DIGITAL DRAWING

Seeing David Hockney last week-end sketching with what looked like an iPad has motivated me to try some digital techniques again. I encountered   harsh criticism on one artists’ forum when I tried to start a discussion of the new medium by posting some digital paintings. There is a lot of ill-informed criticism of digital art by amateur painters. But the world has moved on - David Hockney a successful professional  seems willing to consider what digital methods have to offer.

Remembering John Ruskin’s drawing of the head of a Golden Eagle referred to back in December 2011 I chose to study a Ludlow Museum specimen.  This was a fine Golden Eagle which once flew locally.

 I've used one of the 'pen brushes' in Painter XI to create a quick freehand  line drawing working from a photograph I took using my iPhone.

I could have tried adding washes on a new layer - maybe next time. In the past I've made a pen sketch on paper and imported a scanned copy into Painter.

Then digital washes can be laid over it to simulate a line and wash technique.