{"id":5925,"date":"2014-01-10T14:01:23","date_gmt":"2014-01-10T22:01:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mixhart.ca\/blog\/?p=5925"},"modified":"2014-04-17T09:42:41","modified_gmt":"2014-04-17T17:42:41","slug":"oil-bites-traditional-artist-goes-digital","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.mixhart.ca\/index.php\/oil-bites-traditional-artist-goes-digital\/","title":{"rendered":"Oil Bites: Traditional Artist Turns Digital"},"content":{"rendered":"

I made a huge transition from traditional oil painting on canvas to digital oil painting on a tablet. I will most likely switch back and forth from traditional canvas to digital, depending on the art project; but for now, I have fallen down a deep digital crevice and am struggling to paint my way out…<\/p>\n

\"PC300024\"<\/a>
Unfortunately, digital painting is not quite this easy. My Wacom tablet and second screen are large; thus, I need an official desk.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I have been locked away in my studio all week. It has been one of the most challenging weeks of my career.<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong> Corel Painter X3 finally has brought oil painting into the digital realm. It is an amazing technology that mimics real brushes and real oil paint. For many reasons, I decided it was time to hang up the bristled brush and pic up the digital brush.<\/strong> The main concern I have with oil paints is their toxicity. Even when I paint with the least toxic colours and hues (and use the new water soluble oils), I still subject myself and my family (I have an in-home studio) to microscopic air\u00a0borne paint particles.<\/p>\n

I started to paint a book cover for my first (soon to be released) e-book junior fiction novel. Suddenly, it seemed oil painting was not to way to go. I could not attain\u00a0the detail on the canvas with my traditional paints and brushes. It was so frustrating. All arrows pointed towards going digital. In digital, I can zoom in and enlarge an area so I can paint in great detail (without having a ten-foot canvas in my house)<\/strong>. It was time to take the plunge.<\/p>\n

Below are two canvases I have been working on for the book cover. Both are of a train, unfinished and in the early stages of painting. One is oil on canvas, the other, digital oil on a digital canvas.<\/p>\n

Oil on Canvas Train (unfinished)<\/h4>\n

-the sheen from the oil paint somewhat corrupts the picture quality.<\/p>\n

\"trainoil\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I abandon the above canvas at this point in the painting. Eventually, I would have worked in greater detail and finished the train. However, this is the point at which I quit using real oils.<\/p>\n

I took the above picture today (after at least a month of the canvas drying in my garage and it was still sticky).<\/p>\n

Below is my current digital oil painting of the same train (taken today as a screen shot). It is also unfinished. The degree of detail I can accomplish digitally has made the transition worth it.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Digital Oil on Digital Canvas Train (unfinished)<\/h4>\n

\"Screen<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0Digital painting is difficult. <\/strong><\/h4>\n

I have been climbing Everest all week and have fallen in many an icy crevice.<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n

Corel X3 is known to have a STEEP<\/em> learning curve. In addition, technology has a way of completely f-ing up, for no apparent reason, and leaving a day’s work lost somewhere in virtual space for a few terrifying moments…hours…\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

However, I am happy to report that it is true love. <\/em><\/strong>I am having the best time learning the new painting technology. It is so very difficult but much creative fun\u2014a challenge that keeps every one of my brain cells engaged. Did I mention how much fun it is to render realistic steam billowing from the train?<\/em> I lose all track of time when I digitally paint–hence, no time to do anything at all this week.<\/p>\n

Digital painting is very different than digital writing, mainly, because I can write at my office (aka Starbucks). However, the\u00a0Intuos Wacom tablet is big and thus, I have yet to load up my huge tablet, computer and paint at Starbucks. Though, perhaps, Starbucks might enjoy the circus show…<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

I am finishing the cover of my first e-book. I am determined to design and create the art for my book covers. It is time-consuming but I am firm about this. I could hire a graphic designer to whip up an okay cover, but why? I am a fine artist and it is my book. My cover will be mine.<\/strong><\/p>\n

My fine artist style is detailed as I usually paint realistic oil portraits. Book covers require more of a graphic design skill.<\/strong> \u00a0I am stretching my brain by painting something I would never usually desire to paint: a train. I enjoy trains but I love to paint life. It is a challenge and I am surprising myself at how easy painting a train can be.<\/p>\n

Much work ahead: creating a small, digital publishing house and then a writer’s\/artist website to showcase and sell my novels \u00a0and picture books (and eventually paintings too). I will keep you posted.\u00a0Until\u00a0that time, you will find me obsessively\u00a0hunkered\u00a0over my computer editing my novels and painting book covers.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I made a huge transition from traditional oil painting on canvas to digital oil painting on a tablet. I will most likely switch back and forth from traditional canvas to digital, depending on the art project; but for now, I … Read 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