Unboxing and thoughts from a digital drawing beginner.
I unboxed a Huion Kamvas Pro 12 drawing tablet and spent a couple weeks getting used to it. In-between the unboxing, driver installation, and many digital drawings, there were old drawing habits I needed to break and new habits I needed to create.
In case it's helpful, below are the topics covered in this post:
Unboxing and Package Contents
Downloading and Installing the Huion Tablet Application
Breaking and Creating Habits
Tips
My Thoughts
Unboxing and Package Contents
The contents of the box were packaged very well. By "well," I mean every item fit within a designated slot in the box snug and tight. When I attempted to remove the drawing tablet, it took a little extra effort because it was very secured in its slot.
The box contents included:
Thank you card
Driver download info sheet
Quick start guide booklet
Tablet stand with 1-page user manual
US plug
Power adapter
3-in-1 cable
Pen holder/stand contained with 10 nibs/tips inside
2-Finger digital drawing glove (small)
Microfiber cloth
The Huion Kamvas Pro 12 is approximately 11-1/2". The screen size isn't that much smaller than my Asus ZenBook Pro 15 laptop, so it's a familiar size to me. There was a protective film I needed to remove from the screen.
The controls on one side of the tablet were pre-programmed with the following (for Windows) in order from top to bottom:
Power
[
]
Scroll
Space
CTRL+ALT+Z
Function
The thank you card and driver download info sheet provided links to their website and social media platforms. The driver download info sheet was especially important as it informed me to visit their Download Drivers and User Manuals page. The driver is important for ensuring the drawing tablet worked properly.
The quick start guide booklet provided information about the drawing tablet's controls, accessories, plug, setup, downloads, and nib replacement. It's a thick guide, but the other pages are the same information in various languages.
I didn't know much about this drawing tablet before I received, so there were a few surprises in store for me. My first surprise was seeing that a tablet stand was included.
The stand is adjustable at fixed heights depending on where I place either the smaller or larger metal part in the back. There are plenty of angles I can set it to, making it easy to get comfortable when I'm drawing in different locations or for extended time.
A US plug, power adapter, and 3-in-1 cable were also included. The 3-in-1 cable connected to the following areas:
HDMI port on computer device
USB port on computer device
USB-C port on drawing tablet
End of the power adapter
I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the pen stand/holder. I didn't realize it came with ten additional replacement nibs. A nib clip was in the middle of the stand/holder where the pen rests. I won't have to worry about purchasing replacement nibs for a long time.
The pen felt good to hold in my small hand. It's lightweight and easy for me to grip. It doesn't require batteries to use with the drawing tablet. Batteries are one less thing for me to worry about.
Lastly, a 2-finger glove and microfiber cloth were included. The microfiber cloth didn't surprise me, but the glove did. I bought a 2-fingered glove a few years ago, so now I have two. The Huion glove is on the smaller size and fits my hands almost perfectly. It probably won't fit as normal-sized hand or larger as comfortably, though.
Downloading and Installing the Huion Tablet Application
I first went online to download the driver and user manual for the drawing tablet. In my case, I downloaded the latest files for the Kamvas Pro 12(8192) for Windows.
The driver installed the Huion Tablet application on my laptop. I need the drawing tablet connected to my laptop to access all features of the app, otherwise I cannot navigate through the app's different sections.
The app contained the following sections:
Press Keys. I was able to view the pre-programmed tablet controls and customize them on this screen. I went ahead and modified the Undo control to deselect the ALT key. I prefer the old-fashioned CTRL+Z when I'm working in Photoshop.
Digital Pen. I was able to view the pre-programmed pen controls, customize those controls, and adjust the pen's pressure sensitivity on this screen.
Work Area. This is the screen where I calibrated the pen and monitor. I could also modify the screen ratio here, but I never felt the need to do so.
About. This screen provided the traditional version, contact, and miscellaneous information.
Breaking and Creating New Habits
Because I've practiced digital drawing on my 2015 Surface Book with a touch screen, there were some old habits I needed to break and new habits I needed to create.
I never drew on my old 2015 Surface Book when it was in the laptop position. I always detached the screen and flipped it over the keyboard that then served as a tablet stand. Not all touch gestures worked, like the Undo feature, with my 2015 Surface Book. I'd have to navigate to the menu to Undo my mistakes which I made frequently as a beginner.
It took me a few digital drawings to familiarize myself with using the controls on the side of the Huion drawing tablet. I found myself going to the menu within Photoshop periodically to Undo my mistakes. Once I developed a habit of using the controls, I then needed to remember which button did what.
Even after I memorized the location and functions of each control on the tablet's side, there were a few times I accidentally pressed the Power button when I meant to press the first bracket button. However, I more often accidentally pressed the Function button when I meant to press the Undo button. This only happened when I didn't look or pay enough attention to which button I pressed.
The inclusion of the 2-finger glove led me to believe that the drawing tablet was a touch screen. Again, I didn't know much about this tablet before I received it.
I quickly got frustrated during my first digital drawing with this tablet when touch gestures didn't work in Adobe Photoshop. It wasn't until I searched online to troubleshoot the screen that I learned the drawing tablet is not a touch screen. Perhaps the glove was included to prevent getting my sometimes oily skin to smear across the screen.
Since I wasn't familiar with all the features of Adobe Photoshop, I rotated the actual drawing tablet when I'd normally use a 2-finger gesture to rotate the canvas. A quick online searched taught me about the rotate feature in Adobe Photoshop. I then needed to get used to the rotate feature when I drew with this tablet.
One habit I didn't have to break was how I held the pen. I write and draw while holding a pen or pencil at an angle. Fortunately, the Huion Kamvas Pro 12 reads the pen input when I hold it at a tilted angle.
Tips
Below are some tips I learned from my experience using this drawing tablet the past two weeks:
Ensure all parts of the cable are plugged in securely. The HDMI is necessary for screen mirroring and the USB allows the laptop to "read" the pen input on the drawing tablet.
If you're connecting to a laptop with the HDMI port on one side and the USB port on the other, plugging in the HDMI and USB part of the 3-in-1 cable may not reach both ports. This was the case with my Asus ZenBook Pro 15 laptop. Fortunately, I always use a cooling pad with an extra USB port on the back (see image below).
Calibrate the monitor and adjust the pressure sensitivity before you start your first digital drawing with this tablet. It's not necessary, but you're less likely to get slightly frustrated when things aren't lined up perfectly when you start your first digital drawing.
If you're used to increasing the Smoothing feature for brushes in Adobe Photoshop, you'll notice a significant increase in lag when setting Smoothing to 50% or greater. Consider setting it to anything less than 50% if you think the lag will bother you.
My Thoughts
What can I say? Because I consider myself a beginner in digital drawing, even though I've done it a few times for years, the transition to this tablet and the learning curve was minimal for me.
Hopefully, I won't be wrong in saying that if you're a noob like myself, this tablet is good. However, if you're used to touch gestures like I was prior to using this tablet, you'll need to decide if that's a feature you're willing to give up for the cost of the Huion Kamvas Pro 12. If not, you may consider researching other drawing tablets by Huion or other companies.
For me, the Huion Kamvas Pro 12 was a significant upgrade from my 2015 Surface Book. Yes, I was able to use touch gestures on my 2015 Surface Book, but not all gestures worked.
My 2015 Surface Book also overheated within an hour of digital drawing, resulting in slower performance during the second hour of use or a complete crash of the system. The Huion Kamvas Pro 12 takes a few hours before it feels warm, but it's yet to get hot enough be uncomfortable to the touch.
This drawing tablet was also a gift from my Dad, so I don't feel like I'm entitled to complain too much. At least there isn't much for me to complain about.
Overall, I love using this drawing tablet. I've practiced digital drawing more than I have before because of how comfortable and convenient I find the drawing tablet to use. This may not be the case for more experienced and professional digital artists, but it's right for someone like myself who likes to draw digitally for fun.
What's Next?
I enjoyed making my Kiss Cut Halloween Stickers I gave to friends, so I may make myself holiday stickers using this new drawing tablet. Then again, I'm always happy to make an excuse to do an art project.
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Thanks, and have a great day!
Simply Jelly Jam