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Issue link: https://digital.macdirectory.com/i/90549
INTERVIEW MD > You appear to have some concerns about using your iPad to show your work. Why is that? WM > The iPad is a great product, and its usefulness is growing. I have a MacBook as my personal computer and it has served me well, so I didn't think I needed an iPad. I believed that the iPad was a toy and its limitations would prevent it from adding anything to my computing needs. That was before I used my wife's iPad to show a client some artwork. I was working on a very exciting project with a major entertainment studio (unnamed) and things weren't going well. In fact, despite my most intense efforts, I thought I'd be fired at the next meeting. We were looking for a visual solution to the challenges we faced and I decided to load some of my artwork on my wife's iPad, take it to the meeting, and see if it inspired a solution. Perhaps it would start a conversation, or maybe be dismissed immediately? Maybe the screen was too small, or it would be seen as a novelty? Within moments of showing my work on the iPad, and passing it around the conference room, we had our new direction. I think that iPad saved me, and I joked "I hope it was my work and not the iPad that solved the problem." Perhaps there was a benefit to holding it in their own hands, zooming, and swiping that gave each person a chance to become familiar with my work at their own pace, and an interactivity that was different than just passively looking at a computer screen? Obviously now I see how the iPad's capabilities go beyond just a consumer product. Luckily the retina display iPads came out shortly after and I grabbed one immediately. MD > Apple's display systems reflect quite a bit of light, making design work difficult to do. Have you considered using a different brand or possibly use some sort of anti-glare film? FYI, I did talk to Apple and the company does have a non-reflective screen available on the MacBook Pro. Could you work on a smaller display area? WM > For professional work I use a 27-inch Apple LED, and a 30" Apple LCD. Apple LED displays are gorgeous to look at, but do have some drawbacks. They are more bright with better saturation, and they've packed 2560 x 1400 pixels into 27 inches for more detailed resolution as compared to 2560 x 1600 in their older 30-inch display. While I like the brightness, I'd trade the new pixel density for the 30-inch size, and I'll explain why. Pixel density is great for extreme detail, but I also like to have the monitor fill my field of view. When you create your artwork in the physical world you do not have a frame that crops your view. So I'd prefer to have a monitor fill as much of my field of view as possible to better simulate working in the real world. This is also why I don't do professional work on a laptop. On a funny note, I read a user complaint about the 30-inch Cinema being too large and that they'd have to move their head around to see the whole screen. I think it's good to move your MacDirectory 109