Modern artists often prefer to draw with tablets. This method has many advantages over analog. It is much easier to correct the drawing, you do not need to suffer with digitizing the picture; for a graphic sketch and for a picturesque complex landscape, you need the same tool.

Professional artists will, of course, choose a good, expensive graphic tablet that connects to a computer or a powerful 24-inch do-it-yourself device. But if you want to draw for yourself, have fewer gadgets, or just try, then you can get by with a regular tablet computer.

Can I draw on a regular tablet

Any tablet computer is suitable for drawing on it. Of course, complex work will be difficult to make, but for diagrams and sketches of the tablet will be enough "headlong". It is also very convenient to draw quick sketches and sketches. An idea came to mind - immediately grab the tablet and draw. And it doesn't matter where you are: at the workplace, at home, in a cafe or in a park. The tablet device is convenient and always at hand.

AnjelikaGr /

All you need to draw is software and a stylus.

For a graphics tablet, you need Photoshop or another graphics editor and you just install the necessary program on your computer.

Several video tutorials will help you get comfortable with drawing. With an ordinary tablet computer, everything is much more interesting.

How to draw on a tablet: programs and applications

For any tablet, you will have to download applications. They can be very conditionally divided into two categories.

• The first category is simple sketch programs with a limited set of brushes and, as a rule, one layer. They are inexpensive or free.
• The second group includes, as it were, simplified and limited versions of Photoshop. There are also adjustments for the pressure and opacity of the brush and layers.

Happy owners of a graphics tablet often ask the same question: "how to draw on a graphics tablet?" This article will tell you about the basic principles and show you how to do it with an example.

Let's consider an illustrative example of drawing on a graphics tablet.

Let's try to draw this cute cat.

1. First, you need to create a new document with a size of 600 x 800 pixels (at least). This is necessary for high-quality drawing of individual kitten hairs.

In Photoshop, open this picture, and click on it 2 times. This is necessary to create a layer that you can edit.

Use the Move tool and drag this cat onto a new document (you need to be able to edit it). After that, you make the transparency 50%.

2. Create a new layer (you can call it "Path"), and with the help of the "Brush" tool (set the opacity to 20%) outline the outline of this kitten, which will remain in this layer.

3. Create a new layer (you can call it "Base"), and place it slightly lower than the "Path" layer. This is necessary for the correct positioning of the layers.

4. Remove the picture. This can be done by clicking on the "Eye" next to the main photo. And choose the main color of the cat.

5. Using the "Soft Brush" tool (set the opacity to 20-30%), in accordance with the original photo, paint light places

6. Carry out the process in the same way with a dark soft brush.

7. Using the Smudge tool, a special shape can be downloaded here: http://globator.net/uploads/brushes/tritochki.abr, with an intensity of 60 to 70%, apply the villi. Before that, it is necessary to fill the background (in order to better see the villi).

8. Now work with the Brush tool. To do this, select "Shape Dynamics", and set "Scattering"

9.Using the brush tool, with an opacity of 8-10%, in the places where it is necessary to apply a shadow, adjust the shadow, and white places

10. Create a layer "Wool". Using a thin brush (about 1 pc, and 20-30% opacity), paint the hairs (white and black, just change their color). After this process, for an elegant look, do the development (Filter - Blur - Gaussian Blur (Filter - Blur - Gaussian Blur)). For blur, choose a radius of 0.5 px.

11. Now you need to take care of your eyes. To do this, you increase the scale to 200 - 300%. You choose a brush and its color. You sketch in the pupils and the iris.

12. It is necessary to draw a better quality iris. To do this, create a new layer, which must be placed under the layer with the pupils. Choose a 1px brush and set its opacity to 35 to 40%, and add diffusion.

As a result, it should look something like this:

1. It is necessary to create a sparkle in the eyes. For convenience, it's best to merge the ripple, pupil, and foreground color layers. This can be done by pressing CTRL, mark the necessary layers, and press Ctrl + E. After that, take a soft brush, with an opacity of 40 to 50%, and paint the highlights.

   Then you use Dodge (O), with Range - Midtones and Exposure 100%.

2. For more expressive eyes, it is advisable to create another layer. This is necessary for the convenience of correction, if applied incorrectly. After that, select a black brush with 50% opacity and draw the outline of the eyes. As a result, you should get:

15. Draw the rest of the face. Contours of the nose, mouth, which should have a low opacity. You also need to select the Burn tool, and add dark corners above the mouth and nose.

16. You create an irreplaceable thing for any cat - a mustache. This is done with a 1px brush, with an opacity of about 100%, and set the following settings:

17. After all the work done, you will get the following result:

As you can see, this is a simple process that almost everyone can carry out. Naturally you can, but I think it’s much nicer when you put on the screensaver that you created with your own hands.

You can also watch a helpful video:

A graphics tablet (or digitizer) is a plane on which you can draw with an electronic pen. Pen movements are repeated on the computer screen in the form of lines and the result is a drawing. This is how most tablets work. But there are especially expensive models for professional work that combine the functions of a digitizer and a display at the same time. Such devices create the feeling of drawing on paper.

Any graphic tablet duplicates the functions of a mouse. Touching the tablet with the stylus is equivalent to clicking the left mouse button. The button on the pen handle can bring up a context menu, just like the right mouse button. It should be noted that many models allow you to set various functions for the above button at the discretion of the user. You can also reset the assignment for the buttons on the tablet itself. For example, zoom in-out, scroll up and down, etc.

Now a few words about work. The main advantage of graphic tablets is that they simulate drawing on paper. An artist, holding an electronic pen instead of a mouse, can draw freely without any inconvenience. For example, it is very difficult or even impossible to draw a straight line, oval or contour of an object with a regular mouse. But working with a pen, you can masterfully draw lines of any complexity. But don't flatter yourself. If a person does not have drawing skills, then a graphics tablet will not be able to give them. You need experience with a regular pencil. A tablet just makes the work much more convenient, because the artist holds in his hands a tool that looks like a brush or pencil.

Simulating a pencil, the pen of a graphics tablet is able to respond to pressure. The harder you press on it, the wider the line. But not all tablets have this feature. In addition, to a large extent, the capabilities of the pen depend on the graphics editor. For example, if you work in Photoshop, then this is one thing, but if in simple Paint from Windows XP, then it is completely different. Therefore, when you buy a tablet and find that it did not meet your expectations, do not rush to be disappointed. First, select the appropriate graphics editor, configure the tablet driver, and only then you can draw objective conclusions about the quality of the graphics tablet. The ability to feel the force of pressing the stylus is an important property. The beauty of the line depends on it. After all, it can be "wire" or drawing, or it can be lively, picturesque, changing its character, etc. Sometimes you need to make graphics that imitate pen and ink. And, here, the pressure sensitivity will come in handy. It is also very important when doing computer painting. In this case, the graphics editor provides an abundance of different brushes capable of simulating paint strokes, calligraphic lines, blurry lines, rough, textured lines, etc. brushes. The work will be more picturesque.

The pen of a graphics tablet is comfortable to hold and resembles working with a pencil. But no matter how digitizer manufacturers try to make their product as similar as possible to paper and pencil, plastic is still plastic. Therefore, the tip of the electronic pen is made different. For example, made of felt, elastic plastic, hard plastic ... Or the plastic tip is attached to a spring. All this contributes to comfortable work, as close as possible to ordinary drawing with a pencil, felt-tip pen or even a brush.

But in order to better mimic the described artist's tools, a graphics tablet must have good characteristics. What should you look for when choosing or buying this device? For the following parameters:

• permission
• the size
• working pen height
• accuracy
• sensitivity
• speed

The resolution of your graphics tablet affects the accuracy of your movements, so the higher the resolution, the better. The size of the tablet affects how you will work - with the whole arm from the elbow, or just with the hand. Sometimes a small tablet can be even more convenient than a large one - it all depends on the tasks. Pen working height is the distance from the tablet surface to the tip of the pen at which the tablet “feels” the pen. That is, when you move the pen over the surface at a distance of, say, 3 mm, the cursor on the screen also moves, if you hold it higher, the pen stops working. If you touch the tablet and, without lifting it, move with your hand, then the cursor starts drawing. And if you point at the virtual buttons of the screen, and touch the tablet, then there is a "click" on them. As you can see, these characteristics are important in the work. Therefore, they must be taken into account when choosing the right tablet.

Below are examples of graphic tablets from Wacom. This manufacturer makes quality devices suitable for professional work. The list includes both inexpensive models and models at a very high price for professional designers and artists.

Graphics Tablet WACOM Cintiq 13HD (DTK-1300-4)

The approximate cost for October 2016 is 70,000 rubles.

Resolution: 5080 dpi
Dimensions of the active area: 299x171 mm.
Pen working height: 5 mm.
Accuracy: 0.5mm.
Tilt angle: 60 °
Nibs for the pen: flexible, standard, felt, spring.

In addition to touch input via a pen, this model is distinguished by the presence of an LCD display on which the drawing is directly displayed. Here are the characteristics of this display:

Resolution: 1920 x 1080 Pix
Diagonal: 13 inches
Grain size: 0.15mm
Color depth: 24 bit
Brightness: 250 cd / m²
Contrast: 700: 01: 00
Response: 25ms
Vertical viewing angle: 89 °
Horizontal viewing angle: 89 °

Graphic tablet WACOM Intous Pro L

The approximate cost for October 2016 is 39,000 rubles.

Resolution: 5080 dpi
Dimensions of the active area: 299x190 mm.
Pen working height: 10 mm.
Accuracy: 0.5mm.
Pressure sensitivity: 2048 levels
Speed: 200 dps
Tilt angle: 60 °
Pen nibs: Brush nib, felt tip nib, flexible and rigid nibs.

Graphic tablet WACOM BAMBOO PEN

Dimensions of the active area: 152x95 mm.
Pen working height: 16 mm.

Graphic Tablet WACOM One Small Size CTL-471

The approximate cost for October 2016 is 4000r.

Resolution: 2540 dpi

Pen working height: 7 mm.
Accuracy: 0.25mm.
Pressure Sensitivity: 1024 Levels

WACOM Intuos Draw Pen S Graphics Tablet (CTL-490DW-N)

The approximate cost for October 2016 is 5300 rubles.

Resolution: 2540 dpi
Dimensions of the active area: 152x95 mm.
Pen working height: 3 mm.
Accuracy: 0.25mm.
Pressure Sensitivity: 1024 Levels
Speed: 133 dps

I hope that this description of the peculiarities of working with graphic tablets will help those who are going to acquire these devices and do computer graphics. For those who draw with a computer pen for the first time, this method may seem unusual. But with practice, you will find that this device provides a lot of advantages in work, freedom of movement, and a truly creative process of drawing on the computer.

A graphics tablet is a powerful creative tool. It is suitable for experienced artists who want to move from using traditional materials to creating artwork on a computer, as well as those who are just about to learn how to draw. The obvious advantages of digital works are safety, as well as the absence of constant spending on expensive art tools, constantly consumed materials. For a beginner, however, drawing on a tablet may not be so easy at first.

The process of working with the device

Any model comes with a USB cable, which is required in order to connect it to a computer. In addition, other accessories may be included.

Types of graphic tablets

There are two types most often used by artists:

• desktop tablet
• interactive pen display

Let's consider the advantages and disadvantages of both options.

Desktop Graphics Tablet

The tabletop device is a plastic frame with a working area around which additional elements (for example, buttons or a light indicator) can be placed. The size of the work area varies, but it usually matches the standard size of the sheet of paper. The most common are A4 and A5, which can be conveniently placed on the desktop in front of the keyboard. However, sometimes there are models of A3 and A6 sizes. The set comes with a stylus, which, in turn, is equipped with one or more buttons, as well as an "eraser" on the top.

Desktop type. The picture is displayed on the computer screen

This option is suitable for beginners - those who just want to learn how to draw on a graphics tablet. It is inexpensive and also comes in many models that vary in size and feature set. However, styluses suitable for these models have a built-in nib that will wear off over time. Usually, a set of spare tips is included with the stylus, but if you use the device for a very long time, you may have to buy additional leads separately.

Interactive pen display

This type is visually similar to a screen with a stylus. Pen displays are connected to the computer, displaying everything that happens on the monitor screen. They usually come with a stylus and stand. By connecting such a tablet, the artist can draw directly on his screen.

Interactive pen display from Wacom. The image is brought to the surface directly.

These devices are suitable for creating high-quality detailed work, but their cost is much higher, so you need to be careful when choosing this option. In addition, they are often quite cumbersome, so before buying, make sure that there is enough space on your desktop in order to mark the new purchase and work on it with ease.

Important: when choosing a graphics tablet, you should not be guided by the price or popularity of the model, but by the level of development of your artistic skill and your needs.

Drawing programs

Anyone who wants to learn how to draw on a graphics tablet needs high-quality, user-friendly software.

The most popular choice is classic Adobe Photoshop. The program has many versions for operating systems, and you can find drawing tutorials on the net. However, this option is suitable only for those who have a sufficiently powerful computer - even the light version of the program consumes a lot of resources, heavily loading the device. Photoshop is useful for those who want to use professional image processing tools in their work.

Loading screen and interface of Adobe Photoshop CS6

Another popular program among digital artists is Easy Paint Tool SAI (and its augmented newer version SAI 2). Unlike Photoshop, AIS is extremely easy to understand and opens in a few seconds. Many artists prefer it for quick sketching. It will also appeal to those whose style is minimalistic and does not require complex tools.

Both programs can work with a raster or vector image, support the function of pressing the stylus, and also have the ability to customize the brushes in detail, which will be useful when drawing. It is worth taking care of finding a suitable program, as well as setting it up immediately after purchasing a new device - this will help you quickly get used to it and start being creative.

If none of these programs are convenient for you, do not despair, because there are many other image editors - for example, designed for specific work like creating comics.

Helpful hint: when drawing in any of the programs, it will be useful to learn its hotkeys or even set your own. You can also assign specific functions to buttons on the stylus and on the tablet.

Graphics Tablet Settings

In order to make your work more productive, it is worth setting up your device before starting drawing. Most tablets - for example, products from the well-known company Wacom - come with a driver disc, along with instructions for installing them. In case these things were not found in the box, both can be found and downloaded online.

The interface of the Wacom Desktop Center program, through which Wacom products are configured

One of the important steps in preparing to draw on a graphics tablet is adapting the device based on which hand you are drawing with. When installing drivers for the device, the program will prompt you to choose whether you are right-handed or left-handed, but it is better to prepare a workplace in advance in order to place the device on it.

Accessories

A graphics tablet can be used as standard, but additional accessories can be purchased:

• The tablet glove is a version of the regular glove made of thin gliding material, but only covers two fingers - the pinky and ring fingers. It prevents hand skin contact with the work surface. This keeps the screen or work surface clean while you work. Many artists prefer to purchase specialized gloves and use them during their work. However, there are those who make gloves on their own.
• The stylus for the tablet is always supplied in the box along with the device itself and has different looks and configurations depending on the model. But some styluses are standalone devices.

Styluses supported by Autodesk SketchBook. Image taken from the official site.

Many popular art programs for mobile devices (for example, Autodesk SketchBook, Tayasui Sketches) support the use of a pen from Wacom and others. This feature will be especially useful for those who already have a regular tablet - by combining it with a stylus, anyone who draws can get their own analogue of an interactive pen display.

Consists of a "canvas" - a touch surface and a "pen" - a stylus. This device allows the artist to simulate drawing on paper. The picture drawn with the stylus on the surface of the tablet is displayed immediately on the computer. More expensive copies seem to allow you to see the image immediately on the tablet itself. But this gadget is not so simple. Using it is not at all the same as drawing on paper. How to learn to draw with numbers - described in the article.

How to Learn to Draw on a Graphics Tablet: Basic Tips

To depict landscapes, portraits, anime, comics, and whatever, on a digitizer (for example) is much faster and more convenient than on plain paper or using a mouse on a computer. Especially in the first case, speed helps out, especially if the gadget is used for work.

How do I start painting with a graphics tablet? Here are 3 top tips:

1. Learn to draw traditionally first. If you do not know how to draw pictures on paper, then even a "fancy" gadget will not help you draw beautifully. The more skillfully the images are obtained on paper, the easier it will be on digital.
2. Exercise regularly. You can watch various training videos on the net on how to draw correctly on a graphics tablet. The most difficult thing is to get used to the fact that the drawing is applied with strokes, and not by dragging your hand over the surface of the device. To begin with, it is worth practicing on the image of simple shapes (triangle, square, etc.), hatching them, writing the alphabet, then you can print the pictures on paper, put it on a tablet and draw outlines. The hand should get used to the pressure on the stylus pen.
3. Choose the drawing program you like. A convenient and understandable program is one of the main elements of drawing. For complex graphic designs, Adobe Photoshop is ideal. But you can use lighter and simpler software: GIMP, Paint Tool SAI or another utility. The program should be tested for convenience first on a computer, click the interface with the mouse to find out all the capabilities of the software.

Don't jump straight to complex technology and learn how to draw anime or comics on a graphics tablet. All this takes skill and practice. Here you need to follow the principle "from simple to complex".

How to set up your tablet for drawing on your computer

It is unlikely that beginners will be able to connect a new device and immediately start drawing on it: first, they will need to customize it for themselves. Where to start drawing on a graphics tablet (such as)? It is clear what to connect the gadget to a computer, laptop. This is done using the standard USB cable supplied. What to do next - we will consider in detail the points.

Step-by-step instruction

So, the configuration steps:

Installing Drivers	You can install the drivers using the included disk. If it was not there, you need to go to the official website of the manufacturer and download the necessary software (section "Support" - "Drivers"), run the installer and, following simple instructions, install the drivers.
For further settings, you need to run the corresponding program on the computer. For graphics, this is Wacom Tablet (on a computer: Menu - Start - Programs).
Orientation setting	By default, the settings are right-handed, but you can change the orientation of the digitizer control for left-handed users.
Pen customization	In this section, you can change the eraser pressure and pen sensitivity by moving the slider from “soft” to “hard”. Here you can also change the mode of operation from mouse to pen, if it was not set by default.
Touch setting	In this tab, you can adjust the settings of the touch surface: its sensitivity to touch, scrolling speed and pointer (slower / faster).
Sensory functions	This item contains settings for interaction when touching the surface. For example, one finger is dragging; three fingers - swipe right / left.

The settings should be adapted to suit your preferences, changing the indicators until they become as convenient as possible for work.

Common mistakes when drawing

Drawing through a graphic tablet like a model is quite unusual and difficult at first. Beginners can choose, for example, the wrong canvas size or use the wrong brushes. In order not to make common mistakes, it is worth studying the following sections of the article.

Wrong canvas size

There may be 2 problems here:

1. Too small sheet... An aspiring artist usually uses a sheet size to match the resolution of his screen. This is fundamentally wrong. It is impossible to know exactly on which display other users will later watch the created image. Therefore, you should not "save" on the resolution, the higher it is - the more pixels in the picture and the better the final resolution will be.
2. A very large leaf. For maximum resolution, you will need a powerful PC, which will have an equally powerful program for processing pictures. It should also be remembered that high resolution is best for detailed pictures. Drawings on a graphics tablet (for example, on) are not always needed just like that.

Is there a solution to these problems? Before saving the picture, you need to resize it. There is no ideal resolution setting that will suit absolutely everyone. But there is a general rule: the more detailed the result, the less chances it will be fuzzy and blurry at maximum resolution. But if, according to the idea, the picture is a little sketchy, then it is better to use a small resolution.

Avoiding Strong Contrast

It happens that the perception of shades is impaired due to the quality of the display itself. So how do you get the contrast you want to look the same on all screens? Photoshop has a dedicated Levels tool that shows you how much of each tone is used in the picture. You can change the levels by moving the sliders.

The level of contrast depends, of course, on the picture itself, but if there are no dark and light zones in the image at all, the picture will not look very good.

Before drawing, you need to plan the lighting on the sphere:

• draw a circle and shade it with a dark shade (not black);
• add a medium tone, then the lightest (not white);
• add 1-2 semitones;
• add a small amount of black and white;
• then connect everything and smooth out the transitions.

You can use this blank to shade other objects. You also need to act on the rest of the pictures: the darkest tone, semitone, the lightest, semitone, white and black tones.

Too many complex brushes and large strokes

Professional artists perform most of the work with simple strokes, only occasionally using complex ones. When drawing on a digitizer, it seems that the selection of brushes is greatly simplified: there are brushes, for example, for creating fur or a brush. There is no need to practice drawing, there is already a ready-made solution.

Brushes for various designs are convenient. The problem arises if you use them as core skills. That is, do not look for ways to draw fur beautifully and accurately, but just take the right brush and paint. If this becomes a habit, then the user will stop learning altogether. For a start, you should use simple brushes, hone your drawing skills - and only then move on to complex ones.

Another problem with brushes is the use of very large strokes. When the picture is almost complete, there is a desire to get the finished result as soon as possible. And this is where the user resorts to big strokes. But it's not right. Large strokes should only be used at first to sketch out the shape, add colors, etc. Draw the details and finish the sketch with a small brush. This will help create very realistic and accurate pictures.

Lots of color

Novice artists can paint in shades that don't match at all, such as mixing blue and green. The variety of shades in programs installed on a graphics tablet (for example) is a huge field for creativity. The problem is that users need to understand where all these tones come from.

If you need to make the shade brighter, you need to increase the percentage of brightness or lower the same tone indicator. The red color becomes warm or cold, depending on the shade that is located next to it.

Novice artists who don't know this just fill the picture with a random set of tones, without thinking about their combination. It is imperative to deal with the issues of shading, lighting and mixing tones, this is the only way to get a good drawing.

2D textures for 3D shapes

If the work has to be three-dimensional, it cannot be beautifully and efficiently covered with a 2D texture. It is necessary to change its shape in accordance with the object on which it will be applied.

There are 3 tools in Photoshop for this:

• Free transform in deformation mode;
• Filter - Plastic;
• Editing - Puppet Warp.

Texture - the roughness of the surface: if the surface is uneven, then the light falling on it creates many shadows. This is the texture. It is worth reducing or even completely removing the texture in the dark areas of the object. It is not enough to impose a texture - you still need to correctly process it in the picture.