Ins and Outs of Digital Art

How to make it big in this new and emerging industry.

The digital art revolution is happening NOW! Be there, or be squared. Digital art has been around for decades, yet there is so much that people do not know. People are quick to judge the popularity of digital art and question whether it is successful or not. This article will highlight the pondering thoughts that people have when glancing at a piece of digital art. What goes into creating a digital piece of artwork?,What programs do I use?, The importance of each step of the process and how to make it big in this renowned industry and the importance of social media.

Since digital artwork has recently piqued, let us explore what digital artwork is…

Digital art, in the simplest of terms, is the use of computer programs to produce a piece of art. Digital art is everywhere you look. Billboards, bus ads, magazines, online advertisements. The good thing is that this field is continuously evolving. There are emerging job opportunities in any field, whether gaming, web design, animation, advertising, or photography.

In addition to their digital field, the digital sphere is constantly in flux. The good thing about expanding the digital sphere is that there are countless options for digital artists to choose from. Different apps serve different purposes for each step in the process of creating a piece of digital art. I typically use more than one platform for different steps of the creative process.

Some of my favourite apps that I use are:

• Photo editing apps: Any photo app (free or paid) will do the trick. I typically use these apps to bring out the main colours

• Pinterest: The best inspo app! This is the platform where I find most of my inspo for prints. If you do not have a Pinterest account, I highly recommend this 10/10 app.

• Canva: Hands down, the best website ever. It is a free design platform that has countless templates and that requires NO experience.

• Adobe Photoshop: This is the best app to create abstract pieces of art. Photoshop allows the user to manipulate, add special effects and edit any images

• Procreate: This is the app where ALL of the magic happens! It is the app where I transform any photograph into a drawing or print using different fonts, brushed and colours

Follow along to dig deeper into what goes into what goes into creating a digital piece of artwork. So, now that you learnt about some of my favourite apps, let us jump into the digital art process and what goes into creating a digital piece of artwork.

The importance of each step of the process

1. Choose a device. This is where the process all begins. Finding a device that suits your needs is difficult. For digital art, users need A LOT of storage to hold the programs as well as the final products.

2. Choose software (s). Different programs have different functions. Procreate, Photoshop and Krita are three of the most popular programs, but everyone has their preference.

3. Watch tutorials and learn the basics of preferred software. Youtube has the best tutorials, and I highly recommend finding tutorials you want to draw.

4. Play around with the features. This is how you will explore different brushes and their functions, layers and effects. By experimenting with different platform features, you will figure out what you love and what you want to avoid.

5. Choose your style. Once you have watched countless tutorials and experimented with different features, decide what you want to focus on that will allow you to stand out from the competition. It can be simple yet elegant portraits and prints or extremely detailed portraits and prints.

6. Go for it! Let your creativity flow.

Essentially, all you need is a device and compatible software and you are all set!

If there is one piece of advice I wish someone gave me, it would be:

Let loose and do not let your competition affect your growth process and creativity. Growing a business is tough but do not be discouraged if your business does not blow up from the beginning. Growth is a process and you just need to enjoy the ride and let your creativity flourish.

Now that you know the basics of beginning your digital art career, let us jump into how to make it big in this emerging field and the significant role social media plays in it

• Grow organically and do not give in to spam accounts that will scam you

• Use trending hashtags

• Engage with similar brands

• Post engaging content

• Keep posts consistent

• Use insights to see when your followers are most active

• Follow latest trends but do not be basic

*Your feed should follow trends but put your twist on it to stand out*

• Let your feed flow

• PROMOTE! PROMOTE! PROMOTE!

• Last but not least, social media algorithms are constantly changing, and my advice is to find what works for you. You do not need to understand the algorithm; you just need to understand your followers. Every group of followers is different. Experiment with different strategies and find the best one that suits you and your followers.

Digital drawing is no doubt a long process that comes easier to some and is not for everyone. Keep reading for a list of tips and tricks that I wish I knew before I started digital art.

Tips and Tricks:

• Start simple: The first drawing that I tried to draw was lips. I am going, to be honest and tell you that it turned out terrible. My biggest piece of advice to you is to start with the simplest of drawings and slowly increase the difficulty level.

• Practice! Practice! Practice!: Practice makes perfect!

• Experiment with different styles, brushes, fonts and techniques: Do not close all your doors and only use one brush that you absolutely love. I often find myself using a few different brushes depending on what I am drawing. Find the tools that work best for you, and the only way to do that is to test the waters.

• Come up with a plan before you begin: Even if you are not a planner, it is best to plan what you will draw. Undoubtedly, doodling is a creative way to brainstorm; however, planning a piece of art will work out in your favour because you will feel more organized.

• Know the purpose of the final product: Will you print and frame it? You will need to make adjustments to the piece based on the purpose of the piece.

• Lastly, do not get carried away with using too many colours and brushes: Focus on the purpose and goal of the piece.

If you are thinking about beginning your journey in digital art, DO IT! I have no regrets. Since the digital sphere is a prominent aspect of society, it is never a bad idea to hop on the new trends with a personal spin and try and beat future trends before they emerge.

Pro Tip: Let your creativity flow, explore different styles and find your own unique style.

Best of luck

XX Rach

Check us out on Instagram @digitaldrawingsbyrach and subscribe to our blog for tri weekly articles!

References:

https://www.selfemployedartist.com/blog/digital-painting-tips-techniques