2020 Created on iPad Gallery 3

For Autism Acceptance in April, Art of Autism contributors across the United States and Canada explore digital art as a new medium using iPad with Apple Pencil. What they created was amazing!

Over the last few weeks, participants have been creating new forms of art on iPad. Though some had previous experience with iPad, most artists had not previously worked with Apple Pencil to create art.  This is the 3rd gallery that The Art of Autism is posting during the month of April, Autism Acceptance Month.  The second gallery is here.  The first gallery is here.

I’m a 24-year-old artist, writer and musician based out of Connecticut. Being multifaceted gives me the opportunity to explore a variety of different mediums – the newest being the Apple iPad – which allows me to expand my creativity and take it to new heights. Being a part of the Created on iPad project has pushed me to broaden my usual style and technique, providing me with the opportunity to explore a hidden talent I never knew existed within myself. Upon trying out the app Procreate ($9.99 in the App Store), the ease of using the Apple Pencil can be compared to putting a regular pencil to paper; however, there is no mess or clean-up, and there are seemingly limitless options to choose from (regarding brushes, textures, colors, layers, etc.). It’s a bit like Adobe Photoshop, but with much more control!

I am so glad and grateful to have been chosen to be a part of this project, and will definitely continue to create more art after this project has come to an end. I would recommend the iPad to any artist looking to expand their horizons.

My name is Rachel and I have autism.  This is the first time I have created art in a digital format. I have been working on finishing my BFA at Portland University until my deteriorating health has forced me to take a leave of absence.  I also like music and singing and released my first album last year.  It has been nice to make art again in ways I have been unable to do in the past. I love being creative in art and I look forward to sharing my work with a new audience.

For the past few weeks I have been exploring and creating beautiful art using an iPad. Usually I make a living as an artist painting on canvas. Nicely I have challenges with my body and movement.   Recently an accident to my middle finger made it much harder to paint on canvas. Nicely the iPad has helped me get my creative ideas out with less pain and difficulty. Not everything is the same as it was before my accident, but I love being able to create beautiful paintings from wherever I am. While frankly I have to learn new ways to visualize what I want, I truly see the potential of reaching more people and inspiring others with digital art. I will continue to grow as an artist thanks to these wonderful tools.

Jeremy writes detailed descriptions that accompany his art. To read the descriptions and learn more about Jeremy go here.

CarolAnn, an autism educator, advocate and consultant, lives with fibromyalgia and arthritis, and many of the activities which filled her with joy had to be abandoned. Until now. Working with the iPad has given CarolAnn new hope and helped her rediscover a love for art.

Typically, CarolAnn uses watercolors, acrylics and inks for her two-dimensional art. She has no prior experience with digital and computer art programs. The iPad has amazing response and detail attributes. The Procreate App is huge: the options, the colors, the brushes, the masking and layers system. The app gives the artist total control, and there are no mistakes which can change the artist’s intentions.  It was a struggle, learning the operations, how the brush tools behave and the saturation, filling options, and gestures support creating art.

Brandon was born in Miami Beach, Florida and became a professional artist at age 18.  His art can be described as whimsical Fauvism. As a self-taught Naif artist, his art is often the product of fragmented unfiltered thoughts trapped in his mind with no linear connection. His art communicates how he sees the world as an individual living with autism. For Brandon, creating art means exploring the familiar and unknown to understand the similarities and differences of animals, places and languages.