Graphic Tablet - Is It A Good Tool? How To Buy One?

[Digitalidad 0]

Hi, guys! I'm thinking about buying a graphic tablet, but keep on wondering if it's easy to use -as simple as a piece of paper with a pencil-, if you don't get lost about where you're drawing, etc. Is it easy to use it to -let's say- draw in Illustrator?Have you ever used one? Do you recommend buying one?The second part:If I decide to buy one. What specs should I look for? Size? Pressure Levels? Thanks in advance for your help!

[sonesay 7]

Best kinds are from Wacom tablets. I've had mine for like 2 years now and its still going well. They usally take about a day to get used to but after that you will never go back to using a mouse again unless you are on someone else's computer.

get any size you want http://www.wacom.com/en-jp

I wouldn't recommend buying any other cheaper brand as quality performance would not match a wacom. Prices are higher but you get what you pay for right.

[Tramposch 1]

Well honestly, for me, you would need to have really good drawing skills to get a tablet, because it doesn't make your drawing better, and It took me while to get used to it, I am still not used to it, and I have had it for about a year..I got the Intuos 3, it was great.

Edited February 13, 2009 by Tramposch (see edit history)

[sonesay 7]

Give your tablet to digitaldad since your not making full use of it lol. I'm kidding but if you are not really benifiting from it then maybe you can still sell it and not loose much since they are popular tablets.

[rayzoredge 2]

In my opinion, I'm not sure as to why people go out and purchase graphic tablets as opposed to snagging a cheap tablet PC at a similar price.The reason why I say this is that the Intuos3 12x19 graphic tablet already costs more than what I paid for my tablet PC (a used HP tc1100). Granted, it's a 12x19 workspace compared to the 10.4" viewable screen space on the tPC, but with the tPC, you can actually write on the screen as opposed to writing/drawing on a tablet and looking up at the screen to see what you're inputting.I would figure that would be a better deal, but then again, it could be just like keyboarding where we've learned what keystrokes input what... as most of us who actually type without looking at the keys do. Then again, we have typos...

[sonesay 7]

for drawing on the screen they got http://www.wacom.com/en-us/products/pen-displays expensive but the real deal. The down size to PC tablets is they would probably not be as accurate as tablets especially designed for drawing. Its probably only designed for pointing and dragging. What about the pressure levels as well? Another thing is you can plug your tablet into other machines and use it.

The Cintiq 21 is a screen and tablet only. You need a computer to plug it into so you are free to move to different machines and upgrade your computer hardware and still be able to use the screen and tablet.

[onscreen 0]

In my opinion, I'm not sure as to why people go out and purchase graphic tablets as opposed to snagging a cheap tablet PC at a similar price.
The reason why I say this is that the Intuos3 12x19 graphic tablet already costs more than what I paid for my tablet PC (a used HP tc1100). Granted, it's a 12x19 workspace compared to the 10.4" viewable screen space on the tPC, but with the tPC, you can actually write on the screen as opposed to writing/drawing on a tablet and looking up at the screen to see what you're inputting.

I would figure that would be a better deal, but then again, it could be just like keyboarding where we've learned what keystrokes input what... as most of us who actually type without looking at the keys do. Then again, we have typos...

The key is pressure levels. tPC is made for normal writing and mobility. What a graphic tablet made for is precision and level of details and that is the two huge difference between them. Yes we can use a graphic tablet for normal writing and draw at the same time but can you do that with a tPC?

Usually, the most expensive tablet have a relatively large workspace and super high pressure level, 1024 ~ 2048. Small ones like the one i currently use have up to 512 pressure level and work space is a post card size.

From your comparison of Intuos 3 with a tPC, the screen is what you are paying. Pantone certified LCD with a huge workspace and ability to work on-screen with high pressure levels for detailing. If Wacom comes out with a tPC, the price will be more expensive than the Intuos3.

[Digitalidad 0]

The key is pressure levels. tPC is made for normal writing and mobility. What a graphic tablet made for is precision and level of details and that is the two huge difference between them. Yes we can use a graphic tablet for normal writing and draw at the same time but can you do that with a tPC?
Usually, the most expensive tablet have a relatively large workspace and super high pressure level, 1024 ~ 2048. Small ones like the one i currently use have up to 512 pressure level and work space is a post card size.

From your comparison of Intuos 3 with a tPC, the screen is what you are paying. Pantone certified LCD with a huge workspace and ability to work on-screen with high pressure levels for detailing. If Wacom comes out with a tPC, the price will be more expensive than the Intuos3.

Wow! That's really interesting. Thanks for your post. Now, you say your tablet has 512 pressure levels. Do you consider it good enough? Maybe 1024 is just too much for a regular user? Is yours a Wacom?

[Xalor 0]

I would recommend a Bamboo Tablet from Wacom, usually people starting of with their own tablet, go with that, because its small and simple to use for a newcomer. I found it easy to use, and its rather small so if you don't have a lot of space it all the basic features that you need. The difference between a Tablet PC and a Tablet is because that a Tablet is easier to use, and that it more than one pressure level. You can press on an LCD screen because it will break with a bit of pressure and its not the same pressing on it since it uses a more rudimentary form of touch like the touchscreen phones, which sense a depression in the screen, but a tablet senses the pen itself.

[onscreen 0]

Wow! That's really interesting. Thanks for your post. Now, you say your tablet has 512 pressure levels. Do you consider it good enough? Maybe 1024 is just too much for a regular user? Is yours a Wacom?

I find it sufficient since i use the tablet for rough concept sketch, 3D sculpting and abit of digital painting. 512 is actually the minimum for digital painting as you can do very fine strokes compared to 256 where you have limited controls for very fine lines. Yes, mine is a Wacom, bought it in the year 2006.

[rpgsearcherz 5]

Wacoms are like boards that connect to your PC, right? If so, what would make these better than tablet laptops? Just the fact that you can upgrade and have better stats on a PC than with a tablet laptop?I've been looking into one of the HP tablet laptops for a while but they're still not down to a low enough price, considering it would just be a hobby system.

[onscreen 0]

Wacoms are like boards that connect to your PC, right? If so, what would make these better than tablet laptops? Just the fact that you can upgrade and have better stats on a PC than with a tablet laptop?
I've been looking into one of the HP tablet laptops for a while but they're still not down to a low enough price, considering it would just be a hobby system.

Refer to my previous post and you get your answer mostly.

TPC vs Wacoms or other equivalent tablets :

Graphic Tablets Pros
-Graphic tablets have pressure levels for details definition and total control of creativity.
-Low latency for precise drawing.

Graphic Tablets Cons
-Despite the size and portability, it is an additional piece of gadget to carry along. The larger the tablet is the more space you are required to spare for its storage.


TPC Pros
- Mobility have its true answer. It is small, convenient and flexible.
- All-in-one solution. Write on screen, draw on screen without the need of an extra piece.

TPC Cons
-No pressure details for total control on your brushes and strokes.
-Slow tablet pen respond. Wacom have this calibrated its tablet for precise drawing with low respond latency. Every stroke is said to be 1 ~ 1.5ms latency while compared to TPC of 5 ~ 8ms latency.
Edited February 21, 2009 by onscreen (see edit history)

[rpgsearcherz 5]

Well I was thinking more in lines with tablet laptops being easier to draw on. I mean it would be significantly easier to draw things, color them with brush strokes, etc. when you can draw directly on the picture instead of being forced to keep guessing and checking to see where you are making marks at.Also, using wacom or tablet laptops, are you able to open up a program like Word(or in my case OpenOffice) and write notes by hand? Or even sign documents you scanned in using it? Or are they pretty much geared towards just graphical editing and whatnot?

[onscreen 0]

Graphic tablets does what Tablet laptop does but better. No they are not geared to a specific users but to general actually. If you need a much specific types, the mid high range of the Wacom tablets is what you should look for.I can open up OpenOffice through a gesture on the tablet and even do digital signature for PDF generated quotations / agreement forms, embed my digitally signed signature into any documents ready for print.Hand and eye coordination is what you need to master if you want to use a tablet. Thats all it take to start using it. Next is to understand the pressure of each stroke by "feeling" it. Last but not least, the ability to master the color blends through airbrush.

[rpgsearcherz 5]

So using these we could do graphics for like websites, flash, etc. right? That would be one of my main uses. I would love to do flash animations and stuff but I find it wayyyyyy too hard to use the mouse.Also, is the Wacom compatible with all programs, or only certain ones? I would hate to get one later and find out that it will not work with programs I need it on.