A couple of decades ago, artists who want to draw or paint will have to resort to the purchase and use of traditional materials like sketch pads, board, pencils, crayons and the like. However, with the constant advancement of technology more and more artists and graphic designers moved on to adopt the technology offered by mouse and desktops for completing their tasks.
As you may already know, desktops and mobile devices are not perfect for drawing as you will often find flaws with your projects. In addition, you will need to put more efforts into creating a perfect image with your mouse and desktop. The invention of drawing tablets is aimed at making things easy for artists and graphic designers as well as to help these individuals create a perfect image without any flaws.
What is Drawing Tablet
Image – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Graphic_tablet.svg
A drawing tablet, also known as a digitizer, drawing pad, graphics tablet, pen tablet, digital artboard or digital drawing tablet, is a computerized input device specially designed to cater to the needs of artists and graphic designers. The device allows users to draw images, graphics, animations, and the likes with a stylus that looks like a pen.
This provides users with a means of achieving a perfect result while also giving them a look and feel that is similar to using the traditional pen and drawing board. Withdrawing tablets, you don’t have to give up the way you draw, you just have to upgrade it to a whole new level. Drawing tablets are easy to use thus making it ideal for both beginner and professional artists.
How to Use a Drawing Tablet
Drawing tablets looks like your conventional tablet with a flat LCD display. Though are some models of graphics tablets that ships with only a flat surface without an LCD display. These models require you to connect the tablet with a desktop monitor so you can view the progress of your work. To use drawing tablets with a display screen and those without one, you will need to trace or draw an image using the stylus pen that ships with the device.
You will find that the image is displayed either on your desktop monitor or the LCD display. The accuracy of the drawing is restricted to the nib size of the pen. But unlike traditional touch screens, this one has more precision that allows it to detect the slighted of movement. The best drawing tablet are available in different sizes and design hence the best one for you will be dependant on your needs and preferences. Most models of the device support Bluetooth and USB connectivity to make it easy for you to pair it to other devices.
Types of Drawing Tablet
Image – https://pixabay.com/photos/drawing-tablet-pen-device-signs-2127397/
There are different types of drawing tablets. This section will furnish you with a detailed highlight of some of the most popular ones. Scroll down for details.
Capacitive Drawing Tablets
This is one of the most popular types of drawing tablet among artists and graphic designers. The devices feature a high-performance mechanism that allows them to use the electrostatic signal to help you create a beautiful picture. This invariably means the devices will easily detect the position and movement of your pen over its surface. You will find that a few models will even detect when you hover your pen on the drawing tablet’s display. The capacitive drawing tablets are somewhat expensive compared to other types of the device.
Active Drawing Tablets
An active drawing tablet is another high-performance variant of the device. This type of devices ships with a stylus pen that features self-powered electronics for high performance. This electronics function by generating and transmitting a signal to your drawing tablet thereby allowing for an interaction between the two.
If you decide to go for an active drawing tablet, you will find that the stylus works with the aid of an internal battery instead of relying on the technology incorporated in the tablet. This feature will go a long way to enhance the function of both the pen and the tablet since they don’t rely on each other to work well.
Passive Drawing Tablets
Passive drawing tablet provides artist and graphic designer with an amazing way to create the image they have in mind with the help of electromagnetic induction technology. With this type of drawing tablets, both the vertical and horizontal operate as receiving and transmitting coils. The stylus pen that ships with the device feature an LC circuit which functions to receive an electromagnetic signal from the tablet.
The moment this process is complete, the wires in the tablet changes automatically to a receiving mode in order to translate and understand the signal received from the stylus pen. Since the tablets use electromagnetic signals, it can easily sense the position and movement of the pen even without placing it on the device.
Acoustic and Optical Drawing Tablets
Acoustic drawing tablet also known as spark tablet is a device designed for drawing. It features two microphones close to the surface of the device. The microphones exist to pick signals made by a sound generator technology integrated into the tip of the stylus pen that ships with the device. This technology helps the devices to detect the position and movement of your pen.
Optical drawing tablets, on the other hand, is designed in a way that allows the device to produce an image created by a stylus pen paired with a small digital camera. Both the optical and acoustic drawing tablets are not as popular as other types.
Benefits of Drawing Tablets
Image – https://pxhere.com/en/photo/1393443
Drawing tablets have a high precision thanks to their stylus-based interface. This allows the device to detect, tilts, pressure, and the likes no matter how small thereby allowing for interaction between your pen and the device. Unlike using a desktop monitor and mouse, drawing tablets will allow you to create a more accurate image with a high quality that looks as natural as possible including two-dimensional graphics. The device allows you to set the color, brush shape, size, and opacity to suit your needs.
Unlike a sketch pad and drawing materials, you can carry the device anywhere and everywhere. You will find that some recent models of drawing tablets are even battery-free which allows you to use the device for as long as you want. Since it does not require you to type in anything, the device can be easily used by different categories of individuals including kids, the elderly and individuals who are not computer literate. The device is lightweight and affordable hence can be held all day long.
Final Thoughts
Drawing tablets provide you with a natural way to put down images or graphics without any hassles. Aside from drawing, the device can be used to capture data and handwritten signatures. Also, you can use a drawing table to trace and capture an already completed image or graphic by sticking it to the display of the device. We hope this post has provided you with all you need to make the right choice.
Featured Image – https://www.maxpixel.net/Technology-Computer-Graphics-Tablet-Digital-Drawing-3256600
The post How To Choose the Best Drawing Tablet for You appeared first on HC-Barys.