City of Heroes: Live Forum Archive

I think I'm going to purchase a tablet...

Blood_Wolffe

By Blood_Wolffe,
Posted on: 2007-05-14 17:44 in Multi-Media Fan Creations

 

Posted

For a while now I've been saying "eventually I'll get one of those" about tablets, but I think now's a good time to actually start saving for one.

So, what's a good one to get? I mean, there must be differetn kinds, is one better than the other, perhaps?

Is the stylus some sort of megnet, so, for example, I can't draw with my hands? I generally, draw with the side of my hand resting on the paper, so if the tablet is going to be sensitive to my hand doing that... it just wouldn't be good...

Do only certain programs work with tablets? I only have MSPaint and Picture It(never did wind up getting The Gimp...), or would it come with its own little program?

Are they like touch-screen moniters? Will I be able to see what I'm doing on the tablet?

I guess that's all i have to ask, I harldy have enough money for one(I bet they're expensive...)

 

Posted

I have been looking into the possibility of maybe thinking about considering getting a tablet sometime in the near-to-distant future... maybe.

So I add a question, the big question,

How much?

 

Posted

i just recenly picked up a 6x8 Intuos 3 Graphics Tablet for about $300 i'm just getting back into art after a self-imposed exile. I really like this tablet, it feels very intuitive and is really sensitive as far as pressure, and relaying that pressure to the screen.

I use it with CS, Illustrator, Alia Sketchbook, Painter etc.

" I'm an angel. I kill firstborns while their mamas watch. I turn cities into salt. I even, when I feel like it, rip the souls from little girls, and from now till kingdom come, the only thing you can count on in your existence is never understanding why."

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
So, what's a good one to get? I mean, there must be differetn kinds, is one better than the other, perhaps?

[/ QUOTE ]

There are indeed many. My recommendation would be to see if you can't find a friend or someone you can borrow one for a bit and try it out before you commit. I started out with a Wacom Graphire4 4x5, and while it was great and awesome, I recently came upon an Intuos2 6x9 and it's LOADS of difference. Bigger is definitely better !!! 6x9 is a good middle size, though there are 9x12's too.

[ QUOTE ]
Is the stylus some sort of megnet, so, for example, I can't draw with my hands? I generally, draw with the side of my hand resting on the paper, so if the tablet is going to be sensitive to my hand doing that... it just wouldn't be good...

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, the stylus does all the inputs. So you can rest your hands all you want. And you won't 'smudge' the paper

[ QUOTE ]
Do only certain programs work with tablets? I only have MSPaint and Picture It(never did wind up getting The Gimp...), or would it come with its own little program?

[/ QUOTE ]

Tablet basically acts like another 'mouse' for your computer. The 'drawing area' on the tablet itself maps to your screen, and wherever you put the style down the mouse cursor will appear. Yes you can even play CoH with a tablet :P So you can use any program you want with it. Now, there are some programs like Photoshop etc that can read the pressure sensitivity, and that's good The harder you press down on the stylus the darker your line will be, or any of a number of other programmable effects.

[ QUOTE ]
Are they like touch-screen moniters? Will I be able to see what I'm doing on the tablet?

[/ QUOTE ]

There are touch-screen 'tablets', Wacom makes one called the Cintiq. It is out of the price range of mere ordinary mortals however.

[ QUOTE ]

I guess that's all i have to ask, I harldy have enough money for one(I bet they're expensive...)

[/ QUOTE ]

They do vary in price range. Do some research. The smallest ones go for around $99, to the bigger ones that can run $300-500. Find something that's about mid-range. Do your research :P Bigger is better!!! Really!