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Uma Duffy
02-28-2008, 9:23 AM
Does anyone have any experience with Wacom Intuos Pen Tablets for refining their artwork? Though not inexpensive, it looks like it might be a good investment for doing logo work or other original stuff. I've been looking at a few on auction sites as well as new ones at Wacom's site....but I haven't seen one in use or known anyone who uses it. The Cintiq line is way out of my range but the Intuos level of tablets might be just the thing...

There are lots of references to Corel Painter in Wacom's literature.....but will it work as well with Draw and Photopaint?

Doug Griffith
02-28-2008, 9:38 AM
I've been generating digital files for 20+ years and have worked with many tablets. I've found that their power is in pressure sensitivity. It adds a "3rd dimension" that you just can't get with a mouse. For example you can set both fade, brush size, and even color to pen pressure. This is the best way I've found to create fire. I have never found it useful for vector work. For logos, CAD plugins have always helped the most.

Mike Null
02-28-2008, 9:40 AM
I have one, my second, both of which came as premiums for buying a Corel upgrade from Amazon.

I do not use it often as it is not as easy to use for everyday pc use as a standard mouse. But for tedious and complex drawing tasks it is superior to the mouse and will save time. There is a learning/getting use to curve.

To use it all I have to do is plug the tablet into to the USB port. It comes with the pen and a cordless mouse.

Wil Lambert
02-28-2008, 9:43 AM
The Wacom pen works with all of the Corel programs. it also works well with Adobe products. I do not have a mouse attached to my PC. All I use is a tablet. No only is a tablet a good accessory it can help with RSS. I was having numbness is my wrist from a mouse and the tablet go rid of the numbness. I am on a PC 15 + hours a day. Such a fan of them I purchased on for every pc I use. If you get a tablet the best way to learn how to use them is to disconnect the mouse and only use the pen for a week or 2.If you just use it every once in a while most people do not like them because they are awkward at first. Good luck, Wil

Anthony Scira
02-28-2008, 10:56 AM
They seem a little pricey. But they are really worth every penny. I have had cheaper tablets but the Wacom is very cool and seems very well built. The pen is comfortable to hold.

And drawing is so much more natural. I would consider it a must have.

And the advice of putting the mouse away while learning is good. Thats what I did and it makes learning a lot easier.

If I lost mine today I would buy one the same day.

Uma Duffy
02-28-2008, 11:01 AM
So, what size tablet do you find most useful? I've been looking at the big ones...12x12, 12x18...but maybe that's overkill...I do like the idea of reducing wrist strain...I hadn't though of that. A bonus:) , definitely!

Mike Null
02-28-2008, 11:09 AM
Mine is about 6x8. 8x10 would be good if they come in that size.

Anthony Scira
02-28-2008, 12:12 PM
Mine is the 6x8.

I don't think you need much bigger. But if you have the extra cash I'd go for it.

But one thing to keep in mind the larger the tablet the further you hand has to move. The corners of the tablet are the corners of the screen. So for me the smaller tablet works best.

Oh yeah and if you have A LOT of dough they have a LCD touch screen where you draw right on the screen. Now that would be AWESOME !

Dan Hintz
02-28-2008, 12:22 PM
I'll second Doug's comment about the pressure sensitivity being one of the major bullet points for tablets. When you're working in simulated natural medias (watercolors, pens, charcoals, etc.) it's practically a must-have... you simply cannot get the same effects with a 1-bit mouse (on or off). Blurred masking of objects is also much easier, and that's just the top of the iceberg.

If you're only doing minor retouching, a 6x8 should be plenty... it fits nicely on the desk when you're not using it without being too cumbersome, though be prepared to do a lot of scrolling on large images if you're doing detailed touch-ups. If you intend to work with large images a lot, or if you would like to trace pictures/objects taped to the tablet, I highly suggest the 12x12 or 12x18 for the extra work area.

Wil Lambert
02-28-2008, 3:16 PM
I use the 9" x 12" tablets. The only downside of the larger tablets is the desk space they take up. Other than that I prefer the larger ones. I started with a 6" x 8" one and sold it after a few weeks for the larger ones. Wil

Uma Duffy
02-28-2008, 4:07 PM
I've been continuing to look at the tablets on eBay and it's difficult to tell if there is really a material difference in features between the Intuos2 and the Intuos3 tablets. I'm inclined to get the Intuos2 and save a little cash and upgrade later if I have as good luck with as everyone else seems to. Thanks everyone for sharing your experience. I think I'll start bidding...

Bill Morrison
02-28-2008, 4:34 PM
I've got the intuos 12 x 12 and wouldn't do photo restoration without one. Easier on the wrists. You can map the tablet to the screen or map just a section of it to the screen. It's got 10 pads on the sides of the tablet you can program to do various things so you don't need to use the keyboard to bring up another program, etc. It does have a large footprint but I already had to have a large workspace with 2 screens and two printers so in my circumstances that wasn't a consideration. I've used Wacom for years and for me it's the only way to go.

Dan Starr
03-01-2008, 10:01 AM
Waycom is the only way to go. I have the Wacom Cintiq 21UX and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I can remove a person from the background of a photo in a matter of minutes. It saves me more time than you can imagine.

Uma Duffy
03-01-2008, 11:30 AM
Oohh Dan! That's the one I want! :D It costs more than a couple of complete computer setups, though. I don't know if I'm worthy of that level of technology...but if I could find a deal on a used one I think I'd snap it up. It would have to be a helluva deal, though. I think I'd better work my way up to that one...maybe a 9x12 or so, just to start.

Uma Duffy
03-02-2008, 4:52 PM
I just won a 9x12 tablet on ebay...it should be here Wed or Thurs. Can't wait it out!:p

Uma Duffy
03-02-2008, 4:53 PM
can't wait to TRY it out

Frank Corker
03-02-2008, 8:26 PM
Congrats on winning the tablet. I use a 9x12. Makes mincemeat out of an ordinary mouse when it comes to correcting graphics. I wouldn't be without it.

Chuck Mitchell
03-02-2008, 8:44 PM
I still cant decide if the tablet would be on any use...any awards shop owners that cant live without one? If so, what advantage does it give over just the ordinary plain ole mouse? Thats alot of money to spend not knowing if it would get much use... PLZ HELP?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Jim - Goodwin
03-06-2008, 9:18 AM
I teach graphic design at the high school level and I recently purchased 5 Wacom Bamboo Fun (medium size) Pen Tablets. I've used pen tablets myself off and on for years. I would say that for most of my students, they absolutely love it and they PLAY with it. They are lots of fun. But then I have some some students who I would categorize as artists, who do things with it that blow me away. Anybody can live without it, but it gives the ability to open many doors that were previously inaccessible. In Photoshop, the tablet allows for you to use pen pressure to change the width of a brushed path, to change the angle of a brush, the opacity, the flow, the scattering, and the roundness. Some tablets even have support for rotation and angle of the stylus pen. If you have never used one, I would recommend borrowing one or getting a mid-range one and then selling it if it doesn't suit your fancy. You really have to use it as your only pointing device for at least a week until you gain true control of it. I would however stay away from the smallest tablets as they simply don't give enough room to work with freely. Could award shop owners live without it?... Sure. Would it benefit many of them?... Sure.

Vicky Orsini
03-06-2008, 10:11 AM
I wouldn't say I can't live without it, but I sure do love living with it! It makes life easier, makes the pointer easier to control - which is great when recreating logos and graphics. Oh, I know, our customers are soooo good when it comes to giving us quality graphics to work with that we wouldn't have to use it very often at all, right? ;)

Look on E-Bay for your first - save yourself a little cash until you get the hang of things and decide to "upgrade".

Uma Duffy
03-06-2008, 10:19 AM
Well the tablet arrived last night and I've been playing with it ever since....you guys are absolutely right about putting away the mouse until you get the hang of it. I can sense immediately it was just like the old days...learning to use a mouse. I know I'm gonna love it..but I hate how slow I am right out of the box. I think picking up a used one was absolutely the way to go. I got it for less than half of retail and so I'm ahead of the game. Not having seen one work before I thought the actual computer screen image would appear on the tablet for me to edit....but that's not the way it works. SO I really need to coordinate the eye hand movements. At home last night, I slipped a page of New Yorker magazine cartoons under the tracing sheet and traced for hours. It was not only fun...it showed how much I need to learn to be skillful at this. For people who have some artistic talent this is definitely the way to go. I, on the other hand, am more of a tracer:D. And logo cleanup should go MUCH faster now. Thanks for all the feedback!