Ruminations On The Trail: Is Digital Art Cheating? (Spoiler: No.)

— A humorous look at the myth that digital art is easy—and why clicking buttons doesn’t make you an artist.

(In case you thought this was just about walking the dog.)

I was ruminating—once again, whilst on my daily hike with Buddy—that when it comes to digital art, there’s a persistent misconception:

If it’s digital, it isn’t done by hand.

Why? Because “digital” means computer.

And computers mean buttons.

And buttons mean anyone can do it.

(We’ll come back to that last part—spoiler alert: they’re not entirely wrong.)

This little trail-side rant was sparked by an error in a pamphlet describing my work.

It said I do digital painting.

I don’t.

Totally different skill set. No photography involved (usually), and not what I do at all.

Now, the error? That’s on me. I skimmed when I should have reviewed.

Which is especially annoying, considering I did proofreading for a living.

(Yes, I see the irony. No, I don’t appreciate it.)

But beyond the incorrect label, what really got me chewing on cedar bark was the misconception that digital = easy.

Bigger spoiler alert: It isn’t.

All creative work requires skill.

You have to learn how to wrap yarn around a skinny stick to make a scarf—without it ending up looking like an eight-foot-long drunken snake.

Same with woodturning, pottery, painting, photography (film or digital), writing, quilting, weaving, interpretive dance...

Skills. All of it.

So yes, I was annoyed about the “digital painting” thing partly because I also paint “for real,” and didn’t want anyone thinking I was cheating.

But then—

Cheating?!

You hypocritical twit!

(That was me, yelling at myself. Happens often.)

Painting digitally takes real skill. Even David Hockney—yes, the David Hockney—uses Procreate to create digital paintings.

So no, it’s not some shortcut for people who can’t be bothered to “do it properly.”

It’s just another way to make art.

Speaking of skill, have you tried using a tablet??

I had one.

Hated it.

You can’t rest your hand on the surface while working. Who designed that torture device?!

I use a mouse.

Antiquated, I know—but ironically, still “digital.”

I digress...

Back to tools and skills.

When someone starts painting, it’s rarely a masterpiece.

You might get beginner’s luck, but there’s always a more skilled painter nearby who’ll look at your heartfelt creation and say:

“Keep at it!”

Translation:

That sucks, but you’ll get there.

(I’ve heard that more than once. Still stings. Thanks for asking.)

Anyway. This all applies to everything we create digitally.

Do we accuse writers of cheating because they used a word processor?

Of course not.

So why diminish artists who use computers as tools in their work?

I can’t tell you how many times someone has looked at one of my pieces—the texture-layered photographs—and told me how beautiful my "paintings" are.

They’re clearly impressed. They think it’s a painting. You can practically hear the internal monologue: “Ah yes, the brushwork, the emotion, the genius!”

Then I explain the process: the layers, the textures, the blend modes, the whys and hows (long story, with hand gestures)...

And that’s when the mood shifts. Just a flicker. Like I’ve told them their artisanal sourdough was made in a bread machine.

Then comes the comment—cheerfully delivered, of course:

“Oh, anyone could do that.”

And here’s the twist: They’re right.

Anyone can do it.

Anyone can do anything they set their mind to.

The difference is in the doing.

The time. The practice. The workshops. The YouTube rabbit holes.

The experimenting. The ugly fails. The quiet wins.

The hair-pulling, wall-pacing, definitely using the eff word, and full-throated screaming into the void.

(That last one might just be me. Still counts.)

So no—digital isn’t cheating.

It’s not easy.

And it’s not instant.

But it is art.

Yup...my bestest Buddy.