Drawing digitally

Today I am drawing on a laptop with Linux using a graphic tablet. Why I even mention it like it is a big deal. For me it is a big deal. Let me share why.

I have two passions in my life – computers and art. In terms of drawing.

Photoshop on Windows

Back in 2007 I got my first WACOM tablet, that required working on Windows in order to draw in Photoshop. Because of my passion for computers I got used to using Linux for coding, so Windows was the option for drawing - two operating systems for one machine. The switching between them felt like switching between two hobbies.

Photoshop on Mac

Then I got Mac. Perfect combination of UNIX and Desktop which I was able to draw on. So I was working on Mac and drawing on Mac for like… 10 years. Pretty long time in which I had to do my best to keep the same set up of hardware at work and at home. I mean, if I was using Mac at home I wanted to use the same at work so I don’t have to break my workflow and habits of usage of shortkeys and everything bound to this operating system. In order to keep this, let’s say synchronization, I had to negotiate with every employer I worked for to be able to work on a Mac. Which I assure you for most of the employers out there a Mac is equal to “$$$$” - an overpriced shiny machine. Or at least this was a while ago. And by the way, it is not too far from the truth.

Procreate on iPad Pro

Then I saw the iPad Pro. I bought it. Even two of them – one big and one small. Please don’t ask.

It’s been two years of drawing on iPad already. I was using “Procreate“ and a bit of “Sketchbook Pro”. One of them is payed, the other one is not. Being able to draw on a device that didn’t require neither a computer nor photoshop, was a relief for me. I was able to spend time with the family while drawing on the couch or traveling for a holiday. All I needed was just the iPad. Sounds pretty good. And it was.

Having an iPad I felt it was time for me to move away from the sweet jail of Mac and Apple. To be honest, if I open Apple website and check the marketing of Mac OS it is being promoted with features I have never used. All I used from Mac OS was Photoshop and one terminal (I am a developer who loves using shell). So we can evaluate an Apple computer in my case as one very expensive terminal.

I decided to move back to Linux. Asked the company to give me a computer with Linux and then, 1 year later, I sold my MacBook Pro for 60% less than the price I got it and with the money I got a PC laptop which I installed Linux on.

Meanwhile, still drawing on iPad I started feeling like I was mostly sketching on it than actually producing a digital art. Yes, it was a digital sketch but still a sketch. Drawing on iPad in my opinion and experience is not for a serious work. It is exactly good for sketching. If you want to draw, slice your image, export it, you’d better use a computer. I really have no idea what direction Apple is pushing iPad into by adding keyboard and mouse support, promoting it as a laptop replacement. But this a device with touch interface which is completely different experience than what we are use to using computers.

Have you produced comic strips? I have. And I am doing it for both – Facebook and Instagram. The second one requires a specific format of publishing – image by image. While facebook can take one entire picture/page. Having to draw on iPad and slice it up for instagram has been a hassle for me.

Krita on Linux

Recently a friend of mine told me about Krita – a program for drawing which is free and open source. It is very powerful program. And it works on Linux very well. And it sets up very easy. You don’t believe me? Only one command to install it on Debian:

$ sudo apt-get install krita

And 15 seconds later it is installed and being able to start.

How the Wacom tablet is being installed? The same Wacom Intuos 3 from 2007. It was installed just by plugging it into the USB port. And it worked. With the pressure sensitivity. No drivers needed. They were there already.

Krita is free which means the developers working on it need some money to be able to continue doing it. They have contributions of other developers from around the world. That’s why it is good developing an open source project – everyone who knows the language (C++) could join and help.

Here is a link to donate some money for the developers so they continue make Krita so awesome: https://krita.org/en/support-us/donations/

There are some differences with photoshop. Mainly because while photoshop is an image manipulation software, Krita is a drawing one. Specially for drawing. And animation. If I decide to give it a try with animation, I don’t have to use another program, with another interface and flow, I will use Krita. The same one I am drawing in.

Here is an article about the differences between both: https://docs.krita.org/en/user_manual/introduction_from_other_software/introduction_from_photoshop.html

If you are interested in what is going on under the hood and how it is being developed, here is an article about it: https://krita.org/en/item/the-inside-view-how-krita-is-developed/

As everything else, drawing on a computer comes with some limitations and benefits. Here are the pros and cons I see:

Pros:

- You can work on more serious formats, with more detail

- There is always battery (compared to the tablet which battery might be low when you want to draw so you have to charge it first)

- Powerful tools for image manipulation and text editing compared to the one for the tablet
- Using shortkeys while drawing which gives more flexibility and speed. This is what I am missing the most on the touch interface - using a keyboard.

- Being able to draw on Linux (Thanks to Krita)

- I still pay attention to my other passion – computers.

Cons:

- You are bound to the desk – always from your family.

- You need a bigger screen ( I guess )

I hope now you understand why I am passionate about this program.

If you know other pros and cons of both drawing on ipad, drawing on computer and especially on Linux, I would love to hear them.