Why be stuck drawing on your phone with your finger when you could get more precise lines with a drawing tablet hooked up to it instead.
If you’re a beginner wanting to learn to draw and paint digitally but don’t have access to a computer or an iPad, then a drawing tablet for your phone is the next best option. You can easily fit one in a small bag and start drawing whenever and wherever you are. Most of these tablets are quite affordable too, so you don’t need to worry about spending too much if you’re just trying it out.
If you are looking for a tablet for your computer, then check out this post about whether or not a pen display or graphics tablet is the right option for you.
A capacitive pen for art on your phone just won’t cut it…
A drawing tablet is a much better option than a capacitive stylus for one very important reason: pressure sensitivity. Drawing tablets hooked up to your phone or tablet will give you that more natural drawing experience in terms of getting different results depending on how much pressure you apply.
Graphics Tablets for your Android Phone
There are a lot of graphics tablets from various brands that are Android compatible including XPPen’s Deco series, the Intuos and One by Wacom, Huion’s Inspiroy and HS series, the Creator range from Veikk, and a couple from Gaomon as well.
Each brand’s devices will behave a little differently when you connect them, particularly in how the corners of your screen match up to the drawing tablet’s surface. XPPen’s devices are the only ones that utilize the full tablet area in portrait orientation, while the others will only have a portion of the tablet’s surface active while it’s in landscape orientation when in phone mode.
If you are on a really tight budget though and want a really small drawing tablet only to use with your smartphone, something like the Deco Fun from XPPen will do just fine.
These are some Android compatible graphics tablets you could consider:
- Huion HS64
- Huion HS611
- One by Wacom
- Wacom Intuos S
- XPPen Deco Pro
- Deco M/L
- Deco Mini 7
Using a screenless drawing tablet with your phone might seem difficult at first. It will take some time to get used to looking at your screen while drawing on a different surface next to it.
Recommended tablet for your phone…
I recommend a tablet like the Deco MW to use with your phone because it will offer additional features once you move over to using it with a computer while remaining quite affordable. The express keys can’t be customized for your phone, but when you use it on the computer, you can set them to whatever shortcuts you need.
The tablet also comes with the OTG adapters if you need them. In some cases with other tablets, you might have to purchase this separately. I was also able to connect the Deco MW to my phone using a USB-C to USB-C cable.
If you’re on a very tight budget and the Deco MW is still above what you want to spend, XPPen also has its Deco Fun range. The Deco Fun XS is a really compact option to consider. Sometimes I prefer to have a much smaller bag with me than the usual big backpack, so this works well for those occasions.
Pen displays for Android
There are a few good pen displays for digital art that will work on an Android phone. These will give you some much-needed screen space for a more comfortable drawing experience. This is also great for using apps that have more interface elements and panels that take up space on the display.
Others Android compatible pen displays include:
- XPPen Artist 10 2nd Gen
- XPPen Artist 13 2nd Gen
- XPPen Artist 16 2nd Gen
- Wacom One 13”
- Huion Kamvas 13
- Kamvas Pro 13(2.5K)
- Kamvas 16(2021)
- Kamvas Pro 16(2.5K)
- Kamvas Pro 16 Plus (4K)
- Kamvas 22 Plus
- Kamvas 24 Plus
- Kamvas Pro 24(4K)
- Gaomon PD1610
- Veikk 1560 Pro
Recommended pen display for your phone
The Artist 12 2nd Gen is one of XPPen’s more recent display tablets that is also compatible with certain Android smartphones. It’s a versatile option that is still relatively small but gives enough space to draw on whether you are using it with your phone or your computer. You will have to purchase the single fully-featured USB-C cable separately from the website if you don’t already have one.
So what phones will work with a pen display?
Your phone or mobile tablet needs to have USB-C 3.1 and DP 1.2 in order for a video signal to be pushed out through the USB port to the tablet. Samsung and Huawei have a number of devices with this.
Many phones only have USB 2.0 so this is an important thing to check before buying if you want to pair a pen display with it. You can type your device into GSMArena and check the Comms field.
Do you need a USB hub to connect your pen display to a phone?
In the case of XPPen’s Artist 2nd gen range, you can connect the tablet to your smartphone using a single full-feature USB-C cable. You can purchase one from the XPPen website.
The Wacom One requires a USB hub (sold separately) that includes USB-A and HDMI ports, with a USB-C connector. You then use the included Wacom X-shaped cable to connect your devices together and to a power outlet. You cannot connect the Wacom One to your phone with a single USB-C cable.
The Huion Kamvas can connect to your phone with a single full-featured USB-C cable which is available on their website as a separate purchase. In some cases you might still need to supply additional power.
Drawing tablets that work with iPhone’s and iPads?
Only the wireless drawing tablets from XPPen’s Deco series will work with iPhones and iPads when connected via Bluetooth, and only in Ibis Paint X. So far that includes:
- The Deco MW,
- The Deco LW,
- Deco Pro SW, and
- Deco Pro MW.
How to connect a Deco tablet to an iPhone?
- Activate Bluetooth on your iPhone or iPad.
- Turn on your Deco tablet with the power button.
- Push and hold the K1 button for 3 seconds to enter Bluetooth pairing mode. K1 is the button on the top right corner of your tablet if in portrait orientation.
- Pair the device in your iPhone’s Bluetooth settings.
- Open Ibis Paint X and enter the settings menu by tapping the gear icon on the top right.
- Scroll down to Pressure Sensitive Stylus and select XPPEN pen tablet from the drop down menu.
- Your devices are now paired and you’re ready to draw.
Apps to draw on your phone or tablet
After you get a drawing tablet for your phone, you’re going to need a decent painting app. There a few really good options to try.
- Sketchbook (Free)
- Medibang (Free)
- ArtFlow (Free)
- Infinite Painter (Paid)
- Clip Studio Paint (Paid)
- Ibis Paint X (Free) – Only option for iOS and compatible Deco tablet.
- Magma.com (Free) – Better for a larger Android tablet or iPad than a phone.
Wrapping up…
So a screenless drawing tablet paired with your phone can be a very cheap and easy way to get started with digital art. There might be limitations in trying to do any sort of professional work, but for learning and making drawings and paintings to put up on social media, they will certainly do the trick.
With higher-performance phones that have the necessary hardware to support a display tablet, you’d be able to do much more. You would of course need to sped a bit more.
The great thing about all this is that you have an option to draw no matter where you are without needing to carry a big bag of gear around with you.
