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Rachael Stefanussen on Wacom Storyboards, Hot Keys and Collecting Photoshop Brushes

Notes from the Core77 Sketching App Showdown

By Core Jr - March 13, 2015

in Tech-tacular | Tech

We talked with some seasoned sketchers about their app-inions and how and what works for them. Read more from Core77's Sketching App Showdown, including Chris Cheung's introduction to digital sketching, in the Core77 Tech-tactular.

Rachael Stefanussen is Lead Insights Designer for Astro Studios in San Francisco. She pursued her career as an industrial designer due to her love of problem solving and creating. After graduating Valedictorian of University of Cincinnati's School of Design, Rachael moved out west to work with Astro Studios.

What kind of design work do you do?

I am an Industrial Designer for Astro Studios in San Francisco. I work on everything from blue sky conceptual projects to consumer electronics and devices.

A sketch for Burberry perfume packaging by Rachael Stefanussen

What do you find yourself using sketching apps for?

I use my Wacom tablet for storyboards, sketch renderings, illustrations and tweaking photo-realistic CAD-generated renderings when I’m on the go. I use Sketchbook for rough line sketches, then move into Photoshop for anything and everything else. I have a larger Intuos tablet at the studio and a smaller one I use on-the-go.

How do specific programs it fit your sketching style?

Photoshop lets me keep things gestural and pressure sensitive custom brushes do a good job of translating my sketching style to the digital. I've been collecting Photoshop brushes since I was 19 and have a huge library. The hot keys on my Wacom tablet save time and keep the sketching process fluid and streamlined, which is important.

Sketches for a remote control by Rachel Stefanussen.

Any pet peeves about the app(s) you use?

Sometime Photoshop is just a little too heavy of a program. Even fast laptops can struggle with an enormous PS file. I also wish there were a more robust way to organize layers; things get pretty gnarly if you don't organize and label them (I know it's best practice, but I refuse to believe anyone actually does this unless they're planning to hand off their file.)

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This article is part of the Core77 Tech-tacular, an editorial series exploring the myriad ways that technologies are shaping the future of design.

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Robbie L

9 years ago

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Nice work Rachael! I'm amazed you do all the lines with the Intuos. Have you given the Cintiqs a shot?

@Bojan: I am with you! Once you get used to it, it is impossible not to. I've started keeping an empty nest of folders collapsed in each PSD file, with the highlight, lines, and shadows each in their own sub-folder, so I can copy that whole big folder over and over again.

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Bojan Živković

9 years ago

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It is hard to believe but I am naming and grouping layers all the time. It is matter of habit which anyone can develop pretty fast. At this point of time, if I open PSD file without properly named and grouped layers, the first thing I will do is to name and group layers.

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- Sarah Flieger
  
  Bojan Živković
  
  9 years ago
  
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  exactly it's much less work if you do it from the start.
  
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