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I just went through the entire list of digi websites, checking them out to see what I want to bookmark, and quite frankly I'm disappointed. So much of it are these goofy, stupid looking images that I would't even take for free! I'm looking for REAL art, not all these crazy looking characters that have gigantic heads and spooky looking eyes. Where are the pretty landscapes, lovely birds, elegant borders, etc.? Am I turning into a stamp snob or have we lowered standards that much? I saw a few good sites, but all in all most of them were very poor art. Maybe I'll just stick stick to stamps.
Not sure if anyone has looked at www.arthursclipart.org. It is a really great site. Everything is free and he has an unbelievable amount of clip art on there that is just like digis. Good luck.
I will agree that lately it does seem that anyone with a pencil is drawing and offering digital images, and yes some are pretty awful. BUT I have seen some pretty awful rubber from people who think they can draw, also! I do design work for Chicken Girl Designs, which are drawn by children's book illustrator Jannie Ho and I believe Kate at i {heart} papers will tell you that as digital images, these have sold much better than the clear stamps! Yes, they're cute and whimsical and if you what you're look for it landscapes, flowers, etc. then you probably are better off sticking with traditional stamps. But don't discount ALL digital images just by the few that you have seen!
Wow, Tracey! Those are wonderful! I love the bird! Can you do a Nuthatch? We have a pair of them in our pine tree, and it's so fun to watch them actually walk up and down the trunk!
Thankfully there is something out there for all of us. A lot of times I will look at digis (or stamps for that )and not even give it a second thought until I see it used and see how fantastic a card can look. Everyone has an opinion and we are fortunate that somewhere there is a company that matches our taste!
Hi Gram2boys,
Thank you for the nice compliments. Does this picture remind you of your birds? I tried to find one that was walking up a tree. LOL! That is just amazing! I had never heard of such a bird before. If you like it, I will draw it and make it a digital image. No charge or anything like that. Art is my passion.
If you have a better picture, that's great! Just let me see it!
Thankfully there is something out there for all of us. A lot of times I will look at digis (or stamps for that )and not even give it a second thought until I see it used and see how fantastic a card can look. Everyone has an opinion and we are fortunate that somewhere there is a company that matches our taste!
I did not like Digital Stamps at all because I thought the drawings were so bad, I cant draw and I thought I could do better. That was until I found
Mo's Digital Pencil!!!
I just LOVE her images, she can draw!!
They are getting better now that digitals are getting more popular, but I still think some people need to stay out of drawing digitals, because uuummm, they are NOT good.
I guess everyone is different because I wouldn't spend the money on wood-mounted cutesy stamps, but I might buy them as a digital image. Why? Because I might not use them as much as others, but they're cute enough that I would use them some.
I've narrowed my list of digital stores, too. I went through the huge list here on SCS and browsed all of them. When I found a site whose images/style I liked, then I checked out their angel policy. If I can't sell something I make with their images, it's not worth my time. (I don't sell any at the moment, but I'm getting lots of people asking me about it locally.)
How many favorite designers did I end up with? Six altogether.
I realize that I'm different than a lot of people out there. I don't like most of what SU comes out with, MFT is not my style (no heads are a little odd to me), most of TGF doesn't appeal to me (oversized heads aren't my thing) ... but I try to remember that a lot of people do like these, and it's okay. Variety is the spice of life.
To the OP, Oh gosh, you might be referring to some of mine! LOL While I would hope I am not disappointing people, my philosophy is a bit different... I am only doing my stuff for personal needs I have, and I am not trying to impress anybody. It doesn't really bother me if anyone else thinks I can't draw digital art very well... ha-ha, I already know that, especially if I start comparing myself to other popular digital artists. I am not trying to be negative either, I just like being honest with myself. If I start thinking I am very good, then I would get disappointed or hurt if others started talking bad about me. I would rather remind myself that I am low-man on the totem pole and that way I don't get offended with whatever anybody has to say.
I love Mo's drawings myself, and have quite a nice collection of hers. She is the best! I also like Phindy's, she has some totally adorable mice. I browsed over at Squigglefly and there are a couple of really good cartoon artists and one person draws a lot of scenery and still art, so there seems to be a nice good variety on the market if you look around.
Hope you find something you like eventually. I am sorry you feel overwhelmed with all the silly cartoon stuff.... there sure is a lot out there but that does seem to be a widely received area of art right now.
Hi Gram2boys,
Thank you for the nice compliments. Does this picture remind you of your birds? I tried to find one that was walking up a tree. LOL! That is just amazing! I had never heard of such a bird before. If you like it, I will draw it and make it a digital image. No charge or anything like that. Art is my passion.
If you have a better picture, that's great! Just let me see it!
That's a very kind offer! Please remember that the image would need to be linked within the SCS Digi Images forum ... We have set aside an area specifically for free digi attachments. Thanks! ;)
To the OP, Oh gosh, you might be referring to some of mine! LOL While I would hope I am not disappointing people, my philosophy is a bit different... I am only doing my stuff for personal needs I have, and I am not trying to impress anybody. It doesn't really bother me if anyone else thinks I can't draw digital art very well... ha-ha, I already know that, especially if I start comparing myself to other popular digital artists. I am not trying to be negative either, I just like being honest with myself. If I start thinking I am very good, then I would get disappointed or hurt if others started talking bad about me. I would rather remind myself that I am low-man on the totem pole and that way I don't get offended with whatever anybody has to say.
I love Mo's drawings myself, and have quite a nice collection of hers. She is the best! I also like Phindy's, she has some totally adorable mice. I browsed over at Squigglefly and there are a couple of really good cartoon artists and one person draws a lot of scenery and still art, so there seems to be a nice good variety on the market if you look around.
Hope you find something you like eventually. I am sorry you feel overwhelmed with all the silly cartoon stuff.... there sure is a lot out there but that does seem to be a widely received area of art right now.
LOL! I love your sense of humor and your HUMILITY. Too many artists are inflated with a self-perceived impression of their talent when they have little or none (IMO). Your attitude is refreshing!
I personally love the cute cuddly stuff! NO big heads or eyes please..
I also love beautiful flowers.
Sassy Cheryl's are fun and cute. Gotta love the shoes...
Go to adult coloring book for some really nice images for free.
Just type in what you want and you may or may not find it.
Cindy
__________________ CindyProud Fan Club Member SCS # 9686
FS70
QFTD127
I personally love the cute cuddly stuff! NO big heads or eyes please..
I also love beautiful flowers.
Sassy Cheryl's are fun and cute. Gotta love the shoes...
Go to adult coloring book for some really nice images for free.
Just type in what you want and you may or may not find it.
Cindy
Yes! I have purchased a few of her images! Sassy Cheryl has some really cute stuff!
I am reading this thread with interest. I agree there is a void in digital scenic images. I wonder if the lack is due to the way most are finished? I'm not sure what people are looking for, as scenery is a very broad topic.
There are a few "scenic" items and birds in the collection at http://klmdigistamps.com/
Seems to be a variety there, an attempt at something for everyone.
I too, love Mo's images. The are by far the finest images out there. My collection ever grows.
I must say, however, that everone's taste and needs differ. There are many styles I do not particularly care for, but some must like them to create the demand. What a wonderful resource to have at our fingertips. I thank goodness for all those willing to share their work and time.
They are a hardy lot who will chance the ridicule of others.
I'm interested in this conversation. I've been noticing ALOT of digital stamp sites, now that I opened my own. I didn't realize it was such a big market until now. I'm trying to just draw what I LOVE to draw and what I'm inspired by. It's nice to hear everyones opinions on the "cartoon" look. I've been considering drawing a small line but haven't yet been inspired on what look to go with. I'm not sure I have the talent to even draw people anyhow.
I've just looked at your stamps Lindsay and must say i'm loving them! xx
Gram, I am SO with you on the lack of realistic digi images! I hadn't thought about any of the available ones being sub par in any way, just that cutsey or whimsical is so not my preferred style. sketchingstamperdigi-stamps.blogspot.com does have some very nice realistic images as well as some cutsey ones.
I just have to pop in....interesting thread! I also am a bit picky with my digi images...and I do design for these two companies, but I love the flowers that Tracey at Fred, She Said draws...I don't know if they are realistic enough for you...but there are some beautiful flowers and pricking frames available there. I also design for Shawne who opened her new digital site, Studio 313. She has a variety of images, one with birds that is on the artsy side rather than the cartoon side.
Good luck finding an artist that inspires you to work with their digis!! They are lots of fun!!
I just went through the entire list of digi websites, checking them out to see what I want to bookmark, and quite frankly I'm disappointed. So much of it are these goofy, stupid looking images that I would't even take for free! I'm looking for REAL art, not all these crazy looking characters that have gigantic heads and spooky looking eyes. Where are the pretty landscapes, lovely birds, elegant borders, etc.? Am I turning into a stamp snob or have we lowered standards that much? I saw a few good sites, but all in all most of them were very poor art. Maybe I'll just stick stick to stamps.
Here is a good site I just ran across. I ran through this thread and I dont think it was mentioned but if it was, sorry everyone for the duplicate.
I have been reading this thread with interest because I have to agree with the OP regarding the quality of most of the digital art out there - just personal opinion! I agree with several on the Mo's digital pencil being great and the new site that someone mentioned, http://www.isabellassketchbook.com/store/, is definitely my idea of what digital art should be (to please me, I mean). Some wonderful digis on there!
Carolyn
I also agree with the lack of a wide variety of digi images that appeals to ME. I have done numerous searches for free digi images and have found most of the sites listed above, and got a few new ideas reading this one! I have also found some great patterns by searching "stained glass patterns" but you do really have to search! I guess because I am cheap, I tend to gravitate towards "freebies" and there are some great ones out there (Hambo has the cutest cool cat and others) that I have used... painfully I fear that the original wooden block stamps have gathered dust on my shelves lately because of digi images and a new found love of copic markers! Most stamps are just too detailed to color! I have yet to take the plunge to actually PAY for a digi image yet... but I do have quite a few bookmarked to do so soon!
It's funny how tastes differ. I laughed out loud at your post, because I like the art that you consider stupid and below par. The landscapes, lovely birds, elegant borders that you yearn for make me think of doilies and mothballs...LOL! I'm glad there are artists to satisfy each of us out there. Good luck finding the images that you seek!
Thank you...my sentiments exactly LOL To each his own! I think I now have more digi images than rubber stamps...I love them and I have a lot of the "big head" type ones.
Yes, there are some artists who's computer skills aren't up to par, i.e. their scans or digitizing are not working for me, but for the most part I am LOVING the digi world. As far as I can see, there seems to be every style imaginable out there and I would find it very hard to believe if someone can't find at least a few sites that fit their style. I mean, for Pete's sake...not every rubber company fits my style either, so why would I expect all the digi ones to?
I have the same problem with certain images the OP referred to and spend a lot of time myself searching different digital image sites for the right digital images. Everyone's taste is different and it is good there is a variety out there. I appreciate the other posters posting their links and suggestions on digital image sites. I am a recent digital image addict. I especially like the immediacy of the digital images. If I decide I want to do a card with a certain image, I can search for it, download and have it ready to use rather than having to order a stamp from somewhere and wait for it to arrive. So much fun!
I do understand the OP. I like both elegant and some cutesy. More elegant, real, but there are some "cute" ones that I really like too. There are also some that aren't my style. But I'm glad that there are lots of options for people.
They definitely are real art. They are beautifully done they just don't happen to be my cup of tea. They are a very hot item here on SCS and in the blogs but while I have seen lots of magnificient cards created with the images, I persoanlly never saw the attraction in the image style. There are lots of styles of digital images out there and with all of us having our personal styles and likes and dislikes we just have to search the net for what works for us. I think it is great that we are all sharing links to our favorite ones because, I have followed every single one posted here and have bookmarked almost all of them for future purchases.
The SCS slogan should be "SCS...enabling paper crafters of the world."
I have just started to download a few digi stamps and have found a big variety is available. I'm going to start out using chalks on the digis. I don't own any Copic markers at the moment. What kind of ink do you use and what do you use to color your digis?
I just print them out on my HP. Nothing fancy. I do give them a shot hairspray to seal them tho. I almost always use the gamsol technique with colored pencils.
Hi ladies,
Just a tip for those asking about printer ink.
The ink in a photo printer works great with Copics. Just use a heat emboss
gun and you're set.
This is a really interesting thread which I'm enjoying reading.
We all have different tastes and there's something out there for everyone. I do find that some digis are not of a quality of drawing that I like, sadly. But that applied to some rubber stamps, also there was the disappointment with cheapo rubber and sometimes clear when the image just did not stamp out well because the material was not quality. That at least isn't an issue for digitals....:cool:
So here's my Top 10, not in order. I should add that I'm on a couple of DTs so could be said to have an interest in some of my favourites, but I only choose to work with images I like .
Thank you so much, your work is beautiful and just the kind of thing I buy/bought in "real" stamps. LOVE IT!!!!
Thank you so much Stargroves! That is very kind of you to say. I am a work in progress - but it is very fun!
I especially like pairing sentiments with the images. I have no idea if anyone ever uses them - but it feels like a little victory for me in my otherwise chaotic life! I can't tell you how many times I've wished for a certain sentiment to go with a certain image. Now I get to choose! LOL! :rolleyes:
