How to Learn Digital Painting (Beginners) 

"art is all about decision making" me who's unexceptionably TERRIBLE at decisions: *chuckles* im in danger

Sinix: "Art is all about decision making." Me: "Oh no..."

Lord, as someone who grew up drawing lines and focusing my art to look like a manga, this is going to be an absolute struggle

I've been struggling to get my brain to understand HOW painting works without lines, this was an absolutely BRILLIANT breakdown and thank you so, SO MUCH! Please, more of this!

when you've been digital painting for over 3 years and still feel like a beginner :')

I thought you over exaggerated your hair in your self portraits. I was wrong

No lines, GOT IT. Me: Looks at my art work. This is a habit that will be hard to overcome.

Commenting so I can get back to this in the future and see how far I've come with digital painting. This is the video that set me on my track. Watched on January 24, 2022 and started to paint a penguin that same day.

I've been doing digital drawing for about 4 years and I'm still heavily relying on lines instead of shapes. Thank you so much for this!!

pogchamp! very useful stuff here, thanks for using muh stuff

I rely heavily on lines for traditional art since I do character design and illustration, so I'm very excited to try this digital painting style!

Its so sad to see such a talented and awesome artist get so little recognition, I've been watching your videos longer than I remember and I can't wait until people start to see your work and you get more popular on RU-vid. Keep on making these videos man.

Shit, I thought I was at intermediate level before watching this video, now I'm back to being a beginner

you’re seriously my biggest art help and inspiration 🥺 everything you teach and explain always makes so much sense and really helps me!!

You're saving my life with this. I somehow missed when you posted this video but the 2 value approach (and going higher to 3 values and edges etc.) is something I can practice by myself without being way too overwhelmed by all the other aspects of digital painting. Huge thanks for ALL your tutorials!!

okay but like, has anyone actually gone and tried that two value study thing on their own yet. I'm on a second attempt and this shit is fucking hard.

"My friend ahmed aldoori" He was definitely on gun point

My world is lines. I love lines. It gives me life.

Thank you!!! I was born with a visual deficiency, yet still love to use what sight I do have to explore my creativity. This video has been the first to make values understandable and visually accessible to me. Digital painting is a hobby for me because it is accessible for me. I’m so happy to have found your channel.

I'm so glad that I found this. I've been wanting to take up some courses in sketching and digital painting, and this has definitely helped me to stay excited for my journey in art. Thank you so much!

been doing digital art for a few yrs now ..yet I still feel the need to watch this

Trying this out, this solves so many lighting problems I've had! God it's so simple yet I can't believe it took me so long to realise, he's completely right about lines, I'd been relying on them for shape and structure and it usually made my work look wonky (mostly due to my skill level) since I didn't know how to balance my values, anatomy, and proportion. God I'm so excited!

I've even been to art school but this is the first time anyone has ever made it so clear . . . what painting is. Very helpful and I'm ever so grateful.

More of these very beginner videos, please. I have so much to learn about both seeing shapes and using the tablet with the software brushes (as opposed to scribbling with a physical pencil or something) and these videos hit the perfect balance. Thank you so much!

I learned so much in such a short time. Only problem: have to edit sometihng for uni but I now really want to draw. Why did you do this to me

Me, a guy whos been drawing for 3-4 years: “hmmm, yeah, I know some of these words”

So much clarity about something I have been so timid to try. I even have Procreate but haven’t done one rendering in the app! Thank you for your approach and generosity! You can’t imagine how valuable the way you present things is or how much it means to those who are late starters and really want to draw.

I'm trying to start learning digital painting and this video is all that I needed. I've watched a bunch of tutorials from some incredible artists, but I encountered two barriers: (1) they all have VERY different processes, and I don't know which one will be best for me, since I've never done anything like this and (2) I constantly felt that there was a lot more theory behind what they were doing than that which they could make fit into a short tutorial. I feel like this video is waaaay more "back to the basics", which is just what I needed. Thank you SO MUCH for sharing! I was feeling completely lost, but now I'm excited to get back to studying. =)

Sinix:- So you still a beginner Me:- yeah i am

I literally just realized a few days ago that I really needed to start focussing more on shapes so the timing of this video is just insanely perfect! Thank you, I'll definitely have to do some studies like this!!

As someone just getting back into drawing (used to religiously), and choosing to go digital, this video helped so much both for inspiration, and as a great idea to help plan some study's to practice with working myself back into things. Thank you!

I’m an older artist, and I’ve been doing digital artwork off and on for quite a few years. I have to say that coming across your video today, along with the excellent way you presented your perspective of approaching the creation of it, is definitely what I needed, and I believe will help me break through to another level. This is exactly what’s been missing in my digital realm of doing artwork. As one who has always drawn detailed line art first, then filled it in with values, this approach is going to be both challenging and very rewarding. I’m excited! Your channel looks excellent, and I’ve already subscribed. Looking forward to absorbing as much of your content you’ve created as I can. Thank you so much!

the fact that this was EXACTLY the video I've been looking for recently,,, I'm not sure how you knew but thank you!! Much appreciated

Man, I just want to thank you for taking the time to put these videos together for us. Got my first tablet this year, and have been trying to self teach. Information like yours really helps with understanding concepts I never even realized existed.

I was so lost on how to start digital painting and this actually helped me so much, thank you

As someone who is floating between intermediate and beginner, this is a really good foundational video, thank you Sinix.

a very subtle way of asking Ahmed to release an artbook

It's pretty cool that even after all these years you still make content.

sinix sir your tutorials are always the push one needs in their artistic journey, you always break down those big fundamentals into digestible bites and i cant thank you enough for all the help i got from your videos over the years

I'm only starting and was feeling kinda overwhelmed with all the elements I needed to look for when painting on Photoshop, so this helped me a lot to understand the basics, thanks!

Thank you for this video!! At first I used this method to practice, but then I ended up making a really cool portrait with my own style to it once I got the hang of it. I didn’t know I was capable of making something like that on my first try, but in addition, the steps you walked us through REALLY helped me train how to see shapes better and to use that to my advantage. I’ve always drawn with lines being a priority but that’s only gotten me stressed with making perfect proportions and whatnot. I haven’t been able to create much digital art in years, but I’m so happy I finally found a video that did help me progress. Thank you so much!

This was super useful to me! I knew to do these types of exercises from my traditional painting practice, I don't know why it never occurred to my little noggin that I could use the same principles in digital painting. It's easy to get overwhelmed by the amount of customized brushes and settings and lose track of the big picture.

You are the real digital beginner guru. This was what my mentor had told and ignored but you brought me back to it and made me realize this is where fun is. Thank you

Been on and off art and always feel bad because when I jump in I'm never happy with what I make. This was really interesting for me because I did the first task with the marble duck and thought my outcome looked bad, but when I saw the smaller preview in the folder, it actually looked alright. That outcome has given me enough confidence to keep with art consistently and study in this manor so hopefully I'll improve more than I have been before. 👍

Digital painting seems so intimidating but this advice is excellent, thank you for the tutorial!!!

Damn, Never clicked so fast. Thanks Sinix, I appreciate it

Ahhh thank you! I've been drawing for my entire life and have wanted to dip into painting but it's just so overwhelming. I appreciate this video so much!

As someone who can’t afford art school this video has been a huge help! I was struggling with painting for song long and never understood shape language till this video. Thank you so much !!!!

I just want to that I’ve watched a whole pile of speed painting videos and tutorials in hopes of getting into digital painting and this has by far been the most helpful video I’ve seen. I am coming from mostly a drawing and photography background and knew I was missing something fundamental in terms of how to think about painting. I actually feel like I know where to begin now. Thank you.

This was fantastic! Your explanation of painting and fundamentals is so under rated. I hope more viewers cross paths with your channel! Thank you

Sinix is one of the most valuable persons I found on the internet. Been drawing and painting everyday for a year now and my art is growing like never before. All thanks to you ,Sinix. Your videos have been the greatest guidance and inspiration for me^^

As someone who’s been wanting to get better at painting but years this was insanely helpful! I put this videos advice into practice right away and I saw immediate improvement. Turns out I’ve been focusing too much on lines and not shapes like you said.

Step 2 is really really illuminating for me. I've always felt like people who are good at painting, especially physical painting, just magically know how to get all the tiny gradients and colors. but you explained distillation and it clicked. you're not perfect. you're doing your best and making it look nice. that's it! it feels so much more real.

Straight to the most important stuff, i'll definitely try that distillation practice! Thank you Senpai :3

i watched this way back when i was starting on digital painting, and now i found myself back here again c: i learned a lot from him. thank you sinix!

I'm really so glad to have found this video. I'm just getting into digital drawing (moving from traditional drawing), and I was starting to get this vague idea around using shapes instead of lines because I was just really getting overwhelmed. I'm so happy your video just affirmed this idea! The distillation studies are also really useful, and I'll look into trying them out

I overcomplicate both drawing & painting, and I’m aware of this but still do it; this video’s been a great help in hitting me over the head with distillation & simplification 🥳 Thanks dude

At the end of the video when you only selected the dark section and used the third value there, that was my light bulb moment. Using it as a second light or dark value had never fully clicked in my head for me until now. Thank you so much.

Thank you! I started applying this method over some old sketches ( on about 30% opacity) and I’m seeing an improvement in my shadow shape design. This exercise was so insightful I did about 3 in one day. I have a job, wife, and kid; so 3 is a lot for me 😁

This is your best video to date. If I were to introduce someone to digital painting, this would be the first thing I would show them.

This is the earliest I've been here. Thank u for this content and stay safe 🌷

Thankyou for really breaking down these fundamental and core techniques, I feel like this has helped me so much as a self taught artist- even though I've been drawing for over a decade I've never actually been taught the concept of shapes vs lines- So thankyou so much for the wonderful video and opening what feels like a brand new door for my art journey!! :D

With the first minute and a half, I’ve already picked up a lot of this idea from painting and seeing people make digital art. But now since I’m really about to embrace seeing shapes instead of lines once I get my tablet, it’s such an amazing concept to me and makes it so much more fun, exciting, and it feels like it’ll be a lot easier now then just jumping into line work.

I went to college and got my BFA in illustration and I don't think any of my professors ever taught me this. But it was because I worked in digital art and all my professors worked in traditional painting & drawing. So not all of their techniques worked for me. I heavily rely on drawing with my digital paintings, and I always thought the issue was with the line art. But nobody ever taught me that instead of relying on lines, you should learn how to make art without them. This helped me a bunch! Thank you!! 💖🙏🏻

I’ve been into digital painting in like 5 years and still cant paint im dying lmao

Exactly the tutorial I needed especially coming from the drawing world where, exactly as you stated, you focus on lines. Excellent work!

I’m SAVED. You always post when I’m drowning in not knowing where to start 😭🥺

I’ve always been hesitant starting digital painting even when I have all the materials for it. But lately I’ve been feeling really motivated!!

I'm struggling on painting shadow for creating shape. Now you have saved me with this tutorial. Thank you!

Your voice is so comforting and therapeutic i burst into tears

Thank you, Sinix! Can’t wait for more advanced techniques)

This actually gave me a perspective that I lacked, thank you!

I must say, this is BY FAR THE BEST VIDEO on painting I've ever watched. Wow. I'm really impressed. I've seen lots of other people trying to explain exactly the same thing but you were the first person who actually made it simple and easy to understand. Thank you so much!

This tutorial is the first where I actually found something useful, I’ve been unlucky and just seen amazing pieces of art, some useful tips on how to use this and that software and relative brushes, but no explanation on how to actually exercise to get better! You’ve got a new subscriber

Coming back to this video after taking a break from art for a while makes me realise you're not necessarily going for a one for one recreation and realism with these studies but more going for an appealing middle ground which if is why it's good to study from other artists who have already done the heavy lifting. Art is like translating languages, if you translate word for word perfectly it may not flow naturally in a different language, but by changing parts to account for the act of translation you can make a clearer sentence.

I loved this video, your teaching is amazing, i am no fluent in english but I can understand because you is so good

One of the most useful videos ever to people that just don't know where to start painting, thank you so much!

Wow. This video blew my mind and made learning digital art feel so simple and reachable. Sinix Thank you!

That exercices to put in two colour is so interesing !! I'm gonna do that

This is the best painting lesson I have ever seen. Simple, yet inspirational. Thank you.

I am a beginner and I keep watching this over and over It really helps! Sinix Design knows how to teach, Very clear!

This video is so helpful!!! I'm a digital artist but am more integrated with digital drawing (lines) and have recently showed more interest in digital painting. It seemed super hard and I didn't know where to start and this video made me get over a lot of my fear! Thanks for helping this artist take a step into a new pool

Wow this was all so well explained. My mind is blown. 😳

You’re one of the first person to give me a simple and effective way to start painting properly. Thanks

I NEEDED this. I can’t even tell you. I’ve been a watercolor, gouache, ink and pencil artist for years but I just bought everything I needed to go digital and spent a pretty penny doing so. I could not find a flow. I realize that there is a learning curve to going from traditional to digital but I just couldn’t mesh. I was following a lot of tutorials from like Manga character artists and similar stuff since they have gorgeous finished products and they do lots of tutorials. But I didn’t really do that style of traditional art to begin with. Ive always been a painter and used color and light to create shape and form more than lines so I just couldn’t make the connection and have it come out how I wanted. This helped me immensely. I have to let go of all the media I’ve seen that made me want to go digital of everyone making sketches and then inning them in a Manga style. I need to reframe it as a canvas the same as any, and that I can use tools that are available to me instead of just what I see people using online.

This is one of the most understandable tutorials. I appreciate the education and that you explain what you're doing while you're doing it! A lot of artists come on youtube and just draw while recording and slap a label that says "tutorial" when in reality they teach nothing to the user.

I wasn't born in an "art" environment, but i remember how i started with art..... it was when my dad was helping with my 2nd grade drawing homework and he taught me that its all about the shapes, and once i got the shapes down i can focus on the details.... and that's how i got to drawing my first ever cat and to many more cats till now 😊❤

*Can't wait for Edges!* 😎

I just got out of design school (graphic design), realized that I wanted to go into digital art so here I am! So excited to start this journey.

I really, really LOVE how you just make it look SO simple, love it

Bruh ... the part with the bird .... damn .. I’m learning a lot ngl

9:45 “That’s another reason why it’s good to draw from *talented* artist” 👁💧👄💧👁

Thank you for the video. Ive been wanting to try painting, and now I know where to start.

omg i've been a beginner wrongly all this time

Sinix: art is about decision making Me: but I'm very indecisive e.e

Thank you, out of the 1000 tutorials on RU-vid, on the subject, yours was the easiest to understand and I truly appreciate it.

The best video of how to start that I have seen. I'm returning to draw now after 2 years without draw nothing and this opened my mind to some things

I'm so used to associating red with RU-vid, that I didn't realize the bottom red said "beginner" and not "subscribe" until you posted the Intermediate video 💀

ok now I gotta wait for the edges video dammit

I finally started doing this and wow! it makes so much sense and it works!!! thank you!