Why Are Wacom Pens So Expensive?

Why Are Wacom Pens So Expensive?

Wacom pens might be the most popular option on the market when it comes to graphic design tablet pens. Still, they are notorious for their high cost. So why exactly are Wacom pens so darn expensive? 

Wacom pens are so expensive because they belong to the most prominent graphic design tablet/pen manufacturers on the market. Additionally, because Wacom serves a niche audience they don’t have as much competition to drive their prices down. Plus, they truly make quality products. 

If you’re thinking about getting a Wacom pen but you’re not sure they’re worth the money, this is for you. In our guide below we will dive into how much Wacom pens tend to cost, why they cost that much, and whether or not they’re worth the price. So without further ado let’s jump right into it!

How Much Do Wacom Pens Cost

Before we dive into more details on why Wacom pens are so expensive, let’s take a moment to check out how much they cost on average. 

While Wacom certainly has some budget options for their pens, their most sought-after models, like the Bamboo Ink Plus Smart Stylus or its cousin the Ink Plus Active Stylus, go for a little under or a little over $100.

Compare this to many off brands that generally run you around thirty bucks for their best models and you can see why people would say these are a bit pricey.

What Makes Wacom Pens So Expensive

With prices rising into the three digits for what ostensibly looks like a simple stylus, you could be forgiven for wondering what in the world makes them so expensive? 

Below we’ve outlined the four most apparent reasons why Wacom pens can be so pricey: 

  • They are for a niche market: While we all might love to admire beautiful digital artwork, not all of us actually make it. The truth is not everyone is artistically inclined. Even fewer people are artistically inclined toward creating digital art. Therefore, Wacom has a niche audience that will be willing to pay more because they don’t have as much a choice. 
  • They lack competition: In the same way Google has become synonymous with online search engines and Kleenex has become another word for tissue, Wacom is pretty much a different way of saying “graphic design tablet.” They totally dominate that market and have the preferred products most graphic designers gravitate towards.
  • They have a solid reputation: Wacom has a solid reputation in the world of graphic design. Therefore, even those who are new to graphic design and have only heard bits and pieces about them are more welcoming of the idea of buying one of their products and more willing to spend a greater amount of money on them. 
  • They are genuinely great technology: Wacom tablets and pens are known for being some of the most high-quality options on the market. Not only that, they are notorious for lasting a ridiculously long time in great condition. Many graphic designers have noted that their tablets and pens have lasted a decade or more with little wear to show for it. 

Wacom doesn’t just sell overly priced pens, they put their money where their mouth is. In the next section, we will go into more detail on why they are so good. 

Are Wacom Pens Good?

Before you spend a lot of money on a Wacom pen, you’ll really want to be certain that they’re actually good. We touched on this in the previous section, however, it would be prudent to go into more detail so you can make an informed purchasing decision. So, are Wacom pens good, and if so why? 

Wacom pens are arguably some of the best on the market. So yes, they are good. This is because they are far more responsive to touch, have a greater degree of sensitivity, and are loaded with more features than other models.

Some of those features can include tilt detection, alternative nibs for different drawing styles, and literally thousands of pressure levels for lines that turn out exactly how you want them. 

Is Wacom Worth the Price

Just because a product is good doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s worth whatever the manufacturer is charging for it. In the case of Wacom pens we have to ask, are they worth the steep price? 

While the answer to this question is subjective, we can pretty reasonably say Wacom pens are well worth the price they cost if you are serious about graphic design and want to do it the way the pros do. If you’re just a hobbyist and you only engage in digital art casually, however, you may be better off going with a brand like Huion, which has more budget options. 

The reason we would argue Wacom is worth the price for those serious about professional-grade graphic design is simple. They really are some of the best graphic design pens on the market. 

So Really, Why are Wacom Pens So Expensive?

At the end of the day, Wacom pens are expensive for a variety of reasons. For starters, the company that makes them has the market cornered when it comes to graphic design or digital art tablets and pens. Additionally, and most importantly, they are really well-crafted pieces of tech that stand out above their competition, not only in popularity but in quality as well.

While some could argue–convincingly even–that they are still overpriced when you consider how much it costs to manufacture them, they are some of the best digital art pens on the market. So do you think they’re worth it?

Do EPS Files Have a DPI? [7 Important Facts]

Different devices and systems use different file formats, making exchanging files such as images difficult if not impossible. Fortunately, there are a few standard image formats such as EPS that are common to all devices. However, converting your images to EPS can pose similar challenges. Fortunately, understanding important facts such as maximum EPS DPI rating can help.

By reading further, you will gain an understanding of the EPS image file format and its uses. Afterward, you would know the key consideration for choosing the format and when and when not to use it for your work.

The 7 Important Facts to Know About EPS Files

Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) is a standard graphics file format popular for exchanging images, drawing, and document layouts. An extension of the much older PostScript page description language, EPS contains enough information to reproduce a single standard letter-size document. This information can include the text, layout, and structure, as well as any embedded objects such as other image files.

The format exists to encapsulate or embed, related images and objects into other documents and images to streamline file transfers. As such, an EPS file can contain ASCII-encoded text, bitmap, and vector data. This unique feature can lead to other apparent oddities such as the ones below.

1. EPS Files Do Not Have DPI or PPI

Often confused with Dots Per Inch (DPI), Pixels Per Inch (PPI) is a key component of a digital image’s resolution. It defines the number of pixels the image will fill within an inch of display space. It Is the digital equivalent of DPI from printers which notes ink per inch of paper. However, only bitmap or raster images have this characteristic.

EPS images are vector images. As such, they do not have a native PPI setting. Vector images are infinitely scalable, giving them an effective infinite PPI. However, your application might ask you for a DPI when saving the files.

2. EPS DPI Settings Are Used for Rasterization

This EPS DPI setting is for the baseline resolution when printing the image to a screen or paper. The setting also specifies the resolution for any embed raster files.

This is because the image format is a flat-file. It is either completely opaque or completely transparent. You must convert the entire EPS image to raster to print it because that is the only type of image supported by printers.

Thus, most editing software will pass the files through a Raster Image Processor (RIP) that will convert or rasterize the vector data into a bitmap. The RIP uses the specified DPS to convert the image to the correct resolution.

Your app will also use the DPI setting and RIP to process and display any raster effects such as:

  • Feathering
  • Shadows
  • Glows
  • Blending modes
  • Gradients
  • Transparencies

3. EPS Files Require Dedicated Application to View and Edit

Like with any other image file, you need an editor that supports the format to view and edit EPS images. Generally, that means you need something from either Adobe or Apple such as Distiller, Photoshop, Illustrator, or the Apple Preview. You can also use web applications such as PlaceIt, though most of those apps will only let you view them.

As such, you cannot use EPS files directly in your Canva or PowerPoint presentations. Instead, you must convert the images to a raster format such as EMP, PNG, JPG, or anything other formats your application supports.

However, some applications will let you view, but not edit EPS files. For instance, Photoshop creates a rasterized working copy of your EPS image, preventing you from editing the original file.

4. You Can Convert EPS to Most Other Document and Image Formats

Because you usually cannot use EPS files directly, the format is compatible with most other file formats, allowing you to easily convert your images as needed. The available conversions will depend on your application, but most EPS converters support:

  • Microsoft Word Document (DOC and DOCX)
  • PostScript Document Format(PDF)
  • HTML
  • TEX
  • Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG)
  • Portable Network Graphics (PNG)
  • Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPG or JPEG)
  • Texas Instruments File Format (TIFF)
  • Bitmap (BMP)
  • WMF

Please note that most dedicated EPS editors will convert the images automatically after you make any modifications to your images. Though, you can speed up the process by saving your work using the “Save As” menu item.

5. PDF Files Are Not EPS Files

Many people confuse EPS files with PDFs. While the two formats are descendants of the PostScript language, they are very different formats. For instance, PDF can contain multiple pages in a single file while EPS can only have one. EPS is also a dynamic, editable implementation of PostScript while PDF is read-only. Though you can edit PDFs in some cases, EPS works best with legacy printing machines.

6. EPS Files Are Not Obsolete

Despite being a few decades old, EPS files still have uses in the modern world, especially in the world of professional, high-quality polygraphy. Most large-scale industrial printers only support the format. Plus, EPS files are lossless and very scalable for projects such as large posters, billboard advertising, and other attention-grabbing marketing materials.

7. EPS Is a Scalable Lossless Image Format

 Scalability is the key reason for using EPS images today. The format holds vector data, making it ideal for scaling images without artifacts or losing image quality. That means the format will retain high image resolutions regardless of your modifications. You can stretch or blow up the image without issue, letting you make large print displays.

The same is true for small jobs. You can compress an EPS image down to an icon and it retains every detail imaginable. Both takes remain reversible as well, allowing you to reuse the same image file for every graphics application you may have. That makes EPS files a universal choice for print jobs extraordinarily large or small.

Conclusion

EPS images files are vector images and therefore do not have a defined DPI resolution. However, most EPI files require one to serve as the default resolution for any embed raster image. The setting also helps printers and other graphics applications to render the images when printing them out or displaying them.

How Large Can You Print a 96 DPI File?

When creating designs online, your file may be saved in 96 DPI. While this is fine for digital files, there are limitations when it comes to printing your design. So, you might be wondering, “exactly how large can 96 DPI be printed?”

Though 300 DPI is considered the standard for print, the further away you are viewing from, the less DPI you need. You can print 96 DPI as large as a 20″ x 30″ poster while retaining high quality from a 3-foot viewing distance.

Even if you’re a master graphic designer, printing can be a bit confusing. Below you’ll find out how large 96 DPI files can be printed.

How Big Can A 96 DPI Be Printed?

When it comes to printing, the DPI, or dots per inch, of a file is a big deal. Generally, you’d want your resolution to be at a 300 DPI. However, this isn’t always possible, and it isn’t always necessary either.

As a general rule, large prints that will be viewed at a distance can and should be printed at a lower DPI. 300 DPI is best applied for prints that are viewed at arm’s length or less. Anything thing farther than that does not need to appear as sharp up close, since the eye can’t capture those details at a distance.

Here is a DPI calculator to help you find the resolution requirements for your needs.

That being said, files with a 96 DPI are typically better for large prints that are viewed from at least a few feet awy. This could include:

  • Billboards
  • Movie Posters
  • Banners
  • Subway Posters
  • Transit Advertising (ad on the sides of buses and planes)
  • Floor Graphics

While many of these would work with a 96 DPI, some of these materials could even be printed with a smaller resolution. For example, billboards can be printed at a resolution as low as 30 DPI.

How to Format Your File for Large Printing

If your goal is to develop your file as a large format print, then DPI isn’t the only thing you’ll need to worry about. Making sure your file has the correct formatting will ensure the best results of your final product.

Raster vs. Vector

When setting your DPI, it’s important to understand whether you are dealing with a raster file or a vector file.

If you’ve downloaded your design from Canva or Placeit, then you are more than likely working with a raster file. These files have a set number of pixels and will become pixelated when stretched to fit a space larger than it was meant to. This could limit how big you are able to print if the PPI (pixels per inch) of the image is too small.

Vector images, on the other hand, are made up or data points instead of pixels. Vector files can be set to any DPI without the risk of distorting the image.

Bleed on Large Prints

Bleed is especially important on larger print. Bleed essentially extends the image beyond the edges of the printing surface to ensure that there are no unprinted or cut off graphics in the final product.

Typically, your file should have at least 2 inches of bleed on all sides. For example, if you are printing a 40” x 60” poster, your file size should be 44” x 64” with bleed. 

Does 96 DPI work for Smaller Prints?

If 96 DPI is ideal for large prints, what about smaller print sizes?

Generally, you’d want a 300 DPI file for prints such as photos, wall art, brochures, fliers, etc. Anything that is going to be viewed at arm’s length or less need to appear sharp to the viewer.

If your file is at 96 DPI and you would like to print it smaller than poster-sized, there are a couple things you can do to fix this.

The easiest option is to use a program like Photoshop or GIMP to edit the file. However, this will only work if the file is high-quality.

Another option is to use an online image converter to make adjustments to the file. This is especially useful if you’ve downloaded your file as a Print PDF from Canva.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of what you can print with a 96 DPI file. While the general rule for printing is to always set your file at 300 DPI, this isn’t the case for large format prints that are viewed from a far distance, and 96 DPI would work fine.

This is the Best DPI You Should Use for Digital Art

Regarding photography and digital art, the resolution is one of the most important factors in creating a high-quality image: the more finely tuned elements and clarity, the better. Dots per inch (DPI) refers to the number of ink dots on an image for every inch, describing the sharpness and detail of an image.

The best DPI you should use for digital art is 300 DPI. Whether for print or web, 300 DPI would satisfy both mediums. There are many types of resolutions— ones that can apply to television, film, etc., but the two you’ll encounter most with digital art are screen and print resolution.

Depending on what your digital art is intended for, you may encounter different DPIs. Let’s look at the different types of resolutions and the best-suited DPIs.

Why Is 300 DPI the Best?

300 DPI is considered the optimum resolution for printing photos and other images. Increasing the DPI to 300 will result in a higher quality image, and will result in a clearer, crisper image.

300 DPI is the best because it is the industry standard for printing. Most printers are able to print at 300 DPI or higher, so if you’re looking to get your images printed, 300 DPI is going to be your best bet.

Not only that, but 300 DPI provides a high level of detail. When an image is printed at 300 DPI, the printing process captures a lot of minute details that you may not be able to see with the naked eye. This can be beneficial if you’re looking to create prints that are extremely detailed and realistic.

The Pros and Cons of Using a Higher/Lower DPI

There are both pros and cons to using a higher or lower DPI. Depending on your needs, one may be better suited for you than the other.

The main advantage of using a higher DPI is that it results in a higher quality image. If you’re looking to create prints that are extremely detailed and realistic, then a higher DPI is going to be your best bet.

Higher DPI can result in a better quality image, but it can also take up more space on your hard drive and load slower online. If you’re planning on printing your images, however, a higher DPI is always going to give you a better result.

Lower DPI can save you some space, and lots faster on websites, but it will also result in a lower-quality image. This is fine if you’re just posting your images online or sending them to friends and family, but if you’re looking to get them printed, you should always go with the highest DPI possible.

Screen Resolution Vs. Printing Resolution

The industry-standard resolution for the screen is 72 PPI, and it has been this way since the 1980s when Apple released the first Macintosh computer. The screens at the time were 72 pixels per inch to go along with the ImageWriter printers Apple also sold that had a DPI twice the size of the screens.

The reason this PPI is recommended is two-fold. 72 PPI is a measurement that shows sufficient visual information of the image and keeps site load times to a minimum. There is a lot of argument surrounding the validity of 72 PPI since most modern computers on the market today have higher resolutions.

Design applications will allow you to change the PPI or DPI of an image at will.

Commercial printers will tell you what to set as your resolution for them to accept your image for printing. Some printers will accept a range of DPIs, but all of them will tell you that the minimum DPI allowable is 300.

When you have a digital image or art piece open in Photoshop or a comparable program, you can change the DPI up or down, and it will not affect the pixel dimensions, which means that no matter the DPI, the image will look the same on the web. If that’s the case, setting your digital art to 300 DPI or greater makes the most sense. That way, you can have it ready for print or screen.

How to Find the DPI of an Image

Perhaps you’ve found an image on the internet that you would like to use, or someone sends you their digital art, and you need to know the DPI. There is an easy way to find out the DPI of an image; it just depends on the device you’re using.

For Mac Users

You can locate the DPI using the built-in app, Preview. Go to your Finder file manager and locate your image, right-click, then select Open With > Preview. Once the Preview window opens, navigate to Tools > Show Inspector. You will see a line entry titled Image DPI, among other important information about your image.

For Windows Users

You can use Windows File Explorer. Navigate the image, then right-click and select Properties in the pop-up menu. Once the Properties window opens up, navigate to the Details tab. Scroll down until you find the Horizontal and Vertical resolutions on the list. These resolutions are your DPI and will most likely have the same value.

Opened in Photoshop

If you already have your image opened up in Photoshop, then you must navigate to Image > Image Size. The dialog box will open, and you will see it listed as Resolution under the width and height of the image. Don’t be thrown off by the resolution being in pixels/inch; it is the same value for DPI.

Conclusion

A DPI that can translate across mediums is the best option because it saves you time, energy, and hassle. Whether referred to as PPI or DPI, you know resolution matters most when printing a digital image, and digital art for the screen can be displayed the same at any DPI.

Can You Convert RGB Into CMYK in Canva?

Canva is one of the most popular free graphic design websites and apps online today. RGB and CMYK are two color code options used when creating graphics. CMYK is the best option for print graphics, so designers must convert RGB to CMYK before printing their designs from Canva. But, how is the conversion process completed?

Unfortunately, Canva does not allow users to convert colors from RGB to CMYK for printing. The best recommendation is exporting your Canva project in RGB and sending it to a professional printer to convert to CMYK before printing.

CYMK colors are a must to make sure your ink-printed designs look the best they can. So, read on to learn more about the CMYK color scheme and why the conversion is so necessary.

What Happens if You Don’t Change RGB to CMYK?

In many cases, if you are printing a digital design, the printer will do the conversion for you. But, if you are working the other way around and forget the conversion, the colors that print may not exactly match the ones you see on your computer screen.

Why Are CMYK Colors Important?

CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key or black. These four colors are what are mixed in printer ink to create all the colors you see when printing documents in color. They are separated initially inside color ink cartridges. Printers cannot print in RGB color mode.

CMYK is a subtractive color process, so cyan, magenta, and yellow are added top of each other and mixed on top of each other to create key or black. The more color that gets added, the darker the printed color, and the less color added, the lighter the color printed. It is called subtractive color since color must be removed to access lighter hues.

Differences Between RGB and CMYK Color Scale 

The RGB and CMYK color scales are exact opposites. This section will detail both color scales so that you can see how different they are from each other.

RGB Color 

The RGB color scale stands for Red, Green, and Blue, and it is used on digital screens. Screens show images and information using hundreds of thousands of pixels. The pixels have subpixels that are blue, green, and red. 

These colored subpixels absorb different light intensities based on the color they display to show the color image you see on the black computer screen. RGB colors come in a range from 0-255. So, there are 256 different color levels for red, green, and blue subpixels that can be mixed for a total of 16 million possible combinations. 

Black is created when all of the colors are set at 0. White is created when all of the colors are set at 255. The RGB color scale is additive because the red, green, and blue subpixels are added to create the various color options. The more color that is added, the lighter the final color. These colors are most often used for digital media, so the best things you can make using RGB colors are:

  • Branded media (logos, ads, labels)
  • Graphics for social media (story templates, cover images, profile photos)
  • Web and app design elements (clickable buttons, website graphics, app logos)
  • Visual aids (infographics, charts, videos)

CMYK Color 

CMYK color scale is made up of cyan blue, magenta, yellow, and “key” or black, and is used for printing things in color. The printers at your local print shop all use this color scale.

Black or “key” is used because no combination of cyan, magenta, and yellow can make black, even if they are all in their purest form. CMYK is known as a subtractive color process because colors are taken away to produce lighter hues. This process happens the way it does because these colors absorb light, and more ink added means less light and darker colors.

CMYK hues are represented by percentages, so to get white, all of the colors have to be at 100%. Setting cyan, magenta, and yellow to 0% and key to 100% does not make a true black. To get black, there has to be 75% cyan, 68% magenta, 67% yellow, and 90% black. This is a rich black that will not tear a hole in your designs. 

CMYK ensures that your colors will be rich so that they look professional when printed in any size. The best things you can make with CMYK colors include: 

  • Business branding materials (business cards, stationary with logos, promotional signs)
  • Advertisements (billboards, flyers, posters, brochures, face cards)
  • Merchandise (t-shirts, hats, bags, water bottles, pens, mugs, sweaters)
  • Other physical items (menus, product packaging, and containers)

RGB and CMYK are two different ways of representing color. One is for digital designs on screen and the other is for physical prints. One is additive while the other is subtractive.

Conclusion

Canva only uses RGB colors, and does not have a feature to change colors to CMYK. You will need to export your project in RGB from Canva, and convert the colors to CMYK elsewhere before printing.

What To Do if You Can’t Change Font Color in Excel

Microsoft Excel is a helpful business tool that allows you to use spreadsheets for data analysis, visualization, and computation. When organizing your spreadsheets, color coding can be an integral identification device. However, with any application, there are times when certain actions can not be performed, like changing the font color.

Not being able to effectively categorize your spreadsheet could make keeping track of data more difficult. Color-coding your information saves time and makes it more understandable for others viewing your spreadsheet. Fortunately, there are ways to troubleshoot Microsoft Excel to ensure you can change the font color. Keep reading for ways to fix this problem.

4 Ways To Fix Excel Not Allowing You To Change Font Color

Fixing the issue with font color changes could be as simple as ensuring you’re following the correct steps to perform this action. If the problem is not a result of a lack of proper instruction, there are troubleshooting steps you can take to get Excel working correctly again.

1. Follow the Proper Instructions

It may seem obvious to those who have used Excel before, but for novice Excel users, some instruction may be necessary when figuring out the best way to change the font color within a cell.

For this approach, you’ll utilize the tabs and icons on the top of the Excel spreadsheet:

  1. First, select the text you would like to change— this could be an entire cell or a single word within the text.
  2. Once you’ve selected the text, click on the “Home” tab above the spreadsheet. The second group in the “Home” toolbar is geared toward fonts.
  3. Look for the icon with the letter “A” and a thick underline beneath it.
  4. Click on the arrow to the right of the icon, and a dropdown menu will appear with a library of color selections.
  5. Find the color you desire and select it. Your text selection should change automatically.

If you don’t see the color you want, click on the “More Colors” option at the bottom of the dropdown menu and find the color using the color wheel.

If Excel does not change the font color after following these instructions, move on to the first troubleshooting step.

2. Unprotect Spreadsheet in Excel to Change Font Color

You may not be aware that the spreadsheet you’re working on is protected, especially if the sheet was sent to you. While the sheet is protected, you will not be able to change the font color.

To fix this issue, you need to unprotect the sheet:

  1. At the top of the spreadsheet, click on the “Review” tab and navigate to the “Protect” group.
  2. In this group, you have the option to protect and unprotect a spreadsheet.
  3. Select “Unprotect Sheet” and navigate to your “Home” tab.

Now you can follow the instructions for changing the font color from the previous section. If this fix doesn’t address the problem, move on to the next troubleshooting step.

3. Make Sure Hardware Graphics Acceleration is Disabled

This fix addresses an issue that may arise if you have an external monitor or other device connected to your main device. Font changes in Excel may not be possible due to the hardware graphics acceleration.

If that is the case, you need to disable the hardware graphics acceleration to make changes in Excel:

  1. The first tab above your spreadsheet in Excel should be “File,” select and navigate to “Options.”
  2. From the list of options on the left side of the “Excel Options” display box, select “Advanced.”
  3. Under “Display,” check the box next to “Disable Hardware Graphics Acceleration,” then “Ok” or “Apply.”

Now you can navigate to your “Home” tab and follow the instructions for changing the font color from the first section.

If this fix doesn’t apply to you or doesn’t address the problem, move on to the last troubleshooting step.

4. Clear Conditional Formatting in Excel to Change Font Color

If you find that you can change the font color in some cells but not in others, you may be dealing with conditional formatting. If this is the case, Excel will not allow you to make any changes to the color of the font.

If you’re unsure whether conditional formatting applies to your problem; test the cells first. Select the cell or group of cells and attempt to change the font color.

If it doesn’t work, try the following steps:

  1. Go to your “Home” tab, and next to the “Font” grouping, you will see an option called “Conditional Formatting.”
  2. Select the arrow to the right of this option, and a dropdown menu will appear.
  3. In the menu, find “Clear Rules” and hit the arrow to the right of it.
  4. A second dropdown menu will appear, select “Clear Rules for Entire Sheet.

Now you can navigate to your “Home” tab and follow the instructions for changing the font color. 

If this fix does not correct the problem, you may want to consider saving your work and restarting the application or uninstalling and reinstalling.

Conclusion

Having troubleshooting steps when the action will not perform in your application is helpful and educational. If you’re using Excel for your business, you may find Placeit.net useful for business cards, logos, and designs.

What To Do When Procreate Won’t Import a Font

Procreate is an affordable design application specifically designed for iPad. It’s a one-time payment for the raster-based graphics editor and painter. You can purchase a stylus for the application to get a realistic paper and pen feel when creating illustrations, icons, logos, etc. Procreate allows you to import fonts for your designs, providing you with many avenues for fonts.

Like any application, Procreate could run into some issues when attempting to import your downloaded fonts into the application. If you can identify the cause of the disruption, you can find a solution to get Procreate working for you. Keep reading for some troubleshooting tips when Procreate won’t import a font.

How To Import a Font Into Procreate

You first want to ensure you’re taking the correct steps to import your fonts into Procreate. Sometimes missing a step or not knowing where to navigate can affect your success at getting fonts into your Procreate library.

Here is a step-by-step guide to importing fonts into Procreate:

  1. First, make sure your iPad’s software is up-to-date. Some font websites require the latest version of software to download fonts.
  2. Find the font you want and select Download. A pop-up will appear on your iPad asking if you want to download; select the blue Download text.
  3. Click the Download icon on Safari. You’ll find it to the right of your search bar at the top of the screen. A pop-up will appear and click the Finder icon (looks like a magnifying glass).
  4. A window will appear displaying where your download is housed. When it’s finished downloading, click on the file to unzip if the font downloads as a zip file.
  5. Open Procreate and follow this sequence: Actions>Add>Add text.
  6. Type out a word in the text, then select the blue Edit Style button on the iPad digital keyboard.
  7. Select Import Font>Locate font file>Click on the font.

A bigger issue may be at play if these steps don’t work for you. Let’s take a look at some troubleshooting options for fonts not importing. You can also use a website, like placeit.net, that has built-in fonts and templates you can use for your design needs.

Troubleshooting Steps When Procreate Won’t Import Font

You’ve followed all the correct steps, but your font doesn’t appear in Procreate, or you received an error message during the import process notifying you that your font cannot be imported. Sometimes the issue isn’t about Procreate but a different application on your device. Let’s take a look at some scenarios.

Importing From Google Drive

You may need to try a different approach if you’re using Google Drive to download your font file. Google Drive doesn’t always handle special files on iOS very well, which can affect your ability to import. Try moving your files away from Google Drive and putting them into a different application, like your “Files” folder on your iPad.

Importing a Zipped File

Not all font files will download as zipped files, but if they do and you don’t unzip the file before attempting to import, your file will not import correctly. Ensure you open the file in Documents and it’s unzipped before importing it to Procreate. If zipped files are too complicated, plenty of font files will download as .OTF or other unzipped file format.

Importing an Unsupported Font

Some users have experienced importing fonts into Procreate they cannot use– they are greyed out and not clickable. While this isn’t an import issue, let’s address it so it’s not confused as an import error. Not all fonts you download off the internet are compatible with Procreate.

If this happens to you, the best thing you can do is revisit the site you downloaded the font from and find out if their fonts are supported by your version of Procreate. If not, you’ll have to find a different font or the same font on a different website that supports Procreate.

Issue with Procreate

If none of these options have worked and you’re struggling to figure out what the issue might be, it’s possible that Procreate could be experiencing some technical difficulties. Before restarting or uninstalling, try seeing if there are any available updates to the application. If so, those updates could address the issue causing problems with importing fonts.

If there is no update available or you’re still having issues, you can try closing out the application and restarting it. Be sure to save all your work before exiting. The last option would be to uninstall the application and reinstall it.

Conclusion

It’s possible another application running simultaneously with Procreate could be causing the issue. Close out all applications and restart your device. Make sure no applications are running in the background while you’re importing.

You can always find support forums or call tech support for Procreate if the issue persists.

What to Do if Adobe Fonts Keep Deactivating

Adobe has some of the most sought-after and visually pleasing fonts available for all of their different software through their Fonts program. Still, from time to time these fonts may seem to automatically deactivate themselves. This problem is particularly prevalent on Macs for some reason. What do you do when this is happening repeatedly? 

If Adobe Fonts keeps deactivating on your Mac you should create a new Mac OS account and then attempt to use the fonts through them. You may also have to manually activate the fonts yourself before they will work. 

If you’re having trouble keeping Adobe Fonts activated, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. In our guide below we will break down everything from the standard reactivation process to what to do when your fonts just won’t seem to stay activated. We’ll provide you with easy step-by-step instructions so you can get your fonts up and running again and finally finish that big project!

How Do I Reactivate Adobe Font?

If your fonts have only been deactivated once, then you should first try the standard way of reactivating them. Fortunately, we can show you how to do just that.

Follow the steps below to activate your Adobe fonts with the standard approach:

  1. Find the Creative Cloud desktop app and open it: This can be found on the Mac OS menu bar. 
  2. Click the fonts icon and browse for fonts: Once you click the fonts icon you should be greeted by a window with a blue button at the bottom of it labeled “browse fonts.” Click it. 
  3. Search for the fonts you want: A browser window will open that allows you to search for the fonts you want. Additionally, you can use filters to further help you find just the right ones. 
  4. Select a preferred font and click on “view family”: Once you select a font, click the button “view family.” This will take you to where you can activate the font. 
  5. Toggle the font to active: Now you just have to click the drop-down menu near the top right side of the page labeled “Activate Fonts” and you can toggle whichever fonts from each family you want active. You may have to do this process over again if you want to activate more fonts from a different family.

This is the most straightforward way that will allow you to reactivate the specific font you prefer. In our section on what to do if the fonts won’t activate or stay activated, we will show you another way of reactivating them that should prevent them from automatically deactivating or staying deactivated in the future.   

Are Adobe Fonts Automatically Reactivated?

Before we dive into what to do if Adobe Fonts continues to deactivate, however, let’s first address a common question about reactivation. Do you actually have to reactivate the fonts yourself or will they be automatically reactivated eventually? We want to get this out of the way so that people aren’t waiting around for the problem to fix itself. 

Unfortunately, if your problem is that your fonts keep automatically deactivating they will need to be manually reactivated. 

Why Does My Adobe Font Keep Disappearing

Let’s say that you go through the whole reactivation process we outlined above but then your Adobe font decides that it is going to just deactivate all on its own and disappear again. Why does this happen? 

Adobe fonts can automatically stop updating because of everything from a stuck CC update to bugs that Adobe has not yet addressed. If they continue to deactivate after updates are corrected and you’ve already reactivated them multiple times, chances are it’s one of these bugs that haven’t yet been addressed. 

Unfortunately, as of now, there is really only one fix that seems to be working for people, even though it is not at all the most convenient. We’ll dive into what that fix is next. 

How to Keep Adobe Fonts from Automatically Deactivating

So now we come to the main event. You’ve tried reactivating the standard way but it keeps disappearing and automatically deactivating anyway. How do you prevent this from happening in the future?

Follow the steps below to keep Adobe fonts from continuing to deactivate even after you’ve reactivated them properly:

  1. Make a new Mac OS account: To make a new Mac OS account you simply need to go into your system preferences, select Users and Groups, then click the + icon. From there you simply follow the prompts and create your new account. 
  2. Activate the fonts you want: You may have to go in and manually activate the fonts that you want. You can do this by following the steps we laid out in the first section. On the new account, they should stay activated. 

While it can be frustrating to create a new account, as of yet this is really the only fix that works reliably. Hopefully, Adobe will eventually create a better fix that isn’t as convoluted in the future, but for now, this is what must be done.  

So Really, What Do You Do if Adobe Fonts Keep Deactivating?

If Adobe Fonts continues to deactivate various fonts even after you’ve reactivated them, your problem is likely being caused by a bug that Adobe has yet to fully address. 

Unfortunately, the only way to prevent this problem that is actually working for real people is to create a new Mac OS account and use fonts through it. Still, once you have completed your new account it should start working fine. 

What’s the Best Aspect Ratio for Business Cards?

Aspect ratio is the ratio of the width to the height. It’s often expressed in the form of a number, colon, number. When making a business card, it’s critical to consider the ideal aspect ratio for your business card. There is a ratio that will permit the ideal look for your business cards in the hand of a professional.

The ideal aspect ratio for business cards is between 1.42 and 1.8. This ratio provides the ideal size for a business card, permitting enough room for all the necessary information while keeping it small enough to be practical.

If you are interested in learning more about the aspect ratio for a business card, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to learn more about the dimensions, format, bleed size, and more that comes with the creation of a business card. There’s a lot to consider, so let’s get started right away.

What’s the Best Resolution for Business Cards?

When you invest in a business card, you need to provide the right resolution for a business card. This factor will allow the information on your business card to be visible to anyone who reads it.

The ideal resolution for business cards is 1050 pixels x 600 pixels. It’s not too much and not too little. The quality of the business card will be 300 pixels per square inch. This size makes it look sleek and professional. Of course, you can always experiment with the pixels to determine what’s best for your card.

What Dimensions Should a Business Card Be?

The aspect ratio is a result of the dimensions of a business card. For creators, you should look for dimensions of about 3.5 inches x 2 inches. This size is the most common you will see on the market.

This size permits the following with a card:

  • Easy carry in a pocket or a purse
  • Enough space for information
  • Affordable printing price

There’s a lot to love about these dimensions.

Of course, times change. There are square business cards and even larger options for business cards. You can experiment with size, but 3.5 inches x 2 inches is ideal for your first business card option.

What is the Bleed Size for a Business Card?

The bleed zone is the area that has the potential to get cut off in the business card printing process. Any image that extends to the edge of the card has to extend past the bleed line if you want the image to take up the entire page. If it doesn’t go past the line, there is a potential that the image might get cut off.

It’s critical to have the image extend the entire way because of the image:

  • Will otherwise be cut off
  • Could lose its quality

It’s critical to be careful with the bleed line.

There are three lines to note on a business card – a bleed line, cut line, and safety line. It’s critical to become familiar with all three of these to position the font and images in a way that will print appealingly.

What is a Good Font for a Business Card?

When making a business card, it’s critical to pick a good font. It should be friendly, readable, and a size that will fit any business card. A good font can make all the difference when it comes to a business card.

Here are a few of the best fonts for a business card:

  • Helvetica
  • Futura
  • Arial

These will serve you well as you print your business cards.

Of course, there is no hard and fast rule about fonts. You can explore until you find a font that fits who you are and provides a legible way to display your information. A sans serif font will always be one of the better choices for a business card and its appearance.

What Color Should a Business Card Be?

Color is something that many don’t consider when it comes to a business card. Many choose white or black – but there are other options! Color has to do with a lot of psychology, and it can make a difference in how people interpret the information on your business card.

Here are a few of the best colors for the business cards:

  • Gray, black, and white
  • Blue, green, and lavender
  • Red, orange, and yellow

These will provide the best results for your business cards, and they should appeal to multiple people.

It’s critical to consider the field you work in for your business card. If you’re more of an artist, bright colors will work well for your business card. Blacks, whites, and grays will be better if you are in a career that requires more of a professional look, such as an office building. Only you can determine what the best choice for your business card is. Consider using pre-made templates based on the industry.

What Format is Best for Printing Business Cards?

Once you have your business card, it’s time to print. You might wonder – what are the best file formats for a printer? What will a company accept?

Here are the two files that most companies will accept for business cards:

  • PDF
  • TIFF

The company can take these files and work with them to create a professional business card.

Of course, it’s critical to find a company that fits your needs for a business card. A trusted location will give you everything you need for the success of your future!

Conclusion

When making a business card, the aspect ratio is a critical component of the card. You also need to consider the resolution, dimension, printing process and bleed for the best results. Several parameters will provide you with the best possible business card on the market.

We hope this information was helpful! There’s a lot to consider when it comes to the best aspect ratio, along with many other components. It’s critical to make the best possible choices for the sake of future professional relationships. The better your business card, the higher your chance of selling yourself to the market!

5 Ways Professional Graphic Designers Think Differently

Isn’t it wonderful when meeting someone who just thinks in a different way? How fascinating it must be to experience the world through someone else’s eyes. In taking a moment to put oneself into another’s shoes, it starts to become clear how similar people really are. The same goes when looking at different careers.

While not everyone is the same, graphic designers typically have a more creative mindset. That doesn’t mean just making pretty pictures either. Creativity also helps with problem solving and critical thinking. Read more for some insights on how graphic designers think.

1. Work Smarter Not Harder

A lot of work goes into making things look aesthetically pleasing. Art of any form is a skill rather than a talent. Nobody pops out capable of making gorgeous works of art. It took a lot of time to learn that, and graphic designers do their work so frequently that they find shortcuts to work smarter rather than harder as the work continues in.

Here are some examples:

  • Creating custom brushes, fonts, or other assets that will be reused often
  • Building templates and presets
  • Learning hotkeys and program shortcuts
  • Use design tools and resources available

There’s no point in trying to reinvent the wheel all the time. If it works, it works! However, there’s also no point in working harder when working smarter and more efficiently gets the same result in a healthier manner.

2. Keep an Open Mind

Especially when working with clients, things aren’t always going to go the designer’s way. While they might make something they absolutely adore, their client might not. Keeping an open mind helps to see their perspective and to not take it so personally. In the end, it might end up being better for everyone.

Not to mention, sometimes things just don’t work out. Instead of letting this drag the graphic designer down, they find ways to work around this. Failure hurts, but it isn’t always the end. If nothing else, it’s a valuable learning experience. The open-minded creativity helps to find solutions, solve problems, and learn from these experiences.

3. Color Theory

The main part of graphic design is making something that’s aesthetically pleasing. Learning how to do that is essential, and that involves understanding color theory. Knowing how and why colors go together, what sorts of feelings they can provoke, and other minuscule details can easily take a decent design to a great one.

4. It’s All About the Space

How much space a design takes up, how to use the whitespace to its fullest potential, how big or small something is, and generally just how things fit are all important parts of graphic design. Even the space between letters and words is something that a designer considered at some point. Things need to look nice and be readable, or what’s the point?

5. What’s the Flow?

In the western world, people read left to right. That also means that naturally, the eye is going to scan anything left to right as it’s perceiving information. Making sure the design lines up with this is one way to ensure good flow in a piece. However, not everything needs to be like this. If it doesn’t, that’s where the importance of design comes in.

Utilizing lines, colors, and other techniques, a designer can trick the eye into focusing on certain aspects of their design or drag the eye along a different flow without it being awkward. The composition itself has to flow, how it sits on the page, how someone experiences it and moves through it. This is true for both text and images.

Conclusion

Graphic designers are people, so no two are going to think exactly the same. However, it’s also a very creative field which means that more creatively minded people are going to gravitate towards it. Creativity doesn’t stop at pretty pictures either, but also includes so much more than what it seems.

A graphic designer has to consider every tiny detail of their design. The colors, the spacing, the area around it, how it will be presented, how viewers see it, and so much more. Sometimes, this all doesn’t come together as wonderfully as one might hope, but it’s important to keep an open mind and not let these failures be the end. Graphic designers thrive on the creative process helping them through problems and uses that to help them grow in their skills.