In the past, an “art tablet” might have been the description for a large book of blank paper for painting or drawing. But today, art tablets are thin pieces of technology that can be used for illustration, animation or photo editing. One of the top brands for art tablets is Huion because it offers tablets at a variety of price points. If you are looking for a top-quality Huion tablet with a large drawing area, the Huion Pro Graphic Drawing Tablet is an excellent choice.
Digital drawing and painting can be done on a graphics tablet or on a tablet computer.
Graphics tablets connect to a computer or smartphone either wirelessly or through a USB. You draw on the tablet’s pad with a special pen or stylus and view your drawing on your computer or phone. This type of tablet is less portable than tablet computers since you’ll need a separate device to view your work. That being said, graphics tablets are a wonderful option for people who are new to drawing, since there are so many affordable models.
You can draw on an Apple iPad, Samsung Galaxy or similar tablet, but there are also tablets built with digital drawing and painting specifically in mind. With these devices, you draw directly on the screen with a special brush or pen, or even with your finger, so the experience is more like drawing on paper. You can also load apps onto these devices or send the files to your computer. These devices are typically more expensive than graphics tablets, but they are an excellent option for professional artists and designers.
Pressure sensitivity is the most important feature of a drawing tablet. Your tablet should capture both the pressure and the motion on your screen, meaning the harder you press with your stylus or drawing utensil, the thicker or more opaque the line you draw will be. You need more pressure sensitivity if you want your artwork to look more detailed and refined. Find a tablet with at least 1,024 pressure points; most modern drawing tablets have at least 2,048 pressure points.
Tablet resolution is measured in lines per inch, or LPI. The more lines there are, the higher the tablet’s resolution. The best tablets have at least 1,000 LPI. Professionals typically want tablets with a higher resolution, but keep in mind you won’t see much of a difference on the screen beyond 2,000 LPI.
The report rate speed refers to the responsiveness of the tablet, or how long it takes for your pen strokes or brushstrokes to render on screen. Drawing will feel more natural with a faster report rate speed, which is measured in reports per second, or RPS. Buy a tablet with an RPS of 200 or more, which means the tablet will register your stroke in 1/200 of a second or less.
Most graphics tablets have a few express keys, or hotkeys, which are used for shortcut commands. Some of these tablets actually have buttons that you can customize for your specific needs.
Most graphics tablets range in price from about $75-$100, but you can find some basic graphics tablets for less than $50. For tablet computers, you can expect to pay about $200-$500 on average.
A. To set up a graphics tablet with a computer, you need to install a driver, which you can download from the website of the manufacturer, before plugging in the tablet. You might need to uninstall other drivers, and for some more expensive tablets, you have to use a graphics card to get the full color range.
A. Graphics tablets are compatible with nearly any drawing and graphics program, including Krita, Corel, Gimp, Zbrush, Sketchbook, Clip Studio, Painter and Photoshop. Check the manufacturer’s website to make sure the tablet you’re interested in is compatible with the program you want to use.
Huion Pro Graphic Drawing Tablet
What you need to know: This Huion precision art tablet features a big drawing area and comes with an artist’s glove and a carrying case.
What you’ll love: This affordable graphics tablet offers a large working area of 10 inches by 6.25 inches, as well as eight customizable shortcuts. The tablet also features amazing pen pressure sensitivity of 8,192 levels and compatibility with most art software.
What you should consider: Some users have trouble installing the drivers on their computer.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Huion H610PRO V2 Graphics Drawing Tablet
What you need to know: This Huion graphics tablet features a battery-free pen tilt function and includes 18 pen nibs and an artist’s glove.
What you’ll love: This affordable Huion tablet features a 10-by-6.25-inch drawing board, a battery-free stylus, and eight customizable express keys for shortcuts.
What you should consider: To work properly, this tablet needs to connect to a computer or Android phone (Huion says this product is not suitable for use with an iPad or iPhone).
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Huion KAMVAS Pro 16 Graphics Drawing Tablet
What you need to know: If you’re willing to shell out more cash, this Huion tablet is an excellent option, with a 15.6-inch pen display, an adjustable stand and brilliant visuals.
What you’ll love: The Huion KAMVAS Pro 16 offers brilliant color, advanced pen performance and an optimized workflow with six express keys and a touch bar. The tablet is also compatible with most art software, including Lightroom, SAi, Clip Studio Paint and Photoshop.
What you should consider: This tablet is more expensive than other Huion tablets.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Alexandra Kilpatrick writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
