Graphics Pad?

[Gregg Vaughn]

Are any of you using a graphics pad for drawing? If so, how do the pads , or do the pads, interface with Corel Draw? I was watching someone from our IT department (day job) work with one and it looks like it would work well for drawing badges, the mainstay of my niche.

The pad he was using was a Wacom Intuos with a 6 X 8 drawing area. He made it look easy while working in adobe.

Are they another toy or something that has real value?

[James Jaragosky]

Are any of you using a graphics pad for drawing? If so, how do the pads , or do the pads, interface with Corel Draw? I was watching someone from our IT department (day job) work with one and it looks like it would work well for drawing badges, the mainstay of my niche.

The pad he was using was a Wacom Intuos with a 6 X 8 drawing area. He made it look easy while working in adobe.

Are they another toy or something that has real value?

They work well with Corel, they are great for tracing & drawing.
One nice tracing technique is to place the page with the item to be traced directly onto the pad and trace it there.

There is a big learning curve, not with the software but with teaching your self techniques needed to use the pad.
I was told to toss my mouse into a drawer for two weeks and use nothing but the pad, otherwise you will never find the pad as simple to operate as your mouse.
If you can make it for the two weeks without beating the thing with a hammer you will wonder how you ever liver without one.
Jim J.

[Scott Shepherd]

Gregg, I can't comment on how they work with Corel, I don't have one, but I've been eyeballing them for 6 months. I saw on Corel's website they are running a special. You can upgrade to X4 and get a tablet for $299. Kills 2 birds with one stone :)

[Steve Clarkson]

I LOVE mine.......but I use it more as a toy since my drawing sucks!

It really is soooo much easier than a mouse.....for the most part you can throw your mouse out. It's ALOT faster than a mouse too....no scrolling.

I figured out how to use it within 2-3 hours, but I'm sure I've only scratched the surface.

I HIGHLY recommend it.

[Steve Eide]

I have a Wacom, but I have trouble with it because of the small drawing area (you get what you pay for!)

Steve, what size tablet are you using?

[Steve Chalmers]

I've used a Wacom 12"x12" for about 4 years now, and I can't say enough good about them. Once you spend a little time with them, and get used to the fact that you are drawing where you are looking. . .then it's a piece of cake.

They are especially useful when you are doing detail work.

While I purchased the large 12x12 size, I don't think in this case size matters. . .smaller would probably be easier to use.

Steve

[Steve Eide]

The problem with the smaller drawing area is that one needs to zoom in quite a bit and then you lose a lot of the "context" of what you are doing. The actual drawing area on my tablet is about 3 1/2" by 5". Quick to move around the screen though!

[Darren Null]

Size is important- too small a drawing area makes life difficult. I'd go with Wacom though; I had a small Wacom Graphire (died from overuse); replaced it with an Intuos (3, I think it was...the zoom in/out button was worth it all on it's own), which was stolen. So I replaced it with a no-name brand, being a bit skint by that time and it was awful. I threw it in the bin and went back to a mouse in the end.

Ideally A4 size is about right. You can work with A5, but all the movements are smaller, so you lose precision or have to spend the whole time zooming. Anything bigger than A4 can be very cumbersome. Not to mention expensive.

Another Intuos is definitely on the shopping list. But they're more for art-based freehand stuff (and speeding clipping out in photoshop) than 'technical' type stuff.

[Bill Morrison]

I use my 12X12 Wacom toy for photo restoration. I used a labelmaker to put what I have programmed each pad todo. Try writing your name with a brick... That's the diffference between using the pen and a mouse. I've been using the Wacom since they first came out, whenever that was so switching between a mouse and the tablet is no big deal.... most of the time. It does have a larger footprint then the keyboard of course but I have a workspace with a computer, etc. set up just for restoration and graphics work. I haven't run across a program that the tablet won't work on. As I said, my workspace has a computer that only has graphics software on it and everything works great. I don't trace anything with it, that's what my scanners are for. But there isn't much tracing working with B/W photos.

Bill

[Steve Clarkson]

Steve, what size tablet are you using?

My drawing area is 11"x 6.5"......it's the perfect size....almost the same size as my laptop.

[Larry Bratton]

I can't function without mine. I have a CTE630 Wacom. I tried some other brands but Wacom rules. I use it for everything. I rarely use anything but a laptop computer and it works with spreadsheets, my estimating software, Photoshop, Corel Draw..you name it.

[Mike Chance in Iowa]

I like my small Wacom Graphire and actually only use a small portion of the "trablet area" mapped to fit the "whole screen." That suits my writing style as I have a tendency to write really tiny.

The one thing that I do not like about using the pen, and maybe I just haven't programmed it properly, is the lack of my scroll wheel on the mouse to quickly zoom in and out of Corel or PaintShop Pro. I seem to use my scroll wheel on the mouse more then I use the clickers. It takes me much longer to lift the pen out of range so the arrow stays where I want it, move my hand up to the tablet's Express keys and use the scroll wheel, while making sure the arrow is still in the appropriate position, or else I'll zoom in on the wrong area because the arrow had moved. (Hard to describe this and have it make sense when you haven't seen the tablet!)

[Frank Corker]

I use an 11"x8" Trust. Works for me!

[Gregg Vaughn]

Thanks everyone .... great information again!

[Phil Salvati]

Geeze...I was eying them for the last few months too!

It's not often everyone agrees on a product.

I'm sold..... how are you guys splitting the commission!:D

Phil

[Dan Hintz]

My local Circuit City had a couple of the Wacom Intuous 3 4x6 pads on the bench... 30% off, bringing them to $175. I passed due to the small size, but I was tempted.