Advice needed: Sketching: 10.5 Pro or wait for possible mini pro!

[decson]

Hi

I have recently started drawing again, mainly charcoals, some chalk on black paper, etc. And I am loving it, bit of a creative release .

Firstly, I have looked at some apps discussed on here but how easy is it to move to iPad Pro, and then play a bit more, layering, effects, etc.

And then secondly, I already have a mini iPad (and MacBook lol) do you think they will release a mini pro, or is it too small for for the pencil, have seen some comments.

I have had the iPad airs, and always found them to big for reading (hence love my mini), but ideally would like it all in one . Of course the pro could be a replacement to dragging the MacBook to work (though prob equal in size, weight lol) for note taking etc.

What are peoples thoughts?
1. Will they ever create a mini pro, and if yes, would it be good for sketching?
2. Is the iPad Pro easy to pick up for sketching? and what apps!

Thanks! in advance!

Garry

 

[mikeray]

I don't think they will ever make a mini pro. The mini is great for reading books but that's about it–you can also get an iPhone Plus for reading.

 

[Tapiture]

You should look in to the 9.7 Pro if you like a smaller size. I use the 9.7 Pro for sketching and painting and it’s awesome. I highly recommend the Procreate app for any type of artwork. Here’s something I’ve done using procreate and Apple Pencil:

 

[Asp09]

My first iPad was a Mini and although I found it very good for painting in Procreate, I barely used it again for that purpose after getting an Air 2. Now my new iPad Pro 12.9 has replaced the Air as my principal painting device. Although it's possible to produce similarly good results on a smaller surface, it's just a much more enjoyable experience on a larger slate and once you've experienced it it's difficult to go back to something smaller. So for creating art I would get at least a 9.7 / 10.5 , even if you prefer the Mini for general use (as do I). Besides, nobody knows whether a Mini Pro will ever see the light of day, so you could end up waiting a long time for nothing. I had no problem holding an iPad Air 2 one-handed for painting, so it shouldn't be a problem with a 10.5 either. ( I actually hold my 12.9 one-handed for drawing, but it is less comfortable).
For sketching with the Apple Pencil I recommend Linea. It's rather expensive compared to other, more fully featured apps, but I find it provides the best experience for pencil sketching; rather like the Notes app, but with added functionality. For painting, though, I always turn to Procreate. I actually don't use the Apple Pencil much for painting; I prefer using a 'dumb' Nomad Flex brush, which can also be used with non-Pro iPads.

 

[5105973]

You should look in to the 9.7 Pro if you like a smaller size. I use the 9.7 Pro for sketching and painting and it’s awesome. I highly recommend the Procreate app for any type of artwork. Here’s something I’ve done using procreate and Apple Pencil:

Wow that looks amazing!

Thanks to the OP for making this thread and for those who answered because it comes just in time for me, as well. I was wondering about the good sketch and painting apps.

My husband just got the new 10.5 Pro and passed me his beautiful 9.7 Pro for my birthday along with a new Apple Pencil and new case since the keyboard case he had for it is a bit heavy for my use. It's a great size for me, and had been a tad small for my husband's work related purposes, which is why it is practically new and why I coveted it for myself.

I still have my mini 4 and my first generation Retina Mini. I just got new cases for both of them for my birthday and they both look as good as new. I like them for web surfing and some games.

Mini is definitely a bit tight to do sketching on. I've used something as tiny as a Note 7 for sketches and of course it's possible, but not ideal. With a bigger canvas you can work in more detail and then scale your output down as a print. It's also not going to be the best size to take advantage of the upcoming features of iOS 11.

9.7 Pro is definitely a nice size for sketching. Even the 10.5 isn't a monster since some of the display increase comes from shrinking the bezels, and I think @decson might like it for art if a 9.7 Pro is hard to find. I have dibs on the new 10.5 one when my husband is ready for a new iPad someday. If money were no object, I would have asked for a 10.5 for sketching, but my husband's work needs take precedence over my occasional hobby, and 9.7 is still quite a good all purpose size.

 

[spiderman0616]

I wouldn't hold my breath for an iPad mini Pro or even an iPad mini 5. It's looking more and more like it's not happening. They're leaving it in the lineup on life support for now, but the mini is the main reason iPad sales have been in decline. The bottom has completely dropped out of the small tablet market because of the iPhone Plus and other phablets. When iPad sales do finally hit bottom and return to growth, it will be because the mini market finally stabilized or died completely.
[doublepost=1501365461][/doublepost]

You should look in to the 9.7 Pro if you like a smaller size. I use the 9.7 Pro for sketching and painting and it’s awesome. I highly recommend the Procreate app for any type of artwork. Here’s something I’ve done using procreate and Apple Pencil:

Freaking gorgeous.

 

[maflynn]

I just don't see apple coming out with a mini pro, doesn't make sense, and what price point would it be at? I'd say that would overly complicate the line, with minimal benefits.

Get the 10.5 or if you want something slightly smaller the 9.7

 

[Sheza]

Does not look likely there will be a mini Pro.

Unless money is a huge factor I would get the 10.5, not 9.7. It's good to get the latest model if you can, and it's not that much bigger.

 

[danny842003]

You should look in to the 9.7 Pro if you like a smaller size. I use the 9.7 Pro for sketching and painting and it’s awesome. I highly recommend the Procreate app for any type of artwork. Here’s something I’ve done using procreate and Apple Pencil:

The size difference isn't that great though and surely for sketching the trade of for a slightly larger form factor for a much larger screen is a worthwhile one.

 

[Booji]

The size difference isn't that great though and surely for sketching the trade of for a slightly larger form factor for a much larger screen is a worthwhile one.

I currently have both pros - a 9.7 and a 10.5 - just have not yet got around to selling the 9.7 yet.

I can agree that there is neglible difference in holding them as most of the screen size comes from the reduction in bezel thickness. No real advantage of 9.7 other than price.

 

[Shanghaichica]

Does not look likely there will be a mini Pro.

Unless money is a huge factor I would get the 10.5, not 9.7. It's good to get the latest model if you can, and it's not that much bigger.

I agree. I had the same choice and over here (UK). The price difference between a 128GB iPad Pro 9.7 inch and a 10.5 inch 256GB pro was only £100. I bought the 10.5 because I thought the increased storage plus all of the newer features were worth the £100 difference.

 

[sracer]

Hi

I have recently started drawing again, mainly charcoals, some chalk on black paper, etc. And I am loving it, bit of a creative release .

Firstly, I have looked at some apps discussed on here but how easy is it to move to iPad Pro, and then play a bit more, layering, effects, etc.

And then secondly, I already have a mini iPad (and MacBook lol) do you think they will release a mini pro, or is it too small for for the pencil, have seen some comments.

I have had the iPad airs, and always found them to big for reading (hence love my mini), but ideally would like it all in one . Of course the pro could be a replacement to dragging the MacBook to work (though prob equal in size, weight lol) for note taking etc.

What are peoples thoughts?
1. Will they ever create a mini pro, and if yes, would it be good for sketching?
2. Is the iPad Pro easy to pick up for sketching? and what apps!

Thanks! in advance!

Garry

Obviously, none of us know what Apple plans to do with the Mini. Some want Apple to kill it. Others want it to continue on.

I'm hopeful that Apple WILL produce a Mini "Plus". "Pro" denotes support for the Pencil and Apple Smart Keyboard. I think that the ASK for the Mini would not be as beneficial as it is on the larger form-factors. "Plus" (my word) could indicate support for the Apple Pencil only.

While the Mini might not be the best selling form-factor for consumers, it is being used by businesses, especially the services sector and aviation. Adding Pencil support would greatly enhance usability.

I have a Mini 4 and 12.9 Pro w/ASK+Pencil. There is obviously no comparison to Pro+Pencil for sketching, but I HAVE used (and on occasion still use) a fine point, powered capacitive Stylus (DotPen) on my previous iPad (Air 2) and on my current Mini 4. By using an art glove (made mine by purchasing a white cotton glove at Walgreens/CVS/Rite Aid for $2 and cutting off the thumb, index, and middle fingers), I can draw and write in any app that has those capabilities without worrying about palm rejection. (the cotton glove prevents the iPad from picking up my palm) There's no pressure sensitivity nor any tilt support, but I have found this to be an extremely effective alternative.

You might want to try that (art glove + powered capacitive stylus) approach with your current Mini just to see how well the form-factor works for sketching.

Should Apple produce a Mini Plus, I'll break my "wait 3-5 months before purchasing" rule of thumb, and buy one on day-1.

As for sketching apps on the Pro, you'll find that you will need to decide between wanting a more "natural" sketching experience (simpler, more straightforward apps) or a more "creative" experience (feature-laden apps).

I find that the feature-laden apps often get in the way of drawing. I spend more time fiddling with settings than actually sketching.

 

[justinTlME]

I don't think a mini pro is ever going to happen.

 

[44267547]

I don't think a mini pro is ever going to happen.

Perhaps not a Mini "Pro." But a refresh of the Mini could very well happen. It just may not include the capabilities of the Pro line.

 

[Cryates]

You should look in to the 9.7 Pro if you like a smaller size. I use the 9.7 Pro for sketching and painting and it’s awesome. I highly recommend the Procreate app for any type of artwork. Here’s something I’ve done using procreate and Apple Pencil:

Inspired by Bob Ross I see lol

Looks awesome

 

[Tapiture]

Inspired by Bob Ross I see lol

Looks awesome

Absolutely! I watch him paint it in split screen and work on my canvas on the other half. I’m not very satisfied with the tree, doesn’t look quite as authentic as his do, but I find it a really great way to learn how to paint. The nice thing about procreate is you can import ‘brushes’ made by other people and there’s a whole community of people who make ‘brushes’ imitatingBob Ross’s.

 

[ectospheno]

I'm honestly surprised every day I wake up and Apple hasn't just gone ahead and announced they are canceling the Mini. I'd imagine you'll have better luck with lottery tickets than a Mini Pro announcement.

You are also the first person I've seen say they want to draw on a smaller surface. The artist type peoples I've spoken with all wanted as large a surface as they could get.

 

[Kostas3000]

the mini is too small for drawing or using the pencil on it

moreover, apple will likely come up with a bezelless iphone in the form factor of 7plus, likely with a screen of 6.5inches


Based on the above I don't see the value of a mini pro