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While paper and canvas were the most used surfaces for sketching and painting not long ago, with rapid digitization, artists and illustrators now use gadgets like drawing tablets for their work. Also, known as a graphics tablet, this device translates and transfers the strokes from a pen or stylus on its surface to a computer screen with high precision.
It's easy to execute a drawing on paper. But scanning and uploading a physical design takes is time taking. Drawing tablets are a great way to make your creative work digital from the start. Like a mouse, you can plug it into your Windows or Mac PC. Drawing tablets are a must-have for activities like graphic designing, illustration, and animation. So if you are pursuing any of these, make sure to own this device.
Similar to your knowledge about choosing the right frame while painting, buying the best drawing tablet also requires a lot of research and patience.
To create a physical work of art, you need to buy multiple art equipment like canvas, pencils, paints, brushes, etc. With technology-enabled systems like the graphics tablet, you need none of these. When it comes to buying one, you will find plenty of options to choose from within your price range on Amazon.
Though Wacom is considered the best brand for drawing tablets, there are others offering great products. So, if you are planning to buy a drawing tablet, we have some helpful recommendations for you to make your job easier.
The Features of Drawing Tablet
If you have just started learning how to draw, buying a tablet is not advisable. Only when you have mastered certain drawing techniques, you should buy this gadget. It will enhance your art and yield fantastic results. Graphic tablets are indispensable for drawing in digital mode. The best bit about this tablet is that you can easily plug it into any Windows PC or Mac, which makes it versatile and useful.
It comes with a digital pen or stylus, which feels is very convenient to use. This pen tool permits more design precision than an optical mouse or a touchpad. They make line drawings and crosshatching effortless, when compared to traditional pencil or pen and ink drawings. So here are the key features and specifications of a drawing tablet.
Pressure Sensitivity Levels
Pressure sensitivity is the responsiveness of the tablet when the stylus is used. The harder the pressure on the stylus, the thicker the line that is produced- this is how it functions. Usually, the pressure sensitivity levels of drawing tablets range between 300 to 3000. The more pressure levels the device can identify, the better will be its ability to make finely distinct lines of varying thickness.
Resolution
The resolution of a graphic tablet refers to the number of digital lines that can fit into 1 inch of its screen. The higher the lines per inch or LPI, the more detail you can add to your drawings. Typically, the screens of smaller tablets have a lower resolution than larger ones.
Stylus Type
Drawing tablets come with one of three types of styluses—battery-powered, rechargeable, or electromagnetic resonance (EMR). Regardless of which type you get, you’ll be able to draw all the same. So choose a tablet with a stylus that is easy to grip so that you can use it for longer hours.
- EMR: This type of stylus employs an innovative electromagnetic frequency that transfers power to the pen wirelessly right from the tablet, so there’s no need to charge it.
- Battery-powered: These are unwieldy for small hands since they have a thick body to hold the batteries and keeping spare batteries is a must while using them.
- Rechargeable: Battery-free and easier to grip because of their slimmer bodies, these can be recharged from a power source just like other gadgets.
Size
If the size of the active drawing area is bigger, it will be easier to work on larger drawings without the need for zooming and panning. The smaller the size of the overall device, the easier it will be to carry it around.
Responsiveness
When it comes to a tablet, its responsiveness indicates the speed at which the lines you are drawing with the stylus are showing up on the computer screen. Though it should happen instantly, on certain occasions you may experience a lag. This can happen if there are compatibility issues between the tablet’s drivers and your computer’s software. So, before purchase, read up customer reviews on responsiveness to get a heads up.
Battery
On a single charge, a battery life of at least 3-4 hours helps if you intend to travel with it. Its life will also depend upon how you’re using the tablet, the age of the battery, etc.
Advanced Features
Experienced artists look for advanced features like a multi-touch display that allows you to scroll and zoom on the tablet using your fingers. Tablets like the Wacom Intuos Pro comes with a tilt sensitivity sensor that can read the angle of the pen and accordingly adjust the display to make using the stylus easy.
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Best Graphics Tablets in India
While looking up drawing tablets on Amazon, you will come across scores of options, that will suit your need and budget. The most popular graphics tablet brands in India are Wacom, VEIKK, Huion among others that offer a variety of exciting features. Wacom especially has made a long-standing reputation as a leading manufacturer of drawing tablets.
While buying the tablet, you need to consider factors like how compatible it is with your Windows or Mac system, whether it has a USB plugin facility, if it's in your price range, screen size, the dimensions of its display area, etc. Here are some of the best models in the market at present:
XP-Pen Deco01 V2 Digital Graphics Drawing Pen Tablet
- Has a large 10 x 6.25-inch active drawing area
- Easy to carry around as it is only 8mm thick
- Offers 8,192 levels of pen pressure sensitivity
- Has 8 customizable keys to set shortcuts for pen, brush, eraser, and more
Wacom One by CTL-472/K0-CX Small 6-inch x 3.5-inch Graphic Tablet
- Works great with Windows and Mac OS computers
- Has a 6 x 3.5-inch active drawing surface area and promises a precision drawing experience
- Comes with a pen that supports 2,048 levels of pressure points
VEIKK A50 Graphic Tablet Drawing Tablet Pen Tablet
- It has a papery texture surface which offers better grip and control while drawing with the pen
- The pen supports 8,192 levels of pressure points and
- Stylus offers a battery-free experience
- Tablet has 8 shortcut buttons
- Has a smart gesture pad that lets you easily pan around and zoom in and out
Huion Inspiroy H640P Graphics Drawing Tablet
- Drawing tablet works well with Android devices
- Has a 6.3 x 3.9-inch active drawing surface area
- Is easy to carry around
- Comes with a pen that supports 8,192 levels of pressure points
- The top surface of the tablet is coated with a graded material that offers a fine-textured feel
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Advantages of Using a Drawing Tablet
When you buy a tablet, you expect to have the best drawing experience. And you will definitely get it, provided you buy one that comes with a reasonably sized screen offering good lines per inch(LPI) value and a pen that gives a long battery life every time you charge it. Using a tablet has a number of benefits. These include:
Intelligent Active Screen Surface
The graphics tablet screen surface area recognizes various degrees of pressure and it applies varying marks to the image in response. The tablet keys can be customized to scroll, zoom or perform many of the user’s favourite keystrokes.
Smart Pen
The pen has various interchangeable nibs that can mimic different kinds of brushstrokes when you make a design. The tap of the pen on the active drawing area works like the clicking function of the mouse. There is a built-in eraser on the opposite end of the pen that allows quick edits.
Easy Plugging
The graphics tablets quickly attach to the computer via the USB cable. The images that are created on the tablets are saved as digital files which can be edited, emailed, printed, and framed like any other picture file. The graphics tablets are compatible with Mac or Windows platforms and some Android devices as well.
Double Display
When you work on the LCD screen of the tablet, the project will be shown on the tablet surface as well as the PC monitor. This will allow you to draw on the tablet without having to monitor your progress on the computer screen.
If you are keen to use a graphic tablet or digital whiteboards to design but are new to drawing, you first need to learn drawing techniques for beginners. Superprof will help you to find drawing classes near me. So get going without further delay!
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