> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.sevenpens.com/drawtab/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.sevenpens.com/drawtab/basics/beginners-guide.md). # Beginner's guide to drawing tablets ## Introduction New to drawing tablets? This guide helps you understand how they work, prepare to use one, and make a buying decision. {% hint style="info" %} **Buying a tablet?** 1. Read this beginner's guide first. 2. Then read the detailed [Drawing tablet buying guide](/drawtab/buying.md). It also links to [Recommendations](/drawtab/recs.md). 3. If you want a quick recommendation, go to [Beginner recommendations](/drawtab/recs/scenario-recs/beginner-recs.md). 4. Once your tablet arrives, read [Getting started with a drawing tablet](/drawtab/basics/getting-started.md). {% endhint %} ## Types of drawing tablets Before you continue, read [Types of drawing tablets](/drawtab/basics/drawtab-types.md). Once you understand the different types of tablets, continue. The key ways to categorize a drawing tablet: * Does it have a screen? * Is it standalone? These two things affect how the tablet is used, the cost, and which scenarios they work well for. One thing I always stress: just because a tablet has a screen does not mean it is better than a screenless tablet. Many people, including professional artists, prefer screenless tablets. See [Pen tablets vs pen displays](/drawtab/buying/pen-tablets-vs-pen-displays.md). ## Basics **Summary** A drawing tablet lets you use a **digital pen** (also called a **stylus**) as an input device. **Position tracking** As you move the pen on the tablet, your computer's "mouse pointer" mirrors the motion of the pen. * If the drawing tablet does not have a screen, the pointer moves on one of your monitors. * If the drawing tablet has a screen, the pointer moves on the tablet's screen. **Clicking** Every time you touch the pen to the tablet, your computer interprets the contact as pressing a mouse button. If you tap quickly, it is interpreted as a mouse click. If you press down and move the pen, it is just like holding down a mouse button and moving the mouse. **Hover** The tablet tracks the pen's position up to about 10 mm from the surface and moves the pointer even if the pen is not touching the tablet. This is called **hover** or **hover detection**. Hover is very important because it lets you reposition the pointer without drawing or clicking. **Pressure sensitivity** A drawing tablet knows how hard you are pressing down with the tip of the pen. This is called **pressure sensitivity**. Pressure is very important for creative applications. For example, a painting application can change the size of your brush strokes based on pressure. Small amounts of pressure result in thin strokes, and pressing harder makes the strokes thicker. **Pen tilt** Most drawing tablets also detect how the pen is tilted relative to the surface of the tablet. This **pen tilt** detection is also useful for creative applications. For example, it can alter the size of a stroke so increased tilt results in a thicker stroke. ## What people do with their tablets * **Drawing** - Many people use drawing tablets for drawing, sketching, painting, photo editing, and other creative work. * **Gaming** - Drawing tablets are popular for some games. More here: [Gaming with a drawing tablet](/drawtab/basics/scenarios/gaming.md) * **Mouse replacement** - Some people use a drawing tablet as a mouse replacement. They find a pen more comfortable than a mouse. More here: [Replacing mouse with a drawing tablet](/drawtab/basics/scenarios/replacing-mouse.md) * **Whiteboarding** - This is especially common in online meetings and remote learning. Many people use a drawing tablet with virtual whiteboard software. * **Educational videos** - Drawing tablets are popular for creating videos in the style of "Khan Academy." * **Document markup and review** - They are useful for reviewing documents and annotating them with notes and corrections. * **Note-taking** - This is especially common with pen computers. Students, for example, take them to class and write notes digitally. More here: [Taking notes with drawing tablets](/drawtab/basics/scenarios/taking-notes.md) ## Brands Wacom has been the best-known drawing tablet brand for about 40 years. It is also usually the most expensive. But even Wacom does not make every tablet I would recommend. It depends on the specific model. Many other brands have improved a lot since about 2023. You should familiarize yourself with them before you buy. Learn more here: [Brands](/drawtab/brands.md) ## Primary features * **Tracking pen position** - Tablets detect the position of the tip of the pen relative to the tablet surface. Learn more here: [Tracking](/drawtab/core/tracking.md) * **Tracking pen orientation** - Tablets detect how the pen is rotated relative to the tablet surface. * **Pen tilt** - Pen tilt is useful if you work with a creative application with brushes that respond to tilt. Learn more here: [Pen tilt](/drawtab/core/pen-tilt.md). Most, but not all, tablets support tilt. * **Barrel rotation** - Learn more here: [Pen barrel rotation](/drawtab/core/barrel-rotation.md). This is very rare in tablets and requires pens with special hardware. * **Hover** - Tablets detect the position of the pen even when it does not touch the surface, usually up to a distance of 10 mm. All drawing tablets support hover. More here: [Pen hover](/drawtab/core/hover.md) * **Pen pressure detection** - The pen detects how hard you are pressing on its tip. Learn more here: [Pen pressure](/drawtab/core/pressure.md). All modern pens detect about 8192 levels of pressure. But even 2048 is enough for any creative use. * **Pen buttons** - Pens usually feature two buttons. By default, these buttons act as a left mouse click and a right mouse click. You can configure them to perform other actions. More here: [Pen buttons](/drawtab/guides/pens/pen-buttons.md) * **Wireless delivery of power to the pen** - Drawing tablet pens get their power by being near the tablet itself. They do not even contain batteries. Usually, the pen has to be within about 10 mm for it to get power from the tablet. ## Secondary features These are features that are not essential to the drawing experience but may offer additional utility or convenience. * **Auxiliary inputs** - These are "non-pen" inputs. More here: * One class of inputs includes **buttons, dials, touch strips, or rollers** on the tablet. Not all tablets have these kinds of inputs, but many do. You can configure them to perform actions like undo, change brush size, and zoom. More here: [Auxiliary inputs](/drawtab/core/expresskeys.md) * Another class of input is **touch**, where the surface of the tablet can detect your fingers. Only a small number of tablets support touch. How well touch works, and which OS it works on, depends on many factors. More here: [Touch support](/drawtab/guides/touch.md) ## The active area The active area is the region on the tablet that you draw on. More here: [Active area](/drawtab/core/active-area.md). ## Tablet size When we talk about the "size" of a drawing tablet, we are referring to the size of the active area. Different people have different size needs. To learn how to find the right size, look here: [Choosing the right size for a drawing tablet](/drawtab/buying/choosing-size.md) ## Tablet drivers When you connect a tablet to your computer, the computer needs a special app called a "tablet driver" to use it correctly. If you do not install the driver, the tablet will not work correctly. Installing the tablet driver requires administrator permissions on your computer. More here: [Drivers](/drawtab/guides/drivers.md). ## Connecting the tablet to the computer All **pen tablets** can be connected with a single USB cable. Many pen tablets, but not all, can also be connected wirelessly, for example via Bluetooth. **Pen displays** do NOT have any wireless options. There is always at least one cable used with a pen display. Pen displays are more varied than pen tablets in how the cabling works. In truth, connecting a pen display can be very complicated. It is very important that you understand how a pen display will connect to your computer before you buy one. More here: [Connecting a pen display](/drawtab/guides/connecting/connecting-pen-display.md) ## Compatibility with applications Once you install the tablet drivers, **all applications are compatible with drawing tablets**. In addition, creative applications, such as painting programs, can take advantage of special features of the tablet such as pressure sensitivity and tilt. More here: [App compatibility with drawing tablets](/drawtab/basics/app-compat.md) ## Pen nibs At the end of the pen that touches the tablet is a small replaceable nib. Most nibs are plastic, and some are felt. Nibs wear down over time. How fast they wear down depends on many factors. If a nib wears down too much, it might scratch the tablet. Before it gets that far, replace it with a fresh one. More here: [Nib wear](/drawtab/guides/maintain/nib-wear.md) Tablets almost always come with spare nibs. Some nibs are made of different materials, which provide a different drawing feel. More here: [Nib material](/drawtab/core/nib-material.md). Nibs that come with a tablet may be provided in a separate plastic bag or pouch, may be stored in a pen stand, or may be stored inside the pen. ## Drawing with a tablet vs a mouse A drawing tablet uses absolute positioning, and a mouse uses relative positioning. They behave very differently. More here: [Absolute versus relative positioning](/drawtab/core/active-area/absolute-versus-relative-positioning.md). Using the tablet driver, you can make the tablet and pen work more like a mouse by using [Mouse mode](/drawtab/core/active-area/mouse-mode.md). ## Other topics to explore * [Learning to use drawing tablets](/drawtab/basics/learning-drawtabs.md) * [Learning digital art](/drawtab/basics/learning-digital-art.md) --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.sevenpens.com/drawtab/basics/beginners-guide.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. 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