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    Help transitioning to digital please! Best tablets to use?

    General Discussion
    graphics tablet cintiq ipad pro going digital
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    • smceccarelli
      smceccarelli Pro SVS OG @NoWayMe last edited by

      @NoWayMe I feel exactly like you, and use my iPadPro a lot. However, there are a few things that prevent me from using it professionally.

      • No CYMK mode in ProCreate. When you work for print, clients sometimes want the files in CYMK. Since CYMK handles color in such a different way, I then prefer to create the art directly in CYMK rather than convert at the end and have surprises;
      • ProCreate is not Photoshop. When it comes to layer modes, adjustments and masking, it is just no match. I have never tried Astropad though (maybe I should!), but,
      • The working area is just too small. Even without all the Photoshop menus, working on large images in an area of just 12 inches feels cramped.
      • I often work with multiple software at the same time - the browser for references for example. The fact that the iPad does not support side-by-side applications (size aside) is a major drawback for me.
        That said, I still use the iPadPro a lot for thumb-nailing, sketching and for nearly all of my non-client work - and it is an awesome tool!!
      jimsz 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
      • Eric Castleman
        Eric Castleman last edited by

        I only use an Ipad Pro. Everything on my SVBWI profile is done with the pro outside of the violinist on the roof, which I am going to redo digitally.

        I have never used photoshop, and really don't want to have to spend so much money just to try it out. At this time I do not even own a desktop, let alone a cintiq. However, I might be forced to do so in the near future.

        EricCastleman.com

        SCBWI profile
        https://www.scbwi.org/members-public/eric-castleman

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • jimsz
          jimsz @smceccarelli last edited by

          • The working area is just too small. Even without all the Photoshop menus, working on large images in an area of just 12 inches feels cramped.

          That's legitimate but when i used my Yinova, the working area of a 20" screen, was almost the same area of an iPad pro.

          • I often work with multiple software at the same time - the browser for references for example. The fact that the iPad does not support side-by-side applications (size aside) is a major drawback for me.

          The iPad does support side by side application windows. In iOS 11 (beta right now) it will even support drag and drop from window to window.

          http://www.kidstimestudio.com - http://www.kidstimestudio.com/100days

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
          • L
            linhb last edited by

            intous pro medium just take little bit of time to get use to but when used to it its the best 😃
            easy to carry around all day. full baterry doesnt spend your macbook's battery 😃

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • J
              jaq @TessaW last edited by

              @TessW thanks, this was super helpful. I have a chronic pain condition and a muscle dysfunction disorder so I cramp up and can only do 10-15 minutes work at a time, and often if I overdo things I need to rest for days or weeks to recover. So this is definitely a factor I need to consider!!

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • J
                jaq @DOTTYP last edited by

                @DOTTYP thank you! I'm in Australia... the prices are so much higher here for everything thanks to our crappy exchange rate!! I will be looking at near on $1,500 for a new model pro and Apple Pencil 😬 Big purchase!

                DOTTYP 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                • J
                  jaq @NoWayMe last edited by

                  @NoWayMe lol you definitely need to start earning commissions!! 😂 How could anyone argue with a review THAT good? Thanks for the feedback

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • DOTTYP
                    DOTTYP @jaq last edited by

                    @jaq Sorry to hear that it is very expensive anyway,i dont know if I can justify the expense out of my own budget.

                    scribbles.artstation.com
                    www.instagram.com/dottypaints

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • J
                      jaq last edited by jaq

                      This post is deleted!
                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • smceccarelli
                        smceccarelli Pro SVS OG last edited by

                        I wanted to update this thread with some information I had recently. I was experiencing serious issues with a book project I’ve been doing in ProCreate - the psd files exported from ProCreate just did not look even remotely the same on my computer as they did on the iPad (strong loss of contrast).
                        I wrote to the ProCreate team and shared one of the files with them.

                        It turns out, the CYMK profiles used by ProCreate do not compare with the CYMK profiles installed on a computer (the ones that drive the printers) and my files were set up in one of ProCreate’s new and shiny CYMK profiles. There’s also no way to change the color profile of an image in ProCreate once you’ve decided it at the onset, so I cannot convert those images to a RGB profile to export the PSD files without damage.

                        I have a very lengthy workaround that allows me to preserve the image quality, although it will take me at least 10 hours to export, re-convert and color balance the images of that project. Obviously, there’s no way I can share them directly from ProCreate with the art director: he will end up with the same issue on her end: not pretty.

                        This confirms the point I mentioned above: ProCreate is not really a professional tool, and if you’re dealing with a team including an art director, book designer, pre-press expert in printer on the other side, you’ll need to anchor to Photoshop at some point or other.
                        It remains a great digital painting tool, and as long as you’re not dealing with transferring your files for print, it’s great to work with. If you need to create files to spec, you can still work in ProCreate, but you need Photoshop at the end to finalize.

                        ? Coley 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 4
                        • ?
                          A Former User @smceccarelli last edited by

                          @smceccarelli I'm really sorry to hear you had so much trouble. 😞

                          After seeing how bad my images look on my computer and any other device, I've decided to use procreate only as a sketchpad to work out ideas.

                          I'm curious about how you'll change your process in light of this? Moving to photoshop really early in the process? Have you gotten through the workaround yet?

                          smceccarelli 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • Coley
                            Coley @smceccarelli last edited by

                            @smceccarelli man, this is super disappointing as I just bought an iPad and procreate. I have photoshop but only a plastic tablet to work on. At least I can work out my ideas and drawings on it.Thanks for posting this important information

                            https://www.instagram.com/nicoleledrewmay/

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                            • sigross
                              sigross last edited by

                              X-rite colorimeters work on iPad to calibrate the colour on your device using an app called ColorTRUE. Would that help get the colours to match your monitor? I haven't used it myself but I understand its possible to load up ICC profiling and print simulation. I was planning on buying one (x-rite) as I currently have a Spyder colorimeter but would like to have one that is compatible with my iPad.

                              www.grossiebazaar.com
                              www.sigross.com
                              www.instagram.com/sigross/

                              smceccarelli 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • demotlj
                                demotlj SVS OG last edited by

                                I've actually wondered about this with the contests and anything I post online. As an amateur, if I do anything digital, I work entirely in Procreate. If it looks ok on my Macbook, can I assume that the colors are going to be ok on everyone's computer? I know they may not be perfectly accurate, but are they good enough for SVS contests and instagram?

                                Laurie DeMott
                                instagram.com/demotlj

                                smceccarelli 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • smceccarelli
                                  smceccarelli Pro SVS OG @demotlj last edited by

                                  @demotlj Yes. ProCreate, as I mentioned, is an exceptionally good and powerful digital painting tool, and perfectly good for anything that remains in the digital world. The issues concern exclusively projects that are intended for print and need to be transferred to a pre-press team. For that, you’d still need Photoshop, though it can be a part of the process only: it does not mean that the images have to be done in Photoshop from start to finish.
                                  I’d also say it’s not an issue if you’re doing digital prints, for example for an Etsy shop. It becomes limiting only if you need to create CYMK files for a publisher.

                                  demotlj 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                  • smceccarelli
                                    smceccarelli Pro SVS OG @sigross last edited by

                                    @sigross No, this has nothing to do with color calibration. You also cannot install ICC profiles on the iPad. ProCreate launched CYMK profiles on the new update, but it turns out they’re just “simulations” - they don’t compare 1:1 with the “proper” CYMK profiles used by Photoshop and by printing presses.
                                    Simply put: don’t work in CYMK on ProCreate: it’s pointless. If you need to deliver CYMK profiles you need still to do the conversion on a computer in Photoshop (or equivalent).
                                    Working in RGB is fine - and also transfers perfectly well to Photoshop.

                                    sigross 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                    • smceccarelli
                                      smceccarelli Pro SVS OG @Guest last edited by

                                      @carolinedrawing I still work extensively in ProCreate -whenever I know I will be doing part of a project while not in my studio. You can transfer to Photoshop at the very end (with RGB files) without issues. This project was just unfortunate because I set up the files in CYMK on ProCreate, believing that would work out.
                                      I have a workaround to the current issue and, while time-consuming, it’s going to be ok in the end.

                                      ? Roxana Antochi 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                      • demotlj
                                        demotlj SVS OG @smceccarelli last edited by

                                        @smceccarelli Thanks. That's very helpful.

                                        Laurie DeMott
                                        instagram.com/demotlj

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • ?
                                          A Former User @smceccarelli last edited by A Former User

                                          @smceccarelli Ok, I think it's possible there's is something I'm doing with the file resolution that has me disappointed in the final image, so it would be good for me to troubleshoot instead of changing my process entirely yet again. Can't thank you enough for sharing this, it's really good to know the limits of tools when I can't quite reach them myself yet.
                                          Also, I'm sure you're helping everyone out when you give the people at ProCreate all this info, so thanks for that too.

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                          • sigross
                                            sigross @smceccarelli last edited by

                                            @smceccarelli yes you can install ICC profiles on the ipad. It does AdobeRGB, sRGB and ProPhotoRGB.

                                            www.grossiebazaar.com
                                            www.sigross.com
                                            www.instagram.com/sigross/

                                            smceccarelli 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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