Your Tools of the Trade

[Gabby Correia]

I seriously need a studio upgrade!
Which tablet, monitor, PC, desk chair, etc do you guys use and recommend?
Would be interesting to see your workspace setup, even if you work traditionally, please share photos

[jimsz]

I can't post a picture right now but for me I use a 12.9" iPad Pro, 27" iMac, MacBook Air for digital (mostly all on iPad).

For traditional just a plain drawing table, light and a comfortable chair.

You can make good art sitting at the kitchen table and a piece of white paper. Find the tools you are comfortable with and comfortable using and draw!

[braden H]

@Gabby-Correia

I use a standing desk! My ACTUAL workspace is jammed into the right side. My 13 inch cintiq is in a standing easel and my work computer is the little black box behind it.

[Gabby Correia]

@jimsz Do you draw flat on the table? Do you not find your back/neck starts hurting after a while?

[Gabby Correia]

@Braden-Hallett oooh pretty! Thank you for sharing. This might be a strange question but, with a cintiq, do you ever really use your monitor?

[braden H]

@Gabby-Correia all the time I use it to look at reference, control music, browse facebook, and all the rest of garbage that keeps me from doing work.

[xin li]

@Braden-Hallett do you stand when you draw? I work on a 13-inch Cintiq too, and I have a lot of back pains lately. Your set up gave me some ideas

[TessaW]

Here's mine. I don't have anything fancy in terms of tech, but I've been trying to improve the ergonomics. I just have a folding table with a standing desk on top (varidesk). There are levers on the sides to lift it up and down. I have a board under the table to rest my legs, so they can be at a 45 degree angle when sitting and I have extra butt cushion on an office chair. I think my tablet is still a bit too high for drawing when I'm sitting, so I'll have to modify the holder.

[Gabby Correia]

@TessaW Nice setup! And don't forget, you always need a cat in your workspace, it's the most important part I like to see that other's also put their feet on something, I used to put my feet on my printer I'm on the short side so it always feels like my feet are dangling a bit.

[Gabby Correia]

@Braden-Hallett thanks! I was thinking of upgrading my monitor because I still use an intuos and my eyes get strained very quickly. If I upgrade my tablet to a screen display rather, then I don't need to get a new monitor too.

[braden H]

@xin-li said in Your Tools of the Trade:

@Braden-Hallett do you stand when you draw? I work on a 13-inch Cintiq too, and I have a lot of back pains lately. Your set up gave me some ideas

I do I recently had to relocate to a sitting desk for a few days and I immediately got a pinched nerve, so standing clearly does something good!

Some people buy fancy adjustable desks so they can sit in their chair when they want to. I built a high desk and bought a drafting stool that rises high enough for the table

[TessaW]

@Braden-Hallett When you're standing, how high is your drawing tablet? How high are you lifting your arm and what is your neck angle?

[eriberart]

Oh I love seeing other people's workspaces! This is mine. Nothing fancy, random computer chair, ikea corner desk. Dell laptop, Wacom tablet, Ipad, Epson Scanner. Working out of the wee box room in our house. Would love to try out a standing desk. I have bad circulation and tend to get pins and needles in my legs/feet when I sit for a while

[Jeremiahbrown]

Agreed, it really is fun to see what everyone else has for a setup! Mine is extremely small and basic but it gets the job done.

[JoshuaDages]

@Braden-Hallett Oh wow. I've never thought to use my easel to hold my drawing tablet! I might have to try that.

[JoshuaDages]

@Gabby-Correia et al. It's so fun to see everyone's set-up!

Here's my current set-up. Right now I'm mainly drawing digitally, but can easily move my Huion underneath my laptop to use my desk for traditional art. My challenge is space efficiency since I'm in a small Brooklyn apartment (and also keeping things away from my very curious cat)!

[braden H]

@TessaW said in Your Tools of the Trade:

@Braden-Hallett When you're standing, how high is your drawing tablet? How high are you lifting your arm and what is your neck angle?

The surface of my table is just above my belly button. When drawing near the top of the tablet my bicep is parallel to the floor. My neck angle is just a relaxed forward look. Not significantly up or down.

[Gabby Correia]

@Jeremiahbrown what drawing tablet are you using?

[Gabby Correia]

@JoshuaDages How are you liking your Huion?

[Jeremiahbrown]

@Gabby-Correia I am using the Huion Kamvas 22 Plus and am very impressed with its performance given its cost compared to the cintiq.