We may earn an affiliate commission when you visit our partners.

Digital Painting

Save
May 1, 2024 Updated June 2, 2025 24 minute read

An Introduction to Digital Painting: Your Guide to a Creative Career

Digital painting is a dynamic art form where artists use digital tools to create artwork directly on a computer. Think of it as traditional painting, but your canvas is a screen, your brushes are styluses, and your palette is an infinite spectrum of colors available through software. This medium combines the techniques of traditional painting, such as watercolor, oils, and impasto, with the advantages of a digital workspace, including layers, undo capabilities, and a vast array of textures and effects. It's a versatile skill that allows for immense creative freedom and a wide range of artistic expression, from photorealistic illustrations to abstract designs.

Working in digital painting can be incredibly engaging. Imagine bringing fantastical creatures to life for a video game, designing breathtaking landscapes for a blockbuster film, or crafting compelling visuals for an advertising campaign. The ability to experiment without material waste, easily correct mistakes, and collaborate seamlessly with others across the globe are just a few aspects that practitioners find exciting. Furthermore, the skills developed in digital painting are often transferable to other creative digital fields, opening up a multitude of career possibilities.

Introduction to Digital Painting

What is Digital Painting?

Path to Digital Painting

Take the first step.
We've curated 24 courses to help you on your path to Digital Painting. Use these to develop your skills, build background knowledge, and put what you learn to practice.
Sorted from most relevant to least relevant:

Share

Help others find this page about Digital Painting: by sharing it with your friends and followers:

Reading list

We've selected seven books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Digital Painting.
A practical guide to digital painting, with a focus on the fundamentals of drawing and painting. Robertson Disney animator and industrial designer, and his book is known for its clear and concise instruction.
A collection of digital painting techniques and tutorials, with a focus on creating realistic and expressive artwork. Jones digital artist and educator, and his book is full of practical tips and tricks.
A guide to using Photoshop for digital painting, with a focus on the use of advanced digital tools. Scott professional digital artist, and his book is full of clear and concise instruction.
A comprehensive guide to digital painting, with a focus on the use of advanced digital tools and techniques. Seiler professional digital artist, and his book is full of clear and concise instruction.
A guide to digital painting for concept artists, with a focus on the use of digital tools and techniques for creating concept art for games, movies, and other media. Kingslien concept artist and educator, and his book is full of practical tips and tricks.
A collection of digital painting tutorials, with a focus on the use of digital tools and techniques for creating realistic and expressive artwork. Mars digital artist and educator, and his book is full of practical tips and tricks.
A guide to digital painting from sketch to finish, with a focus on the use of digital tools and techniques for creating complete and polished digital paintings. Wade digital artist and educator, and his book is full of practical tips and tricks.
Table of Contents
Our mission

OpenCourser helps millions of learners each year. People visit us to learn workspace skills, ace their exams, and nurture their curiosity.

Our extensive catalog contains over 50,000 courses and twice as many books. Browse by search, by topic, or even by career interests. We'll match you to the right resources quickly.

Find this site helpful? Tell a friend about us.

Affiliate disclosure

We're supported by our community of learners. When you purchase or subscribe to courses and programs or purchase books, we may earn a commission from our partners.

Your purchases help us maintain our catalog and keep our servers humming without ads.

Thank you for supporting OpenCourser.

© 2016 - 2025 OpenCourser