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What does an artist who specializes in digital painting need? Create an illustration from a photograph. The progress of digital painting

computer models, but through human use of computer simulations traditional instruments artist.

general information

Creating a drawing / painting from start to finish on a computer is a relatively new direction in fine arts. The exact date of creation of the first computer drawing it makes no sense to establish (you can get bogged down in determining what is artistic and serious enough for a drawing as such); however, the approximate date of the wide appearance of impressive and colorful works made on the PC is 1995-1996 (this date accounts for the appearance and wide distribution of relatively affordable SVGA monitors and video cards capable of displaying 16.7 million colors)). The computer in digital painting is the same tool as a brush with an easel. In order to draw well on a computer, it is also necessary to know and be able to apply all the knowledge and experience accumulated by generations of artists (perspective, aerial perspective, color wheel, highlights, reflections, etc.). The use of digital technologies in photography has also given rise to hybrid technologies (for example, photo-impressionism).

Examples of works by digital artists

Opium, author Milenky Evgeny. milenkiy.com — gallery of works
Theft in the caravanserai by Guro Roman.
Daisies and Gargoyle by Ellyon.
Evil Guy by Ellyon.
Bank bridge in St. Petersburg, author B. Slobodan.
Flying Castle for a Little Princess by Eduard Mango Kichigin

The progress of digital painting

At the end of the 20th - beginning of the 21st centuries, CG-art (Computer Graphics Art) is rapidly developing and takes a strong position in the design of books / posters, prevails in the industry computer games and modern cinema, popular in amateur art. The reasons for the rapid displacement of the old funds from these areas:

Availability

In order to create digital works of any level, it is necessary to purchase / have a personal computer of sufficient power, a graphics tablet and several programs for computer painting. All this will cost ~$1500 (most of this amount is the cost of licensed programs) in the initial version (professionals buy more expensive computers, monitors and tablets, but they only increase the convenience of work).

Great work speed

Particularly critical in the area of paid artistic activity: design of books, movies, games. Specialized programs for CG artists (such as Painter) contain a large number of tools that speed up work. Choice desired color- a matter of seconds (as opposed to traditional painting where you need to mix paints to get the right color - it takes experience and time), choosing the right brush / tool is also an almost instant operation. The ability to undo your actions, as well as the ability to save at any moment of your work and return to it later, and even a large list of features and benefits - all this makes the work of a professional artist several times faster with the same quality. In addition, a computer work is immediately ready for use in digital technologies of cinema, games, layout - a canvas painted in oil must first be transferred to a digital form.

Unique Toolkit

For example, working with layers or applying textures from photographs to the parts of the picture you need; generation of noise of a given type; various brush effects; HDR pictures; various filters and corrections - all this and much more is simply not available in traditional painting.

prospects

Traditional art almost reached its limit in terms of perfection of technique and means back in the 18th century. Since then, nothing new has been added - you still have pigment, oil (or a ready-made mixture of them), canvas and brushes. And nothing new will appear. It is fair to say that modern computer painting is still far from the best paintings of the geniuses of the past in terms of quality and scale of work - but it has room to develop. The resolution of monitors is growing, the quality of color reproduction is increasing, the power of computers is growing, programs for digital painting are changing and improving, there is a fundamental possibility of creating new methods and devices for working with color / color output (projectors or holography).

Ease of learning by some groups of people and ease of operation

If you know how to work on a computer and are an inquisitive and energetic person, it will not be difficult for you to understand the interface of computer painting programs - it is the same as in most Windows programs + quite logical digital artist tools. Both paid and free video tutorials on working in a particular program are available on the Internet. With regard to cg-art programs, such video tutorials contain a record of all stages of the work of a digital artist on a painting.

Disadvantages of digital painting

Difficulty of development

At the moment, there are very few schools or more serious educational institutions that teach in this specialty - mostly the most energetic and inquisitive people, and especially children who can learn on their own and find information on their own, become digital artists; designers and printers (who have experience working with graphics on a PC); Most of the well-known digital artists graduated from educational institutions in traditional painting and only then independently switched to cg-art. Also, a modern digital artist is unthinkable without the Internet (communication with colleagues, employers, searching for new programs or ways of drawing, etc.) - and again, not everyone has it. There are practically no books on creating drawings on a computer, but the situation is gradually improving.
As of 2007, the situation is in a fairly good position - at this moment there are quite a few different educational resources to prepare future teachers of fine arts to work with digital devices. Techniques for working on a computer with a graphic tablet and various programs that allow you to engage in media drawing. In the near future, such courses will be launched in the main pedagogical universities of the country, which, in turn, will subsequently have a positive effect on schools and other universities when hiring new teachers who have good experience in working with media drawing and digital painting in their arsenal.

The current limit of computer technology

Modern monitors still do not work at resolutions close to the resolution of our eyes. That is, the monitor is not capable of displaying such a number of details and details that a live observation of the same size section of a classical painting canvas can provide. You can print your picture on a printer - but this gives rise to the third problem of cg-art:

The problem with the output of a computer image to a physical medium

Monitors operate in the RGB color space - 16.7 million colors. Printing on paper cannot physically cover this entire range of colors - the CMYK color space covers a smaller number of colors and shades. At the moment there is no decent medium for digital drawing. Monitors that can show all the colors of the picture (and have brightness, contrast, color settings) have too low a resolution that does not allow showing all the details of the picture (they do not show it in full size without interpolation - a regular monitor cannot display more than 1-2 megapixels at the same time , special and rather expensive LCD monitors can show about 8 megapixels).

Copyright issue

Whoever has the original (source) drawing file is the owner of the drawing. But, like any digital information, a file can be duplicated (copied) and replicated in unlimited quantities without any tangible costs. The simplest example of protecting your drawing is posting a smaller copy on the Internet (usually professional artists they draw in high resolution - 6000 × 10000 pixels and even more - it is convenient to draw details, and a small version is posted on the Internet - 1600 × 1200 or less; or even a fragment). In this case, whoever has a large version of the drawing is its author and owner. Copyright in a digital drawing is easy to change and only well-known artists can really help from its presence.

Links

External links to Russian language forums

where artists of all directions communicate

3d center is a popular CG site and forum (Galleries of 3d and 2d works, W.I.P, tutorials and articles).
Guro art forum is the oldest specialized forum founded famous artist Guro in December 2002
СGTalk.ru — forum on СGTalk.ru
Manga.ru - a forum of artists in the style of "manga"
Real time is a subsection of the Real Time school. One of the few institutions that teach computer art in all areas (2D, 3D). At the beginning of the development of the forum, the direction of the drawing was led by the most famous Russian CG artist - Anry. At the current time, the forum is inactive, but the archives are very useful for both beginners and professionals.
Render.ru - online magazine on computer graphics and animation
"A Certain Aesthetics" is a community of young artists. Founder of Ketka.
Sketchers.ru is a somewhat younger resource that has many convenient features (magazines, galleries) for artists. Founded January 17, 2004 by artist/designer AJ. This domain is not currently active. 2010.01.10
Hofarts.com is a forum with a specialized section "School" and a CG news magazine.

Digital painting- the creation of electronic images, carried out not by rendering computer models, but by using human computer imitations of traditional artist tools.

general information

Creating a drawing / painting from start to finish on a computer is a relatively new direction in the visual arts. It makes no sense to establish the exact date of the creation of the first computer drawing (you can get bogged down in determining what is artistic and serious enough for a drawing as such); however, the approximate date for the wide appearance of impressive and colorful works made on the PC is 1995-1996 (this date accounts for the appearance and wide distribution of relatively affordable SVGA monitors and video cards capable of displaying 16.7 million colors). The computer in digital painting is the same tool as a brush with an easel. In order to draw well on a computer, it is also necessary to know and be able to apply all the knowledge and experience accumulated by generations of artists (laws of perspective, color theory, glare, reflexes, etc.).

Hybrid technologies are also used in the visual arts (in addition to cosmetic correction or improvement of a manual original). Two main directions: first, a manual image is made, which is not brought to completion (mostly limited to a sketch), but the work is completed on a computer; modification of the completed hand-drawn image using a computer editor. In the latter case, the range of processing depth is very wide: from changing only the mood (through the color scheme) through modifying the image to completely changing the original image - beyond recognition.

The progress of digital painting

At the end of the 20th - beginning of the 21st centuries, digital painting is developing rapidly and occupies a strong position in the design of books / posters, prevails in the computer games industry and modern cinema, and is popular in amateur art. The reasons for the rapid displacement of the old funds from these areas:

Availability

In order to create digital works of any level, it is necessary to purchase / have a personal computer of sufficient power, a graphics tablet and several programs for computer painting. All this will cost ~$1500 in the initial version (professionals buy more expensive computers, monitors and tablets that increase the convenience of work).

Great work speed

Specialized programs for CG artists (such as Painter) contain a large number of tools that speed up work. Choosing the right color is a matter of seconds (unlike traditional painting, where you have to mix paints to get the right color - it takes experience and time), choosing the right brush / tool is also an almost instantaneous operation. The ability to undo your actions, as well as the ability to save at any moment of your work and return to it later, and even a large list of features and benefits - all this makes the work of a professional artist several times faster with the same quality. In addition, computer work is immediately ready for use in digital technologies of cinema, games, layout - the work done on the material with paints must first be transferred to digital form.

Unique Toolkit

Unlike traditional painting, digital painting has progressive and high-tech features and super-developed artistic capabilities such as: working with layers or applying textures from photographs to the areas of the picture you need; generation of noise of a given type; various brush effects; HDR pictures; various filters, transformations and corrections; a huge number of shades of colors and textures; various line structures.

prospects

Traditional art practically reached its limit in terms of perfection of technique and means as early as the 18th century. Since then, almost nothing new has been added - as before, the artist has paints, pigment, oil (or a mixture of them), canvas and brushes. Modern computer painting is already far from the best paintings of the geniuses of the past in terms of quality and scale of work - and it has room to develop further. The resolution of displays is growing, the quality of color reproduction is increasing, the power of computers is increasing, programs for digital painting are changing and improving, there is a fundamental possibility of creating new methods and devices for working with color / color output (projectors or holography).

Availability of training and work

If the user is computer literate and has drawing skills or art education- it will not be difficult for him to understand the interface of computer painting programs - it is the same as in most Windows programs, and has a completely logical digital artist's toolkit. Video tutorials on working in a particular program are available on the Internet, containing a record of all stages of the artist's work on a digital painting.

Disadvantages of digital painting

Difficulty of development

As of 2007, the situation is in a pretty good position - at the moment quite a lot of various educational resources are being made to prepare future art teachers to work with digital devices. Techniques for working on a computer with a graphics tablet and various programs that allow you to engage in media drawing are being intensively mastered. In the near future, such courses will be launched in the main pedagogical universities of the country, which, in turn, will subsequently have a positive effect on schools and other universities when they receive new teachers who have good experience with media drawing and digital painting.

The current limit of computer technology

The problem with the output of a computer image to a physical medium

Most monitors work in the RGB color model with the sRGB color space, which has color boundaries that do not match those of a typical CMYK printer, which has its own gamut limits. As a result, some colors visible on the monitor are not printed on paper, and at the same time, the full potential of the printer in terms of its coverage is not used. To solve this problem, professional monitors are used with an ARGB (Adobe RGB) color space, specially designed to accommodate almost all colors available for the printer, and color profiles are used to best match the images on the monitor and print media. However, 100% match cannot be achieved, because even the worst sRGB space is wider in some color areas than many CMYK spaces. Another problem is that monitors that can show all the colors of the picture (and have brightness, contrast, color settings) usually have too low a resolution that does not allow showing all the details of the picture (they do not show it in full size without interpolation - more than 1-2 megapixels). the monitor cannot display at the same time, special and rather expensive LCD monitors can display about 8 megapixels).

Copyright issue

Whoever has the original (source) drawing file is the owner of the drawing. But, like any digital information, a file can be copied and replicated in unlimited quantities without any tangible costs. The simplest example of protecting your drawing is posting a reduced copy on the Internet (usually professional artists draw in high resolution - 6000 × 10000 pixels and even more - it is convenient to draw details, and a small version is posted on the Internet - 1600 × 1200 or less; or even a fragment). In this case, whoever has a large version of the drawing is its author and owner. Copyright in a digital drawing is easy to change and only well-known artists can really help from its presence.

Programs for digital painting

Free Software

GIMP is a raster graphics editor, also suitable for drawing.
MyPaint is a drawing program, an endless canvas, lots of brushes and a minimum of features.
Krita is a drawing program, part of the Calligra Suite.
Alchemy is a vector graphics editor designed for drawing.

Digital painting

Author
March 30, 2016, 16:15

This community is dedicated to raster drawing or drawing in raster editors such as Photoshop, SAI, Painter and others.
Here you can publish tutorials, videos, information about editors, highlight the intricacies of drawing and share interesting finds and drawing techniques, etc., etc.

Long live the pixels

If you are interested in drawing in vector, welcome to.

Author
March 11, 2018, 18:23

There was a need for me to process a certain amount black and white pictures and remove their background by saving as PNG. I've done this before, but I found an easier way, which I'm sharing.

Duplicate the image you'll be working with on a new layer, or unlock the original layer.

Your drawing must be black and white. Best to go to the menu Image > Adjustment > Desaturate or click Shift+Ctrl+U, then open Levels in the same place and make the picture as contrasting as possible.

Go back to layers and click Delete- the background is removed.

The drawing can be pale, so we press the button from the image below in the top panel, take a regular black brush and go over the drawing. You can also duplicate the layers instead to experiment with quality.

All! Save PNG and enjoy life.

Works great with pencil sketches and artwork, as well as any black and white pictures.
The method is elementary, saves time and takes literally a minute.

Author
October 1, 2016, 20:03

The other day I wrote and I confess this super solution that makes everything easy and elegant. Thank you Lettochka for sharing :) Here is just one thing, but I have the 5th Illustrator, and therefore I simply don’t have a pattern maker :(
Having not yet found this article from Letta, I tried to make patterns in Photoshop using smart objects. Here I want to share what I did, maybe it will be useful to someone.
So in order:
1. I create a file with the size, let's say 5000x5000. In the center I set a square shape at 4000x4000, this is my future pattern. Further to the edges of the square I put guides (with the binding to objects turned on). I turn off the background - now the background is transparent. This is a blank file that will serve as the basis for all my future patterns. I name the file let's say pattern_1 and save it.
2. In the menu, I select the file - open as a smart object - open the same file and save it, calling it pattern_1_3x3. The name is conditional, I named it so, just to make it clear that this file consists, as it were, of 9 squares of the original pattern. In the layers palette there will be a smart object of the file pattern_1.
3. Now I expand the pattern_1_3x3 file in size using the crop tool to a size of 12000x12000 (I need to fit those 9 squares of the original pattern into it). I already have the first one, it is in the center - I copy and align the rest for an exact match - this is important for the pattern to be seamless. I move the layer with the first smart object - the first white square - on top of all layers.
4. At this stage, I have two files open in Photoshop, pattern_1 and pattern_1_3x3, with which I need to work simultaneously. For convenience, I go to the Window panel - Arrange - Arrange the two vertically. I open both files for myself so that I can see White square, guides and a little bit of space around.

5. Next, first of all, in the pattern_1 file, I turn off the layer with the white square - then it will only interfere with me - and I insert elements of the future pattern into the transparent space between the guides (I have them all in PNG and in the Photoshop settings there is a daw to insert as smart objects ( this is so that all elements do not lose quality when working with them) Now I place the elements as I like and save the pattern_1.
6. Next, the pattern_1_3x3 file opened next to it is updated and we get a fully composed pattern.

So far, it has a transparent background, so you need to place a 4000x4000 square of the desired color in the pattern_1_3x3 file below all layers - our background.
Adjust your pattern_1 for as long as you need and save each time after the adjustment, and don't forget to save the pattern_1_3x3 file after each update (just in case).
7. When the pattern is ready in the pattern_1_3x3 file, I cut it along the guides, and save it as a JPG, indicating now the final name of the pattern, I have it branches_1. It will suffer with a size of 4000x4000 as planned.

8. After saving the pattern as a JPG, I return to the pattern_1_3x3 file and cancel the cropping action. I save.
So I keep the pattern_1_3x3 file as a template for building patterns, and to make a new pattern, I simply open this file and find my central smart object among the layers. Double clicking on it opens it as a separate document in which all work with the new pattern is carried out, and the final result is saved as a JPG from the pattern_1_3x3 file.
The beauty of working with smart objects is that you change all the errors of the pattern in the pattern_1 file and after saving you will see how it looks in the filled pattern in pattern_1_3x3, in fact, in real time.
For me, this method turned out to be quite convenient. Maybe some of you will find it useful. :)

Author
September 27, 2016, 19:55

I already foresee how many will twist a finger at my temple, like a raster pattern in a vector program, yeah. But let me explain why I am writing this post. At one time, I had a fierce need to create raster patterns and I ran into a problem. Of course, you can create patterns in Photoshop, but this program is tailored for other needs. But the built-in pattern maker in illustrator has always delighted me, allowing me to make all sorts of patterns quickly and easily. Well, I'm an illustrator, what else can I say. There is also such a moment that I usually make patterns not on geometric grids, but scatter objects at random and with any methods in Photoshop, I have to constantly double-check whether the objects are normal. Illustrator saves a lot of time in this regard.

In general, Illustrator knows how to work with raster objects and understands the transparent layer in PNG. That is, PNG remains transparent and several pictures can be easily overlaid on top of each other.

In order to make a pattern, we need objects from which it will consist in PNG. We take our transparent pieces and drag them into Illustrator, pay attention also to the fact that the pattern making appeared starting from CS6, so this method will not work below the six. In the gallery, I duplicated all the pictures from the post in a larger size.

Straightaway important point: do not recommend work area big. Illustrator inserts pictures as smart objects and their quality does not distort (usually my original pictures are also large from 2000 to 3000 px), so you can make a pattern on a small area and export it in normal size. I usually make patterns 600*600 px, after export 5000*5000 px.

After dragging, you need to do an important thing, namely, click the "Embed" button on the top bar. Without this, it is impossible to make a pattern. After the pictures are inserted, when selected, they will have a regular frame, without a cross inside.

Next, select all of our objects and choose Object > Pattern > Make as you would with a normal vector. The usual window opens and the main advantage for me personally is that I can see the entire pattern and immediately change the location of objects. In Photoshop, to see the pattern in a large piece, you need to do an extra bunch of actions.

After the pattern is ready, click "Finish" on the top panel. Then I take out a piece from the swatches and hide the excess under a clipping mask. Next, we export taking into account the JPEG or PNG artboard and voila, the bitmap pattern is ready!

Before making a new pattern, I usually delete the previous objects, because they increase the size of the file and illustrator can start to slow down. If I need to save the patterns in order to move them later inside, I collect all the patterns into a file with several small artboards and save them as a vector.

Perhaps this method will seem tricky to someone, but someone will save a lot of nerves and time.
CG or CG Painting is nothing more than digital drawing, or short for Computer Graphic. This direction includes all pictures drawn on a computer or, as it is also called, Digital.

What CG artists draw in depends on what exactly they draw. Roughly divided, there are raster, vector and 3D. The vector can still be animated later.

Raster - first of all it is Adobe Photoshop , in which you can draw in raster, partly in vector, create flash animations, work in the technique of photo art and collages.
Is there some more Corel Painter with a huge number of different brushes that mimic real painting. Some paint in less popular PhotoImpact, GIMP, SAI, Artweaver, Open Canvas, Art Rage, MyPaint, Krita. And of course in Paint, in which, by the way, it is convenient to draw pixel graphics.

Vector is drawn mainly in Corel Draw And Adobe Illustrator. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, but both are the largest and best known vector editors.

3d players also have a choice. 3D Max, Maya, ZBrush, Cinema4D– editors for 3D modeling. To fully create this type of computer graphics requires a VERY powerful computer.

Why is digital painting better than traditional?

Very high speed work and a large selection of materials. Choosing the right color is a matter of seconds (unlike traditional painting, where you have to mix or buy more paints to get the right color - it takes experience and time), choosing the right brush / tool is also an almost instantaneous operation. You can do work with imitations of oils, pastels, watercolors, or all at once, which is difficult to real world.
The ability to undo your actions, as well as the ability to save at any moment of your work and return to it later, and even a large list of features and benefits - all this makes the work of the artist several times faster with the same quality.
Computer work is immediately ready for use in digital technologies of cinema, games, layout - the work done on the material with paints must first be transferred to digital form and there are also a lot of troubles plus an additional stage of work.
Unlike traditional painting, digital painting has some cool and handy features and tools: for example, working with layers or applying textures from photographs to the areas of the picture you need; generation of noise of a given type; various brush effects; HDR pictures; various filters and corrections, and much more.

Computer (CG) an artist who creates his works exclusively on a computer is a comprehensively developed person, because to create digital images you need to have a lot of technical knowledge. This distinguishes him from ordinary painters who do not need unnecessary tools other than canvas, brushes and paints.

1. It is believed that for any artist it is necessary to have talent. However, all famous graphic artists and painters claim that success consists of only one percent of talent, the remaining 99% are diligence and work. So, taking one percent as the original value, one can understand that it takes a lot of effort for an artist to be able to create, overcoming all the difficulties that arise, laziness and many other distractions.

Only constant training makes it possible to realize your talent.

2. A computer artist, like any other painter, must have the basics academic drawing and painting. He must have a firm, full hand, a well-developed sense of composition and eye, as well as correct color perception. Only through diligent training does it become possible to achieve professional mastery in drawing.

3. For the competent execution of digital images, in addition to the classical basics of drawing and painting, additional knowledge is also required, such as foreign language and mastery of special graphic programs. Without these skills, drawing will not bring pleasure, but will only become "heavy load".

4. Naturally, to create computer graphics, especially for three-dimensional and animated images, you need a fairly powerful computer.

5. A perfectly calibrated monitor with excellent color reproduction and high resolution is a prerequisite.

6. To realize your creativity A CG artist will need additional devices such as a computer mouse, graphics tablets, a scanner, and a digital camera.

When working in vector programs, it is enough optical mouse.

For more accurate and complex drawings need tablet, or it is also called . Graphic tablets have the same formats as paper - from A6 to A3. For professional computer graphics, the largest format is used.

To work with a digitizer, a special pen is required, shaped like a regular pen. This cursor is also called a stylus. Graphics tablet allows you to create a drawing as close as possible to the drawn image on plain paper, a masterfully executed work can be impossible to distinguish from a hand-made creation.

The principle of operation using a digitizer is the same as on a plain sheet of paper, however, "" in this case serves as a graphic device, and the created picture appears in the file and is displayed on the monitor.

The digitizer itself is often more valuable to the artist than the computer itself.

Auxiliary input devices are scanner And camera. It is often easier and more appropriate to draw a sketch on paper, then transfer it to an electronic format. To create the necessary pictures from nature (references), an indispensable assistant comes to the rescue - a camera.

There are already more advanced and expensive devices, such as, on which the image is created on the screen, and the pen has ink. For professional digital painting, such a device is much more convenient than a regular tablet.

7. Also, a computer artist in his work sometimes needs Printer. For printing large formats, you will need plotter. These devices have a fairly high cost and large dimensions. Few artists can afford them to work at home.

8. An important condition is an excellent command of graphic programs, which are indispensable in digital painting. There are many graphic editors, each of which has its own characteristics and advantages.

Any program has its purpose.

Adobe Photoshop is the most common editor, allows you to create both raster and vector images. This program allows you to work in the technique of photo art, create animated images.

Photoshop provides a wide range of different effects. In addition, this graphic editor has many convenient ways to save and edit files. The possibilities of the program are so great that there are very few people who have studied all of them.

Corel Painter also refers to no less popular programs among CG artists. This graphics editor has more than four hundred varieties of brushes. Corel is designed primarily for creating vector images, so a huge variety of effects and functions are not required in it.

Adobe Illustrator- similar in purpose and function to Corel Draw vector program.

3D Max, Maya, ZBrush- editors for 3D modeling, which require a powerful, at least 4-core, computer to work with. There are many more graphic editors, each of which has its own purpose.

Licensed programs cost a lot, but for computer artists for professional work it is still recommended to purchase this version in order to avoid trouble with the verification authorities. Firms that produce these graphic programs are increasingly paying attention to copyright compliance.

There are alternative free programs, the most common of which is GIMP. A CG artist most often prefers one of his favorite editors, but the use of other programs is often necessary.

9. For an artist who specializes in digital painting, having the necessary skills, equipment, tools and knowledge of graphic editors will allow him to fruitfully create. But he, like any creative person, needs the approval of contemplators. Moreover, the more recognition, the better for the development of his creative potential.

10. The result of considerable work and diligence is the demand in the service market.

Compliance with all these conditions is necessary for a computer artist to be completely successful! Any CG artist will agree with this. However, one should not forget the existence most important condition: to fully reveal your creative potential, you need to devote yourself to this activity as much as possible!

Publication date: 04/21/2012

This article is the second part of a series of articles on computer graphics. In we learned about how special effects are made in the film industry, and also traced historical development special effects in movies.

So let's continue...

Digital painting

Digital painting is the creation of electronic images through computer imitations of the traditional means of the artist (my free interpretation of the concept from Wikipedia). In fact, you almost never see a computer artist use the term "digital painting". Firstly, because there is already a foreign abbreviation - CG artist (sometimes CG specialist). Secondly, those works of art (that's right!) that such artists create do not really fall under the definition of "painting". Thirdly, everyone is already used to using the abbreviation CG, since it is generally understood by Russians, Americans, Chinese, etc.

The concept of "art" came to us from Latin and Italian: art - art, art, craftsmanship. Usually, in the CG artist environment, works are called 2d art (if drawn on a tablet) and 3d art (if done in a 3D editor).

2DArt

The work process is very similar to the work of an ordinary artist. Only instead of an easel - a monitor and a tablet.

Since monitors used to be limited in color scheme(and even earlier they were monochrome), then digital painting appeared only when svga-monitors and video cards appeared.

An artist having a tablet is required attribute for the drawing process. And don't confuse tablet computers with a drawing tablet. A digital painting tablet looks something like this:

You simply draw on such a tablet with a special pen (pen, brush, sometimes a "stick" - a plastic stick), and the drawn is displayed on the monitor screen, namely in the graphics editor window.

Everyone enjoys it graphic editor in which it is more convenient for him to work. But most often they use "Photoshop" - Adobe Photoshop.

Why do CG artists draw on tablets... And you try to draw, at least, an oval with a mouse! No matter how advanced the technology, you still have to draw with your hands (and someone can draw with their feet). This means that to become a good CG artist, you need to be able to draw well on paper, know the basics of perspective and everything else that you can learn in art school.

Completely computer-drawn pictures and images have many useful qualities. Firstly, such work is easier to redo. If the customer didn't like your work (drawn on canvas), you will be forced to completely redraw it from scratch. Of course, small details can be corrected, but significant changes can no longer be made. But the CG artist will simply open a file of his work in Photoshop, where all his changes are scattered over the layers. Then he will edit the desired layers and get an improved work. Thus, artists can remake, for example, the background, which is impossible to achieve on canvas.

Secondly, if you need to transfer a picture on canvas to digital form, then it is simply scanned. No matter how good and high-quality the scanner is, the quality component will still be lost during scanning. But a picture completely created on a computer can be drawn in great quality, and then it can be printed even the size of a picture in a book, even the size of a house (the main thing is what resolution the artist worked in).

Here is a step-by-step example of creating In Tall Trees by artist Anastasia Kustova in Adobe Photoshop:

As you can see, everything starts with a sketch, then the details are worked out. In the first part of the article about computer graphics, I gave a list of sites where you can see amazing work. And since not all people have time to visit art galleries, but everyone has access to the Internet, then everyone can join the art. Who knows, maybe very soon digital painting will replace the classical way of drawing...

Here are some examples of works done exclusively with computer and digital media:

To create a picture using a three-dimensional editor, you must first model all the objects in the scene, then apply textures to them, adjust the lighting. And after setting up the scene, it is rendered. Rendering is the process of rendering a 3D scene as a 2D image. Those. in such work, you need to be able not so much to draw as to be able to model (the process is similar to creating a sculpture).

Works done in 3D editors have several advantages.
Firstly, an already finished scene can be rendered from different viewing angles, getting a new composition. Secondly, if you need to print an image on a huge poster, then you can specify any resolution in the rendering settings (depending on the power of the computer). Thirdly, such a scene can be used to create an animated film or interactive presentation. Those. in three-dimensional editors, you can create both special effects for films and create masterpieces in the form of paintings.

Here are examples of 3D art:

That's all. On my own behalf, I want to add that the ability to draw well and the ability to transfer your mental images to a canvas or computer monitor is positive quality person. Learn to draw! It is not necessary to draw like Van Gogh or Shishkin, it is not necessary to go to special courses. There are many tutorials, video tutorials and other useful things on the Internet. The ability to draw means to be able to fantasize, to be able to concentrate and to be able to endure. In general, keep it up! Take a pencil in your hand and start drawing something right now! Who knows, maybe you have a talent and you will become the new Picasso, or you will create special effects for Hollywood blockbusters ...

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