The digital painting industry is booming, with a recent study revealing about 22,500 jobs available in the US market alone. Thousands of these artists earn well over $100,000 a year, with the vast majority earning over $60,000. That makes a digital painting career highly coveted.
Digital artists create images using software on a digital device such as a computer, tablet, or smartphone. This can be done for a variety of purposes, including creating artwork, illustrations, logos, and even animations.
With so much at stake, it’s important to get things right when it comes to digital art. Unfortunately, beginners often make common mistakes that can cost them time, money, and even clients.
In this blog post, we’ll take a look at seven of these mistakes and show you how to avoid them.
1. Not Planning Ahead
Without a plan, it’s easy to get lost in the details or end up with a painting that doesn’t look cohesive. This can be frustrating and discouraging, especially if you’ve put a lot of time and effort into your work.
To avoid this, it’s important to take some time to think through your idea before you start painting. Consider the overall structure of your project. What elements of art do you need to include, and in what order?
This will help you create a more efficient workflow and save you time in the long run. Additionally, you should consider the colors you’ll need for your project. Make sure you have a consistent palette in mind so you don’t end up with a mismatched final product.
2. Not Using Reference Images
A reference image is a photo or illustration that you can use as a guide when creating your own artwork. Many artists feel that they need to rely solely on their imagination, but the truth is that reference images can be a valuable tool.
Without a reference, it can be very difficult to get the details of your painting just right. This is especially true if you’re new to digital painting. Even experienced artists often use reference images to help them capture the likeness of a person or place.
When selecting reference images, it’s important to choose ones that are high-quality and relevant to your project. Keep in mind that you don’t need to find an exact match for your subject matter. In fact, it can be helpful to use several different reference images to get different viewpoints.
3. Not Starting With a Rough Sketch
Without a sketch, it can be difficult to plan the composition of your painting and ensure that all the elements work well together. This can lead to a cluttered or unbalanced composition, which can be very distracting for viewers.
Furthermore, starting with a sketch can help you to visualize the final product better and make necessary adjustments before you commit to any one particular idea.
So if you’re starting to plan a new digital painting, be sure to take the time to create a rough sketch first. It’ll save you time and effort in the long run.
4. Not Experimenting with Different Tools and Brushes
A lot of new painters spend hours upon hours perfecting one specific brush. This can lead to their work looking repetitive and stale. Additionally, it can limit their ability to create different effects and textures.
To avoid this mistake, artists should take the time to experiment with the many different digital art tools and brushes available to them.
By doing so, they will be able to find the ones that best suit their needs and develop a unique style. Additionally, they may discover new techniques that they would otherwise have never known about.
5. Not Keeping Up With Technology
The digital painting industry is constantly evolving, and new software and hardware are released on a regular basis. As a digital painter, it’s important to stay up-to-date with the latest advancements in your field. Otherwise, you run the risk of falling behind the competition.
Advanced digital painting software can help you to improve your workflow and create higher-quality paintings. If you’re interested in such software, check out https://setapp.com/lifestyle/procreate-for-mac today.
6. Not Backing Up Your Files
Have you ever lost hours of work because your computer crashed and you hadn’t saved your progress? If so, then you know how frustrating it can be not to have a backup of your work.
Unfortunately, this is a mistake that many digital painters make. They either forget to save their work, or they only save one copy on their hard drive. If something happens to that hard drive, then all their work is gone.
To avoid this mistake, always save your work in at least two places. For example, you can save it on your hard drive as well as in the cloud. That way, if something happens to your computer, you can still access your files.
7. Ignoring Feedback
Whether it’s from a friend, colleague, or client, feedback is essential for improving your work. Ignoring feedback can lead to stagnation in your development as an artist, and it can also damage relationships.
If you’re not open to hearing what others have to say about your work, it shows that you’re not confident in your abilities and that you’re not willing to grow. Instead of ignoring feedback, embrace it. Use it as an opportunity to learn and improve.
Be open to hearing what others have to say, and don’t be afraid to ask for more feedback if you feel you need it.
Take Your Digital Painting Work to the Next Level
Digital painting can be a great way to express your creativity, but it’s important to avoid making common mistakes. By following the tips in this article, you can set yourself up for success.
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