What's Your Opinion--Digital Art or Traditional?

**Sparrow** · November 19th, 2010, 07:13 AM

Originally Posted by Ramirez

'Untitled' and 'Waterfields' are drawn with graphite and/or charcoal. The others appear to be a combination of traditional and digital art. Tell me if I'm wrong, because as you said the line is very thin. The others could very well be skillfully executed oil paintings for all I know.

Nonetheless I really like your style and skill with a pencil.

You got it!

All started off as pencil sketches with the two full color pictures "painted" in Photoshop. I can draw with the best of them, but I'm nothing special with acrylics and oils. As mentioned by another poster further up the thread, when you're working in photoshop or whatever app is to your liking you can always go back and start a session over again.

And thanks for the compliment, it was nice to hear it as it's been some years now that I put pencil to sketchpad.

**Yjar** · April 22nd, 2011, 01:59 AM

I'd have to say that I respect traditional art much, much more. I enjoy traditional, but the world seems to lean the other way. So much of everything is digital now, and it seems like it will end up replacing just like animation films. Hopefully not though.

I just bring myself to expect much more from digital art is all.

**lonewriter** · September 23rd, 2011, 04:25 PM

Since I am a 3d artist, I am biased on this subject but I still like traditional. I mostly do sci fi 3d art but I'd like to try fantasy.

**doghouse** · December 14th, 2011, 01:45 PM

Both.

I use traditional drawing techniques on a digital medium!

Love me drawing tablet.

**Chipacabra** · December 15th, 2011, 10:56 PM

For me, there's room for both. Traditional techniques have a timeless quality to them, and I suspect that an awareness of how things are done in the "old school" sort of way gives you greater insight into how things can be done in a digital way. I think that both of them actually work hand-in-hand. I work primarily with digital photography, and the thing I've learned from that is no matter how good I am with Photoshop or some such program, none of that will fix a bad picture. I suspect the same can be said for drawing, painting, etc. Digital media is simply more expedient, but no less of a requirement of skill. For me it is, anyway, but I also think it depends on what you want the finished product to evoke. There's a sensual quality to traditional media (especially in terms of painting, drawing, etc) and nothing digital can come close to that, but on the flip-side, I think that digital media has a lot of unexplored territory in terms of novel ways of applying digital technology.

**AlisonPeters** · August 7th, 2012, 08:12 AM

I like digital art plenty and an exponent of mine WHO dabbles in it, amazes Pine Tree State with what he will turn out.
I can't draw/paint etc for toffy thus digital art may be some way for fewer maually dextrous folks (like me) to truly produce one thing.

**Steph19041961** · August 7th, 2012, 10:26 AM

I first posted on "What's Your Opinion--Digital Art or Traditional?" in 2004. I came back to read what I posted, because I got an email informing me of a new post on the subject.

My opinion hasn't really changed that much from 2004, but the tech for digital art has changed a great deal. With printing and digital paint programs, work can be done digitally that looks and feels like an oil painting. 3D programs can not only give more depth, but 3D printers can build a 3D object or carve one out of various types of materials. The tech of art is moving at leaps and bounds. This doesn’t mean that hand painting is disappearing, and I still prefer original hand done work on my walls, but that is because I like having a one of a kind, rather than one of a thousand copies of an original digital work.

**Action Avenue** · September 17th, 2012, 10:12 AM

I have an appreciation for both traditional and digital. My leaning is towards traditional art. As an artist myself, I am comfortable in working with traditional art mediums. In the interest of full disclosure, I have not created any art by digital means as of yet. My plan is to experiment with digital art within the next two or three years. I have seen some digital art that is excellent. I have also seen some questionable digital artworks in which I have to wonder if the artists responsible have ever worked in a traditional medium as a way to build foundational understanding of techniques before moving onto digital means. Finally, I've seen some traditional art and digital art that makes me wonder if their artists have ever even taken an art class. Just my opinions here, I am not an artistic snob. I am just a regular person who appreciates art and the work that goes into making quality art, no matter the medium or subject matter. Like beauty, art is in the eye of the beholder.

**loucash** · September 18th, 2012, 12:47 PM

Hello everyone.
I generally mix traditional style with digital.
Neither of them is my favourite. I use both of them.
Final effect is a little grungy, certainly not as steril as digital drawing. That is why I love it.

Take a look at sample

**D.R. Stevenson** · November 8th, 2012, 12:19 AM

Here is a guy using Zbrush to make comics
http://www.pixologic.com/interview/henk/1/

I love poser comics when they are done right. When the artist knows how to using proper lighting so everything does not look plastic.

**spearcarrier** · March 14th, 2013, 10:34 PM

I think it depends on the effect I'm going for, although I have to admit that on many things I always draw with pencil first. I can use my wacom to draw, but I find it hard and it hurts my wrist. Sometimes natural methods are best!

As good as the digital technology has gotten, there are still some traditional looks it can't simulate well enough for my taste. But then again, I'm incredibly fond of taking 3D art and turning them into "paintings" - I can't paint like Boris et al, so I'll simulate it badly by cheating.