Tablets are a strange thing. They are that in between tech of awkward portability. You’re either lugging around something too big (10″+) or something too little (-7″). With the capabilities of a cellphone and a proper laptop, where does it really fit?

I’ve been playing around with my mother’s iPad with some art programs for it and a stylus. Paper is the application I’ve been using. What I really like about the app is the simple interface. However, I would like to be able to get a full pallet of colors without having to pay extra for it.

Drawing on the iPad is something to get used to. As there is no inherent pressure sensitivity, you’ve got to relearn what it is to draw with your hands. I love to draw traditionally with real paper and pencil, but I like the fact that I could draw digitally and push it straight to email or web post.

Do I want a tablet like an iPad to be able to draw digitally wherever I go? Maybe… I’m still undecided. It is an expensive piece of a equipment for not much output. And yet it’s still new, still portable as a notebook and pencil and fun. Does it beat drawing on a laptop with a mini Wacom tablet? I don’t think so. There is so much more flexibility when it comes to the software and hardware combinations you can get with that kind of setup.

Would I ever forgo my sketchbook and pencils for any of the above absolutely? Never.