Digital Painting Studies of John Singer Sargent in Procreate

There’s something about the boldness and confidence of John Singer Sargent’s brushwork that continues to challenge and inspire me. As a long-time admirer of his portrait work, I decided to spend some focused time doing a series of digital studies of his paintings using Procreate on the iPad.

The goal wasn't to replicate the pieces perfectly (even though I think I got pretty close), but to understand the choices behind his lighting, edge control, and value grouping, and to see how those choices translate into a digital format.

Working in Procreate allowed me to zoom in on details, study color temperature shifts, and break down how Sargent used simplicity and restraint to suggest complexity. Even in quick sessions, there’s a lot to learn from how he treated fabric, skin, and background with just a few well-placed strokes.

These studies reminded me how valuable it is to step back from original work and revisit the fundamentals through the lens of a master. And while nothing replaces the tactile experience of oil paint, working digitally let me experiment more freely and focus on observation without being bogged down by setup.

More of these are coming soon. There’s still plenty to absorb from one of the greats.

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