Sea shore with thin sand lane and azure water.

Art Blog #103. An Artist's Transition from Acrylic to Digital Art and back

4. December, 2024 - Reading time 11 Min. - Mizuki Katsu

#DigitalArt '#DigitalPainting #Wacom #tablet #art #landscapes #GameArtist

After university, I became fascinated by computer graphics. It felt like the future, so I bought a small, second-hand tablet—my first Wacom Bamboo. It was so tiny that the description labeled it as "for children's creative work." Despite its limitations, I didn’t give up…

READ THE FULL BLOG POST HERE

PATIENCE AS A SUPERPOWER

FIND THE NEXT ARTICLE IN YOUR INBOX FOR FREE

TAKE A BREAK IN OUR ART SHOP

The beginnings of my artistic path

I was born in Ukraine, and drawing has been my favorite activity since childhood. I painted everywhere—at school, at home, and at the art school I attended and graduated from in 2009. I decided to dedicate my life to drawing because I couldn't imagine living without it. I studied art at the lyceum and later at the university. During those years, I experimented with almost every possible medium, developing a strong affinity for gouache, pastels, and watercolors. My room gradually turned into a warehouse of art supplies!

No more school

However, I only felt true freedom in drawing after graduating. With no more grades, assignments, or rules to follow, I could fully express myself. I became enamored with drawing characters and began illustrating the vivid, colorful dreams I often had, filled with beautiful landscapes. I’ve always loved nature—the sea, mountains, fields—and the warm, radiant atmosphere of sunlight.

The “Game” Changer

After university, I became fascinated by computer graphics. It felt like the future, so I bought a small, second-hand tablet—my first Wacom Bamboo. It was so tiny that the description labeled it as "for children's creative work." Despite its limitations, I didn’t give up. I created my entire portfolio on that little tablet, which eventually landed me my first job as a graphic designer! I became so immersed in digital art that I completely set aside traditional materials. I thought I had found my life's purpose in computer graphics, which now pervade nearly every aspect of creative work. At my job, I worked on my tablet, and when I returned home, I continued drawing on it.

Dreams of sunlight and freedom.

Eventually, I moved to Warsaw, Poland, where I found a new job as a Game Artist. I've been working in this role for five years now, creating characters, backgrounds, user interfaces, and more. Of all these, designing characters and backgrounds remains my favorite part of the job. With my busy schedule, however, I have less time to draw for myself.

Yet my dreams of warm, peaceful, and comforting places haven’t faded. These dreams, full of sunlight, freedom, and serenity, remain a significant source of inspiration for me. Despite my deep commitment to computer graphics, a longing for traditional art has been quietly growing inside me. Recently, I felt an irresistible pull to return to working with real, tangible materials. I missed the sensation of a brush on canvas, the blending of colors, and the layering of strokes.

Tactile experience

Digital art will always hold a special place in my heart—it is undoubtedly real art. But the tactile experience of creating something unique and unrepeatable with your own hands is magical. There’s something profoundly warming about knowing that a piece of art exists as a singular, irreplaceable creation.

So, I asked my husband to buy me a fresh set of paints. I chose acrylic because it dries quickly, has vibrant colors, and doesn’t smell—perfect for me. Acrylics also resemble oil paints, which I’ve always loved. My first new piece was a small sketch of vibrant rocks and the sea—a warm, inviting scene full of tranquility and dreams. It depicted a sunny day promising relaxation and unity with nature. This sketch came together surprisingly quickly because I was so inspired. Now, I’ve already started my next artwork!

Sharing this joy with others fills me with happiness because, for an artist, creating is a way to say to the world: "Hello! This is me!" Creativity in all its forms is valuable. Some artists evoke sadness or fear in their work, which can be incredibly powerful. For me, art is about warmth and comfort—about creating places that offer a quiet, peaceful refuge.

Whether it’s an evening bay, a forest, a serene mountain stream, or a sunny street reminiscent of a carefree childhood, my goal is to bring light and solace to my viewers. These are the emotions I needed in my life for so long, and now I want to share them with others.

Mizuki Katsu