April 25, 2023
Getting into digital painting can be discouraging in the beginning. If you are someone who has been using traditional painting techniques all your life, getting started with this wonderful new medium can make you feel like a beginner all over again. But why is digital painting so hard? And more importantly, how can we make it easier?
The basics
Just like with any skill, learning digital painting takes patience and practice. The best way to polish your digital painting skills is to practice daily. While this might sound treacherous and time-consuming, try practicing your digital painting skills daily. If you try practicing an hour a day, you should see improvement in as little as a few weeks. Another great tip every professional artist will give you is to paint stills of objects in front of you. You might think to yourself, “How is this going to help me land a job in the gaming industry?”, however, every artist needs to start from the basics.
Painting stills is a fantastic way to learn color theory and composition, the most important lessons a digital painter must learn. Set up some objects in front of your screen and try to capture as many details as you can. Try out new brushes and textures to learn which ones you like using the most. And do not shy away from using references from other artists, since they can help you discover new techniques that you can implement into your own work. If you want to get into the esports industry, follow the trends and take inspiration from artists you look up to.
The tools
One of the positive sides of digital painting is that you do not have to spend a lot of money on expensive art supplies. Not only can you find affordable graphics tablets or drawing tablets, but right now, there is an abundance of great, free drawing programs that offer all the same benefits as some of the well-known, paid painting programs like Adobe Photoshop or Clip Studio Paint. One of the most famous free programs, Krita, offers everything you can usually find in professional paid painting programs. It offers many different options and brush types, and it can help you get familiar with the art medium, as well as your preferences and needs as an artist. Krita is an excellent program for beginners looking to polish their skills and become better digital artists. Once you pick the program with which you are most comfortable, you need to understand how to utilize it best. This is where digital painting gets hard.
When you first make the switch from traditional to digital art, you might notice that all those traditional painting techniques do not transfer well to digital painting. This is because, in digital painting, artists rely on a whole new set of skills. In digital painting, you mostly rely on your knowledge of the program you are painting with. Instead of treating your digital canvas as a literal one, you should first get familiar with all the different settings and options your painting program provides. This way, you will quickly learn how to rely on technology to achieve the results you want. Do not be discouraged if it seems overly complicated in the beginning. There are plenty of guides and YouTube videos explaining how to use all the tools your program of choice offers. Start off with learning the basics, like layers, saturation, brush types, and colors. Learning how to use the tools you have will make digital drawing easier and more fun.
Starting a career in the gaming industry
An artist’s portfolio is the most important part of applying for any creative job in the esports industry. If you are still a beginner in digital painting, building a portfolio might seem like a task you are not quite ready for yet. However, if your end goal is to land a job in the gaming industry, try to keep that in mind while working on your skills.
A wonderful way to start off is with easier tasks like painting game items or icons. This is a fantastic way to work on your skills, and it offers you a foundation for your job hunting. Even if you dream of becoming a full-blown game artist one day, the best way to start is with simple objects. Once you get into the esports industry, you will have plenty of chances to add to your portfolio and over time, find more prestigious jobs.
Conclusion
Digital painting can be tricky. While it is a whole new art medium that can make even the most experienced painter feel like a beginner, it certainly has its’ advantages over traditional art. The right set of skills lets us create fantastic works of art. Not only that, but it offers a wonderful chance for gamers to find a creative outlet and a profitable line of work. While trying to learn digital painting, do not forget to start from the basics before moving on to more complex works. This way, you can ensure that your learning journey stays fun and flowing without creating frustrations.