DIGITAL MIXED MEDIA

Why digital media? How do you paint using a computer?

Many of the artworks in my portfolio are mixed media photo collages created using a mixture of my own photography, painting and royalty free stock images. If you have never seen an artwork being created on a computer, you may think that it all happens with the click of a button... that is definitely not the case!

First, I start with an idea which I might sketch very quickly onto paper before transferring the sketch lines to my computer via a scanner. Sometimes I sketch directly into Photoshop using my graphics tablet then I start to add colour by painting with my graphics pen and using little snippets of photos to add texture and depth. The entire process may take several hours or many weeks depending on how complex the piece becomes.

Some artworks start out as one thing and become something entirely different after a few days. Because the process does not use physical paint, I dont have to wait for paint to dry in between layers, I create very little mess and require less space, making it much easier to work in my little studio and create a painting that more truly reflects my imaginings.