Creating digital illustrations is a popular way to get into creative writing and art. It’s easy to start creating your own designs, and you don’t need any formal training to do so. There are many free resources available online for anyone looking to learn how to create their own artistic designs.
There are several ways to begin designing as an illustrator. You can either pick a genre and go with it, or choose something more general like color theory and design. Both of these concepts are great starting points if you want to take your illustration career seriously.
Getting into digital drawing and painting isn’t hard, but there are certain tools that will help you hone your skills. Certain software applications such as Photoshop and Gimp have become common staples in most artist’s tool kits.
Practice making images that inspire you
A great way to get into digital illustration is by practicing creating your own illustrations. You can do this at any stage of illustrating, from doing simple still life or landscape pictures to more complex picture stories. There are many ways to learn how to draw, and most artists start with basic shapes and styles before moving onto something more in-depth.
Practice drawing anything – it could be landscapes, people, houses, etc. The only thing that matters is that you like what you make. Many young artists begin with very simplistic drawings they have designed themselves, then progress from there.
Landscape painting is an excellent beginner’s project as you don’t need too much special equipment for this! Most importantly, use yourself as your main audience member!
If you are ever struggling to understand the shape or style of a certain element, take some time away to reflect on the artwork you like and try to replicate those elements. Chances are, you will soon figure out how to put them together.
Try making your own illustrations
A few years ago, digital illustration was only available to those that could draw well or had access to an artistic software program like Photoshop where you can create illustrative pieces.
But these programs are now very accessible! You no longer need to be trained in drawing to produce beautiful images.
There are many free tools out there such as Krita for creating artwork, GIMP for general use, Inkscape for more advanced users, and so forth. By practicing with them, you’ll find what style of illustration is most appealing to you!
Your first drafts will not look professional, but this is totally okay! Keep experimenting until you find one that you love and learn how to control it! There are lots of ways to improve your craft by looking at the work of others.
Learn to draw human anatomy
The next step in developing your drawing skills is learning how to depict human anatomy. This is arguably one of the most fundamental things that aspiring artists must know, as almost every other form or shape you will ever want to create has some sort of model in place or skeleton structure.
There are many great sites with free and paid resources for anyone who wants to learn about human anatomy. You can find lots of information here! Some of the more well-known ones include:
These sites have it all – from diagrams, illustrations and videos to cadavers! There’s something for everyone. Check them out and see what inspires you. Don’t forget to study not only the shapes but also the proportions.
That way you’ll get an even better understanding of how humans actually function.
Learn to use color in your illustrations
Color is one of the most fundamental parts of creating digital art, so why not start with learning how to use it? There are many ways to learn how to use colors effectively in illustration. You can find free resources online and YouTube videos that talk about using brushes to apply color to your artwork.
There are also books available that contain step-by-step lessons on different types of color theory. These theories include: hue, value, intensity, and composition. By understanding these concepts, you will know what colors go well together and which ones do not!
Color theory has several applications when designing or illustrating anything visual. For example, artists use this information while composing their paintings or working in other areas of design like photography, graphic design, and web development.
Learn to use the camera for photo reference
A lot of artists start out with digital drawing as their main medium, which is great because you don’t need much equipment or space to get started!
But before you dive in, make sure you have your basics down first — like learning how to draw from references and using good photorealistic rendering software.
The hardest part about becoming an artist is not being able to draw well – it’s actually getting past that initial barrier. So why not do some research and practice on those fronts?
There are many ways to learn photography. Some people focus more on taking pictures, while others teach yourself Photoshop or other image editing softwares.
Either way, investing time into developing your picture-taking skills will help you achieve your artistic goals later! The same goes for looking up tutorials on different styles of art and what materials professional artists used.
And even if you never take photos outside of work, exploring new modes and techniques can still inspire you to create your own artwork.
Create a digital drawing portfolio
A little bit of everything does not hurt! If you are already working in visual media, then showcase it. Try creating your own Instagram account or create an online art journal where you can share your work.
You do not need special software to start making artwork so if you have Photoshop or another graphics editing program, upload some samples of your work.
These could be self-created designs or artistic illustrations that you created using other programs like Procreate on the iPad.
If there’s something specific you want to learn, search for tutorials on YouTube or look up tips at home computer stores and blogs. There are many ways to get into illustration!
General resources include looking through illustrator and photoshop forums as well as studying the masters.
Practice creating animation
There are many ways to get into digital illustration. You can start by practicing your hand drawing or figure painting, then move onto simpler styles like still life, portrait, and landscape photography.
Next you could learn how to use photoshop or other graphic design software such as illustrator to edit pictures or create new ones. Then, learning about typography and color theory is important to develop your style.
And at last, understanding composition and structures (like lines and shapes) will help you take your illustrations up a level. All of these apply not only to digital art but also to traditional arts like painting!
Start with something simple and see what you can make. It’s never too early to try experimenting in artistic fields.
Learn to use Adobe Creative Suite
Having a solid understanding of Photoshop, InDesign, or both is a great way to start exploring digital illustration. While some may consider vector graphics as the more professional look, most people understand that it is possible to create beautiful designs using only basic tools like photoshop and/or illustrator!
There are many ways to learn how to do digital illustration. You can take courses at universities, purchase software, or find free resources online. Each method has its benefits so you should pick one that fits your budget, time frame, and motivation level.
Some helpful things to know before starting to draw is that anyone can begin drawing. Even if you feel that you have no idea what you’re doing, there are plenty of sites with beginner drawing lessons and tips.
