As both a fine art painter and a digital artist, Sara Morton combines her design talents with her computer skills to create unique images.

In creating her digital designs, Morton employs the same skills she uses when making a painting or drawing. Using scanned photographs and hand drawn sketches, she builds digital collages by creatively combining elements then modifying colors, contours and shadows to get the composition that fulfills her vision. Through the use of a digital pen and tablet, the collage is then translated into hundreds of hand drawn shapes and countless layers. Each of the shapes can be carefully adjusted to the color, shade and transparency of choice. Says Morton, “On the computer, the drawing process is revolutionary and magic compared to traditional pencil and paper. The process of forming digital drawing lines is more like shaping a flexible wire. It is a virtual stained glass window that can be pulled, stretched, diffused, reshaped and re-colored. Although more time consuming than traditional drawing or painting, this method allows changes to be made cleanly, spontaneously and readily without having to start over.”

Morton also works in reverse - using collages she creates on the computer as sketches for hand painted acrylic paintings.

Morton has designed several cityscapes and panoramic views for various locations at Children’s Hospital in Boston during the past two years. Most recently, she created artwork covering the walls and floors of the “Josh Beckett Cancer Treatment Room”. She approached the project from a child’s point of view, using simple flat perspective, whimsical shapes and bold color. “The Red Sox players appear somewhat like action figures or super-heroes. I wanted to depict the strength and energy that the Red Sox bring to the game. In this way, the children can aspire to that same strength while enduring treatment” she says.

Morton has extensive experience making large format giclée prints and she provides custom printmaking for numerous artists in the Boston area.

Morton is a graduate of the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. She received a BFA in Illustration and Communication Design, earning Academic Distinction and Departmental Honors.

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