As I continue to learn more about Adobe Photoshop and digital art-making in general, I am excited by the unlimited possibilities there are for artists today.
Yes, I miss locking myself in the red glow of the darkroom, timing exposures, waving cotton balls around on a stick, and gently rocking images into being. I even miss the smell of fixer. My chemical darkroom, however, is closed forever, replaced by the efficiency and flexibility of digital shooting and inkjet printing. The computer is just (well, not just) another tool. My calendar workflow begins with a photographic reference. No more light boxes and tracing paper. Drawing on a Wacom tablet with a pressure-sensitive stylus, I map out the composition and create a line study in Photoshop. It’s much like working on a drafting table but with the image projected onto a large monitor. Separate elements of the illustration are saved on layers so edits are easy to make. Next I print the sketch on 12” x 18” Strathmore paper. Moving to the “traditional” side of my studio (where a still-life might be set up) I add color using water soluble pencils and a beat up set of semi-moist watercolor pans. At this stage I might scan the art back into the computer, make corrections, add cast shadows, and make a final print.

Quigley, our Irish terrier, has appeared in two calendar editions—2003, and 2006. He keeps me company as I work, but reminds me each afternoon when it’s time to go for a walk.

P.S. I belong to a collaborative group of digital artists who are "united by a desire to create meaningful art using contemporary tools."
View our work at www.artsynergies.com