The Mona Lisa and Girl With the Pearl Earring are two traditional artworks that have left their imprints on our psyches. Don't get me started on the Statue of Liberty's meticulous craftsmanship. That doesn't mean, however, that digital media is not becoming a force to be reckoned with. Still, you may be intimidated by the breadth of digital art you've encountered or the expanse of tools and brushes at the disposal of a digital artist. Let's start with the basics.
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Photo by Sasha Kim: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-using-a-laptop-and-a-drawing-tablet-9414025/
What is Digital Art?
Digital art is defined as "any artistic work or practice that uses digital technology as part of the creative or presentation process, or more specifically as computational art that uses and engages with digital media." Consider early animation, its hand-drawn, layers upon layers of paper. This method differs, say, from an animation app (like Flip-a-Clip, AnimationSketch, or MotionBook) because everything is "technically" reduced to one page that allows you to view your previous sketch's outline from that same page. The principle, however remains the same. An object or person is being animated by a series of different proportions, positions, and perspectives aligning in a short time frame. Digital art is not simply defined in relation to modern animation, however. Animation and background-making (or even logo-making) tools such as Blender, Gimp, and with some creativity you could even utilize the free version of Canva, allow you to create all sorts of designs based on your own concepts or inspiration from others that would fall into the digital art taxonomy.
Benefits of Making Art Digitally
File Safety
When creating with digital art platforms, your work is saved in a cloud server or to your device. Either way, in the event unfortunate circumstances present themselves, your original work is still available to you as long as your file is within the app or a secondary server. Sketching at the coffee shop, while fun, can lead to a lovely mocha stain on your original design.
Time Consumption
Oil painters know the beauty of a good blend and how it can bring a piece to life in such a short time. Pen artists too recognize how trippy the effects of their work can be. These two mediums share a common detractor too: smudging. To avoid this, artists must work around these mediums in layers, allowing time for their works to dry. This adds to the preexisting time spent on drawing, mixing, and layering a piece. In a digital format, you are free to add as many layers as your application will allow while being able to change brushes and color match from your reference photos at the push or click of a button. (Just make sure your devices and digital pencils are fully charged when you begin.)
Accuracy
When selling prints of original paintings, some details such as color vibrancy or textures can be lost in the transference of canvas to photograph and then to print. This issue requires additional editing. With a digital file, your art works are more likely to retain their same vigor across multiple devices and formats.
Inconveniences of Nontraditional Art
File Safety
Should your file (God forbid) not save or your program corrupts unexpectedly, your progress can easily be lost, which is a major disadvantage to utilizing digital art production. Not only does this egregious pitfall jeopardize your hard work, but your reputation as a freelancer is irrevocably staked on the quality and turn-around time of your pieces. Should your work for a client be lost, having to start over (even in a situation where you are not explicitly at fault), can potentially lower the positive perception of your service. Save. Your. Work. Often.
Photo by Oladimeji Ajegbile: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-working-using-a-laptop-2696299/
Charging and Cooling Time
If you've ever spent a day binging content on your phone or tablet, you're no stranger to the inferno your device becomes. Similarly, apps tend to crash on a device that is overworked. Allowing time to cool down is a must. This can, however, cut into your productivity. Another issue that can slice down your work time? Feeling inspired after an all-day binge, only to find you haven't charged your pen. Ouch.
Cost
Drawing tablets and programs are distinguished by their price points, features, and performance. With that being said, the cost to maintain a digital art career can be surprising if you're uninformed on what to search for. Do your due diligence. Is it beneficial for you to shell out thousands of dollars on a fancy tablet you a) don't know how to use and b) can easily substitute with an efficient and more affordable model? If your credit is in good standing, there are payment plans available for devices you would not be able to afford outright. Like with any other payment arrangements, make certain you pay ahead of or on time. Should you be unable to, it never hurts to contact your creditor and explain the next course of action. The first step to being a great artist isn't reliant on your money or talent. It's something completely invaluable: your integrity. Use your integrity to make good choices your future self can thank you for.
Should you give it a try?
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are myriad differences and similarities concerning the argument of traditional v nontraditional art, and we've only touched upon a square foot of the surface. Your answer relies on your values, ambitions, malleability, and available resources. Anything worth trying is worth trying once, so why not allow yourself the opportunity to learn a new vehicle of expression? If done right, it can only benefit you.
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