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Reptangle — Art Stroke review

#artstroke #betatest #productreview #newproduct #artistgadgets
Published: 2016-04-01 16:36:59 +0000 UTC; Views: 1721; Favourites: 47; Downloads: 1
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Description  I usually don't do product reviews, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to beta test this new gadget! It is called the "Artstroke" ( not the best name in my opinion! Sounds like a medical condition.  I guess the name "Art Attack" was taken.)
 
   This little wearable works (or is supposed to work) the way a "Fitbit" does for measuring your physical activity. It is supposed to build your drawing skills by counting individual strokes of your hand - encouraging you to attain the daily goal of 10,000 strokes!
   It has built in gps and  uses an "advanced accelerometer", to tell the angle and length of any hand movements you make on the page. It KNOWS the difference between when you are drawing and when you are doing other things, because it knows by gps where your drawing desk is!! Incredible, though it isn't perfect; it counted about forty strokes that I made while scraping out the cat box. I guess that counts as art.

  It works somewhat for sculpting too, if I am doing hand movements similar to drawing, such as carving feathers or sanding.
 If it senses you are sitting at your drawing desk, and if it hasn't recorded a hand movement for a few seconds, it will nudge you to get back to it by giving a tiny vibration.

 It really is an amazing device, but, even though it is one of the cutting edge devices to provide artificial motivation (so you don't need to use your own), I really can't recommend it.
 For the whopping $179 dollar price tag you'd do a lot more to improve your drawing ability by just buying a $3.95 pack of printer paper, a box of 2b pencils , sitting down and filling all the pages.

  I give this product two stars out of five. It is kinda silly, very expensive and not all that useful, although it does have a large readout of the date, so you can keep track of what day it is.
 Today it says April 1
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Comments: 53

Reptangle In reply to ??? [2016-04-05 15:33:36 +0000 UTC]

BS is my second language

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FlyingGekko774 [2016-04-03 16:13:56 +0000 UTC]

Brilliant and honest review! Thank you!

Pfffft! As if a gadget telling you how many strokes you've done the day will inspire me to do more... It's not about the amount of strokes you've done, it's what you've been doing WITH those strokes and whether or not you have anything to actually SHOW for it! Be it reference practicing or a final drawing/sculpture/art thing. 

Honestly I think it's just a money-making thing and someone was smart enough to see an opportunity and milk it. The most I would get out of it, is to let it tell me the time

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Reptangle In reply to FlyingGekko774 [2016-04-03 16:32:34 +0000 UTC]

No it's not for money, it's for fun. April fool!

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FlyingGekko774 In reply to Reptangle [2016-04-04 15:38:43 +0000 UTC]

THAT REMINDS ME!... Does your Veligent world have something similar to April fools? 

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Reptangle In reply to FlyingGekko774 [2016-04-04 16:04:46 +0000 UTC]

Well, there is "Rueday", also called "Rue-Heckle day"
Sort of like a  mashup of Halloween, April fool's day, and Holy, the Indian holiday.

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FlyingGekko774 In reply to Reptangle [2016-04-05 10:22:04 +0000 UTC]

So, after a good day you can say to someone, "Holy Reptangle, you scared me half to death with that joke!"

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ZhoraTheWolverbabe [2016-04-03 02:23:47 +0000 UTC]

Even if I could afford it, I hate anything other than myself telling me when and how to do art and would dump it if anyone gave me one.

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Kuldi [2016-04-02 14:35:08 +0000 UTC]

huh, I was so sure that the announcement of this product was an april fool's joke lol

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Reptangle In reply to Kuldi [2016-04-02 17:19:29 +0000 UTC]

Trust your instincts

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GersifGalsana [2016-04-02 06:51:58 +0000 UTC]

Lovely review! Daft product.

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kuroitenshi13 [2016-04-02 01:19:34 +0000 UTC]

Thanks so much for the review!

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timmainsson [2016-04-01 23:54:39 +0000 UTC]

This souds like a great idea for a Sandra Bullock movie!  I can see it now...
Sandra screaming:  " If I draw less than 55 pictures a day the pen explodes!!!!

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timmainsson In reply to timmainsson [2016-04-01 23:55:04 +0000 UTC]

I know
shame on me

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AdeleLorienne [2016-04-01 23:21:09 +0000 UTC]

LOL, I almost did this!  XD  But it was too silly.  You made it awesome. 

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Reptangle In reply to AdeleLorienne [2016-04-03 03:30:33 +0000 UTC]

This was fun. I have always been stubborn about trying stuff like this, but
I think I may be more wiling to try new art gadgets in the future.

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keight [2016-04-01 20:53:31 +0000 UTC]

Thank you for that reality check. If it can't tell a cat box from a drawing table, what's the point? That means the best parts of this picture are the pode, the wineglass, the drawing of the sloats, that wonderfully twisty bit of root(?), and your lovely working hands. Have a great weekend.

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Reptangle In reply to keight [2016-04-01 21:07:49 +0000 UTC]

I tried to photoshop out the bruise on my wrist I got while hiking last weekend! You can still see it.
 If I had set the "roaming" sensitivity correctly, it would of known I was on the floor cleaning a cat box!
...and I wish I had used a cleaner wine glass for this photo.

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keight In reply to Reptangle [2016-04-02 06:47:13 +0000 UTC]

I had biopsies done on my left wrist and the middle finger of my right hand, a couple of weeks ago, in order to identify annoying areas of red spots. My desk and studio are still dusty messes which are collecting drifts of fine black dog hair. And I'm not allowed wine (pout) due to my current medications. I have to rip the label off of my water bottle or some one else will try to claim it. We're working women and it shows. The big difference is, after three months of getting pushy and snarly about it, I'm getting the stuff out of the studio that hogs my work surfaces and has been stored in it "just for a while".

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Reptangle In reply to keight [2016-04-03 03:27:18 +0000 UTC]

Any diagnosis?

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keight In reply to Reptangle [2016-04-03 04:09:14 +0000 UTC]

Yes, all the sites turned out to be Granuloma annulare (GA) which is is a benign inflammatory dermatosis. (Sorry about the italics. I did a copy-paste, and can't get it to stop.) The first time it showed up I thought it might be ringworm. Charming stuff. It is classified as a condition with no known cause, no specific treatment, and therefore no cure. It went away for awhile and is now back with some new variations. It doesn't have, or cause, the issues psoriasis, exczema, or anything else does, so meh, it is there and it doesn't bother me; though it really bothered one of my doctors. Thank you for asking, and apologies for causing you concern. I think I got the results the day after that first post. I just have to keep track of odd skin spots because basal cell skin cancers crop up in my side of the family, and I've already dealt with a few of them.

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Reptangle In reply to keight [2016-04-03 07:13:20 +0000 UTC]

Oh, that is good !

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keight In reply to Reptangle [2016-04-03 15:28:51 +0000 UTC]

For sure.

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smogteeth [2016-04-01 20:27:33 +0000 UTC]

This is a really.... ODD thing to be on the market? 
It just brings up a lot of questions for me personally, and they delve even deeper into foundation problems, for instance; Rather than "Get back to work! If there's no practice, there's no perfect!" Really, with as hard as artists work, we actually NEED to get up and get away from the desk a little more often than we do. (career artists, not hobbyists) 
I honestly feel like I already work far too hard. 
Does it have a start and STOP time? I feel like the problem/challenge isn't "get back to drawing!" but more, "I know it may not seem like it, but you've been working really hard for a couple hours now, you should go take a 10 minute walk and get your blood flowing again... Then get back to it." 
Which brings me to another discussion about health within productivity, how to take breaks, even among the feeling of zero productivity (visually, sometimes you work hours and it looks like you haven't done anything)
BUT maybe this IS for the hobbyist who is really wanting to IMPROVE their work, and they say someone who puts in 10,000 hours will certainly have developed the skill. Perhaps THAT is the goal, yes? I've gotten a lot of mixed messages from several reviews of the product, all of which are addressing very interesting and separate problems....  

ALL OF THAT ASIDE: 
I appreciate your honest review. I'm not a fan of the idea of this device, I like the drive and intentions behind it, but I don't think this is the solution to the problem they are trying to address. It more or less feels like an A.D.D. tracker for artists. 

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Reptangle In reply to smogteeth [2016-04-01 20:54:28 +0000 UTC]

Yeah, I feel it would be a better and more useful product if it was coupled somehow with an exercise tracker.  The health toll being a professional artist takes on your body is no laughing matter. 
 You can set the "session " for the amount of time you wish. I think that feature is to get you to sit down and draw, not make sure you take breaks though!
This device isn't designed for professionals. From the ad material, the device seems to be aimed at distracted young artists that just don't have the attention span to really get enough drawing in daily.
 That said, I can see where it could be useful to PROVE to your clients that you really DID put in a week of 16 hour days on their stupid rush project, and you aren't just whining.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

smogteeth In reply to Reptangle [2016-04-02 21:43:54 +0000 UTC]

Haha! Yeah. Definitely feel this is for the youngsters of the art world. I have a really hard time STOPPING work to take an exercise break, rather than keep working. I completely agree with you.

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CherokeeGal1975 [2016-04-01 20:18:38 +0000 UTC]

I thought it was a silly thing I would never buy.  You are right, money is better spent on real art supplies than that thing.
Still enjoying your art.
Have you ever tried to do a collaborative effort?  I have some of my own dragons and creatures that might interest you.

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Reptangle In reply to CherokeeGal1975 [2016-04-01 20:57:43 +0000 UTC]

( I think it is pretty silly too)

Thank you!No, I don't collaborate on sculpture with other people, I can't even get all my own ideas done!
 

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CherokeeGal1975 In reply to Reptangle [2016-04-01 21:23:03 +0000 UTC]

Okay.  Just thought I would ask.  I would love to see some of my ideas in 3-D so I can have a drawing reference to look at.  Do you know someone who does that sort of thing?

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Reptangle In reply to CherokeeGal1975 [2016-04-01 21:35:51 +0000 UTC]

I bet you could do it! You know your characters the best!
 

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CherokeeGal1975 In reply to Reptangle [2016-04-01 22:44:20 +0000 UTC]

You are right.  I just don't have the means at this time to do sculpting of any kind.  I think I would be good at it if I got the chance.  I seem to be fairly talented with pretty much anything arts and crafts I put my hands to except knitting.
Well, I will keep that in mind and maybe if all goes well I can figure out how to make my drawing models. 

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DaffoDille [2016-04-01 20:02:37 +0000 UTC]

Hahahaha I love how honest this review is. I can't tell you how often I lose track of the day in my studio. :b

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Reptangle In reply to DaffoDille [2016-04-01 21:00:03 +0000 UTC]

I feel kinda guilty not gushing about how wonderful this product is... but really, do you NEED a art tracker?
 It is amazing though.

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Reptangle In reply to Reptangle [2016-04-03 03:25:35 +0000 UTC]

Especially on this day.

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Princess-of-Trolls [2016-04-01 19:12:21 +0000 UTC]

HOW DO I GET THIS?! DX

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Reptangle In reply to Princess-of-Trolls [2016-04-01 19:23:57 +0000 UTC]

You'll have to wait a full year. I was lucky enough to be chosen to beta test this device. I don't think it is ready for general sale yet.
The projected cost of this thing seems a little high for art students to afford... but,  of course, a college text book  can cost that much or more, and you only use them for ONE class. You could use this thing your whole life! -as long as there is support for it.

👍: 0 ⏩: 2

Princess-of-Trolls In reply to Reptangle [2016-04-02 01:47:54 +0000 UTC]

Damn.....oh well. At least the real product is being made!

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Reptangle In reply to Princess-of-Trolls [2016-04-03 03:25:03 +0000 UTC]

but it is a silly product

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Princess-of-Trolls In reply to Reptangle [2016-04-03 19:05:24 +0000 UTC]

Kinda..... I think it just might help, really, to be fair.

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Reptangle In reply to Reptangle [2016-04-01 21:21:48 +0000 UTC]

*EDIT* I take that back ! It looks like they are offering them for sale now! I don't see the price listed. I was hoping it would be lower than the quote I got!
The case on this one looks a little sleeker than the beta model  I tried out.

Introducing ArtStrokeIntroducing ArtStroke from DeviantArt: Track your strokes. Stay inspired.
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Home to over 38 million artists globally, DeviantArt is proud to host a community of like-minded creatives inspiring each other to be the best they can be. The very act of uploading each masterpiece broadcasts both the artist's stunning vision and the years of accumulated artistic skill. Such talent doesn't come easily. The path to improving one's craft is practice, practice, practice. In a world where technological advancements are shaping the landscape of our everyday lives, we knew there had to be a way to gamify artistic discipline and satisfy our every creative itch.
Well, now there is.
ArtStroke is a new device that encourages daily creativity by recording every flick of your wrist. Just strap it on and grab the tool you're most passionate about. ArtStroke’s built-in precision engine detects that you're about to get those creative juices flo

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CHeMnICORn [2016-04-01 19:06:19 +0000 UTC]

Lol not you too!

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Reptangle In reply to CHeMnICORn [2016-04-01 19:10:44 +0000 UTC]

I got to be one of the lucky ones!

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CAPTAIN-CAPSLOCK-PHD [2016-04-01 18:10:07 +0000 UTC]

A favorite poad? 

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Reptangle In reply to CAPTAIN-CAPSLOCK-PHD [2016-04-01 18:27:57 +0000 UTC]

That's the first  Poad™ sculpture.
 I made the first one to have a model to draw from. I was having a heck of a time keeping the look of a poad consistent. They are surprisingly difficult to draw the way I picture them.

   People seemed to like it, so we cast more.  Funny thing is, we sold gazillions of poad figurines YEARS before I started publishing the comic, so people had no idea what their background story was.

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sawilde [2016-04-01 17:26:56 +0000 UTC]

I strap mine to my leg next to my step counter on days when I don't have time to draw.

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Reptangle In reply to sawilde [2016-04-01 17:35:02 +0000 UTC]

Ha ha! I tried that! My leg is too fat to make the strap go around, but I stuck it on my shoelace. THAT THING KNEW I was cheating!!! It shamed me! It gave me a red bar! Now I have this red bar among the green ones!! 
 Yours didn't do that?  Maybe mine picked up a signal from my treadmill and knew something was  fishy. These devices are definitely a little creepy...

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sawilde In reply to Reptangle [2016-04-01 18:49:33 +0000 UTC]

You have to disable the GPS and use the "Jackson Pollack" setting. Took me a while to find it. Not terribly user friendly.

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Reptangle In reply to sawilde [2016-04-01 19:08:34 +0000 UTC]

 Hee hee, thanks for the tip! I didn't think to disable the gps feature.

  I thought the  "performance art" setting might work,  but I didn't bother to scroll through and try at all the different setting combinations on the phone app.
 

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sawilde In reply to Reptangle [2016-04-02 00:25:02 +0000 UTC]

I'm sure both performance art and surrealism settings would also work.

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Reptangle In reply to sawilde [2016-04-03 03:24:01 +0000 UTC]

Naw, I tried the surrealism setting and the thing just got all limp and fluid. I had to dry it out under vacuum before it got firm, and worked again.

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DarkwingDrake [2016-04-01 17:18:06 +0000 UTC]

neat! LOL!! at the cat box part.
I bet it counts if you`re playing a computer game too. hehe. But I agree. it`s not worth $179. least not for a free lance artist like myself.

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