Artists & Illustrators — June 2017

is highly acclaimed, says: “For those of us who started out

drawing in traditional media, the tablet and stylus (or more

current tablet displays) offer exciting results but lack the

same tactile experience that was for us a significant part of

drawing. App creators have been aware of this for years.

Although digital drawing programs can simulate the

interaction of a mark-making tool with a variable surface

grain, the artist’s experience creating the mark is quite sterile

in comparison. Perhaps a younger generation

of artists, won’t see this as lacking.

“For me, one of the greatest assets of digital drawing is

that the work is endlessly editable. An artist can go at the

work fearlessly. Whatever looks right can be saved. Whatever

bold or exploratory moves didn’t work can be eliminated

without affecting whatever came before. Multiple versions

can be kept for review, use, or assimilation.”

This is an extract from Foundations of Drawing by Al Gury,

published by Watson-Guptill, £21.99.

http://www.crownpublishing.com; http://www.algury.com

• TRIED AND TESTED

In many ways, digital drawing shares the

same learning goals, difficulties and

practice strategies as drawing with

traditional media. Try to have as much

experience as possible with traditional

hand-drawing materials and techniques. In

this way, you will have a broader experience

of the artistic practices and creative

solutions for drawing. These will translate

to, and expand, the creative possibilities for

digital drawing.

• GET COMFORTABLE
  It is important to have some familiarity with
  the most basic digital drawing tools
  available to beginners. Using an iPad and
  easily obtainable programs such as Adobe
  Photoshop Sketch or Procreate Sketch can

get you started. There are a number of good

drawing apps and some devices come with

them already bundled. iPads often have

an optional stylus, and basic drawing

programs offer a variety of drawing marks,

effects and styles.

• EXPLORE THE LINES
  Begin with simple line drawings, exploring
  the variety of line, point and nib tools and
  effects available in the program. Play rather
  than attempt to make ‘art’.


• TRY THE EFFECTS
  Gradually expand your exploration to other
  effects, such as shading, texture and
  surface options. The great variety of
  drawing effects available in the programs
  mirror hand-drawing effects on different

types of papers with a variety of media such

as charcoal, pencil, ink and so on.

• MIX IT UP
  Begin to explore layering and mixing effects.
  Combine line drawing with ink wash effects
  on surface texture types. This will prepare
  the way to get started on a drawing.


• DRAW A STILL LIFE
  Practise drawing on the digital pad from
  simple observational subjects. Hand-eye
  coordination can be developed, as well as
  comfort with drawing on a digital pad.


• MORE PRACTICE
  Finally, practise a lot to achieve knowledge,
  comfort and facility with the medium of
  digital drawing.

GO DIGITAL WITH AL’S TOP TIPS

RIGHT Mark Tocchet, Sunshine, Mac OS Corel Painter,

Photoshop and stylus on Wacom tablet

PAWAN KUMAR / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

66 Al Gury.indd 67 10/04/2017 11:58