Touch Screen Drawing Made Affordable with iPad
It's amazing to think that just a few years ago the notion of touching a pen or hand to a display, in order to directly manipulate creative content, seemed either futuristic or at least entirely cost-prohibitive.
The iPad (and iPhone too) have completely changed the game by making direct artwork manipulation via touch screen interface something most artists and designers can actually afford.
Comparison
Let's compare what might have been your best option only months ago. Assuming that you already have a desktop computer and you wish to add direct input to your kit:
Desktop Software and touch screen interface option - to be fair I chose the low end options:
| Product | Cost | Notes |
| Wacom Cintiq 12WX | $999 | their larger device is $1,999 |
| Corel Painter essentials 4 | $49 | their full Painter 11 product is $299 |
| TOTAL | $1,048 | for a tethered desktop direct-edit solution that a person may consider. |
That's no small chunk of change to add a tethered desktop direct-edit solution to your existing computer rig.
Now, with the iPad you could gain similar functionality with:
| Product | Cost | Notes |
| iPad wifi | $499 | their most expensive model will be $829 |
| Autodesk SketchBook Pro | $7.99 | iPad version, for iPhone it's only $2.99 |
| PogoSketch stylus | $14.95 | arguments can be made about accuracy compared to Wacom, other stylus competitors available and will blossom. |
| TOTAL | $521.94 | for mobile direct-edit solution that a person may consider. |
In other words approximately $526 cheaper (or half the cost) entry point. And it's mobile!
There are certainly variables that may cause this kind of comparison to vary. However, the bottom line is that artists and designers can look forward to cheaper ways to get in "touch" with their artwork production. I can't wait to see how this evolves in the coming years.
Labels: apple, apps, art, comparison, creative, ipad, software, touch, ux
posted by James Young at
7:05 AM
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