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Seeing as there are a lot of digital artists creating on this site I wanted to know what you use, what you can recommend and why?

I went in to officeworks and walked out with a lot more knowledge but still not sure what I need to get.

I'd like to be able to draw/paint without chewing through art supplies but I don't enjoy using a mouse and these days they have pressure sensitive styluses/screens which should provide a more realistic/intuitive experience.

The shop assistant told me his girlfriend recommended something with a screen rather than the blank tabs that connect to a PC as it was a huge hurdle drawing on a tablet while looking at a screen in a different location.

It would nice to be able to use it in bed/on the couch, not just at a desk.

If I can keep up with FR using it also that would be great.

What size would you recommend?
I can see the advantages of having more space to draw on - but using larger tablets when reclined I have found them quite unwieldy to hold. If I coli in bed I use the phone instead, but I find that screen too small for much else. (5.2" because I don't like carrying a brick in my pocket, or trying to hold 6" screens in one hand to take photos)

I've kind of given up on finding one device that does it all.

How much do I need to spend to get something worthwhile to draw with?

I'm subbed, no need to ping unless you want to

edit
@MandragoraAutumn is also after tablet info

I use The Slate 2+ it comes with a tablet, a "ring" for a pencil/pen, drawing paper and a UBS cord. It basically draws what you draw on the tablet to computer but you will need to color it in with a mouse you will need to install a app called Repaper Studio to computer, phone or tablet (like a iPad) it's a bit pricey but I hope you find what your looking for. c:

@Snivy14 thanks a lot I hadn't seen anything like that which used pen and paper, even though Officeworks stock wacom products (who also make a Slate ripoff called Bamboo Slate (according to the Slate 2+ youtube vids I'm watching))
I'm surprised to hear they've been around since 2016!

I can definitely vouch for Wacom's products. I have a nearly 10 year old Wacom Intuous 3, and it works just as well as it did on the first day. Wacom also has some cheaper ones which I've heard do the job well too.

Intuous 3 is 6x8 inches, and I've always felt that it's big enough. I work on a rather larger canvas digitally (often close to 6000 pixels in width), and the tablet works perfectly for me.

okay, i'll try and keep this from getting too long winded, but tablets are probably one of my favorite things to talk about so here we go. first thing's first, i've been a digital artist for well over a decade. i started using a mouse. it wasn't great.

my first tablet was by a brand called Genius. I had it for probably 5 years, before I decided to upgrade because tablet pressure sensitivities had improved hugely. since then, i've been using a Huion. I use the Q11K, and I absolutely love it. Both brands have never broken on me, I've just upgraded for personal needs.

If you've never drawn digitally before, I'm gonna be super honest, you don't need a Wacom product. I've never used one and probably never will, and that goes for a lot of artists. Their price range is high, and if you're a professional using it for work, then maybe it's worth it. Regardless, there are pros who don't use them.

You can ABSOLUTELY get a great tablet for under $100. The Huion Q11K is about $80, and anything around that price range is gonna be good. It's a good size too, not massive but not tiny, I personally love the size of it's workspace.

As for monitor tablets: they're PRICEY. They're definitely nice and have their benefits, but they can be finicky too. If you've never drawn digitally, I'd definitely recommend going with a regular tablet, and giving it a while to get used to. Regardless of what kind you get, there's a pretty significant learning curve to using a tablet. It's a whole new medium after all, and it's probably better to start simple and make sure it's something you are going to use enough to warrant getting a super expensive one.

If you're definitely set on looking for an all-in-one, I can personally vouch for the ipad. I've got an iPad Air w/ the apple pencil and procreate. I absolutely adore it. It's portable and multi-purpose, and procreate is an AMAZING app. that being said, it is a bit pricier, about $700 with all the accessories. But honestly, there's a reason why the setup is as popular as it is. It's an art tool but also a tablet that's comparable to a laptop. It's lightweight, convenient, portable, versatile.

In summary, I can personally vouch for + eagerly recommend any of the Huion tablets, as well as the iPad. There's LOADS of reviews available on YouTube as well for both brands for personal research. Also, I'm not sure if you've considered programs or made a decision, but for PC I can also vouch for Paint Tool Sai + CSP.

And that was definitely long-winded, but hopefully helpful. Tablets are a big decision and ultimately comes down to your personal preference, but research is a huge key. Good luck! And hopefully, welcome to the world of digital art! ^^

@Kayn thankyou so much, no worries with being verbose and if you are as happy to talk about tablets as you say you are I'd love to discuss options with you. So far the two new options I've seen appeal to me for price. Both the Slate 2+ and the Huion Q11K are the same price when I looked them up - but different sizes and different functions so I'm going to try to list out the pros and cons (IMHO) [b]Slate 2+[/b] [columns] [b]Pro[/b] [list][*]Can use a regular pencil and draw on paper [*]Connects via bluetooth, leaving a USB port free [*]smaller, (6x9 iirc) - presumably lighter [*]software included [*]Apple/Win/Android compatible (presumably also linux if android?)[/list] [nextcol] [b]Con[/b] [list][*]smaller - less draw space [*]needs paper [*]my current laptop does not have bluetooth (not a shortfall of teh actual device, just to my current situation and not really a along term problem) [*]not pressure sensitive[/list] [/columns] [b]Huion Q11K[/b] [columns] [b]Pro[/b] [list][*]larger draw area (11x7) [*]pressure sensitive[/list] [nextcol] [b]Con[/b] [list][*]software separate [*]tactile experience is plastic nib on plastic surface, nibs wear out [*]no mention of linux/Android compatibility[/list] [/columns] The wacom is a little more expensive than both for a similar size to the Slate 2+, also includes bluetooth and software. ------ I haven't researched what software is available, whether its decent, cheap/expensive/free/compatible with pressure sensitve etc And honestly that is another pro for the Slate 2+, I don't have to think about software atm I'll come back and revisit this, my kids just got back from a month away and don't give me a lot of time on laptop atm ;)

@gn0me i'll be honest, i hadn't heard of the slate until i found this thread, so I can't say much about it because I frankly just don't know + haven't researched. for the huion, and for the wacom as well, the nibs aren't a huge disadvantage. every tablet generally comes with a pen stand that has ~6 or so extra nibs, and I don't think extra replacements cost that much. and it does take a good bit of use for them to wear down that far.

as for linux compatibility, I did some googling, and huion doesn't directly support linux, but there's some user made linux software for a few of the models, listed here.

and for software, i think $50 is generally the going rate for most programs, though CSP often goes on sale for $20. so with that considered, wacom probably isn't a bad bet, and CSP is one of the programs you can get with your tablet, so any of the tablets are essentially the same price as the others, since you're still buying the program with a wacom.

but yeah it's basically just weighing which one better suits your personal needs. i'd definitely recommend checking youtube reviews/tutorials for the various tablets and software, to get a feel for what they're capable of.

@kayn here the wacom comes with 2 softwares (downloadable - out of a choice of three)

I may have confused some of the pros/cons of huion with Intuos 3, I'll do a lot more research before pinging you again, I can see there is a lot to take into account, (and also curious what other options peeps will post here in the meantime!)

Again thanks so much for your input (and previous posters of course).
Its one thing to watch the reviews, quite another to hear from people using it on a site I want to use it on.
I see the electronic styluses also function as a mouse so tying up a USB port isn't such a drawback, especially when my current options are to use a bluetooth dongle/USB cable anyway. Do you use it as a mouse replacement or does it have drawbacks for that purpose (rather than just using it for drawing))

Would the flexibliity of being able to slip a ring onto a pencil of your choice and needing paper be a definite deal-breaker after using a pressure sensitive pen?
Both the reviews I watched, the artists were both pleased with the performance of both methods, but the youtube vids are rather dated.

I saw the Intuos 3 (wacom) pen turns upside down to erase, but iirc the Huion has a charge port on top, so its a matter of selecting the erase tool and erasing in the same orientation (or using ctrl-Z I guess).

iPads are stupid expensive here, like $1000+