Why I Do Both Traditional And Digital Painting And Won't Settle For Just One

The methods for painting on paper and a computer are very similar; layer shapes, lines, and colors to create an image. However, the execution of traditional and digital painting is very different.

When I paint with watercolors and oil, I battle their natural limitations. My brush can only ever get so tiny. My paper can only absorb so much water. My pigments can only ever get so light, dark, or saturated. My hand shakes. There is no undo button. After completing a painting that I like, I am proud that I created it despite those limitations. Sometimes my limits create happy accidents along the way that make the painting even stronger! In traditional media, I need to make fast, precise decisions that cannot be undone, and that gives it a “mood” that is separate from digital painting.

"Our Lady" 5x7" Watercolor

When I paint on my iPad or computer, my tools are limitless. I can undo any stroke. I can warp what I painted into a different shape. I can pick colors with precision, down to the pixel. I have thousands of brushes and textures to choose from. The struggles I encounter with digital painting come from those same qualities. Decision paralysis and inorganic results are common roadblocks. If I can do literally anything to my canvas, how will I ever know when it is finished? If I don’t have imperfections in my paper or brushes, how can I push my artwork from sterile to bursting with life?

"Potential" Digital Painting in Procreate on iPad

That is why it’s so important for me to practice both kinds of painting. I find two different types of freedom in them. Watercolors teach me to paint with confidence and let go of what I can’t control, keeping in mind that it may turn out to be a good thing. Photoshop teaches me to pick my tools well, and that perfection isn’t achieved through perfect execution. My ability to create compelling artwork grows stronger through dancing between the two.