Recommendations for drawing tablet for 13 yr old budding artist?

[Bluebaubles]

He draws all the time. Mainly comic book stuff
I think he’d love to play around with photoshop type stuff, but I’m a bit clueless. Can you tell?!
X-pen?
I’m struggling to find what these things actually do!

The first decision to make is if you want it to be an input to another device (like a Mac), or a standalone device like a tablet. Does that make sense? How does your DS use photoshop currently?

For example, I think the X-Pen needs to be connected to a PC or Mac running the software. So it is a powerful solution, but not portable. If he is just starting out, you might be better with an ipad with the stylus (you have to buy it separately). There are lots of drawing apps available. We've bought DD(10) a Samsung 6 Lite which comes with a stylus and is around £100 cheaper (£300), although there are less drawing apps available on Android. We are an android family though so it makes sense for us.

I found this blog helpful www.parkablogs.com/content/artist-review-samsung-galaxy-tab-s6-lite-can-you-live-compromises

I bought DD an x-pen but it's rarely used as is a bit of a faff. She much prefers to use my iPad which is one with a drawing pen and keyboard.
She has an iPhone too and finds the compatible software/hardware very easy.

I like the idea of something he can just sit on the couch and sketch with. But also he could have something that links to his pc.
He doesn’t use photoshop atm, mainly because I have no idea where to start with software.
But I’m really not sure if a pen on a tablet will work for him.
He had a galaxy note 9 and anything he drew just liked like Pictionary
He has an iPhone now.
I guess we need to try it out. But I wanted it to be a complete surprise

We have an iPad that comes out for plane journeys! It’s about 3 yrs old

My teen has a Huion drawing tablet connected to her laptop. She's had it a few years and it works well.

Can recommend HUION Kamvas, search YouTube for independent reviews ☺️

So do the programmes run through the laptop/pc?

If I just bought the huion kamvas what could he actually do on it?
I’m looking at YouTube videos but I’m completely overwhelmed. One guy is sand papering down a charger to fit!??
And on the advert it just looks like they are colouring in!

DD has the X pen after a huion insperoy stopped working within 6 months,
She has it connected to her MacBook because it has no display and it shows in the screen. She’s using it a lot for photoshop for her gcse photography as well as art work.
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07RJX7PR2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?psc=1&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&ie=UTF8

It connects using USB like a mouse. You can draw on the tablet with the pen like you would on paper and it shows up in drawing software on the PC.