Graphics Tablet: Which one to buy?

[Mithcoriel]

Hi everyone
I'm new here, hope I'm posting this in the right section and stuff.
I'm a moderate hobby-artist, have been mostly drawing with traditional pencil and paper, and would like to get more digital, so I wanna buy a graphics tablet. But the choice of which one to choose is difficult. So I thought I'd ask you guys for some advice.
Those who have experience with graphics tablets, what types have you used, and how do you like them?
- Am I right in assuming I should get a wacom, cause the others are too low-quality?
- What size would you say it should have? If I'd been asked randomly, I would have said A4, but judging by the products I've seen so far, A6 seems much rather to be the norm. (With A4 being more like a luxury version). That appears awfully small to me. Is that so or is that just me? Or can you sort of balance that out by scrolling alot and/or zooming in and out of your image?
- One thing I've been wondering: How can you actually tell what part of the image is where, when you draw on the tablet? As far as I know the image isn't visible on the tablet itself, is it? So if I wanna move the pen to a certain place to continue drawing there, how do I know where exactly to place it?
- What software do you recommend to use with it? Any compabilities I should pay attention to?
- What's the minimum/average resolution/precision I should expect?

Thanks in advance
Mithcoriel

[Skeedio]

I have a Wacom Graphire 4 xl.. just starting the whole computer drawing thing so I didn't want anything too expensive.
There's plenty of space because its not like you'll be drawing using the A6 or A4 space only.

- One thing I've been wondering: How can you actually tell what part of the image is where, when you draw on the tablet? As far as I know the image isn't visible on the tablet itself, is it? So if I wanna move the pen to a certain place to continue drawing there, how do I know where exactly to place it?

You get used to it.
The first time I used it I thought it would be easy but it ended up a total disaster.. takes a few minutes of practice to finally get the hang of it. You'll just use it the same way you'd normally use a mouse so by following the pointer you'll know exactly where to draw.

[Mithcoriel]

Graphire xl? So it's that one that has about an A5 screen, that costs around 200 Euros? Hm, not the cheapest either. ^^ (What would you miss most, if you took a cheaper one? (of all that stuff, Space/Precision/amount of different shades the pen can make. etc..))

You'll just use it the same way you'd normally use a mouse so by following the pointer you'll know exactly where to draw.

But with moving a mouse, you can see it move across the screen so you know where it is. How do you know where the pen is when you position it? If you just pull it across the tablet to be able to see it on the screen, you draw a line without wanting to.

[Improv]

The regular Graphire tablet is no longer made. If you go to the Wacom web site, they are only selling the Graphire Bluetooth (cordless) . Since it costs around $249 USD on the Wacom estore page, you might as well get an Intuos3 4x6 for $199 usd or $329 for an Intuos3 6x8.

If you really have your heart set on a Graphire, some retail stores may still have them...

[Improv]

But with moving a mouse, you can see it move across the screen so you know where it is. How do you know where the pen is when you position it? If you just pull it across the tablet to be able to see it on the screen, you draw a line without wanting to.

There is an onscreen cursor, same as the mouse. To move it, just lift it up a fraction of an inch-not hard to get used to.

[MegaFreak2]

Well, assuming that you're still deciding...

Wacom is basically THE pen tablet to get. I wouldn't say that the others are LOW quality, just that they don't measure up to Wacom's line of tablets.

To answer your question on how you know where you're drawing with the tablets: Every point on the tablet is represented the same way on your computer screen, and you can align the tablet's active area with the screen when you're customizing the tablet's settings to your liking.

As for which tablet you should choose... It really depends on several key factors. 1) How much space do you have on your desk/wherever your workspace is? 2) How much are you willing to pay?(I live in America, so when I show the prices, you're going to have to convert USD to euros) These are only a couple factors. I, personally, use an Intuos3 9x12. It allows for wide and expressive brush strokes, but is about $450 USD. You do NOT need a large tablet, though, to create great digital works of art. A friend of mine uses a little Intuos 4x5 and he loves it. Considering your saying that you're a moderate hobbyist, I'd say go for a 4x5 or 6x8, if you want to go for Intuos, otherwise I can't make any suggestions. Take some measurements among other things, to see if they'd be a good fit for you. I LOVE my 9x12, but have used smaller ones and can safely say that they're a good bet for what you want to do. From the looks of it though, a 6x8 Bluetooth would be nice for you. Maybe even a Bamboo or Bamboo Fun. Hope this helped.

[Mithcoriel]

Hey guys, thanks for the advice so far. Yeah, I'm still looking.

You know, the other day I saw a Graphics Tablet made by Trust (TB-4200 or something), which was A4, and it was cheaper then one by Wacom that was only A6. That does of course make me wonder in what ways the Wacom one is so much better to justify that. I mean, the Trust one said on the box that it supports a hundred lines per millimeter, which seems extremely incredible, but of course I'm no expert. (Okay, I checked now and it seems Wacoms have 2000 lpi or more. But I can't imagine how someone could draw even ten lines per mm. Am I missing something? And, is lines per inch the same thing as dots per inch?)
I'm guessing the resolution on Wacoms is just much higher. So, how high should the resolution be, in your oppinions? Anyone have experience with what happens with your drawings if they're done on a "bad" tablet?

Let's see, I have about 35x50cm space on my desk maximum, or 14x20 inches. And I'm willing to pay..oh, dunno, about 300 Euros max, but less is always good.

Okay, so it seems having a small active area on the tablet does not mean you can only make small drawing, hm? So if not that, what are the benefits of a large area? That your hand can move naturally, that it's more healthy/comfortable? (Does working on a small one still feel like scribling on a little noteblock?)

Btw, do most of the graphics tablets have the possibility of putting a piece of paper into them and tracing through what's on them? I think that might be a feature I want.

Oh yeah, those who have a graphics tablet, do you have any Art you made with it you could link me to?

[ZoneZero]

Putting a paper into the tablet to trace it sounds weird. Better take your scanner, open the scanned picture in your graphics programm of choice and add a new layer, on which you actually can trace more easily. Anyway, Wacom tablets have a removable plastic cover, so nothing to worry.

Drawing with a quality tablet is more fun - if you buy a Trust-Tablet and like to draw digitally you'll end up buying a Wacom sooner oder later almost every time.
On a small A6 you will only move your wrist while drawing. With a bigger tablet you can also use your whole arm for drawing your strokes. I've heard the second way is the better one (more control, once you are used to it). A5 is a nice size. I got me a Graphire 3 two years ago and didn't regret the purchase.


I think most good artwork you can see on deviantArt etc. is drawn with tablets btw.

If you have your tablet, you may want to set its aspect ratio to the one of you resolution. This can be set up via the Wacom drivers.


sorry for my bad English ^^'

[Mithcoriel]

You have bad english? ^^ Totally didn't notice. I just didn't understand this sentence:

If you have your tablet, you may want to set its aspect ratio to the one of you resolution. This can be set up via the Wacom drivers.

[Mithcoriel]

Hey everyone, I'm still searching. ^^ (Only what's new is my parents will buy it for me so the price matters a bit less. )

What graphics tablets do you guys use, just so I get a general idea? I seem to hear Intuos a lot, and that also seems to be quite a good one. What else?

Available space on my desk is about 12.5 inches x 13 inches.
I'll probably buy a Wacom, but of course there's still plenty to choose from there.

How much resolution does the tablet need, you think? I see it ranging from 1016 dpi to 5.080 lpi, but I have no idea how much that is. Levels of pressure the pen can register: is 512 enough? Intuos seem to have twice that much.

[Arshes Nei]

Your question is best answered in this thread: http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=79774

When you come to the Painter forums, asking about which tablet to buy, I'm thinking it's relative to using the program. To me, the best tablet for that is an intuos 3 or Cintiq to take the most advantage of what Painter has to offer in conjunction with those models.

[Sanby]

Does anyone know if there is a place in toronto or the GTA where they have Wacom tablets on display so you can try them before you buy one? I was looking at the bamboo line of tablets because they are less expensive and I don't need anything super serious.

[Pav]

I have Intuos3 9x12 and recently got Intuos3 4x6 to carry it with my laptop. The reason I stick to Intuos3 is because I primarily use 6D Art Pen for flat brushes, otherwise I would've bought less expensive Bamboo or Graphire with bluetooth, plus it's twice as pressure sensitive

@Sanby, I shop online, so I personally haven't seen any stores selling Wacom in Toronto.

wait a sec. here's one store on Queen St. http://www.vistek.ca/about/contact.aspx

[tomt]

I don't know about Canada, but Apple stores in the US sell Wacom products.

[Improv]

I don't know about Canada, but Apple stores in the US sell Wacom products.

Same here in Canada. The London Drugs and Future Shop chains also carry Wacom tablets.