The Articles of Consideration (Concerning the iPad Pro)

Okay, so I'm thinking of making [The Articles of Consideration] a series where I review something and point out the different reasons why you would or wouldn't want to buy the product. Yeah... I've been studying for the AP US Government and Politics exam. The only problem with this amazingly clever name is that [The Articles of Confederation] were a huge flop. On that note, shall we get on with this?

Yesterday my family and I made a "quick" trip to the Apple store. We were attracted to go because of Apple's sweet new gadget, the iPad Pro. Now, I'd already read everything that I could possibly read about this tablet, and so I had many expectations of this device.

I was blown away.

Let me tell you, reading about something can only take you so far. Using it yourself is a completely different experience. Still, here are some things to consider if you are on the fence.

1. There is a reason it is called Pro.

With 'Pro' prices...

First, let me say that this tablet is not for everybody. Simply put, not everyone needs an iPad the size of a laptop. If you already have an iPad but want this as an "upgrade," and you just think the big screen is cool, please reconsider. Because honestly, the iPad Pro's size is just slightly awkward, and will not be an upgrade for some people.

On the contrary, the 12.9 inch display is great for professionals. Artists can see more of their artwork, multitasking and therefore productivity is boosted, and presentations are a beautiful breeze. I'm an artist, and this is about the size of my sketchbook, and so the hugeness seems almost natural. The weight of the iPad Pro is about the same as my sketchbook as well.

(Since I have experience as an artist, the rest of this review will be focused on that perspective.)

2. The Apple Pencil

Yes, it is possible to make a painting that precise.

Yep, I'm in love. When I made my first stroke with this fancy stylus, my first thought was "Wow, so much control!" I'd never had such an enjoyable digital drawing experience in my life. I was drawing in a free (!) app called Adobe Sketch, and felt it was almost better than drawing in real life, because I could add color without any mess, and I could undo! Also, shading with the side of the Apple pencil was easier (for me at least) than a real pencil, because with the stylus you can get a much broader, softer stroke. With a real pencil you are limited to the length of the graphite, and how much you are able to sharpen it without the lead breaking off. Overall the Apple pencil was just a joy to use, and it took quite a lot of coaxing to get me to leave.

All that considered, I hope that people who aren't artists will not throw away their money for this pencil. As a general rule, if the word 'Wacom' doesn't mean anything to you, or if you don't own a single sketchbook, then you probably don't need this specialized stylus. Speaking of Wacom...

3. A replacement for your Wacom Cintiq

This picture is AstroPad with an iPad mini, but you could show the whole computer screen with an iPad Pro.

There have been a lot of complaints from artists who are mad that the iPad Pro doesn't run OS X. After all, how can it call itself 'Pro' if it doesn't even have a full version of Photoshop?

Well, fellow artists, let me show you something really, really cool.

It is an app called 'AstroPad,' designed so that artists can mirror their computer screens and use their iPads as Cintiqs. And they are fully supporting the Apple Pencil, tilt and all. Finally, the company that has had a monopoly over the digital art industry for the last decade now has some competition! Hurray!

So at home you can hook up your tablet with AstroPad, and on the go you can use an app like Adobe Sketch as your sketchbook. Neat!

Not only does the iPad Pro have a way better resolution than the Cintiqs, but it is also much cheaper than most of them. Plus, it isn't super bulky and doesn't take up an entire desk. In fact, with AstroPad you have the option to connect it via bluetooth, so you don't even have to worry about cords.

Convinced yet? Here is link to AstroPad's website: http://astropad.com

4. Procreate

It won an Apple Design Award!!

If you are faithfully chained to Photoshop, than you can use AstroPad. But if you are open minded to trying new things, you should give the app Procreate a go. You may never want to go back. Procreate is wonderfully optimized for the multi-touch screen of an iPad, and has worked out brilliant ways to keep the workspace simple, easy, and fun to use, while still being just as capable as a desktop app. On an iPad Pro, you can work with canvas sizes up to 16k by 4k pixels without a problem.

Also, Procreate has very active forums where you can share your tips and tricks with the community, or even suggest ideas for future updates. Speaking of updates, Procreate updates are completely free of charge, even major ones. Not that paying $6 again would be a big deal.

Savage Interactive, the company that made Procreate, realized that the iPad would be the future of digital art long before the iPad Pro even came out. It makes me wonder what kinds of apps will come out now that the iPad Pro is here. The prospect is rather exciting.

Here is a link to Procreate's website: http://procreate.si

Conclusion

No, those are not my hands. I was too busy creating my masterpiece to take any pics...

I'm not going to tell you how to spend your money. All I can say is, I feel like the iPad Pro was made for me, and I know a lot of artists who feel the same way. In fact, my sister joked that they should have named it the iPad Zo, instead.

I would highly recommend that you go to the Apple Store and try it for yourself. I can only tell you my experience, I can't tell you yours.

Good luck with your decision!

-Zoe