Should You Do Digital Art?

NO, YOU SHOULDN’T. I'll tell you why. Its too fun, its too versatile and the possibilities are endless. 

The digital art medium has grown in the last decade since I started drawing. It’s no longer this secret weapon used by the gods of the industry (totally not how my 15-year-old brain pictured it). Your art nerd friend who sits behind you in algebra can pick up a drawing tablet for $50 on Amazon. As true as that statement is, the question still stands; should you do digital art? Should you indulge in this forbid — okay it’s not forbidden but you get my point. I’m trying to sound dramatic here. Should you wield this power all the cool kids are trying out today? Is it right for you?

To answer the question, I don’t need to sit here and explain the history of digital art, just a brief definition. Digital art is artwork that is produced through a digital medium (shocker) and usually involves software. That can be an iPad, a drawing tablet, a pen display, or even your phone. The short answer is yes, you should pester your parents about getting you a drawing device for Christmas or a birthday or any gift-giving ceremony you subscribe to.

Upsides

Here’s the somewhat long answer. Digital art gives you so much to work with. Shortcuts, unlimited brush palettes, reduced cumulative cost of materials, extremely customizable environments, and let’s be honest, the most important one, the undo button.

With shortcuts, you can bind (that sounds so arcane) several tools (pen, eraser, lasso, rulers, etc.) to different keyboard combinations. In Photoshop and Clip Studio Paint, for example, you can download and install a myriad of color palettes and brushes to aid your creative endeavors. On the financial side of things, you can save a lot of money by making one big investment on a future-proof drawing medium. This eliminates those Copic markers all those rich kids on Instagram draw with (unless you’re into that stuff), canvas if you’re a painter considering going digital. You can even change the layout of your virtual drawing user interface. Last and least, the undo button. That probably falls under the shortcut category but its existence is paramount to digital art. On a more artistic note, you can reference drawings from the past without having to do them all over. For instance, a pose you had difficulty with in the past can easily be referred to for a smoother drawing experience. On the technical side of things, you can significantly reduce your waste. We artists throw out used-up canvases, dried-up ink pens, shriveled-up paintbrushes, and even cleaning bowls. By going digital, you can keep better track of your artwork on the computer or the cloud.

Final Thoughts

Digital art changed how numerous industries get work done, and I mean numerous. User interface and experience designers can create prototypes and wireframes on Adobe XD and Figma, animators in big studios can now have huge ass Wacom tablets in their workspaces. Hell, you and I can take commissions and art requests from clients without having to worry about a bill of materials. Long story short, digital art is awesome and you should give it a shot.

After Thoughts

The audience of this article isn’t traditional painters or people who prefer using canvas and getting their hands dirty and wearing aprons aka my girlfriend. It’s more for the I saw this dope art on DeviantArt and I’ve been wondering how to make my art look that crisp crowd. Shh, say no more fam, you’ve come to the right place. Thank you for reading.