My Digital Drawing Setup

I’ve been drawing for a long time. Not professionally, but purely for the enjoyment of creating things on the page. It’s really just a relaxing hobby. While I don’t do it professionally, I do like to share from time to time.

A friend just asked me to share what I use so he could do something similar for his daughter. So here’s my setup.

Ipad

I use a 9.7″ 6th generation Ipad. It’s basic, but it still works perfectly as a drawing device. It’s a great size and works wonderfully for drawing on.

The only reason I’ve considered upgrading to the iPad Pro is the number of drawing layers that can be used in Procreate, the application I use most. The memory limitations of the basic iPad limit what the application can do in terms of drawing layers, while the iPad Pro’s limits are far less restricting, but you’d have to be creating some pretty complex pieces in order to need the additional layers.

The other potential drawback to the Ipad is the slick screen, but that brings us to the next item…

Textured Screen Protector

This item is the key. Without it, the pencil feels unnatural sliding against the glass. With it, it feels like pencil lead against paper. It makes all the difference for me. The exact one I bought isn’t available anymore, but it looks a lot like this one. Like Paper Screen Protector. One drawback is that it obscures the clarity of the screen a little, but not enough to bother me at all.

Ipad Pencil

This is an important item too of course. I have the 1st Gen Pencil, but if it’s in the budget, the 2nd Gen one adds magnetic charging that makes things easier.

Drawing App – Procreate

There are some great drawing applications available now, and some even free, but my favorite by far has been Procreate. As I mentioned above, it provides layers that make creating complex things so much better. It also comes equipped with a huge assortment of virtual brushes.

For just $9.99 on the Apple App Store, this drawing application is well worth it and I’ve used it for a couple of years with absolutely zero complaints.

And that’s it. With this setup, the possibilities of what you can do in digital art are nearly endless. Happy creating!