Looking for a Tablet.
<div class="IPBDescription">Need some input!</div>I've never had a tablet, and since I've been drawing more with an actual pen, getting into PhotoShop with a Mouse is becoming a pain. It's probably the main reason I'm not in PhotoShop more often.
I'm taking a PhotoShop course in college right now, but I don't feel like adapting to the mouse again. So, I'm looking for a tablet, but there's two things:
1. I've never used one, and I don't know what to look for in one.
2. I only have around $150 to spend on it.
I heard Wacom is a good company and this looks as though it suits my needs:
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wacom-Graphire4-6x8-Tablet-CTE640S/dp/B000BBE9DM/sr=8-3/qid=1170754612/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3/105-6265602-3305206?ie=UTF8&s=electronics" target="_blank">Clicketh</a>
I don't want to waste money if it's just crap at a high price; so I'd really appreciate some input for this purchase.
I'd ask this in the Artwork forum, but it's been very dead.
I'm taking a PhotoShop course in college right now, but I don't feel like adapting to the mouse again. So, I'm looking for a tablet, but there's two things:
1. I've never used one, and I don't know what to look for in one.
2. I only have around $150 to spend on it.
I heard Wacom is a good company and this looks as though it suits my needs:
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wacom-Graphire4-6x8-Tablet-CTE640S/dp/B000BBE9DM/sr=8-3/qid=1170754612/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3/105-6265602-3305206?ie=UTF8&s=electronics" target="_blank">Clicketh</a>
I don't want to waste money if it's just crap at a high price; so I'd really appreciate some input for this purchase.
I'd ask this in the Artwork forum, but it's been very dead.
Comments
None of my friends have had any complaints about their Graphires except for breaking them (which was entirely their fault) so I'd say go for it. At my school, if anyone talks about pen tablets its pretty much a sure thing they're talking about Wacom Graphire tablets. Unless one of them sekratly has a <a href="http://www.wacom.com/lcdtablets/index.cfm" target="_blank">Cintiq</a> in which case I pretty much hate them out of pure jealousy.
Doh. Realized I didn't answer the question of what to look for. If you go for a Graphire, looks like your budget will only accomodate the 4x5 version unless you find a great deal on the 6x8. If you decide to look at other brands for pen tablets, check the levels of pen sensitivity and the size of the drawing surface. There are cheaper tablets out there but they don't necessarily cater to artists, the Graphire would be a pretty good benchmark if you want to look for other brands.
I know nothing of what I speak, but honestly what else can you possibly need? Inbuilt pencil sharpener?
im currently looking for one aswell
i got a hint to go look at ebay for them.
I do some cartoon art (both on the web AND in newspaper). Right now, I use <a href="http://www.aiptek.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=R-HP6U&Category_Code=T1&Store_Code=AS" target="_blank">this</a>.
Wacoms are nice, yes. But, theres no reason to shell out $150+ on one, unless you are a professional. An el cheapo pad (like mine) works just as good.
My suggestion: Go hit up <a href="http://newegg.com" target="_blank">newegg.com</a> and check out the tablets there. There are some nice ones there (I'm in the market, too, so I've been looking around). No reason to shell out that much money just for a college course (even though some of the books are cheaper).
I've been looking at sizes, oh la la!, and I think 8 x 6 would be comfortable, anything smaller would be an utter pain in the ######. For you artists, what would be good?
I've always wondered how people can draw on tablets if the tablet itself doesn't display what you're drawing. Won't you forget your place or something?
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That's like asking how you can aim in an FPS if the mousepad doesn't show you where the crosshair is.
That's like asking how you can aim in an FPS if the mousepad doesn't show you where the crosshair is.
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Not really, unless the cursor on the screen moves just by moving the stylus and not pressing it down to actually do the drawing.
That's like asking how you can aim in an FPS if the mousepad doesn't show you where the crosshair is.
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The tablet will pick up the stylus as long as you hover < 1cm above the tablet. That way, you can move the cursor on the screen without actually pressing down and "clicking" if you don't want to. The two buttons on the side of the stylus are usually used for right click and middle click/other.
And fyi, you just hold the pen above the tablet without touching it, and the mouse cursor follows the position of the pen on the tablet on the screen. Then when you toich the pen to the tablet, it registers as a click, and in supported apps (photoshop, painter, opencanvas, gimp, etc...) the pressure sensitivity comes into play.
I've always wondered how people can draw on tablets if the tablet itself doesn't display what you're drawing. Won't you forget your place or something?
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its like being able to type without keeping your eyes on the keyboard.
its touch and go.
not too hard when you get the hang of it <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink-fix.gif" />
The 4x5 is plenty of room for casual/hobby artistsand those who are learning. The size of the drawing surface will always be fitted to the size of your screen. Move to the bottom right corner of your tablet and it goes to the bottom right corner of your screen. The large size tablets are for people who like to wave around their arms <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" /> <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
Just out of curiousity though, could I use the tablet in other applications? Just completely replace my mouse? Kinda like playing a FPS game with Metroid Prime: Hunters controls.
I like to use it for web browsing, and even some 3ds modeling programs.. but i really couldn't get used to using it to play NS. It was just too crazy.
Other things you can set up per-application are things like what the buttons do (in photoshop I set one of the buttons to 'step backwards'), how much of the screen it uses, what movement type to use, sensitivity, etc. It's fully customisable in that respect.
also doing anything with the mouse besides basic use is eh. just stick to your mouse you use for gaming, and make room on your desk for use of a tablet.
Opencanvas 1.1 is a great program to do sketch work in, too. Use it...all the time <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
Does the "pressure" make the lines darker like a real pen/pencil? That'd be nice for sketching, damn, now I dont' want to wait for it to arrive... Only downside of ordering online!
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Pressure can do whatever you want. Lots of people use it to control line width; push down hard for thick, lightly for thin, etc. You can also do something like opacity or whatever.
that drawingprogram?
there you can make your tablet //pencil act like a real pencil.
add pressure,scuffmarks,smudge marks etc.
512 is plenty, especially for learning to draw with a tablet.