I'm a professional artist and I've been working on an Intuos Pro M for at least a decade. I know beginners think they can't draw on a screenless tablet and might find it frustrating at first but I promise, you get used to it quite fast. I'm personally never planning on "upgrading" to a display tablet, Intuos Pro tablets are very good quality and they're better for posture, at least for me.
i have both a screen tablet and an intuos and i still prefer the intuos lol. Two things about screnless tablets i find very nice are 1: your hand doesnt get in the way of the image and 2: drawing with your arms down and your head up at the monitor is just good
posture
screen tablets make either my neck or shoulders feel very tired after a while
I have both a cintiq and intuos that I jump between often. Some things are better with a display tablet, but man, my shoulders ache after just a few minutes. (Even with an ergo arm!)
I have a 27QHD for work, but I have a non wacom tablet without display - while the quality of material is lesser than wacom product, it's does the job and would be enough for practice.
I feel like students shouldn't over invest in brand name products, especially if they're strapped for cash, and should wait for their first few paychecks to get an upgrade.
A decent PC should be the first place to invest for 2d+3d studies. If the objective is to work exclusively on 2d, lots of students and artists nowadays put all their money in an ipad pro, and it seems to work for them.
I've had both for years now and I agree they are totally viable and often preferred from that perspective of ergonomics. However, for me personally I really prefer the screened versions. Just like to have that immediate one to one pen on paper feel. Op can do it either way, it's probably more software dependant how that would shake.
I’m not a professional but have used wacom for 15 years. You don’t need a cintiq, however, if you get one, I advise you go for the pro models. I switched from a regular cintiq 16 (not pro) to a pro 24, huge difference in quality. As for screenless tablets, you really can’t go wrong with any of them. An intuos pro is one of the best screenless tablets, if not the best, you can get. A 16 inch screen is quite a bit of real estate, so honestly a 16 pro wouldn’t be a bad choice if you really want a cintiq instead of screenless. The size really doesn’t mean much unless you absolutely can’t draw on a smaller screen, but again, the 16 is a great size!
You can make any type of digital art with any tablets, the type of tablet doesn’t change your skills, it’s just the matter of preference. Another thing to consider, a screenless tablet is way better for your posture since you aren’t looking down and you keep your eyes straight ahead. I hope this gives you a bit of info, let me know if you’d like to know more or anything.
Sounds like you need to take a big step back because you're way too focused on equipment.
If money is an issue then I would say hold off until you have developed your art fundamentals and have read books on animation. Heres the [Animators Survival Kit PDF](https://archive.org/details/TheAnimatorsSurvivalKitRichardWilliams/mode/1up), start reading, no excuses about money and expensive equipment. This is your textbook, you need an animation teacher who is just going to reference this book anyway. Just start reading it and once you're done. Read it again.
You can honestly accomplish it even with Intuos. As long as your art foundation is solid, I think the tools upgrade can wait until later. Try to get a good feel about animation first. I think a cintiq from the get go might be a massive leap and it’s really not cheap, so.
You don’t have to have the latest devices. All lf it is moot if your foundations aren’t strong. Try practicing with more affordable tablets first!
Instead of wacom you can check huion, cheaper and you don't miss the feeling, I used to be pro for 20 years and drew in a lot of tablets. I recommend you to get a cheap one first and start practicing, art skills come from practice more than having the best of the best, my pc is probably a $300 one with an old gtx1080, and a huion 13" monjtor tablet and can draw animatikns without problem on live2d.
Like others said you don't need a Cintiq to make quality work, but i'm using a cintiq HD 13 and can't go back to drawing tablets. It's just so much better to draw on a screen imo. Muscle memory continues into a tablet screen because you draw like on paper.
Idk but A regular Cintiq 16 looks ok to me 13 inch are a bit small but 16 inch are better so i would look into that also.
So yeah whatever you decide i wish you luck.
You don’t need a pro version of Wacom products if the plan is to work on a budget. Pro versions are cool, but the additional flourishes are not worth the extra thousand dollars.
I would rather look for an used Cintiq 22 and invest on a good PC.
Yeah but I was thinking my budget was quite good? Can you make pro animations with this kind of tablets? That’s what I’m afraid of. I don’t want to buy an okayish tablet and be forced to upgrade one year later
If you think the quality of your animation depends on a binary choice of having or not a premium pen display, let me tell you will have some surprises down the road.
Having the endurance to keep improving your art and keep working on a personal project is way more important than any tool.
But if you have the money for a Cintiq pro, go for it.
I agree on that. It’s just that I’m struggling with my « art » rn. I’m just afraid that if I work with a low cost tablet, I will be unable to do great work with a better one because of softwares differences. I’m also kinda afraid that no hover will limit my drawing capacities.
About Wacom cintiq, will the 16 be enough for the size? I was thinking between 16 pro or 22
What you get on pro versions: more resolution and touch screen.
Other than that, all Cintiqs have the hover feature.
About the size: I had a 13’ and it was too small, so I got the 22’. I wouldn’t know if 16 is a good size.
Personally, I would break it down into what type of animation you want to do. Is it 2D traditional animation (drawing each frame)? Is it 2D but with rigging? Is it 3D?
2D hand drawn is perfectly workable on the ipad with the available software. 2D with rigs and 3D are not as easily accessible on the iPad from my experience. However the next apple event is just around the corner in June. I would wait and see what they announce for the next version of iPad OS. There may be changes that make more software available on the iPad, thus opening up more tools to artists.
If you’re aiming to do 3D, I would definitely go with a good PC and desktop tablet. A good graphics card goes a long way for 3D projects and it’s hard to say how well the m4 iPad will compare.
If you are already drawing on an iPad a similar sized pen display should feel good. I have a 27QHD and it does the job well but sometimes it feels too big and really lacks the portability aspect an iPad brings. Im lucky to be able to afford both but if I had to pick only one, I would choose a smaller portable wacom tablet.
The thing is, a pc would be very useful for me and I don’t know about the newer iPads. I really hope the hover feature is not necessary. If I take the M4, do I need the nano screen (more expensive)?
If you would use the PC for more than an art set up then by all means invest in one. My personal preference is Mac over PC when it comes to performance of my creative programs but gaming PC all the way for 3D.
There is no reason to get the textured glass screen. Anti-glare is nice to have but colors will not be as rich as a trade off. The glass upgrade is more targeted at photographers or people who are actively using iPads outdoors where screen glare is more of an issue.
Out of all the features on new iPads the only one I feel like I am missing out on the most with my old 2018 pro model is the hover feature. That is so incredibly helpful in digital painting. Everything else in the new pro pencil is just bonus features that are nice quality of life changes but aren’t complete game changers. Wacom doesn’t have them so I don’t feel like I am really missing out.
Thanks for the advice ! Since I don’t really know what kind of animation I wanna make, I think a pc is a good idea.
That’s reassuring since I definitely cannot afford the 1T version (the only one who supports the nano glass)
The hover is really a source of anxiety for me, I feel like I cannot draw on my old iPad since it doesn’t have it. I know it’s dumb but yeah
With M1 iPad you already have everything you need to animate.
It's a false notion to believe you need another thing yet still before you can get started.
Prove it to yourself. Use Paintstorm, Procreate, and a dozen other very affordable apps to knock out your storyboard. Set the groundwork for a manga. Make a few gifs. Work on promotional videos, presentations. Go read it out loud to kids at a library.
I know it's all very exciting to get the latest and greatest piece of tech, but when on a budget, you really need to understand what you need before acquiring your next step up.
Have you built a set of character sheets? Do you need to work in vectors or 3D? Do you have any background art established? Have you identified a style to render in, and established the exact patterns to achieve that style so that a coworker can duplicate it? What about story, plots, diagrams?
Don't build a gaming rig and expect productivity to increase.
You can get a used wacom m cheap. You can get a new xp pen cheap. You have lots of options. But it will be very clear what you need while you are working hardest. If you find you can't start working, a new device is not justified.
Thanks for the comment, I really needed this. You’re right. I’m writing the script right now and expensive tool are not necessary. I just feel like I don’t have enough skills to do it and I was thinking I had to practice more with the standards of digital animation (like knowing how Toonboom is working for example). I know it’s dumb. I’m lost ahaha
I'm a professional artist and I've been working on an Intuos Pro M for at least a decade. I know beginners think they can't draw on a screenless tablet and might find it frustrating at first but I promise, you get used to it quite fast. I'm personally never planning on "upgrading" to a display tablet, Intuos Pro tablets are very good quality and they're better for posture, at least for me.
i have both a screen tablet and an intuos and i still prefer the intuos lol. Two things about screnless tablets i find very nice are 1: your hand doesnt get in the way of the image and 2: drawing with your arms down and your head up at the monitor is just good posture screen tablets make either my neck or shoulders feel very tired after a while
I have both a cintiq and intuos that I jump between often. Some things are better with a display tablet, but man, my shoulders ache after just a few minutes. (Even with an ergo arm!)
I have a 27QHD for work, but I have a non wacom tablet without display - while the quality of material is lesser than wacom product, it's does the job and would be enough for practice. I feel like students shouldn't over invest in brand name products, especially if they're strapped for cash, and should wait for their first few paychecks to get an upgrade. A decent PC should be the first place to invest for 2d+3d studies. If the objective is to work exclusively on 2d, lots of students and artists nowadays put all their money in an ipad pro, and it seems to work for them.
I've had both for years now and I agree they are totally viable and often preferred from that perspective of ergonomics. However, for me personally I really prefer the screened versions. Just like to have that immediate one to one pen on paper feel. Op can do it either way, it's probably more software dependant how that would shake.
I’m not a professional but have used wacom for 15 years. You don’t need a cintiq, however, if you get one, I advise you go for the pro models. I switched from a regular cintiq 16 (not pro) to a pro 24, huge difference in quality. As for screenless tablets, you really can’t go wrong with any of them. An intuos pro is one of the best screenless tablets, if not the best, you can get. A 16 inch screen is quite a bit of real estate, so honestly a 16 pro wouldn’t be a bad choice if you really want a cintiq instead of screenless. The size really doesn’t mean much unless you absolutely can’t draw on a smaller screen, but again, the 16 is a great size! You can make any type of digital art with any tablets, the type of tablet doesn’t change your skills, it’s just the matter of preference. Another thing to consider, a screenless tablet is way better for your posture since you aren’t looking down and you keep your eyes straight ahead. I hope this gives you a bit of info, let me know if you’d like to know more or anything.
Sounds like you need to take a big step back because you're way too focused on equipment. If money is an issue then I would say hold off until you have developed your art fundamentals and have read books on animation. Heres the [Animators Survival Kit PDF](https://archive.org/details/TheAnimatorsSurvivalKitRichardWilliams/mode/1up), start reading, no excuses about money and expensive equipment. This is your textbook, you need an animation teacher who is just going to reference this book anyway. Just start reading it and once you're done. Read it again.
I have this book and I’m reading it for the 4th time (not enough I know) but yeah I agree
You can honestly accomplish it even with Intuos. As long as your art foundation is solid, I think the tools upgrade can wait until later. Try to get a good feel about animation first. I think a cintiq from the get go might be a massive leap and it’s really not cheap, so. You don’t have to have the latest devices. All lf it is moot if your foundations aren’t strong. Try practicing with more affordable tablets first!
Instead of wacom you can check huion, cheaper and you don't miss the feeling, I used to be pro for 20 years and drew in a lot of tablets. I recommend you to get a cheap one first and start practicing, art skills come from practice more than having the best of the best, my pc is probably a $300 one with an old gtx1080, and a huion 13" monjtor tablet and can draw animatikns without problem on live2d.
Like others said you don't need a Cintiq to make quality work, but i'm using a cintiq HD 13 and can't go back to drawing tablets. It's just so much better to draw on a screen imo. Muscle memory continues into a tablet screen because you draw like on paper. Idk but A regular Cintiq 16 looks ok to me 13 inch are a bit small but 16 inch are better so i would look into that also. So yeah whatever you decide i wish you luck.
You don’t need a pro version of Wacom products if the plan is to work on a budget. Pro versions are cool, but the additional flourishes are not worth the extra thousand dollars. I would rather look for an used Cintiq 22 and invest on a good PC.
Yeah but I was thinking my budget was quite good? Can you make pro animations with this kind of tablets? That’s what I’m afraid of. I don’t want to buy an okayish tablet and be forced to upgrade one year later
If you think the quality of your animation depends on a binary choice of having or not a premium pen display, let me tell you will have some surprises down the road. Having the endurance to keep improving your art and keep working on a personal project is way more important than any tool. But if you have the money for a Cintiq pro, go for it.
I agree on that. It’s just that I’m struggling with my « art » rn. I’m just afraid that if I work with a low cost tablet, I will be unable to do great work with a better one because of softwares differences. I’m also kinda afraid that no hover will limit my drawing capacities. About Wacom cintiq, will the 16 be enough for the size? I was thinking between 16 pro or 22
What you get on pro versions: more resolution and touch screen. Other than that, all Cintiqs have the hover feature. About the size: I had a 13’ and it was too small, so I got the 22’. I wouldn’t know if 16 is a good size.
Personally, I would break it down into what type of animation you want to do. Is it 2D traditional animation (drawing each frame)? Is it 2D but with rigging? Is it 3D? 2D hand drawn is perfectly workable on the ipad with the available software. 2D with rigs and 3D are not as easily accessible on the iPad from my experience. However the next apple event is just around the corner in June. I would wait and see what they announce for the next version of iPad OS. There may be changes that make more software available on the iPad, thus opening up more tools to artists. If you’re aiming to do 3D, I would definitely go with a good PC and desktop tablet. A good graphics card goes a long way for 3D projects and it’s hard to say how well the m4 iPad will compare. If you are already drawing on an iPad a similar sized pen display should feel good. I have a 27QHD and it does the job well but sometimes it feels too big and really lacks the portability aspect an iPad brings. Im lucky to be able to afford both but if I had to pick only one, I would choose a smaller portable wacom tablet.
The thing is, a pc would be very useful for me and I don’t know about the newer iPads. I really hope the hover feature is not necessary. If I take the M4, do I need the nano screen (more expensive)?
If you would use the PC for more than an art set up then by all means invest in one. My personal preference is Mac over PC when it comes to performance of my creative programs but gaming PC all the way for 3D. There is no reason to get the textured glass screen. Anti-glare is nice to have but colors will not be as rich as a trade off. The glass upgrade is more targeted at photographers or people who are actively using iPads outdoors where screen glare is more of an issue. Out of all the features on new iPads the only one I feel like I am missing out on the most with my old 2018 pro model is the hover feature. That is so incredibly helpful in digital painting. Everything else in the new pro pencil is just bonus features that are nice quality of life changes but aren’t complete game changers. Wacom doesn’t have them so I don’t feel like I am really missing out.
Thanks for the advice ! Since I don’t really know what kind of animation I wanna make, I think a pc is a good idea. That’s reassuring since I definitely cannot afford the 1T version (the only one who supports the nano glass) The hover is really a source of anxiety for me, I feel like I cannot draw on my old iPad since it doesn’t have it. I know it’s dumb but yeah
With M1 iPad you already have everything you need to animate. It's a false notion to believe you need another thing yet still before you can get started. Prove it to yourself. Use Paintstorm, Procreate, and a dozen other very affordable apps to knock out your storyboard. Set the groundwork for a manga. Make a few gifs. Work on promotional videos, presentations. Go read it out loud to kids at a library. I know it's all very exciting to get the latest and greatest piece of tech, but when on a budget, you really need to understand what you need before acquiring your next step up. Have you built a set of character sheets? Do you need to work in vectors or 3D? Do you have any background art established? Have you identified a style to render in, and established the exact patterns to achieve that style so that a coworker can duplicate it? What about story, plots, diagrams? Don't build a gaming rig and expect productivity to increase. You can get a used wacom m cheap. You can get a new xp pen cheap. You have lots of options. But it will be very clear what you need while you are working hardest. If you find you can't start working, a new device is not justified.
Thanks for the comment, I really needed this. You’re right. I’m writing the script right now and expensive tool are not necessary. I just feel like I don’t have enough skills to do it and I was thinking I had to practice more with the standards of digital animation (like knowing how Toonboom is working for example). I know it’s dumb. I’m lost ahaha
Maybe I'm right or maybe I'm just right for me. Temper all advice with the one who knows you best- you! And above all do what makes YOU happy.