Designers have long been enchanted by Apple’s offerings, a trend that spans over several decades. However, with Apple’s recent shift towards more energy-efficient devices tailored to a broader audience, are designers falling by the wayside? While the iPad is undoubtedly a pleasure to use, can it genuinely serve as a viable business tool for designers? This article delves into the capabilities of various tools that can enhance the iPad’s utility for professional-grade design tasks.Irrespective of personal opinions, the iPad symbolizes a monumental shift in computing towards a novel form factor. Apple, though not the pioneer of the tablet or the smartphone, played a pivotal role in propelling the market with the iPad. For designers, these devices pose a significant challenge.On one hand, the iPad is incredibly appealing. On the other, justifying its purchase for business purposes can be a challenge. The issue lies in its limited computing power when compared to robust devices.Designers demand high-performance processors, ample RAM, and vast storage to manage their daily tasks. While the iPad is designed for web browsing, email, and basic app usage, it lacks the power required for complex design work.There has been extensive debate on how designers can effectively integrate the iPad into their workflow, potentially justifying the expense to skeptical partners. However, the reality is that many of the available iPad apps for designers are overly simplistic, such as basic sketching tools and to-do lists. While apps like Adobe Ideas are useful, they don’t significantly enhance the design process or justify the cost compared to more established tools.
As an iPad user, I’ve dedicated considerable time to exploring how this device can be a professional-grade tool rather than an expensive paperweight. Below, I’ve compiled some of the best accessories and applications I’ve found to achieve this goal.It’s almost painful to admit, but the iPad isn’t designed to be used with a stylus. The default applications and controls are adequately touch-friendly for most users. However, for precision work such as drawing, a stylus is invaluable.The iPad’s touch interface is a direct and intuitive experience, allowing users to interact with GUIs directly. While a stylus may not be as indirect as a mouse, it is certainly less direct than using the index finger.However, for designers requiring precision beyond that offered by their fingers, a stylus is a necessity. I was initially skeptical but found that a stylus can transform the iPad from a fun toy to a valuable tool for professional design work.Selecting the Right StylusStyluses designed for iOS devices differ from those used with other devices. Due to the capacitive touchscreen, a standard plastic stylus will not function. As a result, most iPad styluses are made of a metallic shaft with a soft, squishy tip.While this is fine for general use, it can be frustrating for those accustomed to more firm-tipped writing instruments. When purchasing a stylus, it’s important to be discerning.Before making a purchase, it’s advisable to test out a few options. While the Pogo or Pogo Sketch stylus is a popular choice, I personally prefer the Griffin stylus with a rubber tip, which offers a more comfortable writing experience.Other unique styluses include the iClooly, which resembles a paintbrush, the Dagi with a transparent tip for precision, and the Stylus Socks Pro, which uses conductive fabric over a pen shaft. For DIY enthusiasts, YouTube offers numerous DIY stylus creation methods using common household items.Once you have the right stylus, it’s time to explore the App Store for professional-grade design tools.Thankfully, there are several excellent applications that can elevate the iPad’s capabilities. One such app is iDraw, a vector-drawing application that rivals Adobe Illustrator in features. Priced at $8.99, iDraw offers a comprehensive set of tools for creating professional-grade vector graphics.With a multi-layered canvas, Bezier pen tool, and complex path-editing capabilities, iDraw allows designers to create detailed graphics. Additionally, its Boolean operations function similar to Illustrator’s Pathfinder panel, enabling the creation of intricate graphics from basic shapes.Importantly, iDraw offers a PDF export feature, allowing designers to bring their artwork into desktop applications like Illustrator, preserving all paths, fills, and gradients. Features like selection tools, text creation, and drop shadows further enhance its utility.Another app, Air Display, transforms the iPad into a second display for your desktop computer. This app is particularly useful for designers working on multiple graphics applications, providing additional screen space. The ability to use the iPad as a second display with touch functionality makes it a valuable tool for designers.With Air Display, you can use Photoshop on your iPad, allowing you to take advantage of the app’s full feature set. This setup turns the iPad into a drawing tablet for Photoshop and Illustrator, offering a unique way to interact with these applications.While not as powerful as a Wacom Cintiq, Air Display provides a convenient way to sketch and draw by hand, leveraging the power of Adobe apps. At $9.99, Air Display is a worthwhile investment for designers.Wireframing is an essential step in the design process, especially for web applications. Apps like iMockups and SketchyPad enable designers to quickly create low-fidelity wireframes, focusing on content and interaction flow without getting bogged down in design details.These apps are particularly useful for experimenting with visual layouts and saving time on repetitive drawing tasks. Creating wireframes on a desktop is possible, but the portability and focus provided by these iPad apps can be a refreshing change.For designers, showcasing their work is crucial. In the past, designers carried around heavy portfolios filled with printed samples. With the digital age, it’s time to replace these with a more modern alternative.The iPad is an ideal solution for this. It’s portable, allowing designers to carry it with them at all times, and it’s large enough to display their work effectively. The iPad also makes for an impressive presentation tool, allowing clients to interact with the work directly.There are several apps available in the App Store that transform the iPad into a personal, branded portfolio. Apps like Portfolio for iPad and Minimal Folio offer designers a professional and portable way to showcase their work.Right now, apps like Air Display are the closest we can get to integrating the iPad into our traditional Photoshop workflow. However, Adobe is investing heavily in tablet technology, with the recent release of the Photoshop Touch SDK. This SDK is expected to spur the development of new and innovative Photoshop iPad tools.Adobe’s own apps, such as Adobe Nav, Adobe Color Lava, and Adobe Eazel, are promising. These apps are just the beginning, and it’s likely that a wave of new and exciting apps will emerge from this initiative.In summary, despite the iPad’s limitations in terms of computing power, it offers numerous ways for designers to enhance their workflow. A simple stylus, vector drawing applications like iDraw, and Air Display can transform the iPad into a valuable tool for professional design tasks.While tablets may be considered a fad by some, they are likely to remain a significant force in personal computing for years to come. As developers continue to invest in new technology for these devices, they will become even more integral to a designer’s toolkit.
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