Printable View
Thanks to everyone for your input about Wacoms. I got a Graphire2 4x5, and it works just fine for my purposes.
I'm getting ready to do a self portrait in Xara, so I thought I'd treat myself to a new tool to help me with hair especially.
Here's some messing around in Xara.
http://talkgraphics.infopop.net/1/Op...&ul=1101906325 [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] Eye Site Web Design
Why, I’m afraid I can’t explain myself, sir, because I’m not myself, you know...
- Lewis Carroll
Thanks to everyone for your input about Wacoms. I got a Graphire2 4x5, and it works just fine for my purposes.
I'm getting ready to do a self portrait in Xara, so I thought I'd treat myself to a new tool to help me with hair especially.
Here's some messing around in Xara.
http://talkgraphics.infopop.net/1/Op...&ul=1101906325 [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] Eye Site Web Design
Why, I’m afraid I can’t explain myself, sir, because I’m not myself, you know...
- Lewis Carroll
hey right on ... [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
I bet ya just love the mouse action as well... but a slight motion and voila cross screen... [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]
have fun Dale... happy painting... [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]
Congrats on entering into the world of Wacom. I was hard pressed to give in, for financial reasons and I can tell ya that the time and energy my Wacom have saved me was well worth the money.
Happy creative adventures to you!! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]
Richard [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]
---Wolff On The Prowl---
I think you will be pleased with your new tablet.Looking forward to seeing some new graphics you create with it.
Mike
Dale, hope you like the wacom tablet. I've had mine awhile, and I find it takes awhile to learn how to use them, but they're great fun and very useful Happy doodling! - Neil
I recently had a Graphics Tablet (for 8 or 9 months) and sold it because I found it too fiddly to use.
My question is, can anybody tell me the difference between the cheap tablets and the Wacoms - I don't want this experience to put my off Wacom devices if they are a lot better.
Has anybody got any experience of Wacom and cheap non-Wacom - is there a big difference in quality?
Michael Ward
http://www.exosoftwebdesign.co.uk (soon)
http://www.leythers.co.uk
http://www.metalandplastics.co.uk
the driver made by wacom are very fine,
you just dont notice them.
buy the art pad II @ ebay.
i got about ~10 pieces @ ~10-15 euros.
some of them i donate to friends
some for reserve.
:-)
r
Michael
I started out with a cheap tablet and although the pen was not attached to the tablet it did need a battery in the pen and it kept failing in a big way so I eventually junked it. However, by that time I'd got so used to using it that I wanted a decent tablet.
Since my other half had had a Wacom for some years with no real problems, I felt a Wacom was essential. At that time the Wacom Graphire had been out for about 6 months and was at a price I could afford so I went for it. No regrets at all. I'm lost without it these days and if the need arose where I needed another tablet I wouldn't hesitate but go for a Wacom. Without doubt, they do appear to be the best tablets out there. Thoroughly recommended.
Tracey
What she said..
Really, don't buy cheap anything. It will just end up giving you grief. Wacom know what they are doing - its what the pros use. Yeah you might save a few bucks but that may well be arbitary if you spend hours trying to fix some problems caused by a cack driver that has just borked your PC. Wacom rules. Also as well as being more accurate and pleasant to use than a mouse for most graphic work, you are far less likely to suffer from RSI (dodgy wrists) if you use a pen.
They are absurdly expensive compared to eevn the best mice - but still worth it. I'm using a little A6 size one and its fine. A5 would be better (but £100 more!) Very few people need (or can afford) an A4.
My 2 grotes worth!
from E-Bay for about $25.00, was very excited to get it, plugged it in and it was terrible. Decided to give in and get the Wacom tablet and I tell ya the thing is just great. I have a 6 X 8 Intuos II and I would not trade it in for any other name brand, not in the near future at least!! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
Richard [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]
---Wolff On The Prowl---
I have never given in to the tablet urge. I have used them when writing reviews of certain software then end up reverting back to the mouse.
I learned to use a mouse with my right hand and even though I am left handed and draw with my left hand, I have developed a trememdous amount of control over the years with my right hand.
Maybe that is why I have this split personality?
Gary
Gary Priester
Moderator Person
<a href="http://www.gwpriester.com">
www.gwpriester.com </a>
XaraXone
So you finally bought one hey Dale [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
You know, I'm very interested in your first impressions, so I hope you keep us informed over the next couple of weeks; I'm planning to buy one myself [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img] Yes...a Wacom [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
Here are my first impressions using the tablet:
1 - I'm not fond of the mouse and can't get it adjusted right. It is either way too slow or way too fast. They need to allow more gradations of speed. Also, when I installed the tablet, it adjusted my optical mouse to a much slower speed, and I had to go into Control Panel/Mouse to get it back to the speed I like.
2 - The pen works pretty well, but it is weird using pressure in Photoshop and Painter. I can see great potential for using the pen with pressure in any bitmap painter app, but I need lots of practice.
In Xara:
3 - Using it for drawing seems great, but I haven't yet positioned the pad where it is comfortable for good drawing. I am not so sure that putting it off to the right of my keyboard is the best position. I will need to play with it to get it where I want it. I may need to set it at a more drastic angle to better allow for the angle of my arm and wrist.
4 - Using the button thing on the pen is clumsy, and harder than I thought it would be. I wish it were more ergonomic. I will probably get used to it, but I don't like shifting my grip drastically every time I need to right click. I also find that using right clicks on Xara's color line is really funky if not done just right. The cursor can do a dance and land on every color but the one you want. The trick seems to be to right click while the pen is not in contact with the pad, which is very strange but it works! Actually, I find at this early stage that the main skill to develop is hovering; running the pen around at a slight distance from the pad without actually touching the pad or drifting too far away from it.
5 - I find it easier to use the pen for everything, including left and right clicking, than to switch back and forth between the pen and mouse. The Wacom mouse or my optical mouse just get in the way, so its better if I set my mouse aside while using the pen. The pen works reasonably well for clicking and right clicking once you get used to its weirdly positioned button. Geez, I hope they make different types of pens!
6 - So far, the tablet seems well designed, and I am pleasantly surprised at the fluid motion
of the pen for such a small pad.
I am glad I spent the money to get the best tablet. Now if I can find a pen that works better for me, I'll be in business!
Any suggestions on using the rocker button on the pen? I have tried using my thumb, but that is just as clumsy as using a finger.
http://talkgraphics.infopop.net/1/Op...&ul=1101906325 [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] Eye Site Web Design
Why, I’m afraid I can’t explain myself, sir, because I’m not myself, you know...
- Lewis Carroll
Glad to hear your getting on with your graphics tablet. I agree that the buttons on the pens are akward to get used to. There to high up in my opinion. However you can set the pen to click and double click and this is how I've got mine set up for, altho again this takes a bit of getting used to.
The only time I use my mouse is to move it over an icon in an application or an image in IE to get the ALT message as I find it very difficult to hold the pen steady enough to get these.
Egg
Very, very interesting post Dale. I really like to read posts like these; they give me more information than just a "Wacom rules".
Thanks for sharing this with us [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]
funny,
same with me.
wacom pen @ the leht hand.
mouse @ the right hand.
looks strange to the other, but
works great.
never met anybody who's handed like us.
;-)
r
Maybe that is why I have this split personality?
with me it is this way:
one half genial,
the other even a bit more.
but i dont know which side.
When using a Wacom tablet, does your work show up on the tablet itself, or just on the monitor?
allow you to draw as if you had a pencil or paintbrush but the results are all digitalized onto your hard drive which is seen by you on your monitor. It's a bit weird at first learning the eye/hand coordination but I wouldn't trade my Wacom Intuos II in for anything in the world!! Love it!! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]
There are newer graphics tablets that will allow you to "draw" or "paint" more directly but it's a bit more expensive right now!!
Richard [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]
---Wolff On The Prowl---
Getting a nostromo n50 gamepad will help if you got big pad. That way I don't have to use the keyboard as much as I'm limited on deskspace.
What I would like to do is build something like the wacom cintiq, but for less money.
This is OT, but very interesting. A lot of pictures, so be patient. If only I could read Korean...
A Custom Tablet with LCD
Sheffield Abella
sheff@sheff.com
www.sheff.com
Thankx.
Sounds good, I'll be getting a Wacom tablet soon.