Lockdown found me in England with time on my hands and an iPad within reach. I was reading about David Hockney—an artist who’s been famous for decades—and his recent use of the iPad to make art. I’m pretty sure Hockney was the one who said that if Michelangelo were alive today, he’d certainly use one.

I had the tech. I had the time. But absolutely no painting experience and, honestly, no previous interest in trying, still, I figured: How hard could it be to make marks on an iPad?

Not very is the answer so I moved on to real acrylics and oils. Let's just say the honeymoon phase ended the moment I touched a real brush to a real canvas. The iPad is satisfyingly fast and clean and has a delete button — the mess and the friction of actual paint is a completely different scenario. So is waiting for the thing to dry!

What you see here is a small selection of those first digital results—and the early transition to paints and canvas.