When did digital painting become popular?

Digital painting began to gain popularity in the late 20th century with the advent of personal computers and graphics software. The development of powerful graphics software and hardware, such as Adobe Photoshop and graphics tablets, played a significant role in making digital painting accessible and appealing to artists.

One of the key milestones in the popularization of digital painting was the release of Adobe Photoshop in 1988. Initially developed as a photo editing tool, Photoshop's capabilities expanded to include digital painting, thanks to features like brushes and layers. The widespread availability of personal computers in the 1990s further contributed to the growth of digital art.

Graphics tablets, which allow artists to draw directly on a pressure-sensitive surface, became more affordable and widely used in the late 20th century. This made the digital painting experience more intuitive and comparable to traditional methods.

As technology continued to advance, digital painting gained even more popularity, with artists exploring new possibilities and pushing the boundaries of what could be achieved with digital tools. Today, digital painting is a well-established and widely practiced form of artistic expression, with many artists and illustrators choosing digital mediums for their creative work.