When I was studying art in college, my painting teachers were altogether suspicious of illustration. They did not consider it true art, and they believed that Walt Disney was a charlatan. But things have radically changed since then. That was fifty years ago.

Forty years ago, when I was teaching art in a plush private school, computers were just beginning to emerge as a commodity that at least the ritzy schools could afford. My school offered to pay for any of its teachers to be trained in computers, but I refused to participate in that training. I clung to my backward belief that computers would limit creativity.

Yet, twenty years ago, I completed all but one course to have acquired a master’s degree in information technology. I did that training at Rutgers University, and my primary focus was that of computer design. Within two decades, I had completely spun around. While I was at Rutgers, I began learning web design. I also learned desktop publishing and Photoshop, but I was not offered a course to learn paint or draw on computers. That would have to wait.

Throughout all this time, I continued teaching traditional art privately, but many years ago, I saw the writing on the wall. I told my students that learning to make art traditionally was a good thing but that they should do whatever was necessary to learn how to create on computers and via other technology, too. I knew that I was a dinosaur, and while I believed that it was too late for me to change, I didn’t want my students to make the same mistake.

Finally, one week ago, I decided to teach myself how to make digital art. I have always said that when a tree quits growing, it dies, and I realized that as a valid creator of picture books, I was dying. I was determined not to throw in my creative towel.

“Don’t cling to a mistake simply because you spent a long time making it.” – Source Unknown

I began my study of digital art by learning how to use the app Procreate on my iPad Pro, and while I am not yet totally satisfied with all of my results, I have made enough progress that I am encouraged to dig deeper. Following are my first creations in Procreate, but I realize that it will be helpful if I can work with some more sophisticated tools, too. I have ordered a Cintiq 16, and I’ll need to go through the process of learning that tool, too, but I am pleased to say that it is truly possible to teach an old dog new tricks, and I am also proud to be able to say that regardless of how very long that I have delayed my learning how to make art technologically, I am finally moving forward. I refuse to be locked in my tracks.

The following are some of my first efforts with Procreate. I am also showing you the original traditional pieces that I created before I redid them in Procreate.

Ladybug Lous Hollers: “Yoo Hoo!”
Jacki Kellum Digital Illustration
Created in Procreate with iPad Pro & Apple Pencil
August 6, 2020

Ladybug Lous Hollers: “Yoo Hoo!”
Jacki Kellum Watercolor Illustration
Painted Traditionally
Spring 2019

Ladybug Lou Hollers –

Jacki Kellum Digital Illustration
Created in Procreate with iPad Pro & Apple Pencil
August 5, 2020

I have only been working with Procreate for a week, but at this point, I still like the richness and the naturalness of the colors in traditional watercolor. Yet, I do like the way that I can easily “fix” minor drawing issues in Procreate, and that is not true in traditional watercolor. I believe that I’ll eventually learn to correct my issues with the colors in Procreate.

The Sun Needs to Rise, but the Rooster’s in Bed
Jacki Kellum Digital Illustration
Created in Procreate with iPad Pro & Apple Pencil
August 4, 2020

The Sun Needs to Rise, but the Rooster’s in Bed
Jacki Kellum Watercolor Illustration
Painted Traditionally
2016

Mrs. Cow Down Home
Jacki Kellum Digital Illustration
Created in Procreate with iPad Pro & Apple Pencil
August 2, 2020

Mrs. Cow Down Home
Jacki Kellum Watercolor Illustration
Painted Traditionally
2019

Dish and Her Man Spoon
Jacki Kellum Digital Illustration
Created in Procreate with iPad Pro & Apple Pencil
August 1, 2020

Photograph of Dish and Her Man Spoon
Jacki Kellum Sketch for an Illustration
Drawn Traditionally in Copic Markers
2019

Dish and Her Man Spoon
Jacki Kellum Digital Illustration
Created in Procreate with iPad Pro & Apple Pencil
July 31, 2020

The Cow Jumped Over the Moon
Jacki Kellum Sketch for an Illustration
Drawn Traditionally in Copic Markers
2019