The Best Graphics Drawing Tablet on NFT Art
What is Digital NFT Art?
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The term "Digital Art" is a fairly broad term, and the styles we're discussing began in the early 1960s. Then called "computer art," multimedia art," or "cyber art," these pieces were mostly designed and planned using traditional methods of pen and paper. The artist would then use various tools and technology to enhance the final product into something abstract and visceral.
Artists such as George Nees used algorithms to create beautiful artwork based off complex calculations. These prints demonstrated complicated vectors that would be incredibly labor intensive for a person to produce manually.
One of the most famous digital artists was renowned Pop Artists Andy Warhol, who created a series of digital pieces on an computer. The images included doodles and revisitations of Warhol's existing artworks, such as the Campbell's soup can.
With the proliferation of digital art software, the industry saw programs designed to mimic the styles and tools of the physical art world. Digital brushes could simulate using a variety of paints, oils, watercolors, and pencils. As the software grew more sophisticated, so too did the artwork. Comic book, storyboard, and concept artists started incorporating digital tools into their workflow, expanding their possibilities and styles across multiple mediums.
With the world growing more and more connected, and these digital tools proliferating, the art world opened up to a global audience. This gave talented digital painters a global audience.
Today, Digital Art refers to a number of styles ranging from photo manipulation and traditional 2D all the way to moving, 3D images and virtual reality.
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What are the Different Types of Digital Art?
If you're looking to get into digital art, there are a huge number of fields to explore.
Fractal art is a form of algorithmic art created by calculating fractal objects and applying the math to images, animations, and video. Similar to Desmond Paul Henry's art in the 60s, these images evoke a balance of nature and technology.
As more and more artwork went digital, artists noticed the somewhat common effect of glitching and corrupted image files...and how interesting and effective they could be. This led to intentionally corrupting, or moshing, data files to create psychedelic visuals.
Have you ever seen a painting and swore it was moving? That the eyes were following you? That the water was really lapping at the shore? Dynamic painting combines the traditional methods of implying motion through brush strokes and color and combines it with actual motion via animation.
This is where a lot of modern digital artists land. Graphic art is, simply put, art pieces created using digital tools. This can be character studies, landscapes, concept art, comic books, and many others. The use of digital tools allows for a level of precision that traditional pen and paper art does not.
In addition, digital art is often treated with a number of filters and effects to take full advantage of the digital toolset.
3D art and paintings can be all of this and more. Beeple's Everydays fit into this category, and you can see similar images from artists all around the world. They can be traditional or countercultural; evocative and even taboo. This artwork is created using 3D software, from Blender and ZBrush to Cinema 4D.
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Pixel Art has been exploding in recent years, thanks in large part to the growing number of indie video games designed in this unique retro style.
This may sound simplistic, but it is anything but. Pixel artists are creating captivating, moving pieces pixel by literal pixel, and the results speak for themselves.
This art style comes from the manipulation and alteration of digital images using a variety of software, most commonly Adobe Photoshop. While it is one of the most common types of digital art, it is by no means an easy feat. When you see a manipulation that truly understands the craft, you'll understand how effective this style can be.
And there are new methods arriving all the time. As soon as a new piece of software hits the market, there is another way to generate digital art.
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How to Get Started in Digital Art
So now we've got your attention, and it's clear that digital art is sticking around, how can you get started? First of all—that's a great idea! We'll get into the why's of digital art in the next section, but trust that you are taking the first step in a journey that is incredibly rewarding.
First thing's first. You're going to need the right tools:
- A Drawing tablet
- Drawing software/App
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What are some examples of popular devices to create digital art?
Computers are the most popular devices for creating digital art. PC or Mac, desktop or laptop – computers have become an integral part of digital design, photo manipulation, and video and sound recording. While many artists use a traditional computer mouse, some prefer working with a drawing tablet and pen. This lets them draw or write by hand on a connected tablet for an incredibly personal touch. Digital cameras, video cameras, and voice recorders are also popular devices for digital artists. Professionals in the television and music industries use various sound equipment, lighting, and editing programs to achieve their vision. People with smartphones and tablets have access to a wide variety of mobile apps that let them create and edit digital art wherever they are.
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Entering The NFT Art World – Create Your Own NFT Artwork With Drawing Tablets
NFTs, also known as non-fungible tokens, have been all over the news lately — people are raving about their favorite NFT artwork or artist, showing off their newly bought collectibles on social media; millennial creators are making 6 figures selling their trippy creations online.
The estimated sales volume of NFTs in the third quarter of the 2021 alone reached $10.7 billion, whereas the most expensive NFTs ever sold is recorded to be $69 million by Mike Winkelmann, a digital artist.
If anything, the rise of NFTs (specifically, in the form of digital art collectibles) is a golden mine for any aspiring artists that wish to turn their artworks into unique digital assets.
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Understanding NFT
One most intriguing characteristic about NFT is the fact that each of them are simply one-of-a-kind, which means they cannot be traded, substituted or copied. Each NFT is also entitled to just one owner, and is secured by the Ethereum blockchain.
From abstract art, music, pixel characters or even digital signatures, NFTs simply cover all art forms. This, of course, makes it less restricting for artists worldwide to convert their artwork into an NFT collectible.
One thing for sure, turning artworks into NFTs will secure copyright protection for creators worldwide. As any NFT can only have one owner, rest assured that your artwork will be safe from plagiarism or duplication.
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How can you create NFT-worthy art pieces?
As NFT commonly leverages on art pieces in any form or medium, you can leave your worries behind as being a tech genius is not a must when it comes to creating digital NFT art. Be as creative as you want in creating the most unique art piece that has yet to be seen in mainstream media.
Luckily, with use drawing tablets, designing graphics or photo edits had never been so easy.
What to consider before you buy a tablet for NFT collectors and creators?
- Powerful - Create Brilliant NFT Art in 2K QHD
Getting a tablet with a big of screen is ideal for NFT collectors and creators since you'll likely have several applications and browser tabs simultaneously open.
Featuring stunning 2K resolution (2560 x 1440) and a large 23.8-inch display, the XP-PEN Artist 24 drawing tablet delivers remarkably realistic and vivid colors and allows you to craft with astonishing nuance and amazing detail.
The XP-PEN Artist 24's 2560×1600 (WQXGA) TFT screen is a jaw-dropping upgrade to a standard HD screen. Any tablet with a screen resolution of at least 1920×1080 technically is high-definition, but some NFT fans may want even more out of their devices. Regardless of which resolution you decide on, you want a brightly lit screen with robust color contrast.
Make your artistic vision a reality with the XP-PEN Artist 24 Pen Display.
- Various pressure levels
If you intend to use your tablet for digital art, get a device that responds to various levels of pressure sensitivity. Getting a tablet that responds to pressure allows you to vary your brushstrokes and create unique textures in your art.
- Size
Another feature to consider when choosing a drawing tablet is the size. Smaller drawing tablets are often lightweight and portable, making them ideal for use anywhere. Larger drawing tablets are best used on a desktop, and are a better option for those who do most of their work at a desk or in a studio. The larger the drawing tablet, the more free you can be with your movements when drawing.
Resolution. The better the resolution of your drawing tablet, the better the image quality. Tablets are rated in lines per inch, or LPI. Look for those with higher LPI measurements.
- Stylus
The stylus is a key component of the drawing tablet, with some running on batteries and some that are battery-free. Some drawing tablets offer wired styluses, which are handy as you'll never lose them, although wireless styluses or pens provide much better flexibility of movement. Extra nibs for the tip of the stylus are handy as they can wear down with use over time.
- Pressure sensitivity
In order to translate your movements into an image, a drawing tablet needs to be able to sense the level of pressure you apply with the stylus. A tablet with at least 4000 levels of pressure is a good place to start, but as with resolution, the higher this number the better image quality you'll get. Additionally, there are some drawing tablets that will recognize finger touches, so look for one with touch capability if that is a feature you're interested in.
- Colors
Professional artists and graphics professionals will want a drawing tablet with at least 1 billion colors in order to create precise graphics. If you're not a professional, you can opt for a drawing tablet with fewer colors for improved cost savings.
- Creating NFTs
You can create an NFT from essentially any digital file, including images, videos and music. Realistically, any software you can use to create a digital file can be used for NFTs. Many creators make image-based NFTs using digital-art software such as Photoshop and Procreate, although free software such as Autodesk Sketchbook also works. Adobe Premiere and Pinnacle Studio are top-notch video production software, although you also can use a video recorded on your phone or camera for MP4-based NFTs.
Once you've created a digital file, “mint” the NFT using an NFT marketplace such as OpenSea, Rarible, SuperRare or Hic Et Nunc.
- Collecting NFTs
Once you've selected an NFT marketplace, create a cryptocurrency wallet and buy the cryptocurrency used on your marketplace of choice.
OpenSea requires a MetaMask wallet and Ethereum cryptocurrency to use. If you decide to use Hic Et Nunc, you need to download the Temple wallet and fund it with Tezos. The Atomic Hub marketplace has its own cloud wallet and uses WAX cryptocurrency for transactions.
- Displaying NFTs
If your NFT is a still image, one of the easiest ways to display it on your tablet is to download the image and set it as your wallpaper. Some NFT collectors want to display video-based NFTs, interactive NFTs and other types of NFT directly from the blockchain. In some cases, the NFT you purchase might include a physical print or painting you can hang on the wall.
Tablet for NFT creators and collectors FAQ
- Does your tablet need a lot of storage for NFT?
NFTs are stored online on the blockchain, so your device's storage doesn't need to be immense.
- Which NFT marketplace should I use?
It depends on your personal preference. Many users gravitate toward OpenSea, and there are benefits to using the most popular site since there are so many creators listing their content there. On the other hand, sites such as Hic Et Nunc and Atomic Hub tend to be better for the environment because the blockchains they use are less energy intensive.
You can absolutely get started in digital art with just a mouse and keyboard, but we cannot stress how much better things get once you switch to a stylus and tablet. It is a much more intuitive experience.
If you're sticking to a laptop or PC, The easiest way to get started is, with an drawing tablet. we can vouch for XP-PEN's excellent lineup of drawing tablets. The XP-PEN Artist 24 is an outstanding draw-on screen for an unbeatable price at $799.
Whether you're working with a tablet or not, you need some software to really get going. There are a few programs we always recommend, depending on what type of art you wish to create. The web has a huge selection of applications specifically designed for creating digital art:
- Krita (free)
- Microsoft Paint (free)
- Adobe Photoshop
- Affinity Designer
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Why Should You Get Into Digital Art?
Why create art at all? Well, that's a personal question. Everyone has their own reason for diving into the art world. In technical terms, we usually divide art into "object focussed" or "process focussed." Basically, this means you are either creating art for the final product, or you're creating art for what the process does for you (and your audience).
The simplest reason is often the most important. Creating art is an amazing way to express yourself creatively. It can be extremely therapeutic, a way for you to explore complex emotions and share them in new and exciting ways.
Creating artwork forces you to focus on a single task for a period of time, and that mental exercise can be liberating. Even if you don't often show your work to others, there is a point of pride that comes with having created something yourself.
There are literally tens of thousands of jobs in the U.S. alone that require some skill in digital art. From character creators and animators to asset design and world building, digital artists are in every single visual arts industry. Graphic designers are also needed...well, basically everywhere. Any company looking to piece together a brochure or new logo or ad campaign needs a digital artist to bring the design together.
If you want to see some of the jobs we're recommending, you can always check out our Creative Career page.
Many of you will have heard of the digital art revolution sweeping through the art world right now. Beeple's meteoric rise over the past year has artists around the globe itching to mint a new NFT and cash in on all their hard work.
While it is very true that digital art can be a lucrative skill to market, you have to remember that there are a LOT of digital artists out there. The competition is stiff, so there is no guarantee that you'll make your millions selling that GIF of a donut eating a glazed person. We're not saying you shouldn't try, but treat it the same as you would trying to break in to the traditional art world.
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To Summarize
Art is an act of expression, it is a way to connect with a global community of incredibly talented people.
If you never sell a single piece of your digital art, I can still say this is a worthy expense of your time. Now, if you decide to mint an NFT and place it out into the world for sale...well, that journey can be a bit longer. Unless your art is able to stand out from the market, it might take time before you sell even a single piece...and it might not go for as much as you'd hoped.
Don't stress. Rome wasn't built in a day.