Digital Drawing with Photoshop

cat pushing papers off a drawing table
Cats are so helpful


I used Photoshop for this little drawing. There are so many filters and options I have never used on this program. This is my first time playing around with a light source.

Digital drawings can be misunderstood by the general public. Many think that the computer does the drawing for you. Well, I haven’t found that magic button yet. Many of my drawings start out as sketches on paper which are later scanned and brought into Photoshop. Once there, the sketch is put on a layer with a transparent layer over the top of it and redrawn.

The advantage of using Photoshop to draw is that it gives me the freedom to experiment. Adjustments are also easier. If I draw something too small, it can be stretched or enlarged easily. I enlarged the cat and the papers a little after I had everything else drawn. I felt they needed to stand out more against the drawing table.

Different parts of the drawing are on different layers and can be moved separately. Colors are also on different layers. Here I changed the original drawing by adding more light and also shifting the color. Bluegreen or purple? I like them both.

Cat pushing papers off drawing table
Adding blue green to the background

Cat pushing papers off a drawing table
Color shift to purple


My cat KC used to help me clear off my drawing table on a regular basis. Yes, she could be a stinker. I need to give her credit, she was the inspiration for this drawing. For those of you who love to draw, I would encourage you to try digital drawing. It is a whole different animal. I would say it is worth putting in the time. I still consider myself a newbie and I am just scratching the surface on what this program can do.