By putting the most common tools and features at your fingertips, the PenPad hopes to make using the iPad’s most famous drawing and painting app much easier by removing the hassle of navigating the Procreate interface. Instead, almost like the way a Numpad makes it easy to access numbers, the PenPad gives you access to 22 different functions you’re most likely to use while drawing in Procreate, from zooming in and out of the brush, access the color wheel, switch between brushes. and an eraser, or simply show the color wheel or eyedropper tool. Being a compact hardware accessory means you can paint with one hand while intuitively pressing buttons with the other to speed up your workflow.
Designer: PenTips
Available in black and white variants, the PenPad connects via Bluetooth to your iPad and automatically starts working with the Procreate app out of the box. The PenPad’s 22 concave buttons are laid out for ease of use, and pressing the buttons lets you actively perform tasks like viewing your layers, changing the selection tool, cutting, copying, pasting, and more. The buttons work more fluidly, almost like a wireless keyboard would, resulting in faster workflows because your mind is more focused on creating instead of navigating the user interface.
What PenPad really does is reduce the time it takes for your eyes to wander and your hand to follow you around the Procreate UI. More than 90% of the Procreate screen is the drawing canvas, meaning that the rest of the elements (buttons, menus, etc.) are arranged in a way that gives the canvas the main importance. Drawing on the canvas is easy, but using other functions involves moving the focus of the canvas to locate the toolbar, drop-down menu, etc. It only takes a second, sometimes up to 10 seconds, but it all adds up pretty quickly. when working with large files and multiple layers. To avoid this, the PenPad only puts the common functions at your fingertips. This way, your dominant hand can draw on the screen, while your non-dominant hand rests on the PenPad, away from the touchscreen. Once your fingers understand the design of the PenPad, it becomes even more intuitive and fast!
The small wireless device comes in a format that looks more like a calculator. It’s relatively flat, except for a bump at the top that makes the PenPad rest on angled surfaces, a feature that actually helps make it more ergonomic. The accessory is still pretty flat and slips right into your backpack, tablet case, or laptop when you’re not using it.
The PenPad works perfectly with iPads running iPadOS 14.4 and later, although there are some shortcomings. For starters, it doesn’t work with any other drawing apps, so you’re limited to Procreate. It also doesn’t work with Android tablets, as Procreate isn’t available for the OS. The buttons aren’t reprogrammable either, so you can’t completely remap them to work with other software for the iPad or even the laptop. It is strictly tied to an app for a device category. Another user also pointed out that the PenPad lacks the three most popular actions performed during digital sketching: pan, rotate, and zoom. To do them, you have to take your hand off the PenPad and pinch, tap, and slide the iPad’s touchscreen.
That doesn’t take away from the fact that the PenPad still speeds up your workflow. It’s pretty much a must-have for most digital artists who use the software for work (or even recreation). The PenPad comes with a built-in 100mAh battery that gives it a 5-day battery life, but unfortunately, it charges via MicroUSB (unlike the iPad Pro’s USB-C charging), so, unfortunately, you’ll need to carry an extra cable with you wherever you go.