✍️ A glimpse behind the scenes...
🎨 What I Use 🛠️
My Digital Art Tools, Journey & My General Tech Experience and Philosophy
I currently use an iPad A16.
I draw using Procreate (not sponsored), which is a one-time purchase with lifetime access. It’s affordable and, in my opinion, one of the best drawing apps available. That said, I started out with free drawing apps when I was a beginner.
🗓️ In 2020, I began my digital art journey on a 6th-generation iPad, released in 2018, drawing entirely with my finger. In March 2026, I upgraded to an iPad A16, released in 2025, and finally tried a third-party stylus. It’s been great overall, especially if you don’t rely heavily on pressure sensitivity.
In September 2026, I upgraded to a 27-inch 4K monitor, and I think it was one of the best tech decisions I’ve made. I still do my drawing on the tablet, but the monitor has been incredibly useful for everyday use, as well as viewing my artwork on a larger screen, checking colours, and much more.
Behind the scenes :
This little desk is where The ArtyeTown is built, one artwork at a time.
Before the Monitor Era :
A little bit of gaming, a little bit of creativity, and a whole lot of my own touch—including the handmade wooden lamp (my 2nd wood project).
And that Thug Life Doraemon was completely accidental. I ordered a smiley-faced one, but he arrived with a completely different attitude. So I decided to keep him.
Specs: I’m using the Dell S2725QC — a 27-inch 4K UHD IPS monitor with a 120 Hz refresh rate, 99% sRGB, HDR10, USB-C, and built-in speakers. (Not a sponsor.)
You can build your own setup at any budget. You’re not missing out if you don’t have one yet. I barely cared about desk setups myself until I felt I needed a separate space for the things I create and enjoy.
I already had a mechanical keyboard and mouse that I bought a few years ago, and I’ve collected each die-cast model month by month. Somehow, everything came together and worked really well as one setup. And they’re not expensive. Some of them were excellent quality at cheap prices.
I like diecast, but I’m not a collector of cars. I only get the ones I wished for when I was a kid, and I’m also saving some quality toys for my future kids.
I got some hot wheels and some Takara Tomy cars, which you can see on the desk. They’re Japanese, I found them online at almost the same price as the Hot Wheels we usually get. So they weren’t expensive either.
I also watch a lot of silent walking tours and drone shots from around the world, so that’s one reason I’ve always wanted a high-quality display.
Image Note : For some reason, the keyboard section seems quite far from the monitor in the photo, but in reality, the monitor is much closer to the setup. For my needs, the setup is working really well.
And traditional computer desks are slowly disappearing from the market. They’re such underrated, cozy little tables. I hope they don’t disappear completely.
About headphones :
I have switched to wired earphones completely, and I prefer in-ear ones without rubber tips. I don't use rubber tips because it blocks the airflow around my ears, and after wearing them for a long time, I feel like my head starts to feel heavy.
I use Apple wired EarPods with USB-C for music and movies across all my devices.
Before getting the Apple ones, I had the Portronics Conch Theta C In-Ear Type-C Wired Earphones with a 14.2 mm driver. These days, there aren't many earphones without rubber tips, so at the time, I didn't have many options. Portronics was one of the few I found, and honestly, it nailed it. They cost about 3/20th of the price of the Apple ones, yet they can sometimes sound better on non-Apple devices. They can even be punchy enough to make you feel like they sound better than the Apple ones. You should definitely try them. The only downside is that we don't know how long they will last. I bought mine in June 2026, and they're still working perfectly so far.
They are also a good example of how a good product doesn't have to be expensive. You can get something that sounds genuinely good without spending a lot of money.
I do appreciate good audio quality just as much as I appreciate a good display. But after listening to so much music over the years, I feel like I've gradually stopped being just a consumer. I've become much more creative through art and writing, and my own creativity now gives me a level of satisfaction that I once found in listening to music.
So, while I still appreciate good sound, I'm not chasing perfect audio equipment anymore. I just want something that sounds good and works well for what I use it for.
Looking back, I think my budget-conscious mindset about not buying a much more expensive iPad was the right choice. Apple sells its products at ridiculously high prices.
Instead, if you spread your money between a budget-friendly tablet for drawing and a good monitor for an immersive, high-quality everyday experience, I think you can find the perfect middle ground.
Interestingly, I’ve moved away from iOS and gone fully Android on mobile after using two generations of iPhones for around eight years. Android gives me much more freedom and feels more fun to use.
I switched to the OnePlus Nord 5 a year ago. My first 4G Android phone was the Vivo Y21L, and it’s been a long time since then. Coming back to Android now, I’m honestly surprised by how much it has improved. It feels so much more fun and capable than I remember.
It has split-screen multitasking, an IR remote sensor, a sidebar for quick access, floating windows, and fully customizable themes. The keyboard also has a clipboard with a pin option. These tiny, useful features make everyday use much better.
I like useful technology, but when you spend your money on something, you should still feel a certain spark and excitement from it. With iOS, I lost that feeling a long time ago. The iPad is still the exception because of Procreate, but if Procreate ever comes to Android, I’d probably make the switch there too.
You can also buy multiple genuinely useful pieces of technology for the price of a single iPhone, and for me, that makes the overall experience feel much more worthwhile.
About Watch :
From Smartwatch to Casio ⌚
I’ve moved from smartwatch user to regular watch user. I realised that all I really needed was a timer for my daily walks. I didn’t need step counts, sleep tracking, or any of the other health-tracking features.
The watch I found was the Casio WS-1800-3AVDF. It has preset countdown timer options for 10, 15, 30 minutes, and more. So, you don’t have to keep pressing buttons on the watch every time you need to set a timer. And it can remember the last timer option you used, too, so you don’t even have to click through the timer options if you frequently use the same timer. It’s a simple, rugged watch with a retro style, especially in green, which makes it even more appealing to me.
Sometimes, well-built products at fair prices beat smart devices that we quickly forget about once the hype fades. I’d rather have something simple, reliable, and built to last than pay for features I barely use.
This is my first Casio watch!
Casio has started offering watches with fancy designs in its Youth series, but I hadn’t noticed them until recently.
Many years ago, buying a Casio with a fancy design was an expensive purchase. Now, competition from the smartwatch market has made prices more competitive, and many people are moving back to regular watches.
Long Term Is a Good Term :
I’m a long-term user of almost every product I buy. I usually keep using something until it breaks, becomes too slow, or can no longer deliver the performance I need. My previous iPad is a good example. I used it for years, and I only upgraded recently when it had become noticeably slow. So, I expect my current iPad to remain my drawing device for at least another four to five years, as long as it continues receiving iOS updates and performs well for what I need.
Even though iOS still offers a smoother and more polished user experience, Android isn’t as organized or consistent as iOS. But that gap is getting smaller and smaller, and Android has come a long way in recent years.
Today, you can buy almost any Android tablet and use a free drawing app. If you know what you’re doing, you can achieve 80–90% of the drawing experience without spending a fortune. The tools have become much more accessible; ultimately, it’s what you do with them that matters.
I also don’t rely on any particular brush set. I simply use whichever brush has the texture I need.
In the end, it’s your understanding, practice, and creativity that make the biggest difference—not the brush itself.
That’s why I don’t sell brush packs. I believe you can create great art with almost any brush.
I didn’t learn art through paid courses either. I relied on free resources, practiced consistently, and slowly taught myself over the years. Along the way, I developed my own taste, style, and way of thinking about art.
God has played a central role in my creative journey. Without Him ✝️, I can’t honestly say I would have made it this far without giving up. I simply create what I love, and I am always grateful for the gift of creativity.
About Art Again :
For years, I learned by drawing characters from the work of other artists, slowly building my confidence. In recent years, however, I began creating original artwork, from scenery to animals and fantasy worlds, in my own artistic expression. It was a dramatic shift in my creative journey—deeply fulfilling and one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had as an artist.
Using references from nature or from a variety of sources to explore new ideas is completely fine, but don’t rely solely on other artists’ work. Take your time, think about what you want to create, and add the details that matter to you. That’s how your own artistic voice begins to emerge.
Most importantly, don’t make art more complicated than it needs to be. There are many techniques and rules you can learn, but never let them take away the joy of creating. Keep the journey fun, stay curious, experiment often, and enjoy every step of it.
Conclusion
Start with what you have, or experiment with budget-friendly options before buying anything too expensive. That way, you won’t feel financial pressure to create “perfect” art just because you’ve made an expensive investment.
Focus on building your skills and enjoying the creative process first. Then, upgrade your tools gradually as you grow.
Art is one of the most fun and fulfilling hobbies you can have.
—Godwin Issac (GWI)
📖 Read also: My Biggest Tech Regrets
