Drawing-From Pencil and Pad to Digital
Have you ever wanted to do something so badly, but never seemed to have reached that goal? You really weren’t sure why, but you just never accomplished what you wanted to accomplish. That was me. I’ve always had such passion for drawing for as long as I can remember.
Childhood Drawing
As the introvert I am, drawing was my escape. I lived in a very rural area, and honestly, there was nothing else to do but find your own joy and play with cousins. There was only so much playing I could do. My favorite pastime was drawing. From what I can remember, I began seriously drawing at about the age of 13 with no prior training and ran with it. My lovely mother supported my habit and supplied all the materials needed. She dabbled with sketching as well during her college years. I would literally get coloring books, Disney calendars (I still have one I used back then), tiger calendars, and anything else I could find, and I would draw what I saw. I kept those drawings, and here are some of them.
In high school’s art class, I definitely learned a lot and was ecstatic when I learned to draw people and other life-like images. So, at one point, that’s all I did because it was something new and exciting. They were not perfect by far, but it was a happy moment for me.
Digital Drawing
Over the past several years, I’d stopped doing a lot of what I loved to do. Have you ever had regrets? I should’ve kept practicing. It just fell by the wayside while I attended college. I just had to figure out how to juggle it all. I’ve found out how to do that now. Since creating a handmade business, I can continue to do what I love to do. Drawing is still a big part of that, but this time, it’s digital drawing.
I’ve practiced digital drawing for quite a while now but felt like I could always be better and learn more. I’ve stumbled upon an amazing artist through DesignCuts and have since joined her Patreon. I hope to be a faithful follower of her for many years to come. Her techniques and instructions are fantastic and will make even a beginner feel like they can accomplish anything with ease. I’ve learned more from her in the short time I’ve followed her than I have from others I’ve followed in a longer timeframe. Are you wondering who this could be? Her name is Floortje, Flo for short. I believe in her and her talent. I would also like to say how personable she is. We chatted a bit when I asked for her permission to mention her in this blog about other things. Those little things go a long way with me.
If you would like to follow her, here’s the information. Flo’s Facebook Flo’s Youtube Flo’s Instagram Flo’s Website
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What I Use For Digital Drawing
My first experience with digital drawing was with a Huion tablet. I used it with Adobe Illustrator in conjunction with my Macbook Pro. At the time, it was the best for me and my budget. Of course, there were other options, but I chose this one. Wacom is another brand that I hear is pretty good as well.
I now have the iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and the Apple Pencil 2nd generation. This was the best investment I’ve ever made.
Programs Used For Digital Drawing
Aside from Adobe Illustrator, I have Autodesk Sketchbook (Free) and Procreate ($9.99). I began learning Sketchbook first because it was free and the people I was learning from used that one. Procreate seemed intimidating to me. When I purchased it, I didn’t begin to use it right away. As with any program, you just have to learn its features. Both have features about them that I like. I will say this if you’re on the fence about which to get. If you’re serious about drawing, Procreate will give you above and beyond what you need to achieve your goals. That’s not to downgrade Sketchbook in any way because it is great for basic coloring, drawing, and sketching. Procreate is just...the complete package. The cost is definitely minimal to what it’s worth.
Procreate Icon
Autodesk Sketchbook Icon
Here are a couple of drawings I completed in Sketchbook.
Madison
The Salley’s
Here are the drawings I’ve completed in Procreate thus far (under Flo’s instruction)
I still have much to learn. I don’t get as much practice as I’d like to even during these stay at home times, but the time I do spend on it is heaven to me. So, practice practice practice. It would be nice to track the progress to see how far you’ve come.
If you’ve been drawing for a while, do you still have mementos from years ago? What made you want to start drawing?
Stay Crafty!
~Kel
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