Want to learn to make concept art but don't know where to start? This next entry in the Lifehacker Night School series will help you get your feet wet. Because the skillset is rooted in traditional drawing and painting, don't expect to be the next superstar concept artist overnight. Instead, think of this 101 course as an opportunity to get to know the tools. Over these five short lessons I'll show you what you need to get started on the path of digital painting. You've probably seen your fair share of concept art on the internet. Whether you're looking at a sprawling Martian landscape or a craggy cave troll it's likely that a concept artist is responsible. Though this creation process is involved and fast paced it can be distilled into two basic parts: design and execution. The first portion, design, is the deeply imaginative act. How many horns should the elder dragon have? What shape is the alien life form? Concept artists work long and hard to create originality. Creativity of this sort is hard to teach. The second portion, execution, is what this series focuses on
According to Wikipedia: "Digital painting is an emerging art form in which traditional painting techniques such as watercolor, oils, impasto, etc. are applied using digital tools by means of a computer and software, a graphics program offering a virtual canvas and painting box with a large amount of brushes, colors and other supplies."