Art Pen 2 Review.
Before I share my thoughts... For those that have received their Art Pen 2 and are having trouble getting the Rotation feature to work, please check that your Wacom device supports the Art Pen 2 and that the device is updated and running the latest drivers. Then in Photoshop go to your brush settings, Shape Dynamics > Angle Jitter > Control = Rotation. Make sure you have Caps lock off so you can see the brush tip shape and use a brush that has a horizontal edgy shape. This will help you see the tip rotate in real time.
Ok The review:
The new Wacom Art Pen 2 is exactly what it claims to be, a pen with a barrel rotation sensor and it works quite well. However you must have one of the supported devices (more to come) in order for the pen to work. I have a Cintiq Pro 27 and the latest Large Wacom Intuos Pro. As of writing this, the Cintiq Pro 27 does not support the Art Pen 2. It will soon though. It does work on the new Wacom Intuos Pro models and that is where I tested it in Photoshop.
Lets get right to it. The feel of the pen in Photoshop is similar if not exactly the same as the Pro Pen 3 (as far as I can tell). It is fast, responsive and seemless. The only difference is you now have a rotation axis on your pen, and it works very well. On a 120hz monitor it feels just as responsive as the Pro Pen 3.
The AP2 (Art Pen 2) feels lighter than the PP3 (Pro Pen 3) with the weight installed. The AP2 feels very good in hand. The weight is just slightly more than the PP3 configured in "thin pencil mode" (no grips or weight). I would say the PP3 in thin pencil mode feels almost too light but that's not really a problem for me personally. However I would say the AP2 feels exactly right in terms of weight and feel when drawing.
The grip on the AP2 is more of a slight "rubberized" feel but nowhere near as rubbery as the PP3's thick grips. It has just enough grip that rotating the pen feels controlled and deliberate. By contrast the PP3 in thin pencil mode feels slippery due to it's plastic body.
I've only compared the default nibs on both pens and they feel similar. I will test the other nibs in time. Personally I'm waiting for the Cintiq Pro 27 to get Art Pen 2 support (it's coming) before I put these into use in my workflow because most of my drawings are done on the Cintiq. I use the Intuos Pro for Zbrush sculpting and Rotation isn't important there.
For those curious about Rotation and how it feels when working. It's different, in a good way. First off it's very responsive although Photoshop's brush icon does seem to slightly lag when rotating it. This seems to be more of an issue with photoshop's brush tip overlay because the brush strokes themselves rotate very fast and responsively. It's worth mentioning but it's not as bad as it sounds. I figured i would mention it for those wondering if there is an issue with their pen. The rotation data that goes into the stroke is very responsive and fluid but the icon draws (updates) at a slightly less rate it seems. In Clip Studio the "brush icon" rotates smoother as it seems to update/draw on screen at the frame rate of the monitor. So it seems to be a photoshop draw rate with the brush icon itself. Again the data values are very responsive so the stroke responds very well.
Lets talk about Clip Studio. For those who use Clip Studio are are confused as to how to get the Art Pen 2 to work... Here is how you do it.
Clip Studio oddly does not have a "Rotation" data value for the pen. Instead it combines the rotation values with the tilt values. You will not see a value for "Rotation" along side "Pen Tilt" "Pressure", "Direction of Pen", etc. This is why it's confusing :)
To get your Brush to use Rotation in Clip Studio Paint, turn on the angle setting and set it to use "Pen Tilt" (See the screenshot below)
Clip Studio setting for \"Rotation\" to work.
Personally, I prefer Photoshop over Clip Studio, though I enjoy both for different reasons. Both work very well with the Wacom Art Pen 2.
Someone mentioned that the Art Pen 2 feels higher quality than the Pro Pen 3, and I agree. The Pro Pen 3 is great, especially with its modularity and customization, but the Art Pen 2 feels more solid and refined right out of the box. It does not feel like a collection of parts screwed together in your hand. Bravo to Wacom on the build quality.
The biggest advantage of the Art Pen 2 is rotation. It adds a level of brush control that the Pro Pen 3 lacks. That said, it also requires more awareness while drawing. With tilt-based brush angle, you can work more casually. With rotation, you need to pay attention to how the pen is oriented for each stroke.
A useful tip is to treat the pen buttons as your “neutral” position. When your thumb is aligned with the buttons, you can think of that as 0 degrees. This makes it easier to reset your hand position without constantly watching the brush cursor.
Rotation may feel powerful and natural to some artists, while others may find the extra mental step distracting. A good workflow is to keep two versions of your favorite brushes: one using rotation for angle, and one using tilt. That way you can switch depending on what feels best.
So far, I do not really see any negatives beyond the added awareness rotation requires. The pen feels controlled in the hand, unlike the Apple Pencil Pro, which I found slippery and harder to rotate precisely.
Overall, the Wacom Art Pen 2 is excellent. If you have ever wished you could adjust your brush angle instantly without hotkeys or settings, this pen gives you that control. It may not fit everyone’s workflow, but if you are curious about more precise brush control, it is absolutely worth considering.
Edit: I got a great question in the comments.
Q. "Does the Art Pen 2 work on the Cintiq Pro 27 at all?"
A. YES. The Art Pen 2 does work on the Cintiq Pro 27 currently in every aspect except Rotation. It has tilt, pressure, and draws just like a Pro Pen 3. So it does currently work on the Cintiq Pro 27 mins the rotation feature. I'm sure that will be added shortly since Wacom says it's coming.