Using pen tablets

Using a pen tablet with your Affinity apps provides a more natural drawing experience.

Pen tablet

Working with pen tablets

Your pen tablet is probably the most common peripheral you will use after your mouse. Tablets enhance the design experience in Affinity products, with the tablet pen (or pen stylus) providing a natural drawing experience, just like a household pen.

Once the latest drivers are installed, it is a good idea to re-calibrate your tablet pen. This can be done from Apple>System Settings (or System Preferences).

Once the latest drivers are installed, it is a good idea to re-calibrate your tablet pen. This can be done from the Control Panel.

Tablet pen capabilities may vary depending on the pen you are using, with pen rotation and stylus wheel settings only supported on certain Wacom pens. For example:

For some tablet pens, using the pen's eraser (found on the opposite end of the pen) will activate the Erase Brush Tool.

Affinity tools and pen tablets

A number of Affinity tools and settings can be used to provide perfect precision when using a pen tablet.

When drawing with a pressure-sensitive pen tablet, the Pen Tool, Vector Brush Tool and Pencil Tool stroke's variable width lines will automatically match the level of pressure applied. This can be controlled by adjusting the pressure sensitivity or pressure profile settings.

When using the Paint Brush Tool, a number of controller options on the Brushes panel can also be adjusted to work alongside your tablet pen.

Tablet input settings

To adjust the quality of your pen tablet's input when working with Affinity apps, you can use one of the tablet input options.

To set a preferred pen tablet input method:
  1. From the Edit menu, select Settings.
  2. On the Tools tab, under Tablet input method, select one of the available input methods.
    • High Precision—provides the best quality high-resolution input data from pen tablets that support it. This input method is not compatible with Wacom's Mouse Mode and certain makes of pen tablet.
    • Low Precision—provides low-resolution input data if results from using High Precision and Windows Ink are not ideal. This is enabled by default.
    • Windows Ink—provides similar quality to High Precision but is used for tablets which don't support High Precision. Windows Ink mode must be enabled in the tablet driver settings.

SEE ALSO: