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Illustration dates back to the 15th century with the invention of the printing press, and like other pastimes has evolved over the years with the help of technology. As the new decade dawns, we notice illustrations recent advances are becoming common practice for leading professionals and budding enthusiasts.

The first colourised drawing tablet was invented in the 1980s and since then has become engrained into the art of illustration. Gone are the days of carrying around your favourite notepads to capture your imagination; artists are creating digital art instead.

Drawing tablets are now accessible to a wider audience, including students, meaning we are seeing more people selling their digital art instead of canvas paintings. The beauty of digital art is the crisp lines and seamless blends, as artists can zoom into their work and adjust it, pixel by pixel.

Digital art is now used for a variety of purposes: film, illustration, television, print, animation and more. If you’re considering a career in Illustration and Animation, it would be wise to become familiar with using a drawing tablet.

On the surface, the technology looks simple, as it imitates a pen and paper. Multiple sensors inside the tablet and stylus determine the pressure the user is applying, the angle it’s held at, and its rotations.

Many tech giants are noticing the potential in the market. Apple has certainly taken advantage of this with the release of their Apple Pencil, as one of the largest tech companies in the world; they have the ability to launch this product onto an existing platform.

The combination of the Apple Pencil and iPad has eliminated the need for users to connect their drawing tablet to an external computer and instead, users can treat the Apple combination like pen and paper.

As MP3 players and wireless headphones have found out, Apple’s technological advancements mean they could soon dominate the digital art market. Although there is debate surrounding the quality of an Apple Pencil and iPad combination, in comparison to a traditional drawing tablet such as a Wacom.

If you’re interested in exploring the world of digital art and more, take a look at our Animation and Illustration courses here.