The Creation of Digital Art
Contents
What Can YOU Paint on Your Computer?
Some Inspiration via Vi.sualize.us
Vi.sualize.us is an image bookmarking site - kind of like Flickr meets Delicious - and a great place to search for inspiration.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byDigital Art Software
The Main Ingredient for Creating Digital Art
Sometimes it's free, sometimes it's extremely expensive, but either way it's necessary to create digital art: it's the software. Know of a great program not mentioned here? Feel free to include the link so the rest of us can try it out!
GIMP
Freeware. Need i say more? If you're looking to try digital painting without spending much money, GIMP is a good place to start.0 points
Adobe Photoshop Elements
A simplified version of Adobe Photoshop, Elements often comes free with tablets or scanners.0 points
Adobe Photoshop
Now on version CS3, Adobe Photoshop is the industry standard for digital art.0 points
Wacom Tablets under $100
A tablet isn't necessary for good digital art, but it certainly helps, and Wacoms are quite possibly the best on the market. Some (such as the oh-so-awesome Cintiq) are thousands of dollars, but you can pick up a more basic tablet on eBay for less than a hundred.
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Custom Brushes
One of the easiest ways to add texture to a digital image is through the use of custom brushes. There's plenty of brushes available online (mostly for Photoshop, though there's ways to make custom brushes for most digital art programs), and you can customise brush settings further once you get into the software.
Grunge Brush Pack - PSDTUTS
Grungy, messy-looking brushes for Photoshop0 points
Rust Brushes - PSDTUTS
Brushes which can be used to add a rusted-metal texture in Photoshop..0 points
Watercolors by *DoubleLayer on deviantART
Watercolour-style Photoshop brushes0 points
Splatters - PSDTUTS
Fake paint splatters for Photoshop0 points
Call for Links
I'm looking for tutorials on digital art - 3D, 2D, beginner, advanced, whatever. Post something which helped you improve your art, or give an example of your own tutorial-making skills to get some link love.
Just dump 'em all in the Links module below, and vote on the ones you think are best.
Tutorials
Digital art tutorials, for everyone from beginners to the more advanced
Create a Realistic Torn Paper Effect in Photoshop on Blog.SpoonGraphics
Create a torn paper effect in Photoshop » Suitable for even early beginners.1 point
Fire Lines Tutorials on Anoth/era
Create a "fire line" effect in Photoshop » Requires some Pen skills but otherwise very easy. I recommend a few interesting custom brushes, too.0 points
Magic lighting effect in photoshop | Abduzeedo
A bit advanced, but well worth the effort which goes into it. The magical effect is absolutely gorgeous.0 points
Design with Swirls and Flourishes | My Ink Blog
Design your own swirls for use in graphic design or illustration.0 points
30 Tutorials That Will Teach You Photoshop | Arbenting
Teach yourself how to use Adobe Photoshop in 30 easy to follow, fun filled tutorials.0 points
http://psdtuts.com/drawing/fiery-photoshop-space-explosion-tutorial/
Fiery Photoshop Space Explosion Tutorial0 points
10 great Adobe Illustrator tuts | Designious Times
A list of some really cool tutorials for Illustrator.0 points
Digital Art Books
%u2026for when the Internet just isn't enough.
Books on digital art, available through Amazon.com. You can also add any interesting books you know of to the list.
Digital Fantasy Painting by Michael Burns
A little of everything: 2D, 3D, realistic, cartoonish, *everything.*1 point
Comic Artist's Photo Reference - People & Poses: Book/CD Set with 1000+ Color Images (Comic Artists Reference) by Buddy Scalera
This isn't strictly a digital-artist-only book - it's a pose book, just as useful to traditional artists as digital ones. Still, no Cintiq in the world will make your people look good if you can't draw realistic anatomy.0 points
Hi-Fi Color For Comics: Digital Techniques for Professional Results by Brian Miller, Kristy Miller
The entire colouring process, from scanning to trapping, including some great special effects and a CD of practice art and other great resources.0 points
Digital Sci-Fi Art: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Stunning, Futuristic Images by Michael Burns
Step-by-step instructions to help you learn to paint futuristic worlds.
Featuring works from the world's best sci-fi artists, Digital Sci-Fi Art begins with an examination of the traditional styles and sources of sci-fi imagery then analyzes the new digital tools available to today's illustrators.
0 pointsUseful Articles on Creating Digital Art
- Demystifying RGB vs. HSV by COLOURlovers
- A brief article on the differences between RGB and HSV when used in digital colouring. It doesn't mention CMYK (used in print, but accessible in most digital art programs), but most digital artists will probably find RGB and HSV to be the two most important colour options until it's time to print.
- The Printing Checklist: 7 Steps to Ensure a Quality Print Job for Your Art
- Sending a completed project to a commercial printer for printing can be stressful as well as exciting. Here are 7 things you need to do to ensure your file is ready to be printed.
- A giclee art print quality checklist | Giclee Art Prints
- Giclee art print quality can vary greatly from one supplier to another. So here is a checklist of features and specifications.
Sell Your Digital Art
The Best Locations 'Round the Web for Selling Digital Art Prints
- Imagekind
- The print service i currently use, Imagekind offers an excellent selection of sizes and paper and canvas types, as well as an absolutely incredible assortment of frames.
- deviantART Shop
- If you've already got an account on deviantART, you should consider taking a look at dA's print service. dA provides calendars, mugs, mousepads, puzzles, and more along with prints, and the image uploading for prints is wonderfully integrated with the process for updating your portfolio.
- RedBubble - Art Gallery and Creative Community
- A popular print-selling site, RedBubble also offers artists the ability to sell t-shirts and join groups.
Artist Feedback
Has this lens given taught you anything you'll find useful in creating your own digital art? Is there something missing you think should be included? Let me know!
henzy wrote...
i loved your pictures.. especially the ones including typography. very well done
Posted March 13, 2009
RT_One wrote...
I come from a traditional art background, but must admit, I absolutely love Painter X, Wacom Tablet and my Macbook Pro to create art.
When I create traditional art, I always strive to be very realistic, but not so much that you can't tell it's a painting. With Digital Art, I find the opposite is my difficulty. My digital art typically turns out more photo-like instead of looking painterly. But, I love creating art on my computer.
Posted September 21, 2008
All My Art Lenses
Want more than i've crammed into one lens? Check out the rest of my artistic lenses!
Torn Canvas Illustrations
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How to Draw People
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Portrait Tips
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Digital Art & Digital Art Prints
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Modern Poster Art
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Finding Artistic Inspiration
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How-to-Draw Books
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How to Draw Girls & Women
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Pocket Moleskines
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