[Obsidian86]

Quote: Originally Posted by acitone

Fellas, I got something called a Hanvon GraphicPal and it is kinda cool so far. It's similar to the Wacom Bamboo but is cheaper. Pressure levels are pretty decent but I wish the response was a bit tighter. I suppose it'll have to do for now.

I like it so far but Miscrosoft Windows Vista puts this little thing called the Tablet PC Input Panel all in your face when you install it. And it refuses to be shut down so you just have to let it hang out the edge of your screen space.

Always count on Bill Gates to include some annoying and useless little thing like that in each and every Windows release...

Anyway, I'll put up some sketches and painings when I get some going. Do you guys recommend Photoshop or Corel Draw?

You can turn off the service for that. It happened to me too, and It got really annoying. You can probably find it on google.

Quote:

this thread has strengthen my want to get one of these tablets.

are the cheaper ones still good enough?
as it sounds so far, the difference in cost is definitly the quality.


any more info/personal experience on the average ones?

I recently bought my wife one that was around $76 USD. It's really nice compared to the $600 one I use at work. Hers is a black bamboo brand tablet with a glossy black finish and has the buttons at the top. It has a 5.8x3.7 writting area, which is the same as I use, and a more comfortable pen. The one I have at work is an ugly matt gray color with a giant bulky pen that has been loaded with buttons that I have to turn off so I don't accidently push one. Also the buttons on the tablet itself are on the left side, and since I'm left handed, I have to turn them off. The quality of use is about the same, the only difference is the amount of buttons. Also, I don't like the writting area to be to big, it makes using it quite akward.

[acitone]

Yeah man get one. They are cool. Your hand+eye coordination will naturally adjust and you'll be making artwork in no time.

[Insanityx]

turns out my mate's sister has 2,
looks like i can have her spare for now.

so the brand name is bamboo?
im reallll keen.

[bullyyy]

There are various Bamboo versions from WACOM.
I suggest to start with a "Bamboo Fun".
Although WACOM is probably the manufacturer with the most expensive tablets it´s really worth it.

If I where you, I would not spend too much on your first tablet.
If you like it, you probably wanna go the full mile and spend some real cash... like me.
I´am now planning (after using Bamboos at work and at home for 2 years) to buy a Cintiq 12" in next 1-2 years.

I don´t work with the mouse anymore - just the pen.

I really like the ideas you all have. Some of them are out of my price range but I'd like to try scanning it and then editing later. Thanks so much for the info.

[acitone]

TMp, the one I bought I got for only $60 and it is actually a good one. So don't feel that you have to spend hundreds. The Bamboo's are better than what I have and you can get the "Fun" edition Bullyyy mentioned for only about $70-$80 at Microcenter.com (or maybe even cheaper elsewhere!!!!!)

[pixelbandit]

Started with a Aiptek and numerous 3rd party rebrands (Genius i think). Moved on to a graphire 4x5 and instantly noticed a huge incress in performance but most importantly the handling....no lag! Have since upgraded to a intuos 3 9x12 but occasionally miss doodling with the graphire. I've come across teh Mod Book which looks like it takes the Cintiq concept a bit further...pity the sensitivity and lag sounds like a damper. Would be interested to see its developement in a few more cycles though. Oh yeah, if your illustrating in vectors using a tablet isnt all that important. Its actually easier imo to control the beziers when your using the mouse!

[acitone]

Isn't vector drawing/animation sort of limited? The characters always seem to be facing in one direction.

Anyway not to get off topic but one poster mentioned how he likes the regular tablets as opposed to the Cintiq because your hand isn't in the way and you get to see exactly what is underneath the pencil/brush. I kind of agree with that. Traditionally speaking our hand was always "in the way" but this new form of art allows one to see nothing but the result of what his/her hand is doing as opposed to seeing the hand doing it. It kind of allows you to focus purely on the concept or work without the distraction of the hand. It's like a pure mental projection of your idea - awesome! But I would still like to have a Cintiq on the side...lol.

[pixelbandit]

Hey! A mental projection! I've never thought of it that way, i like it!. Yeah, if money wasn't a obstacle eh? lol. Another point for the regular tablets is in the build quality, escpecially the Intuos series. These tablets are definetly built to last, i mean they can take a knock and keep on ticking. Replacement mats for the intuos 3 are cheap too and its like buying a brand new tablet every time. I'd be cautious to say the same about their LCD counterparts though. I'd hate to think those things could get dead pixels one day!

[acitone]

Aw man. Dead pixels on a Cintiq lol. I hope their warranty service is pretty solid.

[Pyro7878]

Thank you!

[hmongolian]

I have a pen tablet that I use with Photoshop. I draw a sketch on one layer, then create another layer to tone, and then a third layer to finish. After that I create more layers for inking. :D

[acitone]

Hey! About the whole "Layer" thing, how does it work? How do you you join the layers or whatever or make them all blend and so forth? Cause I am such a PS noob that I do everything in the one layer.

[kristharp78]

Tablets are nice, but I prefer scanning my doc into PS or Ill and just tracing with the mouse. Everyone has their preference and tablets are megabucks for really good ones.