Perfect Your Digital Illustration Skills with these 5 Tips

Hey there, in this YouTube video, I'm going to spill the beans on how to make your digital art look less, well, digital. You know what I'm talking about, those illustrations that just scream "I was done on an iPad." But fear not, my fellow artists, because I've got a bunch of tips to help you create illustrations that have that natural, traditional feel, even when you're drawing digitally on your tablet.

First things first, finding the right brushes is key. I'm talking about those magical digital tools that can mimic the look of traditional brushes. Trust me, it's a game-changer. Whether you're into line work or you're more of a painter, there are brushes out there that can give you the desired effect. If you're using Adobe Fresco (which is awesome, by the way), they have a wide range of brushes available, including those created by the master brush builder Kyle Webster. And the best part? They're totally free! So take some time to experiment and find the brush that suits your style.

Now, here's a nifty trick: set a minimum brush size. This will prevent you from going overboard with the zoom and getting lost in hyper-detailed madness. Too much detail can make your work look super digital and unnatural. Instead, think about whether you could achieve the same effect if you were working with traditional tools. Keep it balanced, my friends.

Gradients, oh boy, they can be a touchy subject. While they might seem cool and flashy, computer-generated gradients often don't translate well to print and can give your work that unmistakable digital vibe. But hey, if that's the look you're going for, go ahead and embrace it. Just keep in mind that they might not look as good in the physical world.

When incorporating shapes or type into your illustrations, here's a little trick to make them blend seamlessly: trace over them with your own hand-drawn lines. By doing this, you add that human touch and avoid the overly perfect, cookie-cutter appearance. It's all about finding that sweet spot between structure and imperfection.

Last but not least, let's talk about colors. Avoid using dark colors that hide your precious line work. Remember, lines are the backbone of your illustration, so let them shine! Keep some contrast between the colors and the lines, and you'll maintain that natural feel.

So there you have it, folks! These tips will help you create digital illustrations that don't scream "I was done on an iPad." With a little brush magic, the right techniques, and a dash of creativity, your artwork will have that organic, traditional charm, even in the digital realm. Happy drawing!

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[Mariaelainec]

Just found your channel, it helps immensely. But at this point, one thing is very clear: I came here for the knowledge, I hung out for the humor, but I’m staying for the Old Gregg reference.

[QueenofFlannelColors]

I’m new to digital art. Really, I guess I started backwards with adult coloring, and so consider myself a colorist at heart. As much as I enjoy that aspect of art, it’s sometimes hard to find images of things I really want to color. So I dipped my toes into digital.

The “set your brush size” and stop zooming so much honestly just changed my life. I realized that constantly trying to adjust my brush size was really mucking up my linework and so now I am making a much more concious effort to use the pressure sensitivity in the pen. Thanks for the tips! 😊

[TeaLabel]

Tracing shapes and text with brush for more natural look is a great idea! Thanks for that

[SuzetteMorrow]

I loved the “What do I know” and “That’s Fine” text! And the “All you can eat” illustration made me laugh.

[ChristineLund]

Great tips! I especially appreciate the points about tracing over text and shapes to keep the clean structure but add in some human imperfection - I never would have thought of that but makes so much sense!

[BeingBendsen]

That font-trace tip was brilliant! 🥳 I really dislike using fonts in my illustration work, so i drew the letters, but they always tend to favor my personal writing style and not always the right style for the setting in the illustration. This is rad! Thanks, Chris! Good talk! 🙏

[DJpixel]

Your animating videos are so helpful, thank you!👍

[artanddesign]

Great video, thanks for pointing out these five tips. I agree with everyone of them, and have employed a few of them myself. Appreciate the post.

[PttPndlm]

That's your lettering secret?!!!! Also love the Old Gregg drop

[Techjunkie]

Good advice, i hadnt thiught of any of this besides the brush tips at the start 👍🏻👍🏻

[KrishnaDraws]

Great tips Chris! I follow you on IG and now subscribed since I found you on YT.

[joegrand]

Chris you say most brushes are available on the free version but anytime i try to add brushes or look for them from the free version it takes me onto the payment page

[marks]

Please do a video on how we can break the habit of zooming in all the time. It's one of the hardest things I've had to battle with.

[Starrynightdiner]

I download and play with brushes all the time. It is fun. But when it comes to drawing, 99.9% of the time i use the basic pencil. I did a drawing with lots of maple leaves and hand drew all the leaves, yeah my drawings take about 6 months to do. Now i know there are brushes that could have done that for me. But maybe i like mine better cause they are mine. I do go against your advice on the detail thing. My drawings are hyper detailed. But they are not hyper realistic. Not sure what you’d call my style. Somewhere between weird dream, mushroom trip, and fairytale. ❤

[DCjam]

Thanks for the video! I'm new to this channel and Adobe Fresco. Will installing the Liner Brush Pack for Photoshop work for Adobe Fresco?

[paintbase]

Chris you never fail to make me ugly laugh. Come to Asheville.

[justineckley]

The old Greg clip made me spit water out 😂

[thomasgibbs]

You ever drink Baileys from a shoe whilst designing?