Appreciation post: my Wacom vs iPad Pro debate after 6 months of testing both for digital portraits

Last month I finished 3 portrait commissions on my Wacom Cintiq and then switched to an iPad Pro for 3 more, and honestly the iPad feels faster for sketching but the Wacom still wins for precision shading, so which do you guys think is better for realistic digital art showcase pieces?

3 comments

3 Comments

blake69115d ago

Exactly, different tools for different stages. I found the same thing with my own work - the iPad lets me try out 10 different face angles in the time it takes me to set up one smooth brush blend on the Cintiq. But when I'm layering up skin tones for a final piece, that Wacom pressure sensitivity is way more forgiving for gradual shadows, like on a jawline or cheekbone. So I treat the iPad like a rough draft machine and the Cintiq like my finishing tool.

anna_ross1915d ago

rough draft machine and finishing tool" is basically the perfect way to put it. I started doing that too and it killed the whole "which one is better" debate because they're just good at different things.

william_henderson15d ago

6 months of testing and you're still asking? Sounds like you need to flip a coin and be done with it. I went through the same thing and ended up keeping both because my Wacom is perfect for the slow, meticulous shading work on my portrait of a grumpy cat, but my iPad lets me crank out three quick sketches over my morning coffee. Your real problem is that you're probably overthinking this and missing the obvious fact that different tools are for different parts of the process.