What is digital art? That’s a good question! Technically, anything you create using technology is considered digital artwork, but that doesn’t mean it looks like real art.
As we know, artists have been creating things using different mediums for centuries, so what makes something qualify as artistic really comes down to how well it expresses the artist’s creative spirit or soul.
Digital tools can be very powerful when used appropriately, which is why many people enjoy making use of them in their artistic pursuits. Some even consider themselves full-time digital artists!
There are several types of digital art out there, with some being more accepted than others. This article will talk about some definitions of what constitutes a digital piece, along with tips and tricks on how to make your own digital artwork.
Digital painting
Another form of artistic expression that has seen a resurgence in popularity is digital painting. As the name suggests, this style does not require you to use paint as mediums; you can create your paintings using computer software!
There are many types of software designed for different styles of digital art. The most well-known ones include: Photoshop, Gimp (the free version has a community built-in forum), Manga Studio, and PaintToolSrver.
Photoshop is probably the most widely known tool for people who want to pursue digital painting as a career. Many artists start out learning basic features of photoshop such as colorizing or retouching pictures before moving onto more advanced applications like designing characters or doing fine detail work.
Manga studio allows users to draw manga styled comics which have very specific rules about how lines and shapes should be drawn.
Digital drawing
One of the most fundamental forms of digital art is called ‘digital drawing’ or, more commonly known as pixel painting. This form of artistic expression uses very fine brushes to create pictures by going back and forth between adding new layers (or backgrounds) and editing existing ones.
The beauty of this style of artwork is that it can be done almost anywhere at any time! You do not need special software or equipment to produce stunning works. All you require is your laptop and some inspiration!
There are many ways to begin creating digital drawings. Some people start with lines, others use shapes, and some even make their own set rules for what kind of designs they want to put together.
Digital sculpting
Another way to create digital characters is by doing what’s called “digital sculpting.” This term is typically associated with artists who work in computer-generated imagery (CGI) or video games, but it can be adapted for use in other artistic mediums as well!
Digital sculpting allows you to pick your favorite style of art, remove all limitations like color, and add new ones — like texture. You can also manipulate shapes and sizes easily, which gives you more freedom to express yourself.
Sculptors often use clay or foam as their starting material, then add textures and colors using paint and gels. Some even blend those materials together to achieve interesting effects!
There are many softwares that allow you to make beautiful landscapes, still lifes, and human figures. By adding different textures such as dust, sand, hair, and clothes, your character comes to life.
Landscapes and still lives are usually given a special treatment so they look three dimensional, while people are usually painted with emphasis on the facial features.
Digital designing
A designer creates pictures or illustrations using digital tools. These are typically computer software programs such as Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and PowerPoint.
In these programs, the artist uses shapes, textures, colors, and other materials to create their designs. They may also use text in their design which is then adapted into your website or app’s content.
These apps have different features that make it easier to add special touches like shadows, rounded corners, or drop-down menus. Some even have easy ways to sync the style with another program so you don’t have to recreate everything!
There are many types of designers, but all work mostly with technology and creativity. Technically trained artists can get paid much more money than people who learn basic skills for this market (like us!). But anyone can start creating beautiful things by learning some basics of digital art. You just need to know what tools exist and how to use them.
Digital painting techniques
A popular form of digital art is called pixelism, which uses very fine brush strokes to create imagery. This style was first made famous by artist Michael Vujacic, who now has his own line of paints that are marketed as PixelPaint!
In pixelist artwork, every detail in the image is comprised of many individual pixels. Artists use various software programs to take photos or illustrations and then blend these pixels into new images.
Typically, artists start with an already-existing photo or illustration as a source material. They choose different areas of the source material they want to keep and combine them together to make their own unique picture.
Removing parts of the source material and combining it all together can be done using computer graphics software such as Photoshop. Technically, this is not considered “digital painting” because it does not require you to use paint but more like drawing.
However, most people consider it part of the same genre since it requires creating and arranging bits of color and shape onto another surface. It is similar to how some children play with markers and crayons — just advanced.
Photo editing
One of the most popular ways to edit pictures is using software that allows you to take, add into or replace parts of a photo. These apps usually have you start with either a free trial version or a paid starter package, and then you can purchase additional features.
Some examples of this are GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) and Photoshop. Both of these programs have been around for years now and have many people trained in them. Some even say they are more powerful than some professionals use!
There are several reasons why artists use these types of apps to achieve different looks and designs. For one, both come with lots of settings that allow you to tweak your image very finely. This includes things like color balance, contrast, and texture.
The second reason is that many of the features are quite accessible for anyone to use. Many settings are clearly labeled and easy to find. There are also plenty of online tutorials and videos for almost every feature.
3D modeling
A very popular form of digital art is creating three-dimensional (3D) models. Artists create these designs by taking two dimensional images or sculptures as their starting points, then working with computer software to produce a third dimension.
Some examples of this are creating figurines or plastic toys that come in the shape of famous characters or landscapes. Others take real life objects and digitally modify them to make new products suchas putting a virtual lens onto an empty bottle to create your own camera!
These artists usually start with simple shapes such as squares, rectangles, or circles before moving on to more complex ones. The easiest way to learn how to model in 3d is using free online resources and tools. There you can find lots of beginner tutorials and tips.
