[NewsPoster]

Where other companies are shifting drawing focuses to tablets or digital-capture methods, Moleskine is trying to keep the drawing experience analog. However, instead of foregoing digital workflows entirely, the company is offering a new notebook and app that works with Adobe Creative Cloud to convert hand-drawn sketches into digital files.

Rather than turn to costly digital alternatives, Moleskin is offering a low point of entry for the analog-to-digital conversion, starting at $33 with the Moleskine Smart Notebook. The 160-page Moleskine Smart Notebook looks like a standard paper-based notebook from the company, but users can import the images drawn inside it through an iPhone app that makes use of the on-board camera.

While it might not sound like a reason to pick up that particular notebook, Moleskine puts special markings on each page in the tome to optimize the capture process. These marks, on the corner of each page inside the Moleskine Smart Notebook, help orient and process the images, regardless if the notebook is completely flat or not. Using the iPhone camera, the app snaps a picture and processes the image, with the markings acting as reference points.

The free app uses the Adobe Creative SDK to take advantage of Creative Cloud, giving users a way to convert their sketches to a digital format without having to scan or fine tune them. The capturing process goes beyond merely snapping a picture, as both JPG and SVG vector files are created. Initially, the images are optimized and processed to a JPG file meant to be opened in Adobe Photoshop CC, but the app also translates the sketch to an SVG file for Adobe Illustrator CC. Moleskine says that they are "fully workable vector files" converted from the JPG. For those that have active Creative cloud subscriptions, the files can then be synced for faster access.

Moleskin Smart Notebooks are currently on pre-order, with an expected ship date of December 31.

[SierraDragon]

Since Adobe went to the CC subscription model many of us long time Adobe users look instead for solutions that do _not_ involve Adobe CC products. We are moving to modern much less expensive app where Adobe does not control one's work.

The article references a "JPG file meant to be opened in Adobe Photoshop CC." Is it a standard JPG openable in older PS versions or not?

[Jordan Anderson]

There's likely nothing making the JPG special, or that would restrict it only to Photoshop. Since Moleskine goes as far as branding the notebook with the Creative Cloud logo, the company is likely playing up the idea of synergy with Adobe in the release.

With your Adobe Creative Cloud membership, you can then sync your files to the Creative Cloud and immediately open your image in Adobe Photoshop CC or Adobe Illustrator CC for refinement.