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Wacom Graphics Tablet
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: New York City
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I am thinking about getting a graphics tablet, and have been considering it for about 8 months at this point. I finally have the bankroll to execute the plan but I wanted to air a couple of my concerns. I have used one in the past, but it was a long time ago with some bizarre art program and I never got really into it.
Lately I have been doing a lot of pen and ink drawing and I am in an animation class. My main concern is not seeing the line on the tablet but on the screen. Is is possible to draw well like this? Is it going to be like a mouse where you can click and manipulate objects very accurately even though the visual feedback is elsewhere from the mouse or is it going to look like I'm drawing with my eyes closed?
Also, how many buttons does the mouse have? (I see three, but I'm very fond of the forward and back buttons on my logitech wireless mouse and it would seem silly to give it up for a mouse that doesn't have that feature. Maybe I just won't bother to use it
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Paris, NY, Rome, etc
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I have the intuos 2 a5 model. It's small, the mouse is a two button, scroll wheel job - pretty sucky, actually. The pen has two buttons as well which can be quite useful. This is not a mouse replcement, but an artist's tool. I have another mouse I use for everything else.
But the drawing experience is great. It took me no time at at to get used to drawing with it, and I frigging love it. That said i'm pretty comfortable drawing with a mouse - been doing it for years. You definitely need to adapt your style a bit - and vectorial programs like illustrator or flash add a whole new dimension to drawing - like being able to constantly go back and fiddle with the lines.
Really, a must!
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Adopt-A-Yankee
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Admin Emeritus
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Zurich, Switzerland
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: New York City
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I really want to try one before I buy one. I wish I knew people that owned them
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Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Automatic
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I also am in the market looking for a wacom, but the A5 is so small, isn�t?
btw, are there another option to wacom? Mac OS X aimed of course...
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Paris, NY, Rome, etc
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Originally posted by angelmb:
I also am in the market looking for a wacom, but the A5 is so small, isn�t?
btw, are there another option to wacom? Mac OS X aimed of course...
The A5 seems small, but when you consider that you're drawing on the screen, not the tablet, it's fine. Unless you're drawing in really large strokes it shouldn't be an issue. I carry mine with me in the same bag as my powerbook, so it's the best option for me. Of course they make bigger ones...
As far as I know, Wacom is currently the standard. Everyone I know swears by em.
What I'd love is something like this being as Mac will probably never make a tablet pc. But they don't come cheap.
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Adopt-A-Yankee
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Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Bergen, Norway
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I use a wacom tablet.stop Every day. stop
Will not switch to another brand. stop This one is great! stop
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Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
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The WACOM can be a mouse replacement - I use my graphire2 for everything. The only time a mouse gets plugged in is when someone else wants to use my Mac (unless I want a laugh at watching them try to use the wacom for the first time).
Just depends on how used to it you get, I guess.
Unless you're doing really detailed work, then a large WACOM is not necessary. The graphire2 is A6 size, and I have no issues for design and illustration work. I'd definately prefer a smaller one when using it for everything else (ie. mouse replacement duties). The A5 introus one's are a nice middle ground though.
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Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Oct 2001
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So, is the intuos A5 the 'winner' ?
Is not worth the $ 100 between the A5 price and the A4 price ?
Beyond that, is the A4 oversize (DTP) worth versus the regular A4 ?
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Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Oct 2001
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Forum Regular
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Norway
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Yep, all US stores usually advertise in spanish, and display their prices in Euros ;P
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: New York City
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they've been spamming me from the Dawn of Time, so they must be good.
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Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Oct 2002
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My first tablet was a Wacom Graphire. I loved it so much that I bought an Intuos 6x8. I take the Graphire with me wherever I go and the Intuos stays at home. They are both awesome tools. The Graphire is great to start with and the price is reasonable. It might be small but it is powerful enough (even if you do detailed work, you can zoom in easily to accomplish those tiny details).
I never use the mouse though.
You have to have some hand/eye coordination but you'll get used to drawing while looking at your monitor in no time.
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Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Calculating...
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I just bought my first tablet a few days ago. So far I love it, but it takes a little getting used to. I'ts the Graphire2, I got lucky and found the last one on the shelf at a local store. (good price)
I held off for a long time too, wanting to try one but at some point you just have to take the plunge and decide for yourself. So far so good, I never could get the hang of drawing with the mouse.
I was skeptical, but the performance is better than I imagined was possible. I'll probably move up to the Intuos series someday, for now though it's loads of fun doodling and touchups, etc...
edit:
oh, the mouse is not bad. One point worth noting is that if you keep the tablet plugged in all the time like I do (and still keep your regular mouse also plugged in), in most drawing programs if the wacom mouse is sitting on the tablet, it will override your regular mouse. Otherwise operation is perfectly normal, even with both plugged in. All in all Wacom seem to have done a great job with the whole design.
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Last edited by shunt; Mar 16, 2004 at 11:36 PM.
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Please keep in mind the ambiguously selective general understandings we've all agreed upon...
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