Can anyone tell me what is going to cost me more money?

[MarkHarchar]

Hey all, I was hoping that someone may be able to answer this question for me. While I continue to work on my sketching and drawing skills, I want to get more into color and painting, especially now that school is starting for me. There are threads on the forum about which is better to start with and everyone has their opinions. But moneywise, what would be more economic, getting the materials to start digital painting or to buy the materials to use actual acrylic, oils or whatever? At this point, I already have a computer, photoshop CS and a 17 in monitor. I have no tablet and the few times that I have tried to use the mouse to paint with, I found it very difficult to control.

On the flip side, I have no brushed, canvases, paints, cleaners, palettes...nothing.

So question is, purchase a tablet or purchase the traditional supplies. Thoughts?

Thanks.

[Dan.v.D.]

the cheapest way would be to buy 3 brushes + black and white guache.
only black and white can easily keep you occupied for weeks whithout getting bored. and if you should get bored at some point go and buy some brown that allows you to play with warm/cool contrast.

[Dan.v.D.]

also consider getting those harold speed books. they should be pretty cheap and are packed with inspiring and awesome to read information about drawing and painting. "the practice and science of drawing" even has some chapters on how to get started with painting with only black and white.

[DSillustration]

keep in mind,
when you buy digital supplies... they are forever.
buying paints... eventually you run out.
so, ultimately, you will spend more on paints in the long run.

[Dan.v.D.]

true that but then again in the long run you´ll have much more money to spend than you have now. and since nowadays it's much easier to never touch traditional paint than it is to not get a wacom, i'd go for and cherish any minute i can escape all that is digital.

[Blue]

keep in mind,
when you buy digital supplies... they are forever.
buying paints... eventually you run out.
so, ultimately, you will spend more on paints in the long run.

Gah, beat me to it!


IMHO, you should do both. Get a wacom, get painter...get a deck of convas board and a stack of colors and go at it. Thats the ideal situation, at least.

[darth massacre]

Digital is a great way to learn. But traditional has its own advantages.....like learning how to mix colors and using other quick n dirty methods to get the job done with paints and so on.

Ultimately you're gonna have to be proficient with most of them so my take is to start early.

Neither are affordable IMHO. I did some calculations....having a kickass desktop (minus the Wacom) and stuff will still come up to about the same price as using traditional media (not doing obsecenely huge drawings and paintings) for about 2-3 years. That's about the lifespan of a desktop computer too.

[CaptainInsano]

This is an expenisve hobby we have...

This is how much I've spent on my things, so you have an idea!

To cover the basics of either medium, I buy:
$5 (11x14 sketchbook. Get's replaced every 2 months)
FREE (8.5x11 paper, which I just take from work
$2 clip board
$20 on various pencils, erasers, pencil case, sharpener, and other things.
(About $5 a month buying replacement pencils)

If you already have the computer & PS, for digital spend:
$100 - Scanner
$100 - 4x5 Wacom
$80 - 80 Gig harddrive to back up my work, music, programs, etc.. (this
saved my life TWICE!)
$75 - 1 Gig pen-drive (optional) for convient saving, transfering (plus it's
one more place to back up your work)


If you're going traditional:
$10 10oz. tube of Titanium White (Utrek brand)
$10 10oz. tube of Ivory Black (Utrek brand)
$10 10oz. tube of Yellow Ochre (Utrek brand)
$10 10oz. tube of Cadmium Red (Utrek brand)
(You can make any combonation of skin tones using only these four colors! As taught to me by Ignat Ignotov ) I replace one tube every 4-6 months.

$200 on assorted brushes.

$50 on brush cleaner, turp, linseed (I have to resupply these about once a year, I buy the big 1 gallon of turp, and the 12 oz. bottles of linseed oil which lasts about 6 months)

$50 on various supplies (paper towels, sponges, containers for your brushes, trups, disposable pallette, or glasstop palette,etc..., and other little things)

$35 for a portable easel (this is great for holding all of your supplies and transforming as a portable easel as well. I can also take everything with me to the coffee shop and paint outside in the umbrella seats outside)

I think that's about it... Hope this helps in some way!

EDIT: Forgot the canvases! I only by the boards with a canvas-like surface, not actually stretched canvas as it gets expensive. Usually you can get them 5x7, 8x10, 9x12, 11x14 (in packs of 3) for about $3-6 bucks for a 3-pack. I go through these like soda pop, spending 10-20 a month just on boards.

[MarkHarchar]

Well, of the things listed for a PC, all I need is the Wacom (and maybe a bigger hard drive. Damn wife and her SIMS 2 game! Shit, she just yelled at me..) I have a scanner, even though it is only 9x12, it is functional. So even though I still want to get into traditional as well, it sounds like the consensus is that digital would be more economic to start. I can get away for about $200 to start.

Thanks guys! Now to search the threads for what the best Wacom will be to get.

[Bruce Pluto]

Hey hylandr2,

Just caught your post. Man that is a hard choice, but who says you can't do both or even a combination of the two. I know some people that do the main subject the traditional art way then add the background in with the computer.

About 9 years ago when I started painting I picked up about a dozen 1$ a bottle(acrylic) paints at the local Walmart. Brushes were a little bit more and even now you can get a sheet of masonite for around 8$ where I live. So traditional painting won't cost you an arm & leg but like was said before they will (the paints ) get old after a while.

Computer painting is a lot of fun but you are right, with a mouse it is difficult. You can do some great stuff on the computer and if your not happy with your latest endever theres always the NO button on the save changes window.

good luck and enjoy whichever you choose, Bruce