Comparing a Graphite Sketch to a Digital Copy

Digital

Pencil and paper

I’m having a hard time creating a graphite feel using digital painting programs. I’m sure it can be done, but I can’t do it. When things get tough and I get lost in Photoshop or Clip Studio Paint, my first impulse is to simplify and removed rendering.

When I look at the two pictures above, the digital drawing looks flat. The pencil and paper version has a gritty texture that I like. I didn’t have to know any tricks to get the texture — it’s built into the paper. The kicker is that the pencil and paper version was completed in one hour, while the digital version is unfinished after three hours. I think my problem is that I really haven’t mastered Photoshop or Clip Studio Paint. I’m still a rookie at digital painting, and pretty much everything else.

I do think the digital version will be just right for my online comix. By the way, I think about that imaginary community college every night before I fall asleep. I’ve given it a name: Subliminal Community College located in the city of Sublime, California.