Digital or Traditional Art? You Don’t Have to Choose
If you’re getting into art, you’ve probably come across the whole digital art vs traditional art debate.
Should you learn to paint on canvas? Should you buy a drawing tablet? Is digital art somehow easier? Is traditional art more “proper”?
Honestly, I think we sometimes make this much more complicated than it needs to be.
As an artist, I’ve come to realise that digital and traditional art are simply two different ways of creating. They each have things I love about them, and they each have things that can make you want to throw your brush—or your stylus—across the room!
There’s something lovely about traditional art
There’s a physicality to traditional art that you just can’t completely replicate digitally.
You pick up a pencil and feel it moving across the paper. You dip a brush into paint and watch the colour spread across the canvas. You can feel the texture of the paper underneath your hand.
And then there are those little accidents.
You make a mark you didn’t intend to make. The paint runs slightly. Two colours mix together in a way you hadn’t planned.
And occasionally you look at it and think, Actually, that’s rather good.
Those happy accidents are part of what makes traditional art so enjoyable.
There’s also something very satisfying about finishing a physical piece of artwork and being able to hold it in your hands.
But digital art has its own magic
Then you discover digital art and suddenly there’s this whole other world to explore.
And, of course, there’s the undo button.
I don’t think we should underestimate how wonderful that little button is!
Made a horrible mark?
Undo.
Changed your mind about the colour?
Change it.
Want to try something completely different without ruining what you’ve already done?
Duplicate the layer and have a play.
That freedom to experiment is one of the things I love most about digital art.
You can try ideas without feeling as though you’ve permanently ruined the artwork.
And then there are layers.
Once you get used to working with layers, you start wondering how you ever managed without them.
You can move things around, change individual elements, experiment with colour and make adjustments without having to start the whole thing again.
For anyone who gets nervous about making mistakes, digital art can be particularly liberating.
Does that mean digital art is easier?
Not necessarily.
This is one of those things I think gets misunderstood.
Digital art gives you lots of tools that make certain things easier, but the tools don’t create the artwork for you.
You still need to understand drawing, composition, colour, perspective, light and all the other things that go into creating a good image.
A graphics tablet isn’t going to magically turn you into an artist.
Believe me, I wish it did!
You still have to put in the practice.
The difference is that digital tools give you a different way of putting those skills into practice.
And you don’t have to pick a side
This is probably the biggest thing I’d tell anyone who is wondering which one they should learn.
You don’t have to choose.
You can be a traditional artist who uses digital tools.
You can be a digital artist who occasionally picks up a paintbrush.
You can use both on the same piece of artwork.
For example, you might sketch something on paper, scan it into your computer and then develop it digitally.
Or you might create something digitally, print it onto canvas and then add paint over the top.
You can even use digital tools simply to experiment with ideas before creating the final artwork traditionally.
There are so many possibilities.
What about the cost?
This is worth thinking about before you rush out and buy everything you see.
Digital art can involve a bigger initial investment. You might need a tablet or iPad, a computer and some software.
But once you’ve got your setup, you can create an enormous amount of artwork without constantly buying physical supplies.
Traditional art can be a little different.
You might start with a pencil and sketchbook and think, This is inexpensive.
Then you discover coloured pencils.
Then watercolours.
Then acrylics.
Then oils.
Then better brushes.
Then different papers.
And suddenly you’ve got an art cupboard that looks like a small shop!
I’m sure I’m not the only artist this has happened to.
What I really like about digital art
For me, one of the biggest advantages of digital art is possibility.
You can experiment.
You can make mistakes.
You can try a completely different colour palette.
You can resize something.
You can move it.
You can save different versions.
You can turn one piece of artwork into several different designs.
And you don’t need a huge studio to do it.
Your tablet and computer can effectively become your studio.
That’s particularly useful if you’re interested in creating art commercially.
A digital design can potentially become a print, a pattern, stationery, wall art or a whole range of other products.
Your original artwork doesn’t necessarily have to be the end of the process.
But traditional art isn’t going anywhere
And I don’t think it should.
There will always be something special about an original piece of artwork.
You can see the brushstrokes. You can see the texture. You can see evidence of the artist actually being there and making those marks.
That’s something people connect with.
And there’s no reason digital artists can’t appreciate that too.
In fact, I think learning a little about traditional art can actually make you a better digital artist.
It teaches you to look.
Really look.
At light.
At colour.
At shapes.
At texture.
At how things actually appear rather than how you assume they look.
Those skills don’t disappear just because you’re working on a screen.
So which should you learn?
If you’re asking me, I’d say start with whichever one makes you excited to create.
If the thought of picking up a paintbrush makes you happy, start there.
If you’re fascinated by drawing tablets and digital software, go digital.
And if you’re sitting there thinking, Actually, I want to try both, then try both.
You don’t need to decide what kind of artist you’re going to be for the rest of your life.
That’s one of the lovely things about being creative.
You’re allowed to change your mind.
You’re allowed to experiment.
You’re allowed to discover that something you thought you’d love isn’t actually for you.
And you’re allowed to come back to it six months later and discover that you love it after all.
My advice if you’re just starting out
Don’t spend a fortune straight away.
Pick a small project and have a go.
If you’re interested in digital art, try creating something simple with whatever software and equipment you already have.
If traditional art appeals to you, grab a sketchbook and a few basic supplies.
Then pay attention to how you feel while you’re doing it.
Do you lose track of time?
Do you find yourself wanting to try “just one more thing”?
Do you enjoy solving the problems that come up?
That’s probably a much better indication of what suits you than somebody telling you which medium is “best”.
Because there isn’t one.
The best medium is the one that makes you want to keep creating.
And if that happens to be digital art, welcome to the club.
There’s a lot of fun to be had here.