10 Best Drawing Tablets for 3D Modeling, Sculpting and Texture Painting

3D digital art is a huge industry. Animation movies from Disney and Pixar, 3D games, modern architecture and planning, fashion designers, and many more rely heavily on the use of 3D art.

The 3d model is the virtual object that you have created by specialized software like 3ds Max, Zbrush and Blender. 3D models can be used in realistic photos or movies, they can be animated, and they can be 3d printed.

Creating beautiful 3D models requires some specialized tools. Apart from a 3d modeling software, the drawing tablet is another important tool that you must have while 3d modeling, sculpting and texture painting.

With a graphics tablet, even a cheap 30 USD one, you get pressure sensitivity and a more natural way of moving your hand around. There’s also more freedom in the movements that you can make.

The best drawing tablets for 3d modeling, sculpting and texture painting can open up a whole new world of creative possibilities.

However, since there are so many different models, prices, and brands out there, finding the right drawing tablet for you can be confusing and overwhelming.

Thankfully, we’re here to help! In this article, we will discuss whether a drawing tablet is ideal for 3d art, whether you personally will benefit from one.

Finally, No matter what level of experience and features you need, we’ve put together a list of some of the best pen display monitors and graphic tablets for 3D artists in 2024.

Which program is best for 3D Modeling, Sculpting and Texture Painting?

The best 3D modelling software will allow you to create amazing 3D art and Unleash your creativity. Some of the most popular options include 3Ds Max, Maya, Blender, Cinema 4D, Rhino 3D, Sketchup, Houdini, Modo,and etc.

There are a few different options available when it comes to 3D sculpting software. Some of the most popular options include Zbrush, Sculptris, Mudbox, Blender, Modo and etc.

3D Texture Painting software allows users to texture and add materials directly to 3D meshes in real-time. Some of the most popular options include Substance Painter, Photoshop, 3DCoat, Quixel Mixer, Armor Paint, Zbrush, Blender and etc.

What’s a drawing tablet and what types are there?

A graphic tablet, also known as a drawing tablet or digitizing tablet, is an input device for computers that allows users to draw, sketch, or paint on a flat surface using a stylus or pen-like device.

The stylus or pen sends the digital signal to the computer, allowing the user to create digital art, graphics, and designs.

Graphic tablets come in a variety of sizes and styles, and can be used for a wide range of applications, including digital art, graphic design, animation, and video editing.

There are three different types of graphic tablets, including:

Traditional Pen tablets: These tablets come with a stylus and a flat, active surface for drawing. You connect these to a computer through a USB cable or wireless.

Since they do not have an integrated screen, so you will have to look at the monitor but not your hand. This requires well-developed hand-eye coordination and need some time to adapt yourself to it.

However, they tend to be cheaper than their built-in display counterparts. These tablets also tend to be more durable and may last you many years.

Since non-screen graphics tablets are usually much more affordable, we definitely recommend beginners to buy them like the Wacom Intuos, Huion inspiroy or XP-Pen Deco.

Pen display monitors: These tablets include a built-in screen, allowing the user to see the digital art, graphics, or designs as they are created. drawing on its surface feels almost identical to drawing on paper.

Even though they have their own screen surface that you can draw on, you still need a computer in order to use them.

Another disadvantage of pen displays is that they are more expensive than screenless graphics tablets.

Wacom Cintiq, Huion Kamvas and XP-Pen Artist are the top 3 most popular series of drawing tablet monitors. You can choose from a wide range of sizes from 10 inches to 32 inches.

Standalone Drawing tablets: 3D artists who are constantly on the move, opt to go for the Standalone drawing tablet with a built-in computer, stylus and screen. These tablets eliminates the need of a second device and will give you more portability.

These types of devices are some of the most expensive drawing tablets out there. But they are also multipurpose tablet that doubles up as multimedia devices.

Some popular examples of standalone drawing tablets include the Wacom Mobilestudio Pro, Microsoft Surface Pro, Samsung Galaxy Tab, and the Apple iPad Pro.

It’s important to note that the choice of graphic tablet will depend on the individual’s needs, budget, and preferences, as well as the type of work you will be doing.

What are the benefits of 3D modeling, sculpting and texture painting using a drawing tablet?

Modeling: Although it is not absolutely necessary to have a drawing tablet to do 3D modelling, having one can make the process easier and more efficient.

A drawing tablet gives you more precise control over the 3D model, allowing you to adjust the shape and size of elements more accurately.

Additionally, if you are using software with a more intuitive user interface, such as ZBrush or Maya, a drawing tablet can make the process of creating 3D models easier and faster.

Sculpting: It’s not impossible to use mouse for 3d sculpting in Zbrush or other app. But the mouse lacks presure sensitivity and you will just waste time sculpting with a mouse.

Using pen tablet for sculpting is much more efficient. Sculpting with tablet gives you more control and the whole process just seems more natural.

Tilt and pressure sensitivity are very important to get details. Pressure sensitivity compensates for the differences in brush strength, whereas precision allows for each stroke to appear exactly how it was intended.

Texture painting: Drawing tablet is ideal for painting textures in any application that supports texture painting in app, or a dedicated texture app like Substance Painter.

It feels natural to use the stylus, as you hold it just as you would a pen or brush. This also has great ergonomic benefits, which is something that a mouse can’t do.

Some 3D artists have repetitive stress injuries that make using a mouse uncomfortable, and favor a tablet for that reason.

How to choose a Graphics Tablet for 3D Modeling, Sculpting and Texture Painting?

There are a lot of factors to consider when looking into a pen or display tablet for 3D Modeling, Sculpting and Texture Painting.

Size of active area

The overall size of both the tablet and the working space is another important consideration. You want to make sure that the drawing space is large enough to be worked with comfortably.

Get at least an a5 or a4 size for non-screen tablet. A bigger active area will enable you to work on larger drawings more easily without the need for zooming and panning.

With a small A6 or even A7 drawing tablet it can get a little difficult navigating as it requires a more exact movement.

Screen

Pen displays can range from 10-inches all the way up to 32-inches. The larger the pen display, the more expensive it is. Our general recommendation is to get something that’s at least 13-inches or larger.

Most pen displays run 1920 x 1080 resolution, aka 1080P Full HD. There are pen displays with higher resolution, such as 2K 1440P QHD and 4K 2160P UHD.

The higher the resolution, the higher the price. More resolution also provides sharper visuals, depending on your screen size.

Try to get a pen display that supports or exceeds the 100% sRGB color gamut. The colours will look more vibrant and more accurate. Good displays are those that use IPS LCD panels, and those have good viewing angles too.

Programable Buttons

Having programmable function buttons are by far not essential but are great to have. They allow you to map keyboard shortcuts to them to avoid having to use a keyboard for some actions.

Pressure Sensitivity

Pressure sensitivity means how responsive the tablet will be to the amount of pressure you apply to it with your stylus. Tablets with high-pressure sensitivity provide thicker and darker lines when you apply more pressure, and thin and less opaque lines when you apply light pressure.

When purchasing a drawing tablet it is pretty standard to have 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity this is basically a measure of how responsive a brush is to pressure. Some cheaper ones with will have half of that with 4096 levels. 8192 levels is preferred, however 4096 is adequate.

Tilt Recognition

When making 3D models, You will want tilt Recognition support so that you can get the right angles to mimic natural brush strokes.

Compatibility

Compatibility is one of the first things you need to check because if the tablet you purchase cannot work with your laptop, PC or any other device, it will be useless.

This is because most drawing tablets are not stand-alone devices and you need to connect them to another device like a laptop to use them.

Always check the operating systems that are compatible with the tablet. Luckily, Most brands provide compatibility with Windows and Mac operating systems.

Additionally, While the iPad Pro (iOS) and samsung galaxy tab (Android) has hardware that is up to the task of 3d modeling, there is a lack of software. None of the major 3d packages are available.

Brands

Wacom tablets have always been considered the industry standard for digital artists and designers. They are known for their high-quality pressure sensitivity and natural feel.

However, Wacom tablets comes with a hefty price tag which is not ideal if you are just starting out. But it may be a good investment someday.

If you’re an artist on a budget or simply prefer a different brand, there are plenty of Wacom alternatives out there: Huion, XP-Pen, Gaomon, Veikk, Ugee, Parblo, Xencelabs and etc.

10 Best Drawing Tablets for 3D Modeling, Sculpting and Texture Painting in 2024

Below, we’ll take a look at some of the best drawing tablets for 3D Modeling, Sculpting and Texture Painting in 2024. We’ll cover their features and give you our top picks for the ultimate drawing experience. So, let’s get started!

1. XP-Pen Deco Pro

XP-Pen Deco Pro is a great looking tablet, with great drawing performance. The linework and pressure all register perfectly.

It is available in two sizes: small version with 9 x 5 inches active area, medium version with a really massive 11 x 6 inches of working area. Both offer ample drawing area.

The Deco Pro tablet is crafted with an aluminium casing and features a 7mm thin thickness. The black and silver colour scheme blends well into its streamlined design, making it both smooth to use and sleek in appearance.

As such a professional designed tablet, Deco Pro has been awarded as the Red Dot Design Award Winner and the Good Design Award Winner!

One of the unusual features of the Deco MW is wireless Bluetooth 5.0. Connection is stable and its responsive. Battery life when using Bluetooth is rated at 10 hours.

It also features a new type of dual function wheel, which has a physical wheel on the outside and a touch wheel in the center, as well as 8 hotkeys which makes your sculpting work easier.

The PA1 battery-free stylus is very comfortable to hold with the rubber grip, It supports 8,192 pressure levels and tilt sensitivity of +/- 60 degrees, making it among the most technically capable in the market.

The XP-Pen Deco Pro is one of the best tablets for 3D sculpting. This tablet comes with a bunch of features that make it excellent for professional 3D modeling work. Best of all, it is quite affordable.

2. Wacom intuos Pro

Wacom Intuos Pro is the perfect tablet for experienced animators, artists, 3D modelers, and sculptors.

It’s complete with black anodized aluminum and fiberglass composite resin has fewer panel lines, and it feels resilient despite being a mere 8mm thick.

The Wacom Intuos Pro comes in three sizes — a Small (6 x 3.7 inches active area), a Medium (8.82 x 5.83 inches), and a Large (12.24 x 8.5 inches). This is perfect for different tastes.

The Intuos Pro can be used wirelessly or wired. For wired use, you simply need to connect to the computer via the USB cable. For wireless use, the tablet has a built-in Bluetooth connectivity.

The most advanced Pro pen 2 comes with 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity, virtually no lag, and a natural tilt response, making each stroke more lifelike.

Due to its sensitivity, the Intuos Pro allows 3D modelers to work more efficiently. It enables the artist to draw and sketch lines with precision and ease.

Additionally, the Wacom Intuos Pro has useful features like multi-touch input, touch ring and programmable shortcut buttons, allowing you to customize your workflow as you go.

Overall, the Wacom Intuos Pro is an excellent choice for those looking for a professional-grade drawing tablet with all the bells and whistles. Despite the price is a bit expensive.

3. Huion Inspiroy Dial 2

The Huion Inspiroy Dial 2 pen tablet is well-made, easy to use, wireless, affordable and relatively portable size with a lightweight body.

The active drawing area is 10.5 x6.5 inches. This is a comfortable size to work with, and this pairs well with monitors up to 27 inches.

The drawing surface has enough friction to help with drawing accurately, but without being too rough that you can’t make quick strokes or that it wears the nibs too fast.

Huion Inspiroy Dial 2 has two dials and 8 hot keys that can be program to do some of the common tasks you need, which will speeds up your workflow.

This tablet features Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, allowing it to pair easily with any device. It can work for up to 18 hours in Bluetooth mode and takes as short as only 2.5 hours to reach a full charge.

The responsiveness and accuracy of the pen felt incredible, it features 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity, 60-degree tilt support, 5080 LPI resolution, >300PPS report rate, and low initial activation force.

The battery-free pen has a rubberized grip to prevent slipping, making it comfortable to hold for extended periods. it also features two programmable buttons that can be customized through the driver.

This tablet is an ideal choice for anyone looking to use 3d modeling and sculpting software.

4. Wacom One

The Wacom One pen display feels great to work with and can allow beginner artists or those with limited budgets the chance to try out a Wacom display.

The 1080p resolution is just right for the 13.3-inch screen. It covers 72% NTSC or 99% sRGB color spectrum, While it’s mediocre in terms of color accuracy, it’s more than acceptable at this price.

Another highlight is the nice matte display with an anti-glare film that feels great to draw on. It comes with a non-laminated display, Meaning the wacom one has some parallax compared to competitors with laminated display.

The tablet also comes with a battery-free stylus, which has 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity, tilt recognition and one customizable button. It’s very comfortable to use, but it’s as basic as things get when it compared to wacom Pro Pen 2.

Wacom One has built-in legs that pop out to elevate the tablet to 19 degrees. Plus, it lacks shortcut buttons usually found in other drawing tablets.

It is an excellent choice for 3D sculpting or modeling in Blender, Zbrush, Sculptris, SketchUp, Mudbox, and Maya. With its minimalist design and high performance, this tablet is a great way to take your art to the next level.

5. Huion Kamvas Pro 16

The Huion Kamvas Pro 16 delivers on the essential tablet desires without much compromise.

It has a 15.6 inch IPS display with 1080p resolution and 120% sRGB color gamut. The display is clear, bright and vibrant with excellent viewing angles.

The full laminated screen reduces parallax to the lowest level and makes your stylus more accurate. The anti-glare matte glass surface makes the screen easy to see in bright environments.

The Kamvas Pro 16 tablet’s 6 customizable express keys and touch bar are helpful tools, allowing 3d artists to access their favorite shortcuts and save time and keystrokes.

The PW507 battery-free pen has two side buttons, lightweight but feels solid, and is comfortable to hold with its large rubber grip.

This stylus has fairly low initial activation force, 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity, 5080 LPI pen resolution, and is able to draw decently thin lines consistently.

The Huion Kamvas Pro 16 is a great, affordable graphics drawing tablet that provides solid build quality and and fantastic drawing performance.

There are also 2.5k and 4k options if you want higher definition. Of course the price is higher.

6. XP-Pen Artist 16 (2nd Gen)

XPPen Artist 16 (2nd Generation) is a solid and budget drawing tablet with gorgeous display and great build quality.

The XP-Pen Artist 16 (2nd Gen) comes in four colors; Black, Blue, Pink and Green. The tablet itself is slim-lined with a paper-like matte finish screen that’s very easy to wipe clean.

The screen is fully laminated which means that the distance you see between the pen nib and what appears on screen, is zero. pen is more accurate, even at the edges of the screen.

The Artist 16 (2nd Gen) comes with a 15.4 inch IPS panel featuring a native resolution of 1920 x 1080, This provides great clarity, so you can see every detail on screen.

The tablet’s color gamut is incredibly high with 94% Adob​​e RGB. The screen shows 16.7 million colors. Therefore, you can be as creative as you want when it comes to coloring your models.

The battery-free Stylus features the X3 Smart chip technology without the spring mechanism, offers 3 grams initial activation force, so you can create with incredible control and high accuracy.

When drawing, lines and strokes tapered off nicely and the 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity worked perfectly. The stylus is easy to manoeuvre and you can change the angle at which you work.

If you are a fan of shortcut keys, having access to TEN! which was great, and easy to map in the software. You can create shortcuts of the strokes or techniques that you usually repeat when working.

If you needs a more portable device, there have other three sizes available with almost same tech specs: 10.1-inch (Artist 10 2nd gen), 11.9-inch (Artist 12 2nd gen), and 13.3-inch (Artist 13 2nd gen).

7. Wacom Cintiq 22

Wacom Cintiq 22 are excellent options if you need a large screen on which to work more comfortably and efficiently.

It has a 21.5-inch display with 1,920-by-1,080-pixel resolution and 72% NTSC color gamut, this is not an “Amazing display”, just a standard these days, But it is still perfect for detailed work.

The screen also isn’t laminated, resulting in slightly more parallax. Its textured film dims the screen a bit but it reduces glare and produces a more paper-like feel with good friction.

The advanced Wacom Pro Pen 2 stylus has 8K high pressure sensitivity, tilt recognition support and lag-free tracking, which ensure precision and efficiency.

Cintiq 22 comes with a sturdy adjustable stand. Which allows you to tilt it forward & backward. Plus, this tablet requires reasonable desk space for comfortable use.

Cintiq 22 offers a large sketching screen at a good price. You will love 3D sculpting with this tablet.

It also has a 15″ variant – Wacom Cintiq 16, If you travel a lot, or plan to work out of cafes or libraries, it will more suitable because of its portability.

8. Huion Kamvas 22 Plus

If you are looking for a large tablet for drawing, get the Huion KAMVAS 22 Plus.

This 21.5-inch (diagonal) display has a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 at 102 pixels per inch, a maximum brightness output of 220 nits, which is very typical in pen display monitors these days.

What actually stands out about this display is the gamut coverage, with 140% sRGB color accuracy the range is pretty impressive, enables lifelike color presentation.

Above that, it has a laminated display, something that reduces parallax. Because the glass surface is matte, So the screen is non-reflective and feels as if you’re drawing on a paper.

Powered by PenTech 3.0, The PW517 battery-free pen offers low initial activation force, 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity and 60 degrees of tilt recognition, which assures better accuracy in making manual inputs.

The adjustable stand is quite sturdy, plus the addition of two rubber feet on the underside of the display will ensure this won’t move around the desk once you start drawing.

With this large work areas and Precise stylus, you will have more control over the final outcome of your creation. Since the tablet does not come with a built-in hotkeys, we recommend you buy the Huion Keydial Mini.

9. XP-Pen Artist 24 Pro

XP-Pen Artist 24 Pro is a professional grade huge pen display that can easily go toe to toe with pen displays that are nearly twice as expensive.

It has a 23.8-inch IPS screen with 2K QHD 2,560 x 1,440 pixels resolution, which allows you to view every part of your project and work on it with exceptional precision.

With up to 90% Adobe RGB color gamut coverage, Artist 24 Pro will fuel your creativity with brilliant color and blazing graphics as you draw. The anti-glare, textured film overlay also provides a satisfying drawing experience.

The Artist 24 Pro has 20 customizable buttons and 2 red dials, giving you the ability to really modify the buttons to match your needs. Not all companies have such features on their tablets, This is indeed a bonus.

The PA2 stylus itself is battery-free with 2 programmable buttons and has a very nice tactile feel thanks to the rubber grip.

The pen is sensitive and accurate, It supports 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity, recognition, and 14ms response rate. drawing performance is excellent.

With the adjustable stand, attached to the back, you can change the product’s angle to suit your needs from 16-90 degrees, allowing you to create with ease.

If you plan to spend hours at the screen painting or sculpting, XP-Pen Artist 24 Pro is a really great option. It’s intuitive to use and focuses on making the creative process as organic as possible.

If you find the Artist 24 pro is too big, you can check out the XP-Pen Artist 22R Pro which has same design and stylus but comes with a smaller 22-inch screen and lower FHD 1080p resolution.

10. Surface Pro 9

Microsoft Surface Pro 9 is a thin, light, and powerful tablet that runs a full version of Windows 11, making it great for 3D lightweight productivity on the go.

The build quality is superb and the aluminum case is extremely sturdy. you can choose Platinum (white), graphite (black), forest (green), or sapphire (blue).

The 13-inch PixelSense Flow touch screen is impressive, and with a resolution of 2736 x 1824 pixels, there’s a lot of information on the screen.

The display panel has a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz for faster and smoother interactions. It also achieves 106.1% of the sRGB color gamut, making the screen sharp and vibrant.

The 12th Generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processor with an Intel Iris Integrated graphics makes the tablet faster than ever before. It’s powerful enough to handle heavy computing tasks and multitasking.

This CPU centrepiece comes accompanied by the usual trio of RAM options: 8GB, 16GB and 32GB. Storage options start at a skimpy 128GB solid-state drive.

In addition to that, it comes with the Slim Pen 2 with tilt detection and 4096 levels of pressure sensibility. Drawing on-screen felt natural, with unerring accuracy.

The Slim Pen 2 is a Bluetooth stylus so it uses a built in battery. The pen can be charged with the Signature Keyboard or the wired Microsoft Slim Pen Charger. However, All options need to be purchased separately.

With its 47.7Wh battery capacity, Surface Pro 9 tablet lasts long, squeezing an estimated 10 hours out of a single charge. Plus, the best thing is It can run all of the 3D apps of Windows OS you’d expect.

Conclusion

All of the drawing tablets mentioned above are perfect for use with 3D Art Programs and can help you create amazing pieces of art.

Each tablet has its features, so it is important to consider your specific needs when choosing one.

There is no one right option for everyone. The right drawing tablet depends on your priorities, budget, and experience level.

Whichever tablet you choose, you’re sure to have a great experience creating art with 3D modeling, sculpting, and Texture Painting software!

If you’re still not sure which one is the best for you then start by exploring the brands listed above and check out some reviews online.

Think about how you plan to use your drawing tablet and make sure that the model you choose will be able to keep up.