Have a Question? Read This Art FAQ First!

I'm glad you stopped by! This art FAQ is built to answer frequently asked questions that you may have concerning this site and digital art in general.

We will start looking at art related questions first as that seems to be the most common questions that can arise.

So without further ado, here are common questions and answers contained in this site FAQ.

1. Art FAQ on drawing

How can I start learning how to draw?

Anyone can start to draw simply by picking up a pencil and scribbling stuff around. Just like any profession, there are skill sets that you need to learn and practice.

That is the difference between a beginner and a profession..just like the difference between someone applying a band aid to a wound and a real doctor.

Even before that, you need to get your mind set on learning through hard work, persistence, and determination. Start with learning these lessons on drawing basics.

But I can't draw! Are there any secrets?

This is the trap that most people fall for and can't seem to get out of. They focus on the end product of a painting or drawing and then say "I can't draw!" when they fail to achieve the results they wanted (based on their own current art skills).

In reality, no one is a natural born gymnast, doctor, or lawyer just as the same that no one is a natural artist. Even the great masters study it a lot when they were young.

If there is a secret in this art FAQ, then it is to consider drawing a discipline where there are two parts: studying art concepts and practicing it!

For example, take a lot at the sections where I teach you about the head, the facial features, the hands, and the body. There is a goldmine of information that you can use to fill any gaps in your knowledge.

This is why this sit is for! Take a step back and look around at what you are missing from the lessons listed. It teaches you important drawing concepts to study and then practice on your own.

If that's so, then what is a good place to start?

I've arranged the lessons on this site in chronological order. Start from the top and work down the navigation menu. Also, you can purchase art suppliesshould you need any.

Some lessons be a quick to learn (like perspective), some will take some time to master (like certain digital art techniques), and others will get you involved by suggesting that you look at other resources (clouds, wild animals, domesticated animals, landscapes,etc).

The best art resources I can recommend are those that cater to realism. Books that focus on realistic art will help you focus on what is truly important. Aside from what is provided on this site, look for books on human anatomy, perspective, composition, creativity, etc.

When you have created a strong drawing foundation, then seek out books that caters to certain styles like comics or manga.

This leads to what digital art is all about...

2. Digital art FAQ

Why should I learn digital art?

Perhaps the main advantage is cost. Unlike a lot of physical art supplies, the only digital art tools you need is a computer and drawing tablet.

To make it even less expensive, all of the drawing tablets made by WACOM will have a fully licensed 'baby' version of Adobe Photoshop and Corel Painter so you can start painting on your computer right away!

Don't be fooled, either. These scaled down versions of Photoshop and Painter will offer 99% of the tools you need as a digital artist.

The second thing is convenience. When you are done, all you have to do is save your work and close the program instead of worrying about throwing away unnecessary drafts and cleaning your art materials.

What are the disadvantages?

From my experience, the biggest disadvantage is how people perceive digital art. At first glance, they would assume that a computer will do all the work for you.

In fact, this is far from the truth! Drawing software and hardware are just a different form of medium. While there are tools that can make it easier and faster for you, It can't replace your own drawing skills obtained from practicing and studying art.

You just need to know that any drawing programs or Photoshop tools that you see are only used to simulate real media brushes.

For example, photo manipulation and digital matte painting is no different than a photographic paint over on a real canvas. You still need to focus on perspective, composition, color corrections, texture painting techniques, etc. to put it all together.

That is why there are lessons for basic drawing, learning your digital tools, and practical lessons to apply what you have learned, throughout the entire backbone of this site.

What types of digital art can I do?

There are a lot of different types of art you can do once you have mastered the basics. While this art FAQ can't list all the possibilities, it can show you just how much you can do simply by creating a good artistic foundation.

For example, a lot of people like realistic fantasy art while others like cartoons. Let your basic art foundation carry your own unique style and art preferences!

Speaking of which, this site will allow you to showcase your art. That way, you can see what other people are interested in drawing or painting.

Just upload what you have drawing, digital or not, into the site's galleries and showoff your compositions! Any time you are looking for inspiration, I have my own digital illustrations for you to look at to give you some ideas of what can be done.

3. Art FAQ regarding this site

What got you interested in building this site?

Over the years, I have seen a lot of people struggle with art. The passion was there but it doesn't seem to go beyond drawing simple lines. I can see that they want to succeed with drawing what they want in their mind but get frustrated and eventually give up because they can't do it.

This site and this art FAQ is to help address that issue.

While I started art when I was young, I was no different from these people. You can read my story here. However, instead of giving up, I read as many drawing books as I can and carefully study each section.

Then, I practiced those lessons in a free-form approach. That means I am constantly thinking about what the lessons have taught me as I drew each line. There is no talent about it!

In taking a step further, I started documenting my own learning process. I figured out what works for me and what didn't. Eventually, this simple journal was to become the first few lessons on this site as I believe it will help others out in terms of drawing.

What is the aim of this site?

The primary goal of this web site is to let beginners know about the important of building a strong artistic foundation to carry their own unique drawing styles and creativity.

The secondary goal is to introduce the use of the digital medium as an inexpensive and convenient alternative to real media.

The third goal is to allow artists learn (and practice) a large variety of topics as a means to introduce new skills and ideas to further increase their artistic confidence.

Am I able to use and share content from your site?

You may use images from this site provided that it is for a non-profit cause. The only thing I request is that you will tell me how you plan on using the image as I love hearing from my visitors.

As the articles and lesson on this site is copyrighted by me, please respect any copyright rules that may apply. Simply speaking, do not claim the articles as your own and give credit whenever possible if you are referencing something from this site!

So long as you respect the free content here, I will continue to write it because I want you to succeed as an artist!

Anything else I should know in this art FAQ?

From time to time, I will introduce third party products here and there to help you out with your learning. These supplementary products can be safely purchased online with many different payment options available.

When that happens, I do get a small compensation through the commission. If you have purchased something from this web site, I thank you very much for the support!

Speaking of extra stuff (like protecting your privacy) that you should know...

4. Site disclaimer in this art FAQ

2d-digital-art-guide.com provides this web site and art FAQ as a service.

While the information contained within the site is periodically updated, no guarantee is given that the information provided in this web site is correct, complete, and/or up-to-date.

The materials contained on this web site and art FAQ are provided for general information purposes only and do not constitute legal or other professional advice on any subject matter. 2d-digital-art-guide.com does not accept any responsibility for any loss which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site.

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Some links within this web site may lead to other web sites, including those operated and maintained by third parties. 2d-digital-art-guide.com includes these links solely as a convenience to you, and the presence of such a link does not imply a responsibility for the linked site or an endorsement of the linked site, its operator, or its contents (exceptions may apply).

This web site and its art FAQ contents are provided "AS IS" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement.

Reproduction, distribution, republication, and/or retransmission of material contained within this web site are prohibited unless the prior written permission of 2d-digital-art-guide.com has been obtained.

I hope you enjoyed this simple digital art FAQ/site FAQ. If you have anymore questions, feel free to contact me and I will do my best to assist!

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