About Macagora

Macagora is a site about making digital art. We write for people who draw and paint on screens: beginners opening a pen tablet box for the first time, hobbyists who sketch on an iPad on the way to work, and illustrators who want their files to survive the trip to a print shop.

The name comes from the agora, the open square of an old Greek town where people met to argue, swap news and trade. We liked the idea of a square for drawing: somewhere to compare pens, settings and habits without anyone selling a course at the end of every paragraph.

What we cover

• Pen tablets and pen displays. Sizes, pressure, tilt, nibs, drivers and the honest difference between drawing on a screen and drawing beside one.
• Mobile drawing. iPads, Android tablets, styluses and the screen films that change how glass feels.
• Apps and software. Krita, Procreate, Clip Studio Paint and the free options, explained by people who have opened every menu.
• Techniques. Line art, values, color, light, layers and the drills that make them stick.
• Studio setup. Monitors, color calibration, desk height, lamps and posture.
• Creative practice. Sketch habits, references, portfolios and sharing your work.

Who writes it

Five people write here, each with a corner of the desk: Darius Fenn on hardware, Yuna Castellan on mobile drawing, Margo Ellery on studio setup and color, Idris Kalu on software and print files, and Wren Talbot on technique and practice. You can read more about each of them on the writers page.

How we write about gear

We describe products from their published specifications, their makers' manuals, widely shared experience and our own drawing habits. We do not run a test lab and we do not pretend to. When a piece compares devices, it says what to look for and why, so you can judge any listing yourself, including ones we never mention.

Nobody pays to appear in an article and we do not accept free hardware in exchange for coverage.

Affiliate links

Some pages link to products on Amazon. If you buy through one of those links we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Links to other stores, where they appear, can earn a commission as well. Product boxes are marked, and the commission never decides what we recommend: plenty of our advice is to keep the tablet you already own.

Getting in touch

Corrections, questions and ideas for articles are welcome. Use the contact page or write to sketchbook@macagora.com.