If you are looking to purchase a drawing tablet to start drawing as a hobby or take your drawing to the next level one of your biggest concerns is probably whether or not the drawing tablet will be hard to use.
I have used many different drawing tablets and did a bit of research that I’ve written about here to help you.
Are drawing tablets hard or easy to use? Drawing tablets are not hard to use but are less intuitive than a pencil and paper. To clarify, drawing tablets with screens are easy to use. But drawing tablets without screens are hard to use at the start.
Other factors can affect just how difficult a given drawing tablet is to use but a screen is definitely the most important factor as I point out in my previous blog here comparing tablets with screens to those without.
In this blog, though I will take a step back to answer the question as to why drawing tablets, in general, are not hard to use.
Why Is It Hard for You to Draw Digitally?
Drawing tablets without screens, however, can be difficult to use. While you have the tablet surface to draw on, your drawing only appears on your monitor so that disconnect itself is what makes the tablet hard to use. It requires you to get past a steep learning curve of a hand-eye coordination skill you won’t have from the regular physical drawing of pen on paper.
Drawing tablets with a screen solve that problem immediately with a surface you draw on directly and can see the drawing real-time.
Drawing tablets with screens are then naturally easy to use. You have a pen and a surface to draw on. Most modern tablets come equipped with great technology to provide a smooth experience right out of the box with tutorials to get started.
On a drawing tablet with a screen, the biggest issue then becomes the lack of physicality that a pencil and surface bring to drawing.
The physical feeling of the pencil lead pushing into the surface, the surface giving where you push depending on the type of paper, the texture of the surface, etc.
Paper gives a little when you draw on it and the resistance of a physical surface gives your brain data for your hand and eyes to coordinate to be able to draw physically. Pressure is something you’ll need to be a little warier of using drawing tablets at first simply because of the change in the surface from paper to something harder that doesn’t give as much.
Differences Between Digital Drawing and Traditional Paper Drawing
If you’re used to drawing with a paper and pencil you might feel perfectly fine with a drawing tablet. You also might be surprised by some of the differences between drawing on paper and drawing tablets.
In the interest of saving you from frustration and confusion, I’ve compiled a few critical differences between drawing on paper and drawing tablets that you should be aware of before using a drawing tablet.
- The Drawing Surface: The surface of a screen is drastically different from paper as you can imagine. You can’t press the screen in with the stylus like a paper with a pencil or brush. It is harder and smoother with less texture resulting in less friction. Keep this in mind as you draw. Keep using pressure the same as you would on paper.
- The Pen: Pen, pencil, or stylus. As with the surface, the stylus differs from a pencil greatly, though current technology is allowing them to gain some similarity. The stylus of a drawing tablet almost always uses some type of synthetic plastic-based nib which causes less friction than the graphite in a pencil. Newer pens have different nibs you can use with more friction so you feel the “scratch” on paper like you would a real pencil. Most nibs even wear down and need to be replaced just like graphite in pencils is sharpened or the pencil itself replaced. This decreases the difference between the drawing tablet stylus and a pencil however it is definitely still there.
- Size Limitations: No Limits. While yes you are limited to your drawing tablet screen’s size you can actually make your canvas as big as you want and simply zoom into each section as you work on it.
- Digital Art Saves Time: Digital art by definition has many digital advantages with software like the ability to undo, instantly change colors, rotate, scale, position, vectorize, and so much more. All of these save time at least sometimes they just save a drawing period. Physical drawing mistakes are much harder to correct, for example, eraser marks, smudging, using the wrong color. Meanwhile a physical pen or brush and paper also simply can’t do any of those things instantly and all add additional time to your drawing.
- Convenience: A pencil and paper are required for drawing physically. A drawing tablet at this point in time can be your phone, regular tablet, or dedicated graphics tablet and are much easier to carry than a big sketchbook and pencil case or paint set and isle if you need all that to complete your drawings.
- Cost: Short term – a pencil and paper are definitely cheaper than a drawing tablet and always cheaper if all you do is sketch black and white drawings. Long term – a drawing tablet will win, especially if you color your drawings or draw with paint and brushes. I’ve had my tablets for about 7 and 9 years each and both perform just as well as they did at the start.
Drawing Tablets With Screens vs Without: Which is Easier to Use?
While drawing tablets without screens are enticing(#savethatmoney) As I already gave away, drawing tablets with screens are definitely the easier types of tablets to use. Having a screen makes it just as easy as drawing with a pencil on paper.
Drawing tablets with screens are simply a different pencil and paper. You can draw the same way and get the same results. You now get the benefit however that your drawings are digital.
You just need to adjust to the screen surface vs a paper surface and you are golden.
Drawing tablets without screens may cost less but for those you have to go through the difficult process of learning how to draw without constantly seeing what you’re drawing or your hands and the pen.
Granted this definitely can be done. Artists everywhere learn how to draw this way but even I myself was able to. It simply is an extra learning curve bump you have to get over before being able to draw the same way you would be able to on paper.
Determine what is important to you and your drawing experience before buying your drawing tablet.
Do you want to save money but spend time to learn how to draw on tablets without a screen?
Do you want to spend money but save time by using a drawing tablet with a screen?
If you don’t know much about drawing tablets or digital art and you still can’t decide what tablet is right for you, I’ve written an in-depth post to help you decide if you should get a drawing tablet with a screen or without one here.
How to Get Better at Using Drawing Tablets
Even if you’ve never drawn on a drawing tablet before, you probably know enough about drawing to draw on a tablet.
However, before you start producing any digital art masterpieces consistently with your drawing tablet, you’ll need to master a few digital art and drawing tablet habits that will make things easy for you in the future.
- Use shortcuts. If you take any tip away from this article, make it this one. Shortcuts will save you so much time using a drawing tablet. The great thing is this tip applies to both drawing tablets with screens or without. Now that you are making digital art this will be a huge benefit to you. The drawing tablets usually have 4 or more buttons, and the pens have a couple as well, some customizable as I mentioned. Map these to the tools you will use most. For me, these include Undo, Brush, Selection, Color Picker, etc.
- Stay comfortable. If you will be spending hours drawing on a drawing tablet just like you would on a paper find a position you are comfortable in. You will work more efficiently and without any aches or pain. Take breaks as needed as the strain on your eyes, hands, and arms is perfectly normal if drawing for long periods of time.
- Customize your drawing tablet and pen settings. In keeping with the last two tips make sure to customize your drawing tablet and pen to your workflow. Most drawing tablets come with their own software where you can customize sensitivity, tilt, and all the shortcuts we mentioned above.
- Choose the right tablet, pen, and accessories. While this isn’t a tip directly on using the drawing tablet, picking the right one will enable you to use it as best as you can or similarly to your traditional paper pen setup if that is something you seek. Some people use their tablets on a stand or monitor arm. Others enjoy thinner pens with different pen nibs. Some artists even buy screen protectors or overlay sheets that are textured and lay on top of the tablet to increase the friction you feel while drawing.
My site contains other articles about using drawing tablets with more tips to help you. I won’t go into full detail since you can read all about them here as you would like. But I will summarize the relevant points here we haven’t hit yet. These are great to keep in mind as you use any drawing tablet.
As with any skill, you can always learn more about drawing on a tablet, so keep practicing. There will always be something you can train.
Don’t compare it to your physical drawings at first. A drawing tablet is a new tool just like a paintbrush and canvas. You simply have to take the time to learn a new medium but all your time and experience from traditional paper and pen drawing will definitely transfer overtime and improve just the same!
Try different drawing tablets, you don’t have to settle for one. Just like your pencils, pens, paper, etc. find the one that works for you and your workflow.
Finally, enjoy yourself. You’re making digital art, take advantage of the benefits of the digital space. Drawing tablets are the same as a pencil and paper just tools to create art. Just start drawing and after a couple of weeks drawing consistently you’ll be accustomed and improving.
