ipad 12.9 pro versus larger tablets for art

[rowspaxe]

I had always thought when it comes to tablets, bigger is better. But after working with the
12.9 for several months, I am questioning my need for a larger tablet--like the wacom 24"
cintiq pro. My thinking has been infuenced by:

1) noticing that when I work on the 24" i end up working within the large space
in a more 12.9 like space

2) when i watch you tube artists using the 24" cintiq, they too are generally
working in a small subset of the total screen space, with menus or blank
space filling the screen

3) looking at you tube videos of comic artists inking/painting in natural medium, they
are working in a scale similar to the 12.9--certainly not larger than twice the size of
the 12.9.

Anyone have thoughts on this?

 

[Johnny Steps]

Had a 12.9 iPad Pro (1st Gen) prior to my current iPad Pro 11” and I’ve got to say this was a great decision to go down in size. The lightweight feel and smaller size allows me to basically have an electronic sketchbook on the go. I highly recommend it. However, if you’re big into media consumption, the bigger size is most likely more beneficial.

 

[lindafus]

I too, owned the iPad Pro (1st Gen) and went down to the iPad Pro 11. Sketching on the 11 inch does not seem much different to me than the iPad Pro original and it is so much more portable. I did however, get the 256gb iPad Pro 11 as with the iPad Pro original I had 128gb and used quite a bit of that space. Drawing on the 11 inch does not seem to make a difference to me.

 

[JP913]

I had always thought when it comes to tablets, bigger is better. But after working with the
12.9 for several months, I am questioning my need for a larger tablet--like the wacom 24"
cintiq pro. My thinking has been infuenced by:

1) noticing that when I work on the 24" i end up working within the large space
in a more 12.9 like space

2) when i watch you tube artists using the 24" cintiq, they too are generally
working in a small subset of the total screen space, with menus or blank
space filling the screen

3) looking at you tube videos of comic artists inking/painting in natural medium, they
are working in a scale similar to the 12.9--certainly not larger than twice the size of
the 12.9.

Anyone have thoughts on this?

Hey, a subject I can get behind!

So, I have a Cintiq 22HD, and you're right, most artists (including myself) work in a space that's smaller or at least equal to the 12.9 iPP. Below is me holding my 12.9 2018 iPP against my Cintiq. Not THAT much bigger / smaller!

Comic artists generally use 11x17 paper when working traditionally. Of course, most of those panels are much smaller than an iPad Pro screen, 12.9 or 11.

The benefit of a Cintiq is, of course, the screen real estate...plenty of room for your menus and other odds and ends. But that's about where the benefits end. The paralaxing on Cintiq's (especially older ones) is horrible, and it can feel like you're drawing through 3 feet of glass compared to the iPad Pro.

The truth is this: since I got the iPad Pro a couple years ago, my Cintiq is just a glorified / expensive second monitor. I rarely do any drawing on it anymore...the experience of the iPad Pro is far superior, and it's only going to get better with Adobe Photoshop next year.

I've done work for Mad Magazine and the Rick & Morty comic on my iPad with absolutely no second guessing if I should have been drawing it on the Cintiq. PLUS, you can take an iPad outside, which is a little harder to do with a Cintiq.

 

[rowspaxe]

Hey, a subject I can get behind!

So, I have a Cintiq 22HD, and you're right, most artists (including myself) work in a space that's smaller or at least equal to the 12.9 iPP. Below is me holding my 12.9 2018 iPP against my Cintiq. Not THAT much bigger / smaller!
.

Great visual attachment. I noticed my 12.9 felt bigger than the wacom cintiq pro 15.6" because
of the aspect ratio--its is taller in landscape mode! Sitting with the cintiq pro 24--it feels
overwhelming and unwieldly. ps nice art!

 

[AutomaticApple]

1) noticing that when I work on the 24" i end up working within the large space
in a more 12.9 like space

Hmm, that’s interesting.

 

[rowspaxe]

I see a lot of this:

Highly recommend this video if you interested in Wacom Pro 24

 

[Greenmeenie]

When it comes to art, it’s very personal, and you’re gonna get so many different answers. Me personally? I wouldn’t go larger than the 12.9” for digital art. But that’s me. I am sure others would like larger. I actually went with the 11” iPad Pro as my digital sketchbook. The 12.9” is roughly the size of an A4 sketchbook which is the most popular sketchbook size. The 11” is actually slightly larger than an A5 sketchbook which is the size sketchbook I use most when traveling. You can totally travel with the 12.9” and many do. I just find the 11” the perfect size for me.

 

[aevan]

I had always thought when it comes to tablets, bigger is better. But after working with the
12.9 for several months, I am questioning my need for a larger tablet--like the wacom 24"
cintiq pro. My thinking has been infuenced by:

1) noticing that when I work on the 24" i end up working within the large space
in a more 12.9 like space

2) when i watch you tube artists using the 24" cintiq, they too are generally
working in a small subset of the total screen space, with menus or blank
space filling the screen

3) looking at you tube videos of comic artists inking/painting in natural medium, they
are working in a scale similar to the 12.9--certainly not larger than twice the size of
the 12.9.

Anyone have thoughts on this?

I owned a 21” Cintiq and a 13” Cintiq and actually prefered the smaller one. And that was with the desktop interface. With an iPad it’s even better so, yeah, a great size. I don’t miss a larger area at all.

 

[rowspaxe]

The 12.9” is roughly the size of an A4 sketchbook which is the most popular sketchbook size. The 11” is actually slightly larger than an A5 sketchbook which is the size sketchbook I use most when traveling. You can totally travel with the 12.9” and many do. I just find the 11” the perfect size for me.

OK.\, but I am trying to take the discussion beyond mobile and sketchbooks, I am asking if 12.9" might be a preferable desktop size? for finish art?

 

[aevan]

OK.\, but I am trying to take the discussion beyond mobile and sketchbooks, I am asking if 12.9" might be a preferable desktop size? for finish art?

I use it with Astropad for desktop work - in Zbrush and in Photoshop and it is a great size. And judging by the artists I follow, I can guarantee you that you can do finished, polished art on it and that many illustrators prefer it to anything else on the market - desktop or mobile.

 

[Greenmeenie]

OK.\, but I am trying to take the discussion beyond mobile and sketchbooks, I am asking if 12.9" might be a preferable desktop size? for finish art?

Again, yes or no. For some yes. Others no. Depends on the person and what type of art they do. Some of my graphic design friends would definitely prefer a larger iPad size tablet for desktop use. Some have told me they’d love a touchscreen iMac that could lay flat on the table to draw and design on. I would imagine it varies tho.

Jorge Colombo is an illustrator who does work for the New Yorker magazine. He switched from pen & ink to totally digital. At first he was painting on an iPhone with his finger! Now he does magazine covers on his iPad. I think he uses a 9.7” or 10.5” iPad Pro. David Hockney is a famous painter who does a lot of his work on an iPad now. He also doesn’t use the 12.9” from what i’ve seen, but one of the smaller pros. But to be honest, the majority of artists I know and have seen on YouTube all use the 12.9” and are completely happy with it and wouldn’t go larger or smaller.