Digitalization has hit our generation like a truck and has left nothing and no one unaffected. Surprisingly, not even art. 

The days of holding a brush in your hand, a palette in the other and a canvas in front of you are called “old school” ever since it all could be done with a tablet. We are no one to complain since art can be anything and everything so let’s dive right into this comparison and see who wins in the ring. 

Oil artwork: is it really evergreen?

Oil paintings have been in the game ever since we knew art as a form. All the greatest of artists have used it to pour out their thoughts on a canvas with some pigmented Oil Paintings which have received approbation from a series of generations. The tides of Impressionism drove the brushes of many like Van Gogh, Renoir, Monet and many more and they continue to be reproduced here. 

But what is really attractive about oil artwork? The sheer liveliness of it, if one could sum it all up. When you just know that art is the deal for you, you start with a brush and paper. Slowly and gradually, you learn to bend your brush on your own whims and fancies, for instance, to create depth in the eyes in a self-portrait or to make more transparent surfaces. 

You learn to blend colors and make new ones, you learn to show the distressed lines of the frown of a worn-out father and you perfect the basic landscape. 

Basically, you learn the nuances and techniques of being an artist. 

This is a legendary painting, Creation of Adam by Michelangelo which has been etched into the memories of many. His craftsmanship is at display here, its whole realistic virtue owing to it being a handmade art has to be given credit for. Among other things, the blended shades of pink which stands for flesh cannot be more aptly displayed. 

Michelangelo’s painting is one of a kind that is only reproduced only with immense precision which is one of the things that make handmade art exclusive, unlike digital art which can be reproduced easily. 

Another one of the reasons which make oil paintings unique is the fact that you can make your beautiful mistakes in the process which lets you hit and try until you learn the best way. It makes the artists adept at dealing and combating failures and if not, then learning from it. 

Are digital paintings the new way?

It’s a revolutionary step that has pushed many people into the mainstream. Digital paintings have come up recently where people are fascinated but the idea of turning a photo into paintings of the sort with the help of digital tools. 

Leading with that, making art digitally comes with its own perks. First out of the pool is accessibility. Our fellow artists may not have branded oil paints and 10,000 different types of brushes, but they will most definitely have a digital device where they can work magic with their fingers, just with a few taps.  It’s definitely better than running down to the store every time you’ve got a brilliant idea.

Now, it’s also highly convenient if we go into those matters. You can even simply take out your iPads and start sketching while commuting via the metro or subway. Technology birthed convenience and you can make full use of that by not carrying your art supplies everywhere you go!

Does turning a photo into painting digitally capture more audience?

ABSOLUTELY YES! One virtue of a digital painting image is that it can be shared with just a click of a button. You can go international in seconds with the blessed internet and all the social media platforms that come with it. A painting image can also be shared through websites and can be browsed from the comfort of your home. 

Also, it’s highly forgiving. You can slip and fall but your undo button will always be there to catch you. It makes a lot of room for mistakes as it lets you make any amount of them. Digital art lets you take leaps and draw away fearlessly without getting anxious over making a mistake. 

All in one, which one is better?

Well, it’s complicated like most relationships! 

Anyways, sure, digital creations have their convenience and everything but they won’t have the realistic effect that our traditional oil paintings do. There are many “old school” people out there who prefer feeling the texture of a Monet painting and want to breathe in art rather than the zoom on their phones to catch the nuance of a painting. All in all, the flair of a brush can never be overpowered by the digitalized touch of a stick on a tablet.