10 Tips to Make your Digital Painting Stand Out

‘A perfect painting’. A lot of artists would agree to the fact that there is no such concept called a perfect painting. Art revolves around the sphere of opinions. What one may find a masterpiece can be an ordinary piece for others. Clearly, there is no right way or wrong way in the world of art. However, one can always improvise, practice, and persistently improve their skills.

With the emergence of digital painting, the concept of painting has changed significantly. The core idea to express ideas, emotions and perspectives remain intact. The only difference is the introduction of a new medium; now there is a screen in place of a canvas. As the world is warming up to the field of technology, the phenomenon of digital art has been widely accepted. It is quite technical, elaborate with a vast range of tools and it can be evidently seen being used in most of the websites these days.

Excelling in the world of technology is a must. Initially, it can be quite tricky for a digital artist. You have the software and you can begin painting. Every tool is ready, within your reach to explore. Rarest shades of colour that you weren’t even aware of, are ready to be used. The trickiest part about this software is their simplicity. Everything you need to unfold your magical creativity is right there, all you have to do is start.

If you have been a conventional artist, you only need to search for the tools that suit you best. However, for a beginner, the process can be quite slow, but nevertheless, constant practice can make the process easier.

Further, let’s dive deeper into the world of digital painting.  We have collected ten tips that can help you understand the ways in which you can make your digital art painting stand out and make it attractive enough for a pause and stare.

Source a Good Quality Photograph

Remember to always source a good quality photograph from your clients. Make sure that the picture is of high resolution.  A high-resolution image is more detailed and appears clearer and easier to work with. It also prevents curves, fine lines and keeps the quality intact even if the image is zoomed. Most importantly, a good quality picture when printed is no less than the real version that you adore.

Get the Perfect Photograph Angle

Getting the perfect camera angle for the photograph is one of the fastest ways of igniting interest in the picture. There are basically five types of camera angles which you can try and experiment with. These include top-angle, bird view angle, front angle, low angle and bug’s eye view angle.

If we are to consider digital oil portrait painting, the front angle is always better.

A front angle is always taken at an eye level of the prime subject. This angle is very engaging as it establishes a relationship between the viewer and the person within the frame. As mentioned earlier, this angle can do wonders for portraits. However, one can always try different angles, use some unconventional capturing & painting methods!

Choose a Complementing Background Colour

A background can make or break a good image. A complimenting background guides the eyes to the subject of focus. A correct combination of background shade can transform a photograph into an exceptional one! While opting the shade of the background colour, avoid colours that clash with the subject. Look for contrasting colours that add visual appeal to your photograph.

Let the Painting Breathe 

Breathing space which is also known as ‘negative space’, is one of the fundamental requisites of a good composition. In simple words, the area surrounding the main subject is called the breathing space. It emphasizes the main subject and paves a path for the viewer. It also provides the eye with much-needed rest, preventing the painting from appearing like a cluttered one.  However, it is quite evident that breathing space is not given much importance. But if the painting is not given the much-deserved breathing space, it can decrease the painting’s effectiveness.

Strike the Perfect Art of Face-Proportion

One of the prime reasons why we are able to connect to a painting, hanging on a wall instantly is because of its realistic characteristics. The human-proportions hence are a very crucial part of making a digital oil painting stand out.

The concept of proportions revolves around the relative size of the subject in the painting. It deals with how elements are placed in artwork and what relationship one object shares with the other. If not taken care, the incorrect proportions can result in a painting that appears unrealistic and closer to an abstract concept.

Being familiar with the concept of human-face-proportion can be quite an advantage in your creative endeavors. It helps the artist to ignore major mistakes when it comes to working on an imagination and bringing it to a realistic perspective.

Below is a quick baseline information of a common human face that you can keep in mind while painting:

• The face is symmetric across the vertical axis
• The head is comparatively taller than wide
• The mouth is closer to the vicinity of the nose than the bottom of the chin
• The space between two eyes is equivalent to the width of an eye

While drawing, at least a size of 8 inches should be considered to make the painting look like a real-life representation when mounted on the wall.

Edit As and When You Like

The biggest merit of technology is its escalating pace. Digital painting can be created way faster as compared to the conventional mode of painting. This saves a lot of time and gives you ample amount of time, where you can improvise, modify and enhance your painting. Unlike traditional painting there is no boundation, you can easily edit and push your creative boundaries. No matter how many times, you change the shade of colour or erase. The digital canvas wouldn’t rip apart.
Digital painting also allows you to resize, edit and move elements swiftly without any hassle. You also have the liberty to reuse some elements of the painting in other paintings as well. You are just a tap away to undo and create something yet more amazing!

Dive into Details

The quicker the abstract ideas in mind are drawn on the concrete boundaries of the canvas, the better is the start. Drawing on digital paintings is quite quickly as compared to creating a normal traditional painting.  With the outline of the painting drawn out quickly, a significant amount of time can be spent on detailing the minute intricacies.  More the effort, more the perfection in the details that will result in a more appealing painting. On an average, it can take approximately six to ten hours for a detailed painting.

The other very pertinent aspect of digital painting is restoration. Digital restoration is commonly an option to restore delicate damaged memories and documents which can be put to display or easily handled. Photograph restoration uses a wide range of editing techniques to remove the damage. Typically, the photograph restoration process takes about two days.

Detail The Soul of the Photograph- The Eyes 

At some point of time, we all must have come across the popular belief that the eyes are the windows to peep into one’s soul.  From the rarest of thoughts to hidden emotions, eyes can speak an awful lot.  Hence, to create an expressive portrait in real essence, it is quite evident that painting eyes need a considerable amount of time. Detailing the eyes should be given the most attention to give it a realistic touch. When you jump into the detailing of the eyes in digital oil painting focus on various elements of the eyes. Precisely work on minute detail which includes eyebrows, eyelid crease, eye-opening, eyelashes, iris, pupil, and the white of the eye should be taken care of. The process can be quite tedious but worth engaging in, as this is what captures the heart and attention of the viewer.

Find the Right Background

The selection of a good background colour is one of the crucial elements of an effective painting. The right background will not only help in highlighting the subject but also sets the mood and tone of the painting.

It is necessary to avoid mistakes during the selection of the background. Here is a list of typical mistakes that you need to consider before opting the background colour:

• Choose a background colour that does not dominate the picture but compliments it
• Choose a background that isn’t busy competing for attention
• Never select a background that drives the eyes straight to itself
• Choose a colour that does not appear to be some other painting’s part.

Commonly, brown and dark backgrounds are the most popular colours used in the painting. Or in other words, dark and brown backgrounds are more widely used and familiar to our eyes. However, there is no fixed rule while selecting a background. Therefore, never hold back your creative intuition and play with different background shades to give your painting a unique touch.

Long Lives The Digital Painting

A painting when completed is not just a beautiful looking piece of art but also a reflection of hard work, dedication and continuous effort. For an artist, every creation is a part of their heart. It could be very heartbreaking to see your painting getting faded over the span of time. However, it is not the same case when dealing with digital oil paintings. The average lifespan of digital artwork is approximately sixty years. In comparison, an oil painting starts getting pale and visible cracks can be seen over the years. So, if you wish to cherish the art for a longer period of time, digital painting has got your back.

The journey of becoming a great digital artist and painting fabulously outstanding artworks cannot be achieved merely in a day or two. It will take days of practice where you would need to constantly search for new software tools, experiment with the software and extend the horizon of your skillset. Understanding your tools and using them in the most efficient manner can produce great artwork. So make sure you spend a significant amount of time trying all the tools out. Along with this, keep expanding your knowledge by learning about colour, theories and inviting new perspectives. Watch out what artists all over the world are doing and take inspiration from them as well.

But before you begin, remember that the first step to making your painting stand out is to forget everything, believe in your imagination and just paint, as you would on a real canvas.

So what’s the wait for? Get, set, and paint!