By Sanjay Suresh:
In the 21st century, one cannot imagine life without that numerous gadgets or gizmos that we use every day. Be it a laptop or the latest ‘smart watch‘, these gadgets have helped make our lives so much easier. Gone are the days when you had to pack half a dozen items to entertain yourself on a long journey. Just carry your trusted smart phone and rest assured that you will be engaged with hours of music, game, videos, social networking and what not!
Just like the way a laptop or a smart phone would be the most important gadgets in an investment banker’s life, there are few relatively unheard of gadgets which are useful for the arts. These gadgets are used by dancers, artists, photographers, singers, etc. to help make their lives easier. Marvels of modern technology, each of these gadgets bring something innovative to the table which completely change how art was pursued or practised till date.
1. Graphics Tablet
If you have dabbled in paint as kid, you would know how hard it is to draw a fairly decent picture using the computer mouse. So how is it, that modern day artists and cartoonists make beautiful art using their computers? They use a graphics tablet of course. A graphics tablet is basically an electronic input device on which you can draw using a special pen called a stylus. Whatever you draw is transferred to the computer using a technology called digitizing.
The best part about such a tablet is that it provides a comparatively natural environment for an artist to use his/her skills. Drawing cartoons, shading etc. can now be done with ease and perfection. Such a tablet is made by many technological giants and is available worldwide.
2. Blackmagicdesign Cinema Pocket Camera
This gadget will appeal to short film makers and videographers around the world. The Cinema Pocket Camera made by Blackmagicdesign is a miniature digital film camera that can shoot in the true quality of a digital film. This portable marvel of technology will now enable movie enthusiasts to capture their videos in breath taking quality using such a light device. Weighing just 355 grams, the camera has a high resolution LCD display of 3.5 inches. Moreover, the camera records in ProRes 422 file format which is an open source format and saves all files to an extendable SD card. For the aspiring professional movie maker, this is a dream gadget.
3. Ultimate Center Belt
The Ultimate Center Belt is the latest gadget used by ballroom dancers to perfect their technique. The belt is basically used to bind two dancers at the exact point to ensure perfect ballroom dance position and posture. Used by beginners and experts alike, this innovative tool helps dancers to get perfect body connection and dance in harmony with their partner. With many a reality dance show star claiming this gadget as the secret of their amazing dance moves, the Ultimate Center Belt is definitely worth a try.
4. iKaraoke
We have all had fun with karaoke some time or the other, singing along to our favourite tunes. Karaoke is often used by singers to practice their songs before shows and concerts. Griffin has come up with an amazing gadget which can be used by professional singers and music enthusiasts alike. iKaraoke is a little gizmo which can be plugged in to your iPod to play all your songs without their vocal tracks. The gadget which comes with a microphone is an easy way to sing your favourite songs without tediously searching for karaoke tracks online.
5. Inkling
Now this gadget is truly marvellous. Forget digital boards where artists can draw using a stylus, Inkling does so much more. Made by Wacom, Inkling records your sketches made on paper using a normal pen and transfers it to your computer. This brilliant piece of technology makes it so much more easier for artists to effortlessly digitize all of their creations without practically spending any extra time for it. And what more, the device also supports layers which means that by simply pressing a button you can create digital layers on the sketch. Doing much more than the standard graphics tablet, this is definitely one device for the future!