I have been using the iPad Pro now to do all my illustrations for the last 8 months and I love it. It has speed up my work no end and I feel like I can experiment with more ideas.
I decided to get the larger iPad Pro at 12.9 inches. I’m pleased I got the bigger IPad as I feel I can work easier on the bigger screen size.
I mainly use Procreate to do all my illustrations but I do also use Adobe Draw. Before using the iPad Pro, I was drawing everything by hand using a light box and scanning images into Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator.
Pros
- I can take the iPad Pro anywhere anytime and use it on the go.
- It is easy to sketch out an idea and then layer up the drawing with whatever medium I choose. I like using gouache most of the time. There is no mess and the painting effect is consistent. I downloaded my gouache brushes from creative market.
- The transfer of my drawing to Adobe iCloud is easy and I don’t have to use a scanner. It’s all done over Wi-Fi
- I can easily be working on a few projects at a time in Procreate.
- Now that I have got the screen cover PaperLike. Drawing on the iPad Pro is like drawing on paper.
- Productivity increases using the iPad Pro as it’s just so much easier than getting your paints out and clearing your desk space.
Cons
- I don’t tend to practice traditional techniques of drawing so much as it’s so easy to use the iPad and I get results quicker.
- The battery life won’t last all day and the pencil needs charging too.
- You must back up your work to the cloud as you could lose work. I tend to move my work onto Adobe iCloud and then adjust it in Photoshop most of the time. I always have a copy somewhere else as if anything happened to my iPad everything would be lost.
Now I do have a few accessories with my iPad that have improved my work flow and just made life easier. I have listed these below:
- ParcSlope - tablet desktop wedge. This is great for angling my iPad perfectly while I am working.
- iPad Pro Keyboard - Apple. This has just made my iPad easier for writing and using the internet.
- IPad Pro Pencil Charger - Moko. A separate pencil charger.
- Elastic Pencil cap holder - Moko. I was paranoid about losing the top of the pencil so this is perfect for keeping the two together.
- PaperLike - screen film that makes you feel like you are drawing on paper.
To conclude I just LOVE the iPad Pro. I think what I love most is that it has moved my work along a lot quicker than it would have if I had been using traditional techniques. It is however an expensive outlay and it may not suit everyone. I love this technology though and I see it as a tool to help me improve and reach my potential.