Just so you know, this article is 100% opinion. I have not been paid to post a review of the SmudgeGuard and I have not received free merchandise.
The SmudgeGuard partial glove is an ingenious invention. As any artist knows, at some point, you are going to rest the side of your hand on your media, whether that be a sketch, or the Modbook.
This poses a problem no matter what your media of choice is. If you are sketching, you either just smeared your drawing or you picked up graphite, or whatever you are using, on the side of your hand. The next time you set your hand down again, you’ve just added a beautiful hand-shaped stamp to your work.
With the Modbook, or other tablets in general, the side of your hand can cause interference when trying to do detail work or make a soft, graceful line. The longer you work, you also run the risk of developing perspiration on your hand, which works like a suction cup on the screen of the Modbook. It becomes increasingly difficult for your hand to glide smoothly across the top of the Axiotron ForceGlass screen.
Also, and this is for the more anal-retentive artists out there, like myself, you develop finger prints and smudges on the screen of the Modbook with each usage. Axiotron has said that you can use alcohol to clean the screen of the Modbook but, at least for me personally, I’d rather go as long as I can without applying cleaning solvents, including alcohol, onto the screen of the Modbook.
Enter the SmudgeGuard.
What is the SmudgeGuard?
The SmudgeGuard is a partial glove that covers the side of your hand from below the wrist, all the way up to your enclosed pinky. It’s made of 87% Nylon and 13% Spandex. Essentially, you put your wrist through the snug band and slide your pinky into the enclosure, then draw as normal. Putting the SmudgeGuard on is no more difficult than putting on a normal glove.
While your pinky is enclosed, the other 4 are left completely free, so you’re not restricted in any manner as you draw or work.
If you are using traditional media, the SmudgeGuard should protect your hand and art from unwanted smudges. With the Modbook, the SmudgeGuard helps prevents fingerprints and hand smudges on the screen.
How it feels
Wearing the SmudgeGuard seems a little odd the first time you put it on. For me, the weird part was having my pinky covered and my other fingers at large. It’s a different sensation, but it fades quickly as the SmudgeGuard is actually very comfortable.
In fact, it’s so comfortable that I’ve almost walked out of the house wearing it a couple of times. :) If you get used to wearing it, you quickly forget you have it on, which could make you look very peculiar in the real world.
The fact that the SmudgeGuard prevents the Modbook screen from looking like Smudgeville USA is actually a sidenote to my favorite feature of the little partial glove: the drawing sensation. Wearing the little aid completely changes the tactile feedback you receive from the Modbook as you draw. When you draw with a bare hand, there are times when your hand may act a brake and stop or slow the progression of a movement on the Modbook screen. With the SmudgeGuard on, your hand glides smoothly and consistently over the screen without any hesitation. It makes delicate detail work and loose, fluid movements possible without multiple attempts.
Size and ordering
When placing your order, you need to make sure to print out the size guide from SmudgeGuard.com and measure your hand to get an accurate fit.
Tip: make sure you print the PDF at 100% or else the sizing chart will not be accurate.
My size really surprised me! I am a decent sized fella with average hands for my build, but I’m still a small with the SmudgeGuard. I was a little worried when I ordered a small, but I trusted them to know their sizing. They were dead on! It fits, well, like a glove. ;)
You have two options for ordering: SmudeGuard.com ($14.99) or CoolGraphicStuff.com ($14.95). If you order directly from the manufacturer, there is a 7-15 day fulfillment cycle, which seemed like a drag to me. I opted to go through CoolGraphicStuff.com and my order shipped the same day. I had the SmudgeGuard in about 3 business days without paying for expedited shipping.
Update:
I received a kind e-mail from Jeannie, the SmudgeGal, who updated me on her fulfillment time. It seems the 7-15 day cycle was due her taking a vacation at the end of August. So why not order from the source? :)
Pictures
Final verdict
This is the perfect companion to the Modbook. It is relatively inexpensive, so I’d recommend you pick up a couple when you’re ordering - that’s how much the SmudgeGuard improves the Modbook experience.
This is easily the best $15 accessory for the Modbook, Wacom users or traditional artists who find themselves with more graphite on their hand than on their work.
August 24th, 2008 at 9:31 am
Boy, you are a wicked reporter. I don’t know what you do at your day job… but I think MacWorld could use your talents. I TOTALLY agree on the glove, I ordered from SmudeGuard.com. Got mine in 2 days too, with a nice note from Jeannie who’s in charge. (I have 3 now - I use one for “natural media, which I seem to do less and less because of the modbook. I Also gave one as a gift! (Artist Birthday hint here!)
I’m rethinking my feelings about ArtRage, based on your posts. This evening when I get home (last day of the county fair) I’m gonna play with ArtRage again. There is something so satisfying about pushing all that paint around, the way it mixes is better than in real life! And who can pass up applying a little metallic glitter. I’m very glad your experience has been so positive. Long live digital art.
(Congrats to baby girl!)
August 24th, 2008 at 9:54 am
You are too sweet Suzi! :) I actually work in IT for a Telecom company as my profession. I am just a computer geek on the side. :)
I’m glad I’m not alone in my glove love! It’s such a great invention! If I had only known about these sooner they would have saved me so much frustration with traditional art.
I think that our inclinations as artists probably guide or decisions on software. I tend to be more of a “player” or “expirementer” when it comes to art. love smooshing paint around a canvas, and I love free sketching, without any goal in mind. I’ve found that Art Rage probably lends itself to that better than Sketchbook Pro. If I were more of a formal artist, I can see where Sketchbook Pro would put Art Rage to shame though. So, I don’t think either program is really better than the other. I think it all comes down to what you want to use them for.
The only thing that might push people one way or the other is the price point. Nearly $200 for Sketchbook Pro is excessive. The $25 for Art Rage is a steal of a deal by comparison.
Hope you are having fun at the fair! :)
August 24th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
The fair was fUN! Weather beautiful. A cow pooped rather blatantly and it splashed on my hubbie’s dockers. Sent me into gales of laughter. Son and husband think I’m weird. Kid with the cow was snickering too. What fun life is.
I agree on all your points. I’m a rather disciplined artist but I’m trying to loosen up, which is why I should use artRage even more. Just for the fun of it. I’m off now to turn on the ole ModBook for an evening of fun, punctuated by a little dinner, then more MB. Hope you have a good work week coming up. Save energy for modbooking. (Much better, any day than scrapbooking.)
Thanks again for the website. So nice to be among friends. I hope people will start finding it in droves.