Do You Need a Tablet to Create Digital Art?

A common misnomer is that one needs a tablet to create digital artwork. While a tablet can certainly make creating digital art easier, in my opinion, it’s not absolutely essential. The following pieces were created by me using only the mouse and Adobe Photoshop. I made heavy use of the lasso tool (both regular and Polygon lasso) to create shapes. I also used a few custom Chris Wahl brushes to give certain elements some texture.

Where some view the mouse as a limitation, I view it as a design constraint. Limitations and constraints are essentially the same thing, but the word “limitation” seems to carry a negative connotation with it while “constraints” do not. Having constraints within a design is a good thing; they force me to reevaluate what I have to work with, and allow me the opportunity to creatively problem solve. As a result, I explore and develop new techniques and grow as an artist.

Bottom line: Having the best tools is nice, but it’s certainly not required for creating good work. Sometimes a constraint and a little ingenuity are all you need. Tablets be damned.

-Krishna