Graphics
Tablet
If you're a graphic artist, you may
have been told that a graphics tablet can benefit you. .psd Team and
our betatesters discusses the features of graphics tablets to help
you decide if a tablet is right for you, and which tablet best fits
your needs and budget (also look at page 22 on the article: Are
tablets worth what you pay? written by great artist Jessica Weaver
specially for .psd Magazine).
What
is a graphics tablet?
Also referred to as a digitizing
tablet, graphics pad, or drawing tablet, a tablet is an alternate
type of input device that can be used in place of, or in conjunction
with, a mouse, trackball, or other pointing device. Graphics tablets
consist of a flat surface upon which the user may "draw" an
image using an attached stylus, a pen-like drawing apparatus. The
image generally does not appear on the tablet itself but, rather, is
displayed on the computer monitor. Usually, you also get a pen
holder, and some tablets even come with a cordless mouse that works
on the tablet surface. Even non-artists may choose to use a tablet
because it offers a more ergonomic method of input that can reduce
the likelihood of developing repetitive strain injury.
Common features of graphics tablets
Size is one of the first factors you'll
need to consider in choosing a tablet. Bigger is not necessarily
better. For home users and hobbyists, the most common sizes are 4"
by 5" and 6" by 8". CAD users, artists, and technical
illustrators may desire a larger surface area, but the price
escalates as the size increases. Remember, the larger your tablet
surface is, the more you will need to move your arms. Many people
prefer a smaller tablet to minimize arm motion. However, this may
feel unnatural to an artist who is used to drawing or painting with
large sweeping motions. Another important thing to know about tablet
size is that the dimensions given almost always refer to the input
surface area of the tablet. The actual footprint of the tablet can be
as much as 4 to 5 inches larger than the input area. Keep this in
mind as you shop, or you may be surprised that your tablet takes up
much more desktop space than you may have considered. Until recently,
the popular sizes of graphics tablets have been 4x5, 6x8, and 9x12
which matches up neatly to the 4:3 aspect ratio of traditional
computer monitors. Wacom has begun producing wide-format graphics
tablets to better correspond with the aspect ratio of widescreen
monitors and for users working with multiple monitors. Currently
Wacom produces wide-format graphics tablets, and they are only in the
Intuos3 line.
Pen/Stylus and Accessories
Your tablet should come with a pen that feels comfortable and
natural in your hand. Find out if the stylus requires a battery. A
battery will not only require occasional replacement, but it will
make the pen heavier, too. Your pen may be tethered or free. If the
pen is untethered you'll have to be more careful about losing or
misplacing it. If the pen is tethered, make sure you can choose which
side of the tablet to attach the pen. Many pens will also have a
switch or buttons built onto the pen, and some pens have an erasing
end. This is an excellent feature because the buttons can be
programmed for specific functions such as a right-click or
double-click, and the erasing tip can perform a delete function in
one swipe, or automatically activate the eraser tool in your graphics
software. Some tablet manufacturers offer additional pens and other
pointing tools that you can program independently.
Wacom
Wacom is the most well-known tablet
manufacturer, and they are well deserving of their fine reputation.
Most of our authors use Wacom brand. Wacom makes graphics tablets for
both Macintosh and Windows operating systems.
Graphire is Wacom's consumer line of tablets. The fourth
generation model, Graphire4, is offered in two sizes: 4x5 inch and
6x8 inch. Graphire is available in several trendy colors with
transparent overlay and detachable pen stand. The pen is batteryless
with a two button switch, eraser, and 512 levels of sensitivity.
Graphire also comes with a ball-free, cordless and batteryless mouse
with three programmable buttons and a scroll wheel. It comes bundled
with Adobe Photoshop Elements and Corel Painter Essentials graphics
software, plus the Wacom Driver and Control Panel. Graphire is only
available for USB connection. Pricing for Graphire is approximately
$100 US. Graphire comes with a one year warranty. The Graphire is an
excellent choice for the dabbling hobbyist, especially now that it is
offered in the larger 6x8 size.
Intuos is
Wacom's professional line of tablets. Intuos3 comes in 4x6, 6x8,
6x11, 9x12, 12x12, and 12x19 sizes and offers professional features
and a variety of optional accessories. Intuos3 offers tilt control
and 1024 levels of sensitivity, the highest sensitivity of any
graphics tablet available today. The batteryless Intuos Grip Pen
features a two-button switch, eraser, and cushioned grip. All Intuos3
tablets also include a ball-free, cordless and batteryless 5-button
scrolling mouse. The menu strip of previous Intuos models is replaced
with a set of programmable ExpressKeys and touch strips in Intuos3.
Intuos3 tablets are bundled with Photoshop Elements, Corel Painter
Essentials, nik Color Efex Pro 2 IE, and the Wacom Driver and Control
Panel. Intuos3 tablets are only available for USB connections.
Manufacturer suggested pricing on the Intuos line starts at $199.
Additional accessories such as the airbrush or extra pens can be
purchased for Intuos tablets. The ToolID recognition feature of
Intuos allows you to program individual tools for specific functions.
Intuos comes with a limited lifetime warranty.
Opininons:
I spend about 10 hours a day working in Photoshop,
Illustrator, Flash, and other design related programs including 3D
Studio Max. I've been using a Wacom tablet for about six years now,
and I love it. It would be impossible for me to create the designs
and illustrations that I do without my Wacom.
I've always used Wacom tablets. The
question is size - I use the 4x5 to travel with my laptop, and a 6x8
for my home or office. I've found that the largest sizes of tablets
take up considerable workspace - since they actually have about a 2"
(I think that's about 5cm) border around them. The 4x5 tablets are a
great price and a good starting point.I've been working on computers
since Corel version3 came out, and the reason I haven't developed
carpal tunnel syndrome is using the Wacom puck instead of a mouse.
Certainlly Wacom tablets are the best
ones; their models such as Cintiq and Intuos seems to have no
competitors in a equal scale. But, the Genius-Kye model PenSketch
is the best option to consider due to his low price compared to the
Wacom´s models. Both have a good level of compatibilities and a
nice pack of features, but Wacom´s Cintiq has the unique
feature being and LCD tablet, allowing you to see the photo/file that
you´re working directly in the tablet.
Wacom Graphire 4 (4x5)
Whether you're an artist, graphic designer, or business person,
the Wacom Graphire4 4x5 USB Tablet can make your life a lot easier
and more productive. Using the Graphire4's unique pressure-sensitive
wireless pen and tablet, you can mark up Microsoft Word and Adobe PDF
documents with your handwritten comments, edit and enhance your
digital photos, quickly create original digital art work, add
handwritten notes to your PowerPoint presentations, write your e-mail
messages by hand, and much more. Not only will the Graphire4 help
your productivity soar, it will also reduce the problems associated
with repetitive stress problems and bring a level of performance to
your work that is not possible with a typical keyboard and mouse.
Opininons
I have tested several tables before I
bought my WACOM - Graphire 4(4x5). This small little tablet is packed
with enough power to make even the most experienced artist stand back
in awe. With just a little practice you will be creating master
pieces in know time. I have listed the many benefits below:
-
No major computer upgrade is
needed to run the Graphire 4. It will run on Windows 98SE, Windows
ME, Windows, 2000, Windows, XP and it will also run on the Mac OS X
10.2.8+ operating system.
-
Graphire 4 comes with some great
programs ready to install: Photoshop Elements 3, Corel Painters
Essential 2, Evernote Plus and Just Right Office.
-
It comes with tutorials for all
of the software that is included along with tutorials on how to use
your tablet. It comes with one pressure sensitive pen that can be
programmed for your specific needs, one wireless mouse, and your 4 x
4 graphire table.
-
And the best thing about the
Graphire 4 (4x5) the tablet, pen, mouse, 4 types of software, and
tutorials are all under $100.00.
Wacom Intuos3
The Intuos3 tablet is perfect for
photographers, designers, artists, illustrators, digital camera
owners, high school and higher-education students. The patented,
pressure-sensitive pen and hassle-free ambidextrous mouse (with no
ball or optical parts) are both cordless and battery-free. The
included, valuable software bundle (worth about $200) makes Intuos3
an exceptional value.
Opinions:
I
use the old Intuos at home, an
d I use the Intuos 3 at work. The new
Intuos features a USB connection that permits hot-swappable,
on-the-go design. Also, the new Intuos pens are much more comfortable
to hold that the old plastic pens because of the rubber coated grip.
The tip on the pen seem much more springy and responsive. The
pressure sensitivity is amazing and allows me the complete control
over the virtual medium that I am handling (airbrush, pencil, ink,
paint, etc). Photoshop, Illustrator, and Flash are all designed to
work with the pressure sensitive pens, and the level of control is
amazing. Photoshop's new custom brush palette, combined with the
Wacom tablet, permit me to create custom brushes to simulate the
appearance of color pencil, pastels, and chalk in such a realistic
manner that it's difficult to discern what is real and what is
digital.
Even with the latest software,
cccasionally when using Photoshop the tablet seems to lose its
ability to detect pressure variation, this is resolved by restarting
Photoshop, but it seems a problem that would be easily fixed in the
software.
Wacom Cintiq 21UX
The Cintiq 21UX has an 21.3"
high-resolution display and a dynamically adjustable stand that
allows the display to be rotated, inclined, and even quickly removed
for in-lap use. To further enhance your comfort the Cintiq 21UX comes
with a cushioned Grip Pen for use directly on the screen allowing you
to create in the most natural way possible. The Cintiq 21UX has an
21.3” high-resolution display and a dynamically adjustable
stand that allows the display to be rotated, inclined, and even
quickly removed for in-lap use. To further enhance your comfort the
Cintiq 21UX comes with a cushioned Grip Pen for use directly on the
screen allowing you to create in the most natural way possible.
Includes: Cintiq 21UX Grip Pen and stand, Cintiq stand, Power supply,
power cable, Rotation lock screws(2), Installation Guide &
Hardware Manual, VGA to DVI-I adapter, DVI-D to DVI-I adapter,
Removable pen holder, Bearing hub recess cover plate and
screwsBundled with: Wacom tablet driver for Windows and Mac OS X,
Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0, Corel Painter Essentials 2.0, nik Color
Efex Pro 2.0 IE, Wacom Brushes 2.0
I
have the advantage of using one of these every day at work. As a
graphic an animator, the Cintiq is one of the best parts of my job. I
can rough out a scene, make timing changes and complete a scene in
1/2 the time it would take on paper, and with more accuracy then
using a conventional "look at the screen but draw elsewhere
tablet. Incredibly easy to use, and requires neither extensive
training nor learning of new skills. Just simply pick up the stylus
and start drawing. The ability to rotate the screen (when mounted on
the supplied stand) and change the monitor's lean to work from any
comfortable angle is just one in a long list of advantages. Once you
have the buttons programmed with your favorite hotkeys, you can
pretty much put the keyboard aside while you work. The stylus does
take a day or so to get used to, as it is a bit bulky, but you get
over that quickly.It has a larger work area then any tablet PC
currently available on the market. With the good comes the bad, and
the downside here is price. At $2999, you could buy an entire
mid-to-high end computer, plus a good tablet for the price of a
single Cintiq monitor.
Reviewers other choices
Aiptek - Aiptek Inc. was founded in
1997 and made a name for themselves with their HyperPen line
affordable of graphics tablets. They also provide other peripherals
for everyday consumers including PenCams, PC Cameras, and
VideoPhones. Aiptek's drivers are for Windows only. (At one time they
did offer Mac OS 9 drivers but they have apparently discontinued
them.)
Adesso - CyberTablet Series offers
everything needed for fast & accurate digitizing, tracing,
drawing, illustration, cursor steering, and menu picking - all in a
modern and ergonomic design. The CyberTablet 8600 series offers
ultra high 3048 lpi line resolution, 512 points of pressure
gradation, 0.42mm pen accuracy, and a 0.32 inch reading height. With
the 8600, users can instantly create artwork, produce graphic
designs, touch up photos, and trace pictures with all the ease &
control of tools in the real world. It also includes handwriting
recognition software for those who prefer to write over typing.
Adesso CyberTablet 12000
Cyber tablet 12x9"
graphics/drawing tablet with 2-btn usb pen and mouse.
Ergonomically designed wireless
tablet with scroll mouse for easy drawing, handwriting, sketching,
coloring and picture editing. With its 12" x 9"
workspace, the CyberTablet 12000 offers you the freedom of
movement and fine-tuned sensitivity to accomplish the most
sophisticated computer-aided designing tasks. A powerful, yet
easy-to-use combination of a pressure-sensitive pen, tablet and
software lets you naturally draw and write freehand graphics and
text as comfortably as you would on real paper.
Opininons:
I find no issue in using it on pchats,
MS paint, and Open Canvas. It works very very well and I'm glad to
have purchesed it.
The mouse that comes with it does seem
to want to operate backwards, but I do not find a use for another
mouse (Which sort of defeats its purpose of being wireless, while
having to touch the tablet..) The pen works great.
I had to have the computer-guy come in
to install the software. And the only way he could was by downloading
software that wasn't even given to us with the tablet. But even after
that, the software would have to be reinstalled every time the tablet
was plugged in to a different computer.
If you don't have the extra money,
don't fret- this tablet WILL work for now, though I'm not quite
certain about it's life expectancy. I have used it on and off over
two years and it has worked pretty well in Photoshop 7.
Aiptek HyperPen 12000U Graphical Table
The HyperPen 12000 is the very
latest in a long line of reputed graphics tablets. Aiptek's
entries into the digitizer market are well respected for their
exceptional value. With the HyperPen 12000 Aiptek has really
rounded out its tablet line by offering a product that has every
bit as much quality as its previous models, but with a 9 inch by
12 inch active surface area that really meets the demanding needs
of the most serious customers. Whether it be graphic design,
handwriting recognition, or simply photo editing, the HyperPen
12000 is an extraordinary value that is unmatched anywhere in the
graphical tablet market.
Opininons
The build quality of the Hyperpen is
good. Its a solid unit over-all. The pen feels a little flimsy and
the mouse is almost a negative buying point due to its odd and
uncomfortable shape, but it is useable. Who buy a graphics tablet
with the intention to use the mouse anyway? I have a very nice
optical that I wouldn't give up even if the Hyperpens mouse were
more comfortable to my hand.
And regarding tablets, unless you
are getting it only for artwork, you should make sure the drivers
have the option of mouse emulation mode. I discovered sadly enough
that the Acecad brand (with a D, not a T) tablet I bought for my
girlfriend to help ease her tendinitis pains is now going unused
because of that. She doesn't like absolute mode, can't adjust to
it, so she is just using her mouse.
Adobe products slow the pen down
slightly, but I find this useful... it helps keep me from
accidentally drawing crazy stuff all over the screen.
This tablet is not as good as Wacom, but it costs... what, half
as much? What do you expect? It's not for the heavy duty, earn a
living through graphic arts crowd.
