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Do Graphic Designers Use Drawing Tablets?
Designers often use drawing tablets for digital illustration or photo retouching jobs because it is more convenient and enjoyable than just using a mouse.
Is a tablet essential for graphic designers?
A graphics tablet is not necessary for every designer; it is a choice, not a prerequisite. However, many photographers, illustrators, and graphic designers, in general, began to shift to tablets to finish their designs quickly and more easily. Blue Sky Graphics can help you learn graphic design in a short time.
Designers can draw and retouch more naturally with tablets than with a mouse or a touchpad. Consider the kind of job you will be doing as a graphic designer to decide what features you can look for in a tablet. If you do not need to do complicated drawings or photo retouching, you would not need a costly tablet with a projector.
The Wacom Cintiq 22 is the best overall.
The Apple iPad Pro (2020) is the best iPad for iOS.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab is the best Android tablet.
XP-PEN Artist12—The most cost-effective pen.
Microsoft Surface Book 3—the most adaptable
Wacom Mobile Studio Pro has the best output.
Wacom Intuos Pro—suitable for all
XP-PEN Deco (V2)—Extremely slim interface
One by Wacom Student—The best choice for students
Huion Inspiroy H640P—Cheapest
Since every designer has a different budget and desires, some tablets will serve you better than others.
How can I go about selecting a graphics tablet?
While all tablets have similar advantages, not all tablets are produced equal.
The price of a drawing tablet will vary greatly—flat tablets (without a screen) are much less expensive than those with a monitor.
Furthermore, some are more precise and have a wider drawing area, while others are small and have simple specifications.
So, the first decision you would make is whether you want a plain graphics device (without a screen), a pen monitor (with a screen), or a tablet computer (iPad Pro or Galaxy Tab).
How should I pick a graphic design tablet?
Since you have made this determination, the next move is zero in on the main features and functionalities you are searching for.
1. Active Zone
Before buying your phone, it is a good idea to consider the screen size. Some of the tablets listed above are available in various sizes, while others are not. So make sure you pick the size that best suits your desires because the last thing you want is to be disappointed.
2. Sensitivity to Pressure
Everyone has a unique drawing or illustration style, so you might want to choose a tablet with an ultra-sensitive and flexible surface based on yours.
Table pressure levels begin at around 300 psi and rise to around 3000 psi. The ideal pressure level to aim for on a tablet is about 1,000.
3. Conciliation
If you work in a field where you need to create very high-resolution images or crisp graphics, a tablet with a high LPI would be a safer option.
Consider LPI in the same manner as people consider the 4K screen displayed on TVs and computer displays.
4. Shortcuts
It is becoming more common to see tablets with HotKeys built right in (also known as shortcut keys).
These extra keys, which are normally located on the left, are intended to save you time and streamline your work routine. Instead of flipping between menus, apps, or just clicking brushes in Photoshop, hotkeys will save you a significant amount of time.
5. Stylus (pen)
Stylus (pen) comes in two varieties: battery-powered (AES) and electromagnetic resonance (EMR), but all are intended to simulate the sound of a pen on paper.
EMR styluses can easily distinguish between pens and touch inputs, resulting in a very smooth pen experience.
AES styluses outperform EMR styluses in efficiency, but they take some getting used to and compensating for.
6. Scroller
Moving your stylus across the screen on your tablet may be wasteful, particularly if you are working on big artwork on a tiny tablet.
Fortunately, several tablets have a scroller, allowing you to zoom in and out and walk through your artwork easily.
7. Connection
Tablets have two types of connections: standard corded and wireless Bluetooth.
Although a wired tablet will not have any connection problems and will be less expensive, it can be inconvenient to connect the cables constantly.
On the other hand, wireless laptops will provide you with mobility that a corded tablet will not.
Apple iPad Pro 2nd Generation (2020)
If you adore Apple products (as most designers do), you should consider purchasing the latest iPad Pro. The iPad Pro can be used not only as a drawing tablet but also as a versatile laptop.
The starting price is £999.00.
The pen (Apple Pencil) charges magnetically, much like the Wacom one, but you would have to buy it separately. If you own other Apple devices, you know what to expect: up to ten hours of battery life, Face ID, a LiDAR scanner, and high-quality cameras and speakers.
You can also purchase extra devices, such as a keyboard and a trackpad, which would convert your tablet into a laptop.
This is a perfect choice for artists who want to sketch but still like to run other applications on their smartphone simultaneously.
Wacom Cintiq 22
Wacom is a well-known brand that specialises in drawing tablets, and I purchased my first Wacom tablet about ten years ago.
Overall, it is the perfect tablet for any competent graphic artist. This is a tablet with a touchscreen that allows you to draw directly on the screen. It is available in two sizes: small (15.6”) and big (21.5”).
The cost is £1,151.47.
The Wacom Cintiq 22 is the perfect tablet for any graphic artist in general. It is the third-largest model of all Wacom drawing boards, with an overall resolution of 1920 x 1080 HD. This pen has 192 pressure ranges, a low activation power, and tilt recognition, all of which provide you with incredible precision for the most realistic drawing experience.
If you choose the Wacom Cintiq 22 on a medium scale, you can get a large full-HD screen with enough brightness to see every aspect of your work.
