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A Complete Guide to Starting Your Digital Art Journey
Getting started in digital art is an exciting step into a world of new creative possibilities.

Whether you’re transitioning from traditional art or just starting to explore art, this path combines your imagination with technology to transform your ideas into vibrant digital illustrations and animations.

The shift to digital art can be daunting for artists who use traditional methods and for beginners who are just learning to draw.

The digital world offers so many options, from different software to various styles, that it can seem overwhelming.

To help you find your way in digital art, we’ll look at topics that are important for artists who are transitioning from traditional art and those who are just starting out.

We’ll cover how to choose the right software, like Procreate, which is easy to use, or Photoshop, which has a ton of features. You’ll learn basic skills like managing layers and brushes, and move on to more complex ideas like using color and light in your art.

Each part of this guide is designed to help you build your skills step by step, making it easier to get started with digital drawing. Our goal is to provide a solid foundation and helpful tips to help you improve your artwork, no matter where you’re starting from.

After reading this article, you’ll have a solid plan to start your digital art journey.

Getting to Know the Program

Starting your digital art journey starts with an important decision: Procreate or Photoshop?

Choosing between the two can influence your initial experience and comfort with digital art.

This section provides a brief overview, not a detailed explanation, to help beginners figure out which software is right for them. For a detailed comparison between the two, check out this article.

Procreate

Procreate has an easy-to-use interface

Procreate is great for beginners because of its iPad-friendly interface and Apple Pencil support. Procreate offers an accessible yet powerful creative experience without overwhelming new users.

However, Procreate isn’t just for beginners.

Professional artists often praise its fluidity and responsiveness, which are key to quick sketches and detailed work.

New users find Procreate’s simple layout and intuitive shortcuts to ease the initial learning curve.

For example, a two-finger tap to undo and a three-finger tap to redo make it easy for beginners to instantly fix mistakes.

While the basics of Procreate can be learned in hours, true comfort with Procreate’s unique features, such as layer blending modes and color dynamics, can take a few weeks.

The “Drawing in Procreate for Beginners” course is a great starting point for your Procreate journey.

It offers a well-structured learning path, guiding you from the basics of brush techniques to more complex skills like shading and texturing.

Our Procreate Courses roundup has a list of Procreate courses to choose from.

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• #digital art
• #digital illustrations
• #animations
• #artists
• #Photoshop