Darkboard iPad stand review: a clever accessory I never knew I needed

Taking the pain out of iPad art.

5 Star Rating
Darkboard for iPad; an iPad Pro inserted into a black iPad drawing stand on a leather sofa
(Image: © Future / Astropad)

Our Verdict

The Darkboard from Astropad is a well-designed, sturdy and light iPad drawing stand that can be used as an easel or on your lap. I find it a revelation to use, and also eases pressure on your wrists and hands. Highly recommended if you use an iPad for long hours of digital artwork.

For

  • Light and sturdy design
  • Eases strain on wrists
  • Easel-style or use on your lap

Against

  • The sleeve can be tricky to use

Why you can trust Creative Bloq Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

The new Darkboard drawing stand accessory for iPad is a revelation. Occasionally something comes along that's so well designed and solves an issue you never really knew you had, and it just demands to be used. Blackboard is that thing, and I love it.

So what is Darkboard for iPad? Simply put, it expands the footprint of your drawing space when using an iPad to turn Apple's tablet into a drawing board. I used to use a drawing stand all the time, one where you'd clip paper to its edges, and Darkboard replicates that idea, but for iPad.

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The Verdict
10

out of 10

Darkboard iPad stand review: a clever accessory I never knew I needed

The Darkboard from Astropad is a well-designed, sturdy and light iPad drawing stand that can be used as an easel or on your lap. I find it a revelation to use, and also eases pressure on your wrists and hands. Highly recommended if you use an iPad for long hours of digital artwork.

Editor, Digital Arts & 3D

Ian Dean is Editor, Digital Arts & 3D at Creative Bloq, and the former editor of many leading magazines. These titles included ImagineFX, 3D World and video game titles Play and Official PlayStation Magazine. Ian launched Xbox magazine X360 and edited PlayStation World. For Creative Bloq, Ian combines his experiences to bring the latest news on digital art, VFX and video games and tech, and in his spare time he doodles in Procreate, ArtRage, and Rebelle while finding time to play Xbox and PS5.

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