Make Digital Art
The use of computers and graphics editing software have opened a new world of digital creation for artists. These programs allow an artist to work strictly with graphic art software to create their masterpieces or combine hand-drawn images and computer images to create original digital artwork. Learning to create digital art can take some time, but the results you can achieve when you begin to grasp the concept can be creatively rewarding.
Instructions
1. Choose the graphics editing software you want to use to create your digital artwork. You may want to use several programs for different purposes. Adobe Photoshop is a photo and graphic arts program that is widely used by digital artists and photographers, but there are many others in varying price ranges that can accomplish some of the same tasks. GIMP is free image editing software with many of Photoshop's features. It's available for Mac or PC. Photofiltre has a free and a paid edition with a full complement of art tools for creating digital art. The goal is to find a program that will meet your needs and that you are comfortable using.
2. Develop a concept. Think about the image or message you want to convey. The world of digital art is open to all sorts of possibilities. Consider whether you want to combine drawings with photographs you've taken or whether you want to develop your work solely with a graphic arts program.
3. Gather all of your elements into a digital folder for easy access. If you're using hand-drawn work and photographs, scan or upload them into your computer and place them in the digital folder on your desktop.
4. Use drawing and painting tools included in your graphic arts software to create digital paintings. You may want to purchase a computer pen mouse to facilitate the drawing process. Most digital pens are pressure sensitive, so pressing harder or lighter varies the color depth and thickness of your lines. A digital art program includes the ability to change brush sizes and apply artistic effects, such as oil painting, watercolor and charcoal. Experiment with these tools until you find the way you like to create.
5. Work in layers as you put together your project. The "Layers" menu allows you to add layers one at a time and do a little work on each layer. This will save you time if you mess up some element of your work. All you need to do is remove the layer you made a mistake on and the rest of your project remains intact.
6. Use the "Lasso" tool to take bits and pieces from different drawings and photographs and combine them into something original. Digital art allows you to work with many elements at once.
