How an iPad turned a pro ballet dancer into a digital artist with 1.6 million TikTok followers

Abigail Bixler started learning about digital art during Covid, and in that relatively short time has made it her profession. With an Etsy shop (The Creative Bix) selling stunning custom digital brushes, and one of the most joyful, vibrant TikTok feeds I’ve seen, she’s turned a hobby into a thriving business – and has 1.6 million followers.

An ex-professional ballet dancer, Abigail has made the switch to creating videos that are fun, positive and full of on-trend tutorials created entirely on her iPad. Covering big pop-culture moments through a digital art lens, you’ll find Taylor Swift Opalite-style 3D lettering, emerald Wicked-inspired patterns, alongside accessible ideas like easy sunflower paintings and optical illusions anyone can try.

For Abigail, the right tool was at the centre of unlocking her ability to make money from her art – and while some artists are wedded to their purpose-designed drawing tablets, Abigail immediately found an iPad was perfect for her. Here she shares her journey, and offers advice on choosing the right iPad for your needs.

From sketchbooks to digital art

"I grew up drawing in notebooks and journals that I took everywhere with me, and iPad Air feels like a natural transition into creating digital art," Abigail says. That portability is central to her process. Not only does does an iPad stop you being tied to a clunky setup (like with a pen display or similar), but it also allows you to start sketching immediately. This removes some of the barriers to entry for anyone who is intimidated by simply getting started.

“With a desktop setup, I am limited to one space, and that can clog my creative inspirations and workflow. However, with an iPad I can take it with me whenever or wherever I find inspiration – whether I’m outside, in a coffee shop, at a museum, or on a trip.”

Abigail's transition from physical sketching to drawing digitally was made easier by physical elements of the iPad. “Being able to change my screen orientation and tilt is really important for me since it brings back the similar experience of drawing in a notebook. It just lets me be free.”

The iPad Air was a strong starting point

Bixler found the iPad Air was positioned perfectly for her as a beginner digital artist because of its mix of pro-level features with price and without that extra whack of power that's simply unnecessary for most digital artists.

More importantly, she believes the device removes a lot of the intimidation people feel around digital art.

“iPad Air helps lower the barrier to entry because you don’t need to be a professional artist to understand how to use it, Abigail says. "A lot of people already own a smartphone like an iPhone, and iPad Air offers an experience they’re already familiar with – just at a larger, more powerful scale."

The range of creative apps available also helps open doors for different kinds of creators. “A wide range of professional-level art apps are available, so each person – no matter their skill level – can find what they want to create, whether that’s graphic design, drawing, painting, 3D modelling or storyboarding," she points out.

If you're not completely committed to digital art yet, an iPad is a good place to start because of its flexibility. Abigail appreciated that when she started, because it takes the pressure off the investment.

"It was versatile enough to cater to many of my other hobbies and interests beyond art, like: journaling, reading, playing games, watching videos, web surfing, etc. I was able invest in a device that felt worth it, even if I didn’t end up following through with my artistic aspirations," she says.

That versatility extends to running her business from her iPad. Whereas more traditional drawing tablets might not have such a range of functions, on an iPad she can multitask every part of her business workflow without switching devices.

How the new iPad Air M4 improves her work

Abigail's work as a brush creator has been improved by the new power that comes with the iPad M4 – the model has been upgraded to ship with 12GB of RAM as standard rather than 8GB. Though digital art workflows aren't hugely resource heavy if standard, Abigail says this does make a different in Procreate. "The RAM upgrade just means I have a many more layers to test new brushes on!" she says.

If you're trying to choose between the different iPads, or making an upgrade choice then the M4 holds some nice surprises, according to Abigail. "The general smoothness, and lack of lag are such a nice surprise if you’ve been drawing on an older generation iPad," she advises. But that isn't all.

"I can make brushes with lots of customisations in their texture, dynamics, rendering, and blend-ability. Testing and using them has become faster and easier with their amazing responsiveness, which has improved the experience for both me and my customers by leaps and bounds.

"I remember colouring on an A-series iPad years ago, and I was furiously swiping across the screen and the brush strokes were several passes behind where I was at. Now, everything is more responsive, especially with M4 – it truly feels like drawing in real time more than ever before."

Choosing between an older 11-inch Pro and the new iPad Air M4? Abigail recommends choosing the larger Air because it's better for multitasking with windows – as well as drawing. Plus, you can use the Apple Pencil Pro, which is specifically aimed at creatives. For more advice see our guide – the best iPad for drawing (the iPad Air M4 is about to be added)..