Confession: I collect arty apps like other people collect, ummm…other things. Imagine that! I’ve played with them a bit from time to time but have never been happy with the results. Everything always came out looking too digital. Like that one over there (arrow pointing right).
Go figure.
Well this weekend I had this AHA! moment, this flash of inspiration that said maybe it’s not the apps’ fault. Repeat, please…maybe it’s not the app’s fault!
Maybe I needed to treat them as any other art TOOL and not a toy.
Maybe I should learn how to use them.
Sometimes I astound myself with maybes.
So I decided to explore Procreate. This is a digital illustration app complete with layers, more layers and a full selection of mark making tools. But I ran into the same issues I’ve had with apps in the past…the end results looked contrived. Looked like cartoons. Nothing against ‘toons but that’s not the look I was going for.
And then one of the many voices in my head, one of the nice ones, said something I needed to hear. She said stick to your own style!
MY. STYLE. You know, the way I normally paint… scribbles and layers and textures and whatever else I throw into the pot. Approach it like one of my paintings sans air guitar and Da Boss. Instead of the studio I was on the sofa. My feet were up on the coffee table and the dogs were snuggled on either side of me.
AND THERE WAS NOTHING TO CLEAN UP!!!
Ohhhhh… I might like this digital stuff.
I have yet to watch a Procreate tutorial (of which there are many). I just dived in layer by layer. Because Procreate allows you to work in layers. Large, like 4K, the industry standard for high def resolution. And export in layered PSD files.
There’s even a free manual you can download. Can you believe that…an app with a manual!
Are you in love yet?
I had several false starts as I was getting a feel for the way it works. I’m still working on that, actually. This is the first image I was satisfied with.
Red Earth
© 2013 Susan Lobb Porter
Digital Art
Yes, you’ve seen this image before. Or it’s canvas cousin Red Bob. Red seems to be an ongoing theme of mine. But by starting with a familiar design, I was free to explore the tools. And after I was comfortable with them–
Glow
© 2013 Susan Lobb Porter
Digital Painting
–this happened!
Ahhhhhhhhhh…
Stay tuned, there WILL be more.
As always, I LOVE hearing from you in the comments below. Heart emoticon here. Lots of ’em.
xoxo
Bravo, braveheart!
I love the way you worked through the process
with yourself
and created something so new and true and you:)
Well done.
And, hey, thanks for all the ways
you’ve made my life lighter and brighter this year.
You’re a joy:)
Love, hope and grace to you,
Jennifer
Jennifer Richardson recently posted..A Christmas hush….
Oh, you have made my life lighter and brighter as well, Jennifer. Your way with words is sheer poetry…and I love it!
xo
Your artistic repertoire is inspiring! I love how you can find the unique in all things!
Thank you, Bonnie. I read your comment and didn’t have the chance to respond right away but oh, how I thought about it while driving my daughter to bigtown yesterday. We were inching along in the traffic on the off ramp when I was struck by the beauty of the faded brown grasses along the road. I pointed it out to her but I’m not sure she appreciated my artist’s eye at that point. But I thought, AH, Bonnie would!
Ha! I have had that experience!
🙂