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Saturday, December 29, 2012

Digital Art Tools Review (Pressure Sensitive + Draw on Screen)


I finally got some time over vacation to make this video, showing my current digital art tools, with pressure sensitivity, and ability to draw on the screen:



Unfortunately, being able to draw directly on screen + pressure sensitivity, comes at a much higher price than just one of the two functions. Here are the rough prices, googled late 2012.
Wacom Cintiq 12" - 24": ~$1000 - $3700 for monitor/tablet, without computer
Samsung Series 7 Slate: ~$1000 - $1300
Apple iPad3 with Jot Touch - previously reviewed: ~$500 + $100
Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet: ~$500
Samsung Galaxy Note 2 phablet: ~$300 on contract, ~$670 without contract

Sketchbook, the best digital art app ever, and cheap!
PC/Mac - Sketchbook Pro 6: $60
iOS/Android - Sketchbook Pro (tablet paid version): $3
iOS/Android - Sketchbook Mobile (phone paid version): $1

Sketchbook on Samsung Galaxy Note 2






Sketchbook on Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1




14 comments:

  1. Hey there, awesome video! You''re like my long lost hardware twin! I've been using the note 2 and the 10.1 also and figured out a way to keep them synched together. You can use the dropsync app combined with dropbox to point both your mobile and pro sketchbook directories to one folder on dropbox set up with 2 way sync. Then images will open up in either app. Also, You can open up the tiff files and change resolution on your desktop pc and resave, and the new image will open fine in pro or mobile. The thumbnail images get a bit strange if the aspect ratio gets too off from default though.Also, you will still need to keep the res reasonable, but it works great.

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    1. Ahh cool idea Darrell, I back up using dropbox but never thought of syncing between the Notes, and changing the res from desktop. Thanks also for the tip on dropsync, pretty cool app. However, when I upres and upload a tiff to dropbox, they don't show up in my sketchbook mobile. Then I tried to load that new high res tiff straight from dropbox, but it complains that the file is not supported..... Can you share your exact process for upresing to work on please?

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    2. Oh I think I got it.... you have to modify and upres one of the tiffs, and save over it with the same name. I was saving them as new tiff's, and expecting them to show up, but they don't. Thanks for the awesome tip!

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  2. I'm not sure if ProCreate is on platforms other than iOS but I like it a good deal better than SketchBook Pro is currently. Larger size, more layers, better brush customization, snappy performance, and my favorite: distortable bounding box transformation. With Sketchbook Pro for iOS I had to redraw more or do wonky layer duplications/erasings to edit minor things the distortion can fix. Then too with fewer layers it was more cumbersome to do editing like that.

    Also Jot-Touch dropped in price to $89.99. They added some cool new features too to take advantage of bluetooth 4.

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  3. Hi, I love your video review, this was exactly what I was looking for 'cause now I know that I should definitely get the 10.1 since it offers me another workspace! Thanks. But I also have a question. I wanted to go and buy the 10.1, but found out a 2014 edition is on its way. The original 10.1 has been lowered in price now to almost 50% or the original price. So, a very attractive bargain. But since I'm totally new to tablets, I wonder if the new one is perhaps worth waiting for. It's reportedly the same as the Note 3 that was released earlier this week and I tried that one out and it seems more responsive to the stylus. As responsive as my wacom tablet is. And that seems an advantage for sketching and photo editing, since the note 10.1 seemed to lag quite a bit more. But then I hear people say that it doesn't lag in apps like Sketchbook Pro and I don't see it happening in your video. So, tons of question marks at the moment and I thought I'd ask a professional since I will be using the tablet mainly to sketch. Would you wait for the new, faster and more responsive tablet or is the current 10.1 awesome enough already to provide a few years of sketching pleasure?

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    1. Oh man that's a tough one. I guess it depends on your budget and what you will do with it. Old 10.1 is a great value at 1/2 of original price! But new 10.1 looks pretty sweet. I don't notice much lag at all with old 10.1 and sketchbook, when you turn smooth brush off, and pen mode on. But I'm insensitive to lag, compared to a lot of other artists, because I've been working digitally so long, and my style is pretty lazy and quick. I notice pressure sensitivity much more than lag or accuracy. Anyway, since I've never played with the new 10.1, I can't recommend it... but can only assume that is a great art machine. I can only say that old 10.1 is awesome, and at the prices it's at now, it's cheaper than wacom tablets!

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  4. I ran across your YouTube video while trying (unsuccessfully) to find a tablet that was pressure sensitive. I had no idea just how hard it would be! I initially bought an Asus Memo Pad HD 7 and tried to sketch on it, and that's when I realized my error. Don't get me wrong, that tablet is great for the money ($150). But the pressure sensitivity was what I was after, so I returned it and recently just ordered the Samsung 10.1. I got it on Ebay for the low price of $265 with free shipping. After a week of heavy shopping and searching for a tablet, it really does only come down to the Note 10.1 and the Ipad with the Jot touch, as far as my budget goes. Thanks for the great video and putting me on the right track.

    Drew
    drewmerten.wordpress.com

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  5. does it work to tune the new Spen?

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  6. Ive spent two days watching about 60 different reviews and product head-to-head videos on youtube. Your video was the only one I needed to see! Thank you so much for your help

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  7. Great video. I have a question: how are you working at 2560x1600 if the original Note from 2012 have 1200 x 800 top resolution? Just 2014 Note version have 2560x1600. Maybe got it wrong. Thank you.

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    1. I did another post about up resing beyond what sketchbook allows, by syncing and changing the res on the PC, then synch it back to the note: http://crabfuartworks.blogspot.com/2013/01/artist-tips-tricks-for-note-101-note-2.html

      Also, the max res from sketchbook was raised with sketchbook updates, I'm not sure what the max is now.

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  8. Incredible review. I use galaxy 10.1 tab for my creations. I also use creately diagramming and collaboration tool for creating sketches and diagrams, specially storyboards.

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  9. You have made me decide to get the Galaxy 10.1, amazing video!

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    1. Make sure it's Galaxy Note 10.1 (has stylus), not Galaxy tab 10.1 (no stylus support). Since you just said Galaxy 10.1, don't want you to get the wrong tablet. Stupidest model naming in history.... It's so confusing.

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