Graphic Tablets

Graphic Tablets

An important decision to make first and foremost is which type of graphics tablet you want, as there are two key variants – those with their own screen displays and those without. Tablets with their own screens, also referred to as pen displays, provide the immediate advantage of allowing you to draw directly on the image you are editing. Just as if you were using an iPad, you can use touch controls to move and manipulate the image, zooming into the specific portions that you want to adjust. Different pen displays have different screen resolutions and sizes, so you can pick a specific model based on what you’re likely to need. For high-quality photo editing, we recommend a graphics tablet with a high resolution.

Some tablets provide only the drawing surface itself, and therefore need to be plugged into an external monitor or connected wirelessly to another display (a smartphone will do in a pinch) in order to allow the user to see what they’re working on. These tablets tend to be more affordable than pen displays, and also tend to have longer-lasting batteries as they don’t need to power a bright display.

Graphics tablet manufacturers spend a great deal of energy working on the drawing “feel” of their product. The surface is designed to provide just the right amount of resistance (or “bite” as it’s often referred to) to the tip of the stylus. Another important aspect of design is reducing parallax – the separation between the tip of the stylus and the cursor on the screen. Some pen displays also have anti-glare film on their screens to reduce the interference of external light and keep the image clear.

There are a number of key specs to keep in mind when picking a graphics tablet. One of the most important is pressure sensitivity, which you’ll see expressed in “levels”. A tablet with greater levels of pressure sensitivity can detect with tremendous accuracy the thickness of a line you want to draw, or the intensity with which you want to apply an effect. Many tablets will also offer tilt sensitivity – the ability to detect the angle at which the pen is held – and palm rejection, which allows you to rest your hand on the drawing surface without inadvertently creating any marks.

Many graphics tablets and their styluses have customisable buttons that you can use to control specific functions. This can be hugely useful if your Photoshop workflow, for example, involves frequently swapping from one tool to another.

Some tablets come with their own stands, others may require you to purchase one separately. There are plenty of useful tablet accessories worth considering to make your workflow smoother, including drawing gloves, VESA wall mounts, soft cases and different types of styluses for creating different effects.

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