To those who draw

[Chika Ito]

All right I don't have a lick of talent when it comes to drawing with a pen or a pencil. So my question to those who do commissions, and have tablets, do you find it easier drawing on one than on paper? And which do you draw better on?

[Nyx Ashkala]

All right I don't have a lick of talent when it comes to drawing with a pen or a pencil. So my question to those who do commissions, and have tablets, do you find it easier drawing on one than on paper? And which do you draw better on?

 Absolutely easier for me.

 

I can use layers and shift, shrink, and rotate things whereas I couldn't do any of that on paper.

[Akeno Asukai]

While I don't consider myself to be particularly good when it comes to art, I do find that my preference is my tablet - even though it's very old and I'm in dire need of an upgrade. I feel that making mistakes on a tablet (using software such as Photoshop, obviously) is more forgiving than making mistakes on paper. For me, I feel the lines are much cleaner (usually) - even when I do manage to create something on paper that I'm "proud" of, I always end up scanning it and redoing it with software.

[xelliexell]

I love my tablet dearly, and I can't undersell the convenience of being able to work with clean lines directly onto the computer. But, that being said, I still find it more personally comfortable to work with a pencil or pen in a sketchbook. Even if it means hours of cleaning an ink drawing up from a blotchy scanner (even after drastically adjusting Lightness/"Levels"), it just feels more comfortable to me.

 

I still prefer coloring with my tablet, though! I can't believe I used to do all of that cell shading with a mouse... @_@;

[Tiergan]

Drawing with a tablet is easier and yet not easier at the same time. It's easier because if you're drawing with a tablet, you're obviously using a digital art program and can undo mistakes, paint right over them with ease, or just do a whole lot of stuff that you couldn't do with just pencil and paper.

 

That said, drawing with pencil and paper or any traditional medium will always feel a lot more natural. I've been using a tablet for 15 years and just when I delude myself into thinking that I can sketch just as naturally on a tablet as I can on paper, I bust out my sketchbook and immediately whip out a whole bunch of drawings way faster than I ever would on the computer. The only tricky part is, if I make mistakes, I have to spend time erasing them or transforming them into something that's not a mistake anymore -- with digital I can just hit Undo. :V

 

Using a tablet for the first time has a pretty awkward learning curve, because you have to get used to looking up at the screen instead of down by where your hand is (unless you're rich and get a Cintiq :V) -- but it gets easier and easier the more you use it.

[E'irawen]

I have to agree with Tiergan on this. There are pros and cons to both.

 

That being said (since they've already posted my thoughts), I will say I do kind of prefer digital when it comes to most types of things. I like that I can undo and paint over something. Saves me a lot on paper. I don't like it for things like watercolors, though. Try as a PC might, it hasn't successfully been able to mimic a real nice watercolor look (or copic).

[Geneticdork]

I find it easier to draw digitally in some ways. Don't waste paper, have a ton of layers, can easily undo mistakes, get ideas out faster, etc.

 

However, and this may be odd, but I find traditional art can be a lot more freeing, flowing, and maybe help with the creative process.

 

They both have their pros and cons.

[Chika Ito]

Thank you so much everyone for getting back to me. I really want to be able to draw, and to learn how, so I was wondering if the tablet would be the best choice. You have all be very helpful and I greatly appreciate it  I've followed most of you, if not all, on the RPC forums when I see your commission, or artsy, threads. I love getting commissions done, and I want to be able to possibly draw some of my own for friends, and such. Again thank you, and you all helped a great deal.

[Tiergan]

Tablets can be a bit of an investment - and on top of that, you have to hunt down programs to use and learn how to use those at the same time. I would sketch with paper and pencil until you feel like you're in a nice, sort of confident place where you're ready for both the cash investment and the time investment in learning some new computer programs.

 

At the end of the day, if you want to get your start with learning how to draw, then it doesn't actually matter what you use. Pencils, paint, tablets -- they're all just tools and none of them are make the process of growing as an artist any faster or simpler. The only thing that can do that is lots of practice and remembering that practice doesn't have to look perfect -- it just has to help you get better.