Monday, November 2, 2020

Ultimate Guide to Buying a graphics tablet!

 

What is a graphics tablet?

The graphics tablet is probably one of the most interesting devices to connect to a computer, especially if you want to develop your creativity in the field of graphics or design. Despite its appearance very close to the tablets we use to surf the Internet, its use is completely different.

graphics tablet is also called drawing tablet, computer drawing tablet, hand-painted tablet, etc. It is a kind of computer input equipment, usually consisting of an electronic painting tablet and an electronic pressure sensitive pen. Its working mode is an electronic drawing tablet. When using it, you should connect the drawing tablet to your computer via a USB cable so that it can be powered and transfer data to your computer. The users can draw on the tablet with the attached stylus, and the image will be displayed on the computer screen. With the advantage of computer, the pen tablet can achieve more painting functions than traditional tools.

Graphics Tablets without screens require you to draw while looking at a computer screen. Animation, note-taking, practicing calligraphy, painting, and drawing are all possible on drawing tablets with screens. And the results are crystal clear and vibrant.

There is a disconnect between the conventional graphics tablet, which is essentially a slate based input device and the screen. Marry these together and you get the best of both worlds, being able to use the stylus and actually see what you draw on the built-in display.

Traditionally, graphic tablets with built-in display are expensive and only reserved for professionals. More and more graphics tablets with display have since come into the market, making them more competitively price and affordable.

use and utility

The purpose of the graphic tablet is to replace a drawing table, a pencil, a chalk or brushes and especially to simplify the life of creative people who can save or modify their work without any problem. Indeed, the graphic tablet makes it possible to transfer all the works from an "analog" workshop to a digital space.

The drawings are made directly on the graphics tablet using a stylus and displayed in real time on the computer screen. Brands are constantly developing their products so that the feel of the pen and graphic tablet is the same as that of the pencil and paper sheet. The drawings are then imported into dedicated software such as Photoshop depending on compatibility, in order to make various alterations or modifications very simply and quickly.

The graphics tablet can be used for many purposes, not just drawing: creating CAD drawings, maps, spatial and flat diagrams, processing, editing and retouching photos...

The graphics tablet, thanks to its construction and the continuous development of the software under whose control it operates, offers much greater creative freedom and precision than traditional tools. Although it is a pointing device similar to a computer mouse, the stylus and tablet offer much greater precision and freedom of work.

The graphics tablet detects pressure sensitivity and some models recognize up to 8192 pressure levels. The more levels there are, the more precise and qualitative the work will be. This detection allows to find the sensation of the pencil or brush. Devices that work with computers (there are also devices that work independently) generally use a USB, HDMI or wireless connection.

Who is the graphic tablet for?

The graphic tablet is an extremely popular device for digital graphic designers, painters, draftsmen and designers. The graphic tablet was initially reserved for professionals due to its price or the complexity of the associated software, but this is no longer the case today.

The associated software is much more numerous, intuitive or simple to use (just like graphic tablets) and the internet is full of tutorials explaining how to use the tablet and the various ways to progress. Changes that open the way for all creators and make the tablets suitable for both professionals and simple amateurs passionate about drawing for whom the graphic tablet becomes an essential medium for progress.

How to choose graphics tablet?

Here are some summaries of how graphic tablets function. These quick breakdowns should help you know what to generally look for in a tablet tailored for your needs.

1. Active work area

the graphics tablet uses absolute positioning. this means when Using the pen tablet , the movement starts from the point where you touch the pen that corresponds to the spot on the monitor, so if you place the pen in the upper right corner of the tablet's work area, the pointer immediately moves to the upper right corner of the screen, no matter what that's where the cursor was before.

Here, you should pay attention to the size of the device as well as that of the active screen area. It's easy to assume that bigger screens are always the best option.

However, this might not be true if you consider all the factors that come with purchasing a graphics tablet. Smaller tablets may just provide the right resolution for your drawing needs and they will also cost you a lesser amount compared to other bigger options.

2. Resolution

It will be much easier to choose the resolution of the graphics tablet than its size. In this case, the problem is simple: the higher the resolution, the better.

Working with a high-resolution tablet will be more pleasant, more fluid and will reproduce all curves and details with great precision. The resolution of the graphics tablet is usually given in LPI.

The resolution of the graphics tablet is given in lines per inch (lpi) and tells us how many independent lines are in every inch of the width or height of the work area. In theory, the higher the resolution, the more precisely we can work, and the more detailed our picture can be. In practice, however, we may not need the highest possible resolution at all.

Let's take a tablet with a resolution of 5080 lpi. 1 inch equals 2.54 cm. It means that on 25.4mm on the tablet there are 5080 lines which gives us 200 lines per mm. Let's assume that the thickness of our pen's stylus is 0.5mm. Then our stylus covers 100 lines and this is the precision we can work with. For comfortable work, this value must be at least 2,000 LPI.

3.Reports per Second/Points per Second

Some brands ( like XP-PEN ) document this as RPS (Reports per second) while others like Wacom document it as PPS (Points per second), but both are the same. This is simply how many times the tablet or touch device notifies the computer per second where your hand or pen is on the surface of the device. Higher/Faster the better and more responsive whereas the lower/slower the worse and less responsive. Low response tablets can create jaggy lines while high response tablets create smoother lines.

4. Pressure Sensitivity

You most likely got a tablet for something other than a mouse-alternative. And that something was probably “pressure-sensitivity”. Pressure enable's you to vary a tool's function based on how hard you press the pen to the tablet. This is the primary reason why people use tablets vs. a mouse. Pressure sensitivity simply gives you more control when using brushes, pencils and other drawing and retouching tools. A pen is also ideal for marking up and annotating documents. Basically, any function that requires a drawing or writing type movement.

Enabling control by pen pressure is accomplished differently in every application. In most cases via checkbox, button or drop down menu. The typical function is to use pressure to control the size or width of a brush, and/or it's opacity. For example, a light touch of the pen to the tablet with an increasingly heavier touch will widen a brush stroke, or make it darker. Pressure sensitivity is amazingly helpful for anyone wishing to draw and paint digitally or enhance photos.

A more accurate stylus will allow for better detail reproduction and detection of more pressure levels. Today's pens can read up to 8192 levels of pen pressure. the more pressure levels there are, the better. Some styli such as the XP-Pen Deco / Artist Line graphics tablet offer up to 8,192 pressure levels while 1024 levels are sufficient for amateur applications. The objective of the stylus is to accurately reflect your project and the final result will depend on your skills and experience but also on the capabilities of the tablet and its stylus.

5.Tilt Sensitivity

Some high end tablets come with tilt sensitivity which may also be called tilt recognition. This can be interpreted as similar to using an air brush. If you tilt the stylus you will get a thicker or thinner line due to the angle of paint spray. The standard values in which this function operates are ± 60 levels.

This is used to create natural-looking pen, brush, and eraser strokes in applications that support tilt-sensitivity. Tilt sensitivity comes into play mostly in Corel Painter or with airbrush tools used for digital painting.

6. Miscellaneous functions

Programmable Hot keys/Buttons

Basically these are extra functions on the tablet that can be convenient time savers. They allow you to program shortcuts, commands and tools into your tablet. For instance, you are painting a character, you make a mistake and want to erase. Instead of interrupting your work flow and selecting the eraser tool, you can hit a hot key with the eraser programmed into it, erase the mistake, then hit the hot key for your paint brush and continue your work.

Function Buttons may or may not come with programmable functions already set, but customizable. It depends on the tablet.

Scrollers/Wheels

These are self-explanatory. On many tablets there will be a large or two large circular devices where you can slide your finger to zoom, rotate, pan, etc., mimicking various functions of the mouse wheel in certain programs or zoom in/out and pan tools of certain programs without interrupting your work flow.

7. Induction height

It refers to the maximum distance from the board when the pressure pen can sense the model number above the tablet. The height of the induction is about 9~15mm, which is the most suitable. It is not easy to appear the focus of losting the pen as soon as picking up it during painting process.

8. Interface

By the interface we mean the way the graphics tablet connects to the computer. We distinguish wired interface: USB, and wireless: Bluetooth.

Tablets with a built-in lcd screen usually have an HDMI , USB-C or Display Port and if the tablet works as an independent workstation, it should also be equipped with WiFi and headphone output.

9. Embedded lcd screen

Graphics tablets with display can be divided into two groups: those that require connection to a computer for work, and independent workstations.

The tablet from the first group when connected to a computer will be detected by the operating system as an additional monitor. Then our tablet works as a very sensitive and precise touch screen. Thanks to the fact that you have a direct transfer of the stylus's position to what is happening on the screen, while working in the graphic program you can get the impression that you create on a piece of paper.

The second group of tablets are in fact portable computers with a touch screen. When connected to a computer, they can work just like ordinary tablets with an LCD screen. The biggest advantage of these graphics tablets is that you do not need a second computer to work with. Especially it is useful when you travel a lot and you like to create while traveling. For this reason, when choosing a tablet, it is worth paying attention to the battery life.

When choosing a graphics tablet with a built-in LCD screen, first of all, take into account the parameters of the display, such as: resolution, color reproduction, viewing angles, contrast.

Information overload, so…how do I choose one?

My advice would be to take all this into account in order to choose the best graphics tablet for you. Read reviews, compare tablets and try to tune out the brand name pushing opinions and think objectively based on your budget and needs.

If you are just starting out, you may not want to jump in with a $2,000 purchase on a Wacom Cintiq. Yet, you may very well want to start at the tip of graphics tablet pyramid. Getting familiar with what's at the top of the hierarchy in tablet technology may best suit your needs. However, you may not be able to afford anything above $100-$200 and can get the job done long as the tablet can produce certain tasks you have.

Wacom is still the best brand of drawing tablets, but keep an eye on the less expensive alternatives.Wacom still offers the best pen tablets on the market but the competition has been heating up on the past few years and now we can find good quality cheap drawing tablets from a variety of brands such as XP-PEN ( https://www.xp-pen.com ).

On the traditional pen tablets front, If you're on tight budget and cannot stretch it to the $200 range for an Intuos Pro M , take a good look at the XP-Pen Deco 03 and the Deco 01 . Both models are highly rated, offer better specs and really good hardware build quality for less than a comparable Wacom product. If your budget allows, I still think the Intuos Pro M is a better long-term investment.

Friday, September 25, 2020

XP-Pen Innovator 16 Drawing Display Tablet Review - Should You Buy One?

 

My XP-Pen Star 03, obviously old, has never given me problems, even till today. Having seen a few display tablets recently, I thought of upgrading my old tablet, because why not? Drawing on-screen is better than on tablet right?

I have watched and read almost all reviews about XP-Pen Innovator 16. it seem good, and much more affordable, with all that laminate screen and other nice features. And so I bought XP-Pen Innovator 16 .

Yes, it was expensive . These things cost some serious money. So prepare yourself to spend some hefty amount of money. I bought the tablet and damn that gave me the exact results I wanted. I could see the lines while I was drawing. It felt natural and a joy to draw. Finally, I could draw like I had drawn in a paper before. Seeing all the lines appear beneath my hand.

This was just awesome and totally what I needed. I was impressed, to say the least. Finally, I got the results I was missing before. Finding that joy in the drawing. It surely wasn't too much of joy with the Star 03 .

I bought it myself, this is not sponsored or whatever. I got it from XP-Pen official store , in 3 days. package is solid, you get one glove, one (no battery, autonomous) pen and the usual cables and manual. The tablet comes with a handful of different adapter options - even the weird three-prong UK one - and it’s really easy to switch them out if you’re on the go.

XP-Pen Innovator 16 Specifications:

Dimensions: 17.5” x 10” x 0.35” (WxHxD)
Screen/Draw Area: 15.6” (13.5 x 7.6 inches)
Panel Type: IPS
Resolution: 1920 x 1080
Response Time: 16.4ms
Display Input: 3-in-1 Cable
Color Gamut: 125% sRGB, 92% Adobe RGB, 88% NTSC
Brightness: 250cd/m2
Contrast: 1200:1
Resolution: 5080 lpi
Viewing Angle: 178°
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Number of Colors: 16.7 million
Pressure Sensitivity: 8192 levels
Tilt Support: 60 degrees
Data Rate: Max ≥ 220RPS
Function Keys: 8, user assignable
Two Wheels: 2, user assignable
Compatibility: Windows 10/8/7, macOS 10.10 and higher
More details from Official Site : https://www.xp-pen.com/product/638.html

Design and Build

The XP-Pen Innovator 16 is in the middle ground of the company's five size ( 11.6" , 13.3" . 15.6", 21.5" , 23.8" ) pen displays. At 3.6 pounds and significantly less than an inch thick, the 15.6 inch display and integrated pen tablet is also the one of the three size (11.6" , 13.3" . 15.6" ) that's small and light enough to pick up off the desk and work with right on your lap. With a thickness of just 9mm thick, it's thinner than all but the most svelte notebook computers.

Unlike the larger 22 and 24 inch versions, which come by default with conventional LCD monitor stands, the Innovator 16 uses an all plastic stand to support the display at the angle of 20 degrees.

It needs to be hooked up to a laptop or desktop, and needs to be plugged-in. The XP-Pen Innovator 16 uses a clever tri-cable to make this as simple as possible. There's a proprietary socket on the side of the tablet, in which a cable plugs that splits off into three wires – one to hook up to an HDMI port on your computer of choice , another to a USB and a third to the power.

The display side of things is driven via HDMI output, with a single USB connection controlling the input side ( acts as an interface for the digitiser pen ) . Power also can routed through the Innovator 16's video controller as well, so you can work with it without Plug in power .

I think the notable advantage of Innovator 16 is that you don't need any electric outlet to activate it if your computer/laptop is powerful enough to run the tablet through plugging to your PC/laptop alone.

The 1.8 meters cord tethering the display panel to the video controller gives you the ability to work with the Innovator 16 at a pretty decent distance from your desk – great for sketching with the display on your lap.

you will get 8 Shortcut Keys and a two function wheel ( roller and touch ), all of which can be configured with the driver software.

Nice and lightweight display

The main attraction on the Innovator 16 is easily the display panel. The screen measures 15.6 inches with a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 for full HD viewing at a smidge over 196 pixels per inch. Wrangling 92 percent of Adobe's RGB gamut, the panel sorts 16.7 million colors and offers 250 cd/m2 of brightness.

In practice, 15.6inch size means more zooming in and out when dealing with minute details. Then, there is the small screen size that many consumers state that it interferes with cursor movements along the edges. A larger screen would work well especially for drawings.

The active matrix panel has a brightness of 250cd/m2, "Semi-gloss" probably describes the surface best as it provides just the right amount of sheen without tossing back too many reflections from outside lighting.

It possesses over 16.7 color variations. This means that the user has 256 color tones to work with. and its response time is a generally smear-free 16.4ms. Coupled with the 16:9 aspect ratio, the colors bring to life any drawing done on the graphics tablet.

The color accuracy is pretty spot on for those who really need it to be accurate, the 92% Adobe RGB can satisfy for your needs.

A 178-degree angle of view and its flip-out stand means it can be used on your lap or tilted at 25-degrees on a desk for a more impact-full display but without to many glitches as it is still usable at that angle.

It uses an IPS panel, fitted with a matt screen protector , a natural choice for a product like this.

new Innovator 16 has a laminated display, The point of laminate is that there is no gap, and you feel like you draw where you put your pen at. From an angle I do see a ever so slightly gap between the glass and digitizer. So it's largely an aesthetic thing, but I also think it makes using the pencil feel more authentic. Like you're actually drawing on glass instead of making inputs to a computer under the glass.

As a display designed specifically for visual artists, its quality is far superior to that of any notebook display I've seen. It has true 24-bit color depth (as opposed to the fudged "millions of colors" on standard notebook displays). Colors, brightness, and contrast are even across the face of the screen. And the device calibrates up nicely using a colorimeter.

Digitiser and Stylus

the stylus is batteryless, the tablet provides 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity and a tilt of up to 60 degrees . As with all of XP-PEN's higher-end tablets, you can expect an excellent and highly naturalistic pen-like response from the Innovator 16 .

Hand movements translate into pen movements, which transmit onto the screen via electromagnetic resonance technology. The 8192 pressure sensitivity levels enable the digital pen to work seamlessly and without friction on the surface. The pen simply glides over the surface allowing the creation of flawless fine lines.

The digital pen achieves a co-ordination accuracy of up to plus or minus 0.01 inch . This means that the possibility of errors during input is minimal and by just 0.01 inch. This factor is important in enabling near perfect input in order to achieve flawless digital images on the screen.

The Innovator 16 graphics tablet tilt sensitivity of plus or minus 60 degrees allows the user to achieve tilt angles quickly and accurately. A reading height of 10mm or more is possible from the cover plate at any screen angle.

Pen tips are removable/replaceable, and XP-PEN supplies several of the default tips. The pen has excellent button quality and the buttons are nicely placed. Making them easy to use.

While the all-plastic pen would actually be slightly more comfortable, in my opinion, it was a bit on the heavy side. The contoured grip area is thick enough to promote good pen holding habits (and reduce long-term fatigue). The rubberized finish on the grip area has about the right amount of give and a nice, easy to hold texture.

Setting Up the Innovator 16

Installation is easy, remember to NOT plug it in before wipping clean any other tablet drivers. Don't even plug it while the AC is off, as your OS will detect it anyway and try to install stuff.

Clean any other brand's file, install the latest XP-Pen drivers, and then turn on the tablet. remember that you need navigate to XP-PEN's website to snag the driver software .

The calibration tool is pretty easy to use, and there's a menu accessible via a button above the tablet for the colors, brightness and contrast. Everything looked fine to me when I first booted it up, but you can fine tune it easily.

In terms of driver software, like all XP-PEN tablets you get a broad range of controls over the tablet and pen behaviours. Including sensitivity, adjustments, for pen tip "feel", tilt sensitivity and assigning controls to any of the buttons or modifier HotKeys.

Top product features

One of the best features of this product is the 8 express keys and two wheels design . These features enable the convenience in switching keyboard shortcuts and mouse clicks. They aid in zooming and scrolling.

Individual configuration preferences enable a user to change and alter the controls according to his or her liking. This versatility ensures full control on connection options and device function keys and touch wheel .

XP-PEN supplies software combination bundle to select like ArtRage 5 or openCanvas which is great for drawing and sketching .

In Use

Simply pick up the display or set it in your lap and you're ready to draw. If you're used to working on an angled drawing or drafting table, the Innovator 16 easily goes there too, and its this kind of choose-your-own-adventure flexibility in setting up and using the Innovator 16 that makes it so appealing.

It supports Mac OS X, Windows PCs and Linux devices .It's compatible with all applications, and all major graphics applications have built-in support for the tablet's advanced functionality. including professional software such as Photoshop and Illustrator . It works transparently and is completely plug-n-play.

Graphics work on the 15.6inch Innovator 16 may require more zooming than you're used to on a 20+ inch monitor to make out and manipulate the fine detail rendered by larger, higher-res displays.

With on-tablet programmable buttons and touch & roller wheel that are easy enough to set up for dedicated zooming and scrolling , this isn't as much of an inconvenience as it first seems, and the process quickly becomes second nature.

It takes some getting used to but is worth the effort since it really speeds up workflow. You can zoom in or out of an image in Photoshop / GIMP or, for those more into video production.

This makes the Innovator 16 a joy to use for photographic and retouching work. Display your image on the main monitor, then use the Innovator 16 and its 8 programmable buttons and Touch wheel to touch up the details, while keeping an eye on what effect your changes are having on the overall image. I find that I very seldom need to go back to the keyboard when doing normal editing.

Likewise for jumping back and forth between the XP-PEN and another display: once you figure out how the Innovator 16 behaves in “mouse” versus “pen” mode, reaching across to the primary display to grab work items or select files makes perfect sense.

Because the pen is pressure sensitive, it's very easy and intuitive to use for making selections or painting. With 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity, it's possible to make anything from the most finessed of pen strokes to the broadest brush sweeps, and the resolution of 5,080dpi makes the Innovator 16 highly accurate.

The colours on the tablet are very vivid and satisfying to look at, The grip on the pen is really good, and the pen itself is very smooth on the screen (smooth and satisfying tbh). Drawing on the screen is a dream – it's responsive, precise, and with practice it's possible to generate some spectacular results. It's sensitive to the tilt of the pen as well, making drawing as realistic as it can be.

The difference is clear from the very first time you fire up Corel Painter or Photoshop. The pen smoothly reacts to your actions like it would in the real world. The only thing you will miss is the drag of the actual pencil or pastel on paper.

Conclusion

If you work with graphics or images, the concept behind the XP-Pen Innovator or Artist series seems like a no-brainer: Combine a display with a pressure-sensitive tablet so that you can directly edit vector art, retouch images, paint, produce video special effects, and so on. True, tablets aren't for everyone. If you work with a tablet now, you'll probably find a XP-Pen Innovator even more fluid and powerful. Drawing directly onscreen helps to improve your accuracy, especially for tricky selections and masking operations.

XP-PEN's Innovator 16 combines the best of its screenless range of graphics tablets with interactive display technology in a portable format that is both flexible and great to use. As anyone who has used a graphics pad will tell you, once you've got one there's no going back, well now after trying one of these, your old non-screen will be left gathering dust.

In short the XP-Pen Innovator 16 is a serious tool with some serious benefits. For the professional designer the pay off period is very short and the question of whether to purchase is a no brainer. For the student it is a good investment for the future and will certainly prove its worth ($499 USD).

You can Get it from United States & Canada official Store: https://www.storexppen.com/buy/innovator-display-16.html , If you live in other regions you can select from official site “Store” List.

What we liked:

Unparalleled digital drawing experience
Excellent build quality
Top quality display
Excellent Portability
Low Price Point
Lots of supported software
Many buttons and wheels
Super flexible software for configuration

What could be improved:

Cord can become annoying while rotating the tablet

Update to a USB-C cable

Saturday, August 15, 2020

Shop the 2020 XP-PEN 15th Anniversary Sale: Cheap Digital Art Tablet Deals & Discounts

you may want to treat yourself or the budding artist/illustrator/animator/Photographer/designer in your life to something special! You can't go wrong with graphic drawing tablets!

Whether you are looking for a graphic tablet to take your first step in digital art or a powerful pen display for your job, you can always look to XP-PEN to offer you elegant and reliable products no matter the use case.

Ever since XP-PEN was founded in Japan in 2005, XP-PEN has always striven to provide users all around the world with digital tablets that are reliable and user-friendly, and they have continued to be a leader in releasing quality tablets at affordable prices.

It's that special time of year again for XP-PEN fans: The 2020 XP-PEN 15th Anniversary Sale is here. The brand's annual shopping event -- XP-PEN's biggest sale aside from the Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas Holiday.

so there will be a big promotion on XP-PEN's official stores. Almost every model of XP-PEN tablet is now having up to 30% discount. There have no doubt that this year's sale will be just as exciting as in years past.

If you're ready to upgrade your old pair of art tablets for some fresh kicks, then August 15–September 14 is your lucky time. The Anniversary special Sale giving you the chance to do just that. Thanks to this event, there's a slew of incredible discounts on a wide selection of popular xp-pen drawing tablets , making for the perfect opportunity to snag a new pair of tablets on the cheap (and perhaps shop the best active deals while you're at it).

Don't miss the chance to buy brand new merchandise at a discounted rate from xp-pen brands like Deco 01 , Artist 12 Pro , Artist 15.6 Pro, The Artist 24 Pro, and more. Keep reading this guide for everything you need to know about this epic sale event.

What is the XP-PEN Anniversary Sale?

XP-PEN sure knows how to throw itself one hell of a birthday party. Every Mid-August to Mid-September , XP-PEN celebrates with a can't-miss super sale on graphics art pads , accessories, pen display monitors and more.

As per usual, you can expect the Anniversary Sale to feature new product's Anniversary Edition ( Deco mini4 , Deco MINI7 , Innovator 16 for this year ) at great prices.

When is the XP-PEN Anniversary Sale 2020 ?

this big shopping event of the year dates are from August 15 through September 14 . the sale opens to the general public on August 15 .

Do I need a promo code for the sale?

No. There is no promo code required. The sale is available to all customers .

Should I shop in-store or online?

only support shopping online . In addition to free shipping and free returns, XP-PEN also offers expedited shipping and even international shipping.

Does other regions and countries have Anniversary sales?

official store of other regions and countries also offer the widest range of discounted products for their Anniversary sales events . you can visit different online store by click the link at the end of this guide or click the " store " button in the XP-PEN Official Site to chose your regions and countries .

What is the Anniversary Edition Tablets?

To celebrate their anniversary, XP-PEN is launching with 3 anniversary edition tablets with custom anniversary packaging and extra goodies included.

The anniversary edition tablets are: the new Deco Mini 4, Deco Mini 7, and Innovator 16 tablets.

The extra goodies included are: An exclusive XP-PEN branded ink pen, a keychain and stickers of XP-PEN's mascot Fenix, and postcards with illustrations of Fenix visiting iconic places around the world.

Every year, shoppers plan ahead for this sale, and rightfully so. They have to, considering how fast everything tends to sell out. Once you find a piece that sparks joy within your soul, you have to claim it before someone else does. You won't regret it either, since you won't find a better deal!

Any frequent XP-PEN shopper knows the Anniversary Sale is one of its biggest and most popular events of the year — it's the best time to score some of the most amazing savings at the online store. But in case you're unfamiliar, we're here to give you all the details. The one-month-long event typically offers majorly discounted prices on all of fashion and useful items.

Take a look at some of XP-PEN USA & Canada Store deals below:

Drawing directly onto the XP-PEN Artist series screen removes any mental disconnect you may encounter when drawing on a tablet while looking at a separate screen.

These are great quality machines, newest model's fully laminated screens reduce Parallax and reflections , Support pen tilt & pressure function while providing a natural, pen on paper feel as you draw.

Innovator 16 Anniversary Edition (was $549.99, 27% off)
Innovator 16 (was $499.99, 20% off)
Artist 12 Pro (was $299.99, 20% off)
Artist 15.6 Pro (was $449.99, 20% off)
Artist 13.3 Pro (was $349.99, 20% off)
Artist 24 Pro (was $899.99, 20% off)
Artist 22R Pro (was $699.99, 20% off)
Artist 12 (was $249.99, 20% off)
Artist 22E Pro (was $529.99, 20% off)
Artist 22 Pro (was $499.99, 20% off)
Artist 15.6 (was $349.99, 20% off)

If you're after a quality drawing tablet but are on a budget, or aren't bothered about drawing directly onto a screen, the XP-PEN Deco Series and Deco Pro are great options. Simply connect this nifty but affordable device to your Mac or Windows PC with USB or built-in wireless Kit ( Deco 03 ) , install drivers, and you're ready to start work directly in the software of your choice.

Deco Mini 7 Anniversary Edition(was $59.99, 30% off)
Deco Mini 4 Anniversary Edition(was $49.99, 30% off)
Deco Mini 7(was $39.99, 20% off)
Deco Mini 4(was $31.99, 20% off)
Deco 01 V2(was $79.99, 20% off)
Deco Pro M(was $139.99, 20% off)
Deco Pro S(was $109.99, 20% off)
Deco 02(was $89.99, 20% off)
Deco 03(was $109.99, 20% off)
Deco 01(was $69.99, 20% off)

The XP-PEN Star Series products is the perfect entry-level pen tablet for anyone getting started with digital art or image editing. But the pressure sensitivity levels Still reach 8192 levels , the stylus is battery-free , no recharge needed. Perfect for photographers, re-touchers or any designer looking for the creative control and comfort of the digital pen .

Star Star G960S (was $69.99, 20% off)
Star G960S Plus(was $79.99, 20% off)
Star 06(was $89.99, 20% off)
Star 05 (was $79.99, 20% off)
Star 03(was $69.99, 20% off)
Star G640S (was $49.99, 10% off)
Star G640 (was $39.99, 10% off)
Star G430S(was $29.99, 20% off)

Other Two English official Store List:

XP-PEN Australia Store

XP-PEN United Kingdom Store

Saturday, February 15, 2020

XP-Pen Artist 22R Pro Screen Drawing Monitor review: A perfect tablet for Digital Painting you can buy


If you’re looking for a pro-level display drawing tablet then the XP-Pen Artist 22R Pro is an incredible investment. The tablet is huge with 22" display which similar to the Wacom Cintiq 22HD . It’s one of the few larger tablets coupled with a battery-free pen.
If you want a tablet for making high-quality work that’ll stand the test of time then you can’t go wrong with a Artist 22R Pro . It can be a pricey investment for newbies with little art experience. But even as a newbie you can build your skills and grind on this thing for years to come.
Review
I have received the tablet last week via DHL, it arrived quickly and was boxed very well, same as the Deco Pro that I’ve gotten from XP-Pen a while ago. When I recieved it, It was packed in a HUGE box , very neatly packed .

I was very eager to test the XP-Pen Artist 22R Pro tablet monitor . It’s a massive step up from its predecessor, the Artist 22E Pro . Key improvements include 88% NTSC Color Gamput, lower parallax, Being a battery free pen , and better connections.
Thus far I am satisfied with it. Any issues I had were manageable. Below I’ll outline the main points of owning the tablet.
Specifications:
Product dimensions: 570 x 334.8 x 44.8 mm
Active area: 476.064 x 267.786 mm
Screen: 21.5 inches with 1920 x 1080 resolution
Panel type: IPS
Colors: 16.7 million
Input: USB-C ,HDMI ,VGA
Stand : Included
Visual Angle:178°
Display Color Gamut: 88% NTSC , Adobe® RGB≧91%,sRGB≧120%
Pressure sensitivity: 8,192 levels + 60° tilt
Contrast: 1000:1
Resolution: 5080LPI
Report RateMax≥ 200RPS
Response Time : 14ms
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Adjustable Angle of the stand : 16°~90°
see more details from xp-pen artist 22R Pro official site : https://www.xp-pen.com/product/541.html
USB-C Connect and install a driver
Connecting the Artist 22R Pro to your computer is very straightforward. It’s worth remembering that this tablet might just need USB-C to connect to PC (and of course power to the wall) . if you use a laptop so less stuff to plug-in is a pretty big selling point. Another details its that the USB C cable included it's just too short .
Also it has a VGA / HDMI input, and includes a VGA cable and a HDMI cable. this depending on what inputs your computer has available. The Artist 22R Pro also uses an AC Adaptor and once the three cables are plugged in, you can start setting the tablet up.
Set up was pretty easy. I just had to attached the stand with the screws and L-shaped screwdriver that was provided. It came with all of the cables that I needed. The tablet feels pretty solid in the hand. The stand is really easy to adjust, no wobbling on my desk.
Obtaining the necessary drivers is extremely simple too. I downloaded the latest software from XP-Pen's website. Drivers installed with no problems (on my win 10 PC ). They offer all the functionality you would expect, customization of pen buttons, express keys, pressure sensitivity curve and work area customization.
I had no problems setting up Artist 22R Pro to work properly with my second monitor. By default cursor was not matching up with the pen as the work area was set up to use both of my monitors but few clicks in the driver menus corrected that easily.
Accessories
Nowadays, it seems as if very few products come with everything you could possibly need out of the box. However, as you may have already gathered, the 22R Pro certainly bucks this trend. The pen display is shipped with all manner of items: two styluses, spare nibs, a stylus case/stand, a drawing glove, a tablet stand, a cleaning cloth and all the necessary cables.
All the extra goodies are a big plus and they really make a difference. The glove and screen protector are both really cool.
One accessory that first-time users might find rather curious is the addition of a two-fingered drawing glove. This simple item is made from a lint-free material. It covers the wrist and area of the palm that naturally rest on the screen, as well as the ring and little finger. This leaves the index finger, middle finger and thumb, free to hold the stylus.
The benefits of wearing the glove are twofold: Your palm doesn’t stick to the shiny surface of the screen and instead glides as you draw long sweeping lines. It also does a good job of keeping the screen clean and free from oily hand deposits.
Part of what makes drawing on the Artist 22R Pro feel so close to real paper is the textured screen protector that’s included when you buy it. The protector gives the screen some tooth which prevents you from slipping with the pen and also makes it easier to look at the screen for a longer period of time before your eyes start to burn.
The textured screen protector really gives you a traditional feel. It’s just a free extra and you don’t need to use the screen protector if you don’t like it.
Design and form factor

The overall look and feel is very slick and modern out of the box. The same nods to the Intuos range are here too, with 20 ExpressKeys and 2 red dial wheels to the left and right of the active area, or in this case the display area.
It’s so huge, more like a drawing table then a tablet. The tablet itself is about 44.8mm thick, not much deeper than most flat-screen TVs.
Next up is the Stand. it has a satisfying weight and sturdiness. It is reassuring to note there are no flimsy components, as the display is a very precious item indeed and not something you’d want to become unhooked from the stand too easily.
Attaching the stand is no effort at all. The monitor simply slips onto the stand and You can then adjust the tablet’s tilt at your leisure.
Display Color is Great

The pen display’s colour gamut is 88% of NTSC , Color is great . The resolution is full HD (1920 x 1080), with a 1000:1 contrast ratio, so I’m not concerned about eye strain when working with the tablet. I would of course recommend taking regular eye breaks though, to give your peepers time to readjust.
It's not a laminated screen so there's a little space but it's so little that you won't even see it (Like me, I had to ask to the brand directly if it was laminated or not!) " .
The screen is of wonderful quality. I've seen others complain why it's not 4k but it doesnt need to be! The parallax is barely there and there is no lag. The screen has a slight grip but not too much which is perfect.
Im pretty anxious to hear about any product development from them because I feel like they’re this close to trouncing rivaling Wacom in quality and drawing experience.
And since the 22R Pro boasts an IPS panel, you can alter the viewing angle without distorting the image. viewing angles are great .
Tilt sensitivity and Pressure in PA2 Stylus
you may don't need to be worry about put off by the rechargeable stylus now . the new PA2 pen is battery free which is a huge improvement . I’ve used a few battery-free pens before and this is one of the best.
It boasts 8192 levels of pen pressure sensitivity and feels very good, transitions when shading or controlling line thickens feel very smooth and natural. Pen provides a truly great feel.
The tilt range is 40 degrees, with approximately 60 levels of tilt recognition by the Artist 22R Pro . It does support pen tilt but as I very rarely use that function, I don't have much to say about it other than it worked fine on the few brushes I have set up for it.
The Grip Pen has a rubberized grip for comfort, a tip switch that can be replaced with included nibs . The pen has a good weight and width and feels great when drawing on the screen.
It has two buttons on the side. Functions of this buttons can be changed in the drivers settings. which allows you to toggle between brush and eraser. While this is a nice idea, I did find myself tapping it by accident. That said, my overall experience with the stylus was one of comfort and adequate precision.
Artist 22R Pro has provided a pen stand to keep your digital Pen upright and ready to use. 8 pen nibs - I haven’t even switched any nibs yet .
drawing experience

The tablet is quite large, so much so that it’s actually larger than the screen Of the laptop I’m using, which makes it that little bit easier to see small details while working, and much like other good drawing tablets you can use the pressure of your drawing to adjust how thick or thin your line is.
I gave it a few test runs in my favorite and most used programs such as Photoshop, Corel Painter, Sketchbook Pro, Clip Studio and Paint Tool Sai. To my surprise, the pressure sensitivity and the rest of the device’s features were all workin and I also haven’t noticed any other issues.
Inking with the Artist 22R Pro inside of Clip Studio Paint actually felt extremely natural to me (much better than with the non-display graphics tablets that I’ve used in the past). Again, I haven’t noticed any issues such as jitter, lag or jumps.
The increase in responsiveness is just on par with the (to be left unnamed) much more expensive units. Battery free pen is definitely a plus compared to the older pens.
Positioning is most precise in the center of the screen with very small offset at the very edges (not enough to bother me or interfere with clicking on tiny icons).When drawing at normal speed I did not notice any jittering in the lines, but there was some waviness when doing very slow strokes. The waviness is minimal and I only noticed it when doing deliberate slow tests. I did not notice any fishhooks or any other artifacts when lifting the pen of the screen very quickly.
I find the 20 expresskeys and 2 red dial wheels are very useful and they are easy to customize. I like using the red dial wheel to change the size of the brush when drawing. I love these buttons on the sides of the tablet for easier and quicker access.

This is a little fun and quick piece that I did a few months ago… Done in Photoshop CC with Artist 22R Pro like usually.

Conclusion
All in all I am extremely pleased with XP-Pen Artist 22R Pro . I think it is a great value for the money. It's more accurate than the previous one and the feeling of drawing on it feels like drawing directly on a canvas even tho it's not a laminated screen. The 21.5 inch screen does provide a much more comfortable work area than 12~16 inch tablet displays. This was a good buy.
This is one of the most professional-feeling tablets I’ve seen outside of a Wacom Cintiq. I’m blown away by the screen’s depth and clarity. I also like the back stand both in quality and flexibility.
The tablet itself feels very smooth while drawing and the setup should be a breeze for any operating system. Also you can’t hate the extra Artist 22R Pro goodies like the pen holder , screen protector, and the anti-fouling glove.
If you’re looking for smaller version of this tablet check out the Artist Pro Series . But I would highly recommend the Artist 22R Pro tablet for any artist with enough scratch to grab one.
It’ll last a long time and prove to be a treasure for inexperienced artists as they improve and slowly learn the value of a 22" screen.
Buy Here
XP-Pen Artist 22R Pro Official Store $699.99 : https://www.storexppen.com/buy/artist-22r-pro.html