Problem with pen pressure (AD)

[veioka]

Hi there!

I'm having a problem with my graphics tablet and Affinity Designer. I'm using the Huion Q11K. Unfortunately, pen pressure doesn't seem to work properly. I feel like my tablet is too sensitive and I don't know how to fix that.

I would like the vector brush stroke to switch from thin to thick smoothly. As you can see on the screenshots attached, my strokes are either thin or thick - anything in between. When I want the stroke to be thin, I must touch the tablet extremely gently (almost levitating). Adding any more pressure causes the stroke to be thick. Not having a seamless transition drives me crazy. I have no idea whether it's my fault or the tablet is broken. 

I've already tried:

• reinstalling the drivers, updating them
• charging both the pen and the tablet
• connecting the tablet to different USB ports 
• using the tablet wirelessly
• turning off Windows Ink  
• changing the input in Edit -> Preferences -> Tools
• changing the pen nib
• changing the curve in the Huion Tablet app (pen pressure graph)

and nothing seems to work in this case. Or maybe I just can't figure out how to set up the pen pressure graph... I have to admit, that I tend to use a lot of pressure, even if I make notes in the notebook. 

I hope that I've explained everything clearly. I'm a beginner lettering artist, so a well-functioning graphics tablet is everything.

Many thanks in advance!

 

Operating system: Windows 10

Affinity Designer version: 1.10.1.1142

Huion software version: 14.8.166.1482

[Callum]

Hi Veioka,

Welcome to the forums

If you try using the pressure functionality without a custom pressure curve set does this issue still occur? If you change the tablet input method to Windows INK does this issue still occur? Do you have any custom Windows INK settings that may be conflicting with the apps?

Thanks

C

[veioka]

Hello @Callum, thanks for a prompt response! 😇

• "If you try using the pressure functionality without a custom pressure curve set does this issue still occur?" 
  In my case, the pen pressure graph was by default set to curve number 3. I mean the one next to the pink "h". I wasn't satisfied with the way it worked. That's why I decided to customize the curve and see whether it helps (it didn't).
   
• "If you change the tablet input method to Windows INK does this issue still occur? Do you have any custom Windows INK settings that may be conflicting with the apps?"
  Yes, unfortunately, this issue still occurs after changing the tablet input method to Windows INK. I've never changed anything in the Windows INK tab, so I assume that everything there should be fine.

I'm attaching screenshots so it's easier to see what happens. The Huion app looks a little out-of-date because some days ago I tried to install the v13 drivers. I've heard that installing the older ones may help. However, my pen pressure issue occurs with every version of Huion drivers.

Do you think this issue arise from my device? Or maybe from the brush I'm using? 

I hope that everything is clear, many thanks for your support!

[Andreas Scherer]

The same effect occurs on Apple Mac:

• Mac Mini (Late 2014) running macOS 10.13.6
• Affinity Designer 1.10.4
• Huion Tablet H950P
• Huion Driver 15.5.3.350

In the driver test panel I get a smooth transition from thin to thick and back,

but in Affinity Designer increased pressure jumps to maximum ink output.

(A privately owned Wacom tablet “Intuos Pro S” (PTH-451) with driver 6.3.44-2 gives much better results, but here at work I have the Huion tablet.)

[ATJ]

I'm having the same issue. Has someone found a solution to this?

[ATJ]

I think I've found something that helps actually. With a similar (hard) pressure setting set in the Huion Tablet settings to the one shown by Andreas Scherer, I found that the pens in Affinity Designer show a jump in thickness when the pen pressure setting is left on the default (as illustrated by Andreas Scherer). In contrast, when the pressure curve is changed in the settings for the Affinity Designer brush itself (see image below), and it is set to the softest curve (as in the image below), the issue (almost entirely) goes away.

[angier]

In my humble opinion, the problem with the abrupt pen pressure happens across all software platforms in Affinity. I have spent hours trying to fix the issue as well because I thought the problem was me. However, a few months ago I saw a YouTube video by someone who reviews drawing tablets and drawing programs. He had the same problem with the little bit of "thick to thin" string at the end of his strokes.

 

In V2 I there is a new option in the raster brushes Dynamics panel called "Distance". "Distance" doesn't work very good in "Rope Mode" but in "Windows Mode" it has helped me tremendously in gaining control over my curve values. However, when I use  "Distance" the "Force Pressure" button has to be turned off.  And, if I wish to continue the stroke with manual pen pressure again, I have to stop the brush stroke, turn distance off and try to seamlessly pick up where I stopped the stroke. Please see the attached examples.

 

All in all, while the brush panel options need some work, I can't tell  you how happy I am with the entire re-write of the Affinity programs. I am working on an older computer system and I do not have near the amount of high-memory functionality problems that I had in V1. That being said, Affinity is on the right track and I'm sure the brushes panel will get some more love soon! So in the mean time, maybe try working with the "Distance" curve option for smoother brush strokes, as well as using the solution suggested by ATJ. ATJ's suggestion sounds like a great one to try.