Digital painting is an emerging art form in which traditional painting techniques such as watercolor, oils, impasto are being used by digital tools by a computer, a graphics tablet and stylus, and software. Traditional painting is painting with a physical medium as opposed to a more modern style like digital. Digital painting differs from other forms of digital art, particularly computer-generated art, because it does not involve the computer rendering from a model.
The artist uses painting techniques to create the digital painting directly on the computer. All digital painting programs try to mimic the use of physical media through various brushes and paint effects. Brushes are styled digitally to represent the traditional style like oils, acrylics, pastels, charcoal, pen and even media such as airbrushing.
There are also certain effects unique to each type of digital paint which portray the realistic effects of say watercolor on a digital ‘watercolor’ painting. In most digital painting programs, the users can create their own brush style using a combination of texture and shape. This ability is very important in bridging the gap between traditional and digital painting.
Digital painting thrives mostly on production art. It is most widely used in conceptual design for film, television and video games. Digital painting software such as Corel Painter, Adobe Photoshop, Art Rage, GIMP, Krita and open Canvas give artists a similar environment to a physical painter: a canvas, painting tools, mixing palettes, and a multitude of color options.
There are various types of digital painting, including impressionism, realism, and watercolor. There are both benefits and drawbacks of digital painting. While digital painting allows the artist, the ease of working in an organized, mess-free environment, some argue there will always be more control for an artist holding a physical brush in their hand. Some artists believe there is something missing from digital painting, such as the character that is unique to every physically made object. Many artists post blogs and comment on the various differences between digitally created work and traditionally created artwork.
The crucial difference between digital and traditional painting is the non-linear process. An artist can edit independently in layers without disturbing the other layers. Also, the ability to undo and redo strokes frees the artist from a linear process. But they limit digital painting in how it employs the techniques and study of a traditional painter because of the surface differences and lack of physicality.
The digital artist has at his disposal several tools not available to the traditional painter. Some of these include: a virtual palette comprising millions of colors, almost any size canvas or media, and the ability to take back mistakes, and erasers, pencils, spray cans, brushes, combs, and a variety of 2D and 3D effect tools.
A graphics tablet allows the artist to work with precise hand movements, simulating a real pen and drawing surface. Even the traditional surface has changed for digital painting. Instead of a canvas or sketchbook, artists would use a mouse or tablet to display strokes that would appear with the touch of a pen to the tablet’s surface, or a click of pen. Tablets can be pressure sensitive, allowing the artist to vary the intensity of the chosen media on the screen. There are tablets with over two thousand different levels of pressure sensitivity.
This era of digital painting has also started various streams of income using digital painting methods. They are:
1. Direct Commissions from custom orders
2. Freelancing
3. Digital merch
4. Applying for grants and competitions
5. Selling art on Instagram
6. Teaching art
7. Selling vector designs
8. Seeking commissions for original products
9. Sharing your knowledge in blog/website
10. Selling art on Creative Market like Etsy, Creative Fabrica, etc.
Let’s grow along with the technology!
