Can anyone reccomend A Graphics Tablet?

[jwlane]

I've used tablets for 2 decades and can say with some authority that you may not get any extra benefit from an up-priced model. My old Wacom tablets that don't have connections that fit modern computers, they still work fine. A 9 year old Graphire tablet that I won at a trade show give-a-way still works fine, as does the 3 button mouse that came with it. My new Intuos is a piece of crap. The tablet has a hard time recognizing the pen, and the mouse appears to have worn out over a period of months. It's gotten so dodgy that I've gone back to the mouse that came with the computer. Wacom's customer service reps state that they will most likely keep returned items for months and charge me for any repair or replaced parts. This is under warranty, mind you. I have also noticed that the Intuos, for the few months that it worked correctly, did not show substantially improved sensitivity over the lower end model. It's just bigger.

If I get another one, I'm going to look for a used tablet manufactured in Taiwan or possibly Japan, some place where quality control was better than what currently exists.

[chrisw]

get a wacom !!!!!!!!!!! i first bought a visttablet made by adipet if i spelled that right it was about a 120 buck but cheap for its size but it didnt read pressure varey well and dx10 also had problems with it as a pointing device i bought a wacom bambo and freaking love love love it you can get on for 80 bucks online pluse it comes with a mouse too!!!

[FCSnow]

I make changes very slowly. I have learned from passed mistakes that anything NEW isn't always great. So it took awhile for me to drop my charcoal stick and cave wall and pick up the mouse and computer screen.

Eventually I acquired a copy of AS. I never liked drawing with a mouse, the whole eye hand coordination thing. So, I bought a scanner. I hand draw on paper with a new fangled lead pencil and scan them into the computer. I trace those drawings in AS for animation.

I do have a Wavcom Bambo tablet for lap top PC. It is powered by the USB port which makes it completely portable.

I do covet the Wavcom combination table and screen. But for now, I'm not sure it worth the effort or cost.

FCSnow

P.S. How do I get charcoal marks of my flat screen monitor?

[dueyftw]

Personally, I have a large wacom. I paid around 450. I use it for tracing. You have to get used to it. I set it on add a point in AS and use a pushing motion, lifting the stylist only slightly off the tablet. If you do lots of tracing get a large one. I find myself going off the tablet edge often.

A few months ago I spilled milk near it and on my keyboard. The keyboard didn't make it. Now I'm more careful where I put my drinks.

Dale

[synthsin75]

Hey, I never though of using my tablet for add points. That may actually work, as that's the tool I always use. I have to try that out.

[DK]

Thanks for all the advice people.....I just went out and bought a Wacom Bamboo to play around with. I'll let you know how things go when I get a spare moment to plug it in....

Cheers
D.K

[funksmaname]

congrats DK That was probably your best choice for an introduction to tablet heaven.

[DK]

Wow! I've been working with it al day and LOVE IT!!!!
I've noticed a couple things though, for vector drawing, I get the best overall results using it with Illustrator. I really love working with it in AS with a line setting at "Sketch" and an end radius of 4. That seems to produce nice smooth linework when rendered.
Best thing I've bought for ages....Thanks funk and the rest for great advice.

Cheers
DK

))))))))

[human]

Oh God, yes.

Drawing with a mouse = drawing with a brick.

Anybody reading this who is trying to do computer graphics without a tablet, do yourself a favor and JUST GET A TABLET.

[DK]

It would be interesting to hear what settings people use for their tablets when they work in AS?

Cheers
D.K