My love affair with Apple Pencil

[spiderman0616]

I got my 9.7" iPad Pro the day it was available, and after a few days of waiting for backorders to fill, also got my Apple Smart Keyboard. I loved this iPad the second I took it out of the box, and I use it with the keyboard every day. It has almost 100% replaced my laptop for my day to day computing and at this point, I don't think I will ever want a non-Pro iPad ever again.

I did not originally order the Apple Pencil. I do not consider myself much of an artist, and I do not usually take notes by hand--typing things out in a text file has always been fine with me. However, I kept seeing mentions of it in reviews of both the iPad Pro models, and most reviewers agreed that a big part of what makes this an iPad "Pro" is having the Pencil to go with it. I then remembered that I had almost $100 in Apple Store gift cards, so I decided to just go ahead and pick up the Pencil. I figured it would probably just sit in my bag doing nothing most of the time, but at least I'd have it if I needed it.

I couldn't have been more wrong.

For the first few days I had it, it did sit in my bag a lot. I tried it the day I got it, put it in my bag, and didn't think much about it for the next few days. But one day, out of boredom, I took it out and started messing around with the water color brush in the Paper app. Before I realized it, two hours had gone by, and I was still sitting there just painting away. Again, I'm not a particularly great artist, but I did start remembering that back in high school and for a little while in college, I used to love sketching and water coloring. I even took some art classes back in the day. The problem was that I never had much natural artistic ability and got tired of having to work so hard at it. (I also hated buying supplies, and didn't even know where to begin as far as figuring out what I needed.)

Over the last few months, I think I have used my Apple Pencil just about every single day. As I've learned the ins and outs of Paper, my sketches and paintings have gotten better and better. When my wife and I are watching something on TV that I don't particularly care about, I get out my Apple Pencil and just start sketching away. When I need to shut my brain off for a while or if I feel like I just need a creative outlet after a frusrating day of work, I immediately go to the Apple Pencil. Sometimes I'll even just pull up Pigment and do some coloring if I REALLY don't feel like thinking. It's also out on my desk all day long just in case an idea pops into my head. And yes, I've even started taking notes by hand again if I'm standing up and walking around with my iPad and needing to jot things down.

The beauty of this tool is that it makes people like me better artists. I have some great apps (Paper, Notability, etc.) that make it a lot easier for me to do things I have in my brain but don't know where to begin when it comes down to getting it down on paper. Because I'm not really a serious artist, I don't need to own a bunch of paints, pencils, erasers, and brushes. What I have in my art apps is good enough for me, and is in endless supply.

I have always loved writing, playing music, and podcasting as my creative outlets, but I had forgotten all about the days when I used to dabble in sketching and water colors. The Apple Pencil reminded me and has become another one of my creative outlets. And as a peripheral in general, I think it's one of the best accessories Apple has ever made, if not THE best one. I have a feeling I'm going to be carrying this thing around with me for years to come.

 

[friedmud]

Agree 100%. I've owned nearly every iPad since the very first one (bought one on the first day!) and my 12.9" iPP is my favorite Apple device I've ever owned.

The Apple Pencil has completely changed the iPad for me. It used to be a very niche device for me: something I would only use occasionally... now it never leaves my side. I use it for notes, math, sketching, brainstorming, game playing, communication... just about everything (programming is still done on my 15" rMBP and Mac Pros).

It's completely changed the way I think about an iPad.

 

[The Game 161]

I havn't used mine loads lately but I use it alot to nav around..should really use it more for note taking or doing something worthy while with it but i like using it as a nav tool.

 

[subjonas]

I watched a video by the creators of Paper. In it they said they created their app for everyone, not just "artists." They believe drawing/painting is a fundamental way in which human beings communicate. If you look at little kids, they pretty much ALL love to draw and paint. But it is underutilized by most adults because it has become a "you're either an artist or you're not" type of thing. In the video they said they want all people to rediscover their playful creative side, and become comfortable and confident in their ability to communicate visually.
Anyway, it looks like they connected with exactly the type of person they were looking for. That's really great.

 

[sjleworthy]

I rarely use my finger for anything on the ipad these days.

 

[M. Gustave]

I rarely use my finger for anything on the ipad these days.

That's probably not the outcome Apple was hoping for. Aside from pressure sensitive drawing and note taking apps (the intended function), is it because you think the AP is more accurate targeting controls? I'd bet it's actually not, in controlled testing, but people just assume it is.

 

[sjleworthy]

That's probably not the outcome Apple was hoping for. Aside from pressure sensitive drawing and note taking apps (the intended function), is it because you think the AP is more accurate targeting controls? I'd bet it's actually not, in controlled testing, but people just assume it is.

Nope. Not even in my thoughts. It's a personal choice and i find the concept of Pencil pointing on my ipad a lot more condusive and enjoyable these days than fingering. Besides, i doubt Apple actually care or are bothered, and if they were, they'd be only interested in the fact i've spent money on their product. Not what i actually do with it.

 

[spiderman0616]

I watched a video by the creators of Paper. In it they said they created their app for everyone, not just "artists." They believe drawing/painting is a fundamental way in which human beings communicate. If you look at little kids, they pretty much ALL love to draw and paint. But it is underutilized by most adults because it has become a "you're either an artist or you're not" type of thing. In the video they said they want all people to rediscover their playful creative side, and become comfortable and confident in their ability to communicate visually.
Anyway, it looks like they connected with exactly the type of person they were looking for. That's really great.

Exactly. My kids are constantly drawing from morning til bed time. It's their default activity, even more than video games or watching TV. Sometimes I feel like drawing is more like breathing to them.

 

[bushido]

That's probably not the outcome Apple was hoping for. Aside from pressure sensitive drawing and note taking apps (the intended function), is it because you think the AP is more accurate targeting controls? I'd bet it's actually not, in controlled testing, but people just assume it is.

i even use a stylus on my iPad Air 2 because the added "anti reflection coating" made finger prints a pain in the ass! they are nearly impossible to remove (i am exaggerating a little but my old iPad 3 screen was A LOT easier to clean and less finger prints)

 

[alecgold]

Really good to read your AP isn't lost deep down in your bag

I don't draw, just don't have the time being self-employed (more than full time) and doing a full time law study. But writing and annotating with the Pencil on my big iPP has been a real joy! I've been using a MacBook Pro for the last 10 years but ever since the iPP I've been writing again and enjoying it. It's hard to explain, but writing with a pencil (and as it turns out also an Apple Pencil) makes me much more happy, I remember better what I've written and it slows me down a bit. That last part is important, it forces me to think better about what I'm writing down instead of (almost/completely) verbatim typing what is being said. Typing doesn't cost any "processing power" my brain, where writing does need some effort.

 

[kazmac]

The pencil is amazing, I also think it's some of the best tech Apple has released in many years. I was crestfallen that my school is so archaic I couldn't fit the iPP into my homework flow, bu I will most likely be picking up another iPP once my studies wind down so I can start drawing and such on a regular schedule.

 

[jeyf]

The pencil is amazing, I also think it's some of the best tech Apple has released in many years...

Linux Magazine in 2001, described the iPAQ HP 3630 as a "highly promising platform"
you HAD to use a pen with these devices

 

[Sunshoopa]

I’ve been meaning to get an Apple Pencil for my 10.5, but I’ve been a bit low on money for extra things like that, so I was waiting to get one. I really suck at drawing, but I want to get better at it because I actually love drawing. I heard it works great for some games as well.