doing life drawing with an apple pro tablet vs traditional sketchbook

#1

I’m considering ditching the sketchbooks and replacing my pencils and markers with a portable tablet. Is this counter productive to life drawing? Is discontinuing my learning in traditional medium harming my digital drawings?

#2

Not at all. Regardless of what medium you use, it’s the same set of eye-to-hand coordination that’s needed, and whatever skill you build with a chosen medium can be transferred to another medium relatively easy. Also, the foundation of visual art is the same for all visual artists regardless of medium.

#3

Agreed. Although a tablet and stylus for me took some getting use too, in terms of their ‘mechanical’ functionality. Basically un-tactile implementation which initially lacked a certain spontaneity. However once I’d, as with everything practised a bit over a period of time, in due course grew in confidence until now I don’t bat an eyelid whether the tools are digital or analogue. Either drawing from life, nude models or land/cityscapes via the surrounding environment, so really both methodologies in my personal opinion actually kind of complement each other.

Cheers.

#4

Thnx I wanted to avoid any future risk. I find my room much more cleaner without all the scrap paper everywhere. it’s a relief to draw on this thing. I can draw the same thing a thousand times over until I get it right and not have to worry about going to the store to buy more supply. Best investment.

#5

A little offtopic? I have a wacom bamboo for years, haven’t replaced it, but I don’t draw as good with it as I do with a pencil and paper. I reckon it is very mechanic and sometimes the lines are not fluid and natural, they get some streaks, do you notice something like that on your apple tablet?

#6

Hello,

I still use Intuos 3 throughout these past few years (still haven’t replaced it because it still gets the job done for me or perhaps because it still hasn’t conked out yet) but I still use pencil and paper whenever I have to draw, especially making comics.

I still find it a little bit difficult to sketch something out using a pen tablet except when putting colors into my lineart. I think if you were to use a pen tablet and move it like dabbing it a bit on the surface of the tablet, that’s really not hard to do and you instantly learn how to use the pen tablet that way and it works really well. I guess Apple Ipad Pro or other pen tablets out there also works like that.

Cheers,
Arvin

#7

I guess this answer is a little bit late, but im still just in love with my ipad pro and apple. It is the only art tools I usually bring when traveling and it is such a nice tool!
Besides, people tend to be less likely to go up to you and hover if you work on a tablet :slight_smile: