Hi all! I hope you had an amazing weekend! I feel like I did nothing but WORK, WORK, WORK this weekend. But there's a certain satisfaction in it. You know that feeling when you finish a project and you just want to do a happy dance? Yep, that’s where I’m at. Between prepping my pop-up location for paint and sip events and diving into my digital art, my hands have been FULL. But enough about my busy weekend, let’s dive into something super exciting: the magic of editing, specifically with Adobe Lightroom.
Key Points:
Adobe Lightroom: Essential for enhancing and perfecting digital art and photos.
Cost: $9.99/month with Adobe’s Photography Plan.
Benefits: Helps match the colors and tones of your vision, brings depth and richness to your work, and is worth the investment for serious artists.
The Revelation
As an artist, when I get a spark of an idea, I see a vivid image in my mind. But translating that image perfectly onto the screen or paper? That’s the tricky part. Initially, I didn’t see the need for editing software. I’d draw in Sketchbook, post on Instagram, and notice my colors looked off. Frustrating, right? I used Instagram’s built-in tools to tweak contrast and brightness, but it still didn’t hit the mark.
Enter Adobe Lightroom
Then, along came Adobe Lightroom. Actually, it was suggested to me by an art curator who was supposed to help with my first art show (long story short, we didn’t hit it off, but hey, she had some good advice). She recommended creating proofs for my digital art before printing, which led me down the Lightroom rabbit hole. And oh boy, am I glad it did!
Why Editing Matters
Editing isn’t just about making a picture look pretty. It’s about bringing your vision to life. Colors can look different on various screens and under different lighting conditions. Lightroom ensures the colors and tones in my artwork match exactly how I envision them. When I posted a before-and-after comparison on Instagram, the difference was clear. The colors were richer, the contrasts sharper, and the overall vibe exactly as I wanted. You can see that video here
The Power of Lightroom
Lightroom is a game-changer, especially for someone like me who’s a bit color-challenged. It lets me adjust contrasts, saturation, and other elements to get the photo just right. The software costs $9.99 per month as part of Adobe’s Photography Plan, which includes Lightroom and Photoshop. It's a small price to pay for the massive boost it gives to my art.
The Editing Journey
Working through Lightroom’s features helps me match what’s in my head to what’s on the canvas, paper, or screen. Editing can take a while—like, A WHILE. But the end result? Totally worth it. I love posting before-and-after shots to show the process. Take my piece for the upcoming show "Masked Realities." The editing process deepened the colors and brought the piece to life in a way the original didn’t quite capture. Those tweaks make all the difference.
Final Thoughts
Every step in the editing process is a learning experience, even the setbacks. They all contribute to the final masterpiece. The goal is to make the art in your mind come to life exactly as you envision it, and Lightroom is an invaluable tool in that journey.
Until next time! Remember, you can catch a new post every Tuesday afternoon, along with a new podcast episode to start your day every morning. Love you all!
❤️