How do you draw digitally? Do you use a stylus/pen or just your finger?

[u/Absolute_End_8245]

I keep trying to draw using my laptop's trackpad, but either I need to practice more or making art through a trackpad is that difficult. I'm seeing master pieces that people made with their fingers on their phone, so I keep trying to improve but I can't seem too.

So I'm wondering if maybe I chose the hardest/worst way to do it. :/

[u/GardenIll8638]

Most people use a pen/stylus with either a pen display/mobile tablet or a screen-less tablet. People who draw on their phone with their finger, while they exist, are pretty rare and usually do that out of necessity (can't afford a pen device or started out as/is a kid making use of what the tools they have at their disposal). As for drawing with the trackpad, your wondering is pretty sot on haha that's like the worst way to do it. A mouse and using tools like bezier curves would be easier, but the most comfortable and familiar way is with a stylus

[u/Dalen_art]

that's a horrible way to do, the trackpad is miniature drawing surface, try switching to a mouse if you can't afford a drawing tablet, I had a classmate in highschool who would do amazing work with a mouse in paint (the windows drawing app)

[u/lycheedorito]

Get a good ol Intuos3 off eBay for $50, used to be a luxury when I was a kid. I still have mine and it still works just fine, I didn't retire it until I got a Cintiq after earning some money at my first industry job.

[u/Avery-Hunter → u/lycheedorito]

You can get decent quality new tablets for around that much now.

[u/lycheedorito → u/Avery-Hunter]

I can't recommend a new Intuos unless you don't mind your fingers hurting 

[u/Avery-Hunter → u/lycheedorito]

There's a reason I said new tablet not new intuos

[u/StuffOld1191]

Stylus - I spent many years using a mouse as I was more 'used to it', but once you get a stylus you only need a few days to acclimatise to it's feel and response.
The only time I might still use a mouse is when I'm making vector images and just plotting points and adjusting curves.

[u/Elegant_Arctic_Mumbo]

I’m actually taking on the challenge of enabling finger drawing on the phone. I figured I need some supporting tools, so I made an app with ruler, ellipse template and french curves. The digital version of these tools are very practical compared with what I remember using in design school. And I also made it easy to bring in line work from paper sketching to do the rest, like water colour in app afterwards. It’s a continuing project, but I very much enjoy drawing this way.

https://reddit.com/link/pcv7jnr/video/usuxglg3tish1/player

[u/Budget_Basket_4091 → u/Elegant_Arctic_Mumbo]

I'm intrigued. Is this your app?

[u/Elegant_Arctic_Mumbo → u/Budget_Basket_4091]

Yes, I’ve been making it since a few months back and got it published on AppStore three weeks ago.

[u/Elegant_Arctic_Mumbo → u/Elegant_Arctic_Mumbo]

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/line-lift-watercolor-studio/id6792545860

[u/Budget_Basket_4091 → u/Elegant_Arctic_Mumbo]

Ah, no wonder I couldn't find it... Android user 😭😆

[u/Elegant_Arctic_Mumbo → u/Budget_Basket_4091]

Ah, I should have mentioned that it is for iOS so far. I've had Android requests before and I am considering porting it but its no small task.

[u/Swimming-Bite-4184]

You should get a paper notebook and a pencil / pen

[u/raging_temperance]

I use a stylus on both pen and tablet, trackpad seems to be too much

[u/Swimming-Bite-4184]

Use a paper and pencil.

[u/k_from_HyperDraw]

i draw on a phone or laptop touch screen

• stylus is so much nicer, eg: S-Pen
  
• but finger/touch is also ok, if the sensors are good. Less precise, of course, but ok for smudging and blocky painting

Trackpad is abysmal. Even mouse is many times better.

if you wanna do it for real/commercially/professionally: just get yourself a drawing tablet, at least Huion or IPad with pencil, or Samsung tablet; if you don't want to splurge for Wacom right away

[u/Dantalion67]

I use a display tablet with a stylus, jesus drawing with the track pad feels like drawing with a pencil while having an injured arm. And drawing with your fingers on a phone feels like using the largest sharpie on a sticky note. Get one of those drawing tablets that looks like an external track pad with a stylus, if you cant afford a display tab, or which most digital artists do on the go is use and ipad an buy a stylus.

[u/Grimmhoof]

I use a stylus, I'm normally a traditional illustrator and painter, so holding a stylus is like holding a pencil or paint brush, making it easier to work with. I also suffer neuropathy so I don't have much feeling in my fingertips so pressure adjustments are not there.

[u/Avery-Hunter]

Stylus. The last time I used a mouse was literally 20+ years ago doing pixel art and I've never used a track pad. Get a pad tablet, they're cheap.

[u/_TenDropChris]

I use a Wacom tablet and stylus

[u/Nerdycharm]

Wacom tablet. It was like $120

[u/Shoddy_Ladder_7617]

I remember using the track pad and computer mouse (depending on the computer of course) 25 years ago, before I had access to a drawing tablet. Having a designated tablet and stylus is a game changer.

[u/Electronic_Bag7624]

Personally, I just draw on my phone using the stylus on the back of a pen, but if you want to create more intricate pieces, perhaps a drawing tablet would be better (though you can still get pretty far using only a cellphone!)
I've also tried using my trackpad, and I've found it to be the most difficult method of digital art. I'm sure with practice it could get easier, but I'd suggest trying something else that would give you more control, thus eliminating that challenge.