{"id":806683,"date":"2020-03-20T10:30:42","date_gmt":"2020-03-20T10:30:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eu.shop.wacom.eu\/us\/?p=3863"},"modified":"2026-06-05T09:25:50","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T16:25:50","slug":"everything-you-need-to-start-streaming-your-art","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/everything-you-need-to-start-streaming-your-art\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything You Need to Start Streaming Your Art"},"content":{"rendered":"3\/20\/20 Note: This was originally written in December, so it doesn\u2019t reference the current state of affairs. For information on virtual artist alleys and livestreaming as an alternative to events, see my last article, <\/em>Artist Resources: So Your Con Was Cancelled<\/a>.<\/em>\n\n
\n\nI moved to a larger room last month, which allowed me to rebuild my streaming setup that had been packed away for a year. That\u2019s as good an opportunity as any to show you to set up your own from the beginning.\n\nLike art on the whole, streaming is easy to get into, but deceptively hard to get good at. At the bare minimum, all you need is OBS and a computer:\n

The Barebones Setup<\/h1>\n

\"\"<\/p>\nBoxbox909<\/a>\u2019s minimal stream: Just a Photoshop capture. Art this good can hold the attention on its own, though.<\/em>\n

'Puter<\/h3>\nTo be able to stream, it\u2019ll need:\n
    \n \t
  1. And I5, i7, or i9 processor; or AMD equivalent.<\/b><\/li>\n \t
  2. A graphics card.\n<\/b>Trying to stream with onboard graphics will usually result in Youtube-circa-2007 resolution and a framerate that has to be measured per hour.<\/li>\n \t
  3. At least 8 GB RAM. 16 recommended.\n<\/b>You can pull off 720P with 8GB. Any upgrades past that will allow you to run more programs smoothly while streaming.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    At least 10\/10 mbps. internet<\/h3>\nPreferably ethernet for stability. If you have to use WiFi, getting a good external antenna helps, even if you\u2019re using a laptop with a built-in one.\n

    OBS<\/a><\/h3>\nThere are two major streaming programs, this and XSplit<\/a>. OBS is by far the more common one, because it\u2019s free and open-source.\n\nThere are two types of OBS as well: Regular<\/a> and Streamlabs,<\/a>\u00a0charmingly nicknamed SLOBS: a reskin with a simplified interface that automates many of the processes Twitch streamers specifically use most, but at the cost of some of the more precise controls that regular offers.\n\nSLOBS automatically detects your computer specs, screen resolutions, mics, and cams\u2014where I had to manually add them in regular\u2014sets your resolution and framerate to what your system can handle, and connects directly to your Twitch or Youtube accounts so you won\u2019t have to piddle around with stream keys and server addresses.\n\nNote: <\/b>This is also its biggest flaw, though. If you stream through Restream or Picarto, it will erase your stream key every time you log in and force you to input it again. Find an app that\u2019ll let you save it to your clipboard.\n\nIt lets you create bots and download themes that come with professional sidebars, popups, and sound effects in-app, although most are made for gamers, with energy-drink aesthetics that might not be what you want as an artist.\n\nPersonally, I resisted making the switch for years, but the minute I tried SLOBS, I realized it makes things 10x easier.\n\nNote 2:<\/b> if you work on 2+ monitors, I recommend you either stream in studio mode or learn the screen switching hotkeys, then transition through a holdscreen, so you won\u2019t have to have the OBS window pop up in your stream every time you want to switch screens and cause that weird two-mirrors-across-from-each-other effect. You\u2019ll know what all that means when you try it.\n

    A platform<\/h3>\nFor art streamers, the big three are YouTube, Twitch, and Picarto.\n

    YouTube<\/a><\/h4>\n\u2014Is YouTube, needing no explanation. You\u2019ve probably watched it today. It has the most name recognition, but with several downsides.\n
      \n \t
    1. Unless you have an established channel, you won\u2019t get drop-in viewers since the platform is so huge and labyrinthine they won\u2019t find you just by browsing.<\/li>\n \t
    2. It lacks some of Twitch\u2019s networking and monetization features.<\/li>\n \t
    3. They have the strictest rules and enforcement on playing copyrighted music in your stream. Where Twitch will just mute portions of your stream\u2019s replay video and Picarto doesn\u2019t have any policy on it, YouTube will block your replay videos in all countries, then take away your streaming privileges after enough strikes.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      \"\"<\/p>\n

      Kienan Lafferty<\/a> draws characters from his upcoming comic <\/em>Maid of Metal.<\/p>\n\n

      Twitch<\/a><\/h4>\n\u2014As you already know if you have any interest in becoming a streamer, is the gold standard for public livestreaming.\n

      \"\"<\/p>\n

      Shilin Huang<\/a> working on her comic <\/em>Amongst Us<\/a> (on a Cintiq 21UX).<\/em><\/p>\nIt used to have a reputation as being for gamers only, but just looking at who\u2019s live now (8 PM EST on a Wednesday), there are not just visual artists, but a pizza cook<\/a>, a cosplay harpist<\/a>, a knifesmith<\/a>, a couple decorating a Christmas tree<\/a>, a woman doing tarot readings in a coffee shop<\/a>, someone making fishing lures<\/a>, a Filipino radio DJ<\/a>, a cat camera<\/a>, someone building a desk<\/a>, a political Youtuber debating viewers<\/a>, a storm-chaser tracking a blizzard outside Cleveland<\/a>, someone streaming from her phone while shopping at Target<\/a>, someone exploring a beach in South Korea<\/a>, someone commenting on current events in Brazil<\/a>, a dashcam from a road trip<\/a>, a guy doing backflips<\/a>, a drag queen doing her makeup<\/a>, and a feed from the International Space Station<\/a>; as well as OhNips<\/a>, Lavender Towne<\/a>, and the Small-Buteras<\/a> all at once. (Although the Small-Buteras are playing video games<\/a>.)\n\nAnyway, there\u2019s a relatively small but active<\/a> community of digital artists who often support each other\u2019s content. If you\u2019re a regular viewer and commenter in other artists\u2019 streams, they might just watch yours.\n

      Picarto<\/a><\/h4>\n...Is the Deviantart of the streaming world, with all the good and bad that entails. It\u2019s dedicated to artists, with nothing else to be found there. It\u2019s more libertine than the other two, which makes it popular with furries and experimental artists, and it\u2019s the only one that explicitly allows NSFW content, so it\u2019s the only game in town for erotic art.\n\n\"\"\n

      It also allows multistreaming with premium accounts.<\/em><\/p>\nOccasionally a big-name comic artist or illustrator will drop in, too. Check, Please!<\/em>\u2019s Ngozi Ukazu sometimes draws pages there<\/a>.\n

      An audience<\/h3>\nUnfortunately, Twitch stopped promoting their Creative section since it was proving less popular than gaming, so you can\u2019t rely on drop-ins. (Although you couldn\u2019t before, either.)\n\nSo you\u2019ll need to promote your streams on social media.\n\nThere are loads of online guides to how to do this. Gleam.io\u2019s the best and most complete one I\u2019ve found<\/a>.\n\nIf you\u2019re brave enough to be comfortable with your personal friends watching you, you can post on Facebook, but bear in mind that they penalize the reach of outgoing links.\n\nBeing active on Discord servers helps tremendously: posting the links to community channels is a good way to get people who\u2019ve seen your art before to drop in. I don\u2019t recommend starting your own until you already have a big following. People purge their Discord servers much more mercilessly than their Twitter follows, and if you stop posting content regularly, expect them to disappear.\n

      Inspiration<\/h3>\nWatch and network with other art streamers. Not only can they clue you in to things you\u2019d like to try on your own stream, they can be your biggest allies in growing your audience through hosts and recommendations.\n

      A Wacom tablet<\/h3>\nAccept no substitutes.\n
      \n

      Find the perfect Wacom tablet for your \"working from home\" style and space<\/h3>\n
      \n
      \n\n\"Small\n

      Small Desk or Table<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n

      \n\n\"Dedicated\n

      Dedicated Work Space<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n

      \n\n\"Office\n

      Office or Studio<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\"\"\n

      \n
      \n\n\"Small\n
      \n\n\"\"\n

      Wacom Intuos Pro Small<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n

      Proven, compact pen\ntablet for drawing and photo editing. Perfect for small work surfaces.<\/p>\n

      Includes 2 months of Photoshop and Lightroom<\/p>\n\"\"\n

      Photoshop and Lightroom<\/p>\n\n

      $249.95<\/small><\/span><\/div>\nShop now \u2192<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n
      \n\n\"Dedicated\n
      \n
      Draw on screen<\/div>\n\"\"\n\n<\/div>\n

      Wacom Cintiq 16<\/h4>\n

      Feature-packed pen display for next level illustrations. 16\u201d screen fits any work space.<\/p>\n

      Includes up to 6 months of<\/p>\n\"\"\n

      $649.95<\/small><\/span><\/div>\nShop now \u2192<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n
      \n\n\"Dedicated\n
      \n\n\"\"\n

      Wacom Intuos Pro Medium<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n

      All the features you need for drawing, sketching and photo editing. Great tablet for more spacious surfaces.<\/p>\n

      Includes 2 months of Photoshop and Lightroom<\/p>\n\"\"\n

      Photoshop and Lightroom<\/p>\n\n

      $379.95<\/small><\/span><\/div>\nShop now \u2192<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n
      \n\n\"Office\n
      \n
      Draw on screen<\/div>\n\"\"\n\n<\/div>\n

      Wacom Cintiq 22<\/h4>\n

      Large 21.5\u201d HD display perfect for creating detailed illustrations, paintings and animations.<\/p>\n

      Includes up to 6 months of<\/p>\n\"\"\n

      $1,199.95<\/small><\/span><\/div>\nShop now \u2192<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n.wfh-product-module p{font-size: 0; line-height: 0;}.wfh-product-module .shome{font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px;}.wfh-product-module{width: 1000px; margin-left: -55px; border: 2px solid #E8E8E8; background: #F8F8F8; text-align: center; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 40px;}.wfh-product-module h3{font-size: 24px; margin-top: 35px; margin-bottom: 25px; font-weight: 700;}.wfh-product-module .desk-icons{display: flex; justify-content: space-between; align-items: flex-end;}.wfh-product-module .icon-small{text-align: left; color: #83BD01;}.wfh-product-module .icon-medium{text-align: center; color: #42AB6A;}.wfh-product-module .icon-large{text-align: center; color: #059AD0;}.wfh-product-module .product-four-up{display: flex; margin-top: -23px;}.wfh-product-module .product{width: 25%; padding-top: 23px; border-right: 2px solid #E8E8E8;}.wfh-product-module .product:last-child{border-right: 0;}.wfh-product-module h4{width: 83%; 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      Optional but highly recommended<\/h1>\nMany art streamers err on the side of too minimal. I\u2019m not talking about bells and whistles, but the equipment that lets your viewers see and talk to you. It\u2019s fairly common for creative streamers to deck their streams out with custom overlays, but neglect their viewers.\n\nStreaming is a social activity, and ideally, the purpose isn\u2019t to show off how good you are at art\u2014you can do that with the finished picture\u2014but to educate and engage. If you don\u2019t keep viewers present, they\u2019re likely to either tune out or more insidiously, mute you and minimize you, telling themselves they\u2019ll check the piece\u2019s progress later, then forgetting to do it. Your viewer count still shows them, but no one\u2019s watching.\n\nAt the very least, you have to respond on chat, and unless you have a hard time multitasking, I recommend you walk viewers through what you\u2019re doing as you draw, too. Watching a Photoshop brush wiggle around won\u2019t help your viewers learn anything by itself, and the more benefit you can offer your viewers, the more you\u2019ll hold their attention.\n

      \"\"<\/p>\n

      Lavender Towne<\/a>\u2019s stream, with a face cam, onscreen chat, Spotify widget, and subscriber info.<\/em><\/p>\n\n

      A mic<\/h2>\nComments are serviceable, but generally, streams where the artist is on mic hold people\u2019s attention better. And if you hate the sound of your voice, getting a mic with good dynamic range will at least help: Unless you have nothing else at hand, don\u2019t use a gaming headset, as that\u2019s the most common cause of potato quality.\n\nI personally use the Samson C01U Pro. It does everything you want in a microphone, capturing the full range of your voice with a nice, balanced sound.\n\nThe old standard Blue mics are fine, and can be very useful if you ever want to have multiple people on your stream or try your hand at podcasting sometime, as most of them have a knob that lets you switch from one-directional pickup to dual (front and back of the mic) or omni (whole room). Yetis sound somewhat muffled and Snowballs somewhat tinny compared to others in the same price range, though.\n\n