of the trade
Tell us about a software, online tool or resource that you use! What’s so great about it? Show us some examples?

I’ll start: Inkscape. It’s a vectorial image editor, so it’s very easy to play around with shapes, colors, fonts and composition. It’s not the best for complexe texture, and it’s hard to get used to unless you’re already used to similar tools (open source software like like Glimpse/G*MP, or vectorial ones like Adobe Illustrator or even Photoshop now), but since most of the time I’m thinking more in terms of design than in terms of art, it’s perfect. All of these covers except the first, the second and the fifth were done with inkscape.

Art history: glass work
Glass work is a fascinating process with many practical and artistic uses: stained glass, vitreous enamel, grandma’s decorative paperweight, …
Maybe don’t try to do this at home, but if you do, definitely show us the results!

(Photo credits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)