Whaddya Doin

There isn't a whole lot to go over, but I wanted to include a section that talks about the tools I use and how I "learned" to make digital art.

When I was first getting into it, there was a lot of weird pretension about the tools and methods. I found that sort of thing very discouraging, so I like to demystify creation and show that you can make something anywhere with anything. You can make art in that pixel game on reddit. In words on a blank webpage. Etc

Tools

• PicsArt

I used PicsArt for all of my collages and photo editing pre 2024. PicsArt is a powerful and easy to use tool for collages and editing. It has a bunch of fun stickers, a lot of useful fx, and most features a maker like me would need. It lacks fine tuning methods, and can be clunky to use, especially on desktop, but it's a great tool that I recommend.

(Note: I have heard that fewer and fewer features are usable in the free version as time goes on. This is sad. I did pay for premium a couple of times while I used it. But I'd definitely never stay a perma subscriber, nor would I recommend you.)

• InShot

I still use InShot for some video work, and to make fun gifs using my own photography. Very easy to use video and gif editor for mobile. The Sticker feature is great for making watermarks or just cute little doodads. Less features than CapCut, but I didn't need that much anyway.

• Adobe Photoshop Elements 2024

Adobe Photoshop Elements 2024 is what I use most commonly for photo editing today. It's what I used to make all of my website elements, for example. It is also the most expensive digital art tool I've ever owned. I was given this software as a gift by a good friend who believed in me, and I'm so grateful. I say this because I'd absolutely still be mainly using the other listed tools here without this software. But, I have noticed that having Big Boy software means that I can use less overall tools, because they're all in here. Otherwise, it has very similar features that are just more granular. But with this granularity comes much more complexity. I find that certain tools are called random names. I thought folks knew what these names meant, but many don't. Just click around and memorize what the names do.

(Note: The 2025 version of this software is now out, and it only provides a 3 year license. The 2024 version is permanent software like god intended. Try to get your hands on a copy of it.)

• ibisPaint

I use ibisPaint for digital painting and drawing. I know I could use Adobe Elements, and I do sometimes. But I just prefer the experience of using ibisPaint 9 times out of 10. I like that I have it on my tablet. I like that I can paint a picture on my phone. It is a bit clunky and takes a second to get used to, but I find it much easier to use than options like Gimp. I also like to use it for moodboard/mockup type stuff for work and personal planning.

• Lenovo Precision Pen 2

I use the Lenovo Precision Pen 2 for drawing and editing! I like this pen, but note that Lenovo's pen compatibility shit is wildly confusing. So definitely look into whether this will work with your devices. I love that this pen is super simple, only has one button, has really good weight to it, and a tip that isn't scratchy. I mostly use this pen directly on my Lenovo M10 tablet, as I don't own a separate drawing tablet.

Medium

• Photographs

Most of my digital art contains photographs I've taken of myself, of plants, of places I love. I started making digital art because I was inspired by the images I took and wanted to elevate the feeling they gave me.

• Database Images

Some of my digital art uses stock images or images uploaded by folks to databases (like the databses in PicsArt). I use these like embellishments, decorating the landscape I created with images I took.

• Pop Culture Images

Sometimes I will also use images from famous pieces of pop culture, like paintings, tv shows, and movies.

• Digital Paint

I've only made a couple of digital paintings, but I hope to make more in the future.