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Suggestions, please: I've checked into several options online, with these catching my attention: Wacom Intuos Pen tablet // Wacom Bamboo // Genius Pen mouse // and XP-Pen. My wrist is tired of drawing with the mouse (desktop PC/Xara), and scanning my pencil sketches to save/import and draw over in Xara (problematic more often than I'd like). Advice will be greatly appreciated; even as to how these things work ... can I draw directly into/onto a Xara page? Thanks. ~Helen~
Your call Helen, I have a wacom bamboo CTX470 but if you want something better go for it.
you need to decide whether you need a tablet with it's own screen or not
as it happens I have both, a cintiq and an intuos - they are useful for different ways of working
you can draw directly onto the xara workspace
buy the best you can afford, avoid pens with batteries if at all possible, they can cause issues
think about whether you need wifi connection - bear in mind a wifi/bluetooth connected tablet can have latency, that is a lag between you moving the pen and the stroke changing on the screen - also cheaper tablets can display parallax, that is the cursor appears slightly offset from the pen tip, that can sometimes take some getting used to
if at all possible try before you buy
Excellent point handrawn.
Thank you. I've pretty much narrowed it down to the Wacom Intuos (medium size) after reading many specifications and reviews!
handrawn ... Thank you for the insightful tips--helpful in my search. Probably will get the Wacom Intuos medium size. Glad to hear I can draw directly on to the xara workspace ... Can I assume it'll then be a vector image I can finish up IN Xara? I do not have wi-fi (blutooth or whatever) but understand the unit does come with a USB connection. I use a 'big ol' desktop' PC! :)
you are welcome
wacom is the way to go I would say - both my tablets are wacom and though they are not the cheapest they are well built and reliable - make sure you keep the drivers up to date; when you install the software that comes with the tablet it should install the wacom desktop centre, which you can set to check and update automatically, and the wacom tablet properties which let you tweak the way the pen responds and what the touch controls [if you have chosen a touch tablet] do
as far as the pen goes, in xara it does the same job as the mouse re vector; but you can only use pressure sensitivity with xara's default freehand brush stroke, there is a button on the infobar to activate this ['pressure recording'] and also a button for 'sketch mode' which prevents lines from joining when you draw if you cross nodes, it's not 100% though especially if you draw fast; drawing fast in xara takes patience :)
there is also an option to supress the automatic selection of a line after it is drawn, but you cannot access this from within the program, it is a windows registry tweak
xara does not support tilt or rotation features
EDIT - intuos are the kind of tablet that do not have a screen - I say this just in case there is any confusion about drawing directly onto the xara workspace - both tablets let you draw in the xara workspace of course
I use a bamboo from 2011 with Xara, it was 80 bucks and works. I also used to use Xara with a Fujitsu Lifebook with a wacom screen (bascially think Cintique but there's a computer inside and a fujitsu label). Both take adjustments to get used to if you're used to actual physical drawing. I think the real issue is finding the 'position' that works with your your brain wants things to work. For instance, my wife uses a tablet to her side. This doesn't work for me, I need it to be in my lap!
So for the most part, any wacom will do, a cintique is nice (I've used several) but even those have lag that you'll notice as you draw depending on the computer you're using. So for me, finding a comfort is most important along with price. Cintiques are too expensive for what they are, imo, and something with 4 assignable buttons, a pen with 2 buttons (and maybe eraser function) and figuring out what feels 'right' is probably good enough.
Just my two cents as a grumpy old fart.
for fine detail the cintiq wins... but there are times when your hand gets in the way visually, or you want to 'draw/sletch at a distance like you would at arms length on paper', and then the intuos can be better
my cintiq is also a very high quality 4K 24 inch monitor and a 4 port USB3 hub... you pay for build quality... and these things are relative - if you pay 1500 GBP plus for animation software, you are not going to want to skimp on the accessories ;)
Hello,
It has been a long time I have used a tablet, so I do not have current experience of them. Still, it seems that some inexpensive brands have much improved quality these days like Huion and XP-Pen. The price difference is not small. Has anyone of you guys tried/used one of these instead of Wacom?
..or you could buy an iPad and an Apple Pencil/Procreate or Affinity Designer?
That might open up another world altogether (depending on your budget) ..
what often lets cheaper tablets down, apart from the things mentioned, build quality, durability, paralax, latency, is the colour fidelity and angle of view - not everyone needs these things of course....
Maybe you are right, but what got me interested is, e.g., videos like this about the latest generation of Huion tablets: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoWmZ2pQ05QQuote:
Originally Posted by handrawn
Wacom's reputation is great, and there may be caveats, but things evolve, and I would like to make a sound buying decision without prejudice.
I usually keep out of the graphics tab debates because I can only speak as an observer. My daughter (20) has used several over the years and she may be a good yardstick on the cheaper end of the market because she isn't a professional, doesn't care about brands and simply uses the things that she likes. I think it only fair to state that she is a high functioning autist who doesn't understand the technical side and couldn't care less if everyone thinks she's wrong. Drawing is her meditation and 99% of the time she cartoons. Her software is either SAI, MediBang or Fire Alpaca...again, no idea why.
She has used Huion for over 5 years and is eagerly waiting for Santa to slap a Kamvas pro in her lap this Christmas. She has also used Wacom, XP-Pen. As I stated, I can only say what she uses, not why, as she doesn't know herself.
When she goes outdoors she takes a 13" Huion and a Surface Pro.
Inside she uses 16" XP-Pen, but before that the Huion 16" on either laptop or desktop.
The Cintiq 13" she was gifted to her a year or so ago and she doesn't use it. I wish I could tell you why, but the best I can say is she doesn't like the feel of it.
She broke the Huion (temper, not bad manufacturing) and we replaced it with the XP-Pen. She still sometimes asks if I've fixed the Huion (it's virtually in half) but when I ask if she prefers the Huion to the Xp-Pen she shrugs it off. I presume she has no real preference.
I hope Santa comes through! Nice to see Art having a positive effect even if it's a bit rock and roll at times.
it's not possible to give a specific recommendation without trying it.. which I haven't - on spec though, and watching the video, it looks value for money; battery free pen, respectable gamut and view angle, laminated screen are there it would seem, which is good
it depends what you are going to do with it, and how
I would not buy it, but that is not because I think it is a bad product, it is because it would be restrictive for me thus:
screen is too small, 24 inch is ok, I would have liked the 32 inch wacom but could not justify the extra money and that one really takes up desk space which is limited for me
the buttons are on the device - i would not want to go back to that, my wacom has a remote that does that job [and a wide magnetic trim round the drawing area that you can place the remote on if you wish] - this means switching from right to left hand draw does not involve moving the screen
the resolution is too low at std HD
no stand - and the 24 inch pro wacom stand lets you tilt and rotate the screen, preferably in many instances to doing that in the software [and some software, eg xara does not even have this feature]
wacoms are rugged, reliable, and I would need to be convinced another make was comparable - my cintiq isn't portable of course, but i don't need that in a screen tablet - plus they are industry standard when it comes to software/driver compatibility
also, and this is personal, I have an adjustable hight desk and the wacom stand means I can tilt the screen and draw standing up; maybe not what everyone wants but if you draw a lot it is to be recommended some of the time at least, it is so much less strain on the back etc - rather like going back to the drawing tables pre-computer - the wide trim and ruggedness and no onboard buttons, means you can lean on the tablet quite hard for support if you wish, very useful
would the 16 inch cintiq be better, I don't know not having used one, but when you get used to a particular brand you tend to stick which is also something to consider... how stable is the company etc
bottom line: there is a lot to think about, not just the spec, but the way in which you use it in your workflow
hope that helps in some way :)
P. S. @ Chris - yes these things are very personal, especially if you are a freehand artist, rather than a 'vector shapes constructor' - feel is everything to a freehand artist because every stroke is a gamble to greater or lesser extent, you are relying on your aquired skill and real-time feedback, too much 'ctrl-z-ing' just destroys the mood... I still do a lot of 'pencil' roughs with a BIC Crystal ballpoint, because that is what I grew up using in primary school; first love an' all that... it's more than just a financial commitment... ;)
I'm still saving for a Cintiq 16 and nearly there. As my funds build up though I'm constantly tempted by products by Huion, XP-Pen and the like.
As I carefully scrutinise all the reviews, there's normally one or two things that jump out and make me think I'm better off waiting for a Wacom.
Although I really like the look of the Huion, when Brad Colbrow mentioned that one of the corners gets a bit warm and there was some play (movement) of the pen nib, it just makes me wonder if I could live with that. Having said that I personally like the idea of function buttons the on the side of the tablet for zooming or changing brush size, but then again, my current Wacom Intuos (PTK-440) has them and I never use them!
Unfortunately it's a difficult thing to have a hands-on try with any of these devices as most shops either don't sell them or if they do they're boxed up.
bc also mentioned it being too easy to accidentally turn off the tablet with the power button maybe it's me but i would agree, same with all the buttons and touch too i disable the lot right down to the pen buttons as well on the intuos
i think play in the nib would be a deal breaker for me, feel as i said is so important
it is a real shame you cannot try these out short of knowing someone with one or traipsing off to a tech fair, virtually non existent where we live
chris - maybe if there is 'indifference' to the tablets, then your daughter has not yet found what feels right for her - that includes the software used with it, each is subtly different
Quote:
Originally Posted by handrawn
She often tries different software as she basically lives on the 'Net and tries things other people are using. Hardware wise I can lay my hands on most things as the wholesaler I use for my business knows Heather and let's her borrow things. No, I doubt he'd let her loose with top end stuff, but display units, samples and general stuff is no problem.
She just likes drawing :)
two (at least) reasons to love drawing - the joy of doing it for it's own sake, in which case it does not matter the result, or because you need to say something visually and/or in terms of narrative/comment
one way i relax is to just play random notes/chords on keyboard sometimes it takes off often it does not, but being able to make these sounds is a joy in itself