On 2008-02-28 20:09:03 -0700, "flambe" said:

Wacom Tablets are the only ones to consider but there is a learning curve.
Most likely you are trying to do some form of compositing. You will
learn that often there are easier ways to isolate pictorial elements
than tediously outlining them.

True enough, but for the best results you will usually need to have
skills with the pen tool, for part/all of your selection. There is no
shortcut to learning these skills. After you master "real" outlining
(Bezier curves), you can use a soft-edge brush where it's appropriate.
There will still be times when creating a path the old-fashioned way is
the only right way.

As for the pain, it's a hurdle that has to be overcome. I once gave
myself so much tendonitis with a trackball it felt like Carpal Tunnel
Syndrome. Never used a stylus like the Wacom tablet, but many thousands
of people have learned to do PS with a mouse, and I suspect thousands
more are learning right now.
--
Vanity is so secure in the heart of man that everyone wants to be
admired: even I who write this, and you who read this.