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Discussion Board -> Desktop Wallpaper, Art, etc. -> WACOM Graphics Tablet

WACOM Graphics Tablet

::oksyl
04/08/06 3:11 PM GMT
My Mouse has only three buttons. I have finally mastered their use, and feel "maybe Im ready to move up" I have been reading with great interest about WACOM digital graphics pad. I think I would like the Intuos. But they are pricey. So before I buy one I was wondering, does anyone currently use this product, and would you please give a short opinion on their merits and frustrations. Thank You
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::philcUK
04/08/06 3:28 PM GMT
they are a bugger to use if youve never used one but after a week or so you'll wonder how you ever managed without one - the Intuos3 A4 tablet is an ideal size for most users. the benefits are the improved smoothness and accuracy of the mouse movement and you can map your entire screen area to the whole or a portion of the tablet making getting round your desktop a simple thing indeed. The pens work better with dedicated drawing programs like Alias SketchBook Pro rather than Photoshop but still work well in that too.
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"Some mornings, it's just not worth chewing through the leather straps"
.animaniactoo
04/08/06 3:51 PM GMT
*waves both hands* ME. ME. I have one, and I LOVE it. It's excellent for when I'm freehand drawing in Illustrator, and when I use any of the brush/stamp tools in Photoshop, it's a huge improvement over the mouse. Just the ability to hold the pen @ the right angle helps me hit my mark & allows me to do a lot of work that I might otherwise have to draw a holding path for.

It allows you to adjust the sensitivity of your brush angle, the tip feel (how hard you have to press to wary the width of your stroke). Ah yes… being able to use the pressure sensitive brushes… so nice. If you get one that comes with a mouse, they're fairly standard, but the newest intuos 3 batch has the best designed pen & mice from a form standpoint, they fit in your hand more comfortably. Also, I haven't used this feature, but the drawing surface has an overlay that you can lift to place a piece of paper under if you wanted to do freehand tracing that way.

I don't have any real frustrations, just a warning… DO NOT GET THE BIGGEST SIZE. I write this in caps because I had a 9x12 both at home and at work for about 5 years. About 3 months ago, I was starting to develop really severe carpal tunnel, and I switched to 6x8's, and it's been clearing up quite nicely now. I've discovered that using the smaller tablet works wonderfully for me, and is in fact better in terms of drawing period. The larger ones are just too wide a range of movement, but of course, I didn't think about that when I bought my 1st one… I just thought "OOOOOH Big Shiny ToY" 8•P While you can opt to set the larger ones so that they just use a small portion of the surface, why would you take up the all that desk space with unused tablet? *scratches head*?

Ah btw… reading back over this, I realize I didn't make clear the other big selling point about using the pen. When you're using the pen, the surface of the tablet corresponds to the screen, preserving a visual/spatial relationship link in your head & hand. Oh! and (haven't used this feature either, but can see the advantages of it) If you have more than one pen, the tablet will automatically know which one you're using. Like being able to have a hard charcoal pencil for your outlines, and then using a softer one to do your shading.
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One man sees things and says "why?", but I dream things that never were and say "why not?"
::oksyl
04/08/06 4:21 PM GMT
Shazamm!..... wonderfull feedback. If I can ask one more question please...do the pen nibs wear over time? while I have the crying towel out over the price, should I get extra nibs? .....Oh what the heck, another question. I noticed Intuos 2,3&4 are all displayed as new? Is this only a software difference or is this a hardware difference ? Thank You
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::philcUK
04/08/06 4:25 PM GMT
there is no Intuos 4 as of yet - there is the original, 2, 3 and 3Wide - same software for all I think. Pens come with replacement nibs but they last a LONG time.
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"Some mornings, it's just not worth chewing through the leather straps"
::oksyl
04/08/06 4:45 PM GMT
Thanks Phil. sorry I was looking on Ebay and they listed a Graphire 4. Your right Intuos only goes to three. The feedback has been more than helpfull. Thank You.
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::philcUK
04/08/06 4:47 PM GMT
Your more than welcome :-)
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"Some mornings, it's just not worth chewing through the leather straps"
.Take5
04/08/06 6:14 PM GMT
I would spend extra money and get the "Intuos" line and forget the "Graphire" line.Larger pads are better for dual or triple monitor setups.
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::oksyl
04/08/06 9:29 PM GMT
Spend extra money! Holy Cow, Gee Wizz! Why is it when ever I get an idea in my head it costs me money. Thanks 5 your opinion is costlier but true. Intuos it is. :)
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