Using an iPad + Apple Pencil as a graphic tablet ?

[laurent32]

Can I use my iPad (8th generation) + Apple Pencil as a graphic tablet in Affinity products (desktop) ?

If yes, how ?

Thanks.

[NotMyFault]

You can use some newer iPads (and latest OS version) as sidecar display connected to the main display of your Mac. Simply check it out.

Go to Finder/System Settings/Display and try to add the iPad. 
For me it works more reliable if paired by cable. WLAN is possible but less reliable.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210380

[laurent32]

Thanks @NotMyFault.

I did a test and… I don't find it terrific… I'm disappointed…

I wanted to move my pencil on the iPad and have that reflected on my other screens (one for the MacBook Pro + 2 others).

I don't need the iPad as screen number 4…

I wanted, for example, to get faster on selections with the pencil…

Am I doing something wrong ?

[laurent32]

I've got my mouse on the right hand, and I write with my left hand… that is a plus…

I'd like to keep my mouse in my right hand and have another pointing device in my left hand : I thought I could use the Apple Pencil that way…

[firstdefence]

Take a look at this: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/astropad-graphics-tablet/id934510730 and also a video...

Quote

 

Use your iPad to draw on your Mac! Astropad allows you to use your iPad to draw directly into Photoshop and any other Mac creative tools, including: Photoshop, Illustrator, Lightroom, Affinity, Corel Painter, Manga Studio, Pixelmator, Mischief and any other Mac app you like!

 

With Astropad, you get the high-end experience of a Wacom pen display at a fraction of the price. Connect wirelessly or over USB for complete creative freedom.

 

** Requires a Mac **

The Mac companion app is free and is available on http://astropad.com.

 

Watch our demo video at: http://astropad.com

 

Astropad Standard will remain free after purchase, with continual updates to improve performance.

 

Features:

• Provides a natural drawing experience

• Works with any Mac app

• Delivers unprecedented image quality, no compression artifacts

• Blazing fast, keeps up with your drawing

• Bursts to 60 FPS even over Wi-Fi

• Works wirelessly or over USB

• Supports Apple Pencil

• Pressure sensitive

• Customizable shortcuts

• True Retina resolution

• Accurate palm rejection

• Pinch to zoom and pan in your Mac apps

 

Great for:

• Illustration

• Sketching

• Painting

• Animation

• Photo

 

Supported Styluses:

• Apple Pencil

 

• "In short: it actually works." - The Verge

• "If you're a digital artist with an iPad, you need to give Astropad a try." - iMore

• "I found performance instantaneous with no lag time whatsoever." - The Next Web

• "Astropad's execution is much better...mirroring the display with zero lag and total reliability." - Gizmodo

• "Somebody should really go to Wacom HQ and make sure everyone's okay." - Uncrate

 

Creating Astropad required innovative new technology we call LIQUID. We tried existing technologies but none of them delivered the performance we demanded. So we developed LIQUID and we are now able to deliver incredible performance and image quality well beyond existing tools.

 

Powered by LIQUID technology

• 2x faster than AirPlay

• Better than the highest quality JPEG

• Designed specifically for Wi-Fi

 

Devices supported:

• iPad iOS 9.1 or later: iPad Mini 2 (2013+), iPad Air (2013+), iPad Pro (2016+), iPad 5th generation (2017+)

• All Macs with 10.11 or later

 

 

[R C-R]

2 hours ago, laurent32 said:

I don't need the iPad as screen number 4…

From the link @NotMyFault provided, 

Quote

 

If you want your iPad to mirror your Mac screen instead of extending its desktop:

• In macOS Monterey or later, choose a mirroring option from the Screen Mirroring menu  in the menu bar.¹
• In macOS Big Sur, choose a mirroring option from the Display menu in Control Center or the menu bar.
• In macOS Catalina, choose a mirroring option from the AirPlay menu ( or ) in the menu bar.²

 

I have not tried it but that should mirror the contents of the mac screen instead of adding it as another screen.

(Make sure you read the footnotes about how to make the mirror option available.)

[laurent32]

Thanks for the video @firstdefence.

In fact it is not what I'm looking for…

I'm looking for a pencil that would draw on my screen.

I don't want to look at the iPad, the iPad would just be the pencil's support for drawing.

In a way, I'd like to have a pencil that would act as a mouse…

I don't know if I'm very clear ?

- my eyes look at the screen

- left hand with the pencil (I can draw with it)

- right hand with the mouse (I can move in the canvas)

I might need a sort of a mini-wacom thing ?

[NotMyFault]

11 minutes ago, laurent32 said:

I'm looking for a pencil that would draw on my screen.

This is currently not available from Apple as far as I know.

https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/why-apple-will-never-make-touchscreen-mac/

There are several Windows based devices like Microsoft Surface which support a pencil applied directly to the screen, supported by Photo

 

[laurent32]

25 minutes ago, NotMyFault said:

This is currently not available from Apple as far as I know

Sorry, I wasn't clear :

I'm looking for a pencil that would draw on my screen while I move the pencil on my desk or on some object (maybe like a mini-wacom thing ?).

[NotMyFault]

31 minutes ago, laurent32 said:

Sorry, I wasn't clear :

I'm looking for a pencil that would draw on my screen while I move the pencil on my desk or on some object (maybe like a mini-wacom thing ?).

I'm not aware that this functionality is available from Apple.

Maybe some independent developers provide an App providing such functionality.

IF  you need the functionality of a Wacom tablet - buy one. iPad + Apple Pencil is no 1:1 replacement.

 

 

[laurent32]

Thanks @NotMyFault

I'm going to look after a small Wacom or a pencil (other than apple) that could work on any surface (=> convenient)…

[R C-R]

4 hours ago, laurent32 said:

I'm going to look after a small Wacom or a pencil (other than apple) that could work on any surface (=> convenient)…

The only thing I know of that will work on any surface is some mouses (mice?).

[laurent32]

15 minutes ago, R C-R said:

The only thing I know of that will work on any surface is some mouses (mice?).

Yes, it might be true… I guess I'll be searching for a mouse that looks like a pen !!!

Maybe something that's coming to the market ???? !!

[jfw222]

How about Astropad for the iPad?

[laurent32]

I took a look at the video that @firstdefence sent me but I'm not convinced…

It's not what I'm looking for…

I'd like to have a seconde mouse that would look like a pen…

I'm king of being able to work with 2 "mice", one in each hand…

left hand = "pen" mouse

right hand = classic mouse

[R C-R]

2 hours ago, laurent32 said:

Yes, it might be true… I guess I'll be searching for a mouse that looks like a pen !!!

I think it would have to be something with the same kind of high resolution camera in the tip as in a high end optical tracking mouse, but it would probably need to combine that with a built-in illuminator of some sort that that kind of mouse uses to shine light on the surface to be able to see the tiny variations in the surface texture. I can't see all that fitting into the tip of a slim pencil-shaped device so if there is such a thing, it probably is much thicker than a conventional pen stylus, & there probably is very little market demand for anything like that.

[laurent32]

Yes, I think hard to find (and make)…

I would love that pen to also be able to scan text (OCR)…

One side = like an Apple Pencil (without a pad) and the other side = a pen scanner…

Considering the size, it could be as large as some large feather pen like the Montblanc…

I know I'm asking a little too much… but imagine a pen without the tablet, it would be great !

[laurent32]

It could even replace the mouse…

Finally, working with a pen is even more intuitive (natural) than using a mouse…

[R C-R]

26 minutes ago, laurent32 said:

I would love that pen to also be able to scan text (OCR)…

One side = like an Apple Pencil (without a pad) and the other side = a pen scanner…

If you Google "handheld OCR scanners" you can find a few that are more or less pen shaped like this one at Amazon.com, but they look a bit bulky & I doubt there are any that also function like an optical mouse.

[laurent32]

Yes it look bulky…

Maybe I could start testing with a Wacom Intuos ?

I don't know if someone in the forum has one ?

Is it working on Mac ?

[R C-R]

8 minutes ago, laurent32 said:

Maybe I could start testing with a Wacom Intuos ?

That still uses a pen device that requires pressing on the tablet's surface to work, so you might as well try using your iPad & Apple pencil in mirror mode, as described in the Apple article @NotMyFault linked to in this earlier post.

[laurent32]

12 hours ago, R C-R said:

try using your iPad & Apple pencil in mirror mode

I've got 3 screens [ MacBook Pro screen + 31.5 inch + 27 inch (vertical) ] + iPad = total 4.

I want to work looking at my 31.5 inch.

I tried the mirror mode but I've got 3 problems :

1/ I get no pointer with the Apple Pencil moving "in the air" (no followup)

2/ when I touch the iPad with the Pencil, the cross (pointer) appears, but the cross is 1 or 2 cm under the area I touched

3/ in mirror mode, I only access my MacBook Pro screen, can't seem to be able to mirror one of my other screens…

A little complicated…