Help using a tablet - FULL DETAIL

[AlstonA]

I have a Wacom intuos4 Small graphics tablet. When my original bamboo stopped working, I bough this on and I've had it for about a year in and half now. While using this tablet I have been trying to learn to draw as well. The problem I'm facing is that I can seem to "hit the mark" correctly. Let me provide deeper detail, I want to draw well lines without my hand shaking.
Here is two artist who I have been studying for a while now. One of them is actually a popular member on ConceptArt:
Alien1452 (Livestream): http://www.livestream.com/alien1452/...a-cf1772cf4734
Belitter (Youtube): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXCwOMHDvjY&feature=plcp

I'm not exactly sure what type of Wacom tablet Alien1452 uses (Graphics tablet or Tablet monitor), but I do know that Belitter uses a graphire 3 tablet. Here is the issue I have when using a tablet. While drawing, I usually put on a wrist gaurd and glove, I cut all of the gloves fingers out leaving the pinky finger untouched. Then, I start drawing, at first I used to draw with my wrist until I did some research on the forums and found that it was better to draw with the arm. So, now I am drawing with my arm, but I still have touble starting the painting. Here is a 5 min example of me drawing. When I draw I don't know how to draw without taking my hand off of the page.



I am able to draw with regular paper quite well.



When I try to draw without the glove, I get the feeling of resistance. Also, I have Smaller tablet, I thought that was the problem at first; but, after seeing other artist like Belitter or Genzoman who is using a much more smaller tablet than I am draw fantastic paintings and illustrations (graphire and a bamboo small), I am very confused on how to draw with a tablet.

The last amount of information I can display is a video I've just created where I try to draw over the same line twice. I also try to draw parallel to that line/curve using both fast and slow speeds. using Corel Painter 12. I know I could use line tools to achieve the curves; but, I am trying to draw it freehand like Alien1452 and belitter.

Video

Any links or advice you can give me is greatly appreciated. I really need help with this, please don't just skip this post without giving some small information. I am really stumped here and I don't know what to do. How did you learn to use a tablet well? pld:

[dpaint]

Well a five minute drawing on a tablet compared to a traditional drawing that took how long from a blank piece of paper? Its not a fair comparison. next time you draw traditionally, time how long it takes you from a blank sheet to completely finished drawing. Its just practice with a tablet until you have a similar experience for the time frame.

[AlstonA]

Well a five minute drawing on a tablet compared to a traditional drawing that took how long from a blank piece of paper? Its not a fair comparison. next time you draw traditionally, time how long it takes you from a blank sheet to completely finished drawing. Its just practice with a tablet until you have a similar experience for the time frame.

I'm sorry I should have posted a more detail version so it could equal up to a better comparision. I made this using Corel Painter 12. It took longer to create using the tablet. I also used the Eraser tool a lot and the line weight is completly incorrect when I was using this.

[mrcrinkles]

Hey,
I have had the same trouble as you. The answer is two fold...

1) it's going to take time to get used to a tablet, there are no fixes for this... it's just weird and takes getting used to not looking at your lines where you draw them and instead, keeping your chin up and eyes on screen.

2) for issues with line weight I suggest you spend some quality time in the settings and adjusting the sensitivity to suit you. Also make sure that the application (PS or Painter) is doing its job to help you get the line weight you like and at the pressure you expect.

General rule of thumb is that the presets and preloaded settings will feel and perform weird for you, it will take trial and error and experimenting to get things to work as you expect.

3) There are some exercises you can do, to help you remap your brain to your tablet things like drawing a series of dots down each side of a page and connecting them with a straight line in one fast stroke will help you to get a feel for the size of your tablet. drawing hundreds of circles until they are circles is another... things that we take for granted, while looking at the paper under our pencils will not come automatically via a tablet.

With some practice though, you'll get there and be drawing awesome, faster and more accurately with every day of considered, hard work!

all that or... trade up and buy a cintique

[ikken]

have you considered doing lineart with pencils/inks on paper and adding tone and colour digitally?
it might save you time and struggles doing the accurate contour work and you'll get used to the feel of painting with a tablet (which is a more fluid process in my opinion)

also it's not exactly related, but I see that alien1452 has still been using painter 6 a bit over a year ago.
I can say I enjoyed that version way more than painter X - 12. recent releases changed something about pen pressure, it feels either stiff no matter how much I tweak the brush settings, or way too soft.
painter 6 & IX had the best stilus feedback I've ever had with painting applications.

[Arshes Nei]

I don't know about "drawing quite well" on paper. You really need to practice a lot more. You have a lot of decapitated heads going. Now you have a tablet, you have some advantages that paper doesn't necessarily give.

For one you can choose the size of canvas to work on now vs, having to go out and buy certain sized sketchbooks. Work larger, work on more full bodies.

The other thing to do is stop using White as your base canvas, your paper is not pure white either and this is harmful for your eyes.

Use an off white color, or have fun and use a different color base canvas on your digital art program.

[Krazyengima]

you have to get used to it though you really aren't that great on paper and as arshes has said you need a lot more practice...a good way to do good with a tablet is too establish your abilities on paper but since you have a tablet without doing it on paper first you can try doing what i do and sketch out your drawing on paper and then scanning it onto your computer then using your tablet to ink the lines and fix any mistakes you made