It’s important to be comfortable when you are drawing with a pen tablet, especially a graphic display. When your body is comfortable, you’re less likely to be distracted by your posture and you can devote more energy to the actual “act” of drawing.

You’re more likely to focus on the lines, shapes, and values instead of that little pain in your lower back. No matter which arrangement works best for you, you should always consider your comfort.

Some of us draw on flat angle, while others prefer to draw on a tilted angle. But which is better? Which setup leads to more comfortable in our drawings?

In this post, I’ll look at the pros and cons of each arrangement and I’ll let you decide which is best for you.

What angle should my drawing tablet be at​?

If you have a non-screen pen tablet like wacom intuos, Just lay it flat on the table. Try to do not tilt the tablet though, that gives you an unnatural feeling. Put the tablet wherever it’s comfortable for you.

I’ve been using a wacom intuos Medium tablet for about 3yrs and I’ve never used it in front of me. I use mine in the same space my mouse would be, to the right side of my keyboard.

If you have a display tablet like wacom cintiq, It’s generally accepted that drawing at an angle is going to offer you, the artist, the most comfort.

If you don’t have your drawing tablet at an angle when drawing on a table, you will either get a tired neck or the proportions may get distorted…

Learning to draw using a tilted surface will not only help you to sit at a less stressful angle it will all but eliminate the distortion you encounter when drawing on a flat surface.

It’s a matter of personal preference how steep the angle should be, but personally, I suggest a 30 to 75 degrees incline to table.

I find I’m most comfortable when my wacom cintiq 16 tablet is around 30-40 degrees. I can lean over it and avoid the distortion you get when looking at your artwork from an angle.

Your arms will eventually get used to it but if you have to minimize the strain on your neck and back. So sit as straight as you can.

Also, if your tablet didn’t come with an adjustable stand or doesn’t have one you can purchase for it, if you have a display drawing tablet that is 16 inches or smaller, then the Parblo Universal Adjustable Stand will be very helpful to you.

You should always aim to have your screen tablet facing you at eye level and try to have your elbow being free, as in, not touching anything or touching a soft, squishy surface.

From personal experience, having an elbow on a hard surface for too long really ruins the experience of drawing or painting.

Also, if your elbow isn’t touching anything, don’t try to hold it up too much, make sure it’s comfortable.

If I put my tablet up higher, I might literally stack up firm, rectilinear, yet soft pillows that allow my elbow to be at a comfortable position.

If the tablet is slightly lower but still at eye level, I might just put my blanket where my elbow will rest.

But basically, do what you can; ergonomics (comfort) is everything in using a drawing display!

Final Thoughts

There is no right and wrong angle for drawing, there’s only helpful guidance and good practice. You can break any of the so-called rules, as and when it suits you.

I will draw at any angle if it helps me to draw more easily. Oftentimes I will turn the wacom cintiq 16 display tablet upside down or lay it flat if a technique requires it.

As with everything in art, it’s all about experimenting and seeing what feels best.

But I also want to insist that we all have bodies and habits that can adapt, so even an imperfect graphics tablet might still become your best tool if you take the effort to commit to using it consistently and finding the setup that works best for you.

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