[cytias]

I recently met one of my dad's friends, whose son was a big part of Spongebob - in fact I think he helped come up with the inital design (very cool!). But he mentioned that one thing his son has that most people don't is the ability to draw both onscreen and off.
Apparently, he said, a lot of artist eventually can't draw on paper half as well as they can onscreen. Is this true? I would say my screen and paper abilities are about even.

-matt

[Pickman]

interesting question. I don't know....for i have started with traditionel media and use the PC only as a time-saver, when it comes to meeting deadlines.

But as far as I can see, there are many young people out there who never touched a real brush and are doing it all onscreen.

I think you might miss some experience when just relating to digital art. I believe everybody should at least have tried to figure out something with real stuff.

It helps a lot.

[Lunatique]

Untrue.

If you have the basic art skills, you can pretty much do both well. Digital is just easier to correct mistakes in, that's all.

[eyewoo]

I agree in principle with Luna... however, I was pretty good with a pencil at one time. After a number of years of not using one in any serious way, I went on vacation without a computer - just pencils and paper. The stuff I did was awful...

Granted, if I kept at it (which I feel no need to do) I'd get back up to speed... but, though one might have the basic observational and compositional skills, there is still the need to have that tool, whichever tool, become something graceful and understood in your hand.

[merlyns]

intresting thread well I'm quit better in natural media the computer is just another medium for me I've still got some learning to do on both media.

but to the thread I know many people who almost can't draw on paper of do watercolors or whatever naturel media. I don't think it's strange that some people can't draw with naturel media their just better in digital art. well that's my point of view.

-david

[balistic]

As long as the pencil has undo, I'm set.

[Pickman]

i always missed something by working digitally....There's no "feel" of paper, no smell of colour, and when you are done, you have just bits and bytes and nothing "real". Ok, you can print it, but that is not the same..

Digital painting is a great invention, but every now and then I need the safety of real material.

[Tinusch]

I think it just has to do with becoming used to one particular tool. If you stop using pencils for an extended period of time and go to watercolors exclusively, naturally you're going to be a little rusty when trying pencils again. I don't think it has anything to do with the PC robbing you of your skill, it's just that any tool, if used exclusively, will be more comfortable than one you don't use as often.

[-HoodZ-]

im still a pencil and paper guy...i just scan my stuff in...i tried working on the tablet i just cant get the "feel" for it, i just need more practice, and patience cuz each time i try out the tablet i have no idea what to draw...

[neff]

I think my draw-skill on paper will NEVER reach my Wacomskill

[Gort]

whoa - I find the initial thread hard to believe. I can't see how anyone without any traditional training can just pick up the magic pen and go to work. That view harkens back to the early 90s when instructors shunned computers for fear of everyone becoming an artist. To use the tool and get uber results you have to have some skill.