Seriously port - scratchy pen by Amanda Bates

Looks very good. So digital painting really works. Will have to try it myself one day.

I really like this although I have to confess I am still very undecided about iPad art. It is art or is it a technical skill? I am not belittling iPad art in any way and perhaps I am being old fashioned, but I just haven't quite got my head around it. I think it is the ease with which you can totally erase mistakes that colours my view - so different to when you use paint mediums. What do you think, Amanda?

Thea, (glossing over the technicality that this is not an iPad - ceci n'est pas un iPad) of course it is still art! If graphite drawings are art, if collage is art, if acrylic paintings are art, if oil paintings are art... Graphite can be erased easily. Collage can be rearranged and layered (there are actually no layers employed in this particular drawing, but that's irrelevant). Acrylic can be painted over. Oil can be scraped off. Even watercolour can sometimes be lifted... There is the same observation, composition, drawing, colour selection and choice of effect as in any other form of two dimensional artwork. Some variants of digital art are possibly less artistic - photo-manipulation, vector work etc., - but this is what is known as "natural painting"; you draw on the screen with a finger or a stylus. The only IT sort of technical element lies in selecting the program and the " brush " (what type of mark you want to make). There's no need for an IT degree (overqualified again!)

I wasn't suggesting that digital art isn't art as I realise that art takes many forms, even down to Tracey Emin's messy bed! Perhaps my view is coloured by the way that computers, tablets, iPads, etc all help you out by filling in your gaps (spell-checker, grammar corrections, etc) and I have extrapolated this to include help they give you in producing a 'painting' by providing lots of ways to manipulate what appears on the screen and the ability to completely wipe out mistakes. I know you can lift paint, remove bits of collage, but it is a lot more hit and miss and tricky than just pressing a key and deleting a section of work on a tablet, computer or iPad to the point that no-one bar the artist would know that it had ever been there. I know that I am not alone in having ambivalent feelings about digital art and although I often see works in that medium that I admire, always at the back of my mind is a slight reluctance to view it on the same level as more conventionally produced art. Perhaps a debate for the forum - could throw up some interesting views and comments.

It's alright, I'm not offended, but your earlier comment did read as if you were suggesting that digital art was somehow not art. It is an interesting idea and could well be a good debate topic. The undo function might be part of your sticking point, but I would suggest that this is, to some time extent, a balance to the relative clumsiness of the interface. It is actually very easy to make accidental marks! Have you ever tried drawing on a tablet? (You may be able to get an idea of how it is by using a demonstration unit in a shop).

Definitely no offence intended - heaven forbid - just an interesting debate and exploring what this medium means. I haven't tried digital art I admit. Perhaps I need to have a go on my iPad.

What, you have an iPad and you haven't tried drawing on it? I'm astounded ;-)

Copy'n'paste: http://www.painters-online.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=6233&posts=1#M43839

I've had an I Pad for a couple of years but I admit it has never crossed my mind to draw on it, but then it hasn't crossed my mind to paint in oils, acrylics, pastel, charcoal, etc either. I'm afraid I am a committed water colourist, although I extend that to include pen work as well. I have had a go at these other paint mediums early in my art life, but watercolour is the only one for me. It goes back to my first art class 6 years ago when I picked up a brush and dipped it it some watercolour paint and made my first mark. I was completely hooked from that moment and I still get the same excitement when I paint in it today - probably more so as I learn more and more what it can do. Drawing or painting on an iPad would have a long way to go to compete with this, lol!

Ah, I see. Watercolour is rather unique. I dally with many media and, indeed, find watercolour rather challenging. I did wonder if the unforgiving nature of your favoured medium was colouring your perception, especially when you talked about erasing marks :-)