When you think of art mediums, your first thought would probably be paint, clay, or other tactile formats. But in today’s digital climate, many artists choose to create art using digital mediums as well!
The first use of the term ‘digital art’ dates back to the early 1980s, following artist Harold Cohen’s invention of a computer programme named AARON. AARON was a machine that could create original abstract drawings on sheets of paper that were laid on the floor.
Nowadays, digital art is a work made using or presented with some form of digital technology. This includes images made on a computer using software or hand-drawn images scanned into a computer and finished with a digital art program. Digital art allows for endless creative options for artists to create their own masterpieces. Digital art methods are also widely employed by the mainstream media in ads, and are often used by filmmakers to create stronger visuals.
If you want to know how to create digital art, the first things you should know are some of the different methods and tools you need to get started.
Skills and Tools Needed to Create Digital Art
Whether you’re a new or experienced digital artist, the most important skills are a thirst for learning and a willingness to develop a concept. You don’t need to have an advanced art degree to begin experimenting in digital art design. If you have some basic computer skills, a willingness to learn, and an imagination, you can create beautiful digital works of art.
Your time will be best spent learning the different digital tools and programs to get your designs off the ground. Some of the commonly used programs include Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator, which you can purchase and download online.. Both of these programs are very advanced, and have a wide range of capabilities that will help you create almost any type of art you desire.
If you’re just starting out and are not ready to invest in software, there are some free design software options you can consider. Zazzle’s easy-to-use Create tool is available to facilitate the creation of digital art. You can easily design digital assets like Zoom backgrounds, Facebook banners, memes, and much more. Our Create tool is super easy to use regardless of your skill in digital design. You can use our Create tool to add your designs to a wide variety of items that you can then purchase!
1. Vector Art
Vector art is a fun way to create a variety of scalable images that don’t lose their quality when they are used in different sizes. Creating vector art is similar to those dot-to-dot coloring sheets you completed as a child. You don’t need any special design tools for creating vector images; you simply need a tablet or computer along with some software. Inkscape and Adobe Illustrator are perfect tools for vector art.
2. Pixel Art
Pixel art is a great way to get started creating your own digital images. Pixel art is unique in that it has a more retro vibe, which is growing in popularity among digital artists. You may also notice a lot of pixel art in some of the more popular video games like Stardew Valley and Undertale! You’ll need some specialized programs for pixel art, such as Piskel or Gimp, but you can also create some pixel art in Photoshop.
3. 3D Digital Art
3D digital art makes your digital design stand out in the third dimension. You can transform a vector or pixel design into 3D art using either a modeling or digital sculpting technique. Creating 3D art is somewhat more advanced, and the programming software is more expensive. However, 3D art is growing in popularity due to the variety of free tutorials and Open Source Software like Blender.
4. Digital Painting
Digital painting is one of the most fun ways to create digital art! This is most similar to drawing an image by hand and translating it to a digital format. If you enjoy drawing on paper, this is the next best thing. A pressure-sensitive tablet is the best tool for this option, but you can use any digital software program you prefer as long as it has a drawing tool.
5. Digital Collage
Most of us are familiar with the concept of a collage; however, a digital collage is slightly different! When creating digital collages, different textures, images, and ideas can be taken from several sites and then combined together in one picture. Photoshop is the best software for creating seamless digital collages. Digital collages are often used across the fashion industry, from high-end advertising campaigns to fashion blogs.
6. Fractal/Algorithmic Art
The process of deriving art through mathematics is referred to as algorithmic art or fractal art.
Fractal/algorithmic art is created by calculating fractal objects, and representing the calculation results as still digital images, animations, and media. Fractal art originated in the mid-80s, and is a genre of digital art considered to be part of ‘new media art’. Software including Photoshop and Illustrator are good choices when it comes to creating fractal/algorithmic art.
7. VR Painting
Virtual reality is now widely available, and thus has made its way into art. Artists can now incorporate VR technology into their creative processes. Using a software created by Google known as Tilt Brush, you can now paint in a 3D space! Artists can physically walk around their brush strokes, and paint from every angle. VR painting creates an immersive piece that people can view in VR, or as a 3D image. Tilt Brush has been heralded as a monumental innovation because artists can now freely paint in the air around them! You can run Tilt Brush on all major VR platforms like Oculus, Vive, Windows Mixed Reality, and PlayStation.
8. Dynamic Painting
Dynamic painting is sometimes seen as one of the more controversial forms of digital art, as it involves computers using artificial intelligence and human data to create paintings that are often indistinguishable from more organic work. Dynamic painting can create some truly amazing pieces of art! However, with many AI applications, the computer software can run into many errors, and some of the finished pieces may seem quite uncanny. There are many dynamic painting applications on the market, including Corel Painter, Painnt, and Prisma.
Digital art is always evolving, and the amount of different softwares available to aid artists is constantly growing, creating many new possibilities. Digital art is a fantastic way to express yourself! Creating your own artwork for your own product line can be a fun way to brand yourself, and get your work out to the masses and into the hands of those who appreciate your designs the most.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in February 2019 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Ella is a content specialist from Cork, Ireland. Her passions include spending time with her two energetic dogs, film photography and trying new vegan food! She enjoys writing articles, especially about weddings, because she is a romantic at heart!
