Digital Painting Cheat Sheet 2026
The 30 highest-yield Digital Painting facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.
- What is the role of 'lost edges' in a painting? → They soften transitions between shapes to guide viewer focus and add realism
- Which brush setting controls whether the edge of a brushstroke is sharp or soft? → Hardness
- What is the 'terminator' in painting a 3D form? → The boundary line between the lit and shadowed areas on a form
- Which blending mode is commonly used to add light and glow effects in digital painting? → Screen or Add (Linear Dodge)
- Which technique involves using a stiff, nearly dry brush loaded with a small amount of paint to create rough, textured strokes? → Dry brushing
- What does the 'texture' setting in a digital brush simulate? → The surface grain of canvas, paper, or other materials interacting with the brushstroke
- When painting a scene with a warm key light, what color temperature should the ambient fill light be? → A complementary cool temperature to create natural contrast between light and shadow areas
- What is 'simultaneous contrast' in color perception? → The way a color appears to change based on the color placed next to it
- The 'bird's eye view' perspective places the horizon line: → Near the top of the canvas or above it
- In digital painting, 'subsurface scattering' is most visible in which type of material? → Human skin and wax
- Which type of perspective uses two vanishing points on the horizon line and is ideal for painting corner views of buildings? → Two-point perspective
- In figure painting, which area of the body typically shows the most subsurface scattering effect? → Thin, translucent areas like ears, nostrils, and fingertips held up to light
- Which principle states that elements closer to the viewer should be placed lower on the picture plane while distant elements appear higher? → Vertical Placement / Height in Picture Plane
- What is the term for the visual path that guides a viewer's eye through a painting? → Leading Line
- What does 'chroma' refer to in painting terminology? → The purity or saturation intensity of a color
- Which color mixing model is used in digital painting software that combines red, green, and blue light? → RGB additive model
- What is the advantage of working in a high resolution (300 DPI) for a digital painting intended for print? → It ensures the image has enough pixel density to appear sharp and detailed when printed
- In digital painting, the 'focal point' is best defined as: → The area that draws the viewer's eye first and holds attention
- Which Procreate feature allows artists to trace or reference an image beneath their painting by reducing its opacity? → Reference layer
- What is 'indirect lighting' or 'fill light' in a painting scene? → Light that has reflected off surrounding surfaces to softly illuminate shadow areas
- What is this MS Paint tool called? → Eraser Tool
- Which technique involves painting light areas over dark areas to build up highlights and create luminosity? → Scumbling
- Which term describes the use of a single hue in various tints, shades, and tones throughout a painting? → Monochromatic color scheme
- What is the purpose of a 'thumbnail sketch' in the digital painting planning phase? → To plan composition, value arrangement, and layout at a small scale before committing
- In figure painting, 'gesture' refers to: → The dynamic flow, movement, and energy captured in a pose
- What other name is used to describe the computer and drawing tablet? → Tablet PCs
- In digital painting, what does the 'stabilizer' or 'line smoothing' feature do? → Reduces jitter in brushstrokes by smoothing hand tremors for cleaner lines
- Which compositional technique involves mirroring elements on either side of a central axis to create balance? → Symmetrical Composition
- What is this MS Paint tool called? → Magnifier Tool
- What is the purpose of 'underpainting' in a digital painting workflow? → To establish value structure and composition before adding color
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