![Niels Krogh Mortensen](https://animationpaper.com/wp-content/uploads/ultimatemember/1/profile_photo-80x80.jpeg?1725761339)
Hi James,
Yes, it is highly recommended to use some kind of drawing tablet. You will never get any satisfactory results using a mouse or similar input device. Go for a tablet and stylus with pressure sensitivity (which most of them have). Very important, so you can draw lighter/thinner or darker/broader depending on how much you press down with your pen.
Get one that fits your budget. You don’t necessarily need a large one, but don’t go too small either. The large ones can take too much space on your desk or force your arm to do too much movement. But it is all up to individual preference of course.
Wacom’s are high quality and highly recommended – on the expensive side too. Huion tablets are good too and a little cheaper. And there’s other brands as well. Having a tablet with a build in display is the greatest, because you are seeing what you draw right there at the end of your pen/stylus. But those are the most expensive. Having a regular (no display) tablet is great too. You will quickly get used to drawing in one place while looking at another place (your monitor). This is even preferred by some, because your hand will not obstruct your view as it naturally will on one of the display ones.
If you are on Mac and already have an iPad with pencil, you can hook those together and use the iPad as a drawing tablet for your desktop software. I guess something similar is available for Windows and Android.
Let me know if you have further questions. Good luck with it all!
Best,
Niels