How to Get Started with Digital Drawing Using an iPad or Android Phone

Do you want to get into digital drawing, but don’t know where to start? Perfect! I’ve made this video exactly for you.

My name is Tatyana Deniz. I teach aspiring artists how to draw using the cute and simple style of kawaii. In today’s post, I’m going to show you 3 ways to start drawing digitally. I will share with you tips for drawing on an iPad with Procreate app, and share with you Android app alternatives that are very low-cost, or even free.

My Digital Drawing Journey

When I started drawing digitally in graphic design school, I used a Wacom tablet. At the time, I still struggled with drawing on a digital pad and then seeing the image pop up on the screen.

Once I started to get requests for commissioned for art projects, the clients were requesting vector illustrations or high-resolution digital files. They all wanted the art to have that polished look.

So I decided that it was time to crack this “digital drawing” thing and figure it out. I did!

And in this post, I will share with you my top 3 tips for getting started with digital drawing.

Drawing Digital Art with iPad and Apple Pencil

Investing in an iPad and Apple Pencil has changed the course of my digital drawing career. And if you decide to invest, here is what I recommend to make your life easier.

PaperLike screen protector

So first, my iPad has a protector on the screen called PaperLike. It creates a surface that produces a resistance for the Apple Pencil as I draw, and I find that it helps me feel more natural, when I’m drawing.

I come from a traditional art background, so I’ve done all of my studying using pencil and paper. And this combination if iPad + Apple Pencil + PaperLike has finally worked for me.

Drawing glove to prevent unwanted gestures

My second recommendation when starting digital drawing is to get a glove for your drawing hand. By protecting your hand, you’ll ensure that you don’t accidentally tap anything on the screen that could undo or erase your hard work.

A company called Huion has created a glove to solve this problem. Whether your right-handed or left-handed, the glove goes on the opposite hand and you can draw very comfortably.

Procreate app

And the third tip I would recommend is getting the . Purchasing the app is a single payment, and I find it incredibly intuitive for drawing by hand.

If you want to draw by hand and simulate the experience of using pencil and paper, this combination works the best.

Digital Drawing Apps for Android

For those that may not have an iPad or want to wait to invest in any paid products, I’ve also come up with a list of great digital drawing apps that are perfect for Android users and won’t break the bank. <

Inkscape

The first drawing app I recommend is Inkscape. Inkscape provides a free version that is open-source software. If you like it, you can donate to the creators on their website.

ArtFlow

The second drawing app I recommend is ArtFlow. ArtFlow comes highly recommended from our Facebook community and is a great free program for Android. It offers you all of your essential features, including layer filters, clipping masks, and pressure sensitivity.

Affinity Designer

And finally, I third drawing app I recommend is Affinity Designer. Affinity Designer is an excellent option for iPad’s, desktops and Android. It’s a one-time fee and is well priced. With Affinity Designer, you use vectors.

Vectors allow you to scale the image without using any quality. So when I want to create vector artwork quickly, and if I want to use my iPad and Apple pencil – I jump into Affinity Designer.

Digital Drawing Summary

More often then not, my clients request digital art. It’s polished, stylized, and prints well onto any medium. This is the way the industry is going, so it’s important to get ahead of the curve and meet your client’s needs.

Digital drawing is easier then you think. If you can invest into an iPad and Apple Pencil, you will love the experience. Set yourself up for success by purchasing a screen protector, a glove and a highly intuitive drawing app like Procreate.

If you want to experiment with digital drawing for free or you have an Android device – then Inkscape, ArtFlow and Infinity Designers are all great tools that come highly recommended. In some cases, it might be easier to draw by hand, but it’s essential to have this in your skill set.

Join Our Facebook Group

I’d love to hear from you and your experience with digital drawing! Make sure to join our Facebook group so we can continue this conversation and share our best tips. 🙂

For a fun drawing project, check out this kawaii cat tutorial!