Making Digital Painting Accessible Pt. 2
Affordable Art Equipment
After writing about affordable art programs here, it only made sense to follow it up with a post on affordable art equipment, too. I wanted to include some options that I encountered when I was looking for an upgrade for my equipment. Some of you might find this useful, some might not. This is geared towards newbies like I was once was.
Reading through reviews and forums brought up a lot of questions I didn’t consider before, as well as turned some of my assumptions. I thought the obvious choices were obvious for a reason, and that “more expensive” meant “better”. A few of these things actually ended up bringing up other factors, like comfort, neck pain, wrist pain, parallax, desk size, portability, etc.
- “Would it be worth buying a better pen tablet versus a pen display first?”,
- “Do I need to see what I’m drawing on or do I just hate the lag when I’m running 500 layers at a time?”
- “Do I even really want a pen display right now or do I want a better machine that will also let me play stuff from Stardew Valley to Odyssey?”
Pressing questions, but then again you’re reading a post from someone who not only loves to draw, but also procrastinates before drawing by playing task-heavy RPGs.
Even though I already had an old tablet that’s been working fine for the last six years or so, I also wanted to make it easier for me to pick up that drawing pen and draw right away versus waiting for my programs to load and then configuring pen pressure and drivers. Choosing the right Spotify playlist goes into that boot-up, too. So there I was, poring over Best Buy deals and art on reddit.
Anyway, if you don’t have a pen tablet yet, or you’re looking to upgrade but still stick within your budget, I’m writing about some good art equipment that won’t break the bank. Some of the display tablets go for around $500 with the premium being something like Cintiq for $2000. Oftentimes, you can get the same equipment (different but pretty decent quality) for a much cheaper price if you shop for a different brand.
It would be helpful to create a list of priorities that can inform your decision. An example would be:
- The level of digital art you are at (just starting out vs experienced)
- Your budget
- Your mobility
- Your neck and wrist stretching routine (if applicable)
- Size of your desk
The level will inform you on whether or not pressure sensitivity above 4k is important at this moment — I say at this moment, because eventually it becomes very important. The budget will determine whether or not you want to buy a “starter tablet” before you decide to invest in an expensive one, or if you can afford to buy from a certain brand vs another. Mobility informs you of what size you should consider. The rest informs you on how comfortable your final set-up will be. I originally received a Wacom Intuos Pro M as a gift, and realized it didn’t fit any of my laptop or work bags, so traded it in with a Wacom Intuos Pro S.
Pen Tablet or Pen Display?
BUT! First things first, what do you really need? Before you browse through different equipment you need to figure out whether you’re looking for a pen tablet or a pen display. You may be asking yourself, “What’s the difference between a pen tablet and a pen display?”
Well, a pen tablet is a type of computer input equipment that usually consists of an electronic painting tablet and an electronic pressure-sensitive pen. Imagine a writing slate, with a wire connected to your computer. Whereas a pen display combines the display and the pen tablet. A pen display allows users to write and paint directly on the pen display with an attached pressure pen.
Personally, if you’re just starting out, I believe that a pen tablet is the way to go because pen tablets are generally cheaper and a good jump-off point for those that just need to dip their toes into digital art. Investing in a huge pen display can be pricey, so testing the waters with a tablet is the smarter thing to do for a beginner.
Another thing to remember when buying either one is the size of the drawing surface. If you move around a lot, a smaller and more portable size makes sense. If you’re trying to install one for a stationary work area, then a bigger size won’t hurt.
Wacom’s Pen Tablets
If you’re looking for affordable equipment that’ll last you a while, I recommend checking out Wacom’s pen tablets if you haven’t already (how could you not, Wacom is EVERYWHERE). They have different models that are quite reliable for a great price.
If you want to start small, One by Wacom is a small tablet that comes with a pressure-sensitive, battery-free stylus. It’s compatible with Windows and MacOS and is suitable for both left and right-handed people. To set it up, you just need to connect the tablet via USB to your Mac or PC and download then install the driver. This is also the cheapest model from Wacom, which costs only $70. It’s pretty much plug and play. It’s also really light, and very durable.
The second model is the Wacom Intuos, which is a regular-sized tablet that comes with a battery-free 4k pen. It connects via USB or Bluetooth (depending on which model you get), it’s suitable for both left and right-handed people, and it’s compatible with Windows, MacOS, and Android. The Wacom Intuos can range from $80-$200 depending on the model.
The final model is the Wacom Intuos Pro, which is built for professional use, and comes with the Wacom Pro Pen 2. The Wacom Pro Pen 2 has precise pressure sensitivity, natural tilt recognition, virtually no lag, and no batteries or recharging. I’m biased towards this because I’ve had this for the longest time. If it weren’t given as a gift, I would have either stuck to my $20 knockoff, or quit the game entirely. The tablet has advanced control, productivity boosters, left and right-handed compatibility, works with Windows or MacOS, and connects via USB or Bluetooth. If you get the smallest Wacom Intuos Pro it’s $200, while M is $380 and L is $500. You don’t need this model, but it’s nice. This kind of price consideration might be worth including if you want something that will literally last you years.
I own the Wacom Intuos Pro S and it has lasted me 6 years. It’s great quality and definitely worth the price. Because I travel a lot, I’ve had issues finding replacement nibs, and over the years I’ve learned not to draw so forcefully on the tablet. It’s got some scratches but I found a place that put an adhesive sheet over it and I barely even feel like it’s there. My original pen is also already loose from all the times I’ve dropped it, but a little wiggle still lets me work just fine. Here’s what my old pen tablet looks like after being dropped, carried, scratched, and DIY-repaired, I want you to see it in all its rugged glory:
XP-Pen vs. Huion
These pen tablet brands are relatively new and are often compared with each other. They’re decently priced and their higher-end pen display models cost about the same as the mid-range pen tablet models of Wacom. Because my Wacom is pretty darn old, I’m actually saving up to buy a model from either XP-Pen or Huion. Each has their respective strengths but if you’re a beginner using your own money to invest in your art, I’d start cheap but durable just to get it going, then upgrade once you have a better feel of things later.
XP-Pen has three types of pen tablets: the Deco Series, Deco Pro, and Star series. XP-Pen’s pen display also has the Artist Series, which has ten different models each with some different features. They range in size from 11.6” to 21.5”.
Huion has 22 different pen tablets that are labeled by different numbers, so there’s a lot to choose from. It has three types of pen displays: Kamvas, Kamvas Pro Series, and GT Series. They range in size from 11.6” to 21.5” as well. I got to test this out and it seemed pretty solid. I have not made a new purchase yet.
The XP-Pen StarG640 is only $40 and it’s a small, slim, and portable pen tablet. The pen pressure is 8192 (this is pretty sensitive for $40), it connects through USB and is compatible with Windows 7 and above and Mac OS X 10.10 and above.
The Huion HS64 is $80 and it’s a small, slim, and portable pen tablet. The pen pressure is 8192, it connects through a Micro USB and is compatible with Windows 7 or above, Mac OS X 10.12 or above, and Android 6.0 or above. They both come with battery-free pens and extra replacement nibs.
Bigger doesn’t always necessarily mean better. I know a few people that have stuck with their pen tablets for years, with smaller drawing surfaces than what is popular on Instagram. Whether you decide to go with XP-Pen or Huion both of these companies offer great devices for a very affordable price! Honestly if you just want to have something other than your mouse cursor to draw on, and something that allows you to simulate some pen pressure, you can start with one of these. You can always sell them before you buy your upgrade.
Equipment I Use Now
Since I’m trying to upgrade my old Wacom, I’ll be posting another review on what I end up getting. Right now I’m using a hybrid laptop (Surface Pro 2, pictured below on the left showing the page of this article) so I actually have the option to plug in my more pressure-sensitive pen tablet for more refined and detailed artwork, and I can literally just flip my laptop lid to convert it into a sketch book, and still have it lifted like a drafting table using my pad pucks, making it an on-the-go pen display tablet. I’m kind of glad I haven’t bought an actual display tablet just yet, because I also realized that the location of my monitor suits me better when it’s at eye level vs. me looking down and bending my neck. I also found that having my laptop lifted to meet my eyes instead of straining my neck helps me work more comfortably for longer periods of time. I either use pad pucks or a small shelf behind my laptop to lift the screen up. I also have my old Surface Pro 2 as a display sometimes. I also have an ergonomic mouse when I’m working on Illustrator.
If you want to read about the equipment I use now visit this link. For those with more flexible budgets, you can also consider getting hybrids like what I have. Hopefully, by the end of this, you’ve found the device that’s right for you, and that works well under your budget!
