Paper vs Art & Pen Tablet

Traditional art, art that is physically done in surfaces such as paper, canvas, wood, etc. and as technology increases it is progressively being replaced by digital images.

As a future art teacher I believe it is very useful to instruct my students on how to use a graphic art pen tablet so they can become more familiar with graphic design.

Please note that by the word “tablet” I mean a device or medium used to digitally draw, I would consider that a tablet is the evolution of a mouse.

The difference with a tablet and a mouse is that the tablet mimics the shape of your screen so it is not like a mouse where the cursor easily gets lost.  You know that it you place then pen of the center of the tablet you are pointing at the center of the screen.

The pen is cordless and battery free  which gives you a greater control than a mouse, it allows expression permitting free hand drawing or writting, additionally the texture of the tablet against the pen feels like paper so it is easier to handle lines.

 Moreover the tablet is a great medium because it has a pressure sensitivity, meaning that the pressure that we use in the pencil imitates the pressure we can use in a traditional drawing of pencil and paper.

The pen alone cannot do much because it requires the use software.  Usually a graphic art pen tablet is sold along with software.

Software that could be potentially benefited by the use of a tablet and pen are Corel Painter Essentials, Photoshop, Sketchbook pro, Manga Studio, etc.

Brands of tablets are VT PenPad, Wacom, Intuous, Monoprice, Huion in between others.

Digital drawing offers a great flexibility when it comes to create images.  It offers a vast range of choices and tools, it is easy to undo and erase errors. 

Using this medium to create art is one of the most versatile tools because It allows a variety of  finishes, such as the look of a painting, a drawing, etc.

digital drawing changes the technique or strategy of the artist, it teachers the person how to think in layers.  As if thinking about foreground, mid-ground, background and everything in between.

From a practical standpoint the use of digital mediums such as the art tablet allow us to create art in short lapses of time and with a small budget.  I would imagine that tablets could easily be used for minimum three school years and the programs will last maybe even more.

Through digital art the students have the opportunity to produce many more

Visual imagery than traditional art permits in 45 minute class periods. Additionally it enhances their technological literacy.

Digital art It is becoming one of the most widely used mediums in museums and galleries as well as commercial art by professionals such as animator, filmmaker, illustrators, cartoonist, digital artists amongst others.