Heading into the market for a new product, for art or otherwise, can oftentimes be daunting and overwhelming. I know that I personally feel discouraged every time I go to buy some art materials I am not familiar with, especially when I have to make an informed choice before I make a purchase (I am a disaster in art supply stores for this very reason). That was certainly the case when I was looking for an iPad to invest in. I’ve always wanted one so that I could draw directly on-screen, and the allure of it having an interface and screen in one (as well as the portability of it) was what drew me away from a pricier Wacom.

I initially wanted to buy a pre-owned iPad, because they were about $100-$300, and I was willing to spend that if I could create portable digital art. However, my dad advised against this, and I can’t say I disagree. I know that usually the software becomes outdated all too fast, and so it was smarter to put that $200 that a 2017 iPad was going to cost towards a new one, especially because I intend to use it often.

As such, I decided to look into the newer products. But, when I started to do research on iPads themselves, I found that there were both Pros and Airs. As someone who could care less about Apple and has a Samsung phone, needless to say I was perplexed.

I had to do a decent bit of research in order to find that the iPad Air was the right choice for me, as when it came down to it, the iPad Pros was over $200 more, and really, it seemed to only be for cosmetic features and a larger screen. I read that many hobbyists and professional artists were perfectly content with the iPad Air (5th generation), and really, unless you wanted to spend the extra money, the iPad Air is also the best for its price. As a college student, I knew that I could only afford to spend so much, and so the price range was what really convinced me. Although I clearly have never used an iPad Pro in my life, I am very content with the Air.

Below is a drawing that I did on my new iPad with Procreate (also with the reference I used to create it). I’m really glad that I invested my money into it, because I know that I’ll use it for classes and also in my free time (as I already have). And, if I decide to do commissions down the road or have a job that requires it, I already have it and I’ll be used to it by then. I know this isn’t an affordable thing for everyone, but I would definitely recommend it to anyone that is in the market for a drawing tablet with a screen they’d like to draw directly on.