Tutorials

Guides, short how-tos, and extensive tutorials explaining a variety of topics.

Jekyll’s site.url and baseurl

Learn what Jekyll’s site url and baseurl variables are and how to properly set them with relative_url and absolute_url filters to avoid broken links and 404 errors.

Using SSI to detect cookies

In my never ending quest to micro-optimize the hell out of my site, I ran into a snag when trying to use SSI directives to improve the loading of critical CSS and cached stylesheets.

How to draw straight lines

To draw straight lines on the iPad in apps that don’t have a ruler tool, I use whatever straight edge I have laying around: plastic ruler, book cover, piece of cardboard, notepad, etc.

How to export high resolution Paper sketches

With Paper by WeTransfer you can only export as large as your iPad’s native resolution. If you care about getting more pixels out of your Paper art than the largest iPad Pro1 is the way to go.

How to paint smoothly with the brush tool

A smooth gradient can be achieved layering washes of watercolor on top of each other. Speed and pressure play an important role in how clean of a tone you end up with.

How I'm using Jekyll in 2016

Documenting my approach to using Jekyll, how that’s evolved over the years, and web development learnings I’ve picked up along the way.

Mastering Pencil by FiftyThree

Learn how to create impressive effects with 53’s Pencil stylus and Paper app, using exclusive features like Blend and Surface Pressure.

Mastering Mix by FiftyThree

Download these templates for Paper and discover how to use Mix to Learn, Sketch, Play, Write, Design, and Think.

Grid method of drawing

How to use the grid method of drawing to improve your accuracy when drawing with the app Paper on iPad.

Drawing and painting basics

Beginner friendly Paper app tutorials covering basic drawing and painting techniques, inking, and color theory principles.

Contour line drawing on iPad

How to use blind contour line drawing and the iPad app Paper, to improve hand eye coordination and observation skills.