Digital art is everywhere. You can find it in video games, animations, online posters, and more. It's a great alternative to traditional art since you won't have to deal with the mess after you've finished. If you're interested in trying it out, you should consider a couple of factors first.
1. Look Into the Kind of Hardware You Want to Use
There are many ways in which you can create digital art in terms of physical devices. For instance, some use tablets with screens and digital pens, while others buy pen tablets and use those to draw through their computers.
You need to be sure about digital art first before you buy yourself some of the basic tools. Some of them are cheap and some are not, but it would still be a waste if you buy one and find out that you don't want to pursue digital art after all.
2. Decide on Which Drawing App to Use
You should look into drawing apps or software that will fit your art style and whether you want to spend on those apps. For instance, Adobe Illustrator is good for flat or 2D artwork, while Adobe Photoshop is ideal for 3D rendering.
It also depends on which device you decide to use. Softwares on Windows or Mac include Krita, Clip Studio Paint, Medibang Paint Pro, and more. For Android tablets or iPads, you can use apps like Procreate, Ibis Paint, and Infinite Painter, as suggested by Essential Picks.
3. Find Which Art Style Suits You
It's not something that's said out loud, but some artists are drawn to certain art styles. You should look for which one you're comfortable with or which one you think is best, and then you can start from there.
It's also where you'll base which software or app you'll use since as mentioned before, there are certain tools that will fit the outcome you want to get. It's also advisable to stick to one art style first before you branch out.
4. Understand the Fundamentals
Once you know which art style you want, you have to ask yourself what your subjects will be. Some artists paint landscapes while others paint characters in certain poses. Either way, you'll have to study how to draw them properly for the best-finished product.
Fundamentals include form and structure, which will be the base of what you intend to draw. For humans, animals, or any creature alive, you going to have to study their anatomy and proportions as well. The same goes for perspective, color, lighting, and more.
5. Learn from the Pros
Here's where social media becomes a helpline. You can always learn on your own, but there are countless artists on social media sites who offer advice and lessons on how to draw with certain art styles, and you can learn from them.
You can search specifically for what you need help with and it's very likely that you will find a video on YouTube for that. There are artists who offer exclusive lessons on other sites like Patreon, for a price, of course. Still, there are many free videos out there.
Read Also: Adobe Sets Guidelines For AI Stock Art
6. Use Different Brushes, Erasers, and Blending Tools
Like traditional art, software and apps also offer a variety of brushes. You can use these to create textures appropriate for the subject you're trying to draw. This also applies to blending, since different blending brushes produce certain effects on colors and how they mix.
For example, if you want the hues to appear watercolor-like, you can use brushes that are meant to make that effect. You can adjust the brush tip, size, softness, and pressure to produce the result that you want, as suggested by Paintable.
7. Remember Your Shortcuts
Digital art can be a long process. Do you know what makes it longer? Navigating through several bars for every action you make. Keyboard shortcuts are there to make your life easier, and if it's difficult at first, you'll get the hang of it after some time.
Of course, the shortcuts might vary depending on which app or software you're using. The usual shortcuts like Undo, Redo, Zoom In, and Zoom Out are likely the same. There are pen tablets that come with their own shortcut buttons, all you have to do is assign the shortcuts.
