Graphics tablet question.

A book I have bought about Photoshop suggests that a graphics tablet is very
useful.

Is this the case? If so which do you suggest I look at - I'd rather keep the
price below £100 if possible but would pay more if necessary.

John

On Tue, 29 Nov 2005 20:23:45 -0000, "Eatmorepies"
wrote:

A book I have bought about Photoshop suggests that a graphics tablet is very
useful.

Is this the case? If so which do you suggest I look at - I'd rather keep the
price below £100 if possible but would pay more if necessary.

John

I use an older Wacom Graphire (ET) 4" x 5" tablet with PS CS2. It
works great. Some of the PS tools are pressure sensitive when using
the tablet's pen. This is quite convenient. I'd not be able to get
along without it any more. I do find the 4x5 table a bit small,
however. I'd probably but the 6x8 version if I got another one.

A book I have bought about Photoshop suggests that a graphics tablet is very
useful. Is this the case?

Opinions vary wildly on this ... I have one and think it's very good
for using the Brush tools, especially with Painter, but for photos I
don't use the Brush tools that much. If you're using it for painting I
think it's indispensable but for the kinds of things most photographers
do it's not a necessity. A really good tablet feels like you're using
a pen or brush or whatever if it's pressure sensitive and tilt-angle
sensitive, and using a mouse feels like you are drawing/painting with a
baseball bat by comparison.

If so which do you suggest I look at - I'd rather keep the
price below £100 if possible but would pay more if necessary

Wacom is by far the leading supplier of these ... I have a nice 6x8"
Wacom Intuous 3, which is probably a bit more than £100 but you can get
a 4x6" model a lot cheaper. I think Wacom also makes a less expensive
model than the Intuous (Graphire or similar? not sure), just make sure
it's pressure sensitive (ie, pressing down harder spreads the ink or
darkens the color or whatever you'd see with a pen or brush when you
push down harder).

There's a really good book out on how to set up a tablet and get the
most out of all the options with Photoshop and Painter ... "The
Photoshop and Painter Artist Tablet Book: Creative Techniques in
Digital Painting" by Cher Threinen-Pendarvis.

Bill

In article ,
"Eatmorepies" wrote:

A book I have bought about Photoshop suggests that a graphics tablet is very
useful.

Is this the case? If so which do you suggest I look at - I'd rather keep the
price below £100 if possible but would pay more if necessary.

John

I have a 6x8 tablet that worked via an ADB connection for an older Mac
Performa. As an artist-painter- and a photographer which i earn my
living from, I base my comments. There is a disconnect between seeing
the image on screen and drawing on the tablet. Over time it can be less
noticed, however when i upgraded to a faster computer I did not buy
a new tablet (USB) because I purchased a Kensington Studio Mouse IR, I
dare say its one of the best devices I have seen as of yet and its a lot
cheaper than a tablet. At this point the only way I would buy a tablet
is if I could afford the allinone screen and tablet that is several -k
(IIRC)
--
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is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable
to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918

www.gregblankphoto(dot)com

"Eatmorepies" writes:

A book I have bought about Photoshop suggests that a graphics tablet is very
useful.

Is this the case? If so which do you suggest I look at - I'd rather keep the
price below £100 if possible but would pay more if necessary.

It seems to vary widely. I got one and it's still hooked up and
working, but I hardly *ever* use it, even for facial retouching and
such where I'm actually drawing lines. Other people report different
habits. I think the only way you can know is to try one. A fairly
small, 4x5 one, is a decent test, and is all many people end up
wanting at least for photoshop work.
--
David Dyer-Bennet, , http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/
RKBA: http://noguns-nomoney.com/ http://www.dd-b.net/carry/
Pics: http://dd-b.lighthunters.net/ http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/SnapshotAlbum/
Dragaera/Steven Brust: http://dragaera.info/

A little aside for those who might edit in the field. Gateway's tablet
(laptop) computer model M275 has its ENTIRE screen as a Wacom tablet. Rather
trick for using graphics tools with pen sentitivites.

Eatmorepies wrote:
A book I have bought about Photoshop suggests that a graphics tablet
is very useful.

Is this the case? If so which do you suggest I look at - I'd rather
keep the price below £100 if possible but would pay more if necessary.

John

6x8 Wacom Intuos tablet is a great one. Not too big...not too small. If
you go smaller, you may find it difficult to control small on-screen
movements. If you go bigger, you may find that you're making uncomfortably
large hand movements in some instances, unless you custom-map the drawing
areas (which is possible). Wacom's Graphire line is cheaper, but when you
become familiar with the more capable Intuos line's ablities for precision
and customization, you'll appreciate the difference.

Here's a link:
http://www.wacom.com/productinfo/intuos.cfm

-Mark

I got my start in computer graphics back in the 70's. I still think
that the electronic pen and tablet provides much nicer drawing
ergonimics for randomly shaped object 'tracing' than any mouse can.
But since much of the tools involve only the need for clicking end
points of straight lines, I think a mouse has advantage in that
setting.

In article ,
says...

A book I have bought about Photoshop suggests that a graphics tablet is very
useful.

Is this the case? If so which do you suggest I look at - I'd rather keep the
price below £100 if possible but would pay more if necessary.

John

John,

You have gotten some good rec's so far, especially with regards to Wacom. You
might want to check out their "Refurbished" products on their site. A rebuilt
Wacom Intuos will work very well and not cost a ton (tonne).

I'll also chime in by saying that I could not live without my Wacoms. Using
them with Painter and PS, since the old ArtZII days. Each computer has a
tablet, all around the 9x12, or 12x12 size. I have an older 4x5, but do not
like the small size - very personal choice here. As I have desk real estate,
and do not use the tablet in my lap, the larger size fits my style better.

I had to do some simple masking recently, and did not have a tablet on the
laptop at the time. I almost drove myself crazy with the mouse, and just went
inside, gathered up the tablet, and installed it. All said, however, I come
from the "old school" of true natural media, so a tablet/stylus is closer to
what I grew up on.

Hunt

"Mardon" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 29 Nov 2005 20:23:45 -0000, "Eatmorepies"
wrote:

A book I have bought about Photoshop suggests that a graphics tablet is
very
useful.

Is this the case? If so which do you suggest I look at - I'd rather keep
the
price below £100 if possible but would pay more if necessary.

John

I use an older Wacom Graphire (ET) 4" x 5" tablet with PS CS2. It
works great. Some of the PS tools are pressure sensitive when using
the tablet's pen. This is quite convenient. I'd not be able to get
along without it any more. I do find the 4x5 table a bit small,
however. I'd probably but the 6x8 version if I got another one.

I have been on graphics tablets since a Kurta XGT 6X8 from '96 (feeling
old...).

I couldn't go back to a simple mouse anymore.

Trying to work with a mouse at art is like trying to paint with a brick.

I have a Wacom Intuits II, fantastic.

I still have my old Kurta layout around (serial interface), I finally
replaced it just because of it's serial port and I needed a USB interface.

I support I'll have to find a local poor student to give it to...

These things last forever!

Steve