A look at my 3 year progress as a digital artist

 

Year 1-2019-oil paint in procreate 

Year 2-2020-oil paint in procreate 

Year 3-2021-oil paint in procreate 

I purchased an iPad Pro in the beginning of 2019 with the idea in mind that I could teach myself to paint digitally. I’ve been painting traditionally with acrylics and gouache for a few years alongside the photography and felt in 2019 this was the moment to invest in this 1400$ piece of sophisticated equipment. Let’s review!

First screen shot of 2019-first year of painting digitally-rummy the lynx point Siamese is ok-it’s flat and loose and kinda seems like no direction-absolutely too many layers because I thought that’s what I needed to do in order to go back and ‘fix’ what needed to be fixed. Like I said it’s ok. But there is no depth or feeling so it’s a good first try!

Second screen shot of 2020-pandemic year-second year into painting digitally. This is the year where I feel I may be on to something. The photo of the street cat from Norway- this one has some bigger brush strokes where you can see the contrast and texture more. Still using waaaaay too many layers. But the highlights and depth of a digitally painted cat are there. It shows I’m progressing and improving!

Third screen shot of 2021-I’m about 3 years into painting digitally coming up here soon. Seriously still obsessed with my iPad Pro and using procreate to paint with mostly oils and some inks and gouache and oil pastels and some acrylic. But I’m in love with the oils. This lil darling kitten is a photo I took a few years back and chose this as a one of my favorites because I’m slowing down. With painting. My focus is the detail in the eyes then nose then lips. Then I can take my big brush and be loose and abstract. I also have felt it may be time to finally add a background to all of my portraits. At first I needed learn to get the animal painted well. And I’m more confident now. More careful about where the strokes are landing and they are intentional. I’ve quit adding all those needless layers. I paint on 5/6 now not 23! So there is finally more interest and consistency and way more depth in my work. But I’m still learning with so much more to go. Procreate has definitely changed my view of painting digitally. Also tracing is not cheating- it’s simply a step in the whole process. Digital drawing/painting is the new medium of the future and should never be diminished in any way-an artist still requires skill judgement and time. You have to know your fundamentals and you have to be able to conceive a composition in every painting. I’d like to find some oil paint flavored incense while I’m creating. Now that would be something.