… Its really more of a frequently enjoyed side trip as I travel along the path that defines my art journey. Digital illustration was such a huge part of my professional life for years. I spent hundreds of hours in front of a computer monitor working in Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator primarily on client art, so its still in my blood. A drawing tablet was essential to that work. The need for digital art is not as essential these days and I’m totally loving a re-focus on natural media, especially watercolor but I still love digital and all the tech associated with it. It’s a useful and versatile tool for visualization and study when applied to natural media like drawing or painting.
If you’re a digital artist too or have been one in the past, I would love to hear your war stories. And how do you mix or use digital in concert with natural media?
I’ve pulled all nighters doing client work on a Wacom tablet. I would have loved to have been able to work on a pen display like this back then.
The Huion Kamvas Pro 22 (2019)
The Mind of Watercolor 
I am so thrilled that you are so happy with the digital pen display. First of all I wouldn’t classify myself as an artist or techie… but first experience was when we got our first “real” computer in 1996, a Packard Bell, and Adobe 1996. Don’t even want to think of what that cost.. about $2,000+. Loved it, created a line of greeting cards with Adobe and Publisher.. Drew my own cartoon characters, was able to lift images and deposit them in other pictures. Was totally sucked in and enjoyed every minute so I can see why after being a professional you are so enjoying it. I think the two loves work well together or separately. Looking forward to learning more from you about both…Great teacher… thanks
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Thanks Cecelia, great story. I’m like you. Totally sucked in. Our first home computer was about the same time 1996 I think. It was a Mac. But I had been using them at work for a few years. Back then I worked as an Art Director at a marketing firm. In the 90’s I did a good bit of airbrush and acrylic painting for commercial clients. By 2000 almost all of that had converted to digital due to the advances in software and the ease of making changes for clients and submitting files electronically. I made the transition from the years where all artists worked on drawing boards, setting type, doing paste-up and marker drawings to doing it all digitally. I have to say, for commercial art production, I like the digital years better. So much tediousness was eliminated. Of course for fine art its a different story. Natural painting and drawing media rules!
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You have a great back groumd and so happy you chose to share it. I was born at a time when women weren’t allowed to choose their own path. In high school I signed up for Commercial Art. My mother went to the school, refused the class, and put me in bookkeeping, Didn’t work out too well…LOL Life and 5 kids happened and I didn’t get really into computers and art until retirement. I never thought I would get into watercolor but through your classes I have fallen in love with it and now I have the time, means, and super support for whatever from my husband. Thank to both of you.
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