Artfags: How did you get used to switching from traditional art to digital?

[Mal0]

So I've been drawing for a year or two regularly, on and off for a few years before that. Have a few sketchbooks filled with drawings and sketches. Recently I wanted to try doing digital art for no other reason than to shitpost and participate in 4chan drawthreads. I bought this tablet off of a failed artist friend for 10$ (it was so rarely used the drawing surface hardly had any scratches). The only issue is that I can't for the life of me get used to not staring at my hand when I draw.

I am so used to drawing on pen and paper, able to see my hand and what the pen produces, that not looking at my hand but at a screen while I draw is uncomfortable, for a lack of a better word. I tried an apple pencil and ipad pro and that felt fine, because I could see what I drew, but this tablet just feels off.

Any suggestions? Or do I just need to power through this and stop being a fag?

 

[eDove]

You get used to it. I went through the same thing. Granted, I transitioned into digital when I was like, ten years old, and I think kids learn things easier. It's a lot like learning a new control scheme for a game. At first, I thought it'd be freaking impossible to learn it, but you do. Once you get a handle of it, you have so much more control over your art and its presentation.

The second hurdle is the art programs. I recommend getting yourself accustomed to Gimp once you've mastered your tablet, 'cause then you'll be familiar with Photoshop and all those other advanced art programs.

 

[Banditotron]

Didn't. No reason to.

 

[Consenticles]

Figured I would chime in here.

The change is never immediate, takes getting used to. Getting your keybinds perfect is one thing. For me, I always have enjoyed Wacom's simple and sleek tablets. Started with a Bamboo model, worked my way into buying one of the really big Intuos models. These are the tablets which are designed to take your pen strokes on a flat surface, connected to a laptop or desktop. These are good tools, but you have to adapt to not looking at your hand when drawing. I had always been great at pencil and paper, but it did not take long for me to feel like I hit a brick wall with the tablet. So I upgraded.

My current, and absolutely incredible tablet i am using right now is a MobileStudioPro. This model is a standalone computer in tablet form. Not apps, it legit runs windows 10, I have steam on it too. Now all this sounds great, but thats not the thing that was a dramatic improvement for me. It was having the screen right below my pen show the brushstrokes.

Your traditional tablet might be as good or better in terms of sensitivity, or perhaps have more room for buttons. But there is something about drawing while watching your own hand that makes it so much easier. No idea. Maybe it is the gratification of seeing that line appear from the tip of your pen, or the need to retrain your brain on terms of hand eye coordination.

My MobileStudioPro is great. But it does get a tad expensive. I don't remember how much certain models were, but tomorrow I can post links to all of the tablets I mentioned in my post. Along with prices and recommendations if anyone is looking for input.

I find that occasionally sketching on paper with a pencil , switching mediums in a sense, can help you improve drastically. Recently had a total brick wall moment and switching to pencil and paper was like opening the floodgates.

 

[Justtocheck]

You'll get it just fine in less than 2 weeks. Calm down and power through it. I also got a bit scared at first. Don't be. Easy piecy.

 

[MerriedxReldnahc]

I'm mostly a traditional artist but do a lot of coloring digitally, I have a terrible time drawing straight on the tablet in my usual art style. You do eventually get used to not looking down at your hand, the years of digital coloring have helped me in that regard when I started trying to actually draw on the tablet. I've heard people suggest putting a piece of paper down on their tablet and drawing on top of that, I guess as a "this feels familiar" thing. I don't personally find it useful, I thought it made the process more awkward.
One of the things I've seen that I actually do find useful is to take advantage of layers and make a few sketches first before jumping into the actual lineart, i.e doing a loose drawing in a color like bright green, maybe doing a second, cleaner, sketch in blue, and finally going in with black as your finished lineart. Doing a more painterly style can help you adjust also.

Spoiler: Art that I done made

This is one of the first fully digital pieces I've made and it took FOREVER to do the lines because they looked so wonky compared to when I sketch and ink traditionally.

Compared to something that started traditional and was only colored digitally.


Something more painter-ly, done with the oil brushes in GIMP, which went a lot better than expected. Mostly just two layers, the background and Jeebus being separate. Halo was like 40 goddamn layers because I don't know what I'm doing and GIMP is confusing to me. But point is that doing something like this takes the stress of perfect lines away, so it's a good intro to digital, I think.