How can I loosen up my digital painting when my hand isn’t on the surface?

[Jonathan.L]

I’ve been sketching traditionally for years, but lately I’ve been feeling this pull toward digital painting. I finally got a decent tablet and some software, but my first attempts just look... stiff and wrong, like I’m fighting the tools instead of using them. I keep wondering if there’s a fundamental shift in how you need to think when your hand isn’t directly touching the surface you’re marking.