Posted by Charles Borges de Oliveira on August 25, 2003
Robin SharrardHello Mr. Jackson,
I was hoping you might be able to tell me which wacom tablet or digital tablet would be good for lettering on the computer?(pc) I am new to digital tablets so Im not sure which one to buy. I read an aricle on using a tablet in fontographer you had written a few years back, and was wondering if you had any advice?
Thanks,
Charles
I have a newer Wacom Intutis II 12X12 USB and while I do have the cordless mouse, I think I use the pen 90% of the time. As Mike said, it does take up quite a bit of space, but I couldn't imagine a smaller one. I like drawing large and when I'm presented with a sketch that is too large for the scanner, it is easy to lay it under the transparent flap and trace it right into the computer. It is fairly easy to set a smaller sketch area, or you can select the mouse mode and work in the area of a mouse pad that you designate on the tablet.
I sell airbrushed t-shirts so I also have the Wacom airbrush, and the 12x12 area is just about right for creating new designs for my shirts. While the electronic airbrush is a little more difficult to master than the real one, it does provide a fairly good proximty of what the actual shirt will look like.
If you have the room and the $$funds$$, the 12x12 is just about perfect. If ya got to go small, then Don is right, don't go smaller than a 6x8...just my 2 cents...Robin
Mike Jackson
Hello Charles,
There will probably be as many different answers to this question as there are tablet sizes. I have an older 12" x 12" Wacom UD2 tablet and a smaller one that has an area of about 3" x 4" working area. Both are connected to the same computer and will work along with the mouse. Personally, I like the large one, but it does take up some space. It is about 16" square. The new ones are USB while my old one took up a valuable serial port. I use the mouse about 90% of the time, but use the tablet to do my digitizing.
Hope that helps. Maybe others have differing views and will share them here.
Mike Jackson
Don Coplen
Danny BaronianI use a Wacom 6x8 for all my design...even thumbnail sketches are done directly to the computer via the tablet. As far as size, I don't think I'd want one smaller than 6x8.
If you're an "eBayer", there's often a deal or two on wacom's there. Just do a search for "wacom".
Don CoplenI'd agree with the wacom.
I bought the Intuos 2 6 x 8 and have been very pleased with it, and have a second 4 x 5 that I got for my laptop. For digitizing you can't beat the tablet.
Besides Ebay, check out wacom's site for reconditioned tablets. Bought one that way, and it has the same warranty as a new one. Besides being 35% less, it was boxed and looked like it had never been opened. Before you buy, check out their site and call their 800 number for the best price.
One other thing. Check out wacom's site for PhotoShop tutorials. Very useful information there.
Danny
Danny, when I first bought a tablet, I was hoping to use it for vector digitizing work. But, just couldn't get the hang of drawing with it, and settled for using it solely for Photoshop (which the tablets work great it....you can't take advantage of PS's pressure sensitive capabilities with a mouse!)
Over a year went by, and I had a visitor here that was blasting me for not using my tablet for the Trilogy work. He showed me a couple things that about working with a tablet that made it all come together. That tool made a great difference in the ease and speed of the vector work, too.
The two best pieces of advice I can give you is first, try setting the tablet directly in front of your keyboard, if not on your lap, while working. And two, literally think of the stylus as a pen shaped mouse. I use my left hand for much of the keyboard shortcuts and my right hand for drawing. In designing signs and logos, there aren't many times that much typing is involved, but when it is, either set the stylus down or you might cup it between your thumb and forefinger. It depends on whether you're typing a bunch of copy or just a word or two.
Charles Borges de Oliveira
Wow, I came to the right place to ask a question. Thanks for all of the useful information.
Have a gret day.
-Charles
Denver Chapter of the Letterheads