Graphic Tablet for Vector Design & Drawing in Illustrator CC

Graphic Tablet for Vector Design & Drawing in Illustrator CC

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XPPen 2023-08-22 16:12:28 8 min read

Vector graphics are typically completed using digital software like the Adobe Illustrator, corel draw, Affinity Designer or the Inkscape ( free).

Adobe Creative Suite is, by far, the industry champion when it comes to graphic design software. Illustrator has become the industry standard for creating vector graphics. It's practically used by everyone who wants to (and actually dabbles in) graphic design.

Adobe Illustrator uses mathematical constructs to create vector graphics. It is used by both graphic designers and artists to draw vector images.

Generally, professional illustrators used it to create illustrations, diagrams, logos, graphs, charts, and more. If you ever need to share files with other creative professionals (including printers), things will go smoother if you're using the most common software.

Since Illustrator is made by Adobe, things work generally pretty well when you need to go back and forth with other Adobe products, such as Photoshop or InDesign.

Adobe illustrator is more user friendly & offers the most precise Pen tool for creating Bézier curves. Which is boon for digital artists & illustrators.

Creative output depends on your mastery on tool. If you have mastered Illustrator then it's good for you. If you're a budding graphic designer, you need to learn how to draw in Illustrator with the tablet.

The scale factor can play an essential role in measuring distances, but it isn't very easy. There are specific designs and figures that you can't figure out quickly. Hence, you would need to know how to use a tablet to draw on a computer.

Here's how you can draw in Illustrator with a tablet

It is extremely necessary to choose a tablet that supports the advanced version of Illustrator. Not every device can support the advanced version owing to technical difficulties. The compatibility between Illustrator and tablet will depend on the Operating system version.

Once you have the tablet, make sure to connect it to the pen. If you are using a tablet to draw on Illustrator, make sure that the device is connected to the pen and system respectively. The compatibility between the tools helps to create a seamless design.

It is advisable to use the shortcut keys for creating straight lines and filling colours. The shortcut keys can make it easy for you to draw on the tablet.

Once you have connected and have an idea, make sure to download the driver. The driver download enables you to create designs and further allows you to store the same on the cloud. Hence, the risk of losing the file will be reduced.

You're all set to create beautiful graphic designs.

When you draw in Adobe illustrator, it becomes essential to proceed accordingly. Adobe illustrator is indeed one of the best designing tools and can perfectly serve the needs of professional designers. With Illustrator, you can easily create anything you want.

The Adobe Illustrator has come a long way, thanks to the presence of so many creative tools. With Adobe software, you can create a wide range of designs and illustrations that will capture your attention in no time. Some of the most commendable features of Adobe Illustrator include path editing and point alignment.

Swapping Pen and Paper for Stylus and Screen

drawing in adobe illustrator with xp-pen Innovator 16 display tablet monitor.jpg

Using Adobe vector design software like Illustrator CC on your drawing tablet you can create logos, typography, drawings, and more for print, video, web, and mobile.

If you know how to draw in Illustrator, you shouldn't be having a problem using the graphic tablet. A stylus only helps to make things easy. The pressure-sensitive digital pens offer more flexibility and natural than that of a mouse for drawing. The digital drawing tools are incredibly convenient and can help with refilling the supplies.

If it will be of benefit kind of depends on what you do I feel. If you use brushes or the bezier / pen tools, you'll have more precision. A tablet is a 1-to-1 mapped area of your screen, it's just more precise at putting your cursor exactly where you want it.

Tablets tend to prevent things like RSI, because instead of moving your wrist left to right, you tend to use a more natural shoulder movement, people with wrist issues are actually advised to use tablets over mice.

The drawing tablets and Illustrator combination is ideal for creating great works of art.  With the help of a non-screen drawing tablet, you can quickly draw on it and get the final view on your screen. You can easily connect the tablet with your computer through a USB cable. The pen tablets make drawing very easy.

Take your drawings to the next level with a powerful drawing tablet with screen, like Wacom Cintiq and XPPen Artist series tablet. which allows you to draw directly on the screen itself which results in a fully hands-on drawing experience.

Rather than going out of your budget, you should prefer staying within your budget and working with what you have. Digital drawing has gradually improved over the past few years. Even beginners can have a significant role in improving functionality. 

Some of the popular tablets that can digitise painting and sketchings include XPPen Tablets.  XPPen is popular for providing a lot of features at very pocket-friendly prices. As a result, you get complete flexibility to maintain drawings and notes digitally.

I use a XPPen Innovator 16 pen display monitor.  The 15.6-inch screen is large enough to draw comfortably and at the same time portable enough to carry the tablet outdoors if needed.

The Innovator 16 comes with a fully laminated screen that has a 1080p resolution and a decently color-accurate space of 92% Adobe RGB.

The tablet comes with PA5 battery-free Stylus which is one of the most advanced styluses by XPPen. It has a very consistent performance with 8192 levels of pressure and ±60° tilt sensitivity.

While working with digital illustration software – there are a number of tools and actions that are used frequently – such as pen tool, brush tool, eraser, undo, redo, switching between stroke and fill mode.

The shortcut buttons on The XPPen Innovator 16 aggregates all these functions in one place that can help you fasten your workflow.

The design of the tablet looks sleek with rounded off edges. Build quality is good. The silver parts are metal and the drawing area has a nice matte texture for drawing because of the anti-glare protection film.

And its great of course. Quality wise to draw and make actual work with, both XPPen Deco and XPPen Artist is generally as good. Equally professional. Differens is of course that XPPen Artist have a screen you draw directly on. 

In contrast to all other models, Star, Deco, who all have a tablet without a screen. You hook it up wirefless or USB cable to your computer and off you go. XPPen's Deco 01 V2 (10 x 6.25 inches big active area, 8192 pressure levels, angle sensor detects a 60° tilt, supports Android OS tablets and smartphones ) is one of the best budget buys on the market. And it's a great option for beginners who want a quality tablet without the resulting price tag.

I know many people buy the latest XPPen Artist (2nd Generation) line (include the size of 10.1", 11.9", 13.3", 15.6" ), but also bare in mind the price tag. Because the included stylus powered by x3 smart chip having a low initial activation force. which allows the tablets to detect the slightest of touches from the pen. This feature alone massively improves the user experience.

How to draw in Illustrator With a Tablet?

The Paintbrush Tool and Bob Brush Tool are some of the essential parts of Adobe Illustrator. Each of them has its benefits.

The Paintbrush Tool

You can easily create vector drawings with the help of Adobe illustrator. You can apply the paintbrush Tool to get the perfect appearance. You can create different designs using tools such as the Line tool and Rectangle tool. With the help of this tool, you can make any brush strokes you want.

The Blob Brush Tool

The blob brush is one of the best exceptions if you want to create paths. Using the blob brush tool, you can easily make the outlines and eventually fill colours in those shapes as you keep drawing. The Blob Brush tool acts very similarly to a paintbrush tool. However, it is necessary to understand the unique features of the blob brush tool. You can also adjust the shapes and colours accordingly.

How to Set up a Pen for Adobe Illustrator?

If you want to draw in Adobe Illustrator, you need to set up the pen and tablet with the software. Make sure that they are connected to the system so that you can easily create the drawings.

Open the tablet you are to connect and choose how you want to customise. Make sure to analyse the properties of the tablet. Next, you need to select the tool that is to be set. When the application row dialogue box appears, click on Illustrator, and you can customise it accordingly. If you want to customise it, you need to keep the software open and run it in the background. Make sure to click on the plus sign, then choose Illustrator and click on OK.

The hand tool is one of the most commonly used tools. As a result, you can switch to any pen depending on your requirement. The Grip Pen and Adobe Illustrator are some of the best properties, and depending on the tablet you're connecting, you can get the best results.

Digital Drawing

If you want to learn how to draw in Illustrator with a tablet, you might check out YouTube. However, it is advisable to first try it on your own. If you keep trying it on your own, you will eventually learn. The hardest part, however, is to sync your tablet with the computer.

Once the devices are connected, you are all set to go. Compared to a PC, you should prefer using adobe illustrator with a tablet. Most of the tablets come with a stylus, which makes drawing pretty easy.

If you do not have Adobe illustrator on your tablet, you will need to install it. While you can get a crack of Adobe Illustrator from the internet, you might as well purchase the premium version of Adobe Illustrator for advanced features.

You can easily create a design using the stylus on the tablet, and it will appear on your computer. However, the steps would vary if you draw in Illustrator using a drawing tablet.

Drawing on Adobe Illustrator software with a Drawing Tablet

Make sure that your system, computer or laptop is connected to the drawing tablet. Open the software and start creating the design you want. It will appear on the screen.

You can also select the tools and fill colours in your design to suit your requirements. Eventually, you're all good to go.

Becoming Acquainted With Digital Drawing Tools

Digital drawing tools have come a long way. If you want to know how these digital drawing tools work, you need to experiment independently. As the saying goes, “Experiment is the best teacher,” you will never get to know how a particular tool works if you don't know about its features.

Experts have always recommended handling to learn more. This eventually helps you become familiar with the medium you're the most comfortable with. Start with experimentation and then take it to the next step.

Graphic design is continually evolving, and it is time that you switch from traditional to advanced. It is necessary to understand that these tools are more than what you see. It is better to analyse what suits you the best so that you can be productive.

Digital Illustration

The free-form illustration is indeed one of the best forms of drawing. If you are taking up digital illustration, you need to switch from a mouse to a tablet. Using a tablet can play an essential role in developing connection withdrawal. Moreover, with tablets' help, you can create sensitive designs such as strokes of different widths.

Takeaway

Digital drawing tools are in no way meant to hold you back. Several platforms can help your designing career. But, Adobe Photoshop is one of the most preferred platforms by experts. You can easily create different designs and customise them to suit your needs. Adobe provides you with a range of brushes. Hence, you no longer need to stay limited to the designs.

You can quickly draw in Adobe illustrator. A few experiments and research on YouTube can play an essential role in making you familiar with the platform.

Happy Drawing!

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