Digital Art is also a great form of art that portfolio students may explore, especially those looking to venture into the field of Animation, Game Design, Visual Communications and more. It can be used for creative works that students looking to apply for SOTA, or specialised works for those looking to apply for a Diploma or Degree in the arts.

Should I learn Digital Art?

Digital Art is suitable for for learners with all levels of experience, it is never too early or too late to start learning digital art! Of course, it will naturally be easier for those with prior traditional art experience such as sketching and painting but it will not be a deterrence.

In a way, digital art is actually easier than traditional sketching and painting! Digital softwares allows users to undo their mistakes and create multiple layers that allows for more room for adjustments. The availability of adjustment layers provides more opportunities to create more vibrant and striking effects that would be harder to achieve in traditional mediums.

Starting out on a Digital Art journey actually costs less than traditional art in a long run. If you are on a budget, why not consider digital art? All you need is a stylus, drawing tablet and a software, and you are good to go! These tools can be purchased with less than $500 and used for years to come.

The tools usually comes in such combinations:

A) Laptop/Desktop + Drawing tablet/Display screen and stylus

B) iPad + Apple Pen*

You do not need to get the most expensive tablet right off the bat. There are cheaper options and brands available that works just as well. Here are some things that you should take note of when getting the tools:

• Controls: Each tablet and stylus have different functional layouts. Choose where you’d like your buttons and controls for your best workflow.
• Pressure sensitivity: Tablets vary when it comes to pressure sensitivity and stroke lines. The higher your tablet’s pressure level (2048) is, the better it will be for creating lines with the thickness you prefer.

*The original Apple Pen comes with pen pressure, which is not available in many alternative iPad styluses. Even if the alternative stylus does come with pen pressure, it might not necessarily work with your drawing software. Hence, it is the safest to use the original Apple Pen that is compatible with your Ipad!

• Screen size: The more space you have, the more a premium it is. Don’t skip on surface area just to save a few dollars.
• Battery life: It’s never ideal to be bogged down by having to work while charging your devices. Make sure your stylus and tablet can last.
• Ergonomics: With your device in your hands for long periods of time, it’s wise to have a tablet that doesn’t hurt your eyes, back, or neck.
• Add-ons: What else comes with your purchase? Some products offer free screen protectors and tools for your trade.
• Simplicity: Find out what the learning curve is for the operating system, its tools, etc. If you’re not so tech-savvy, avoid a complicated tablet.

Drawing tablets that come with a plug-in wire is generally cheaper than display screens and Ipads, however, there are additional things that would require some considerations:

• Processing power
• Memory
• Graphics card

These factors affect how smoothly your drawing application will run, and how big of a file size you can work with. For big projects, it is recommended to work on computers as it allows for more layers to be created and for you to work with larger canvas sizes within the software itself.

Digital art offers creatives multiple roads to embark on in their hobby and career. From knowing how to make animation and cartoons to character art and patterning, any and more are possible just by learning a few courses and programs. The return on the investment of your time will carry over for years, possibly even a lifetime. By embarking on a worthwhile endeavour today, in the future you will be educated and ready for whatever comes next in your life with art.