The process of drawing on a graphics tablet. Drawing lessons on a tablet

Today in this lesson we are learning to draw a magic totem on a tablet. I think many people have an idea of ​​what a totem is; you can often find them in adventure films and films about Indians. Very often they look like pillars with images of sacred animals, idols, or some kind of religious symbols. In our case, we will learn to draw a totem on a tablet in the form of a stone pillar, on which we will depict symbols that glow when addressing the totem.

I will try to make the description of the lesson on drawing a totem as detailed as possible, I don’t know how it will turn out, but let’s start implementing the idea.

So, let's launch Photoshop, create a document of arbitrary size, I created 1024x768, filled the background #aabcc8 color, I select a simple hard round brush with parameters press = size (this means that the size of the stroke depends on the pressure on the tablet with the pen) it usually costs 4 by default on the left. I check its settings and press F5, it should be as shown in the screenshot below.

First stage: drawing a sketch

The brush is set up, now we can move on to sketching our totem. Create a new layer on top of the background and start sketching various options on it, thereby creating a contour sketch. I ended up with a sketch like this, and I’ll leave it for further work. I also sometimes create a rough palette for an image, like in this case, which you can see in the top left corner of the screenshot below.


Second stage: set the primary colors

Create a new layer, place it under the outline layer, and set the main tone for the elements of our image. Painting over the base on a tablet is quick and easy. I use it for the stone itself #58676e color, for grass #6e9b0a, for artifacts on stone #b12121. And finally I reduce opacity at the contour to 65% . And I move on to the next stage of drawing a totem on the tablet.


Third stage: light, shadow

Apply shadows in the required places #34393d color while applying shadows in the right places, I change the opacity of the brush.


After we've set the shadows, let's move on to the light and illuminate those places. #78858d the color where we assume that our surface is illuminated. When painting light, we also change the opacity for our brush. As a result, we should get approximately what is shown in the screenshot below. I also decided to erase the outline of the grass and add light to the blades of grass.


Stage four: stone detailing

At this stage we will learn to draw small details of stone on a tablet. First of all, merge all layers except the background into one, select the same hard brush and brush size 1-3 pix. Depends on the size of the picture, choose the color #b5d1dc and using small strokes we create sharp edges on the stone.

I would like to note that in some places they run next to the contour line, and in others they replace it; there is no need to draw it all over the stone. We erase the stones lying below a little and make them more detailed.

I also texturize the stone a little, apply small dots of different diameters and shades of light and dark in a chaotic order in different places on the stone. The main thing is not to overdo it.


Fifth stage: work on the artifact

Let's carefully draw the ornament of our artifact in red #7b191a color.


After we have drawn the ornament, we need to make a dark outline around it, create an outline using #34393d color and hard brush size 1-3 pix.


Next, we need to create highlights on the edges of the stone along the edge of the ornament. For this we choose #98aab4 color and hard brush size 1-3 pix. Let's apply highlights and change the opacity of the brush in some places.


Create a glow inside the pattern with flowers #b12121 #fb7f81. It should look like the screenshot below.


Since our artifact glows, it should accordingly cast light onto the stone. So, let's create a new layer, place it on top of all layers, set it to chroma/color mixing mode. And using a large soft brush, draw a glow on the totem from the artifact, and then reduce its opacity to what suits us.


Stage six: final chords

Well, at the moment we have already achieved a good result, but there are still a few points that need to be improved, these are grass and shadow. Select a hard brush 1-2 pix. And flowers #4d651b, #6d9b09, #98c411, #d8e507 slowly we begin to draw the grass, making strokes from bottom to top. We use more dark tones below, and correspondingly light ones on top.


Let's slightly increase the sharpness of the totem using a filter Sharpen > Contour Sharpen. The values ​​in the filter must be set to the minimum so as not to oversharp the image. And let's add a little shadow, I didn't bother with it very much, I created a little under the entire totem and slightly darkened the bottom of the grass and that's it.


That's all, you can see the final result below, on it I created a small glow behind the totem, for this I took a soft brush with a large diameter and a color a little lighter than the background and painted a glow.


Today we learned how to draw a totem, in the next Photoshop lessons we will also learn how to draw on a tablet , but there are other equally interesting drawings, so I recommend subscribing to site updates so as not to miss new lessons.

Is it difficult draw on tablet, for example, such a tangerine? No more difficult than using a simple pencil, but much more convenient, since you don’t need pencils, paints, and especially paper. And drawings on a graphics tablet turn out like photographs. True, only a graphics tablet in combination with a program is suitable for drawing on a tablet, which can be downloaded on the manufacturer’s official website. I would also like to note that in any case, you must first learn to draw, since a tablet cannot replace a person, despite the fact that the program has many templates and convenient drawing tools. Despite the many advantages of a tablet, however, I personally like to draw with a simple pencil and charcoal. I mastered the tablet just to show you its capabilities.


This tutorial for beginners will help you draw the shape of an apple correctly. Only at first glance, it seems that drawing an apple is easy. In addition to the correct shape, you also need to be able to make a two-dimensional drawing of an apple three-dimensional.


Everyone can draw a daisy. Several petals, a stem with leaves and a chamomile drawing are ready. Try it!

In the design world, more and more space is being devoted to applications that make working with graphics programs easier. The leading position among all gadgets is occupied by a graphics tablet.

It is thanks to him that modern designers have received a number of advantages, such as ease of drawing illustrations to the smallest detail (which would not be possible to achieve using a mouse), and the ability to control the thickness of the pen line depending on the pressure applied.

In Adobe Illustrator, you can draw on a tablet using tools such as a pencil, a brush, and a blob brush. We will talk about them in this article. But we will focus specifically on how to set up such tools for working with a graphics tablet.

I would like to note that the brush tool is most convenient to use for drawings consisting of lines of different thicknesses, and the pencil tool is best suited for drawing silhouettes.

Let's get started!

The most important thing is a properly configured pen

Open Window – Brushes and select any round brush. Double-click on the icon of your chosen brush, which opens a dialog box with its settings. In this window, set the following parameters: Diameter - 10, pen pressure, 10 (equal to the maximum diameter of the brush). Such parameters will allow us to further change the thickness of the contour depending on the degree of pressure from 0 to twice the size.

To check what we have done, select the Blob Brush Tool and start placing points with different degrees of pressure.

Having practiced in this way, you will be able to create a contour with different thicknesses without interrupting it, which can be extremely useful when drawing.

If you were unable to draw with different pressures, then I advise you to play with the pen settings of the tablet itself, which are located in the Start menu - All programs - Wacom Tablet - Wacom tablet properties. Adjust the Pen Sensitivity until you can draw such a line without much difficulty.

Setting up the Paintbrush Tool

Double-click on the icon of this tool on the Toolbar so that a window with settings appears. Now let's get acquainted with the parameters of the Brush tool.

Fill new brush strokes - When you select this option, the program applies a fill to the path, which is especially useful when drawing closed paths.

Keep selected—when this option is selected, the program keeps the path selected after finishing drawing it.

Editing area for selected contours - when you select this option, you can make changes to the selected contour.

Within: _ pixels (available when selecting the previous option) - shows how close pixels the brush should be to an existing path in order to make changes to the path.

Setting up the Blob Brush Tool

Double-click on the icon of this tool on the Toolbar so that a window with settings appears. Now let's get acquainted with the parameters of the Blob Brush tool.

Keep selected - when this option is selected, the program automatically keeps the outlines selected while drawing continues.

Merge only with the selected area - when this option is selected, the program merges the new stroke with the existing selected one.

Accuracy - Shows how far you can move the brush before the program automatically adds a new anchor point. Available values ​​range from 0.5 to 20 pixels. The higher the value you set, the less complex the contour you create will be (with fewer anchor points) and, accordingly, will be smoother.

Anti-aliasing—shows the degree of anti-aliasing when drawing. Available values ​​range from 0 to 100%. The higher the percentage value you choose, the smoother the outline will be when drawing.

Size – set the size of the brush.

Angle - choose the angle of rotation of the brush.

Roundness - shows the roundness of the brush (the higher its value, the greater the roundness).

Setting up the Pencil Tool

Double-click on the icon of this tool on the Toolbar so that a window with settings appears. Now let's get acquainted with the parameters of the Pencil tool.

Deviation—responsible for the frequency of adding new anchor points when drawing with a pencil. The higher the value, the less sharp the corners and vice versa.

Smoothness—responsible for the degree of smoothing when drawing. The higher the value, the smoother and smoother the created outline will be.

Fill new pencil strokes - this option allows the program to apply a fill to the stroke. Before drawing, don't forget to choose a fill color.

Keep path selected—selecting this option allows you to keep the path selected after it is created.

The edit zone for selected paths determines whether the selected path can be edited or merged when the pointer is within a certain distance from it (specified by the following parameter).

Within: 20 px. (available if the previous option is selected) - shows how close the pencil must be to an existing path in order to make changes to the path.

To return the default settings, simply click the Restore button.

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I've been wanting to learn how to draw on a tablet for about five years now. In January, the determination emerged to finally start moving in this direction. In this regular author’s column I will share my learning experience, useful books, tips and resources.

When you enter a new field, there are many questions in your mind. Actually, they, sometimes even unconscious, not verbally formed, do not allow you to achieve your dream. And the first thing you need to do is write down all the questions. The second is to methodically look for answers to them and learn a new skill step by step.

So, which program to draw in? What stylus? How often? Where can I read about this?

I've been looking at styluses for a long time. I have bamboo, 53 paper. But the apple pencil turned out to be the most convenient. It has a thin tip, it's nice to hold in your hand, and it's stylish. And it makes an ideal pair for the tablet - ipad pro. The thickness and saturation of the line reacts to the force of pressing the pencil on the screen. Those. everything is the same as with a regular tool. For example, when you press harder on a pencil, the line becomes thicker and brighter. Same with the apple pencil stylus. Or, you start to press harder on the brush - the line becomes thicker, just like with the apple pencil stylus.

And here we can say a few words about the advantages of drawing on a tablet, as opposed to traditional tools:

  • The art workshop is always with you. No need to carry a suitcase of tools, paints, markers and canvases.
  • All drawing books are right there on the tablet.
  • If the watercolor stroke does not work out or the color is not successful, you can remove it by lightly pressing the button.
  • Clothes and hands are clean.
  • No need to wait for the paint to dry.
  • When you erase the wrong line, the paper does not deteriorate, everything simply returns to its original form.
  • Paper is saved and trees are saved.

There are a couple of obvious disadvantages:

  • If a pencil or tablet runs out and there are no sockets nearby, then that’s it, finish drawing.
  • You will never be able to achieve such fancy watercolor stains on a tablet as on paper.

Let’s leave the magic of fancy watercolor spills for working on paper, but for now let’s return to digital drawing.

I decided on the program quite quickly, focusing on iTunes recommendations and reviews of sketching programs on the Internet. The choice fell on Tayasui Sketches. It has all the tools you need to get started. I especially liked the watercolor brush and the ability to make blots. At first the program seemed complicated. But this always happens until you start to figure it out and try.

At first you get scared by the abundance of tools, and then you start to run out of them.

The program has a convenient panel, a choice of colors, and a constantly updated gallery of works from all over the world. Well, the developers are lively, they are constantly adding something to the program. This is what the screen looks like. And examples of inscriptions made with different tools.

About the tools. It would be good to understand what each tool in the program can do. I used five sheets for this, experimenting with intensity, size, different layers and tools.

The pencil is an amazing imitation, indistinguishable from an ordinary pencil.

The program also includes a gel pen, a felt-tip pen, a marker brush, a pencil, an acrylic brush, a watercolor brush, and an airbrush.

A simple exercise is to draw many variations of one subject. Tool - pen.

The most difficult thing, as in life, was watercolor. Sometimes it gives completely unexpected effects when mixing, applying layers and blots.

With practice, you can make neat drawings with smooth transitions.

By the way, in the program you can change the canvas - watercolor grainy paper, regular landscape paper, canvas, colored paper. And this is also great to experiment with.

3. “Art workshop. Graphic arts"

I have a little background on drawing on paper, thanks to the project. I will definitely participate in the100dayproject, on April 4th it will be launched by the author of our book “Between I Need and I Want,” El Luna. I plan to draw on my tablet every day.

I couldn’t find any books specifically on digital photography on a tablet in Russian. Drawing without a tutorial is like learning to drive a car on your own. It's possible, but difficult. I bought a magazine on this topic in New York, I’ll tell you about it in the next issue. By the way, another advantage is that you can draw on the plane, the screen is bright and there are a million colored pencils at hand.


Postcard taken on a flight from New York to Moscow.

The following goals:

  • learn digital lettering.
  • continue to master all the tools in Tayasui Sketches.
  • draw whales, cats and space.
  • practice a variety of drawings using the visual note technique.
  • use layers more actively, it is very convenient.

Join if you are interested in this topic. You can write reviews and comments to me by email - [email protected].

It is extremely important for a modern artist to learn how to transfer the results of his talent not only to paper, but also to the computer screen. It should be borne in mind that drawing on a graphics tablet is not the same as transferring mental images to paper. So please be patient. In addition, having received a precious product, you should configure it and only then begin to master the program for working with graphic images.

This article will tell you how to choose, configure a graphics tablet and learn to draw on it.

Where to begin. Choice r graphics tablet

Apple pie starts with selecting apples from your local market. Anyone who wants stunning success in working with a graphics tablet needs to choose it wisely.


Graphics tablets differ not only in cost, but also in purpose. Decide for yourself what you need a tablet for: drawing, editing photos, communicating? Let's list the most famous models.

The most budget option today is the model Bamboo, which is well suited for both office and home work. Everything you draw on the tablet will be displayed on the computer screen.

Bamboo Connect
Suitable for drawing and communication. Model similar to her - Bamboo Splash.

Bamboo Capture- the most popular model. Good for photo editing and drawing.

Bamboo Create- the most expensive model of the Bamboo line.

Graphics tablet Wacom Intuos aimed at the professional user.

The most expensive and prestigious is the graphics tablet Wacom Cintiq. It allows you to see the drawing on the tablet itself, and not on the PC screen.

Equipment and configuration

After purchase, the graphics tablet will be pristine - it will have to be configured. To do this, you need to either download the drivers on the website of your tablet model, or use the installation disk.


The pen that always comes with the tablet can also be used as a mouse - moving it above the surface at a height of two centimeters. If you want to draw, you should draw directly on the surface. Comfortable!

Moreover, a button on the side of the pen replaces the right mouse button. And using the ring on the tablet, you can change the screen scale.

Get familiar with the pen attachments and get used to them. To speed up the process, sit at your computer with a graphics tablet when you're not working on images.

Having configured the working tool, you can proceed directly to training.

Websites and Video channels to help the beginning artist

The following resources will help you master the profession of illustrator and improve your skills:

... - lessons on working with a graphics tablet for beginners. The video explains how to work with a sketch, tutorial, and transferring illustrations from paper to digital format.

- page of the school of concept design. Here you will learn how to draw concept art on a Wacom tablet in Photoshop. There is an author's free program on the basics of constructive drawing using traditional materials with a combination of drawing skills on a graphics tablet. A free analysis of a student’s specific work is possible.

Drawing and digital painting lessons in Photoshop (and not only) for both professional artists and amateurs. Also here you can find works of different illustrators, their concepts and sketches.

It should be borne in mind that different artists use different programs to work with images. Each has its own characteristics, therefore, when searching for a demonstration of a technique, you can specify the program in which you are used to working.