[Francesca]

We recently bought a Wacom Intuos Graphic Tablet (6" x "8). Drawing with it is not the greatest; regardless of how we set the tip pressure, slant, etc., there is a sort of "wobblyness" that is disconcerting. Any ideas?

Francesca

[pobodysnerfect]

I have the same tablet and have noticed the same thing. When I hold the pen just above the tablet the curser seems to shake. I think the pen needs to actually be touching the tablet and not hovering above it.

[Francesca]

Actually, I'm talking about wobblyness when we are drawing on the tablet. I know about the behavior of the stylus when it is hovering above the tablet. I don't like this either, but I can accept it. BTW, I have called Wacom a couple of times, and their support is not particularly helpful. For example, we also don't think "mouse mode" is working properly. It is more unwieldly than an actual mouse, which in fact we don't have much trouble with! The Wacom guy I talked to said no one uses the stylus in mouse mode. He also said that no one actually maps the picture surface, point for point, to the tablet surface. He said that it's too difficult, and the default is that the whole monitor display is mapped to the tablet. Not exactly user-friendly, in my book...

My boyfriend thinks our tablet and stylus are defective. Who knows?

Francesca

[Demonhood]

what version of the drivers are you using?
tried reinstalling them?
this happening mainly in painter? photoshop? illustrator? all of the above?

if you hold the stylus on one part of the pad, does it wobble to and fro?

[phobos]

I have a wacom Graphire and I have the same problem.I can't draw a curve or a straight as good as I can draw it in real world sketches.I think that this is not a defective product just the way the pencil works.I don't know maybe I'm wrong.Anyone with a wacom tablet could really help us all with his opinion.
The only thing I do now is a draw in a paper scan it and then use the tablet for painting.It's really good for painting.But actual drawing would be greatly appreciated...[/LIST]

[Francesca]

I can't give details about the drivers because the tablet is at home, and I'm at my studio. (We have two G4s.) But in troubleshooting the tablet, I was directed to download the latest drivers. The wobblyness shows up in Photoshop and Illustrator, and yes, it is really irritating when we draw, and the line quality is important. I agree that it is easier to paint. I've actually had quite a bit of fun painting with the sylus. When is someone going to invent a tablet & stylus that...?[list=1][*]Feels like paper and pencil, or paper and marker, etc...[*]Doesn't react unless the stylus and tablet are actually in contact[*]Has the tablet and a 6" x 8" window (or whatever size your tablet is) mapped automatically, as the default[*]Doesn't use abstruse incomprehensible technical terms in its control panel[*]The tech guys on the telephone really know how to use[/list=a]

BTW, there is no part of the tablet on which the wobblyness does not occur.

Francesca

[ 08-19-2001: Message edited by: Francesca ]

[phobos]

I posted the problem in the new forums of wacom.Let's hope that we will get some help...

[SunSeeker]

If smooth curves are what you need then try to use bezier curves (paths in photoshop or the pen tool in illustrator), you will wonder how you did without them.
Read the help files from these apps to find out how and practice by tracing a scan either loaded into the program or placed under your tablet overlay, I prefer working over a scan in the program itself.

Try this. Write your signature using the tablet and trace a scan of your signature with the pen in photoshop at a reasonably high resolution (necessary when you stroke the path).
You will find that the latter is far superior when you compare the two.

You can also change the stroke style, thickness, resolution and brush far more easily later.
It can also be done with a mouse, but I prefer the pen for speed, comfort and to avoid rsi.
I have a graphire and have never found the need for more size or resolution (learn the zoom in and out shortcuts) and I rarely use a mouse.

[Francesca]

Where are there Wacom Forums? There don't seem to be any on the Wacom website?

Francesca

[phobos]

SunSeeker I know Photoshop like the palm of my hand.I use the pen tool all the time but I wanted to draw like I draw with pen and paper.To have more freedom.I agree that the pen tool is great but you really aren't so free.That's ofcourse my opinion and not anyone else's.
Fransesca go at this site.It's the european site of wacom. http://www.wacom-europe.com/uk/support/forum/index.asp

[SunSeeker]

Phobos, then use pen and paper or otherwise get a seriously large tablet to get the resolution, as I am sure you know.

You then have have to ask yourself is it worth the cash and more importantly the desk space.

I would say that you can do just fine using the techniques mentioned or working with dropping the background out of scanned artwork.
Something that perhaps the other posters didn't know.

[idjeff]

I believe that technique is the main factor involved with using the Wacom. Certain programs behave differently when using the Wacom. For example, when sketching in photoshop, it is practically impossible to sketch a smooth curve, however with painter, you are able to sketch smooth lines, but your motion needs to be swift. That is why I use painter to sketch and photoshop to render. Like sunseeker said, bezier curves are a necessity if you need extremely tight curves.

This first image was sketched in painter with a wacom:

This image was rendered in photoshop using bezier curves(paths). Value was added with a wacom:


Hope this info helped

[ 08-19-2001: Message edited by: idjeff ]

[Francesca]

I like those alien beings. Do you get all of them when you buy that car?

No, seriously, I doubt that anyone could learn to use the Wacom as well as Jeff by reading this forum...

Francesca



[ 08-19-2001: Message edited by: Francesca ]

[tonton]

Francesca, you CANNOT, I repeat, CANNOT use the Wacom stylus in mouse mode. In fact, there's no legitimate use for mouse mode whatsoever. Forget it ever existed. I think the Wacom guy you spoke to was spot on.

"Mouse mode" means that the pointer will ACCELERATE with swift movements. I don't mean it goes faster as you go faster, I mean it goes farther as you go faster. If you move the pen slowly for exactly two inches, for instance, it will move lets say, two inches on the screen. But if you move the pen extremely quickly for the same two inches, the pointer on the screen can move all the way to the other side! On a Cinema display, let's call that 20 inches! This is how a mouse works, and that's why it's called "mouse mode". When the Wacom driver is in "pen mode" two inches is two inches. Period.

Also, do map the Wacom pad to the desktop surface. That way you can choose menu items, etc. without having to switch over to the mouse.

Don't draw too slowly, and you will have much better results.

Once you've got the hang of it, you will find it indespensible.

[Francesca]

Jeff, I thought that the default was the mapping to the desktop surface. What we had wanted was to make a blank image file that was the same size as the tablet, and to map the tablet to that. We have a 21 inch monitor, but the palettes floating in front of whatever we're working on is very annoying. That's why we wanted to map the tablet as I just described above. But I have an extra monitor now. Maybe I should do as suggested, and put the palettes on one monitor, and the picture on the other. (Of course I don't know how to do that, yet.)

Thanks for the info about using the stylus, etc, everybody...

Francesca

[idjeff]

Francesca, I don't think that you are able to map with 6x8 tablet. I believe that only you can only do this with the 9x12 and larger tablets. Check the PDF instructions that came with the tablet and look under the mapping instructions portion.

[Rick1138]

Francesca,
The problem is that the surface of the tablet is too slick for drawing,what you need to do is tape some paper that has a little bit of tooth to the tablet,and then adjust the pressure sensitivity accordingly,experiment with different types of paper to see what works best for you.
Rick

[zac4mac]

I just got an Intuos 6x8 last fall and use it on a G4DP550/1GB and a PM8500/G3-454/240MB/USB card with no jerkiness or wiggling noticed. Both Macs have dual monitor setup(I hate pallettes getting ion my way) and I have pen mode mapped to all the right(main) monitor and about half of the left(pallettes) monitor. That way I can access most of the pallettes and menus in pen mode.
You might try putting the tablet on a USB port by iteslf, not a hub with other devices. It might be fighting for bandwidth. Also(I presume you're no longer trying to draw in "mouse" mode, but pen..) if the lines are too crunchy with PS's pencil tool, try the airbrush or brush, they are anti-aliased.
Once set-up and all your tablet and pen buttons programmed, this thing kicks a mouse's butt.

[Francesca]

We have the Wacom connected one of the USB ports of our 350 MHz G4. I think we will look into the wobblyness; my boyfriend finds the tablet quite useless the way it is...

Francesca

[Rick1138]

It's because the surface of the tablet is too slick,trust me,all you need to do is tape some paper to give it some ressitance,I had the same problem

[Francesca]

Rick, I didn't notice your previous posting. The paper sounds like a good idea...

Francesca

[acidchicken]

i think a lot of the wacom models are like that.

wacom still rules though!

[Francesca]

You know, I'm new here, but I think I'm getting a reputation as a complainer already. I tried putting paper on top of my tablet, drawing paper and plain copy paper. I also tried changing the tip feel many times while trying the different kinds of paper. I think I like my tablet even less than before. It is just not possible to achieve the accuracy that one can with ink, pencils, etc, especially on really small areas. There really is a jerkiness and wobblyness, and even a bit of a delay before the line appears. It's only a fraction of a second, but it is noticeable. I also do not like the fact that if you vary your stylus pressure, there is very little change in what appears. I think that Wacom made this product not sensitive enough in some respects, and too sensitive in others. The fact that the stylus will make a line when it is not even touching the tablet is not an improvement over real life. I think that the tip feel should not be something that is set in advance; I think there should be a default of its not being set. What I would like is if it were sensitive to the pressure that you give it when drawing. Wacom thought that the could improve things over real life. What would have been best is if they emulated real life drawing materials. There should be settings for: ink on paper, oil paint on canvas, etc. There really are not enough choices, and in real life the choices of materials are almost endless. The programmers and product developers would have been wise to do this, instead of making 12 different settings to yield the same result...

Francesca

[ 08-24-2001: Message edited by: Francesca ]

[tonton]

francesca, it sounds like you need to use Painter instead of Photoshop. Painter has always had the best tablet support of any application, and AFAIK, you can adjust the sensitivity of the stylus within Painter, or adjust your brush controls accordingly. It might just be exactly what you're looking for.

[bluedog]

Francesca,

All tablets have a fixed resolution (and you *can* map areas with your 6x8), but I think I know how your problem is 'unsolveable' with your current hardware and desired setup.

The larger your display resolution (on your monitor is set), the larger the area the tablet has to track your cursor across the screen space.

I have a dual monitor setup and the horizontal distance across the monitor is 2304 pixels (a 1280 and 1024 setup). The tablet has to use its useable areas across that distance. Just to test this theory, try disconnecting one monitor and see if the tablet responds better in the space of a single screen.

I don't remember the exact specs for the 6x8, but I'm guessing if you have your screen sizes higher than the rez the tablet is capable of handling you'll get that wobbliness because its skipping pixels in trying to handle going across the whole screen.

Hope that was clear enough, the only solution in that case is to map just an area for your tablet to be active (not the best solution) or get the larger sized tablets that have greater areas and could improve your 'resolution accuracy'.

Comments about the software used (Photoshop vs. Painter) is a valid point, the software interpreting what the tablet is sending makes a diference. Having different features mapped to the pressure sensitivity of the tablet allows you to create things you coudn't do with a regular mouse (and LOTS of extra work).

I've had a 12x12 (serial type) tablet and got my 6x8 for its USB to use with my newer machine. I didn't realize the resolution capabilities and the sizes of the tablet area would make that great of a difference (except in e case of the 4x5 Graphire which I knew had less resolution than the other tablets).

Good luck and ignore the 'whining comments.' You have a valid point and just need a explanation or solution.

[ 08-24-2001: Message edited by: bluedog ]

[Francesca]

Update: WACKY WACOM Problem is...SOLVED !!

It happened by accident. I was designing some wedding rings for a friend of mine with Photoshop LE, when suddenly everthing went awry. The tools I selected changed spontaneously, freezes kept happening, etc. It was a nightmare. I trashed the Photoshop prefs, rebuilt the desktop, even rebuilt the directory. Things had gotten even worse. I realized that it was time to install Photoshop 5.5, the full-fledged version, which I had recently obtained. I hadn't installed it yet because...well...I was a bit intimidated. I hate installing programs because I'm never certain that I've installed everything.(I'm sure I'm not alone, here.) Anyway, I noticed that there were alot of Wacom-related plug-ins on the Photoshop CD. I don't think they were part of the easy install or even the custom install feature. So, after I had done the easy install, I copied them into the plug-ins folder. I don't know if the plug-ins were available on my LE CD. If so, I wouldn't have noticed. I had installed it the first day I'd gotten my Mac, nearly two years ago. And I didn't have a graphics tablet then. Anyway, once I opened a new document and started drawing with my stylus, there was no jiggling or jumping. My problem was solved! I am still experimenting with using different document sizes and resolutions, and also with different "overlays" on top on the tablet. I've found that I like all of the following: (1) A piece of Fabriano Ingres paper, (2) My mouse pad, (3) One of those self-healing plastic sheets that I use when cutting mat board. I've been wondering if different stylus tips, etc are available. Maybe I'll put a wooden cone on it, and see what happens. And of course I hope to figure out how to map the tablet surface to a portion of the screen. But anyone who has that jiggling problem: Maybe they just need Wacom plugins for their graphics application, as I did.

Francesca