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Best Drawing Tablets for Tattoo Artists: A tablet is a digital display board with a pen/pencil that provides accurate input for tattoo artists, illustrators, and Photoshop amateurs.
A pen’s tactile feedback can significantly benefit almost any creative task on a tablet requiring precise instructions.
Your tablet’s size and resolution determine the total active area you draw and how accurately your tablet translates the pen input.
From better battery-powered options to wireless charging capabilities, the stylus itself can significantly impact the tablet experience.
If you want a tablet with more features, you need to check out our best tablet list. Take a look at the list of the best tablet laptops.
- We interviewed 23 professional tattoo artists. Surveyed 35 different tablets and conducted 33 tests. It dawned upon an interview of a series of tattoo artists, who researched tablets.
XP-PEN Artist 15.6 Pro and Wacom One are the most adapted tablets for tattoo artists. Both can run on Windows and macOS using the most famous art programs. Wacom Cintiq Pro 24 offers the most precise control of any tablet. Cintiq pens and tablet buttons are the most customizable, thanks to the excellent software.
Top 9 Best Drawing Tablets for Tattoo Artists in 2024 [Recommended]
So, Let’s go to the best tablets…
1. Best Performative Tablet: XPPen Artist 22
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The XPPEN Artist 22 is one of the best drawing tablets with a display, and you can choose the cheaper version, the Wacom 22HD.
Drawing tablets were initially large touchpads with a stylus and pressure detection. Nowadays, the actual performance options are awe-inspiring.
The XP-Pen Artist 22R offers a great combination of many features. The 1920 x 1080 Full
HD IPS display touch screen comes with 88% NTSC color gamut accuracy.
We promise it will reproduce your work as accurately as possible. Its 21.5-inch size
means you do not need a second screen when working.
Drawing on a device that sees lines and colors makes you feel like you’re creating
artwork in the real world.
The pen requires charging of its own after being used for a while. Artist 22R provides a
high-level touch bar.
This can be programmed on your computer to complete specific commands.
XP-Pen recommends mapping as a zoom-in / out feature. It has 20 assignable
functions. You can use shortcut keys.
This simplifies blueprints and even full-featured control panels for design programs. This
tablet is compatible with Windows 10/8/7, Mac OS X 10.10, and above.
It can run software like Photoshop, Illustrator, SAI, CDR, GIMP, Krita, Medibung, Fire
Alpaca, Blender 3D, and more.
PROS
- Big 21.5″ display
- Smooth drawing experience
- 20 programmable hot-keys
- Easy installation
- Ultra-wide anti-glare screen
- Excellent pen sensitivity
- Shortcut keys are compatible with third-party programs
CONS
- Very big screen, but it is important for many tattoo artists professionals
2. Best Versatile Drawing Tablet: Wacom Intuos Pro
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Wacom Intuos Pro is a great drawing tablet that has many incredible features for a tattoo artist that make it so easy and flexible to use with the nice user-friendly interface to draw out anything on the Android-loaded tablet without the need to attach it to any device.
- The tablet can be used to draw live with the preinstalled ultra-high-definition stylus pen. The on-screen feature allowed the amazing drawing tablet to work efficiently and effectively through the use of a battery.
Now to the technological aspect of the Wacom Intuos Pro tablet and its details in full;
The Technical Features:
- It is the best-recommended drawing tablet for a tattoo artist because it can be used for tattoo drawing without stress.
The core functionality of the drawing tablet for swift and professional use is loaded with powerful three powerful tools, and on the purchase of the tablet, you will get free unlimited access to the Adobe Premiere Rush which is mainly used for color and quality graphics and tattoo design.
Also, with the Bamboo paper notebook application, you will get access to journaling and taking notes with the Clip Studio Paint Pro, and at the end, you will be marveled to see your imagination turning into reality with drawing and sketching.
It has a 13.3 display screen size and 1920 × 1080 pixels with a natural friction surface to produce a creative artistic tattoo drawing in full color. You would experience the quality feeling of drawing on digital paper, like real hard paper without lagging with a real pen and without the use of batteries.
The multitasking pen’s application is incredible and it can be used as multiple pens and brushes with a variety of colors with great accuracy.
Another vital thing that you can do on the app is to sketch, annotate documents in a different format, draw diagrams, paint, tattoo design, and enhance rich content (photos and videos) on the screen that can be easily manipulated, that is to create, edit, delete, and share your artistic designs with ease.
- It can be connected to PCs, Macs, Android tablets, and smartphones to allow you to publish or share your artistic designs on any platform that you want them to be uploaded.
Digital pens from other brands can be used to improvise and enhance creativity.
Why has the Wacom Intuos Pro been such a popular drawing tablet option among tattoo artists?
Its adaptability and smooth stylus make it an ideal drawing tablet, as well as one of the best on-screen tablets for tattoo artists to use as a standard device.
PROS
- The pen is amazing
- 13.3 inches wider graphics display
- Seamless connectivity to smartphones, Macs, pc
- Instant access to 3 professional tools for drawing, sketching, note-taking, and video
- editing
- The smooth, matte surface feels like paper
- Best Value for Money compared to other Wacom products.
CONS
- The screen protector is matte but overall it’s best.
3. Best from Apple: Apple iPad Pro
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We know we’re talking about Drawing tablets, but this is an exception you should see.
Apple’s best device for tattoo artists is the new Apple iPad Pro.
iPad Pro provides the best user experience for tattoo artists, including tablets. If you have an Apple Pencil, you can design tattoos with the best hardware.
The performance of tattoo designing on the iPad is extraordinary. A 12.9-inch frame can bring a special touch effect to the LCD screen, with promotions, realistic tones, and a wide range of colors.
This iPad has one of the brightest displays, with a maximum brightness of 600 knits. With perfect tone technology, the colors on display are enthusiastic and vibrant. You will get the ideal tattoo perspective, very suitable for tattoo designing.
This laptop’s screen is excellent, which allows you to draw directly on the screen without facing any lag. If you’re a creative person, then Apple Pencil will help you create beautiful photos and tattoos.
Here an important question arises, do I need to purchase an Apple Pencil separately?
Yes, it will give you many benefits when designing creatively.
The iPad Pro is as powerful as a high-performance laptop. This Apple has an A12Z bionic chip with a neural engine; it has proven to be one of the most powerful mobile processors.
This processor will easily handle launched applications and will provide the best performance on your tablet.
Apple didn’t reveal RAM’s amount in the storage sector, but the iPad’s storage management is excellent.
This new iPad Pro has similar memory management capabilities, which means many applications are often kept in memory without being updated.
Another good thing is the iPad Pro, which can be used as a rear camera. There are 12MP wide cameras and 10MP UV cameras.
In addition to these camera modules, you can also get significant scanners that play an essential role in augmented reality.
With a high-quality camera, you can take a picture of your design and process it as needed. You can quickly view an image of your client’s status without having to search for your phone.
iPad Pro has the best battery life available on laptop devices. Regular use of the iPad Pro lasts about 12 hours, which is amazing. Even when designing, painting, and tattoos, the iPad Pro lasts 6-8 hours, which is impressive.
In terms of connectivity, iPad Pro has Wi-Fi 6 and can provide ultra-fast internet speeds. It also has a USB Type-C port, allowing you to connect external devices directly to your iPad.
Overall, the iPad Pro is not an ordinary laptop.
It can still replace a tattoo artist’s laptop, as it is one of the best tablet computers for tattoo designing.
PROS
- Awesome Apple Pencil control
- Many apps for drawing and painting, including iPad’s native 12MP ProCreate camera
- Stunning screen
CONS
- Not as powerful as a powerful technical task creator computer such as 3D design, game design, movie editing
- Expensive
4. Best Value for Money: Huion KAMVAS Pro 16
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Huion’s KAMVAS Pro 16 is the cheapest graphics tablet with a screen, perfect for small
budgets.
This graphics tablet’s price is lower than the other tablet models on the list. You can’t
compromise because you lose a few inches of screen space.
This is a compact tablet with professional features. The 15.6-inch Full HD display is 16.7
million colors compatible with Cintiq Pro 24.
Enjoy better performance and faster response times with industry-leading reporting rates.
The stylus is comparable to XP-PEN and GAMMON products.
This is mostly in terms of pressure sensitivity. It can also be tilted so that you can get a
satisfying feeling from the actual device.
Its 1 touch Bar and 6 pressure keys help adjust the canvas, brush, and page up and
down. You can set the 6 pressure keys for various functionalities.
The 15.6-inch IPS screen helps save time and increase productivity. The Kamvas Pro16
weighs about 1.2 kg and is 11.5 mm thick, a little thicker than a mobile phone.
Unlike most other tablets, Kamvas Pro16 doesn’t have many buttons, giving it space for
large screen sizes.
PROS
- Good build quality with a premium feel
- 15.6-inch is a good size for drawing
- 1080P resolution is sufficient for a 15.6-inch screen
- Matte surface drawing screen
- sRGB color support is good
- The pen does not use a battery
- Up to 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity
- 6 physical shortcut buttons
CONS
- Stand sold separately otherwise, it is more than average in performance.
5. Best All-Rounder Drawing Tablet: Wacom Cintiq 22
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The Wacom Cintiq 22 is the ultimate drawing tablet for professional tattoo artists and designers. The purpose of this tablet is to provide artists with an authentic digital canvas.
It’s an independent touchscreen with the same precision as Wacom’s non-screen pads. Still, its colors offer instant feedback to the eyes.
The screen’s diagonal size is 23.6 inches, and 4K pixels are 3840 x 2160 pixels. The glass placed at the top of the screen is made to shine a little.
It has a coating that reduces glare, making it easier for the eyes to use while providing a different tactile experience.
You can compare it to mimicking a pencil’s feel on paper. Cintiq can render 16.7 million different colors, thus achieving 99% accuracy.
How amazing is that?
This tablet is a very standard one to meet your design needs and can be applied to all art projects.
The Express remote control places 17 programmable buttons within easy reach. One-key shortcuts are also available on the on-screen keyboard and radial menu.
The other side of Wacom’s Cintiq is the physical experience of drawing on a tablet. Wacom is known for its accuracy and functionality.
A lot of effort has been put into integrating this tablet into a screen-based tablet. The Pro Pen 2 has about 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity (suitable for drawing).
Its tilt recognition can go up to 60 degrees. All this put together gives you the best performance-oriented tablet.
PROS
- Fantastic Colors and a very sturdy design
- The active area of 24 inches with a gorgeous 4K display
- Express key remote designed to work with touch
- Battery-free pen with EMR technology
- Excellent drawing feels like pencil-on-paper
- Parallax between display and pen to near zero.
- Express Key Remote is handy
- Customizable shortcut keys and controls
- Works with Windows and Mac OS
CONS
- It has two small kickstands built under the tablet. No big stand included, sold
- separately.
- Little expensive without this and has no cons.
6. Best Budget-Friendly Tablet: Simbans Picasso Tab
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Simbans Picasso Tab is the cheapest option on the screened list. These tablets are
suitable for beginners.
The 1,280 x 800 widescreen display is quite clear. This captivates painting and design
enthusiasts.
The IPS panel provides a tremendous wide-angle viewing angle for your work. This tablet
is suitable for both taking notes and drawing.
It comes with Autodesk preinstalled. If playing is your favorite hobby, then 32GB of
storage is another useful feature.
Picasotab has several other features. It comes with a pre-installed screen protector and a
tablet case.
This option is cost-effective. The connection includes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS, making
this tablet is versatile.
Still, the small surface and display disappoint serious artists. Conclusion: If you are a
professional, try to use upper tablets.
PROS
- The clear HD IPS panel
- Great drawing app and active pan
- Other items included in the package
- Loaded with Autodesk Sketchbook
CONS
- The screen could be more durable
- Stylus not perfect IPS HD Resolution
7. Best Functional Tablet: Wacom Intuos Pro Small
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Wacom has always been a leader in graphics tablet games.
Its Intuos Pro is arguably the flagship product line of graphics peripherals.
Wacom calls this version the “medium” size, similar to the Goldilocks series.
The device is 8.7 inches large with 5.8 inches of effective surface.
Setting it up on a desk isn’t a hassle. It still provides a lot of workspaces.
It comes with eight dedicated feature buttons that you can assign to a running program.
Programs can be fully navigatable using the assignable touch wheel.
This allows even the hand recognition switch to respond. This switch provides gesture
recognition to the tablet.
This is for gestures such as trackpads. Of course, the most prominent is the Wacom Pro
Pen 2.
This active pen offers 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity for excellent drawing accuracy.
Wacom is four times faster than the first-generation propene. Thus providing tilt support
for more natural and blurry lines.
In addition to the wired connection, Bluetooth is also included. The tablet runs on the
latest operating system and the latest design software.
It’s the cheapest tablet under $400 at the time of this writing. It remains affordable for
creative professionals.
PROS
- Highly customizable
- Pressure-sensitive tip
- Good value for its price.
- Lightweight and travel-friendly
- The pen delivers precise results
- Supports multi-touch (finger) gestures.
- Excellent to use with Adobe Photoshop
- Pen stylus with stand and extra nibs included.
CONS
- Bluetooth connectivity introduces some lag; not the problem for tattoo design
8. Best Fastest Tablet: GAOMON S620 Graphics Tablet
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Gaomen PD1561 is one of the foreign brands that is relatively known. You might even think that Wacom Cintiq is worth the money.
Thanks to its large, bright 15.6-inch display with 1920 x 1080 resolution. Its functionality is comparable to Wacom’s.
It is believed to be the first choice for XP-Pen. The reason is it lacks a touch wheel or attractive multi-touch options.
This can be explained by the active pen’s 72% color gamut accuracy and 8192 horizontal pressure.
Another outstanding feature is its built-in 10 assignable function keys.
Its high price can be justified by its IPS screen and other function keys. Still, the strangely detailed shape consumes a lot of your space.
There is no doubt that this is a wonderful device. It has – wireless charging options -hours of battery life, – and impressive pen specs.
Suitable for portable or desktop computers running Windows 9/10 / 11 or later, Mac OS 16 /17/18 or later.
It is Compatible with most paint programs such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.
Clip Studio, Lightroom, Sketchbook Pro, Manga Studio, Corel Painter, FireAlpaca, OpenCanvas, Paint Tool Sai2, Krita.
PROS
- Large screen – more drawing space
- Color accuracy and good resolution.
- 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity
- Tilt support for the stylus
- 3-in-2 cable for connectivity
- 10 shortcut buttons
- Battery-free stylus
CONS
- Non-laminated display
- No eraser at the back of the pen
9. Best for Beginners: XPPen Artist Pro
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The XPPen Artist Pro is an excellent tablet that is going for an affordable price. The design of this tablet is quite impressive and looks convincing on the desktop.
With a thickness of only 10mm, it’s easy to carry and discreet and you can sit under your hands as if you were sitting there.
For greater portability, it can be used wirelessly or via USB to use in the studio or on the go.
Passive pens have excellent sensitivity to cheap tablets and are comfortable to use. It’s also useful for left-handed and right-handed users, with integrated buttons that give you accurate control over your work.
XP-PEN’s iconic red dial looks beautiful and makes your tablet easy to operate. The main problem with this tablet is that it is susceptible to the pen’s presence.
It can record strokes on the screen with the pen just hovering nearby, but it’s easy to amend this when used regularly.
If your budget hasn’t increased to 03, XPPen Artist Pro is another suitable choice.
PROS
- Exquisite seamless design
- The red dial is great for improving productivity
- High-quality stylus pen
CONS
- Tablet sensitivity may be too high
10. Cheap Drawing Tablet: HUION Kamvas Pro 13
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Huion’s small but well-made 8192 is for enthusiasts who want to take the first digital art
step.
They are designed for use anytime, anywhere. This portable graphics tablet is the ideal
second tablet for professional digital artists.
New artists will love this tablet as well. It’s easy to create, and you can move from
traditional art media to digital creativity.
The pen pressure level is not comparable to most drawing tablets on the list. So it may
not be the best choice for artists who primarily paint.
The battery life is perfect, and the price is quite moderate, so it’s worth a try.
PROS
- Ultra-portable
- Ideal for artists
- Best quality for the price
CONS
- Pressure levels aren’t ideal
FAQs on Best Drawing Tablets for Tattoo Artists
Finding the Best Drawing Tablets for Tattoo Artists: Get expert answers about the best tablets for accurate and artistic tattoo designs. Enhance your tattoo experience now!”
What tablets do tattoo artists use?
The medium-sized Wacom Cintiq Pro 24 Professional is one of the most popular choices among creative styling and tablet creative professionals but of course one of the most feature-rich options it offers.
The tablet’s medium-sized screen provides ample space for tattoo artists to easily design, draw, fill, retouch, and do other edits.
Combining Wacom’s best pressure-sensitive pen features with intuitive multi-touch gestures, tattoo artists can digitally create and express themselves for highly professional results.
What is the best Wacom tablet for drawing?
For a good reason, Wacom is one of the most popular brands of graphic tablets. While recommended products such as the Wacom Cintiq Pro 24 may be expensive, the Pro Pen 2 offers an excellent 15.6-inch touchscreen, 4K resolution, and 8912 pressure levels.
As a cheaper option, we recommend Wacom Cintiq 16. It doesn’t destroy your money, its size is easy to carry, and it has reliable build quality.
Which drawing tablet is best for beginners?
For beginners, I like the Huion KAMVAS Pro16 is ideal. It comes with many accessories. It can be used as a standalone tablet. It has an active stylus and comes pre-installed with Autodesk Sketchbook and Artflow. Ansel LCD writing board is recommended for children.
It’s 10 inches in size, acts like an Eat-A-Sketch with a black LCD screen, and is brand-compatible. It makes the pencil feel like a stress-resistant market and makes it easy to catch the eye of children.
What is the best drawing tablet for animation?
I like XP-PEN Artist22R Pro (animator, illustrator for most users). You can give it a hand-drawn feel with a 21.5-inch screen, programmable hotkeys, and a pen with 8192 pressure sensitivity levels. Suitable for Windows 7, 8, 10, and versions before Mac OS X or 10.8
What to look for on the drafting board?
Tablet type: Drawing on a tablet is more expensive but more intuitive because you can draw straight to the screen using a stylus.
Graphic tablets usually provide faster workflows because they support higher processing power. It also does not require frequent charging and is generally durable.
Pen pressure sensitivity: Pen pressure sensitivity determines how accurate the drawn line is. A standard tablet computer can provide 2048 levels of pressure sensitivity.
This should be more than enough for most creatives. Budget: Prices of tablets range from $30 to $1,000. Price differences are mainly related to the screen. Either it is a better resolution or pressure sensitivity.
What are the best drawing tablets for tattoo artists?
Some of the best drawing tablets for tattoo artists include the Wacom Cintiq 16, Huion KAMVAS Pro 13, and the XP-Pen Artist 15.6.
How do drawing tablets for tattoo artists differ from regular drawing tablets?
Drawing tablets for tattoo artists typically have larger screens and higher pen pressure sensitivity, allowing for more precise and detailed artwork. They may also have additional features such as a display stand and shortcut keys to improve the drawing experience.
Can drawing tablets for tattoo artists be used with traditional tattoo machines?
No, drawing tablets for tattoo artists are digital devices used to create designs on a computer or tablet screen. They cannot be directly connected to or used with traditional tattoo machines.
Do drawing tablets for tattoo artists come with drawing software?
Some drawing tablets for tattoo artists may come with essential drawing software, but most will require the user to purchase or download their own drawing software.
Popular options for tattoo artists include Adobe Photoshop, CorelDRAW, and Clip Studio Paint.
Are drawing tablets for tattoo artists compatible with both Mac and Windows operating systems?
Most drawing tablets for tattoo artists are compatible with both Mac and Windows operating systems, but it is always best to check the product specifications before purchasing to ensure compatibility with your specific device.
Best Drawing Tablets for Tattoo Artists in 2024 – Reviews
Conclusion on Best Drawing Tablets for Tattoo Artists
We are at the final step for the best drawing tablets for tattoo artists.
- So after a very deep thesis, we have seen that Wacom’s drawing tablets dominate the tablet world, and the [amazon link=”B07TR7YQ8Y” title=”Wacom Cintiq 22” /] is unmatched. The display is perfect, traditional, and hardcore. Digital artists highly regard tilted stylus. Next is our Favourite [amazon link=”B077PCCC7R” title=”XPPen Artist Pro” /].
- If you don’t have the budget and can live without a monitor, [amazon link=”B07RXZC12J” title=”KAMVAS Pro 16” /] wireless media meets all your digital art needs.
- We recommend the [amazon link=”B01MQU5LW7″ title=”Wacom Intuos Pro” /]. It has professional features. It is relatively cheaper for those on a tight budget or unfamiliar with digital art.
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