I'm thinking about investing in an iPad with an Apple Pencil to draw, but I'm unsure if it's really worth it. My friends who draw digitally say it's way better, but it's also expensive. Has anyone here made that transition from paper to tablet and can tell me how it went?
A tablet for drawing does pay off, but it really depends on what you want to do. If you're just getting into digital from paper now, the biggest advantage is being able to undo everything instantly, adjust colors without messing up your drawing, duplicate layers... stuff you just can't do on paper. Plus, you get unlimited brushes without wasting materials, so you save money in the long run. For people who actually draw digitally (illustration, concept art, design), an iPad with Pencil is a game-changer because you get pressure sensitivity, tilt, everything feels natural. But there's a learning curve - at first it feels weird not having that paper texture, and the apps have their own ways of working that you need to learn.
The upfront cost is definitely high, I'm not gonna lie. An iPad with Pencil runs you like R$ 3-4 thousand minimum depending on the model, and then you gotta consider if you're gonna use paid apps like Procreate (it's like R$ 80 for the full version, one-time payment). But think about it this way: if you draw regularly, in the long run you save on paper, erasers, colored pencils (which are ridiculously expensive), and you also get the ability to sell your drawings digitally, take commissions online, stuff like that. If it's just an occasional hobby, a tablet might be overkill and paper's probably the way to go.
What I'd suggest is try something cheaper first - like a basic Wacom tablet with Android or Windows (runs you like R$ 400-600) and test out free apps like Medibang or Clip Studio Paint free. That way you figure out if your style actually works better digitally before dropping serious cash on an iPad. Some people switched and loved it, others thought it flowed better on paper. It really depends on your drawing style, honestly.
Investing in an iPad with Apple Pencil is pretty heavy on the wallet (like 3-4 thousand reais easily), but the thing nobody mentions is that you get portability - you can draw anywhere without lugging around heavy sketchbooks, and then export in high resolution to print if you want. The downside is that at first you'll miss that paper texture, which takes a few months to get over mentally.
There's one thing the others didn't mention: when you switch from paper to tablet, your hand can get kinda "lazy" with the glass surface. It's not exactly worse, but it's really different - you lose that tactile feedback of feeling the texture, the paper's resistance, the friction of the tip. Some artists find that liberating (because they can adjust everything later), others think it kinda kills the in-the-moment creativity. Worth testing on a friend's iPad before dropping real money on it.
Now, if you're really after convenience, tablets work great. You get unlimited layer history, undo/redo without guilt, change brush color/size in a second - stuff that on paper was a total pain. You can also export in high quality, share directly, even print later if you want. And yeah, you can draw lying in bed, on the bus, anywhere. But that thing about always being "ready to go" can also become an excuse to procrastinate, you know.
The biggest catch I see is this: tablets are expensive, and then you're gonna want a better stylus, good drawing apps (which cost money), maybe a stand - then that "cheap" iPad you thought you'd buy turns into a way bigger investment. If you draw regularly and actually need a professional setup, it pays off. If it's just casual hobby stuff, paper + pencil is still just as valid as it ever was.
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