Tech and Art: Best Art Learning Sources for The Digital Art Enthusiast

Art can be a very satisfying hobby to take up. With so many mediums and styles out there, anyone can find a way to express themselves through line sketches, calligraphy, or watercolors, or any of the other mediums in between.

Advances in digital art technologies have made it easier for people to start exploring their creative sides without worrying about investing too much money in consumable materials like canvases, sketchbooks, paints, and expensive tools like easels and brushes while they’re in their early learning stages.

Even with easy-to-access tools like tablets and electronic pencils, learning how to create digital art can feel intimidating for motivated hobbyists or aspiring artists. Thankfully, there are many great resources available for learning everything from basic techniques to advanced editing.

Video Tutorials

A lot of artists – digital or otherwise – produce videos that illustrate their process and show off their final pieces. These can be useful for up-and-coming artists to watch since they demonstrate how to go from an idea in your head to the final piece step by step, making it easy to learn through imitation. If you want to start making art but don’t know where to start, watching these kinds of videos can help generate ideas.

Try looking online for artists whose work you enjoy or search for an Art Channel on a site like YouTube. As you watch the videos, try to follow along with the process and compare your results. This can also be helpful for finding styles that you might want to emulate.

In-Person Digital Art Classes

One of the most popular tools among new digital artists and professionals are tablets like the Apple iPad and Apple Pencil. While not exactly inexpensive, they are a more affordable option than much of the dedicated hardware used by professionals while still producing the same results. These tools work with many of the most popular digital art applications like Procreate and Adobe Illustrator.

The Apple Store is more than just a place to buy these tools, but also a place to learn to use them. Many Apple Store locations offer free classes on a variety of topics, including digital art classes. Look online to see what classes are available at the location closest to you.

Online Digital Art Learning

If mimicking other artists’ processes doesn’t appeal to you or attending an in-person class doesn’t fit your schedule, consider looking into online digital art courses. There are many sites that offer classes taught by everyone from illustration professionals to casual artists. These classes cover a range of topics from the basics of digital drawing and painting to how to render specific textures or subjects.

Some of these courses are free of cost, while others cost a few dollars per section. Some sites like SkillShare or the popular MasterClass have subscription services that include some courses or offer discounted pricing and premium access to others. Thanks to the variety of courses online, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding one that matches your skill level, the hardware and software that you’re using, and the style you want to learn to create.

If you’re interested in learning more about digital art, whether as a hobby or a potential career, there are plenty of tools available to have you creating masterpieces in no time.

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