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The New Yorker is known for cartoons and great covers -- some of which are saved for years. The cover for the next issue was created like none other before: it was painted on an iPhone. Artist Jorge Colombo drew the street scene, with an iconic hot dog vendor as his focal point, while standing at a street corner, swiping his iPhone's screen.

The cover was created using the $4.99 Brushes app, surely less expensive than paper and pastels, or whatever else might have been used.

The New York Times "covered" the story in the May 25 business section. New Yorker art director Francoise Mouly is quoted as saying, "It gives him an anonymity in the big city that an artist with an easel wouldn't have."

See a video of the artist's work at NewYorker.com. Watch as the drawing magically comes to life, including passing taxis, the hot dog stand's umbrella, and finishing with customers in silhouette -- including one guy who seems to be looking at his iPhone.

I imagine Colombo took screen snaps as he worked, and merged them into one animated file. We're looking at a first here -- but certainly not a last example of iPhone art.