Note-taking is one of the best habits anyone can instill. The mere act of writing whatever you learn in lectures, seminars, and even life in general, can have a profound impact on your life.

Taking notes manually on a book can for lectures or organizing ideas and important things can be quite difficult. Sometimes it isn't easy to modify them or even carry them at our convenience, so having a digital version will be a good option, but what's better than having the option of taking notes and having a digital copy of it.

Note taking is one of the most common needs of individuals as well as teams. which can be something you do for yourself, or something you do with and for others.

There are many note taking apps & software available for Android, iOS , Chrome OS ,Linux, Windows and Mac. Some are dedicated to making simple notes whereas others have extensive features that let you create powerful lists and reports.

Mobile apps have become increasingly popular over the past few years, and note-taking are no exception. More people are now aware of the convenience and portability offered by note-taking apps.

Note-taking apps also offer a paperless way to keep track of ideas, which is great for the environment.

It's now easier than ever to get the benefits of writing on paper without sacrificing the organizational features of digital apps.

You can even use a drawing tablet ( Wacom, XP-Pen.... ) which come with a stylus that allowing you to more accurately and naturally take notes by hand, draw, sketch and write in a note taking application.

To help you choose the ideal app for you, here's the list of the best note-taking apps. Whether you look for a simple app or an all-inclusive tool, there's something of interest for everyone.

This type of application helps to keep the ideas when your head can't, especially, if you don't have a piece of paper within reach. whether for inspiration, ideas, business insights, or even reminders.

With the right note-taking app, you can make notes about anything and sync them to all your devices.

These more advanced apps can work in multiple forms, from trying to replicate the word processing experience, to imitating blank notepads in digital form and so allow for handwriting and sketching.

Additionally, some note apps also include the ability to add images, audio, even video, to your notes, and even share these directly with colleagues and working teams.

1. Evernote

When it comes to note-taking apps, Evernote may come to your mind first.

It's one of the most powerful options around and can handle notes in almost any format you want. You can add text notes, audio clips, images, PDF documents, scanned hand-written pages, Slack conversations, emails, websites, and anything else you can think of.

Evernote takes things a step further with its search functionality. If you upload an image of a sheet of paper, a business card, a menu, a sign, or anything else with text, Evernote automatically processes the image to make it more readable—and then processes the text to make it searchable.

One of its best features for gathering research is the Web Clipper extension (supported in Chrome, Firefox and Safari), which lets you save entire webpages - including text, images and PDFs - with a single click.

Evernote even works with handwritten notes, though with the huge caveat that your writing must be neat enough that a computer can read it.

Using Evernote, you can store everything from personal thoughts and ideas to business projects, and know they're always safe and secure, and easily accessible whenever you need them.

Rated as one of the best apps for taking notes, Evernote auto-syncs across all your devices, and you can invite anyone to collaborate on whatever is on your mind. This versatile note taking app has a range of solutions that fits your needs.

Additionally, audio from your meetings can also be recorded and attached to the meeting note, which is an excellent way to ensure people who couldn't attend the meeting will stay in the loop.

No option to record audio and video directly from Evernote; Images cannot be rotated or cropped in Evernote. No Markdown support. Markdown isn't just for note-taking; it's for faster writing, too.

Available For: Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, Web. A free version is available. Also there are two paid-for versions: Evernote Premium for individuals, and Evernote Teams for Business. The premium version starts at $7.99 per month.

2. OneNote

OneNote integrates with Outlook and the other MS Office apps like Outlook and Powerpoint. It also handles Excel, Word, and other MS Office attachments better than the other note-taking tools featured here.

The notebook-styled user interface makes it the go-to note-taking app for educators, students, and business people. which organizes all your files and notes into different sections and pages.

Each page in One Note feels like writing on a real piece of paper. You can start writing anywhere on the page, add images, audio files, videos, highlights, notes, to-do lists and much more.

Store your study notes, organize them depending on different subjects, add meeting notes, make to-do lists, or collaborate with friends and peers using One Note's highlighting markups, and annotations features.

It even has a web clipper to add content from around the web and save it directly to your OneNote notebook. That web clipper is good, but it's not as intuitive as Evernote.

It's a powerful tool that enables you to do anything you want with your content. You can draw, add notes, create memos, journal, add sticky notes. All content can be personalized – bold text, italics, strikethrough, lists, link, files, and photo attachments.

​​This app is conveniently hooked up to the cloud so that you can take notes on your laptop and mobile device without losing information.

Compatibility: Browser, Windows, Mac, Android, iOS. It's free, The only slight catch is that you get just 5GB of storage. If you want more, you'll need to take out a Microsoft 365 Business subscription.

3. Google Keep

Part of Google's productivity suite, Keep, is Google's answer to OneNote and Evernote.

Google Keep is the simplest note-taking app on our list, both visually and how it operates. The only downside is its lack of organization features.

There are cross-platform web, iOS, and Android versions, and a handy Chrome extension for saving quick notes and links.

Think of Keep as your place for storing digital post-it notes, with each note dotted around the interface as if they were laid on a table in front of you.

Google Keeps allows users to add notes, audio, photo, shared to-do lists, etc. in one place.

Notes can be given labels, pinned to the top, given a color, paired with reminders and collaborated on in real time.

This note-taking app allows users to quickly filter and search for notes by color and other attributes like lists with images, audio notes with reminders, or shared notes.

Additionally it also offers speech-to-text functionality so you can dictate notes on the go rather than have to write. There's also the ability to set up check boxes for lists to work through.

If you use Google Keep, when you open Gmail / Google Docs / Google Calendar / Google Drive in your browser, there's a little lightbulb icon in the right sidebar. Click it, and you have quick access to all your Google Keep notes.

Most people don't take notes just for the sake of it. Instead, they're done to serve a purpose: keep and set location-based and/or time-based reminders to make sure you never miss a thing

4. Notability

Notability is a powerful note-taker to annotate documents, sketch ideas, record lectures, take notes and more.

This app is available only on the App Store for iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

The app offers a delightful writing experience, yet it also makes it easy to embed images, annotate PDFs, and even record voice memos.

Sketching and drawing in Notability is easy and downright delightful. Being able to doodle and quickly sketch out illustrations is one of our favorite things about taking notes on paper.

Notability does an excellent job of emulating this experience, while also allowing you to do things you can't do on paper such as resizing and moving your drawings.

In addition, Notability includes a variety of flexible layout options. This allows you to, for instance, have a slide or reference material open on one side of the page while you take notes on the other.

And beyond the layout of individual pages, you can also organize your notes using digital “Dividers” (which is perfect if you're used to taking notes in a physical binder).

With iCloud support, your notes are always available on iPad, iPhone and Mac. It also gives you plenty of options for exporting and sharing your notes, including Google Drive, Dropbox, and AirDrop.

Sadly, not all of Notability's functions are free. You will have to pay to create and choose from stickers, convert handwriting to text, and support of mathematical conversions.

5. GoodNotes

GoodNotes ($7.99), like Notability, also has an Editor's Choice Award on the Apple App Store, and it functions quite similarly to Notability, with just a few distinct differences. It's not quite as smooth when writing or sketching, not have audio recording function, but it does have a more robust framework for organizing things.

GoodNotes is impressive and beautiful. It's the obvious choice for anyone who appreciates smart organization and customization options. Plus, you can choose from several built-in note layouts and templates, as well as import your own.

It supports palm rejection, typing and stylus writing, PDF annotation, left-handed users, and can even convert handwritten words into typed text. It also offers wide stylus compatibility, accommodating those who don't prefer the Apple Pencil.

GoodNotes has a shape recognition tool that detects when you draw a shape and makes it look nice and neat (because, let's be honest, nobody can draw a perfect circle). It even works for underlining or highlighting words, so you won't have to worry about them being crooked and making the existing words unreadable.

A great feature is the multiple window feature GoodNotes offers. This feature lets you work on different tabs simultaneously while using a split-screen.

You have the latest GoodNotes version on all your devices (iPad, iPhone, Mac). The notes are also synced via iCloud, and can be backed up to your choice of cloud providers, including Dropbox, Google Drive, or Box.

6. Notion

If you're looking for a note-taking app with personal and collaboration features, then Notion is an amazing option. Unlike most apps, it provides a powerful, database-driven note-taking experience for its users.

Notion bills itself as an all-in-one workplace for notes, writing, project management, collaboration, and more.

It aims to consolidate all the tools writers or creatives might use as their writing app of choice, to-do lists, and even project management tools.

One of the main features that make Notion stand out is its team functionality and real-time collaboration features. It allows your teams to share, add comments, assign tasks, and even set reminders.

Notion allows you to write in on a clean, uncluttered workspace, create your own personal wiki, plan using multiple views, and create spreadsheets and databases to record everything you do.

The app allows users to create customized private or shared workspaces where they can then add versatile "blocks" that act like text snippets, bookmarks, images, toggle links, files, code snippets, discussion sections, and more. And now that it's free for students and teachers to access premium features ( sign up with an academic email address ), many more people will have a good reason to give it a try.

No offline support. Currently, you need to have an internet connection to use Notion.

It's available on Windows, Apple Mac, iOS, and Android. Free for personal users; free trial for team users with a 1,000 block limit; from $10/month/user for teams with unlimited blocks.

7. Simplenote

If the only kind of notes you intend to make are text-based, then you don't need a feature-rich app. Simplenote by Automattic (the same company behind WordPress) is a free note-taking app that syncs to all your devices and comes with no storage limit, but it only supports text.

It's easy to use, lightweight, free, and totally reliable. If you don't need an app that can save images, scanned documents, sketches, and other multimedia, then Simplenote is a very good option.

Simplenote is geared towards those who want to capture and organize text notes. Unfortunately, you can't keep or store webpages and clippings in Simplenote.

Tagging and search tools ensure users can find what they're looking for and notes can be shared or published to others working in the same team or on a project. Simplenote backs up previous versions of documents so it's always possible to revert to an earlier one.

The app doesn't support styluses, PDF annotation, or other power-user features found in other apps.

There are Simplenote apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Linux and Android. You can also access Simplenote through a web app. It syncs across all your devices for free.

8. Workflowy

WorkFlowy is a simple but powerful app best for structuring your ideas. It allows for creation of transparent lists with subitems, titles, and a description.

In the lists, you can include such items as #hashtags, @mentions, date, note, and check the items from lists. These functionalities are helpful in the search option as they let you quickly find searched notes.

To use WorkFlowy, first, you need to create an account. Moreover, it automatically syncs between your phone, tablet, and computer.

Workflowy takes the idea of an outline to an extreme. Rather than create smaller cards for each of your notes (like a notepad), Workflowy drills further and further down into an outline, creating a hierarchical structure right from the start.

Workflowy offers extreme flexibility. Novelists use to plan books; managers can create quick tasks and checklists to pass onto their team. The bulleted structure within Workflowy is ideal for complex project organization.

Workflowy is available On the web Not only in native apps Windows, Mac, Linux, Android,and iOS.. This service is free and has a monthly limit of 250 new lists and items.

A Pro plan — Remove that limitation and add more customization options, Dropbox backup possibilities, and premium-level support — runs for $ 49 / year, or $ 48 / user. Team placement, Includes management features.

9. Standard Notes

Standard Notes is a free, minimalistic, open-source, and fully encrypted note-taking application.

Standard Notes takes security seriously and has powerful search features. ​Everything you write is encrypted by default and only you can access it.

The user experience is well-thought-out and logical with menuing and settings that are clear. The web-based version performs very well.

It allows you to compose any kind of note, from rich text to Markdown, code and spreadsheet support, themes, expanded backups and cloud storage support.. Standard Notes is faster and lighter than most note taking apps available today.

The only downside is its lack of in-app image hosting. It can't host in-app. You have to save your images elsewhere before you can save it in the app.

Some of its best features are offered through powerful extensions. But unfortunately, these are available only in the premium version.

Its other best feature is multi-platform accessibility I.e. it works on Web, Mac, Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, and Linux.

10. Joplin

Joplin is an ambitious app that attempts to replicate an open source, decentralized version of Evernote. That gives users a Markdown formatted note-taking interface organized by notebooks and using your cloud storage services as the sync backbone.

Users can import content from Evernote through .enex files, as well as Markdown content. Sorting and search filters help keep you organized, and there's even an option for end-to-end encryption of your notes. Joplin is also capable of exporting to multiple other formats including HTML and PDF.

One great feature of Joplin is the tag feature. If you've ever wanted to organize notes into multiple categories per note, the tags feature is for you.

The notes are searchable, can be copied, tagged and modified either from the applications directly or from your own text editor.

Joplin can sync your notes between devices through Dropbox, OneDrive (One Drive Business not supported), NextCloud or WebDAV.

Joplin is the best free and open-source note-taking app available, as long as you don't mind managing storage yourself and forgoing a handful of features found in more powerful apps.

Joplinapp application is available for Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, and iOS . A Web Clipper, to save web pages and screenshots from your browser, is also available for Firefox and Chrome.

11. Apple Notes

If you're firmly entrenched in Apple's ecosystem, you don't have to look too far for a great, free note-taking app. Notes is best if you're an all-Apple person.

Apple Notes (variously called Notes or iCloud Notes, depending on how you're accessing it) is built into macOS and iOS, and can also be used through your browser. It is free and easy to use.

Once you create a new note, you can add text, attach images, scan documents, draw or handwrite, add checklists, format things into tables, and more. You can add multiple different things to a single note.

It even features an in-built document scanner that can help you save some time every now and again. Its powerful search function will allow you to quickly locate notes and attachments. Share things easily with editing permissions or as view-only.

If you have an iPad or iPad Pro, Notes works with the Apple stylus.

Apple Notes offers solid organization and formatting features, though it lacks Markdown support.

Plus, everything you create is automatically backed up to iCloud, and you can even create voice notes using Siri while you're on the go.

12. Zoho Notebook

Zoho Notebook is a beautifully designed note-taking app which is available across iOS, Android, Mac, Web, Windows & Linux.

Take notes, add files, create checklists, sketches, record audio, and capture moments and all your notes are instantly synced across your devices and to the cloud. You can insert tables and customize colors, filter and search cards, and more.

A safe and secure note taking app for sharing and collaborating between friends and co-workers. 100% free and ad-free across devices.

The mobile app has a built-in sketch feature that you can use to jot down diagrams or notes with your finger or a stylus.

In addition to note taking, Zoho Notebook is also a great app for real-time collaboration. It makes storing and sharing information easy, quick, and manageable.

Like OneNote and Evernote, this note-taking app also has its version of a web clipper. Clip text and images and save them to the same Text Card. Take notes from your browser, or save the whole article. Users can also share their notes through SMS, email, iMessage, and AirDrop.

File cards are stored under Zoho Docs and are allotted a maximum of 5 GB of storage per account. Those who want additional storage can pay for it for a monthly fee.

Conclusion

All of the above note-taking apps will get the job done. And as with most recommendations, you have to figure out what works for you.

Your choice boils down to personal preference and how you like to work or write. Do you want a note-taking app that syncs with your productivity apps?

Or would you simply like a place to record your ideas quickly? And is cost and cross-platform functionality important?

If you want to take lots of handwritten notes with a stylus, OneNote, Notability and GoodNotes maybe the 3 best note-taking app for that overall.

I hope that this list will help you decide on your note-taking app, whether it's on this list or not.

Of course, to benefit from taking notes, you need to make it a habit.

So what are you waiting for? Go try and let us know your experience.

Source: https://www.xp-pen.com/forum-5583.html

 

Are you an architect that works with AutoCAD you need more control over your free-hand drawings?

Are Graphic Tablets useful for Architects? Does it handle all types of tasks?

Contemplating getting a mobile tablet computer for as on on the go drawing but can't decide which fits your workflow, budget or specifications?

Architecture is one of the fields of activity where computers have given professionals a lot more precision, the ability to work faster and more efficiently.

Computers are a necessity in today's world. It encourage creativity through the use of apps that help in creating digital art like drawing and painting.

If you have a smoothly working laptop with architecture softwares such as Revit, 3dsmax, SketchUP, Archicad, Autocad, Rhino, etc. you may want a drawing tablet that comes with a digital pen to work with it.

As architects, we tend to draw a lot, sketch everything we see in our way, even if it is just drawing trees, people, or just doodling down what seems to be buildings.

But, what if we want to do all of this and put it digitally right away?

There are two ways of doing this, scanning all of your sketches and importing these into photoshop or illustrator software, or doing these sketches directly on a graphic tablet.

The AutoCAD ( also support some other architecture programs, You need to check first ) software fully supports drawing tablet, which enables you to quickly sketch an idea or easily modify parts of your drawing.

what is drawing tablet? and the types?

A graphics tablet is an optional electronic input device for computers, generally used by architects, engineers, artists, and others who want to correctly edit pictures.

Graphics tablets come with a stylus or pen with removable tips and have pressure sensitivity, allowing artists to have more brush stroke variation as determined by how hard they push the pen to the screen.

The Drawing tablets for Architects and Designers work best for those who do a lot of sketching, concept design, rendering or, illustration.

Also, for those used to sketching with a pencil and paper, you will be able to easily pick up the basics of using drawing tablets while advanced users are introduced to a world of deep functionality.

These drawing tablets come in three forms:

Pen Tablets

It includes two main components, i.e., a flat, rectangular pad on which to pull and a stylus applied to locate shapes on the pad.

Simple drawing pads that connect to a computer and are typically less expensive than other options. you will need to see the pc's screen to visualise how your drawing comes out.

They're perfect for beginners or established artists looking for an inexpensive option. Nowadays they tend to be wireless with an internal battery.

Pen displays

As traditional artists usually love the feel of drawing on paper, so the designers have come up with a way to recreate that feeling.

Feature a screen that you draw on but must be connected to a computer to supplement the necessary amount of power. They cost a bit more, but being able to draw directly on your art instead of staring at a computer monitor with your hand on a separate pen pad is really convenient.

A digital drawing tablet with screen allows you to blend your creativity with technology. With a screen that feels like paper-like-texture, you can have a more natural experience drawing.

if you have a slightly higher budget, you should consider choosing display tablets.

Pen computers / All-in-one tablets

Standalone machines that feature HD displays and don't need to be connected to other devices to function. This is often what you'll see high-end professionals working on.

These are the most expensive tablets. One of the biggest advantages of these tablets is that you don't have to attach them to the computer to see your drawings. Furthermore, they are lightweight, making them one of the most portable devices.

What you'll want to keep in mind are the following things：Your screen size requirement, battery life, use case, and what operating system you prefer for use.

Since drawing tablets interact with computers, it gives you access to more intensive architecture software than a mobile app can provide.

Drawing tablets can also have massive displays making it easier to work on the finer details of your work.

However, the trade-off here is that drawing tablets aren't nearly as portable since they either need to be connected to a computer or can be too bulky for easy mobile use.

What Are the Uses of Graphics Tablets in industrial design?

It is almost difficult to describe the use of graphic tablets in a single sentence since they are used instead of a mouse in various ways. They are a necessary tool adopted across a pile of multiple industries and artistic niches.

Graphic tablets use the human hand's fluid motion and physical positioning to its most magnificent power. Utilizing a graphic tablet is as convenient and straightforward as using a pencil, pen, or airbrush.

In industrial design, architects & engineers spend hours in the head of computer screens to build that ideal design. This may increase the need for persuasive drawing devices with unique features to induce their visions to life. The hardware and congenial software are steadily advancing. With the height of the list of new products, it is possible to discard your traditional screen and mouse and move entirely to a graphic tablet.

The one who does many illustrations, concept design, sketching, or rendering work might find a graphic tablet most useful.

They use graphic tablets because the use of a digital pen feels more natural to hold and work. This empowers them to create and design more smoothly and speedily.

Benefits Of Using Graphic Tablets For drawing architecture

One of the great things about having a drawing tablet is that being a architects, you can increase your productivity a lot.

By getting a drawing tablet, you're going to be able to do just what you're doing with pen on paper right on your computer screen.

Architects and designers can rely on it for their ideations and sketches with the help of the pen that comes with it.

The stylus makes the creation more effortless and convenient as everyone is used to keeping a pen or pencil in his or her hand.

Through a stylus, the tablet is used to create complicated shapes and allows a more natural drawing motion than it is possible with a computer mouse.

You're going to be able to draw nice straight lines exactly as you want and waste less time redoing them to look right.

you can zoom in and pinpoint the stylus just where you like it. Your creations will now look 100% like you want them to and you have complete power over the stylus and drawing tablet.

The drawing tablets use pressure detection technology ( This is a unique feature of a drawing tablet and the app used for the purpose ) to trace current images which can storing in a digital format for uses like archiving or retouching.

Writing or drawing extensively with mouse can lead to repetitive stress injuries and even carpal tunnel syndrome. Many Architects and designers suffer from these injuries. Choosing graphic tablets instead of mouse helps in avoiding all these injuries.

The tablet have Functional keys around the active area can be programmed to create shortcuts. This saves time by offering quicker access to the most-used command functions.

If you're excited about the value of getting a drawing tablet, you're going to enjoy working with one!

The 6 best drawing tablet for architects

Plan on getting a new tablet for AutoCAD, SketchUP, Archicad, Revit, 3ds max, photoshop, etc?

Tablets are essential devices when it comes to architecture and construction because without them, making changes to drawings can be a time-consuming task. And so, they make things easier for you.

Wacom drawing tablet models are especially ahead in the industry. But from my experiences, it's true that XP-Pen's products have been getting better over the years to the point where their products could directly compete with Wacom's products, and their price, compared to Wacom's, is relatively cheaper, which means you could possibly get more value with the same budget.

If you are an artist and looking for a compact and powerful drawing device, you must have come across Apple iPad Pro and the Microsoft Surface Pro.

In this article, we list the 6 best tablets for architects, architecture students and construction drawings.

1. Microsoft Surface Pro 7

Microsoft Surface Pro 7 is a tablet and a laptop at the same time. In other words, you get the best of both worlds.

Because the ability to detach the display from the keyboard makes it a tablet, and putting it back transforms it into a laptop.

So unless you will be doing some serious rendering, then the Microsoft Surface Pro 7 is a solid option for architecture.

The performance varies because of the different configurations. The most powerful has an Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD. Whiles the base model has an Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, and 128GB SSD.

The display is bright and beautiful making it easy to be used outdoors. And the build quality is better than the previous version – Surface Pro 6. But, the weight and thinness are still the same.

The stylus of the Microsoft Surface Pro 7 is one of the things that makes it great for drawing and making changes to the plan. However, it is sold separately and that includes the keyboard.

Its Color Gamut is 97 percent of sRGB ( 72% NTSC / 79% Adobe RGB ), very close to the Standard Gamut. Battery life is decent about 8 hours on average. Good enough for a day's work.

Overall, the Microsoft Surface Pro 7 is one of the best tablets for architects and construction drawings. It's lightweight and has enough performance to handle architecture software. Highly-recommended.

2. iPad Pro

Brilliant 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with ProMotion, True Tone, and P3 wide color. which is bright, sharp and has great viewing angles. 5G for superfast downloads and high-quality streaming.

New features include a near edge-to-edge display, a lot more storage space, a 12 megapixels camera for insanely sharp pictures and a 35% faster processor. Apple M1 chip for next-level performance. That means this iPad outperforms many laptops speed-wise.

The iPad Pro 11-inch is compatible with the new second generation Apple Pencil. If you use a stylus a lot – to draw and do more detailed work – the new Apple Pencil has some updates that might interest you. It's technically more advanced meaning it's even more pressure sensitive and will react in absolute unison with your hands movements.

You can also charge it with a magnetic connection, which means it automatically recharges while you're not using it. No need to plug it into your iPad to charge it, which gives it a clear edge over the first generation of Apple Pencils.

Battery life is superb easily able to last over 10-11 hours. However, the stylus pen, keyboard and trackpad are not included in the package. So, you have to make a separate purchase.

A lightweight device that you can take along to construction sites and architectural projects. which lets you easily bring your technical drawings and view their details with the highest accuracy wherever you need to. The Apple iPad although pricey offers much better value and performance than most drawing tablets.

3. XP-Pen Star G640S

The XP-Pen Star G640S is one of the cheapest option, and with a 6.5×4 inches working area, it's also one of the smallest and lightest. That means it's easy to stick in a bag and take on the go.

It has 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity, which matches that of much more expensive models, and promises to work with Windows, Android , Chromebook, Linux , Mac Operating system and a wide variety of graphics software.

It comes equipped with 6 customizable physical keys and 20 replacement pen nibs. The stylus does not need charging which ensures no disruptions in the middle of work.

XP-Pen Star G640S is ideal for drawing, editing, sketching, animation, and digital signatures.

Because of its size, it's definitely a starter tablet, but if you're just looking for something to begin, then this might be a good product to start.

The Star G640 offers the best drawing pad option for any architects and engineers looking for a portable, decent-priced tablet.

4. XP-Pen Deco 03

Experience a more natural way of working on your computer with a 2.4 GHz wireless connection.

The drawing tablet has a larger active drawing area than Star G640S in this list at 10 X 5.62 inches and 8mm thick.

The tablet comes with six built-in expresskeys and a red scroll wheel to help improve your workflow and speed.

The battery-free stylus included comes with two shortcut buttons and 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity, that provides natural looking, accurate and efficient strokes.

The drawing area has a glossier finish than other tablets available, but there is still a slight paper-like surface that imitates the feeling of drawing with a pen and paper.

For those on a tight budget who cant yet afford a Wacom Intuos tablet, the XP-Pen Deco 03's performance and features are way beyond what you can expect to pay for it. With plenty of shortcut keys, precise levels of pen pressure and a textured drawing surface.

Its sleek design plus its A4 size large working area is the perfect choice for architects, engineers, and students using CAD, 3D sculpting programs, and other software.

5. XP-Pen Artist 13.3 Pro

The 13.3-inch screen that comes with an anti-glare film. the XP-Pen Artist 13.3 Pro's Fully laminated Screen seamlessly combines the glass and LCD which reduces the parallax.

With its rich 16.7-million color display (6-bit) , 1920x1080 FHD resolution and 88% NTSC ( 120% sRGB / 91% Adobe RGB ) gamut, the Artist 13.3 Pro certainly runs the gamut of quality graphics and colors.

The pen is sensitive and can detect pressure on the screen, allowing you to have great control, which is highly important for any professional architect.

It also supports a 60-degree tilt brush effect, letting you apply just the right strokes to your CAD drawings.

Designed for either left-handed or right-handed use, the Artist 13.3 Pro also has 8 customizable buttons and 1 red roller wheel to make drawing easier than ever.

Whether you're a beginner, a casual artist, or a professional, the XP-Pen Artist 13.3 Pro is the best drawing tablet option for an easy yet professional user experience.

6. XP-Pen Artist 22 2nd Generation

Its 21.5 inches large display helps you to access any software's dashboard and artboard more perfectly. A larger screen allows you to more easily draw fine details .

The drawing tablet provides precise accuracy with colors and more vibrancy compared to older models ( Artist 22E Pro and Artist 22 Pro). The display offer realistic color accuracy up to 90% Adobe RGB ( 86% NTSC / 122% sRGB ). which means you can accurately reproduce even the most subtle shades.

Its PA6 battery-free Pen has 8192 pressure levels and 60 degrees of tilt function that creates smooth and natural lines.

The graphics display tablet supports USB-C to USB-C connectivity. This makes it easy to connect it with other devices that support USB-C input.

Artist 22 2nd Generation comes with a stand that can be adjusted as per the working position.

Users particularly love how crisp and vibrant this drawing tablet's display is. Simplify your workflow by getting this well-built drawing tablet for architects and engineers.

7. XP-Pen Artist 24

The larger model 24” comes with a 2K ( 2560 x 1440 ) QHD resolution and can display 94% of the Adobe RGB ( 90% NTSC / 127% sRGB ) color space.

The PA6 digital pen has been engineered with Battery-Free Electromagnetic Resonance (EMR) technology.

Stylus does not need charging and ensures smooth lines with 8192 pen pressure levels, 60 degrees tilt recognition and a 233PPS report rate.

Its adjustable stand that comes with the XP-Pen Artist 24 device has an ergonomic design to provide comfort while working.

This is the perfect high end tablet for cad drawings and fast SketchUp. you can create plans and technical drawings with the utmost precision and efficiency.

Conclusion

Choosing the right graphics tablet for your projects is the key to get good quality digital artworks.

The drawing experience (pen to screen) is much more natural.But if you are just starting out, a screenless tablet will work fine for what you want to do.

I couldn't exactly say which model is the best for you as architects' needs vary heavily from a person to another. For me, I put the most weight on the color accuracy and the responding speed of the display because the nature of my work requires high color accuracy (lots of printing and digital displaying). Others may put weight on the pen's performance due to their drawing styles, which require highly responsive actions.

Digital drawing tablets are a godsend for all the architects out there as it has eliminated all the hassle of endless large canvases or pages. They have also enhanced the accuracy of their designs, along with boosting their efficiency and productivity; even on the go.

Since these devices are solely designed for the purpose of drawing, you get a true and enhanced convenience to bring all your visions and creativity to life.

If you're an architect or a student of architecture; or even if it's to recommend the best tablet for architects to your friend or relative, this write-up is just for you.

Let me know in the comments below what are your thoughts on a Graphic Tablet and contribute to this community with your experience using one.

Source Link: https://www.xp-pen.com/forum-2817.html

The original meaning of animation was ‘the state of being alive'. Animation is all about getting a group of individual images that change subtly but progressively and chaining them together.

Most 2D animation is done in Adobe Animate CC (almost every cartoon on disney, cartoon network, and nickelodeon is animated this way) or Toon Boom Harmony. Usually it is hand animated, but sometimes (very, very rarely now) they use rotoscoping.

Most 3D animation is done in Maya or 3DS Max (usually maya). Sometimes it is hand animated, but usually they use motion capture of some sort.

Tools used are usually drawing tablets, for 2D animation in Adobe Animate it's similar to hand drawn animation with parts overlapping other parts, animation cells, and frames. For 3D animation you use bones (the character/actor's limbs and body movement) and a few other things.

In terms of animation, a drawing tablet is an extremely various instrument and you do not have to look too far inside an animator's instrument field to seek out one.

Whether or not you're employed inside a 2D or 3D surroundings, when creating animations, a drawing pad can be utilized for all manner of duties from preliminary sketching and storyboarding, although to complicated scene creation and animating full frames.

Interestingly, you get to do these right from a digital screen. Doesn't that sound pretty fun-filled and convenient?

Many artists and illustrators have started to show their passion using a drawing tablet with a screen. Be it for unleashing their creativity or art jobs, the best drawing tablet can serve them in manifold ways.

Any digital animators who understand and value their trade will admit that animation graphics tablets are incredibly useful and powerful. They are a must-have for anyone looking to simplify the tedious animation and drawing processes.

While the power and usefulness of tablets are undebatable, not all the models are similar in design and capability. Therefore, your pick will depend on your skills and your objectives.

Benefits Of Using Drawing Tablets For Animation

Mostly because it's faster. Way faster. If you've ever worked with a 3D software like Maya or 3D Max you know that you spend a lot of your time looking at the character model and moving its body parts around.

Doing that with a pen feels so much more natural than a mouse, it's like touching the model with you hands. You get more precise with your tweaking and you move around incredibly faster.

Absolute placement is the principle of drawing tablets, which is where the location of the stylus on the tablet appears at the same spot on the panel.

There are 4 corners of the screen on the tablet so you can travel around faster. Using the stylus, similar to moving the mouse around to get your cursor where you want it, takes less time. In an instant, you will be exactly where you want to be.

Working with a mouse can be tiring while using cartoonist's software since your wrist is flat and you can only work with harsh dragging gestures that include your whole side. Typically, the mouse is imprecise and clunky in your palm, and after extended use, your palm begins to cramp. A mouse is perfect for browsing the internet, scrolling, or doing basic jobs, but a drawing tablet for animation helps you to complete detail-intensive things more easily.

When you have a drawing pad, you don't have to get rid of your mouse. They work well together, so it makes sense to have both of them. Certain tasks are more mouse-oriented and others are simpler to complete with the stylus, it all depends on what you do.

Using drawing tablets for cartooning will also help to provide more clarity in the designs and figures. Since it's just like using a pen or a pencil, you can draw outlines or curves lined up very specifically. No more wondering when things start going to happen when you use a mouse for digital cartooning.

Shortcut keys are also a great feature that comes with most of the drawing tablets. You can customize the shortcut keys as per your requirements!

The drawing tablet may also be used in all applications; it is not exclusive to Photoshop, Illustrator, Clip Studio Paint or any other software that might be used by animators.

A Drawing Tablet Opens Up The New Empire of the Imagination

Once you get up to speed, learning digital cartooning drawing techniques is another enjoyable way to improve your artistic production. Think about cartooning art, interactive painting and animation using a dedicated drawing tablet, pen displays and apps. There is no limit to how you will show yourself. All that's needed is some creativity and a desire to place a pencil on paper or rather a stylus on tablet.

A drawing tablet normally comes with a stylus that is closely similar to the shape of a marker. They are usually much simpler and more convenient to keep in your hand than a mouse and allow an amazing degree of precision in your work.

Drawing tablets for animation and digital cartooning have up to 8192 different degrees of exposure to pressure. Whereas Mouse only has two degrees of sensitivity to the pressure; clicked or not clicked. This gives tablets a huge advantage over mouse , particularly for thorough digital painting. When using Photoshop, the sensitivity of the pressure spreads to the brushes as well. This makes it much easier to mix colours, incorporate effects, and apply cartoonist's tools.

With a stylus, you can rotate the pen and shift your hand and wrist to a normal drawing position. This helps you to have a lot of control on the strokes you're making. You can digitally paint with your stylus within Photoshop, and your work would look more realistic, simply because you have a natural range of hand and finger dexterity. If you want your digital cartooning to come alive and look organic, realistic, competent, then the drawing tablet is the perfect tool for your design work.

What tablet do animators use?

Drawing Tablets are now available in several sizes, ranging from lightweight, more compact ones to bigger options for creative digital cartoonists.

The smaller tablets are lightweight and simple to bear. They can be conveniently thrown into a suitcase or briefcase.

A stable animator's tablet needs to be responsive and simple to deal with. Some animators desire a transportable pill that may transfer with them on the go. Others need a big tablet for house use.

One of many greatest elements to think about is pricing. This will likely have the most important impact in your choice as a result of good digital tablets aren't low cost.

Wacom needs very little introduction, but for the sake of formality they are a Japanese company that specializes in making interactive pen displays, pen tablets, and styluses.

They've been around since the ‘80s, and over the years have grown to dominate the drawing tablet industry. They have produced legendary product lines, including the Intuos and Cintiq . Be aware, though, that their products are more expensive than other brands.

XP-Pen is one of the main manufacturers of drawing tablets, interactive pen displays and handwritten input digitizer products . They have been around since 2005, though for the first 10 years they only served the Chinese market.

However, in 2015, they took on the global market by launching their graphic tablet on Amazon. Over time, more and more of their products have been marketed internationally, and have received a warm welcome.

their tablets aimed at those who want the premium features of Wacom graphics tablets, but don't have the budget to afford one.

5 Best Graphics Tablets for Animation

Animators want as a lot precision as attainable to make correct marks, alter frames, and to maneuver by way of rapidly.

For this reason show tablets actually are the only option. In the event you're extra of a hobbyist then a easy graphics tablet could suffice.

However in the long term artists who work digitally sometimes transfer onto show tablets. They're higher high quality and simply really feel simpler to make use of.

1. XP-Pen Deco Pro

XP-Pen Deco Pro is available in two different sizes ( Small - 9x5"active area and Medium - 11x6"active area ) and two connection models ( with or without 4.2 Bluetooth connectivity ).

Large A5 or A4 working area allowing you to get creative without worrying about the space constraints.

With the Deco Pro Bluetooth model, you can enjoy the convenience of wireless creating with built-in Bluetooth.

The tablet has 8 shortcut buttons and an innovative dual wheels that lets you easily pan around and zoom in and out of your drawings quickly.

the Stylus is lightweight and battery-free, the device is capable of recognising 60° of tilt and 8192 levels of pressure in pen. You can use this device with any drawing software such as Photoshop, Paint Tool SAI and many more.

2. XP-Pen Artist Pro 16

If you are a professional artist, XP-Pen Artist Pro 16 can be a great choice. It has powerful 8192 levels of pen pressure and 60 degrees of tilt sensitivity.

It comes with a 15.4-inch compact IPS 1920 x 1080 (16:9) resolution screen, which provides a great viewing experience. And, the tablet is equipped with full laminated screen technology which ensure the minimize parallax .

The tablet has an amazing gamut color of up to 99% Adobe RGB which provides various natural colors on the screen display.

The Artist Pro 16 is the first XP-Pen's display tablet with the X3 Smart Chip stylus which increases 10-fold the sensitivity of the initial activation force ( IAF to under three grams ) that recognizes even the lightest pen strokes.

The Stylus have a digital eraser at the end. And we can physically flipped the tool over to use its eraser end to scrub out mistakes.

In the center of 8 customizable keys, there's a Dual dials. which you can use as per your choice.

Different amazing features of Artist Pro 16 makes it one of the top graphic tablets . This screen drawing tablet will work very smoothly and it will provide a great user experience.

3. XP-Pen Artist 22R Pro

XP-Pen Artist 22R Pro is a 21.5-inch drawing tablet with 1920 x 1080 display resolution.

120% SRGB will provide good color accuracy and improve your visual experience with the tablet.

Totally outfitted with 20 specific keys and 2 red dial wheels , animators can absolutely customise their workspace, aided by the adjustable monitor stand that effortlessly alters the tablet's angle.

PA2 battery-free stylus comes with 60 degrees natural tilt recognition and 8192 levels of pen pressure that helps to achieve realistic drawing experience.

With this large size display drawing tablet, you will get a comfortable experience while working.

4. XP-Pen Artist 24 Pro

For animators and creators looking for a graphics tablet, but still want a professional graded product, then the XP-Pen Artist 24 Pro is a worthy option.

with a grand drawing surface of 24-inch , you can Create directly on a large canvas with premium color performance.

The combination of 90 percent Adobe RGB colour accuracy, 2k ( 2560 x 1440 pixels) Resolution, and a 16.7 Million colours produce a true-to-life visual experience.

The Battery-free Stylus has low pen latency, tilt support, and pressure sensitivity provide artists with a more precise control and a natural pen-on-screen experience.

There are 20 shortcut keys and 2 red dial wheels available on the tablet that will allow you to customize keys as per your need.

It has fantastic build quality, accuracy and precision. This XP-Pen tablet is a great option if you are looking for a large screen tablet that is feature-rich.

5. iPad Pro

Ideal for animators as well as regular users, the Apple iPad Pro comes replete with powerful features and a stylish body.

The 2021 refresh of the iPad Pro comes with the M1 processing chip, which was previously only found in Macs. This enables apps to run faster than ever.

with its luminous 12.9-inch liquid retina XDR display, creating incredible works of art is easier.

The Apple Pencil 2 makes for smooth , intuitive and impressive drawing, especially when combined with the Procreate app and some amazing Procreate brushes.

With the addition of a Magic keyboard, it can be converted into a laptop. but you'll have to fork out more money for the Apple Pencil 2 and Magic keyboard.

If you wanted portability you should've took the iPad Pro. Also 12.9-inch is a really good size for carrying arround (I always carry it with me).

Conclusion:

Overall, as you can see, the advantages of using a drawing tablet for animation, cartoons outweigh the benefits of using other devices. They will make your life as a digital cartoonist so much easier, particularly when you're working in Toon Boom Harmony , Moho or OpenToonz!

Stylus pens will make you feel more natural and you will be able to get more information about your projects. Shortcut keys and pressure sensitivity functionality will carry the job to a different level, and you'll be able to do more in less time!

Developing drawing skills while being a digital cartoonist takes time and practice, but it can inspire your creativity much as it did in childhood. To achieve that point, it's worth taking the time to learn the fundamentals of how to catch the human face and how to draw flora and fauna. From there, you can build up character illustration, comics, manga and animation, or whatever style you find suits your aesthetics.

Do let us know if you've been using any other tools for your creativity in the comments section and we can write about the same in our upcoming articles.

Link: https://www.xp-pen.com/forum-2570.html

Some of the best drawings you can see today weren't created with a pencil, they were made purely on a computer. It's almost unbelievable to look at some of the drawings you can create without ever having to pick up a piece of paper.

By using a drawing tablet and computer program you can select from all sorts of different tools and settings. Choose from endless brushes including watercolour, calligraphy and even chalk. Then there are the limitless colour selections on offer.

Drawing tablets can be used for most creative and content production needs such as illustration, photography, 3D modeling, animation, graphic design, etc. Most professional programs on those fields offer advanced pen support and can recognize and use pen pressure and even tilt function.

Touching the tip of the pen on the tablet surface is the equivalent of a click, while pressure and pen tilt can be used to vary stroke width, opacity, effect intensity, and other attributes. There are buttons on the pen that can be programmed for right click or other commands.

All of the drawing tablets are compatible with Windows and Mac OS systems. You can connect it to your PC or Mac and transform your computer into a drawing canvas.

If you are a graphic designer or digital artist working with a tablet is more efficient and comfortable than a mouse, especially when you use it for longer period of time. You can make illustrations and vector art in software like illustrator or digital paintings in photoshop.

They are also used for making 3D sculpted models in softwares like zbrush and blender…

Other than that there are many other uses…like if you make educational tutorials and use for online teaching then you can use the tablet to write handwritten notes. In office they are used for taking digital signatures.

The best part is, it's incredibly easy to learn how to use a drawing tablet. In no time you'll be drawing like an expert.

Looking for the Best Drawing Tablet for Beginners? If you're new to digital tablets then you'll probably be confused about all the features.

Drawing tablets, also known as pen tablets or graphic tablets, are input devices that can be used to substitute or complement a mouse. They're very popular in the graphic arts field and are considered by some as an indispensable aid for any creative professional.

While there are some technical differences, most graphics tablets work in the same way. The drawing area of the tablet creates a magnetic field, and the pen draws on this to produce its own magnetic field, which is tracked by the sensors in the tablet. Through this, the tablet knows where the pen is, the velocity of its movement and how hard the tip is being pressed against the board. It can even detect the angle at which the pen is being held.

There are two main types of tablets: displays and non-displays.

The display tablets show a screen on the device and you draw directly onto the screen.

Non-display tablets are more “traditional” drawing tablets where you draw on a black area while staring at your monitor. The strokes are recorded on the tablet and they translate into whatever software you're using(Photoshop, Krita, Clip Studio Paint).

If you're starting digital art for the first time, you should try an affordable electronic drawing pad first to see if it meets your needs. And graphics tablets with screens aren't necessarily preferable, because they're prohibitively expensive. Granted it is much easier to draw on a display tablet.

Although the drawing tablet has a screen, don't forget that it's not a standalone device. You'll still need to connect it to your computer for it to function.

Advantages of using Drawing Tablet

Many digital artists get by just fine using only a mouse or trackpad. Nothing beats having a stylus in your hand, however.

A tablet gives you complete control over every stroke, allowing you to work at length without fatigue and to condition the muscles in your hand.

Holding a pen is also much more ergonomic than using a mouse, and most users with repetitive strain injury (RSI) or tendonitis suffer less pain when using a tablet.

The pressure sensitivity, the accuracy, and honestly the natural feel of using a tablet just makes it way easier than using a mouse to try and achieve the same effects. Even a cheap tablet will make your life easier.

Graphics Tablets Price and Brands

Price varies on factors ranging from, number of pressure sensors, bit/nib options, custom stylus's, number of mappable hotkeys, and perhaps most importantly size, and brands.

So what is the best tablet brand? Wacom, Huion and XP-Pen all have a range of products for the digital artist. If you want the absolute best then a Wacom is the way to go.

The Wacom tablet is generally regarded as expensive. If you want a drawing tablet from a premium manufacturer, but a Wacom would break your budget, the XP-Pen is here to the rescue. Put simply, it is a Wacom, but at a smaller price.

XP-PEN is a professional and reliable manufacturer of graphics tablets, pen display monitors, stylus pens, and other intuitive interface devices.

Nowdays the brand wacom , Huion and XP-Pen are all offers battery-free pen with each Drawing tablet. The pen doesn't need batteries, so it's lightweight, perfectly balanced and comfortable enough to use as long as you like.

What to Consider Before Buying drawing tablet without screen

If you feel the need to, you can learn about the fundamental differences between different kinds of non-screen drawing tablets and other useful information.

1. Size of the Active Drawing Area: The active area is where you draw, sketch , edit and it's mapped exactly to your display. The active area should not be confused with tablet size. The tablet usually contains the toolbar and the various menus.

Tablets usually come in sizes where the active drawing area ranges from slightly smaller than an A6 page to slightly larger than A4.

working area sizes should be relative to your screen size and resolution. The smaller the tablet surface, the less hand movement will be necessary to move the cursor on the screen.

Having a tablet too small for your screen leads to a jumpy cursor and makes fine selections difficult. A tablet too big for your screen feels slow, requiring more hand movement, and may tire your arm muscles quicker.

Drawing tablets come in a range of different sizes, and this component is a very personal one. Some artists prefer a large surface area for their creations, while others like to have a compact and travel-friendly option.

2. Pressure Senstivity: It's possible to find a drawing tablet that ranges from 2000 to 8000 pressure levels. Generally speaking, the higher the sensitivity, the easier it'll be to manipulate while you're drawing.

These sensitivity levels allow a greater connection to occur between your tablet and the stylus. If you end up with a particularly sensitive product, you'll be able to create thicker lines as your press down harder on your pen.

3. Tilt support: Higher-end tablets also offer tilt sensitivity, where they can track the angle of the pen and use this to vary the thickness and intensity of the line – ideal for sweeping brushwork or interesting calligraphy effects. The manufacturers will usually specify the level of tilt sensitivity; 60 levels means it can track 60 different degrees of tilt.

Required to correctly simulate the shapes of natural brushes, making it a must-have feature for illustrators working in programs that simulate natural media. Tilt gives much more natural results in those cases.

4. Resolution: If your work involves designing highly detailed images, a higher LPI index is what you should look for. A higher LPI implies significant sharpness and greater detail.

The resolution of a tablet is measured in LPI or lines per inch which is a means for measuring print resolution that utilizes halftone screens. Halftone comprises dots that are similar to DPI resolution (dots per inch) in digital printing.

Current pen tablets offer really high resolution and even the regular XP-Pen Star can handle large resolutions with excellent cursor precision.

5. Reports per Second: Reports per second or points per second refer to the number of times a tablet notifies the computer every second your pen or hand is on the surface of a tablet.

A faster or higher points per second imply the tablet is better and more responsive while a gadget with slower or lower points per second implies a poor and less responsive device.

A drawing tablet with a high response can create smoother lines while low response gadgets create jaggy lines.

6. Shortcut Keys: Hotkeys are also crucial when it comes to choosing a drawing tablet. Most of these gadgets incorporate functional keys that are programmable in accordance with your needs.

Some models will include keys around the graphics area and have keys on the pen. tablets that have these functional keys will help save time, making it possible for you to utilize shortcuts and reach your favorite settings.

7. Wired or Wireless Connect: Wired drawing tablets do not give you the freedom of movement that wireless tablets do. The choice between a wireless and a wired tablet depends totally on your requirements.

That's fine if you're keen to avoid cable clutter or work with a laptop where ports are in short supply but you'll either have to keep the tablet stocked with batteries or plug it in for an occasional recharge.

8. Stylus: The stylus is a digital pen. Its purpose is to create a real pen/pencil-like experience for the designer. There a majorly two kinds of styli: battery-operated styli and Electromagnetic Resonance or EMR styli.

An EMR stylus uses less power and has a thicker point for drawing. Battery-operated styli, on the other hand, have a thinner point, which increases their level of accuracy.

What to Consider Before Buying Pen Display Monitor

Pen displays are coming in at the high-end of the market and these effectively combine a graphics tablet with a secondary screen.

The big plus is that you can see what you're working on as you're drawing on the drawing surface – a bit like when you're drawing with pencil or ink and paper.

Also, you can have reference images or toolbars open on your main screen, then keep the tablet screen clear for working.

1.Screen Size and Aspect Ratio: The screen size is the physical measurement diagonally of the screen in inches. 1 inch (also written as 1") is equal to 2,54 cm

screen aspect ratio is the ratio of its width to its height. Every screen has an aspect ratio associated with it. A few of the most common aspect ratios we see today are 4:3 and 16:9.

the 16:9 ratio is considered the international standard format for television, cinema, and major online streaming platforms.

2. Screen Resolution: Screen resolution is a measure of how your monitor or screen displays an image; it essentially refers to the clarity of the content on your screen.

Resolution usually shown as something like “1920×1080”, which means there are 1920 pixels across and 1080 pixels down.

the most commonly used 16:9 resolutions across pen display tablets:

HD 1280 x 720
FHD 1920×1080
2K QHD 2560×1440
4K UHD 3840 x 2160
5K 5120 × 2880
8K 7680x4320

If you are looking at two screens of the same size, the content on the one with the higher resolution will appear sharper and clearer.

At very low resolutions, images might look “pixelated” or have jagged edges, because there are not enough pixels to provide a crisp, clear image.

3. Screen Color Gamut: gamut refers to the range of colors available in a given monitor, or application. Note that the range refers to the difference between the colours, not the number of colours. The 3 most commonly known quantifiable color data might be sRGB , RGB and NTSC.

sRGB is “standard Red, Green, Blue”, and is the industry standard pretty much entirely, throughout the world, for everyday application. It's got a smaller range of colours than Adobe RGB. It's used in almost every app, web browser, and design tool you use every day, and has the bonus of helping maintain consistency over all platforms.

Adobe RGB allows for a higher range of colours, or colour gamut, over the same number of colours.

Obviously, the higher colour range is desirable for print and production, allowing you to be far more accurate with your colours than you can with sRGB. It can also be converted to sRGB down the production line, making it a little more reversible than the former.

Another common standard of colour space is the NTSC gamut – 72% NTSC = 99% sRGB. Therefore, a display that can reproduce more than the standard 72% NTSC will deliver even more vivid and true-to-life colours.

4. Panel Type: The panel determines how good your monitor is. the three main ones is TN , VA and IPS.

TN panels (Twisted Nematic) are the cheapest ones and the most widely spread because of their affordable prices. Sure, they have fast response time but the colors and viewing angles are quite poor on this panel which will distort your perspective on your designs.

VA panels (Vertical Alignment) are the midrange choice though they aren't very popular. Price-wise they are significantly more expensive than the TN ones ( they are way better than TN panels ) , but when it comes to their performance, they aren't good enough to justify their price.

IPS monitors (In-Plane Switching) are your best choice when it comes to price versus performance. They are usually a bit more expensive than VA panels but the difference in performance justifies it. You'll get accurate color rendition, great viewing angles and a faster response time.

5. Contrast and Brightness: Contrast ratio is the ratio between the maximum and minimum brightness, or in other words, the ratio between the brightest white and the darkest black. For example, a contrast ratio of 1000:1 means that the brightness of a completely white image is 1000 times greater than the brightness of a completely black image.

Projectors with a high contrast ratio, such as 3,000:1, have darker black levels than projectors with lower contrast ratios, such as 1000:1. A higher contrast ratio also produces images with more saturated colors since the difference between black and white is greater.

Brightness is a measurement of the amount of light the LCD monitor produces. It is given in nits or one candelas per square meter (cd/m2). One nit is equal to one cd/m2. Typical brightness ratings range from 250 to 350 cd/m2 for monitors that perform general-purpose tasks. For displaying movies, a brighter luminance rating such as 500 cd/m2 is desirable.

6. Viewing Angle：When you look at an LCD monitor from an angle, the image can look dimmer or even disappear. Colors can also be misrepresented. To compensate for this problem, LCD monitor makers have designed wider viewing angles.

Manufacturers give a measure of viewing angle in degrees (a greater number of degrees is better). In general, look for between 120 and 170 degrees.

7. Parallax: When drawing on a graphics tablet, the stroke doesn't always appear directly under the pen as viewed by the user. Parallax is the distance between your pen tip and where the stroke appears on your tablet's screen.

The thicker the glass, the further away your pen will look. That can cause a slight discrepancy in what you draw, so you'll need to get used to it.

The lower the parallax, the better your drawing experience. Some tablets like XP-Pen Artist Pro have laminated screens, which can almost entirely prevent any parallax.

8. Matte vs Glossy Monitors: The screen texture refers to whether the screen feels matte, smooth, shiny, etc. Many tablets try to replicate that authentic pen-on-paper experience. By creating a little friction between the pen and screen, you get more feedback as you draw. It all comes down to personal preference!

5 Best XP-Pen Drawing Tablet for Beginners

Have you ever wished that you could get professional photo editing or graphic illustration results at home?

These five tablets offer a variety of professional tools that can edit, create, and upgrade your digital photos and illustrations.

From skilled users to beginner editors, these tablets can get you started and make your projects come to life.

1. XP-Pen Star G430S / Star G640

The small tablet has a drawing area of 4 x 3 inches ( Star G430S ) / 6 x 4 inches ( Star G640). It's thin, light, and portable, which are all important factors if you want to carry it around. The included pen is battery-free and has 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity.

It's compatible with Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and much more. XP-Pen does include some extra nibs in the box for the pen.

This tablet has a smaller active area, which is ideal for playing OSU. it allows you to improve your gameplay. You'll have better accuracy and faster responses!

The XP-Pen Star G430S / Star G640 drawing tablet is the cheapest good drawing experience you can get. if you're on a very tight budget, this will get you started off till you can afford a better tablet.

2. XP-Pen Deco Fun XS/S/L

XP-PEN Deco Fun series are available in three sizes XS ( 4.8 x 3 inches ) / S ( 6.3 x 4 inches ) / L( 10 x 6.27 inches ) and four colors: classic black, space blue, apple green, and carmine red, to meet your personal preference.

the battery-free pen designed with EMR technology adds to your convenience of editing or drawing whenever you want. Its 8K pressure sensitivity and tilt recognition ( XS version not support tilt function ) delivers advanced performance and realistic pen-on-paper feel.

Apart from drawings, you can also use this drawing tablet for whiteboard demonstrations, document annotation, photo editing, and more. compatible with your Chromebook.

XP-Pen Deco Fun is designed to make learning easier. Use the digital pen and tablet with your computer to draw , write formulas and interact in online classes in a more natural way.

3. XP-Pen Deco 01 V2 / Deco Mini7 / Deco Mini7W ( wireless)

If you've already made some progress on your journey as an artist, and are looking to upgrade to something a little more professional, then the XP-Pen Deco 01 V2 / Deco Mini7 / Deco Mini7w is a great option. It has great build quality, accuracy and precision.

The tablet comes with a bigger working space ( Deco 01 V2: 10 x 6.25 inches , Deco mini7 / Deco Mini7w: 7 x 4.37 inches ) , so you get more area to draw and design.

Coming to the features, the drawing tab has 8 programmable shortcut keys, so you can erase, adjust the brush size, and can do a lot of things just with a click.

The Stylus feels nice in your hand and will wow you with how responsive it is. You won't notice any lag as you draw, and it also has tilt recognition.

You get an OTG connector inside the box for connecting the XP-Pen Deco 01 V2 / Deco Mini7 / Deco Mini7w drawing pad with your Android Phone /Tablet.

4. XP-Pen Artist 12 Pro / Artist 13.3 Pro / Artist 15.6 Pro

The display drawing tablets aren't really aimed at beginners. But lots of people are much more comfortable with the idea of stylus-to-screen drawing and painting.

The 3 tablets of XP-Pen Artist 12 Pro (11.6 inch ) , Artist 13.3 Pro ( 13.3 inch ) and Artist 15.6 Pro ( 15.6 inch) are consistently a best seller ! all of which are the best display tablet for beginners with a simple design, a built-in stand, and a very simple setup process.

All the specs are incredible with a 1080p fully-laminated display, 88% NTSC color accuracy ( Artist 12 Pro : 72% NTSC ) , 8 express keys, Red dial and a battery-free digital pen designed to last for years of consistent use.

The stylus performs very well which has a tilt function of +/- 60 degrees, and is equipped with 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity.

the XP-Pen Artist Pro series is more than capable of creating professional art. The drawing monitor has a quick reaction time that does not inhibit you in any way.

5. XP-Pen Artist 22 (2nd Generation)

A drawing tablet without a display won't appeal to everyone. There's nothing like seeing your artwork in full and vivid color on the screen you're drawing on. And the XP-PEN Artist 22 (2nd Generation) is one of the best drawing tablets with a screen that won't break the bank.

Despite being affordable, this tablet doesn't disappoint. It has a display with an excellent resolution ( 1920 x 1080 ) and a wide color gamut ( 86% NTSC, Adobe RGB≥90%, sRGB≥122%). So, your illustrations will look vibrant and realistic on this screen.

The 22inch FHD screen gives you a lot of screen space, so you can see the minutest details of what you're drawing.

The battery-free pen is amazing to use ( Artist 22 Pro and Artist 22E Pro comes with a P02S Rechargeable stylus ) – responsive and smooth. Tillt recognition also allows you to control the line thickness.

You can draw with precision and shade with ease, thanks to the 8192 pressure levels.And with a ≥ 220 PPS report rate, it's speedy with no lagging or delays.

Before you buy this tablet, make sure that your computer has HDMI and USB-C ports. Otherwise, you'll need to buy an extra adapter for your tablet to work.

If you want to upgrade from a non-screen graphic tablet, the XP-PEN Artist 22 (2nd Generation) is an excellent choice. It's also ideal as a first drawing tablet monitor due to its great features and low price.

Conclusion

A drawing tablet will open up new opportunities for creativity and self-expression. You can enjoy digital art as a hobby or even a new career path.

There are plenty of options out there for you if you're just starting your journey as a digital artist and are looking for a proper graphics tablet.

All of the above options are great to start off with, and will help you launch your career. The important thing is to take that first step. Until next time, happy drawing!

Don't forget to share these recommendations with your friends if you like it. Still, if you are in doubt then do leave a comment down below I love to solve all your queries.

Source: https://www.xp-pen.com/forum-2376.html

Thanks to remakes and remasters of retro video games, pixel art has made a return to the spotlight. Although new video game graphics have reached a hyper-realistic level, it still can't beat the charm of pixel art. Which is why game developers and artists alike turn to pixel art tools to create throwback video games and artwork.

Pixel art is a discipline like any other, which means it takes time and practice to learn how to do it well. It helps to have a background in other visual arts, but it's not required, though it will then take longer to learn properly.

If you want to do pixel art professionally (as a freelance artist for example) you'll most likely need to learn about animation as well since most jobs will have you animate characters for a game.

It takes up the same concept as any other forms of art. For the most part, failures will be made and few successes to it, especially when someone is starting out. The great thing about pixel art is that you can use whatever style and size you desire!

Finally, even if you're very skilled, pixel art pieces can take a lot of time. Good pixel art is hard to make. It takes years of practice to get good. This is partly because pixel art is a very minutious discipline, but also because you'll end up redoing a lot of the same sprites over and over as revisions are needed due to the game changing.

It IS however very rewarding. Seeing your animated characters come to life in an interactive environment is very satisfying after you spend so much time and effort creating them!

Do you want to try your hand at creating pixel perfect artwork? Then these pixel art tools will help you get started.

Best pixel art software

art software that allows you to draw on a computer will be your best ally for making pixel art.

While there's great dedicated tools for making pixel art, you can use any drawing program to follow along.

Here's a list of software commonly used for pixel art:
Aseprite: Great professional editor with many time-saving features (paid).
GraphicsGale: A classic, used in many games. It's a little complex, but full of great features (free).
Piskel: Free online pixel art editor (free).
Photoshop: Powerful image editor not intended to make pixel art but you can set it up to use it (paid).
GIMP: comes with all the tools you'll need to make professional pixel art. best known as the “free alternative” to Photoshop (free).

my favorite software is Aseprite, but you should use whatever your're most comfortable with.

Aseprite is incredibly powerful, packed with features and yet simple to use. The main advantage of Aseprite is that you can export gifs (you can't in the free version of GG).

You can also get the free trial for Aseprite, but keep in mind it won't save your files, which I guess it's OK if you are just practicing.

You can use Photoshop or GIMP for pixel art, but in my opinion these are best relegated to very particular kinds of operations. Using a dedicated pixelart app for most of your pixelart stuff saves time setting up and avoids showing options that are ultimately pretty irrelevant to pixel art -- of which there are many. Some features -- like tile autocompletion -- are only found in pixel-art specific apps.

Best device for pixel art

Thanks to the computer, it is now possible to draw without limits and without having to spend hundreds of dollars in drawing materials consumed at a high pace.

There are many different ways to draw on a computer. While starting out with no specific hardware other than your laptop, investing in computer drawing pad tablet seems to be a must for those who want to improve their design process and draw more accurately and quickly than with a mouse.

A pen tablet is more ergonomic and better for your hand and wrist over long periods (trust me on this one). they have helped me in the past when I have RSI niggles.

It is much quicker navigating the screen when mapped “correctly” ( I think it is called corner to corner mapping) your hand starts to remover where certain button are on the screen and you can just move to them almost instantly. Selecting multiple things is also made much easier.

Big advantages to the tablet are, pressure sensitivity, it feels as if it were a pencil on paper, which is so lovely to work with.

A graphics tablet is worth it for pixel art, but I recommend also experimenting with non-pixel-art (eg CG or ink, with MyPaint, Krita, or Photoshop) -- tablets are very versatile, building up your skills in other areas will help your pixelart skills, and experimenting is VASTLY quicker with a tablet than basically anything else I've ever tried.

Shopping for a drawing tablet can be a bit overwhelming. The pricing is confusing, and important features like pressure sensitivity and latency aren't always easy to understand.

It can be intimidating to see all these expensive big screen displays by Wacom, or products by Apple. But You can get away with using a cheaper tablet when it comes to pixel art since you don't really need a super accurate pressure sensor!

The cheap drawing tablet will allow you to get a feel for digital art and begin building up your skill before you spend too much.

If you bought an iPad and decided you didn't like on-screen drawing, you'd be out a bit of money; likewise buying an expensive non-screen tablet and deciding you prefer on-screen.

A drawing tablet helps if you are already skilled/more comfortable with using a traditional pencil/paper and can be useful for drawing large scenes where you can do broad strokes.

personally I think it Depends on the size of art you're drawing. I prefer using a drawing pad for sizes 64x64px and above, otherwise a mouse works just fine for anything smaller than 64x64px. The mouse is definitely better for detail work, so use that to your advantage to clean up the sketchiness.

Advice on Graphics Tablet

Recommendations for drawing tablet? There are cheaper alternatives to wacom . Doesn't matter the brand, just check the reviews. I always recommend XP-Pen since I use their tablets daily and they never failed me. If you're looking for a premium drawing tablet at an affordable price, then the XP-PEN may be your best bet.

For starters get XP-Pen Deco or Star (see which size is best for you) - those are drawing tablets without screen, meaning you draw on them but look at your PC monitor, similar to a mouse but you have more control with drawing.

You can get a pretty cheap tablet, like a XP-Pen Star G640 for around $40 on Internet. It is pretty thing, but it works really well, and if you don't have a lot of money, it is a good start.

If you want drawing tablet with screen, meaning you draw direcly onto the screen, get XP-Pen Artist.

I have XP-Pen Artist 24 Pro which is a huge drawing tablet so when i draw high resolution pixel art or 2D animation or drawing in general I use my tablet. I find it works really well, especially for pulling lines.

The tablet has a screen with 2K resolution , battery-free stylus, 2 roller wheels and 20 hot keys, which I really like. The colors are good, and the pressure sensitivity is amazing. It is on the large side, but XP-Pen makes five different sizes of screen tablet, so if you're interested, you can think about which one works best for you, I have the 24 inch one, the others are 11 and 22 inches I believe.

Best of all, it is way less expensive than most screen tablets (Their older versions are a little cheaper, and of course the smaller one is quite a bit less and the larger quite a bit more).

I prefer to draw directly on the screen . I begin my sprites by drawing the lineart on a canvas about four times larger than the final sprite size. Then, after I shrink the lineart to the desired size and clean it up, I fill in the colors and shading.

I am used to digital drawing and painting, so when working with pixel art, it seems very "natural" for me. Of course, with this, it can get a bit messy, and you'll have to clean up your work. If you're working with Aseprite, there is an option to clean up your work a bit called "Pixel-perfect". I prefer just erasing pixels I'm not using.

Conclusion

You don't need anything fancy to make good pixel art, and you can do fine even with just a good mouse and free software.

If you're already used to a mouse then continue with it, a lot of artists use mice and there's no real draw back (I use a mouse myself).

Ultimately just use whatever you are most comfortable with and you should be fine.

The artist makes the art, not the tool. But your tool, as an artist is actually your body.

In today's tech-savvy world, a graphic drawing tablet is a graphic designer's best friend. With thousands of features and functionality, a drawing tablet grants a vast spectrum of flexibility to a designer.

But every artist has a unique style. A drawing tablet that works for a particular graphic designer might not suit your style. Hence, choosing the right drawing tablet is important.

Graphics tablets offer intuitive controls over brushes that emulate natural media while increasing precision and speed.

Yesterday I received a XP-Pen Deco 01 V2 （ https://www.xp-pen.com/product/461.html ）drawing tablet as I had never used one before.

The XP-Pen Deco 01 V2 is a moderately priced drawing tablet for beginners and entry-level users. It is excellent for practice and to improve your drawing skills.

It has a high value of pressure sensitivity of 8,192 levels , 60 degrees of tilt function and a fantastic resolution of 5,080 LPI. The stylus is battery-free, though, which is an excellent plus-point.

The active area is 10 inches wide and 6.25 inches long. It does not have a battery, which means that you have to connect it with a power source that is a laptop or a computer.

The Deco 01 V2 is only 8mm in thickness and is designed for both right-handed as well as for left-handed individuals. It has eight customizable hotkeys and a USB-C port.

It is an excellent value for money tablet that has a variety of unique features for an entry-level user product.

They are better than a mouse when using programs like Photoshop. I have been experimenting with Photoshop recently and enjoying it more than I thought I would.

At first, I found the drawing tablet and stylus pen hard to use as it was new technology, though I soon got the hang of it and found that I liked using it. The XP-Pen tablet was easy to use, and I think its simplicity made me enjoy using it more.

I liked how I could write text with it in my handwriting. Using the stylus pen allowed me to draw in a more precise way. I expanded on my work with brushes, continued from last week, playing around with the different designs.

I like the idea of sketching with a drawing tablet, using the Photoshop layers to trace images in a way that is akin to my actual sketching style. The ease of being able to draw directly into a computer program (rather than having to scan things in) also appeals to me.

Recently I have found that I am much less averse to creating art and designs digitally, possibly due to discovering all the artistic effects and possibilities available on certain digital programs. These programs have certain benefits that analogue methods don't (such as an ‘undo' button).

I'm still interested in analog, handmade methods of creation, but I am glad that I have stepped out of my comfort zone slightly to use digital programs and equipment – I am always interested in combining these two processes (analogue and digital). I could use a drawing tablet when working on my new brief, which is based on typography.

It is fun to draw on the digital tablet, and it is getting a little easier to get it to do what I want everytime I sit down.

If you are an illustrator who works digitally (like most these days) you have most likely been enticed by the idea of owning a tablet monitor. They allow you to actually draw, paint or vector on the actual screen you're looking at, rather than dealing with the separation of pen and “paper” that comes with the use of the more primitive artist drawing tablet for pc options without a built-in screen. One obstacle that prevents most digital artists from acquiring a tablet monitor is a simple one: price.

For many artists and designers, the ultimate dream is to have a full-size Wacom Cintiq to draw, sketch and design on. But being arguably the best graphic tablets the market has to offer also means these heavyweight creative pen displays don’t come cheap; they’re usually within the reach of working designers who can offset the cost against tax, but for students and enthusiasts, they’re just a bit too rich.

Wacom held the monopoly on drawing tablet monitors for what has felt like a long time, but I'm personally very excited to introduce you to XP-PEN, a company that is currently making tablet monitors that stand up to the quality and ease of use of Wacom's Cintiq at a fraction of the cost.

Most of the consumer reviews tell that the XP-Pen Artist 22 ( 2nd Generation ) 22-Inch Pen Display are high-quality product and it is also reasonably priced.

I've always owned small tablets and had been wanting to try a bigger one for a bit now, so Artist 22 (2nd Generation) looked just perfect to me.

The product arrived in a very short time, intact and perfectly packaged. After my few days with it, the results were quite impressive.

Unboxing

When you pick up the Artist 22 2nd Generation you get a decent box. The box immediately reveals that you need a decent desk to unpack, place and use the Artist 22 2nd Generation.

After opening it turns out to be mainly a lot of protective material, nevertheless a spacious workplace is recommended. The packaging contains the Display Stand , Power Adapter , drawing glove, the screen itself and a considerable number of connecting cables and the necessary installation and description materials.

Also in the box is a cylindrical holder, which contains the stylus and assorted replacement nibs. The holder's top contains a pen stand, which you can use to keep your pen when it's not being used.

Beauty and Brawn

This is a quality product with an elegant design. The hardware is impressive, and feels sturdy and durable. Very sturdy, in fact, which accounts for one of its biggest drawbacks: it's very, very heavy.

There is a big drawing area with the Artist 22 2nd Generation which taking up too much desk space.

It's not ideal for travelling with - if you do want something you could move around maybe go for 15.6 inch but this still wont be as flexible as an iPad Pro would be.

On the back of the units are the ports for the tablet and an adjustable stand. Along the top edge, in the center, is the power button. On the top right edge are controls for adjusting picture, color, brightness, and OSD (On-Screen-Display) parameters.

Cables are nicely tucked away to the side under a detachable cover . The stand is easy to adjust and offers a wide range of angles ( 16~90 degrees ). It can even act as a normal monitor set upright.

Just like the XP-Pen Artist 22R Pro , the back of the Artist 22 2nd Generation has mounting holes for a VESA 100mm compatible stand, so you could easily mount this display to an Ergotron Arm instead of using the official stand.

The build quality, resolution and pen response was indistinguishable from that of a Artist 22R Pro.

the biggest difference are that the newer 22 2nd Generation has no ExpressKeys built into the sides like the 22R Pro does.

Keep in mind you will need to get the XP-Pen ExpressKey remote as the tablet itself doesn't have any buttons on it.

Screen Specs

The drawing tablet has a 22inch large screen ideal for artists working on it for hours and provides a large working area. It can be used by professionals to create animations, illustrations, and industrial designs.

The XP-Pen Artist 22 2nd Generation features a 1,920 x 1,080 full HD display with 800:1 contrast ratio, 86 per cent NTSC colour, 122 per cent sRGB and a 8ms response time.

It has an anti-glare film , making it ideal for sketching and drawing at any time, day or night. The surface felt very nice to draw on, giving a smooth-glass like feel.

At the color gamut of ≥90% Adobe RGB. For someone who's using this for print it's a ideal for accurate final colors.

The screen is not laminated. but the gap between the drawing surface and LCD beneath is minimal, and gap can only be seen when looking from the side, not from the front. so you slmost can't notice the parallax.

The XP-Pen Artist 24 Pro model has a QHD 2560 x 1440 Monitor , This difference is definitely noticeable especially if you are used to working in such high resolution.

The Full HD Resolution screen can feel too low resolution for such a big screen at close distance. However it is something you start to not notice after using the product for a period of time.

Stylus Pen PA6

The PA6 digital pen don't have batteries and are well balanced with a comfortable feel and never need to be charged. I have used to the fluid drawing experience that the EMR (Electro Magnetic Resonance) pens provide.

Please don't forget the 8,000 plus levels of pen pressure to execute your painting prowess. It's pressure sensitivity etc is incredible and a joy to use.

When in Photoshop, there are so many tools that take advantage of pressure sensitivity, that I can't image drawing or retouching without one.

The 2-button, battery free stylus is very impressive . It is quite responsive, with very little lag. responds perfectly to movement/pressure.

The specs indicate that the pen has tilt sensitivity up to around 60 degrees. I don't utilize pen tilt much in my digital painting technique, but I tried it briefly with an airbrush and it worked remarkably well.

The stylus moves very smoothly across the surface, and it is a joy to hold and to work with. Plus, I don't ever have to worry about charging the stylus!

Start up

Assembly is a simple job, the connection itself is also quite obvious.

It uses an HDMI port, and supports USB-C to USB-C connection.

Powered up, the color range and brightness of the tablet are wonderful, the display is bright and sharp, and all of the colors are beautiful.

you can access and download the drivers on the XP-Pen official website . Since I already had the XP-Pen drivers on my PC, adding the Artist 22 2nd Generation to my system was a snap. I just plugged in the cables, turned the device on and it worked right away with no conflicts or drops in PC performance.

Commissioning software is not as obvious as the instruction suggests. To find out how to fine-tune my iMac and Artist 22 2nd Generation through the system preferences, I had to study XP-Pen's instructional video on YouTube .

But once you have set the preferences in basic, the steering works very smoothly and the settings work well with you. I found the setup and ease of use on the Mac to be very good. Things worked for the most part.

If you're used to a regular XP-Pen tablet, it runs fairly smoothly and you get excited about the extras that the Artist 22 2nd Generation brings in terms of control and software.

XP-Pen Artist 22 2nd Generation official website：https://www.xp-pen.com/product/855.html

Digital Painting Experience

I'm a graphic designer and it's an awesome tool for illustrations and photo editing, and works great as secondary monitor for a laptop ( although I use an iMAC ). It's nice that they included a stand.

The XP-Pen Artist 22 2nd Generation has worked flawlessly from day one, easy setup and registry, no dead pixels, and the pen performance and accuracy are spot on. The tablet can detect the presence of the pen a few cms from the screen.

The screen is great and has a matte film to make it feel like paper. The display itself is beautiful and the colour, contrast and sharpness is spot on. Awesome for digital drawings, sketches, portraits, etc.

I did calibration and at the top left and bottom right corner cursor aligns good. I tried to draw lines using a ruler and get the single straight line. All of them don't have a little curved or wavy.

Another benefit of the larger screen is that you have much more work space to play with. My layers and tools menus are no longer in the way of the painting which allows me to channel all my focus on the work rather than having to pan constantly because of the menus which becomes rather cumbersome.

When I was painting in the examples below, adding the details on the Artist 22 2nd Generation makes you want to go on forever.you just get drawn into your work. It is getting ever so close to the experience of traditional painting and drawing.

I have used the XP-Pen tablet for years for digital art in Photoshop. I use Photoshop for some my renderings and drawings……some I like to have the sketch as the underly for the rendering or have the sketch over top of it for a more loose look and the line quality is being smoothly.

Photoshop's pen/painting tools aren't quite as robust as other art programs that are more designed from the ground up for smooth, natural tablet feel.

When I use Paint Tool SAI ( a great little Japanese program with no bloat, amazing tools and a low footprint) my inking lines are as smooth and defined as when I use a brush.

you can chose one out of three softwares ArtRage 5, openCanvas, or Cartoon Animator 4 which comes with Artist 22 2nd Generation product purchase. but notice that openCanvas 7 is not available for Mac system.

Free digital painting and illustration software options are becoming more available in recent years. Here are some great alternatives to Adobe Photoshop. Krita, MyPaint , GIMP, FireAlpaca & MediBang Paint ,Autodesk Sketchbook.... you can have a try with these.

If you're one of those people who have a XP-Pen Deco or a Wacom Intuos or any other tablet without the screen I would highly recommend the XP-Pen Artist range. The hand eye coordination is so vital to the artist and the XP-Pen Artist offers that for you . however I wouldn't suggest a beginner to go out and buy a Artist 22 2nd Generation but rather get confident using a Bamboo or an Intuos first then consider upgrading.

Conclusion

This is a very high quality product. Price-wise it is Affordable. The benefit of the super, large screen and sophisticated inclining stand completely outweighs its price tag ( $499.99 ).

The XP-Pen is a worthy contender of being the best budget graphics tablet out there. When you look at some of the competition coming in at well over one thousand dollars, you can see why this is such an appealing piece of kit.

I feel kind of excited having a much bigger digital workspace.Furthermore the level of engagement I have with my work just makes me want to draw on it all the time! I use this every day. I love the big display and ease of use. Overall, I am happy with the purchase.

I would of loved to had this XP-Pen Artist 22 2nd Generation to be 2K Resolution but that would be more expensive. I can honestly say that the Artist 22 2nd Generation has finally given me the drawing experience I've waited my whole life for. This is by far the best and the most comfortable experience that I ever had with a graphics tablet.

If you've ever coveted a full-size pen display but haven't had the budget to make it a reality, the new Artist 22 2nd Generation could very well be the pen display you've been waiting for .

So if you are considering upgrading your tablet and you have a couple grand saved up , I say go for it! You won't regret it!

Graphic tablets have become an essential tool among creative professionals and hobbyists alike, even more so now that working from home has become the norm for months—or years to come.

There is also no shortage of brands from cheap points of entry that offer satisfactory performance, to industry-grade staples like Wacom that everybody knows.

Wacom is a quality brand, but also at a price that for many is not viable, especially without having a very cheap entry range, with which new companies have been entering with cheaper alternatives.

From what I've read, XP-Pen is one of the leading makers of graphics tablet and that is why I chose to buy their Star G430S tablet.

This does not mean it's the best and it also doesn't mean that it's suitable for every task. It simply means that when we take into consideration price and features, this graphics tablet offers the best deal currently available.

This tablet is available on official store for $29.99 . So for around 30 bucks, you get a very good tablet that's very comparable to much more expensive tablets like the Wacom intuos.

Although this device is not necessarily innovative, the fact that it costs so little makes it an obvious choice for those who are still testing the waters before deciding on whether they should invest any money on a more expensive graphics tablet.

This is precisely why the Star G430S sells so much. The price is so incredibly low that anyone who buys it can rest assured that even if they don't love the product, they don't have much to love.

XP-Pen Star G430S Unboxing & Review : Small But Useful

I just bought the XP-Pen Star G430S recently. When I got I was amazed at the great packaging. I opened the box and unpacked all of the contents.

The XP-Pen G430S tablet comes with a USB cable, 10 pen nibs, one pen clip and a quick guide. Although XP-Pen pen nibs don't tend to wear out easily, it's great to have some extra ones.

Specifications :

Active area: 4 x 3 inches
Pressure sensitivity: 8192 levels
Resolution : 5080 lpi
Multitouch : No
Reading Height: 10mm
Report Rate: 266 PPS
Supply Voltage: DC5V
Interface Support: USB
USB Cable Length: 1.5M
Compatibility: Windows 10/8/7 , Mac OS 10.10 above
XP-Pen Star G430S official site: https://www.xp-pen.com/product/52.html

Design

The drawing board has an all-black design. It's made of lightweight plastic , only 2mm thick.

This drawing pad is slim and compact. You can easily put it on your laps while painting, or use it on limited desk space, take it on a trip, etc.

The Star G430S tablet has no bezels, but not all the area is usable. The active area takes only 4 x 3 inches meaning that you will have to use zooming a lot.

This is most noticeable on higher resolution screens. If you have a high resolution screen it is quite difficult to avoid having a shaking hand because of how small the tablet drawing space is.

Due to the rather small size of the active drawing area, this tablet is known as a “signature device”, meaning that its main function is to allow the user to sign on the board and transfer the signature to the computer in order to use it with digital documents, mostly in PDF format.

In addition, this model does not have quick action keys, since the Deco mini4 / Deco Fun S ( both come with 4 x 3 inches active drawing area ) model will cost us a little more if we want three action buttons on our drawing tablet.

Stylus

XP-Pen Star G430S offers a magical pen that will eradicate all the difficulties while drawing on the tablet . and it's important to note that the digital pen is not battery powered at all . The pen does not require recharge, so it is always ready to go.

The pen that comes with the XP-Pen G430S tablet is pressure-sensitive, allowing you to make fine lines or bold strokes by varying how hard you press.

The pen provides a resolution of 5080 LPI and 8192 pressure levels that allows you to draw better on the tablet surface. Besides, the report rate of the pen is 266 RPS and is exceptionally lightweight to give you pleasure in whatever task you perform.

With this magical pen, you easily sign any documents, sketch like you sketching on a piece of paper, draw, write and a lot more.

There are two buttons on the pen which are essentially the same as right-click and middle-click on a mouse. You "left-click" by touching the surface of the tablet. And if you browse over the internet by using the digital pen, you can do so by just pressing the button of the pen.

Install and Setup

The setup was quick and easy; connect the tablet via the USB cable, install the drivers, and start having fun! Just line up your screen area with the tablet. I was easily found the driver on XP-Pen's website ( https://www.xp-pen.com ). The updated driver even had more features!

The options are minimal, such as changing the sensitivity, the functions of the pen buttons, choosing the screen on which we act, testing the pressure of the pen, and advanced settings, which allow us to change the area of ​​the screen that we handle. with the tablet, the ratio and turn the actions if we are left-handed.

The tablet functions quite well. Not only that, but it was compatible with every OS (Windows ,Mac ) I tried it on. There is Linux ,Windows , and Mac OS driver offered for Star G430S on their official page.

The XP-Pen drivers will make it work with any drawing program. It compatible with a lot of programs like CorelDraw, Corel Painter, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Paint tool SAI,Clip Studio Paint, Gimp,Krita, Inkscape, Zbrush , 3D Max, and a lot more. This cheap tablet ultimately helps you achieve your set goals and take the next move in the art world.

Use Experience

Fantastic tablet for osu!

This tablet is comfortable for osu , Really low latency using hovering or drag method. Software for the XP-Pen is not the best but it gets the job done.

This XP-Pen G430S OSU Tablet can both hover and drag , this is my personal opinion but I recommend you to drag ,it really give you a better aim ,at least in my case it did . you can't lift too high.

You'll get used to it fast especially if you were a high-sens mouse player (wrist-mainly), it's not like restarting osu! at all.

Of course you need to adapt from mouse to tablet but it's not that hard ,it only needs a few hours, and for me it made me instantly better ,like I destroyed all of my previous top scores the same day I got the tablet.

Overall love the product and they supplied so many extra pen tips. If you're using this for osu! it's definitely awesome and helped me jump from 4 stars to 5 star beatmaps!

Suitable for digital signature

Oh, and the tablet was good for creating a signature to use in adobe reader to sign documents. As far as a signing pad, it is fantastic. The small size makes it portable and it doesn't take up much room on my desk at all.

It works as advertised on Adobe Acrobat, Excel, MS Word and PowerPoint, though the pressure sensitivity is pretty much wasted on these things. For example, signing in Acrobat doesn't show any regard for pressure sensitivity. All the lines are equally as dark and thick no matter how you press.

Best writing solution for online teching

I use it when teaching online and it helps me illustrate concepts. I downloaded the microsoft whiteboard + onenote note taking app and my life is so much easier.

I use it to make my math videos mostly, but it has also been useful in drawing summary pictures for reading, underlining information in articles during video meets, and other things.

If you won't be using it for digital art, you are paying for features that you won't use or need.

Perfect for Photo Retouching & Editing

For working with photographs, the precision and ease of a pen beats a mouse any day. The pressure sensitivity allows me to alter the brush size or opacity just by pressing harder or lighter on the tablet as I draw.

Combined with the natural feel of the pen, this allows me to make photograph alterations involving hand-drawn layer masks and dodging/burning with ease. Actions that would have required multiple brush size changes, opacity changes, and tons of clicks of a mouse can literally be done in a single stroke with a tablet. I highly recommend getting a tablet if your mouse makes you frustrated while editing photographs.

Great for Graphic Design and Drawing

The XP-Pen Star G430S tablet is, of course, perfect for those doing graphic design and drawing. Also, the tablet is light and portable which may be important to students, outdoorsmen, artists, and those doing business presentations. It may also provide a great alternative input device for those with mobility issues.

The G430S is great for Illustrator and Photoshop. The sketch part works great. I can't believe how realistic it is. I couldn't believe I wasn't using a real pen.

Using the pen is just like writing with a pencil and paper. It feels very comfortable and very normal. The work surface is slightly textured so it feels much like pencil or pen on paper. The most unusual thing is that the pen movement is detected well before the pen touches the tablet. So you can actually control the movement before the pen and tablet touch.

In some cases, it makes you feel like you are using a magic wand. The response to the pen movements is quick and accurate. It even records levels of pressure sensitivity very accurately.

the hardware and software used in these devices were exactly the same being used in much more expensive drawing tablets, the only difference between them was the fact that the expensive ones had larger drawing areas. If you draw frequently, I suggest around a 10x6 inches for decent drawing space - XP-Pen Deco 01 V2 .

Good for 2D Animation

I found this tablet very useful when I use my 2d animaion software. It's good for touching up minor breaks in the lines so they can be filled easily and for painting them. Also for adding details that were lost by the scanner or adding simple background animation. In other words it's great for animators who can't afford the better ones. The mouse is pretty useless, I just use it as a paper weight but it doesn't hurt anything.

The mouse also comes in handy if you're using 3D programs like Maya (in which a mouse has benefits over a pen).

If you are going to need a tablet for a career in professional graphics/animation, I would recommend a professional model or display drawing tablets such as wacom cintiq or xp-pen artist , but would still recommend this product for travel/personal use.

Conclusion

Great XP-PEN product - a must have for artists and digital photographers to create/edit your work that's easy and fun.

As you can see from the information given in this XP-Pen Star G430S review, this model is simple but suitable for many types of work. You can use it for writing, signing, and working with documents, editing photos, drawing, sketching, and painting.

However, the drawing area is pretty small for some serious drawing projects. It seems like you are drawing on a small piece of paper. The unit is also extremely easy to install and is compatible with the most important programs.

Once I got the hang of using this tablet I was hooked. At first, finding where I was on the screen in relation to the tablet was a little difficult and frustrating. Given some time to practice and learn everything just fell into place.

When it comes to post processing this tablet really improves the speed and accuracy of processing and allows a true "feel" of the work. The whole process of editing seems more natural and the pressure sensitivity really adds a new dimension to the work.

I would definitely recommend the Star G430S to those who want to get a tablet and are just getting into the field of digital art or photo manipulation. Buy One!!!!!!!!!!!! They're Awesome! I sound like a sales person! YAY!

Buy Here:

You can Get it from United States official Store: https://www.storexppen.com/buy/star-g430s.html , If you live in other regions you can select from official site “Stores” List.

To Find the best video editing software, you need to consider your editing skills, you budget and so on.

Usual video editing software includes tools that help to convert file formats, join clips, re-sequence clips, cut segments (trimming), rotate or crop footage, add sound, change brightness/contrast, or add transitions and special effects.

The five main stages of video editing include logging, first assembly, rough cut, excellent cut, final cut.

Most video editing software will edit video, allow titles and effects and allow you to export your project..

If this is a hobby, go the cheapest route… iMovie can produce great results.. do not require any photography, tech, or design skills. All you need to have is video footage from any device and a computer to edit the video. After all it’s just a tool.. The editing software will not give you your creativity.

If you want to edit professionally then there is value in choosing a platform professionals use.. You’re going to hear a lot about Final Cut and Adobe Premiere Pro . If you want to do commercials, business videos, weddings semi-pro movies etc etc these will be your go to..

If you want to edit major films in Hollywood you HAVE TO learn Avid Media Composer. A good 70–90% of major films for the last 20+ years have been cut on Avid. There is a bit of a learning curve here but not as big as it use to be.. Avid now has a really good free option called Media Composer First that is free though not fully featured. In fact, Final Cut and Premiere Pro have made great strides in offering a lot of Avid’s feature set.

As you can see video editing is one of the most common and useful fields. The industry demands most efficient tools and software. Software for video editing re the backbone for Post Production that includes Editing and all. There are lots of video editing software and many of them are paid.

There are lot more video editing softwares available in internet on different platforms. Here i will give you the list of most used softwares by industry professionals: Adobe Premiere Pro CC,Apple iMovie,Final Cut Pro X,Sony Vegas Pro,DaVinci Resolve, HitFilm Express, Filmora,CyberLink PowerDirector,Pinnacle Studio,Corel VideoStudio,Openshot,Shotcut,VSDC, Kdenlive, Lightworks , VideoPad,Adobe After Effects CC, Blender.

18 Best Video Editing Softwares

1. Adobe Premiere Pro CC

Available on Windows and Mac OS | Paid

Adobe Premiere Pro deserves its place as the industry standard video editing software,vthanks to its familiar nonlinear editing interface, unmatched ecosystem of tools, and powerful set of capabilities.

It support for 360 VR content, 4K (and higher) and HDR video, and the Lumetri Color tool ( you name it ). It has also added class-leading collaboration capabilities.

All of this makes Premiere well worthy of an ditors' Choice award for professional-level video-editing software.

Those used to traditional nonlinear digital video editing will applaud Premiere's familiar approach .

The program supports a large number of formats and offers the widest set of settings for saving the video.

Project files open in Premiere Pro can be exported to other Adobe products for applying effects or audio processing.

Adobe’s subscription model is high cost and it has a steep learning curve.

Premiere Pro CC is the continually evolving professional video editing program from Adobe. It’s the sum of decades of design, feedback, and refinement.

Adobe does a stellar job of listening to its users and providing the tools and features they want. The result is a nonlinear editor that has the power, versatility, and depth to create any video project you put to it, whether it be a full-length movie, music video, vlog post or instructional demonstration. This professional video editor is one of the few names in the business that earns the title “industry standard.”

2. Apple iMovie

Available on Mac and iOS OS | Free

Your best choice would be iMovie, which is on all Apple Products ( iPhones, iPads and all Macs ). You can create good videos without the hard learning curve in iMovie. It’s pretty good and free, and the layout is just like Final Cut Pro X, a professional editing software. Pretty capable for simple to mildly complex projects.

This is a very easy-to-use app, its function is very powerful, and general videos can be produced, now it extended handling to video shot at 1080p and 60 fps. It also supports 4K resolution , Split screen, Audio editing , Video trimming and Library of pre-made transitions . Recent updates tweaked the interface and added Touch Bar support for the latest MacBooks.

One of the other benefits of iMovie is that you can work on the same project on either a Mac laptop or desktop, then switch over to your iPad to continue your editing. It's a very handy feature for those who need the flexibility.

One of iMovie’s most coveted features is its green-screen, or “chroma-key” tool, which allows you to place your characters in exotic locations—Hawaii, say—at a moment’s notice.

3. Final Cut Pro X

Available on Mac OS | Paid

Final Cut Pro is the next step up. Apple's creative suite allows users to create motion graphics, edit audio, and integrate them on its video editing program.

If you have used iMovie, I'd definitely recommend Final Cut Pro. It has a hefty price tag but is basically iMovie with all those features you wished you had while in iMovie. Better greenscreen and chroma keying, amazing colour adjustments, downloadable plugins for transitions, generators and more, frame by frame editing instead of the editing based off of seconds that iMovie has , keyframed based animation and great sound adjustment.

The Final Cut Pro X is the very definition of a prosumer video editing program. it has helped filmmakers to edit some of your favourite movies including The Social Network and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. This editor is the only one that rivals the customizability of Adobe Premiere Pro. Professional video editors particularly love its innovative Magnetic Timeline, grouping tools, wide range of effects, good organisational features and the simple ways to add and edit audio.

Final Cut Pro has a number of noticeable features such as an impressive user interface, quite useful keyboard shortcuts & lots more. So, if you afford video editing in your Mac, Final Cut Pro is the best video editor for Mac, we assure.

4. Sony Vegas Pro

Available on Windows OS | Paid

Sony Vegas was a fine video editing tool. It was very much like Apple’s old Final Cut Pro 7. It’s not as simple as many tools, but has all the features you’d need.
Sony ramped down development of it in 2014 and sold the application to Magix in 2016. Magix has made improvements and improved performance and the UI a bit since.

It doesn't take up too much space on your computer. It can runs on lower spec Windows PCs pretty well. It’s reasonably simple to use. It’s available in a variety of editions that cost different , depending on the features you want, so it can be very inexpensive (and you buy a license instead of paying a subscription fee), and it has a respectable number of transition and effect filters. Sun Burst, Glow, Masking, Chroma Key, Cookie Cutter….you name it.

Definitely, easy drag and drop editing timeline, bountiful formats presets designed specifically for the most common video sites such as YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, etc. In fact most YouTuber’s on Windows use Sony Vegas; if you need more advanced editing features then you move onto programs such as Adobe Premier Pro.

Overall, it is probably the best non-linear video editing software in the market. GO FOR IT!!!

5. DaVinci Resolve

Available on Windows, Mac and Linux OS | Free and Paid

Another advanced editor that is commonly used in the industry. It has 3 versions : the free version , pro version and the console version .

The paid version of DaVinci Resolve features plug-in support and some additional features such as 3D video. Seriously check it out as it does everything from color correction to video editing.

And if you need animation software, it's baby brother Blackmagic DaVinci Fusion has the same pricing scheme and a competent free version. This software is ideal for anyone and as soon as you need to do 3D movies you upgrade. Also, it supports 4K.

It is primarily a video editor. Whereas DaVinci for example is primarily a colour grader. For editing use an editor - it will keep your life much more simple.

DaVinci Resolve supports fewer export formats than Premiere Pro and lacks some features such as captioning. But this program is considered the best tool for color correction.

For colour grading, Davinci Resolve is the best of everything an amateur might use and in fact it is used by pros as industry standard too.

It is quite simple to use and straightforward in its own way. It involves using several separate pages where important processes are achieved. There is one for organizing all the media that your grade will use, one for the actual color correction (where you will spend most of your time), one for tracking/masks, one for output, and so on.

If you rank top in terms of the number of features, it would be DaVinci Resolve. The free version has editing, special effects, audio , and industry leading colour grading features.

DaVinci Resolve 16 is the world’s only solution that combines professional 8K editing, color correction, visual effects, and audio post-production all in one software tool! You can instantly move between editing, color, effects, and audio with a single click.

DaVinci Resolve Studio is also the only solution designed for multi-user collaboration so editors, assistants, colorists, VFX artists, and sound designers can all work live on the same project at the same time! Whether you’re an individual artist or part of a large collaborative team, it’s easy to see why DaVinci Resolve is the standard for high-end post-production and finishing on more Hollywood feature films, television shows, and commercials than any other software.

6. HitFilm Express

Available on Mac and Windows OS | Free and Paid

HitFilm Express is a free video editing software and it has professional visual effects and tutorials. You can call it all-in-one video editing software. it looks and acts fairly similar to Premiere Pro.

HitFilm come with professional-grade VFX tools and everything you need to make awesome content, films, or gaming videos. It features many of the features you'd expect only to find in expensive paid-for software, including 4K video support, 360-degree editing, and hundreds of special effects. supports discrete Nvidia and AMD GPUs for threaded rendering and decoding.

Hitfilm has some easy to use motion graphics capabilities which most of the video editing software don't have.

Our favorite new tool of Hitfilm Express is auto-stabilization, which helps smooth out shaky footage. Other new features include WAV audio exports, a crop and pan/zoom effect, a GoPro FX reference effect, a color adjustment effect.

Free version does not have text / title feature and limited colour correction. Also, this Software has a pro version to buy. But if you don't like to pay then you can use the free version without any watermark video editor. This Software is very high-quality graphics can load, you can edit your large file like a movie or more have lengthy videos throw this Software.

Nice video editor that is free with a social share. This software is Perfect for beginners, professionals, film students, gamers, YouTubers, or any creative without a budget. While Hitfilm Express can be a little intimidating for beginners, we like its low cost to entry and affordable and scalable features.

7. Wondershare Filmora

Available on Mac and Windows OS | Free and Paid

Filmora is Wondershare’s standard, easy-to-use , high-quality video editing software for any one. the Wondershare also offers FilmoraGo (for mobile editing) and Filmora Scrn (for screen recording and editing).

The design is intuitive and easy to use and comes replete with filters, overlays, motion elements, transitions, and a small selection of royalty-free music. we can edit a video and create another in twenty minutes and with an excellent professional finishit has what it takes to carry out professional quality projects and create very eye-catching videos .

It lets you capture various type of input formats and edit videos in classic video editing interface with tons of effects and filters. The program also comes a long with 4K editing capability, chroma key and many other advanced features.

The best part of this program is that it allows the users to perform tasks with drag and drop functionality. It means that all can be done in a matter of seconds. Having this program means that you have the best in your arsenal. Filmora supports all common video file formats and allows you to edit footage recorded with a broad range of cameras.

This video editing software allows you to perform color correction, cut, trim or merge multiple video clips or apply visual and audio effects to the footage you are editing. Filmora lets you export your projects directly to YouTube, while it also offers preset profiles for videos you would like to upload to Vimeo or E-mail.

This program is completely free to use for Windows and Mac. However, it will leave a watermark at the center of your video if you use free version. The light interface is ok but the flat style of the UI brings along other issues like no depth in the controls.

8. CyberLink PowerDirector

Available on Windows and Mac OS | Paid

PowerDirector is a consumer level software that’s got a reputation for fast render speed, and has a wide range of features. the Windows version has more features and tools than the Mac version. For example, there's no support for importing 360 photos and videos.

PowerDirector has robust editing features which are perfectly made for every user. Similar to the other programs mentioned above, this program is capable of cutting videos, splitting, adding texts, filters, transitions and so on an so forth.

There's 360-degree video editing as well, together with support for all the file standards and formats you can imagine. Then there's slideshows, screen recording, DVD menus, object design tools and more.

Get cracking on the 100-track timeline and you'll soon find yourself making the most of multitudes of stabilisation and video correction tools, professional effects, multi-cam editing, motion tracking and surprisingly easy trimming.

To be honest though, it’s basically just that - consumer grade, and not necessarily the cheapest option. It will appeal to a crowd that wants easy to use options for multicam, 360 degree video, having access to templates and a stock library. However, there are options which are either or both — more cost-effective and/ or give you more creative control.

9. Pinnacle Studio

Available on Windows OS | Paid

At the higher end of the Corel product line is Pinnacle Studio—which costs more than twice as much as VideoStudio.

not only does Pinnacle come readily equipped with all the features you’d expect from an upper-echelon product—motion tracking, 360-degree VR support, stop-motion video, motion tracking, 4k support, multi-cam, etc.—but you’d be hard-pressed to find a faster product on the market in terms of rendering.

It is a complete package that makes importing, editing, and finalizing to many different formats very simple. Professional editors will be happy to find a range of pro features, like video masking, clip nesting, LUT presets, and batch processing.

For all of its features, Pinnacle’s interface is still as user-friendly and intuitive as anything on this list. Thus, is you have the need for speed, and you don’t mind shelling out a few extra bucks for it, Pinnacle might be the product for you.

And if you try and like the Pinnacle way of doing things, you can always upgrade to one of the more fully-featured and professionally oriented packages, Pinnacle Studio Plus and Pinnacle Studio Ultimate.

I recommending it to many Houses of Worship that do not have a dedicated, professional video editor so that they can get their Media Ministry up and running in a short time. The learning curve for the product is not steep, the product is not expensive and you don't need any super high-end workstation to run it.

10. Corel VideoStudio

Available on Windows OS | Paid

Corel VideoStudio Ultimate is also one of the best editing software for beginners which can be used on your computer. Users can try its 30-day free trial and then purchase it if you are satisfied with its features. With its 2,000¬¬+ filters and effects, users can make their own unique creations.

A well-designed interface means it's very easy to get going with straight away, and yet it doesn't lack in features. There's multi-cam editing, 4K video support, 360-degrees VR video support, a music library , multicam support, more than 2,000 effects, HTML5 video page creation, Stop-motion tool , enhanced lens-correction tools, and 3D text editing. Besides, it’s the fastest product on the market in terms of rendering.

Wide selection of fun video-creation tools. Clear, simple interface. It has plenty of video editing features, such as video collage templates, which allow you to merge multiple videos into a single layout and eliminate distortion on action camera videos. and direct export to YouTube.

One of the knocks on VideoStudio is its speed, which lags notably behind some of the faster systems on this list, like CyberLink PowerDirector and Pinnacle Studio.

11. Openshot

Available on Windows,Mac, and Linux OS | Free

The simplest one in the list is Openshot. However, keep in mind that “simple” does not necessarily mean “lackluster.” It simply means that the interface is designed for the regular user in mind, and everything is pretty easy to figure out. However, you still have a lot of features to use for your videos, from color correction, to compositing and rotoscoping, to various forms of transitions.

 

OpenShot is a free video editor for beginners that can be used on several platforms. It comes with a simple interface which surely beginners can operate. Users can change the screen into Simple or Advanced mode depending on what you need. Just like the other tools mentioned above, it has a number of features which include animation, keyframe, audio waveforms,Unlimited TracksVideo Effects,Title Editor ,Slow Motion & Time Effects , and 3D animations, and so on and so forth.

OpenShot is an efficient option for small businesses and is best for clip resizing, scaling, trimming, snapping, and rotation. It also offers credit scrolling, frame stepping, time mapping, audio editing, and real-time preview. For audio editing, you can use waveforms to visualize your audio. It includes more than 70 languages.

This free video editor is updated regularly, so you can always use the lasted video editing technology. However, you need to fix bugs or problems on your own as it is an open-source editor, and the video effects are also limited.

12. Shotcut

Available on Windows,Mac, and Linux OS | Free

Shotcut is a free open-source option that’s quite beginner-friendly as it doesn’t look as complex and intimidating as other options, but isn’t so over-simplified that it limits you too much.

Some of its workflows (e.g. colour grading, keyboard shortcuts, ripple insert & delete) give you a taste of the types of processes you’d use when working with a high-end pro software .

Efficient options for inserting / deleting / ripple insert & delete, with keyboard shortcuts provided in the right-click menus to help you remember.

Colour wheels (albeit simplified) and brightness adjustment can be customised for the shadows, midtones and highlights separately
Automatic creation of a cross-dissolve transition if you overlap clips in the timeline.

Two of Shotcut’s most striking features are 4K HD resolution support and its timeline editing. Not many free video editors offer 4K resolution support. Plus, Shotcut doesn’t require you to import your video into the editor: this can be a timesaver if you are dealing with large video files.

This video editor supports a wide range of video formats ( including FFmpeg, ProRes, and DNxHD ) and boasts a great collection of tutorial videos.

Shotcut also provides extensive audio editing options, making it ideal for audiophiles. Its host of fine-tuning audio tools allows users to make bass and treble adjustments, create bandpass filters, adjust gain, add dynamic compression, and much more.

13. VSDC Free Video Editor

Available on Windows OS | Free and Paid

VSDC was designed to run on very low spec laptops. It is tied with Kdenlive for the position of being the most suitable for low end computers.

Like Lightworks, VSDC is a non-linear video editor that’s able to compete with more expensive video editing packages. It also lets you apply audio filters and effects like echo, equalizer, volume correction, sound normalization and a lot more.

VSDC is the best for tutorials and presentations. Its workflow is just like PowerPoint for overlaying text and images and editing everything right in the viewer. It also has a feature to create and overlay data charts. The process for importing media is piecemeal, which is probably the worst drawback, but again suits the sequential nature of tutorial videos. You have a lot of creative control (albeit presented to you in a very geeky way) to make things visually appealing.

It comes in both free and premium editions, and there are pleasingly few prompts for free users to subscribe. Although the free version has reduced features, it still comes with VSDC’s full video editing suite—including a mask tool and chroma key functionality for green-screen video effects.

the audio waveform is really the one basic feature that Free version is missing. Additionally, users can use it without any restriction since there is no trial period, watermarks on the exported video, or even ads.

If you have the funds to spring for the full version, the suite of tools expands to include video stabilization, robust post-production effects, slideshow/presentation capabilities, 3D diagram templates, and direct social media publishing.

14. Kdenlive

Available on Windows,Mac, and Linux OS | Free

Kdenlive is the best for Linux or low spec computers. It's also open source, like Shotcut. The difference is that it has more advanced functions (eg vectorscopes and histograms for colour grading). Best for feeling like a pro while working on a low end system.

This video editing software combines the simplicity of entry-level video editors with advanced video editing tools frequently used by experienced professionals.

If you are prepared to spend some time learning the interface, Kdenlive provides a more complete toolkit for video editing, including color management tools like histogram and vectorscope, a truly massive library of effects (for both video and audio), and waveform display on the clips in the timeline. In essence, if OpenShot is like Movie Maker, Kdenlive is closer to Premiere.

If you’re using Windows, you need to switch from DirectX to OpenGL back-end to make the colour scopes work. Text clips can handle simple titles, but not large amounts of text.

The colour wheels in Lift / Gamma / Gain are very sensitive, any move off-centre will give you a distinct cast in the colour that you increased your saturation. Not great if you are trying to correct rather than grade your colour (e.g. removing yellow light but not wanting to saturate in another colour).

Kdenlive isn't especially powerful or easy. It's good enough to get most ordinary jobs done, so serious foss enthusiasts who don't care for commercial or proprietary software will appreciate it, it's lightweight, and it's certainly several steps above underpowered like Windows Movie Maker , but that's about all it really has going for it.

15. Lightworks

Available on Windows,Mac, and Linux OS | Free and Paid

For advanced editing, Lightworks also works well. Lightworks is the best free option for anyone who wants to create professional-quality movies and videos without paying a penny. While it still can't be considered a match for a program like Adobe Premiere Elements, it supports multitrack video and is a non-linear editor, so the quality of your footage won’t be reduced while being processed. and Lightworks really focuses on the cutting experience .

Lightworks is specialized primarily in editing, specifically to provide a visual and streamlined experience to video editing. Most editing software need you to mark an in point and an out point to a clip then bring i

The countdown for Halloween has just begun, with the passage of each day the event is getting closer. The holiday shopping season would be a perfect time if you are looking for exclusive offers. 

Whether you celebrate Halloween by wearing the spookiest costume or by giving out the most candy, being prepared for this ghoulish day is just as important as saving money with the best Halloween deals.

XP-Pen Halloween 2019 Deals & Offers

Halloween is fast approaching and there are a few drawing tablet deals and specials from a well-known brand XP-Pen this year to celebrate.

Gone would be the days once the artists use the pencil and paper to produce the masterpieces. At this time, it is simple to create great-looking artwork pieces just using the Pressure-sensitive apparatus. No, we’re not speaking about your own smartphones, rather, we’re speaking about more art-based apparatus such as those brand Wacom ,XP-Pen .

If you’re an artist or adore the technologies, then you’d be familiar with the drawing tablet and also the standard of the goods for your artist. Therefore, to go a little closer into the technology-based artwork, attempt to catch the ideal XP-Pen Halloween bargains this season.

If you are looking to buy this XP-Pen Graphic Tablet during this Halloween Deals 2019. You will save around 30% on the XP-Pen US official Store . So don't miss this chance and grab the best deals from here - https://www.storexppen.com/topic/17.html . XP-Pen Halloween deals in the US Start on October 25 this year , Close on November 01. not require the deals codes.Other regions also have this deals activity , just choose your region .

This Halloween Sales & Deals is going to be a great opportunity for all who wanna invest in the XP-Pen Graphic Tablet that offers great functions with maximum performance. Most people buy XP-Pen Graphic Tablet in Halloween sales and save a couple of dollars at regular prices.

Create & design your Imaginations with XP-Pen Drawing Tablets ! XP-Pen is a brand specializes in manufacturing graphical & iconic tablets. Get the latest & new upgraded version of XP-Pen Tabs with exciting discount offers. Planning to buy an amazing gift for your techy friends. XP-Pen Artist prove to be an amazing present.

The XP-Pen Artist are a range of premium graphics tablet built for from amateur to professional designers, artists and illustrators. Compared to the more affordable XP-Pen Star / Deco range, the most obvious difference between the two is the integrated LCD display. This enables the XP-Pen Artist to operate as a stand alone monitor. With $200 sliced off each tablet, these appealing tools just got even more attractive.

These graphics tablets differ greatly in their price, size and features. So let’s take a closer look at them below so you have a better idea what model XP-Pen Halloween discounts to keep an eye out for!

Following are some of the deals offered by XP-Pen US official store during their Halloween 2019 Sale.

Up to $100 Off XP-Pen Artist 12 Pro entry-level laminated Screen Drawing Tablet

The XP-Pen 12 Pro is an entry-level pen display in the Artist range. That said, it is still a highly capable tablet and is by no means low range! The device connects to your PC/Mac via USB and mirrors your computer’s display, which can make it a lot easier to work with than the Deco range. This is because you don’t need to keep looking up at a screen whilst drawing – it’s a lot more natural. Here’s the key specs!

KEY FEATURES
Full HD – The LCD is full HD with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 and a wide color gamut (72% of NTSC).
Portable – Drawing tablet with 11.6 inch fully-laminated IPS Display with a 178-degree viewing angle . This makes it easier to hold it in one hand and draw with the other.
Digital Pen PA2 – Includes the latest stylus, featuring 8192 levels of pen pressure and 60 degrees of tilt function.
Intuitive Navigation – Red Dial allows you to zoom, pan and scroll with your fingers . Also includes 8 customizable shortcut keys, pen buttons and a radial menu that you can set to functions like copy and paste, undo etc. Whatever optimizes your workflow!
Includ with a display Stand – Makes working at an angle easier.
Software – the XP-Pen Artist 12 Pro is compatible with most 2D/3D software applications such as Adobe, Corel, Manga Studio etc.

Up to $130 Off XP-Pen Artist 15.6 Pro Holiday version professional Display drawing tablet

The XP-Pen Artist 15.6 Pro 15.6" is very similar to the previous model （ Artist 12 Pro ）, but with a couple of additional features. Most obvious is that it has a bigger 15.6 inch screen. Better Color Accuracy – With 88% of NTSC, the colors are rich and vibrant.

Think the extra features justify the price hike? As a designer it will depend on the size you are most comfortable/feel natural designing with.

XP-Pen Artist 15.6 Pro Holiday version Sales start on October 30 with $100 sliced off ( Compared to normal version), the holiday version will include 1X Greeting Card , 1XMascot Cleaning Cloth, 1X Calendar Featured With Xfans Artworks 1xMascot Badge , 1xMascot Mobile Phone Holder . this would be and affordable choice for digital artists.

Save $57.5 On The XP-Pen Artist 12 Holiday version most affordable pen display dmonitor

XP-Pen Artist 12 Holiday version Sales also start on October 30 with $57.5 sliced off ( Compared to normal price) .

The Artist 12 Pro and Artist 12HD have a lot of the same features as the previous tablets. Let’s run through some of the key differences between the normal and Pro models.

KEY DIFFERENCES

11.6” Screen – Most obviously, they feature a Small 11.6” screen. The Artist 12HD range is an older model and the display is not fully-laminated , although the resolution is still pretty good at 1920 x 1080.

Express Keys – Artist 12 feature 6 User-Assignable shortcut keys and 1 Touch Strip , Artist 12 Pro equipped with 8 shortcut keys and a Red dial for way more control and improved workflow.

Recline – Artist 12 Pro include a AC42 Portable display Stand Works like an easel and rotates up to 20 degrees while normal version have not .

tilt recognition – Artist 12 Pro Comes with the PA2 Grip Pen, featuring 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity and tilt recognition. while normal version P06 battery-free stylus not support pen tilt function but featuring digital eraser .

Save $45 On The XP-Pen Artist 15.6 Portable Drawing Tablet Monitor

XP-Pen Artist 15.6 was released earlier than Artist 15.6 Pro drawing tablet, but designers often get confused between the two when it comes to purchasing as both are unique in their own way.

Design : If we talk about the design of both the tablets, well, both are very slim and sleek, measuring 11mm. Unlike previous version Artist 15.6 , Artist 15.6 pro drawing tablet has 8 personalized whereas 6 keys.

Artist 15.6 pro also offer a red dial between the keys, breaking the tradition pen display design, which is missing in Artist 15.6 version. You can easily zoom in and out the images, program things as per your convenience in the pro version and do anything at your fingertips.

Display : Artist 15.6 Pro offers laminated Screen , One of the main advantages of the laminated screens is they are very thin, No air gap between layers means to room for light refraction or light interference, making the screen clear and vibrant. The image on the laminated screens appears as they have been painted on the top glass. They look more inviting and real.No parallax , Laminated screens have improved visibility in strongly lit environments and under the sun. which is not the case in Artist 15.6.

Stylus : So Artist 15.6 pro provides you with an advanced version of the pen as compared to Artist 15.6 drawing tablet. Artist 15.6 pro comes with P05R battery-free stylus whereas Artist 15.6 offers PO5 battery-free stylus. More so, Artist 15.6 pro supports 60 degrees of tilt activities, enabling the tablet surface to quickly and easily sense the gesture of each movement with the pen. The pen gives a natural feeling, which is missing in Artist 15.6 .

However, the pressure levels in both the tablets are same, which is 8192 that provides you accuracy, sensitivity and fluidity with better control to draw fine lines on the screen, enhancing your overall performance. But the report rate is higher in XP-Pen Artist 15.6, which is 266 and Artist 15.6 pro 200 report rate.

Accessories : Only Artist 15.6 Pro offers a unique thing in accessories that is built-in AC 41 stand that allows you to keep your tablet as a paper attached to the stand, which gives you mobility and easiness to draw or design anything you want seamlessly. However, XP-Pen Artist 15.6 doesn’t offer such an accessory they offer basic one, which is same in both the drawing tablets like 3 in 1 cable, HDMI to Mac adapter cable, Quick guide, cleaning cloth, drawing anti fouling glove in 15.6 and in Artist 15.6 pro you’ll get general drawing glove. Both the drawing tablets also offer 8 nibs to make your life more stress-free from the upcoming purchases of nibs.

Bottom line

Well, in the end, everything heavily relies upon your usage, budget, and choices. Overall, we can say that there’s not a vast difference between XP-Pen Artist 15.6 and Artist 15.6 pro drawing tablets, just a bit of difference, which is acceptable. As I have already mentioned that both the tablets were hit in the market their specifications also prove this statement. We would recommend all the users to first prepare a checklist of their requirements, compare with the mentioned specifications and then make a decision between the two, which means to find the one that best suits your needs.

Save 20% off On The XP-Pen Deco Pro Android professional digital Art tablet with tilt recognition

XP-Pen Deco Pro helps you find new ways to create. Designed for those professional digital artists who are drawing, painting and photo editing with their Mac or PC .

The XP-Pen Deco Pro Series is crafted with an aluminum casing and features a 7mm thin curved casing. The black and silver color scheme blends well into its streamlined design, making it both smooth to use and sleek in appearance. As such a professional designed tablet, Deco Pro has been awarded as the 2019 Red Dot Design Award Winner and the 2018 Good Design Award Winner!

It's great for working in Spacious spaces, where you can dedicate the roughly 11x6 inches (278.9x157 mm) needed for the Medium version; the small is 9x5 inches (230.76x130.16 mm).

Meet the groundbreaking double wheel design paired with trackpad functionality! With a bigger wheel, it is easier to control and operate more accurately. Use the outer mechanic wheel to zoom in /out of your canvas, adjust brush size, etc, while the inner virtual wheel can be used as a trackpad/mouse mode, scroll up and down, and more. Both wheels can also be programmed to customize copy, space, and other common functions.

The pen tablet includes the digital Pen PA1 , the pen uses 8,192 levels of pressure and also recognizes tilt.

The XP-Pen Deco Pro series supports connection with Android tablets and mobile phones. compatible with Windows® 7/8/10, Mac OS X® 10.10 and above .

The XP-Pen Deco Pro Best drawing tablet for android is easy to setup and use,Plus, with plenty of other compatible software available, there are many ways you can perfect your passion.

Save $25 On The XP-Pen Deco 03 A4 Large Wireless Drawing Tablet

Deco 3 provides an impressive amount of specs at under 100 dollars along with that dial which is very impressive… the red dial to be quite useful .

The drivers have a nice interface, letting you change active area size, pressure sensitivity, etc. Very good pen case, which doubles as a pen stand. Great if you want to travel.

Large Drawing Area - 10 x 5.62 inches with 5080LPI resolution and 266RPS report rate. Provide larger space for creation and make lines flow smoother, work faster and perform better.

Wired & Wireless Connection - Simply plug the included USB receiver into your computer to draw wirelessly, or connect to your computer with the included Type-C cable for standard wired use.

6 Customizable Shortcut Keys - Creates a highly ergonomic and convenient work platform. Features Type-C input design, easy to plug in and out.

Battery-free Passive Stylus - No delay, no chopping. 8192 levels of instant pen pressure sensitivity, providing you with groundbreaking control and fluidity to expand your creative output.

Strong Compatibility - Compatible with Windows 10/8/7/Vista (32/64bit) and MAC OS 10.8 above.

Save $12 On The XP-Pen Deco 01 V2 beginner digital art Tablet with tilt recognition

Sufficient Working Space-The Deco 01 V2’s expansive tablet is big and brilliant, yet still designed to break through the limit between shortcut keys and drawing area. 10 x 6.25-inch working area, so you get more space to create or get work done.

XP-Pen Deco 01 V2 supports up to 60 degrees of tilt brush effect and delivers smoother and more natural lines and strokes, while also giving you the ability to add shading to your creation. which is not Supported this tilt function in old version XP-Pen Deco 01 drawing tablet for animation .

Android Supported-supports connections with Android Phones and Tablets 6.0 and above. It is compatible with most major software including: ibis Paint X, FlipaClip, Medibang, Autodesk Sketchbook, Zenbrush, Artrage, and more.

Battery-free Stylus and 8 shortcut keys-The 8192 levels of instant pen pressure sensitivity―Providing you with groundbreaking control and fluidity to expand your creative output. No charging required. The eight, round, customizable shortcut keys that fits easily to your finger tip. With its blind spot reduction design, you can find the position of your express keys efficiently and the shortcut keys can be programmed to many different software programs.

Wide Compatibility-The Deco 01 V2 can be used with Windows 10/8/7, MAC OS X 10.10 and above and Android 6.0 and above. This tablet is compatible with many major designer software such as Photoshop, SAI, Painter, Illustrator, Clip Studio, and more.

Save $12 On The XP-Pen Deco 02 A4 Large Drawing Pad Tablet

XP-Pen has basically improved upon their previous models and made the more modernised version of Deco 02 …

A sleek newly designed silver roller with hollow mirror plating conveniently placed in the lateral center of the tablet making the roller easily accessible for left and right handed users. The Roller Wheel is designed to streamline your workflow and operate non intrusively through it's silent dial roll. Roll the dial on both sides to make your adjustments and navigate around your work space effortlessly.

Deco 02 is all about cramming in more specs and providing features which are in some case only available in much pricier version…

The XP-Pen Deco 02 digital art tablet comes with an active canvas area of 10 x 5.63 inches. Provide encough space for illustrators who are going to be doing extensive detail-focused work,

Being wirelessly charged as you use it, the XP-Pen digital pen P06 is relatively fuss free. The pen also provides over 8,000 levels of pressure and tilt sensitivity, giving a smooth line from start to finish.

The P06 Pen features two buttons on the side, allowing you to set common shortcuts such as changing a brushes opacity. Flipping the pen over will allow users to erase in programs that support that feature.

Final thoughts

Overall, the XP-Pen Graphics Tablets is a great tool for artists, designers, and photography editors. The small size allows the tablet to easily be slipped in a bag with a laptop for use on the go, and its ability to connect wirelessly keeps everything tidy. While I think that illustrators may benefit from a larger size, this small one such as XP-Pen Star G430 Drawing Tablet for OSU is a great way to get started with digital art or photo editing, and you'd be hard pressed to find a better digital tablet for on-the-move.

Join in for the Annual Halloween Bash in the XP-Pen ! Create & design your Imaginations with XP-Pen Drawing Tablets !