SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Dec 21, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) --

Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADSK) named artist Luis Peso the winner of the company's recent SketchBook Hero Image Contest. The contest called for images created with Autodesk SketchBook digital painting and drawing products.

Peso's winning submission "Progress" will be the splash screen for Autodesk SketchBook Mobile -- an application that has been downloaded more than two million times. Peso is based in Spain and used Autodesk SketchBook Pro for iPad to create his winning image. He is a professional goldsmith/silversmith, but spends his free time sketching and is a member of the International Association of Mobile Digital Artists.

SketchBook users submitted digital paintings and drawings created with Autodesk SketchBook products, used for illustration on desktops, laptops and mobile devices, including SketchBook Pro, SketchBook Mobile, SketchBook Pro for iPad, SketchBook Designer and SketchBook Express. The general public voted for one of seven finalists, which each represented different countries including France, Germany, India, Ireland, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States. Phillip Gruhn's "Surfacing Fish" and Laura Lukauskaite's "HooDoo" were second and third runners-up, respectively.

Chris Bradshaw, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at Autodesk, said, "We congratulate Luis on his fantastic winning entry, and we were incredibly impressed overall by the diversity and creativity we saw from the members of the SketchBook community around the world who participated."

"I love the professional quality of SketchBook Pro for iPad app. The color wheel and brushes allow me to try new textures and effects, giving me a new medium to paint," said contest winner, Peso. "I've been drawing since I was a kid, and the transition to digital fingerpainting allows me to more actively engage in my passion."

Autodesk SketchBook Pro software helps enable both professional and amateur artists to create rich digital artwork with powerful sketching tools. Autodesk SketchBook Mobile and Autodesk SketchBook Pro for iPad can enable users to create the same high-quality artwork directly from their mobile devices. The latest addition to the product line, Autodesk SketchBook Designer, enables professional designers and artists to use a hybrid paint and vector workflow for design illustration.

To learn more about the contest and to view the winning submission, visit www.autodesk.com/sketchbookhero.

About Autodesk

Autodesk, Inc., is a leader in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software. Customers across the manufacturing, architecture, building, construction, and media and entertainment industries -- including the last 15 Academy Award winners for Best Visual Effects -- use Autodesk software to design, visualize and simulate their ideas. Since its introduction of AutoCAD software in 1982, Autodesk continues to develop the broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art software for global markets. For additional information about Autodesk, visit www.autodesk.com.

Editorial Note: A new video interview with automotive designer Mike Smith about digital sketching with Autodesk SketchBook Pro is available on the Autodesk YouTube Channel.

Autodesk, AutoCAD and SketchBook are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. Academy Award is a registered trademark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product and services offerings, and specifications and pricing at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document.

© 2010 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.

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SOURCE: Autodesk, Inc.

Autodesk, Inc.
Jennifer Ha, 415-547-2435
jennifer.ha@autodesk.com
Alyson Moses, 312-297-7430
alyson.moses@edelman.com