A few years ago, I asked myself these questions:
- Are drawing tablets really worth it?
- Do I need a tablet?
- What if I’m just wasting my money by getting a tablet?
To be honest, I did not fully realize the potential of drawing tablets. People around me were all using drawing tablets, but I was fine just drawing with my pencil, scanning my work, and editing it with my computer.
Then one day I saw a digital artwork made by a friend. It was of a beautiful yellow mermaid playing in the ocean. It looked so realistic. I couldn’t make something like that with my mouse.
With the mad urge to find out how she did it, I asked her and she simply said: “Oh, I just used the drawing tablet my dad got me. It’s pretty neat.”
It was this sentence that got me on my tablet journey. I did a little research on these drawing tablets and eventually bought my tablet two months after. And trust me, I don’t regret it.
So, based on my experience, I’m going to show you why investing in a tablet might be one of the best choices you ever make.
Below I have listed 7 reasons why drawing tablets are worth it
Let’s go!
#1 Anyone Can Use It
I will repeat, anyone can use it. A drawing tablet is definitely NOT only for ‘pro’ artists or designers.
It’s easy and seems natural to use because of its similarity to pen and paper. Regular tablets without a screen do have a learning curve to them because you have to look at your computer screen and not the tablet while drawing, but you can learn this in a month or less.
Combined with the right drawing software, you have an impressive array of digital tools and unlimited drawing space for you to master your drawing skills.
If you are determined to learn how to become good at drawing, the tablet can be a great way to learn it!
#2 Use It For Many Different Things
There are many things you use a drawing tablet for like drawing, painting, animating, photo editing, 3D sculpting, note-taking, fashion designing, graphic designing, and the list goes on and on.
I actually have a separate article that lists 7 things you can use a drawing tablet for.
#3 Spend Less On supplies
A lot of art mediums require you to refill your art supplies. You get another sketchbook or another set of pens or another watercolor set et.c
The cool thing about digital art is that you don’t have to worry about renewing art supplies. All you need is a tablet and a computer with drawing software.
With a tablet, the only thing I ever renew is the pen nib. No more worrying about inks or brushes or pens or paper because you never run out!
#4 Pressure Sensitivity
If you’ve ever used a brush pen, you know that if you press down hard, you get thicker strokes and if you apply less pressure, you get lighter strokes.
This similar principle can be seen in the drawing tablets and it’s called pressure sensitivity. This way you can make very precise fine details or huge planned strokes.
You have more control over your drawings because you can adjust the width of your lines.
#5 Durability
Drawing tablets can last a very long time!
I own a Wacom Intuos tablet that I’ve been using for 5 years. Some people have used their tablets for 10 or years or even longer without any issue.
I have dropped my Wacom 100 times, while it definitely has some scratch marks it still works well.
You also don’t have to worry about battery charging or anything like that. Just plug it into your computer and you’re good to go!
But a piece of advice, don’t get your drawing tablet wet 😉
#6 Productivity
I had two issues with using a mouse to work digitally,
- It took a long time to get things done.
- I got serious wrist pain.
With a tablet, you can draw or edit quicker with just a stroke of your stylus. You don’t have to do the whole “click-drag-release thing” all the time.
And if you’re like me you can also take a break from the constant wrist pain and work better!
If you’re used to a mouse, no problem. I’m not against the mouse, I still use it often, but the tablet has made me more productive.
Speaking of being more productive, most tablets come with shortcut keys or buttons that make your work experience worthwhile.
Some tablets are portable like the Wacom Intuos. You can carry it around, even during travels. That way, no matter where you are, you can still be active on the go.
#7 It Doesn’t Have To Be Expensive
There are many pricy drawing tablets, and I understand why this can be a major turn-off.
Luckily, there are also many relatively cheap drawing tablets for under 100 dollars.
So if you are looking for a budget tablet, I would advise you to check out that list.
If you have some more money to spend, I personally think that 300 dollars or less will get you a great drawing tablet.
But Wait, What Is A Drawing Tablet?
In case you didn’t know, a drawing tablet is a device that allows you to digitally capture your drawings or other art. Similar to pen and paper, you use a pen-like stylus and draw on the tablet.
There are two popular kinds of drawing tablets:
A tablet with a screen/display shows what you draw directly on its screen, while the one without a screen requires you to look on your computer. However, both types of drawing tablets need to be plugged into a computer typically via a USB cord or Bluetooth. The so-called stand-alone tablets which are essentially the third kind of drawing tablet do not require a computer, but these come at a much higher price.
You can learn more about the pros and cons of drawing tablets with or without a screen here.
Conclusion
The tablet is there to help you do your thing and make life easier for you but it’s not going to make you a pro artist or designer. That’s on you!
It’s just a tool and not a magician. And what you create is your genius with a tool as your assistant. So keep creating!
