Overview

I tend to use Ergotron arms for my monitors and pen displays.

• Ergotron HX

• Ergotron LX

Ergotron HX

For >=24" pen displays, I use the Ergotron HX. This is a very well designed and rugged arm. I use it with:

• Wacom Cintiq Pro 27

• Huion Kamvas 24 Pro 4K

• Many 32" monitors

Ergotron LX

For ~22" pen displays I use the Ergotron LX. It's certainly not as rugged as the Ergotron HX, but it has been reliable and has a good range of motion.

Wobble

The Ergotron HX has less wobble than the Ergotron LX, but still has some wobble.

Overview

Sometimes your cable's just aren't long enough. However, you can purchase extension cables.

Key requirements for an extension cable

• For pen tablets

  • It needs to support data and small amount of power - any USB 2.0 extension cable should work

• For pen displays

  • It must support data

  • It must support DP alt mode

  • it must support the resolution and refresh rate you need

  • it must support sending enough power to your pen display

  • SAFETY CRITICAL it must support AT LEAST as much power as the tablet's original cable. If it is not rated to handle that much power it will be a safety / fire risk.

To better understand the needs of connecting a pen display see: Connecting a pen display.

The extension cable I use for pen displays

I use a 2 foot UseBean USB-C Extension cable. This product has worked well for me. I have run up to 4K@60Hz using this extension cable.

I used it in these ways:

• With a Huion Kamvas 22 Plus: I connect it to the USB-C end of a Huion 3-in-1 cable.

• With Wacom Cintiq Pro 16 (DTH-167): I connect it to the the USB-C cable that came with the Cintiq.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BB13ZNPQ

Be aware of how deeply the port is housed in the pen display

The specific USB-C extender above has a USB-port that fits into some pen displays, but some other pen displays have their USB-C port deeper inside and this cable cannot fit into those areas.

For example, this extender does NOT go deep enough to fit into a Huion Kamvas 13.

Links

• Teoh on Tech: Using Extension Cables with Pen Displays or Graphics Tablets (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7kvIGbnjzo)

• https://www.reddit.com/r/huion/comments/11wvplt/extending_the_3_in_1_cable/

Summary

I've been using a TourBox regularly since July of 2021. It's become required piece of equipment as I work on digital art. I have multiple drawing workstations each one has an individual TourBox device attached to it.

Adjustment time

I originally purchased the TourBox NEO in November of 2020. I used it for about a month and then quit. It was very difficult for me to remember to use the device. I would often end up falling back to using my normal keyboard shortcuts. After a few weeks, I put it back in its box and left it there untouched for about 4 months.

After a particularly frustrating drawing session where I had to use keyboard shortcuts heavily, I committed to retraining myself on the TourBox device. I brought it out of storage, and made a concerted effort to make it part of my workflow.

• I forced myself to not touch the keyboard

• I read the user manual

• I learned out to customize it

• I tweaked the shortcuts in my drawing application to make it easier use the TourBox for some tasks.

After about six months my brain was fully trained to use the TourBox instead of relying on keyboard shortcuts. It was well worth that investment of time, because it made me much more productive.

What I like about the TourBox

Productivity

It has made me more productive simply be letting me not have to disrupt my flow by looking at the keyboard or remembering an obscure shortcut.

The TourBox Console app

The accompanying TourBox Console application is very user friendly. It is very easy to configure the device in general and to create configurations for specific applications.

A great feature of the application is it has an auto switching feature which you can enable or disable. This is very important because this means switch between windows, the appropriate configuration for that application will be used by the TourBox. You don't have to manually switch it settings.

The software is also updated quite frequently.

Connectivity

The TourBox NEO supports only a wired USB connection.

The TourBox ULTRA supports both wired and Bluetooth connection. One negative of the ultra for me is that it uses normal non-rechargeable batteries. So that's kind of irritating to have to replace them every now and then.

Importing / Exporting configurations

I have 2 machines - each with its own TourBox. One nice feature of the TourBox Console app is that it lets export the configuration for a specific app and then import it on another machine.

What could be better

I wish the dials and wheels had a little more resistance to movement. I have this scroll wheel set to control my brush size. And sometimes I accidentally brush against it and change my brush size and I don't notice that until later. I don't use the large spinning dial at all. I had it set to rotate the canvas. However then I was accidentally rotating my canvas far too often. So now I do not use the dial it all.

Profile syncing

It would be nice if I could have the TourBox software automatically sync all my TourBox devices to have the same configuration without me having to go through the export/import process.

Limitations with Microsoft store apps

With Windows there's also an interesting limitation. It has to deal with apps like concepts which are not normal windows applications but are ones designed for the Microsoft Store. Apparently these applications are built differently. And the TourBox device cannot set a profile for those applications. An example of such an application is the concepts app. I really enjoy sketching with this application. But the TourBox cannot bind to it. So I cannot have an application specific configuration for it. I do not know if this limitation is because of the TourBox software or how windows works or a combination of both those factors.

How I configure my TourBox

Partial setup for Clip Studio Paint

I've used two screen cleaning sprays: WOOSH AN MISTIFY. And both work well.

I spray the into a microfiber towel that comes with the bottle. I want the cloth damp and not wet.

These sprays also works on pen tablets, but the effects aren't especially dramatic.

Here's a good video showing WOOSH in use: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zNUKkehnpc

Micro-USB to USB-C

Some older tablets use a Micro-USB port for use with a Micro-USB to USB-A cable.

Instead of such a cable, I use a Micro-USB to USB-A adapter and connect it to to my computer with a more common USB-C to USB-A cable or a USB-C to USB-C able.

This is the specific adapter I use: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BDLB86RT/

This adapter is useful for working with

• Wacom Intuos (CTL-4100, CTL-4100WL, CTL-6100, CTL-6100WL)

• One Wacom by Wacom (CTL-472, CTL-672)

Looking for HDMI adapters?

Check here: HDMI adapters for pen displays

Overview

You may notice that some tablet users wear drawing gloves. Sometimes these gloves even come inside the tablet box. Unlike a normal glove, usually a drawing glove only covers the last two fingers and leaves your other two fingers uncovered.

Benefits

The gloves keep the screen free from sweat and oil from your hand.

Primarily they are worn by people using pen displays (tablets that have a screen) though they work just as well with pen tablets.

They can also be useful in helping with palm rejection with tablets that support touch.

Cleaning the gloves

Some people just wash them as laundry. Others hand wash with a mild detergent

• r/huion - How should I wash my artist glove? 2023/05/31

• r/Arttips - Can you machine wash an art glove? 2021/07/15

Examples

Wacom drawing glove (ACK4472501Z)

Huion drawing glove

XP-Pen AC08 S/M/L Artist Drawing Glove

This one is available in three sizes to better fit your needs.

Resources

• Huion - Why Do We Need the Drawing Gloves?

• 2024/02/03

• 2024/02/17

Overview

When using a drawing tablet, you will often need to provide additional input to the computer. For example, press a shortcut key to change brushes.

Some tablets have built-in buttons and dials called to perform that task. These express keys can be customized and even be configured to different things when you are using different applications.

But some tablets don't have these express keys or some people just don't like using them, so they rely on other input devices.

Drawing tablet remote controllers

Wacom, Xencelabs, Huion, etc. make "remotes" that essentially offload the work of the express keys to a separate wireless device.

Creative controllers

This is a very specialized category as it is intended for creatives and not gaming.

TourBox

The device I use is the TourBox Neo. It looks like a game controller, but is really a fancy programmable keypad. More here:

Clip Studio Tabmate

Gaming keypads and controllers

Although they are intended for gaming, programmable gaming keypads are also popular for shortcuts.

Examples:

• Razer Tartarus Pro - Razer makes several models in the Tartarus series

• Redragon K585

• Logitech G13 Gaming Keypad

• Playstation controller

Streaming keypads

These are targeted at the streamer audience, but many use them for other scenarios.

ElGato Stream Deck

The most popular one to look at here is the ElGato Stream Deck. It has programmable buttons - each with its own customizable LCD icon - that are grouped into profiles. And with its Smart Profiles feature it can switch to different profiles depending on which application you are using.

I used one of these for a couple of months with CSP but I stopped eventually because the vast majority of what I needed was accounted for by the TourBox.

Loupedeck

LoupeDeck controllers could also be used. There are several models available such as the Loupedeck Live and Loupedeck CT. I tried thesed in 2023 but felt their software was very difficult to use.

Tiny Keyboards

MIDI devices

Some people use a MIDI device with some additional software to translate the MIDI data to keystrokes as another way to enter shortcut keys and use dials.

Considerations

App-specific profiles - you'll probably want an input device that can map its inputs differently for different apps. In other words, you set up one profile for Krita and one profile for Clip Studio Paint. The TourBox has this feature.

Auto-switching profiles - Ideally the device should switch its profile depending on which app is showing on your screen. This way switch profiles doesn't require any change to the device. The TourBox has this feature.

Overview

Some pens let you swap out the grip area of the pen to customize the feeling of the pen.

Wacom Pro Pen 3

This pen comes with several different grips or can be used without a grip.

Hagurumado woodcrafts

Hagurumado woodcrafts () offers wooden grips for select models of Wacom pens.

I have this model () shown below which I use with a KP-504E pen. It was easy to swap out the original grip. The wood adds some "warmth" to the touch and just looks very elegant.

Model: "Wooden Grip for Wacom Pro Pen 2 (KP-504E) [Thick Bodied with Button hole]"

Make your own grip

Some people make their own grips using

• Raquetball tape

• Hockey tape

• Yarn

Overview

Foxbox () makes customized protective covers. You can add an image to your cover to personalize it in any way you want.

Who uses these covers?

These covers are very popular in the osu! gaming community.

Can be used for pen displays?

NO. FoxBox only sells opaque covers that are useful for pen tablets.

Texture

These covers are WAY MORE TEXTURED than any pen tablet surface. Honestly are probably too textured and will eat up nibs. I was using this FoxBox cover while testing a metal nib so nib wear was not a concern.

Thickness

I measured the thickness at 0.3mm with a digital caliper/

Durability

These are very durable. I'm sure I could scratch them if I tried to with a knife or some sharp edge but I think a plastic nib would not be doing much to the surface.

Removal

They are not difficult to remove.

However, you should be a little careful with an Intuos Pro medium or Large which have removable texture sheets. When I removed the Foxbox cover I wasn't paying attention and actually removed both the Foxbox cover and removable sheet. So pay attention to that if you use these with an Intuos Pro.

My foxbox cover

Here's the foxbox cover I ordered for my Wacom Intuos Pro (PTH-860). The image is one I designed myself. I wanted some bright colors contrast with the boring black plastic of my many

Overview

Photodon () creates screen protectors for many devices - and this includes many pen displays. They have a choice of materials and you can even order custom sizes.

Direct link to their protectors for drawing tablets:

How to install

Installation process:

Film choices

Photodon has different types of film. Some have more anti-glare effect and some have less.

Of the films they have, the one that reduced glare but didn't add too much AG sparkle was the Photodon MXT AG film. Photodon ranks this as a "50%" reduction in glare.

Custom sizes

Photodon has many pre-cut films that apply to a large number of drawing tablets. But they also offer custom sizes. You just need to know the size dimensions of the film you want.

Sample packs

Instead of guessing which one will work for you, order Photodon's sample kits so you can try out a little piece of the screen protection before you decide to purchase the full sheet.

These sample packs are inexpensive and i HIGHLY SUGGEST you try them out before you make a pruchase decision for a full sheet.

My experience with photodon

Background

Tablet enthusiast, Kuuube, uses velvet lexan sheets.

Product

ePlastics 0.010" X 24" X 48" VELVET/MATTE ()

Size and cutting

These sheets from ePlastics are very large: 24"x48". When you order them you can specify how to cut them to fit your tablet exactly. You will also have to pay for the cuts. The burden on getting the correct dimensions is on you. You will receive the exact dimensions you wanted and you will receive any excess leftover parts of the sheet.

Texture

One side has a texture and the other is smoother but not slippery. So depending on yuor preference, you can place that side up.

Attaching to the tablet

These sheets do NOT come with an adhesive.

They can be secured done to the tablet with:

• regular tape. I sometimes use gaffer tape on the edges. It is ugly and inelegant, but it works.

• adhesive transfer tape such as:

Can be used for pen displays? NO. They are not transparent enough.

Overview

There are several options for stands below:

• Attached stands

• Unattached stands

• Complex stands

If you are looking for iPad-specific stands stands go here:

Attached stands

Here's a typical VESA-attached stand. This one came pre-attached to the XP-Pen Artist 22 Plus. It is my favorite VESA-attached stand because the wide lever is easy to reach and operate.

VESA is a standard to mount displays to various things using screws. More here:

Here is another stand from Huion. This was works fine, though I find its level a little more diffucult to find and use.

These stands attach to the back of tablet via screws. Because they are VESA compatible, they work with any drawing tablet that is VESA mountable.

It's important to match the stand with the height of the pen display. A stand designed for a smaller pen display will have its angle adjustment lever in a position so that it is convenient to reach by putting your hand over the top of the display. However when used with a large display that lever may be much more difficult to reach.

Unattached stands

here are the key features:

• They are height/angle adjustable

  • Some can vary the angle continually and you can lock them into a specific preferred angle

  • Some only support 1 or two angles

• They have a "lip" at the bottom to help secure the tablet

• The tablet is not attached to the stand

• They have rubberized surfaces on top to prevent the tablet from sliding off too easy

• They have rubberized surfaces on the bottom to prevent the stand from moving around on the desk

These stands are simple and inexpensive, but beware that since the tablet is not secured to the stand, it can be easy to knock the tablet of the stand.

Stand options:

Complex stands

Stands I use

• I use the Huion ST100A stand with my Huion Kamvas Pro 19

Overview

Using a monitor arm with your pen display comes down to whether your pen display is VESA mountable.

• If your pen display is VESA mountable, you can use a VESA compatible monitor arm.

• If your pen display is not VESA mountable, there are some options

Arms for pen displays without VESA support

Smaller pen displays are about the size of a laptop, so you can try an arm designed to hold a laptop.

Here is an example:

Here's some creative DIY solutions:

Wacom Flex arm

Wacom has designed an arm for their Cintiq line called the Wacom Flex arm that is specifically designed for their product. Not that this arm only works with specific Cintiq models.

• Dec 17, 2018

• Dec 10, 2018

Wacom VESA mount

If you already have a monitor arm you can use the Wacom VESA Mount for Cintiq 24 & 32 with it to mount those specific models.

Huion ST500 Desktop Arm

Huion has a monitor arm which appears to be a rebranded version of a generic monitor arm.

North Bayou

This brand comes up a lot when people mention what arms they use, but I don't have any personal experience with them.

• North Bayou F100A

• North Bayou F80

Ergotron

I use this brand a lot.

My notes on Ergotron monitor arms

VIVO VESA monitor and touch screen desk stand

I just ordered this in August 2024, so I haven't had time to use it yet. By September, I'll have some initial notes on it.

Wobble

All monitor arms have some amount of wobble. Some have more and some have less. But NONE of them feel "rock solid"

One thing that will help reduce the wobble is if the bottom of the pen display rests on something like your desk.

If you want to have ZERO wobble you need to use a stand with your pen display.

Resources

Overview

For connecting my pen displays I often use this cable: CableMatters [Intel Certified] 20Gps Thunderbolt 3 cable (6.6 ft) supporting 100W charging. ()

Testing setup

Windows setup

• Surface Pro 8

• TB3 cable plugged directly between Surface Pro and pen tablet

MacOS setup

• M3 MacBook Pro

• TB3 cable plugged directly between MacBook and pen tablet

Note on recessed USB-C ports and cable plug thickness

• For the CableMatters Usb-C cable, the cable ends are a little too thick to be plugged into some ports that are recessed.

• I had to remove some plastic from one of the ends to fit it into the tablets using a knife.

• This plastic was tough to cut. I didn't do a very clean job but it just barely fits into the port - the fit is very snug and I should probably remove just a little more.

Testing results

Remember this is testing with my hardware. Your computer may not supply enough power via its USB-C ports to match my results.

Basics

Paperlike for iPad is a screen protector that adds a little extra texture to the surface of the iPad.

Using Paperlike with iPads

• 2024/05/24

• 2017/09/25

• 2020/08/16

• 2020/05/08

• 2019/03/17

Using Paperlike with drawing tablets

Some people want more texture and have suggested trying paper like on drawing tablets. I gave this a brief test with a pen tablet. Here are my thoughts:

• The texture feeling is strongly dependent on the nib material. For example:

  • Apple pencil - The texture is very apparent. Pencil clearly grips the surface

  • Huion PW550 (felt nib) - a little less texture than the surface of the Huion Kamvas Pro 19

  • Wacom Pro Pen 2 - the texture was a little less than the Intuos Pro standard texture

  • Wacom Pro Pen 3 - the texture was a little less than the Intuos Pro standard texture

• Overall I didn't find it worth it for pen tablets.

• Generally: I wouldn't describe the feeling "like paper". but when working with the Apple Pencil it definitely adds a lot more grip to the surface. Unfortunately that doesn't extend to the drawing tablet pens i tried.

Overall

I am very happy with this stand. It makes it easy to use my pen displays as a monitor and then put them in a position that is convenient for drawing. See the photos at the bottom of this document for some examples of what it looked like with a 22" pen display attached.

Basics

product page

VESA

It does support VESA mounting.

Assembly

The stand comes in several pieces. The package comes with the screws and two hex wrenches.

Putting it together is not difficult. And the user manual is clear on what to do.

You will need a Philips-head screwdriver to attach it to a pen display with the provided screws.

Wobble

Like all stands and arms thee is some wobble if you press on it. This is normal and was not a disappointment.

However, there is a good range of motion and adjusting so that the bottom edge of my 22" pen display touches the desk helps tremendously in stabilizing it.

Tensiona adjustment

The tension on the arm is adjustable with one of the provided hex wrenches. I turned down the tension to work with my 22" pen display.

Other notes

The base was surprisingly heavy.

Photos and notes

I attached the table with the screws and used the washers in this way because I thought it would be a more secure fit.

This is where the tension is adjusted.

The rotation on the stand goes about +/- 45 degrees

This is about as high that the display can go.

With my 22" display I could lower it such that the display could securely rest on the desk.

It can be tiled back. I was able to keep the bottom edge of the displayt securely on the desk up to 35 degrees.

But at angles greater than 45 the edge of the display could not touch the desk.

Here are some more extreme angles.

Basics

• AC41 stand - designed for 16" pen displays

• AC42 stand - designed for 13" pen displays

More here:

Videos

• Sep 18, 2018

• - Dec 3, 2019

• - Mar 5, 2022

• - Feb 26, 2022

• Jan 6, 2022

• 2022/10/31

• 2023/12/06

Overview

There are many options to protect the surface of your tablet from scratches, etc. There are options for both pen tablets (screenless tablets) and pen displays (screen tablets).

Considerations for all tablets

• Protectors do not interfere with the pen - These protective sheets do NOT interfere with how your pen works. The EMR signal from the pen, passes right through non-metallic materials such as plastic or glass.

• Protectors do not interfere with touch - But check with the protector manufacturer to be sure.

Considerations for pen displays

• Transparency - Protective sheets for pen displays must, of course, be transparent. Make sure you verify any protector you buy is intended for use with a pen display.

• Anti-glare - you have to consider if the have an anti-glare treatment and how much anti-glare sparkle they cause. Some people are very sensitive to the amount of sparkle. So factor that into your choice. More here: .

Protection from the tablet manufacturer

• Built-in screen protection on pen displays - Some pen displays arrive with a protective film already on top of the screen. The purpose of this screen is to prevent glare and protect the glass. It may be possible to replace that film. Contact your manufacturer to see if they sell replacement films. As an example: The Huion Kamvas 13 has a protective film on top of it that can be replaced:

• Wacom makes Texture Sheets available for its Intuos Pro pen tablets. More here:

Third-party surface protection

• atFoliX - These are listed on amazon and eBay for a variety of sizes and products. I've never tried them. These protectors are clear and be used for pen displays.

iPad protectors

• Bellemond

• Benks
• SuperShieldz

DIY protection

• You can in theory make your own surface protection

Links

Sketchboard Pro for iPad

The Sketchboard Pro for iPads provides a stand which integrates the iPad into the surface. I use it occasionally for when I paint on my iPad.

Site:

Some notes

• It is a little expensive for what it is, but I do enjoy it.

• Comes in different sizes to fit your iPad

• Still leaves space for charging the Apple Pencil 2 and a USB-C cable connection

• iPad relatively secure in it in normal use. But I would not suggest holding it upside down to test whether the iPad will fall out.

• The extra bezel area is nice. At first I thought it was going to be too big. But it's very comfortable.

Reviews

Astropad Darkboard

Sketchslate for iPad

Overview

For their drawing setips, sometimes people use smaller keyboards. The smaller size makes it easier to keep near the tablet without taking up too much space

Examples of small keyboards

There are many smaller keyboard available, here are just a few examples.

Wacom keyboard

This small keyboard hasn't been in stock for a while. (https://estore.wacom.com/en-US/wireless-keyboard-us-english-wkt400.html)

Nuphy Air 60

(https://nuphy.com/collections/keyboards/products/air60)

CinTweak keyboard holder

https://cintweak.com/

This device is intended to keep your keyboard easily accessible when using a large drawing tablet.

Videos

• CreateNowSleepLater - CinTweak Universal Keyboard Tray for Wacom Cintiq, Huion, and XPPen Review

Overview

TourBox (https://www.tourboxtech.com/) makes an input device that simplifies doing artwork with a drawing tablet. My notes on using the TourBox

Summary

Essentially the TourBox is like a keyboard/keypad that looks like a game controller - where the buttons are completely customizable. A single key or dial can even be set do perform different functions for different applications.

The key benefit of this device is that instead of using the keyboard while you are drawing - which frequently, you can use the TourBox instead to perform common actions like

• zoom in / zoom out

• undo / redo

• change brush size

• switch tools

There are three models:

• TourBox NEO - this was the first version

• TourBox ELITE - this is an improved version that supports some haptic feedback and has wireless support

• TourBox LITE - This is a simpler version that is just as big as the NEO and ELITE and has fewer controls.

TourBox NEO

• Brad Colbow review of TourBox NEO 2020/09/04

• uricksaladbar review of TourBox NEO 2021/10/29

• Todd Dominey review of TourBOX NEO 2021/10/17

TourBox Elite

• Create Now Sleep Later review of the TourBox Elite 2024/11/29

• Aaron Rutten review of TourBox ELITE 2024/04/03

• Nadiaxel review of TourBox ELITE 2023/06/15

• BoroCG review of TourBox ELITE 2021/12/02

• PetaPixel revie of TourBox ELITE 2021/12/11

TourBox LITE

• Todd Dominey review of TourBox LITE 2024/13/03

Overview

Especially if you are traveling you should consider getting a protective case so that your tablet does not get damaged.

• For pen tablets they can get easily scratched.

• For pen displays not only can they get scratched, but you might crack the glass, or a drop my break something inside.

• Even your pens may deserve some amount of protection. As I've mentioned many times if you drop your pen especially with the nib hitting the floor you can really damage your pen irreparably.

Below are some options that I have seen people suggest. I don't own any of these cases so I cannot speak from direct personal experience. So make sure do you research and get community feedback on what works for them.

Cases for drawing tablets

Gator Screen Saver Totes

These are padded transport bags intended for monitors - but will serve the save role for pen displays.

Shop here: Gator Store: Screen Saver Totes

Case Club

site: https://www.caseclub.com/

They have a variety of cases. And even one for a specific pen display: https://www.caseclub.com/product/wacom-cintiq-pro-24-case/

Moko cases

These cases are focused around iPads and similar tablets. They may be useful for small to medium pen tablets. Shop here: Moko store on Amazon

Targus Laptop Sleeves

These are meant for laptops but can also work for drawing tablets. These come in several sizes.

Targus 16" Laptop Sleeve - (https://www.target.com/p/targus-16-34-pulse-slipcase-laptop-sleeve-black-purple/-/A-86228148)

Notes on iPad cases

Possible magnetic interference - Something to look out for. Some cases have magnets that can interfere with the Apple Pencil. See this reddit post.

Cases for pens

• Eyeglass cases

• Cases meant for pens or pencils

• Examples of small cases for pens:

  • https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FWE0DQY/ref=sspa_dk_detail_2?pd_rd_i=B01FWE0DQY

Overview

Product page:

Videos