iPhone-generated artwork featured on cover of The New Yorker

Well, what do you know? It looks like our favorite fingerpainter is really making a name for himself with his handset artwork. Like his other New York City-scapes, Jorge Colombo's cover for the June 1, 2009 issue of The New Yorker was composed entirely in the Brushes iPhone app. And it looks like the artist's switch to a digital format is no gimmick -- he tells The New York Times that the device allows him to work "without having to carry all my pens and brushes and notepads with me." And he can work in anonymity -- to complete the cover he spent about an hour on 42nd Street, with no interruptions (try doing that with a canvas, an easel, and a full compliment of art supplies). Mr. Colombo, if you're out there: we'd like to add you to our Mafia Wars family. Drop us an email.

[Brian @ May 25th 2009 10:21AM]

A very talented individual indeed, I have trouble painting a wall...

[Drew Green @ May 25th 2009 11:42AM]

You mean I'm not the only one?

[Jack Storm @ May 25th 2009 1:37PM]

haha a wall is easy, i have the problem off keeping the paint from going anywhere else...

[Argot @ May 25th 2009 2:14PM]

But that's a picture taken with the iPhone camera!

[BigDaddyM @ May 25th 2009 4:44PM]

Why not take a picture and work the image from your studio if you are worried about being bothered?

Why then not use a laptop? They do come in small sizes (to avoid attention) with touch screen abilities...

Granted there is talent to make the image, but its a gimmick how he made the image.

Silly rabbit, tricks are for kids...
M

[gareth @ May 25th 2009 9:46PM]

thatz a fxxking gimmick. ever heard of tablet pc? the ones that give you at least 12'' of screen real estate and 256 touch sensitive and the most advanced painting softwares and the ability to carry around and actually work as artistic devices?
If he is a serious artist-I doubt that judging from his moronic choice-he would've dump the cell phone and actually tried to paint some artwork. There're million's AMAZING digital paintings composed by tablet PCs and cg artists out there and no mainstream media ever gave a shit and they suddenly hyping some crappy makeshift images dont by a phone?
his rationalization is just a coverup for his ignorance and thats just sad. And shame on you New Yorker, yet another apple fanboy action and total publicity stunt.

[Michael Leung @ May 25th 2009 11:59PM]

I thought it was just me!

[Dragonfly @ May 25th 2009 10:32AM]

Very impressive, don't know how he managed to pull that off.

[Bohab @ May 25th 2009 10:48AM]

What's very impressive is that the iPhone's battery lasted a whole hour.

[murmermer @ May 25th 2009 12:14PM]

hahahaha... oh wait that wasnt funny, you were just being a deuche bag

[Don Corleone @ May 25th 2009 10:34AM]

Painting the town with new shades of red.

[TRS @ May 25th 2009 10:38AM]

damn. now thats impressive. thats like using microsoft paint

[Templarian @ May 25th 2009 10:53AM]

Way more impressive stuff done in MS Paint, but still pretty nice.

[TRS @ May 25th 2009 11:07AM]

lets see you do THAT on your blackberry or zune

[Mike @ May 25th 2009 11:12AM]

blackberry != microsoft

??????

[Templarian @ May 25th 2009 11:25AM]

@Mike, we actually call that a "fail", technically TRS performed an "epic fail".

There are actually some really nice drawing apps for Windows Mobile, and the stylus input would most likely produce a smoother picture. But, sure lets go pick on the two devices without touch screens.

[TRS @ May 25th 2009 11:36AM]

im just saying apple iphone > blackberry > zune
and there is no pre even yet.
even without the 80 gigs of memory i need on iphone it still owns

@ Mike
1. Go to apple store
2. Buy an iPhone
3. ???????
4. Profit

[fanman @ May 25th 2009 11:56AM]

@TRS

Stage four dosn't count if the profit isn't yours.

[murmermer @ May 25th 2009 12:19PM]

@ Mike

Your a troll, you can't compliment the artist because he uses the iPhone... it's iPhone related so you HAVE to hate it. You are an anti-iPhone fanatic and you should kill yourself!

[superhobo @ May 25th 2009 3:29PM]

@TRS

Fixed:
4. Profit for Apple and AT&T.

[MatthewJ @ May 25th 2009 10:40AM]

How does this look on the proper (full resolution) cover? Is there any pixellation going on? I would have thought so, or are you able to zoom in on Brushes?

[Mike @ May 25th 2009 11:14AM]

I have no idea about the app too, but i'm guessing it was a png format that stretched rather gracefully.

[Jay Voorhees @ May 25th 2009 12:25PM]

I'm pretty sure it wasn't that difficult to stretch given the nature of the image isn't exactaly photographic quality to begin with.

[Roland @ May 25th 2009 10:44AM]

Wow that's very impressive. I Need to go download Brushes on the App Store.

[Erik Tomlinson @ May 25th 2009 10:45AM]

I don't think it looks all that great, especially the linked ones. What's this guy's regular (not-on-iPhone) style?

Hasn't he heard of tablet PCs? A 12" tablet is a hell of a lot more capable artistic device than an iPhone.

[Gi @ May 25th 2009 10:47AM]

yeah I was thinking the same...based on this he's probably good with still life/figure drawing.

[Homeboy @ May 25th 2009 11:03AM]

Yeah. Cause we all know 12 inch tablets fit inside jeans pockets, boot up in less than 10 seconds and have battery that last longer than 3 hours.

[Alan Strangis @ May 25th 2009 11:02AM]

Agreed, a tablet would be almost as discreet (certainly moreso than a canvas and paints), as well as allow for more artistic freedom.

[tikiwk @ May 25th 2009 11:31AM]

I find the image unappealing, and it's unfortunate the only reason it's on the New Yore cover is because of the hype with the iPhone. Digital art has been around for so damn long, it's ridiculous for anyone to try to claim its origin with the introduction of the iPhone.

Even if a portable device is needed, that work is not really impressive.

You want impressive, go here.

http://www.cgtalk.com
http://www.deviantart.com

[tikiwk @ May 25th 2009 11:32AM]

*New Yorker

[Gi @ May 25th 2009 11:55AM]

@tikiwk
that's sooo true if this was just a simple watercolor painting, for instance, it def wouldn't have made the cover
all hail the first ever touch capable device ever...smh

[ill trooper @ May 25th 2009 5:18PM]

"...it's unfortunate the only reason it's on the New Yore cover is because of the hype with the iPhone." tikiwk

Well, that's NOT the only reason it's on the cover. It's part of it, yes, but not solely the reason its there. This artist uses this technique, and this artist is who they chose to use for the cover. This is the nature of 'The New Yorker" cover - it moves with the ebb and flow of culture here in NYC, and the backstory of the cover art is part of it as well... Keep in mind it's only a quick blip, one week out of 52. Next week will be another inside story or joke. Each week can be a quick commentary of what's up in the city. I think it makes a lot of sense if you consider the amount of iPhones the average New Yorker sees. All of the deviantart links in the world that might be better quality still may not be as pertinent to what the magazine is trying to say about the iPhone and New York by using Jorge Colombo's artwork.

[Stanley @ May 25th 2009 11:38AM]

The application the artist used, Brushes, offers one of the best painting experience I've found for the iPhone platform so far:

http://brushesapp.com/features/

[penis enlargement @ May 25th 2009 12:20PM]

wow, it is some thing difference & unique,

[Kizorblade @ May 25th 2009 12:23PM]

Just like your name.

[SOOPERGOOMAN @ May 25th 2009 12:37PM]

Who is this Colombo and WOW that's some work of art but how will he sell it? Digi dist?
Can I be a part of your Mafia Wars family. (love the nonchalant Facebook reference)

[Victory @ May 25th 2009 12:40PM]

couldn't this be done with a laptop... why so special with an iPhone?

[iKurt 5D @ May 25th 2009 1:01PM]

Haha, see, the iPhone has the best mobile OS in the planet. The world's most brilliant minds uses OSX. Even WinMo, Blackberry, Symbian, WebOS and other crap that is out there can't match OSX.

[Mr. 14 @ May 25th 2009 3:44PM]

I'm up-ranking you for making me picture Stephen Hawking using a Mac. You sir, have made my day. Thank you.

[Jon Doe. @ May 25th 2009 1:46PM]

Who cares? No really. What the hell does this have to do with gadgets? If this was created on any other device it wouldn't have been even a blip on Engadget's radar. But since it is the o so holy iCrap. Lets report on it. Again this deserves to be on TUAW. where anything Apple should be. Not here.

[superhobo @ May 25th 2009 3:31PM]

iFart got so much coverage and it was just playing audio files.

Are you surprised?

[ill trooper @ May 25th 2009 5:26PM]

I really have started to enjoy reading comments from guys like you - it's like the grumpy o.g. haters from The Muppet Show up in the balcony. You're always gonna take shots at Apple, so I've just learned to enjoy watching the vitriolic wheel-spinning.

[Carl @ May 26th 2009 8:56AM]

why hold back, just tell us how you really feel.

[Celedhring @ May 25th 2009 2:36PM]

I'm thorughfully impressed that the artist managed to work with such a small screen as the one in a smartphone.

[Jeff Lewis @ May 25th 2009 3:03PM]

BTW, you can also do this with Colors on the DS - I know of at least one artist who turns out the most jaw droppingly amazing works on his NintendoDS using this program. It's also available for the iPhone.

[resistiveluvr @ May 25th 2009 5:39PM]

Capacitive screens with no pressure sensitivity make little artists weep. For something like art, remarkably, a WinMo phone with resistive screen, stylus, and PocketArtist or similar is a far, far superior choice.

[ill trooper @ May 25th 2009 5:23PM]

Maybe, if the drawing app is good like 'Brushes' is, and the artist likes the OS as much as using an iPhone. I liked the sketching on my older P800 using a stylus, but the 'Brushes' app is more powerful with more options, despite not having a stylus. So it's a trade-off.

[Duh @ May 25th 2009 6:13PM]

Oh yeah? Well where's your NYer cover?

[O @ May 25th 2009 8:11PM]

Why not do it on a laptop, why not do it with a stylis, why not do it with a different phone, why do art at all, why not just take a photo...
WAH-WAH-WAAAAH....

Why R we such Haters??

[Boards of Canada @ May 25th 2009 9:43PM]

"without having to carry all my pens and brushes and notepads with me"

What kind of artist will choose the Iphone for medium over real pens and brushes... At least a tablet would have give him better controls and resolution.

Pretty wannabe if you ask me.

See here;
http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=137&t=200355&highlight=tablet
http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=137&t=750049

photoshop or painter + tablet would be a better option for a serious digital painter.