Woo-wee! It’s been a while since my last Flavorcraft video and recipe.

It’s been quite some time since sharonvak.com got some love. Sorry about that. Although, those of you who follow me on Twitter, Facebook, etc. know that I’ve been busy serving up how-tos by day and cookstagramming by night. (Follow me on Instagram, you’ll see what I mean.)

Although I haven’t blogged about every appearance, I’ve shown up on the big tee vee quite a few times in the last couple months. This particular appearance, however, deserves its own post.

ABC 7Live, the Bay Area’s afternoon variety show, invited me on set to talk about waterproof tech! Dunking phones and cameras in water, live on television? Yes, please.

As I mention in the video below, we can’t expect to see every gadget become waterproof, but I do believe we’ll see a trend in water-resistant technology, the kind that keeps your gadgets safe from a rain shower or quick drop in the toilet. (Been there, done that. Don’t keep your phone in your back pocket.)

So far, Fujitsu has a water-resistant tablet in its queue, and waterproof cameras continue to be available in the market. I have a feeling phone manufacturers are reluctant to make our handhelds water-, shock-, or dust-proof for one obvious reason: the turnover rate for cell phones is healthy for their business. That phone you cracked or dropped in the toilet means more mula for them.

Enjoy the video! This was 7Live’s second to last episode, so we made sure to make a big ‘splash!’

(click to see my full caricature)

“Grab a pencil, a sketchpad, and start drawing. “

That’s what Jeremy the Artist, a young digital doodler from Austin, Texas, explains is his approach to becoming an expert in his craft.

I first spotted Jeremy on Facebook, when he drew a fun caricature of a good friend of mine, Jackie Hollywood. Knowing Jackie in real life, I was impressed at how Jeremy was able to capture her personality and appearance so precisely. Yet, there was something sinister about these images.

I was instantly hooked on his style. The dark undertones of his images drew me in and kept me clicking for more. 

Jeremy and I quickly connected via the Interwebs, and he soon presented me with a caricature of my own. As much as I try to suppress my excitement, I can’t–I love it! 

I then spent more time browsing through his artwork and my curiosity slowly unfolded–how do artists like Jeremy and The Oatmeal do what they do? These whimsical images are easy for our eyes to digest, but how simple is the process behind it?

After some e-mail correspondence, I got my answers:

How did you get started in digital cartooning?
When you say “digital cartooning”, to me I define that as any cartoon work that had some kind of digital altering/editing, not just cartoons in their entirety drawn digitally.

My process for the past 3.5 years or so has been drawing and inking by hand, scanning the inked drawing into the computer and then coloring via computer programs.

Since September, however, I’ve been drawing completely digital, via my Wacom Drawing Tablet.

Having the graphic design background that I do, anybody that’s in that field can tell you the business of graphic design is all about efficiency and speed. The best product you can create in the most efficient manner you can create it.

With that said, I had a major promotional project lined up for October for my zombie fan art site (zombeezgalore.blogspot.com) where I was going to draw “zombie caricatures” and sell them online. In order to get the most customers, I had to figure out what would be the fastest and most efficient manner of creating them.

At that time I had only a solid month’s experience in drawing with the tablet, but I decided to give it a go for the project, which was probably the best decision I’ve made in my artist career thus far, aside my move into “the big city”.

Since then, I cannot seem to stop using the tablet! Just like a drug addict, I’m pretty hooked on the stuff er tablet, it has saved me vast amounts of production time and has increased seamlessly the quality of my professional work.

Which software do you use?
I use a combination of Adobe CS4 Photoshop & Illustrator, along with Corel Painter Essentials for my illustration work. The tablet I have is a Wacom Intuos3 6×11.

I STRONGLY recommend out of these programs/tools that anyone looking at getting into digital drawing or at least digitally coloring their comics and layering text onto images to at least buy Photoshop.

OK, how about pen and ink–the old school stuff? Do you draw on paper?
The old school stuff is what I was raised on! For my web comics and commissioned illustrations I use my Wacom tablet, but for sketching and just plain doodling I reside on good ol’ ink pens and a sketchpad. For ANY artists, its ideal to always have a sketchpad around you at all times.

Like with any craft, practice makes perfect. Drawing is no different.

Anyone that knows me personally can vouch for me when I say I’m ALWAYS drawing. When I’m out and about eating or even just working on stuff at the local bookstore café, I have my sketchbook handy. You never know when an idea will come to you and you have to be ready to jot it down.

Aside from that, sketching for sketching’s sake is essential to the development of any illustrator/artist’s skills! The practice of drawing constantly can help the artist discover new techniques and styles, overall honing his/her abilities to a level that may not have
been reached without sketching.

Will mobile illustration apps and tools play a part in your work? Are they “good enough” yet?
Funny you asked that, I just got my first Iphone and have been downloading apps like a madman!

One of these apps is a drawing app called “Art Studio”, which I recommend highly.
The app has a variety of tools and options to play with, including the ability to work on different layers, which I think is just beautiful.

Drawing with my finger and thumb is taking a little time to get used to, but I have had the app for only a few days and have posted on my Facebook and Tumblr sites about 4-5 different drawings that I’ve done via this app on my iphone, including a self portrait.

Having this particular illustration app has already helped me quite a bit and I see unlimited potential in it and other similar apps as time progresses. The only preferences I would say that haven’t been met are small things: more memory to hold bigger pictures and a bigger selection of brushes to play with. But that’s me being picky. For now, the apps I do have are more than suffice…watch out for an Iphone Caricature series from me soon…

In all honesty though, I will always prefer the “old school way” of drawing and inking. For me, this drawing technology is like going from walking…to driving a car. I’ll always draw by hand…just drawing digitally will get me to the destination a bit faster.

From Jeremy's Daily Draw project.

What’s the “Daily Draw Project”?
The Daily Draw Project is an art blog project started between me and fellow Austinite Artist, Nathan Livni. We create one drawing per day, every 7 days picking a different theme to abide by. We started on January 1st and don’t plan on ending the project until December 31st, so that’s roughly 365 drawings for the both of us. The concept of “The Daily Draw” project isn’t too new, I actually have seen this project in several different lights under different names, including my first go with this project a few years back.

The philosophy behind the DD project is through regulated drawing practices, the artist will progress and, having to post these drawings daily, will be able to see the progression via a specified time frame, in this case being a year.

What makes this particular project unique to this practice is that it’s just not one artist on the road to self progression, as these projects usually are. Speaking from my previous experience with a similar project, it’s nice to have someone else helping to row the boat. My arms don’t hurt as much anymore!

All artists are invited to participate with us, the main rule being that they have to participate for a minimum of a month. If they like it, they can sign up for another month and so on and so forth. We already have a few artists that will be participating throughout the project, so very excited to see it all come to fruition!

What’s your source for inspiration? Where do you get your ideas?
Hm, not one source can I attribute my works to, I’m inspired and influenced by all walks of life and many different artists. I never know where my inspiration will come from next, really. Being a cartoonist, you want to be very observant at all times of “the little things” and in doing so, I’m inspired by everyday life: a conversational exchange between a couple walking by, the way someone is sitting as he waits to order at a restaurant, someone randomly making balloon animals, etc…those examples are all actual inspirations too, fyi.

Most importantly, I’m influenced by, as cheesy as it sounds, my own life and the trials I’ve undergone.

Not saying that I’ve had the hardest life, but I’ve recently been through some “hard times” that, after surviving the ordeal, has made me a stronger, better, more confident person. And in that light, I have found my creativity to have strengthened exponentially.

A lot of my newer comics’ themes follow along these trials, whether directly or metaphorically illustrated as such…these comics also have been some of my best received among friends and peers, so I plan to continue to explore these themes as well as branch out with new characters and regular strips.

Do you have a favorite type of thing to illustrate? Portraits, comics…?
Caricatures are always fun to do, & good practice for me. My favorite thing to illustrate though, are comics.

Ever since I was 10 years old, I’ve known that I’ve wanted to be a comic book artist. Being a web comic artist, at the moment, is the next best thing!

I actually just finished writing my first graphic novel…working on the sketches as we speak, hoping to have it done in the next year..only a couple steps closer to accomplishing a dream I’ve had….for 15 years!

What’s your dream job?
My dream job is to do what I do now…but full-time & getting paid good money for it!
At the moment I work a day job and run my own freelance graphics/illustration business to pay my bills and keep me above water, but I’m working to be full-time cartoonist that can thrive on commissioned comics and my own illustration works.

What advice do you have for people who want to start illustrating?
Two pieces of advice:
#1 piece of advice for anyone wanting to start illustratin’ : DRAW.

Grab a pencil, a sketchpad and start drawing. Draw every day, even if you don’t know what you are going to draw. Draw everything around you and everyone, even if you don’t have a background in illustration.

The more you draw, the more you’ll develop the skills and confidence in what you are drawing. It doesn’t matter if you like the way you draw, or if what you draw even resembles what you were looking at. What matters is the practice.

I can testify to this. I didn’t like my style/technique for years, but I’ve stuck with it and now am more confident than ever, and I still have quite the road ahead of me…I draw at least 7-10 different sketches a day myself…and not masterpieces, mind you, but comic sketches, observational drawings, etc.

#2 piece of advice for anyone wanting to make something of themselves with illustration: Never, ever, ever, ever, ever…..EVER give up. Persevere, always practice your skills and you’ll get to where you want to be…just work hard, be confident and most of all..have FUN.

www.facebook.com/jeremytheartistguy
www.twitter.com/thetoonman

Daily Draw: www.dailydraw.tumblr.com

When Apple announced its dive into K-12 education at an event last week, the idea of putting interactive textbooks in the classroom excited tech fans and educators alike. After all, embedded videos, interactive widgets, highlighting and study tools built in to a textbook could get students excited about education and make teaching more fun for educators.

But is it too good to  be true?

The $15 textbooks are already available on the iPad, and at least 350,000 have been sold since the announcement. Most likely these were purchased by iPad owners and early adopters, but what will it take to make Apple’s digital textbook dream ubiquitous in pre-college education?

I spoke with CBS News in San Francisco (KPCW) to share my thoughts.

“How was CES?!”

That’s what I’ve been hearing ever since I returned from war the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and I’ve got two words to answer your question: freaking awesome.

This is what happens when you fall asleep at CES.

In a nutshell:

• CES was swarming with tech fiends checking out unreleased tech from small companies vying for attention, and large companies setting the bar. The perfect example? LG’s 55″ OLED TV with a display so rich you feel as if you’re looking through a window. Bonus: It’s actually coming to stores!
• What was I doing there? For three days, I ran around the show floor with a producer and camerman shooting short videos highlighting the best tech CES had to offer. Most times, I had no idea what the product was until I saw it. My job? Package together all the important details in less than 90 seconds.
• I also tackled my first LIVE shot that lasted 6 minutes. 6 minutes! I had one take to guide you through the massive Panasonic booth and point out some of the innovations on display, like a pocket-sized 3D camera and their version of Apple Airplay. Here’s the video.
  
• CNET had one of the most gorgeous media booths there, complete with a fancy stage and a boatload of celebrities. I had the pleasure of meeting LL Cool J (photo of my cheesing hard below), and view live interviews with Eliza Dushku, 50 Cent, and one of my favorite comedians, Wayne Brady. (In his words, CES is like ‘Christmas porn for people who love electronics.’ Agreed, Mr. Brady)

After a week in Sin City, I returned to the city by the bay and promptly appeared on CBS News San Francisco (KPIX) to debrief. Watch the video where I talk about a couple of my favorite finds and chat a bit about where 3D is going.

Dear California,

I love you. Even though it’s cold outside and the produce sections across the state are boasting with pears and squash, you manage to treat me with a juicy surprise: strawberries.

A year-round production of delicious, organic strawberries to quench a fruitless winter drought? I could get used to this. 

Upon seeing these red gems, I was reminded of a summer soiree I hosted, where the talk of the party were my 10-minute Cheesecake-Stuffed Strawberries. It was then I realized I had to share this unique, guilt-free recipe with the Internet.

Thanks for the reminder. And the inspiration.

Love,
Sharon 

Cheesecake-stuffed Strawberries

(Adapted from SugarDerby via Pinterest)

Ingredients:
1 pound strawberries, washed and cored
4 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup powdered sugar
3 graham crackers, crushed

1. Core your strawberries with a paring knife by removing the leaves, then gently cutting a circle in the tip. The insides will come out with it.

2. Make the filling. Combine cream cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, and powdered sugar in a bowl. Beat with a hand mixer or whisk until smooth.

3. With a teaspoon, fill cored strawberries with “cheesecake filling”. Then, dip tops in graham crackers. Repeat for all strawberries and bon appetit!

When Facebook Timeline rolled out to the public and ABC asked me to visit their afternoon talkshow, 7Live, I couldn’t say no. Since Facebook is releasing what I consider to be the most drastic redesign, it’s important that everyone understands how their new profile works. Especially the privacy issues involved.

So I sat down with 7Live’s Lizzie Bermudez to discuss these changes, what you might hate about Timeline, and at least one reason why it’s pretty darn cool. Watch our conversation here:

Every winter, without fail, uncontrollable cravings for homemade treats attack me with demands for anything warm, chewy and laced with butter.

I could brush those cravings aside, but COME ON–it’s just a darned good excuse to make unhealthy and ultra-comforting food.

So this weekend, I managed to couple one of my guiltiest pleasures with my favorite food trend: cinnamon rolls and food on a stick.

You’re going to love this one.

First, let’s be clear: I love my Nook. But even as an early adopter and tech aficionado, I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with e-readers.

For months I turned my nose to the ridiculous idea of reading books on a screen and ditching the weighty reminder of a novel in my purse. I stood by my purist beliefs and there was no way I’d give them up.

Until I got a Nook.

I quickly forgot my dedication to paperbacks and all the minutes I spent defending them. I was a traitor. I moved to the dark side. And seriously, I was judged by my fellow bookworm friends.

But as I joined forces with the Nook- and Kindle-obsessed, I built my defenses: Well, you know, I can carry around ALL my books now!…I never forget my “book” at home…There’s a built-in dictionary!…I’ve been reading a LOT more these days, seriously. 

I must admit, I have a pretty impressive evangelizing speech prepared for anyone who’s thinking of making the switch. I think I’ve narrowed it down to 2 minutes flat.

Of course, I have to be honest: there are many times when I resent my Nook. I sometimes look at it with disgust and wonder why I sold my soul to technology while my beloved bookshelf collects dust. Here’s why:

1. A book’s scent and physique. Call me weird, but there’s something about the smell of a paperback that triggers nostalgia. It’s that whiff you get when you quickly skim the pages of a book. Or sometimes, it’s the first thing you smell in the morning after falling asleep to a demanding novel. Scent aside, it’s the form factor, the pages, the non-functioning object drenched in words that somehow becomes your BFF. I miss that.

2. “No, you can not borrow that.” Every time a friend asks me to borrow a book I’ve read on my Nook, a painful pang hits me as I’m forced to respond, “Uh..sorry…it’s on my Nook.” At that point, all the e-reader evangelizing I’ve done is rendered useless, and I’m left feeling like an asshole.

3.The finale. I can’t think of anything else in the world that gives me the feeling I get when I’ve read the last word, shut the back cover, and stare into space as I draw my book close to me. It’s those 10 20 30 80 seconds of mixed emotions you can’t get any other way.

4.Practical stuff. You know, quickly flipping to a page to see if you got your facts straight. Or, sometimes–*cough*Game of Thrones*cough*–books will includes appendixes, maps, character lists, and other references only useful if you could quickly flip to them. E-readers are terrible in these situations.

5. Spying on book titles. Gosh, this is embarrassing. You wanna know how I discovered some of my favorite titles? Scribbling down books that people are reading on the train. I mean, what will happen when everyone has an e-reader and I can’t do that? I’m really worried about this.*

I wish I could have it all: the mobility and convenience of an e-reader and the nostalgia of books. But nostalgia isn’t something manufacturers will ever be able to reproduce. One day, our children will reflect on the memory of e-readers while they settle into their seats, plug into the Matrix, and upload books into their brains.

*One time, I sat next to a fellow train passenger with an e-reader, memorized a line from the book, Googled it, and found out what she was reading. I bought the book and it was awesome. Can I have my nerd badge now?

http://www.designvalkyrie.com/

This week, CNET discovered a security issue in Siri on the iPhone 4S. By default, Siri is accessible even when the phone is passcode-locked. So, what?

Apple enables this feature for convenience, allowing you to quickly access Siri while you’re driving or otherwise preoccupied. But here’s the problem: if your phone is passcode-locked, and it’s lost or stolen, someone can easily find out where you live, what your schedule is, send text messages, and even e-mails.

My thoughts? Siri should NOT be accessible via a passcode-locked phone by default. As Google+ user DeAno Jackson said: Apple should err on the side of security, and let the users decide if they’d like to sacrifice security for convenience.

After the news spread, Gio Benitez from CBS News Miami asked me to talk a little bit about the security issue and why it matters. I also provide an easy fix for the issue. Here’s the clip: