I use an iPad as a sub to my iMac. I use the iMac for finishing up illustrations and design-related work, while I use the iPad for idea sketches, character design, setting art, and illustration creation.

I especially treasure it because it allows me to instantly transfer my data through a drive to my Mac and continue working there. I started using an iPad for work after listening to a talk at SEDEC a few years ago given by a designer who uses only a single iPad for work.

There isn’t a particular manufacturer I stick with for protection filters, but I’m currently using a paper-like type. I feel like my pen slides very smoothly across this type, which makes it easy to draw. The one drawback is that the paper-like roughness very quickly wears down the tip of my pen. My Apple Pencil tips usually only last for about a month.

I don’t have any particularities about my mice and keyboards, either. I just use the official products. For tablets, I prefer tablets without screens. I’m currently using a WACOM Intuos Pro. For tablet pens, I switch between the pen that came with the tablet and a light type where the center of gravity is focused on the tip of the pen. Pens that have the center of gravity focused on the bottom are less exhausting on the hands, so I use those for work that requires a lot of time.

Next, let’s move on to my apps. On my Mac, I use Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Clip Studio. On my iPad, I use Adobe Photoshop, Fresco, and Concept.

Concept is an app that doesn’t give a single file a ‘size,’ which allows me to draw whatever I like as if it’s a vast, endlessly-expanding piece of paper. I use it for drawing ideas, memos, and rough sketches. I especially recommend it to people like me who randomly start drawing rough sketches that end up going out of bounds of the paper! It’s free.

Once my image is formed, I start working on my illustration in Adobe Fresco. Fresco is an iPad/iPhone app specialized for painting. Once I finish most of the illustration in Fresco, I finish it up in Photoshop on my iMac. Ever since I started using Fresco, I haven’t used Clip Studio as much, even though I used to love it. Both apps serve a similar purpose, so I suppose it was inevitable.

My daily communication with other core staff members is done over ChatWork. We also have meetings once a week on Zoom.