Digital art is becoming increasingly popular among artists. With many features unique to this medium, that popularity is not hard to explain. To make digital art you need a computer, a drawing program and a drawing tablet. With this, in addition to learning the basics of digital art and practicing a lot, you are well on your way to making your own digital art.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Preparing the artwork
Step 1. Sketch your idea on paper
Unless you don't have a scanner, this is the best way to start. Try to get as close to your subject's anatomy and physiology as possible, but don't worry, as this can all be tweaked later. Don't add too much detail, such as fur or texture of the clothing. Make sure to use pencil to correct mistakes.
With the sketch, it's not so important to get the details right as it is to get the general idea and feel of the image. The drawing will probably change a lot between this step and the final result
Step 2. Scan your drawing
Place your drawing face down on the scanner. Close the scanner and start the scan. Once it's done scanning, name the file and save it as-p.webp" />
Step 3. Open the file in a drawing program of your choice
GIMP is good for beginners and advanced users as it is free to download. It's probably not a good idea to use Microsoft Paint because of its limited features and difficult-to-use canvas. A lot of people use Adobe Photoshop to create digital art.
Step 4. You can also sketch directly in the drawing program you are using
If you don't have a scanner, you can create your sketch directly in the program you'll be using. Connect the tablet to the computer using the cable that came with the tablet and follow the instructions shown to install the tablet software.
Open the program in which you want to start drawing and choose your tablet as the input medium. Then you create a new file and start sketching
Method 2 of 3: Outlines and coloring
Step 1. Create layers
At this point, your sketch is in the only layer of the file. First create a background layer by pressing the 'New Layer' button, and use the paint bucket tool to fill the transparent layer with white. Drag that layer to the bottom so that it is the first layer of the drawing. For each major area of the drawing, such as the face, hair, clothing, and background, create a new layer above the layer of your sketch and give it an appropriate name.
By using several, you can specify more detail and be more flexible, without the risk of ruining the entire workpiece
Step 2. Trace the drawing
Use the Paintbrush tool to trace the sketch on each layer you've created. Set the brush to a small size, such as 2-4 pixels. The line work will make the drawing easier to color in later. In this step you can also correct anatomical mistakes you have made.
After sketching the entire drawing, delete or hide the sketch layer so that you can color in the line drawing without being distracted by the sketchy lines of your original sketch
Step 3. Apply the base colors
After the line work of your drawing has been completed, all you need to do is outline the colors of your drawing. Use brushes of different sizes, depending on how big the area you're going to fill, and color in the different parts of your drawing. Use a single color for each area, such as the face, hair and each piece of clothing.
Method 3 of 3: Finishing your art
Step 1. Add detail
Depending on your skills, style and ease with the drawing program, you can now do many different things. You can add more layers and add even more detail, or go straight to shading. Remember that more layers are useful when you want to restore an aspect of an image and not the whole thing. This is the case when you add something like more detailed eyes, pockets and folds in the clothing, and the texture in the background.
Step 2. Shade your drawing
To start, choose the Eyedropper tool and use it on the area you want to color. Then choose the color picker and drag the color to a darker shade. Use that color and the Paintbrush tool to apply light and dark to the area you're working on. Continue shading throughout the drawing.
Step 3. Make sure to merge all layers when you are done
First, make a copy of the working file so that you can return to it and continue working on it if you wish. Since-p.webp" />
Step 4. Export the file
Go to File and Save As. Save the file as a-p.webp" />
Tips
- Practice, practice, practice!
- See how other digital artists work and create their art. You always learn something new.
- Sites like deviantArt.com have lots of tutorials on drawing digital art -- everything from eyes to clothes and everything in between.
- Remember, there are literally hundreds of ways to draw digitally. Experiment and discover which brushes and effects suit your style and abilities.