My First Digital Oil Painting!
If you are curious - what is a digital painting???
I created this painting using Photoshop’s pre-installed “oil brushes” and a Wacom Intuos Pro Pen Tablet on my 21-inch fully loaded iMac.
It’s not an intuitive method of making art for me. You draw on the tablet but look at the monitor screen as you draw/paint with the “Pen.”
I made the painting just as I would make a non-digital oil painting. I start with a light pencil sketch on the canvas till I am happy with the composition, etc. I then paint the sketch with black paint. It basically looks like a coloring book at that point. After I am happy with the black oil paint sketch. I paint all the color! I approach each of my paintings the exact same way. I love my process and it allows me to maintain a consistent style in my work.
Transitioning to pen/table/computer screen is not easy. But as I progressed with the painting I got used to it. I have excellent Photoshop skills due to my many years as a graphic designer. However - painting on the computer is something that never interested me cuz I have spent millions of hours in front of a computer screen for graphic design.
Anyway, the other day, I really wanted to paint these lovely Wild Violets that pop up all over the yard this time of year. Some folks call them weeds. To me, they are lovely highlights to a front lawn. My beloved oil paints are in Florida, and I’m in Pennsylvania! So, I thought…let me give digital a try!
Approaching the painting the exact same way I make a physical oil painting, was a breeze! And, the process worked! I have to admit, it’s easy to “erase” the oil brushstrokes digitally! And, mixing the colors is hit or miss, just like physical oil paint, but there’s no waste! And you can see immediately if the colors are “right!”
I actually love this painting! The colors are just as I had them in my head and the painting can be printed to whatever size I choose from very small to verrrryyy large!
I love this painting so much that I had it printed at 8x10 inches, framed & matted, and it will hang at the Manayunk Roxborough Art Center Gallery’s Grand ReOpening on Sunday, April 24, 2022, 1-4 pm!
I will also have “Don’t F*** With Me.” hanging in the show. One of my favorite paintings.
And, of course, all sales benefit the Art Center!
If you are local to Philadelphia - Please come out to help us celebrate our Grand Reopening of the MRAC Gallery! And, of course, there is the requisite wine and snacks!
Thank you for taking the time to read about my work!