No, there is no downside to using a quality graphic tablet. As a matter of fact, graphic tablets make your designing process faster and easier. For most artists, the only downside is the price of the graphic tablet.
No doubt, quality graphic tablets can cost quite a lot. But as a professional artist, the advantage of purchasing a graphic tablet far outweighs any disadvantage.
Before you consider buying a graphic tablet, there are some factors to consider. Keep reading to learnsome details here on drawing tablet tips.
Features of Quality Graphic Tablets
Usually, there are various types of graphic tablets in the market. Interestingly, not all have the same features. Some graphic tablets have advanced features compared to others.
Resolution
Most often, what determines the quality of your digital art is the resolution of the drawing tablet. Resolution is measured by lines per inch (LPI). In other words, when the resolution of the graphic tablet is high, the more creativity and detailing you can carry out with your device. Furthermore, a higher resolution will afford you more precise movement with your pen.
Top-notch graphic tablets offer a resolution of 1,000 LPI and above. However, if the resolution of the graphic tablet is lower than 1,000 LPI, then it’s more suitable for webtoons, cartoons, and anime drawings.
Pressure Sensitivity
Usually, graphic tablets have pressure sensitivity levels from 300 to 3,000. Meanwhile, the level of your graphic tablet pressure sensitivity determines how thick or thin your lines will be. In other words, if the pressure is hard, then the lines will be thicker and harder. On the other hand, a lighter pressure means that the lines will be thinner and softer.
You can think of pressure sensitivity as to when you use charcoal pencils to draw thicker lines and when you use thin strokes to draw thin lines such as eyelashes, etc. The pressure sensitivity of top graphic tablets is high giving you room to adjust it to suit your design.
Responsiveness
The responsiveness of a graphic tablet is also referred to as the tracking speed. More so, the responsiveness of your graphic tablet determines how fast the drawing will display on your screen. For top-notch graphic tablets, drawings appear on your screen instantaneously. Aside from the graphic tablet’s speed, another thing that affects the responsiveness is your PC’s speed.
Therefore, before you buy a graphic tablet, find out the PC specification that is needed too. Things that may affect the responsiveness of your graphic tablet include the OS, RAM, GPU, etc. Don’t forget to find out the best graphic tablet brands that have good responsiveness.
Control
Opting for graphic tablets that have a few buttons to control certain features will also be ideal. For instance, instead of going to a setting to zoom in or out, a button can control that feature. With these control buttons, your work will be faster.
Also, the graphic tablet ought to have some shortcut features. That way, you don’t have to go to settings for every activity. What’s more, some stylus pens that are attached to quality graphic tablets have controls too. In some cases, these stylus pens have a pressure sensitivity control button. With this feature, drawing with your table would be easier and faster.
Connectivity
These days, you can find graphic tablets with various connectivity features aside from Bluetooth. In the past, you could barely find a graphic tablet that has a USB port. Nowadays, some graphic tablets have more than 2 USB ports.
However, it appears that professional designers prefer graphic tablets that have Bluetooth connectivity. Nevertheless, top graphic tablets have both Bluetooth connectivity and several USB ports.
Software Compatibility
Some graphic tablets are selective when it has to do with software that they are compatible with. Although most modern graphics are more compatible with various OS systems, the older ones may not be.
Whatever the case, always check the software compatibility of the graphic tablet before you go for it. In some cases, some graphic tablets install free versions of the OS, and when it expires you may be required to buy the full version. Check if the software on your graphic tablet is free or the full version before you purchase it.
Stylus Pen Type
As usual, most graphic tablets come with a stylus pen. However, the stylus pens also differ. The most popular stylus pens are battery-powered, rechargeable, and electromagnetic.
- Battery-powered Pens: They run on AAA batteries and are often thicker. Also, keep some extra AAA batteries around so it doesn’t go off before you finish your work.
- Rechargeable Stylus pens: These types of stylus pens are slimmer compared to battery-powered pens. A fully charged rechargeable stylus lasts for at least 8 hours.
- Electro-Magnetic: As the name sounds, electro-magnetic pens are the newest type of stylus pens. These stylus pens don’t require recharging and they are less likely to get spoilt.
Can I find an Affordable Graphic Tablet?
Yes, you can find an affordable graphic tablet that would suit your budget. The truth is that some graphic tablet brands that are less expensive have the same features as those that are very costly.
Usually, the popular graphic tablet brands are very expensive. You can opt for graphic tablet brands that are less expensive. The only thing is to look out for graphic tablets that have the features outlined here.
Meanwhile, if you are a beginner with a low budget, start with a low-cost graphic tablet.
Where can I Buy a Good Graphic Tablet?
Back in the day, only top art companies could afford graphic tablets because they were very expensive. Now you can buy graphic tablets that are sold at affordable prices at several online stores.
Also, various brands have manufactured graphic tablets, hence the prices have gone down. Nevertheless, ensure that the online site where you want to purchase the graphic tablet is trusted and reliable.
Final Thought
The best graphic tablets need not be expensive. Just make sure that the graphic tablet has the features outlined here.
