Me, my tools, & my art
I am creating this website to share my process, my material and my work. Since I still could be considered a beginner in digital art, I know that I am getting better everyday. In this I want to show you what tools I use on a daily basis, provide resources, and showcase a case study on one of my pieces as an example!
About Gray
Hello! My name is Grayson Perkins, but some know me as graysart on various social media platforms. I am a non-binary 20 year old digital artist. I am fairly new to digital but I am not new to art, I have just adopted it as my primary medium. I have a degree in Graphic Design and I am currently working to get my Graphic Design Illustration degree as well. I hope to open my own print and sticker shop someday soon.
Tools
iPad
Benefits
For a beginner digital artist, investing in an iPad and Apple Pencil might be the best move. The iPad is a good alternative for artists that need a laptop or computer but aren't sure what to do or where to start. It can be used as both a touchscreen laptop and a drawing tablet. You don’t have to buy the newest version in order to make great art or write an essay. However, if you are looking for the most bang for your buck, I would recommend the iPad Pro 11-inch display. I say this because it's not only a big screen, but also because it is just small enough to be easily portable!
Procreate
Benefits
I use Procreate daily and it is the reason I got into digital art. It's cheap, easy to use, and offers a great quality at a fraction of the price in comparison to competing programs. It is a one time fee of $10 and that's it, no monthly subscription costs. It's extremely portable and the controls are super simple and the app is very user friendly! It may not be able to do everything that Clip Studio Paint or Photoshop can do, but it's a great alternative for someone who doesn't have a computer or for someone who doesn't need or want one.
Unsplash
Benefits
Unsplash is a great tool for artists because it is a source for free stock image! Whether you need a reference for a drawing, an image for a project, or if you just want a nice background, you can find a great selection their website or on their app! Using images that you know are safe to use and copyright free is beyond useful and it will save you a ton of trouble. In Unsplash you can upload your own content, follow creators you like and want to see more of. You are also able to save images to your device or to collection boards for whatever and whenever you want or need!
Case Study : Principles of Design
For this project, I was tasked to illustrate three of the Principles of Design. The principles I chose were: contrast, movement, and emphasis. My specialty is portraiture so I wanted to challenge myself by combining that koi fish.
Contrast
A juxtaposition that accentuates differences
Contrast is depicted as a woman outlined in white and remains a flat-black color like the background. I did this so she would be directly contrasting the giant flat-white koi fish right next to her. I wanted them to compliment one another like yin and yang.
Movement
A directed path of optical movement
I decided to have the woman in total greyscale, slowly fading to black like everyone else. She has three bolder colored koi fish swimming around her. For emphasis, the koi fish were originally supposed to be what was emphasised. However, I think it had the opposite effect because when I look at it, my eye is immediately drawn to the woman in the center.
Emphasis
An accentuation of importance
I decided to have the woman in total greyscale, slowly fading to black like everyone else. She has three bolder colored koi fish swimming around her. For emphasis, the koi fish were originally supposed to be what was emphasised. However, I think it had the opposite effect because when I look at it, my eye is immediately drawn to the woman in the center.