Best artist tablet for teenager to start on
Discussion
Our girl soon turns 13. She’s really into her art and has been hinting at a tablet to draw on
At first we were looking at an iPad with a pen as it covers all the bases for more than just art but it isn’t it’s primary task and is prohibitively expensive
As I have a license for photoshop and a spare PC we’ve started looking at a dedicated tablet such as Wacom or Xp pen
This is where it’s getting difficult
Our budget is 500 max
The xp pen seems to be a cheaper version of Wacom but we don’t need all the expensive features of the latter
Most important is accuracy and feel, 4K is not a priority but would be nice
Trouble is both makes have a few devices in budget but you get more with xp pen but Wacom seem to trade on their better quality (and higher price)
So pointers would be really welcome
At first we were looking at an iPad with a pen as it covers all the bases for more than just art but it isn’t it’s primary task and is prohibitively expensive
As I have a license for photoshop and a spare PC we’ve started looking at a dedicated tablet such as Wacom or Xp pen
This is where it’s getting difficult
Our budget is 500 max
The xp pen seems to be a cheaper version of Wacom but we don’t need all the expensive features of the latter
Most important is accuracy and feel, 4K is not a priority but would be nice
Trouble is both makes have a few devices in budget but you get more with xp pen but Wacom seem to trade on their better quality (and higher price)
So pointers would be really welcome
These are good, plenty of budget left over for a decent monitor
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wacom-K100910-Intuos-Medi...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wacom-K100910-Intuos-Medi...
George Smiley said:
Thing is I think she wants to get one she can directly see what’s being drawn
I went down that road after experimenting with the type linked above. Problem is the cheap ones are s
t,sent one back, got a better one, still not good enough, ended up with a 27" QHD Wacom. get a small Wacom if cost is a significant consideration.https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wacom-Cintiq-Full-Display...
Just get an intuos for your PC. It will just work brilliantly at just being a digital drawing device.
All the screens and stuff look fancy but wont make her any better and are just more to go wrong.
Unless you are in a high end trendy art office, I think you are more likely to come across normal wacom tablets. You dont want her only being able to draw on stuff she can see, if she wants to break into the graphics world.
Learn the pen, then if she gets to draw on a screen it is a bonus.
All the screens and stuff look fancy but wont make her any better and are just more to go wrong.
Unless you are in a high end trendy art office, I think you are more likely to come across normal wacom tablets. You dont want her only being able to draw on stuff she can see, if she wants to break into the graphics world.
Learn the pen, then if she gets to draw on a screen it is a bonus.
Have a look at tech review / artist sites and YouTube channels like Brad Colbow https://www.brad.site/ . For pen displays, XP Pen and Huion tend to be 90% of a Wacom for cheaper than Wacom price, according to the reviews.
We ended up getting a second hand ipad pro and apple pencil for our daughter (was the same age) from the local equivalent of cash converters about 18 months ago. Couldn't justify the cost of brand new.
No trouble with them at all thankfully and has been a good buy, she's used them constantly!
No trouble with them at all thankfully and has been a good buy, she's used them constantly!
ajprice said:
Have a look at tech review / artist sites and YouTube channels like Brad Colbow https://www.brad.site/ . For pen displays, XP Pen and Huion tend to be 90% of a Wacom for cheaper than Wacom price, according to the reviews.
That’s who I’ve been watching (amongst others), the Wacom 16 is £84 quid dearer but it’s winning overAll thanks for the help, I spoke about a pure tablet and she has her heart set in the screen type
As much as I’d like the apple for it offers a one shop solution I now feel the way to go is tablet.
The next challenge is finding somewhere we can try them out
MooSchmoo said:
We ended up getting a second hand ipad pro and apple pencil for our daughter (was the same age) from the local equivalent of cash converters about 18 months ago. Couldn't justify the cost of brand new.
No trouble with them at all thankfully and has been a good buy, she's used them constantly!
After looking over all the options a few years ago, this is what everyone professional does who just does art/concept/sketching.No trouble with them at all thankfully and has been a good buy, she's used them constantly!
Yes Wacom are great for professionals sat at a desk all day working on X to give to Y via a Photoshop/other software pipeline blah blah, but if you just want to create then the iPad Pro setup looks very hard to beat.
With the iPad you can look at reference material, take photos of stuff, do your artwork, send it to people, all that, all in one device. They're great on colours, well supported for fixes/spare parts, etc etc.
My daughter has one of these XP Pen 22 Pros and it's very good indeed - drawing directly onto the image is far easier and nicer than using a conventional tablet such as a standard Wacom.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Artist22-Graphic-Interact...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Artist22-Graphic-Interact...
singlecoil said:
I would hate the small screen and I'd wonder if an iPad could run Photoshop and a decent size file.
There is Photoshop for iPad, but it's cut down from the Windows/Mac version. Kings of the iPad creative apps are Procreate and Affinity Photo / Designer.https://procreate.art/
https://affinity.serif.com/en-gb/
George Smiley said:
Our girl soon turns 13. She’s really into her art and has been hinting at a tablet to draw on
At first we were looking at an iPad with a pen as it covers all the bases for more than just art but it isn’t it’s primary task and is prohibitively expensive
As I have a license for photoshop and a spare PC we’ve started looking at a dedicated tablet such as Wacom or Xp pen
This is where it’s getting difficult
Our budget is 500 max
For a starter to see if she likes it. digital tablets do get a bit of getting used to and aren't suited to all art types.At first we were looking at an iPad with a pen as it covers all the bases for more than just art but it isn’t it’s primary task and is prohibitively expensive
As I have a license for photoshop and a spare PC we’ve started looking at a dedicated tablet such as Wacom or Xp pen
This is where it’s getting difficult
Our budget is 500 max
Buy the latest iPad (10.2" - £349) and the pencil (£89) and see how she gets on - or buy both second hand and save around £100 and could be sold for similar if not wanted and / or she wants/needs PC based set-up
She can use it for many more things so you'll get more value out of it, it will be forever in her hand, by her bed, on her desk, so more likely to pick it up and use it.
Procreate is excellent and is a complete bargain at £10.
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