Digital Drawing on a Tablet: Workspace, Canvas Setup, and File Basics

Start With the End in Mind: Choose Canvas Size by Intended Output

A beginner-friendly setup is less about “the best settings” and more about choosing settings that match where the artwork will end up. If you decide the output first (screen, print, portfolio), you avoid common quality problems later: blurry exports, jagged lines, or files that can’t be printed cleanly.

Common output targets (practical starting points)

If you’re unsure, choose a slightly larger canvas than you think you need. You can export smaller versions later, but you can’t magically add clean detail to a canvas that started too small.

Pixels vs Inches: What They Actually Control

Pixels (px) are the real “detail units” of a digital canvas. A canvas that is 3000 × 3000 px contains more drawable detail than one that is 1000 × 1000 px.

Inches (or cm) are physical measurements used for print. They only become meaningful when paired with a pixel density value (PPI).

PPI/DPI in practical terms (without the confusion)

• PPI (pixels per inch) describes how many pixels will be printed per inch. Example: 300 PPI means 300 pixels are used to print one inch of paper.
• DPI (dots per inch) is a printer term. Many apps still label the setting as DPI, but when you set it in a drawing app, you’re effectively choosing PPI for the document.

Key rule: For screen-only artwork, the pixel dimensions are what matter. For print, you need both: a physical size (inches/cm) and enough pixels to hit a good PPI.

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Quick conversion formula

To find required pixels for print:

pixels = inches × PPI

Example: 8 inches wide at 300 PPI:

8 × 300 = 2400 px wide

To find print size from pixels:

inches = pixels ÷ PPI

Example: 3000 px wide at 300 PPI:

3000 ÷ 300 = 10 inches wide

Zoom and Line Quality: Why Your Lines Look “Worse” Up Close

Zoom changes your perception of line quality. At high zoom (like 300–800%), you’re inspecting individual pixels. Even a perfectly clean stroke may look jagged because you’re literally seeing the pixel grid.

Practical zoom habits for clean line art

• Draw at a comfortable zoom (often 50–150%) so your hand movement creates smooth curves.
• Check at 100% to see how it will look on screen at “actual pixels.”
• Check at intended output size: for social, view the exported image on your phone; for print, preview at print size if your app supports it.
• Avoid judging line quality at extreme zoom unless you’re fixing a specific edge or intersection.

A common beginner mistake is “over-correcting” lines because they look imperfect at 600% zoom, which can make the line look stiff at normal viewing size.

New Canvas Checklist (Step-by-Step)

Use this checklist every time you create a new canvas to prevent quality issues and export surprises.

1) Choose orientation and aspect ratio

• Square (1:1): icons, profile images, many social posts.
• Portrait (4:5, 2:3, A-series paper): character art, posters, print pages.
• Landscape (16:9): banners, wallpapers, video thumbnails.

Decide this first because changing aspect ratio later often forces cropping or stretching.

2) Set pixel dimensions (screen) or physical size + PPI (print)

• Screen-first workflow: pick pixel dimensions directly (e.g., 3000 × 3000 px).
• Print-first workflow: pick inches/cm and set 300 PPI for most art prints and high-quality documents.

Resolution targets you can rely on:

• Screen: 2000–4000 px on the long side for detailed work.
• Print: 300 PPI (common standard), 200 PPI (sometimes acceptable for large posters viewed from a distance).

3) Choose a color profile (basics)

If your work is mainly viewed on screens, set the document to sRGB when possible. sRGB is the safest choice for consistent color across phones, tablets, and browsers.

• sRGB: best default for web/social/portfolio images.
• Print profiles (CMYK): usually handled later by a print shop or in specialized design software; many drawing apps don’t fully manage CMYK the same way.

Practical tip: If you don’t see a color profile option, assume the app is using a default screen profile. Exporting as PNG/JPEG typically assumes sRGB-like behavior for online viewing.

4) Set background color intentionally

• White background: good for print previews and clean presentation.
• Mid-gray background: helps you judge values (lights and darks) without being biased by pure white.
• Transparent background: useful for stickers, overlays, and assets you’ll place on other backgrounds (export as PNG or TIFF to preserve transparency).

If you plan to export with transparency, confirm that your background layer is hidden or disabled before export.

5) Name and organize from the start

• Use a consistent naming pattern, e.g., project_subject_output_v01.
• Keep a folder structure like: Projects/Exports/References.

This matters because you’ll often export multiple versions (web size, print size, transparent PNG, etc.).

File Basics: What to Save, What to Export

Think of your work in two categories: a working file (editable) and export files (share/print).

Native project file (working file)

Your app’s native format (for example, a Procreate document, a Clip Studio file, a PSD, etc.) is designed to preserve editability.

• Usually preserves: layers, layer opacity, blend modes, masks (if supported), editable text (if supported), canvas settings.
• Best for: continuing work later, making revisions, keeping a master copy.
• Downside: not always easy to share or print directly; other devices/apps may not open it.

PNG (export)

• Preserves: transparency (alpha), crisp edges, lossless quality.
• Best for: line art, graphics, overlays, anything needing transparency.
• Downside: larger file size than JPEG.

JPEG (export)

• Preserves: a flattened image (no transparency), smaller file size.
• Best for: sharing finished illustrations/photos where small size matters.
• Downside: compression artifacts can soften lines and create blocky edges, especially around high-contrast line art.

TIFF (export)

• Preserves: high quality; can support lossless compression; may support layers depending on settings/software, but often used as a high-quality flattened print file.
• Best for: print workflows when a shop requests it, archiving high-quality outputs.
• Downside: large files; not ideal for quick sharing.

What “flattening” means

Most export formats for sharing (JPEG, many PNG exports) are flattened: all visible layers are merged into one image. That’s why you should keep a native project file as your editable master.

Guided Exercise: Build a Screen Canvas and a Print Canvas, Then Compare Exports

Goal

Create two documents with different targets, draw the same simple shape, export in different formats, and compare sharpness and edge quality at real viewing size.

Part A — Screen canvas

1. Create a new canvas:
   • Size: 3000 × 3000 px
   • Profile: sRGB (if available)
   • Background: mid-gray (optional, but helpful)
2. On a new layer, draw a simple shape:
   • A circle or square with a single clean outline.
   • Add one diagonal line across it (diagonals reveal jaggedness more clearly).
3. Export two versions:
   • PNG (to preserve crisp edges)
   • JPEG at high quality (to see compression differences)
4. View both exports at 100% on your tablet and (if possible) on your phone. Look closely at the diagonal line and the curve of the circle.

Part B — Print canvas

1. Create a new canvas:
   • Physical size: A4 (or Letter)
   • Resolution: 300 PPI
   • Profile: keep it simple; use sRGB unless your print workflow specifies otherwise
   • Background: white
2. Draw the same simple shape (circle/square + diagonal line) at a similar relative size on the page.
3. Export:
   • PNG (for a clean reference)
   • TIFF (if available) or a high-quality PNG if TIFF isn’t offered
4. Compare:
   • Open the exports and check them at 100% zoom.
   • Notice that the print canvas export likely has more pixels overall (because it’s designed to hold detail at 300 PPI).
   • If you can, print a small section (or the full page) to see how the line looks on paper.

What to observe (quick checklist)

• Does the JPEG version show slight fuzziness or blocky artifacts around the diagonal?
• Does the PNG keep the edge cleaner?
• At 100% view, which canvas looks sharper and why (pixel dimensions and intended output)?
• When you zoom in very far, do both look “jagged” because you’re seeing pixels?