In terms of software, what skills do you need to be a digital artist? The short answer is: it depends.
It depends on the type of digital art you want to make.
In general, you need to be familiar with the tools, workspace, panels, brushes, adjustments, keyboard shortcuts, etc. of your software of choice. You don’t need to know all the ins and outs of the program, but you need to know it well enough to achieve what you want to create.
Your detail skills then depend on your type of art. For example, if you like to make digital paintings, you need to be proficient at using brushes and color swatches. Conversely, to make photo manipulations, you need to know the selection tools, blending modes, masking options, and adjustment layers.
Getting to grips with the software program and achieving a speedy workflow is probably the part with the steepest learning curve out of all the skills you need to acquire.
I recommend following a structured approach when you are learning to use a software. Start with the basics, and then move on to the advanced features. That’s the best – and fastest! – way to learn a software.
At the end of the post, you’ll find some suggestions for online training courses that can help you learn the different programs.