Wacom tablets...

[retro]

I hope this is in the right forum...

Does anyone use or have used a wacom tablet before? I'm looking to get one. Being a graphic designer, it could help me out I think. I've never used one before, so I don't know which to get, and although I'm not really on a budget, I still would like to spend as little as possible. Wacom's site reccommend the Intuos3 for my personal needs, but the Graphire is so much cheaper. I don't want to drop a few hundred bucks and end up hating it.

So whats your take on this guys? :)

ps. Just so you know, Illustrator is my favorite software.

[Patrick Shannon]

If Illustrator is your favorite software, then you're in for a treat, the Wacom pads make excellent lines and drawings in that program. However, you'll need to tweak your bushes a bit for pressure sensitive drawing, there's a tutorial on Wacom's site about this.

I really would recommend the Intuos over the Graphire...I bought a graphire long ago and barely used it, and hated it's limited pressure levels. The 6x8 Wacom is plenty good for drawing and was worth every single penny I paid. It really depends on what you're doing, though. I suppose you could buy the $100 Graphire and then work up to the Intuos, though I really didn't 'get it' until I started using the Intuos.

Patrick Shannon

'Dear valued customer, go home and die. Signed, your friendly graphic artist.'

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[retro]

were the pressure levels 'weak'? or was it too sensitive? could you please elaborate on this?

[Patrick Shannon]

Well, let me put it this way with a crude drawing.

Let's say the first line is your Graphire with four pressure levels. Then the second line is the Intuos with 12 levels of pressure. You can see where the Intuos would be able to create more varied lines.

Using it with Illustrator, it might not be such a 'huge' issue since the lines are vector anyway, but it would really matter more with Photoshop. Still, the Intuos can imitate an crow quill ink pen better thanks to the additional pressure levels.

(By the way, the true amount of levels in the products is Graphire: 512 and Intuos: 1024)

Patrick Shannon

'Dear valued customer, go home and die. Signed, your friendly graphic artist.'

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[Silence04]

from what i've heard, its def not a waste of money.
but if your really into graphics, and you plan on doing graphics for a long long time... then you should just save up and get the intuos series, cause i'm sure after having the Graphire you will eventually want to upgrade to an even more percise tablet. its only about $100 more for double the sensetivity.

speaking of tablets.. my 9'x12' intuos 3 should be coming in tomorrow!!! yay. gotta love company credit cards! :D

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[Ulysses]

I myself am in a similar position to retro. I've just got sick of tampering with vector lines via hand, after converting hand-drawn scans ... or completely via mouse (just can't get natural looking stroke variations). Same with Photoshop too .... though for vectors, I'll be mainly doing it in Flash (yes, it is crap, but it has served me via an admittedly labourious routine, and I haven't touched Illustrator in years).

Any information or comments would be appreciated, on using a tablet with Flash.

[Patrick Shannon]

As with Illustrator, Flash is really nice to use with a Wacom tablet, though I do my drawings in Illustrator anyway. The only downfall to the tablet is that I simply can't sketch on it, it doesn't feel the same. So I sketch with a regular notebook and pencil, scan in what I want to digitally ink, and then do it.

Now I wonder if a tablet PC would be a true replacement for a sketchpad, but they're way too expensive right now as it is.

It helps if you have drawing/inking experience using traditional pens, especially pressure sensitive ones (like a crow quill point), that helps with your control and pressure using the stylus.

Patrick Shannon

'Dear valued customer, go home and die. Signed, your friendly graphic artist.'

http://www.patrickshannon.com/mwwc_sm.gif
My War With Culture (http://www.mywarwithculture.com)
Political incorrectness reinvented.

[Ulysses]

Patrick Shannon said...
...The only downfall to the tablet is that I simply can't sketch on it, it doesn't feel the same. So I sketch with a regular notebook and pencil, scan in what I want to digitally ink, and then do it.

This is something I've always wondered ... how does a digital pen compare to the finess and precision of technical drawing, with for example: a 0.25 Rotring pen? or A Calligraphy Pen? Is it a question of cost? or time for the technology to develop?

[red raw]

I could NOT LIVE WITHOUT my Wacom!

Seriously, my design area requires a lot of airbrushing work, directional tip styles... I cannot use a mouse anymore (apart from when playing games.. lol )

Get a good A4 sized one for serious work.. You can work on a smaller one but I feel more comfortable with a Tablet that is nearer the size of my screen (21 inches)

[red raw]

by the way, Wacoms are generally useless in 3d packages and Quark Express. I've only found good use in Photoshop, Illustrator and Painter packages.

They are for drawing and painting rather than click and drag programs

[retro]

thatnks guys. i think ill get the intuos now that i understand what you mean by pressure levels. Id primarily be using it for illy, ps and flash. i dont use 3d programs. i think ill get a smaller one though because i usually do small sketches anyways, maybe a 6x9. i plan to be doin graphics for the rest of my days. thanks again guys

[DeleteYourself]

We have one at work, and I've recently taken over more prepress responsibilities like silos and image clean-up, so I think I'll give a shot, and try it out. Not sure which model it is, though...

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[shikatoi]

I just scored a Wacom Graphire3 6X8, on macmall for $84!! (199 everywhere else)

and its as if a world of lead was lifted from my shoulders! no more stressing over junky sketches, scanning, retracing, and deleting to start all over.. now I can quickly and easily draw vector art, in Flash, and export as an AI file.. (still haven't mastered illustrator since I focus in pshop for over a decade) I'm closed-minded or afraid of illy :)

does anyone have references to the images on p. 1 of this thread that are no longer linking? I'd like to compare the diff' levels of sensitivity, etc.. although now that I have this puppy, its my lifeblood. I use it for everything now, browsing etc. inlcluded, and even got my work to expense it! woohoo.

[ekosix]

Just be prepared for an awkward experience at first. It's a lot like doing those pure contour drawing exercises in school. Looking at the screen and drawing on the pad will take some getting used to.

If I only could afford a Cintiq. Those are a designer's wet dream.

[mylkhead]

I highly reccommend it. I don't use mine all the time, but it's there when I need it. Very handy! I've got an intuos3. It's well worth the money.

[orkaknos12]

I'm running a 6x8 first gen USB intuos and it's just great. I use it all the time. it won't help much with placing graphics or DTP, but photo editing and quick logo illustrations and drawings make it worth having. I think I'd get the 6x11 if I had the chance... it's much better with dual monitors.

-Jon