The canvas is expanding beyond traditional mediums and some of the most talented people in the world are finally getting the recognition they deserve. Digital art has not only changed how artists express themselves but also opened unmatched possibilities of artistic careers. 

The gossips about AI generated artworks and NFTs have been spreading in the recent years, and are impossible to ignore. Traditional artists who have been creating art as a side-hustle are now joining in and equipping themselves to take advantage of this digital creator economy that will finally pay off their hard work and talent. 

Ready to pursue your career as a digital artist? Let’s take a look at how you can create digital art.

The Changing Dynamics of Art: Technology Takes Over

The term digital art dates back to the 1960s, where artists like Frieder Nake and Allan Kaprow experimented with algorithms to generate drawings. Terms like ‘computer art’, ‘multimedia art’ were used to describe digital art back then.

With advancing technology people from all fields of life shifted from pen and paper to computers, laptops and mobile phones, artists had to do the same. In order to access their fans and audience, it was important to do so.  The same art that was created on paper, on canvases, in art clubs, on stage, is now accessible to the world through gadgets. Which is why artists have launched their digital studios, where whatever they create or perform is published online for their fans.

Any art created with the help of technology is called digital art. Many softwares and hardwares have been designed to support digital art and help creators monetize their talent. Softwares like Adobe Photoshop to support graphic design and illustrations, Adobe Animate and likes for animations, digital brushes of procreate that can mimic the styles of water colors, acrylics, oil paints, and pencils, and many more.

Many brands are now popular to bring advanced hardware to support the digital art industry. 

Wacom, Huion, Apple (iPad), Microsoft and XP-Pen offer cutting-edge Pen tablets and Display tablets that behave like digital canvases for artists.

The Invention of these digital tools and technology enabled artists to try various styles including vector art, 3D modeling, photo manipulation, caricature, dynamic painting & what not.

What Are Different Types of Digital Art?

The answer to this question is tricky, as to what types and styles of art we will be talking about today might be outdated next year. However let’s stick to the 8 most popular styles of art loved by both artists and art lovers.

2D/3D Digital Painting - Best For Beginners

Best for you if you’re just stepping into the digital art world. Graphic art is created using digital tools and you can get a hang of it sooner than other digital art forms. You can create concept art, landscapes, comic books, characters and much more. Like conventional art you can choose your brushes, paint types and mediums. The best part of graphic art is the feature of adding as many layers as you want and even undoing something without ruining the art piece.

Glitch Art or Datamoshing

This is just like traditional abstract art where instead of big brush strokes you use programmed glitches created by manipulating data of media files and video layering to create abstract images and videos. It’s more like a distorted reality creating a psychedelic experience giving each viewer his own unique perspective. If you think this is a style of art you can relate to and want to get your hands dirty with it, try the After Effects Datamosh 2 feature.

Pixel Art

The Ultimate Pixel Art Tutorial 

Inspired by Picasso’s cubism and Dali’s surrealism, pixel art is still famous as it was in video games in old times. Remember the game Super Mario Bros? The Nintendo mascot was made of pure beautiful pixel art. As pixel art does not use much memory space, it is used to create video game backgrounds and characters in 8 / 16 / or 32-bit moving images.

Algorithmic/Fractal Art

Generative Art Drawing with Dots (Processing, Creative Coding)

As the name suggests this art is made by using algorithms and computer programs. One needs to be affiliated with code in order to generate algorithmic art. Fractal art is a form of algorithmic art that features geometric shapes and patterns. Artists today love this art form as well and create mosaics and unique patterns for 2D or 3D art pieces.

Dynamic Art

Dynamic Paint + Ocean. Water collision without simulation in Blender.

This art style takes digital animation to the next level, creating an immersive experience for viewers. Artists craft dynamic scenes, simulations, and games by implying motion through brush strokes. It's a combination of code and creativity, where time and art converge in captivating harmony.

Vector Art

How to Draw Vector Art for Beginners | Adobe Illustrator Tutorial

This very common art type is forever cherished because of its flexibility that allows artists to scale their business. Vector painting allows artists to create masterpieces by using algorithms, geometrical shapes, patterns and lines. The best part is that you can resize and regenerate vector art without worrying about resolution or quality.

Raster Painting

Painting in Raster Mode! Affinity Designer

Another type of art that makes an art piece as realistic as the fake plant your friend swears is real. With raster painting you can create deceptive masterpieces as it’s easy to blend colors, and create very real textures just like traditional artists. It’s actually opposite to vector painting as it uses pixels or a raster layer to create each line, pattern or color.This is why one downside is that you can’t resize it to any size you want or undo anything if you want to change something without ruining the painting resolution.

CGI Art

CGI VFX Making of: "Wolf Making Of"  by - PostModern | TheCGBros

Computer-generated imagery is three dimensional digital art mostly seen in Hollywood Marvel movies and Disney movies. The characters are basically first designed on a computer screen and artists develop their bodies or skeletons and finally complete the CGI figures with animation.

Everything You need To Know About Digital Art Setup

Now that you know various types and styles of digital art, you should know how to create them. The first and most important step is to choose the right tools for you. 

Choose Your Hardware/ Device

You can absolutely start drawing or painting using your laptop/computer or smartphone. But investing in a drawing tablet or pen tablet can help you bring out the artist pro max in you with its intuitive features and smooth drawing experience.

Graphic Tablets

Come with a drawing pad and pen, they don’t have a display screen and you have to draw on the touchpad while looking into the screen. This can take some getting used to but is a good tool for beginners who don't want to invest in iPads and expensive tools.

Display Tablets

Most popular choice for professional artists, although they come with a higher price point, having the ability to draw on a display screen with intuitive features is an artists therapeutic paradise. Which is why most artists who are sure to pursue their art career, invest in these tablets.

Pen Computers

An all-in-one special tablet designed for digital artists exclusively. The most expensive tools like Apple iPads, Microsoft Surface Pro, Wacom Mobile Studio Pro

Choose Your Digital Art Software

Here’s a list of popular digital art softwares that can help get started immediately.

1. Adobe Photoshop
2. Adobe Illustrator
3. Krita
4. Procreate
5. Microsoft Paint
6. Corel Painter

There are many more software/Apps out there and you can choose anyone depending on the art form you’d like to create and what features you love the most for creating art.

Step By Step Guide To Create Digital Art

Now that we know the tools and apps required to create digital art, let’s dive right into learning how to create digital art:

Step 1 - Choose Your Software

First and most important step is to choose your preferred software. There are plenty of free online digital art softwares and apps available on the internet. Some of the most popular ones are mentioned earlier in this article. It’s important to choose an appropriate software matching your requirements and skill level in order to create what you have imagined.

Step 2 - Choose Reference Images

If you’re just starting out, it’s better to pin some reference images to take inspiration from and create something similar or even copy it as it is for practice purposes. If you already have something in mind, you can absolutely start your art piece entirely on your own without reference images.

Step 3 - Create A Concept Sketch

Begin your drawing by creating a sketch on paper or your drawing tablet, you can scan your paper drawing on your computer. An initial concept or sketch can help you finalize what you want the end result to look like and make edits accordingly.

Step 4 - Add Multiple Layers

Using separate layers to each aspect of your sketch can help you make several edits without ruining the original sketch or merging everything together. For example, if you’re creating an anime, you can have a base layer for background, sketch layer, skin tone layer, separate layers for each facial feature, coloring, and other detailing layers.

Step 5 - Add Color and Texture

Your layers will help you color the art piece neatly, you can color within the lines using your preferred brush from different brush options and even add texture if you want.

Step 6 - Adjust Shadows and Lighting

Add some shadows and fix the lighting to make your artwork look realistic and 3D. All software includes tools for adding shadows and lights that bring your art piece to life.

Step 7 - Finish and Save

Once you have added the details and final touches and are feeling proud of what you have created, don’t forget to save your masterpiece in high-resolution format using  the format you prefer. Some common file formats used to save and export illustrations include PNG files, JPG/JPEG, and GIF files.

Benefits of Being a Digital Artist

Everyone has their own reasons to choose art as a career but the number one benefit of being an artist is to have the freedom of expression. Be creative in your own way and create therapeutic art for yourself and your fans to enjoy. 

Another reason is the career opportunities especially today that attract many people to opt digital artist as a career. There are thousands of jobs for artists everywhere in the world in some form or the other. Name any company that doesn’t require a graphic designer to design their logo, Ads, Print materials and campaigns.

Another great reason is the ability to secure your art from being copied. NFTs has helped many artists mint their pieces and cash it. Non-Fungible Tokens means (non-replaceable) digital assets stored on a blockchain. Any art form can become a digital asset for artists when turned into an NFT which can be traded on any blockchain platform.

No matter for what reason you choose to become a digital artist, remember, like any other profession and even traditional art, the competition is real in this field and unless you master your skill and take advantage of the digital tools available to you, you can’t go to the top. Every achievement requires time and hard work and with a sprinkle of talent you can do wonders.

FAQs

What is digital art?

Any piece of art made with the help of computers, software or any other technology is called digital art.

What are different types of digital artists?

There are many different types of digital artists including digital painters, graphic designers, animators, illustrators, character designers, concept artists etc.

Can I make digital art on my phone?

Yes, you can absolutely make digital art on your phone using free apps on Google Play/Apple Store, but your options will be limited as compared to using a computer where many online softwares are accessible. Some free apps include Adobe Photoshop Sketch, Adobe Illustrator Draw, Autodesk Sketchbook.

How to create digital art free online?

You can use some free softwares to create digital art for free online. Some free online softwares include: Adobe Creative Cloud, Affinity Software Suite, Krita, Gimp, Blender, Maya, Procreate.

Can I make digital art using fingers without a pen/stylus?

Yes, you can do digital art on your smartphone without a pen, however your drawing wouldn’t be as accurate as it would be with a pen. You can also use your fingers to draw on your tablet. One Wacom tablet, Wacom Intuos comes with android compatibility which you can connect with your smartphone and draw without a pen/stylus.

What equipment do I need to make digital art?

Commonly used equipment for digital art includes: Drawing/graphics tablet, drawing software, some knowledge from courses, books, YouTube videos etc, color-accurate monitor, powerful computer, high-quality keyboard and mouse and maybe an ergonomic chair

YouTube video link suggestions:

How to Start learning DIGITAL ART

How to Learn Digital Painting (Beginners)