My Discovery Of Photoshop

My discovery of  Photoshop  came after I worked as a graphic designer and art director for a few years. Back then, in the pre-desktop publishing days, we learned to put things together from different sources. Photostats, illustrations, and typesetting all got pasted onto boards to create press-ready artwork. I think that the idea of putting stuff together is something that has always stuck with me, regardless of what it is exactly that I’m using or where it came from.

People are often surprised to hear me, as a digital artist, say that the computer is place to create finished ideas, not to develop one or brainstorm. But for me that is true. The computer introduces constraints in terms of interaction and reduces the sense of freedom that is essential to effectively develop ideas, because you must also focus on the process of interacting with the machine to a degree that hinders. I have been a witness to, and actively involved in, the advent of the desktop computer as an essential tool for artists.

One thing that I’ve noticed over the years is that the computer itself becomes something other than a tool; for many it becomes a comfort zone. More specifically, the actual software that artists master can often become a comfort zone. And when engrossed in a comfort zone, innovation and fresh ideas eventually dissipate. The process of creation within a comfort zone becomes routine, and the resulting work is uninspired. The fun gets sucked out of it, and it shows.

When I first started to use  Photoshop , I was more than intrigued. I was hooked. I had found my medium as an artist. But after a while, I realized that being comfortable with the program was limiting in terms of staying fresh and developing new ideas. I began to explore other programs. I had been working with Illustrator prior to  Photoshop  and started bringing the two programs together to produce finished compositions. At the same time, I was very interested in Painter and a variety of 3D applications as they began to appear. I started playing around in different programs and was very excited to break out of my comfort zone.

My work was becoming more experimental and inspired, and I was having much more fun with it. Then I noticed a common denominator. It was  Photoshop . Even though I was spending considerable time in other programs, I was always bouncing in and out of  Photoshop . For 3D applications, I would make backgrounds in  Photoshop  ahead of time to align elements or to ensure perfect angles.

Midway through the 3D process, I would find myself back in  Photoshop , creating textures and displacement maps. Then, at the end of the 3D process, I would find myself opening the finished renderings in  Photoshop , adjusting them, and using them to create something new once again. This process was not limited to 3D applications; it also proved true when I combined  Photoshop  with other programs such as Illustrator or Painter.

 Photoshop  becomes the cornerstone application when working this way; it is essential at many points in the process. However, take note that this process of leaving  Photoshop  snaps you out of the  Photoshop-only  induced comfort zone, injecting some excitement into the tried-and-true process of putting things together.