Computers, now the writer's tool of choice, are still blamed by skeptics for a variety of ills, from speeding writing up to the point of recklessness, to complicating or trivializing the writing process, to destroying the English language itself. A Better Pencil puts our complex, still-evolving hate-love relationship with computers and the internet into perspective, describing how the digital revolution influences our reading and writing practices, and how the latest technologies differ from what came before. The book explores our use of computers as writing tools in light of the history of communication technology, a history of how we love, fear, and actually use our writing technologies--not just computers, but also typewriters, pencils, and clay tablets. Dennis Baron shows that virtually all writing implements--and even writing itself--were greeted at first with anxiety and outrage: the printing press disrupted the "almost spiritual connection" between the writer and the page; the typewriter was "impersonal and noisy" and would "destroy the art of handwriting." Both pencils and computers were created for tasks that had nothing to do with writing. Pencils, crafted by woodworkers for marking up their boards, were quickly repurposed by writers and artists. The computer crunched numbers, not words, until writers saw it as the next writing machine. Baron also explores the new genres that the computer has launched: email, the instant message, the web page, the blog, social-networking pages like MySpace and Facebook, and communally-generated texts like Wikipedia and the Urban Dictionary, not to mention YouTube. Here then is a fascinating history of our tangled dealings with a wide range of writing instruments, from ancient papyrus to the modern laptop. With dozens of illustrations and many colorful anecdotes, the book will enthrall anyone interested in language, literacy, or writing.

This book takes a serious historical and international look at the "digital pencil" movement to equip every student with a computing device with wireless connection. Using an ecological perspective as an overarching framework, and drawing on their own studies and available literature that illuminate the issues related to one-to-one computing, the authors present well-reasoned discussions about a set of complex and critical issue facing policy makers, educators, students, parents, and the general public. The Digital Pencil addresses four key questions: Is the digital pencil a good idea? The authors analyze the costs and benefits of one-to-one computing programs through consideration of multiple indicators and examine the evaluation reports of various projects within their analytical framework to present a comprehensive summary of outcomes of one-to-one computing projects. What happens when each child has a networked computer? The authors analyze existing data with the goal of gaining insights and making suggestions and recommendations for policy makers, teachers, and parents. What should schools purchase or lease - is there an ideal device? These authors examine the relative advantages and disadvantages of different devices and implementation schemes. How do we know if one-to-one computing is making a difference? The authors review the evaluation plans of the various projects and propose a framework for comprehensive evaluation and research on one-to-one computing. This book is intended for researchers, school administrators, educational technology professionals, and policy makers in the U.S. and around the world, and as a supplemental text for advanced courses in education, technology, and technological innovation.

Linus and his eraser, Ernie, don't always see eye to eye. But with the family art show drawing near, these two will have to sharpen their collaboration to make something neither one could do on their own! This ode to art by the illustrator of Spoon and Chopsticks points out the power of sharing the creative process and sticking with it.

In today's fashion industry, the traditional skills of forecasting, cutting, sewing and drafting are no longer enough. Students must be able to transform their two-dimensional plans into computer-generated images. From Pencil to Pen Tool: Understanding Creating the Digital Fashion Image teaches Adobe PhotoShop CS and Illustrator CS techniques applicable to both fashion students entering the field and established fashion-industry professionals seeking to stay current with technology. This book includes technical instruction about sketching and image production, as well as practical advice about creating a computer-generated portfolio and entering the fashion marketplace. Instructor's Guide available on request

This book presents perspectives for and by teachers, school and university administrators and educational researchers regarding the great impact pen and tablet technology can have on classrooms and education. presents three distinctly valuable threads of research: Emerging technologies and cutting-edge software invented by researchers and evaluated through real classroom deployments. First-hand perspectives of instructors and administrators who actively implement pen or tablet technologies in their classrooms. Up-and-coming systems that provide insight into the future of pen, touch, and sketch recognition technologies in the classrooms and the curriculums of tomorrow. The Impact of Pen and Touch Technology on Education is an essential read for educators who wish get to grips with ink-based computing and bring their teaching methods into the twenty-first century, as well as for researchers in the areas of education, human-computer interaction and intelligent systems for pedagogical advancement.

Pencils You Should Know traces the evolution of pencils over time and across the globe. From the humble, handcrafted pencil of the 19th century to the novelty writing implement of the 1990s, each object in this book tells a different story. This book features a selection of 75 modern and vintage pencils curated by pencil powerhouse Caroline Weaver, owner of legendary New York pencil emporium CW Pencil Enterprise. Pencil fanatics will find old favorites here—the original Blackwing 602 puts in an appearance, of course—and make exciting new discoveries, too. • Vintage pencils and accessories are photographed against vibrant, colorful backgrounds and accompanied by Weaver's insightful commentary. • A love letter to one of the most important inventions in human history This supremely charming book celebrates the enduring magic of the pencil. Trace the history of the pencil over time and across the globe, and discover everything you need to know about this simple yet ingenious invention. • A great book for pencil collectors, admirers, historians, artists, writers—anyone who gets excited about the new Palomino Blackwing, a perfectly sharpened No. 2 Ticonderoga • Fans of The Pencil by Henry Petroski, How to Sharpen Pencils by David Rees and John Hodgman, and The Pencil Perfect by Caroline Weaver will want this in their collection. The perfect book for pencil devotees, analog and vintage ephemera lovers, designers, and fans of CW Pencil Enterprise

Digital Painting and Rendering for Theatrical Design explores the tools and techniques for creating dazzling, atmospheric, and evocative digitally painted renderings for scenic, costume, and projection/integrated media design. By focusing on technique rather than the structure of a particular software, this book trains theatrical designers to think and paint digitally, regardless of the software or hardware they choose. The text begins with the construction of the artist’s physical and digital workspace, then delves into an explanation of tool functionality, technique-building exercises, and examples from professional theatrical designers to help contextualize the concepts presented. Each chapter gradually progresses in complexity through skill-building exercises and advanced tool functionality, covering concepts like brush construction, various forms of masking, and layer interaction. The book explores various methods of constructing a digital rendering, including producing digital paintings that look like traditional media and photo bashing – the practice of using extant photographs to create a collaged image. Concepts are contextualized throughout the text using illustrations, quotes, and interviews with working professional designers. This beautifully illustrated guide is written for professional theatrical artists, students of theatrical design, and other visual artists looking to broaden their digital painting skillset.

Just add talent! Award-winning animator Tony White brings you the ultimate book for digital animation. Here you will find the classic knowledge of many legendary techniques revealed, paired with information relevant to today's capable, state-of-the-art technologies. White leaves nothing out. What contemporary digital animators most need to know can be found between this book's covers - from conceptions to creation and through the many stages of the production pipeline to distribution. This book is intended to serve as your one-stop how-to animation guide. Whether you're new to animation or a very experienced digital animator, here you'll find fundamentals, key classical techniques, and professional advice that will strengthen your work and well-roundedness as an animator. Speaking from experience, White presents time-honored secrets of professional animaton with a warm, masterly, and knowledgeable approach that has evolved from over 30 years as an award-winning animator/director. The book's enclosed downloadable resources presents classic moments from animation's history through White's personal homage to traditional drawn animation, "Endangered Species." Using movie clips and still images from the film, White shares the 'making of' journal of the film, detailing each step, with scene-by-scene descriptions, technique by technique. Look for the repetitive stress disorder guide on the downloadable resources, called, "Mega-hurts." Watch the many movie clips for insights into the versatility that a traditional, pencil-drawn approach to animaton can offer.