Who has a tablet?

[Tina]

What do you think of it?

What kind do you have? Opinions?

[elizabethlmccoy]

what about the thread Who wants a tablet. Cuz the answer would be ME ME ME

[sweetmommyc]

LOL Elizabeth :p

I have a wacom graphire 3 and love it. I don't particulary care for the mouse that came with (don't use it), but I still love the tablet. Mine is the smallest (4 x 5 or 6) forgot which it is.

I would definitely recommend it. And you can get them fairly inexpensive as far as accessories for your pc go. On sale I think I got mine under $100, which isn't bad when you figure so many things for the pc are over $150.

[Amanda]

I can't live without mine now! LOVE LOVE LOVE it! I love having a wireless mouse and the pen is the best when I actually get to scrap and create! LOL!
I even took it to my parents house when I was there for Christmas cuz I couldn't live without it now!

[valeri]

I have a wacom graphire, no opinions yet because I still havent hooked it up, lol. I keep meaning to, but I get sidetracked and forget

[susan mc]

I got a A Wacon graphire 3 last week, but I think I'm going to return it. I have more control with my mouse.

I think it would be useful if I could actually draw freehand and use the pen as a drawing tool, but since I can't, the mouse suits me just fine.

I'd rather use that $$$ more efficiently

[Jill]

I got a wacom 3 about 3 weeks ago...I too was going to bring it back b/c all i was using was the mouse b/c I was so frustrated witht he pen!!! I can now say I have not used a mouse AT ALL in over 2 weeks...my wrist has never been happier and I find the control with the pen awesome!!!!

Susan..try and hang in there....you will love it!!!!

[susan mc]

I'll try it for another week or so ( i have 30 days to return it). Could you tell me what your settings are? The sensitivity option of the pen is supposed to be helpful, but I have to press REALLY hard to get a similar line like I get with my mouse. Also, I have my desk set up so my wrist is not stressed. I find I can make TINY movements using mainly finger movements with the mouse.

Is there something I don't know, or am not doing that would make the pen/tabet friendlier?

I use an optical mouse on a Mac, if that makes any difference.

[Stasiu's Mom]

Please tell more, everyone. I am having serious repetitive motion injury in my mouse hand--to the point where I'm losing use of my opposable thumb. I am considering a tablet but don't know if its worth the $$.

I'll try it for another week or so ( i have 30 days to return it). Could you tell me what your settings are? The sensitivity option of the pen is supposed to be helpful, but I have to press REALLY hard to get a similar line like I get with my mouse. Also, I have my desk set up so my wrist is not stressed. I find I can make TINY movements using mainly finger movements with the mouse.

Is there something I don't know, or am not doing that would make the pen/tabet friendlier?

I use an optical mouse on a Mac, if that makes any difference.

[susan mc]

I have a padded bar stool ( same height as my desktop & placed to the right of my desk chair ) that I rest my elbow on. That takes all the strain off my wrist. It doesn't look real professional, but it eliminates any wrist, elbow, or shoulder strain.



Please tell more, everyone. I am having serious repetitive motion injury in my mouse hand--to the point where I'm losing use of my opposable thumb. I am considering a tablet but don't know if its worth the $$.

[Rebecca]

I have an acecad 3 tablet, I went with that one cause the pen is really light. I used it for a bit at first and then well yeah it collects dust now, I prefer to use a mouse unless it is purely drawing from scratch. Vectors and such are just much easier with the mouse.

[susan mc]

I tried and tried to use the pen, but I found I could be more precise with my mouse. I can actually make smaller, finer movements with my mouse than with the pen.

I'm going to use some of that $$$ for a new, smaller mouse with a wheel. I think I can futher refine my mouseness with a small rodent! ;)

[Jill]

sorry for the delay in responding-I was away for a few days...to be honest I have not even adjusted the settings on my pen yet, I am using what it was set at when I installed it and I only have to tap very lightly to get what I need out of it...so I am not sure..what your settings are that is making it so that you have to apply so much pressure....

I guess not everyone will be happy with it...but I know Ill never use a mouse again!.....

I will try to look alittle further into this to see if I can help you get a better grasp on this....I really believe you will love it once you get used to it!

[BunnieBobbie]

I have a Wacon graphire 3 also, I think it's the "3" anyhow I love it. It came with the mouse. I use the mouse for surfing the net, when I do a layout I use the pen. It took me a while to get used to it. I like mine.

[LisaVB]

What do you guys use the tablets for? do you use them for drawing graphics?? Or do you use them just like you would a mouse?

LOL, like I said, really dumb question!

Lisa

[Emma]

Can someone point me in the direction to purchase a new pen? I just canNOT find mine, looked everywhere. I've seen it since we moved, put it in the computer room, and it's lost.

Even if I eventually find it, a spare would be nice (I have small children). Don't need a new tablet, just a replacement pen for a

WACOM ET-0405-U (Which pad is this? What the NAME of it?)

having a hard time finding where I need on their site.
Thanks!

[Emma]

I'm hoping to love my tablet, had it for years (dunno why Troy bought it as I wasn't doing graphics back then, but I think he wanted me to get interested in art again...) Really want to see if it makes creating detailed elements any easier. But I lost the pen. The mouse is long gone too, never really used it.

As far as RSI, my mouse wrist is killing me! Hoping that the tablet will help that. Here's some feedback on Wacom about it
http://www.wacom.com/comfort/index.cfm

Hopefully the tablet coupled with an ergonomic desk will help me (I'm on a temporary setup now since we moved, very poor ergonomics!)

[Emma]

[QUOTE=LisaVB]What do you guys use the tablets for? do you use them for drawing graphics??

No dumb question, I think most with tablet prefer it for some jobs, a mouse for others.

So what do all of YOU do with your pens specifically, and when do you reach for the mouse instead?

[sskFlyer]

I have an old, small Wacom ArtPad II on my own computer, and I LOVE it!! I use my Logitech wireless mouse for most work, but for painting and similar work (in PSE) I absolutely love the capabilities it offers. Especially the pressure sensitivity.

[Emma]

Okay, I'm so excited! I've had my new pen a few days now. According to customer service, I have a Graphire I. New pen set my back $40, but it arrived the next day! Getting used to it, but having some issues. Hate to complain, but whole desktop flow is messed up.

1-I'm right-dominant-ambidextrous, write/draw with my left hand and paint with my right, do everything else with my right. So I have my tablet on the left for drawing, keyboard in the middle, and mouse on the right. But I need to keep moving everything around and the cords are all too short to be in all the different places everything needs to be. I know this is a weird problem, but
how does everyone else set up the desk to keep everything handy? Do you move things around?

2-And what are some exercises to do to get used to my pen? It's not easy for my stuff, I need to find some simple things to help me get the feel for it!

3-My main problem is the "hovering," I hate it. I don't want it to respond unless I'm touching the pad. I increased the pressure sensitivity, but it still hovers and now I have to tap really hard to click!

Here's a thread I opened for customizing the settings.
http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=441

Thanks for any help!

[Amanda]

Do you not have the wireless mouse that comes with your tablet? I have it on the right and the keyboard on the left and use the mouse most of the time but use the pen when I'm scrapping.

Don't know about your other questions. I don't mind "hovering"

[Emma]

Mouse is LONG gone, the pen is somewhere since I've seen it recently while unpacking...

But I can't have the pen on the right since I'm a leftie with pens...unless I'm writing on a vertical surface, them I'm a rightie :confused:

I'm just really having a hard time with this, even my left hand feels gimpy because I'm so used to computing with my right, but I have no drawing ability if I use my right hand with the pen!

Also wondering, would be nice to put the thing in my lap sometimes, but the cord's not long enough.

Need some help designing an ergonomic situation! Any links to computer desks for graphic designers?

Someday, I'm getting a monitor I can draw right on! Maybe someone will even make digital paintbrushes with little plastic hairs!

[Dalynnm]

LOL...not a dumb question at all! I now have a Wacom and am sure I could be using it for so much more if I only knew what all I should be doing with it. LOL. It really takes patience to get the feel for the pen. But I'm going to persist. I got it so I could design my own digital backgrounds, elements etc.
With the pen you can do cursive handwriting too. NOt very easy with a mouse I think. But to be honest I haven't really explored all the possibilities yet.

Would love to find a tutorial on Wacom tablet.
-Dalynn


What do you guys use the tablets for? do you use them for drawing graphics?? Or do you use them just like you would a mouse?

LOL, like I said, really dumb question!

Lisa

[Maizella]

I ordered my tablet last night, and I'm so excited!!! I've been wanting one for ages, and now that I am doing more paid work, I thought it was time to get one. It should arrive in a day or two!!! :D

[d2vasquez]

I have a tablet too and was having trouble with using it....finally had to disable my old mouse (Samara aka luv2crop suggested it) and force myself to use it....love the pen....and yes my hand feels better. Use it for lines and brush work and to erase things right up to the edge.

[kim]

I cannot use a mouse anymore...that pesky little thing is gone. :) The pen feels so natural! :)

[Emma]

I need to reinstall my tablet, and I've long since lost the software that came with it. Anyone know where I go on Wacom's site to download it?

[Emma]

ok, nevermind, I found the drivers on the Wacom web site. Every time I reinstall this thing the software/preference screen is different. No WONDER I can't find the options I used to like when I first got this thing!

I've decided to try to ditch the mouse and go with the pen, but since I write left-handed my mouse is still tantalizingly there on the right. I need to unplug it, LOL! "Mousing" with my left hand is really strange, even though I'm used to holding a pen in that hand. Hopefully I can really get comfortable with this thing.

I think the hardest part is know WHERE on the pad tracks to which part of the screen. If I want to click on something, I'm kind of fumbling around trying to find that exact spot. I think that will come with practice.

[Amanda]

Yep - it just takes practice!

[Samara]

What, there is software to install? LMAO!!! I'm serious! I just plugged mine in and never installed anything. Is that horrible?

[Emma]

if it'll plug-and-play, sure, but mine is really old. I had to get the drivers for it, and it has several preferences you can adjust after installing those under Start>Programs>Wacom>Tablet Properties

[martin99]

I had an older wacom - when I upgraded my operating system to XP, I lost the pad. I haven't gotten around to looking for a new driver, but I really miss it. And I actually used it for diagramming and drawing .... but having more mouse control was a plus :0)

[cooksalot]

I do! I just got an Adesso a week ago. I still need to learn how it works but so far I'm doing great. :D

[inspireme]

I'll try it for another week or so ( i have 30 days to return it). Could you tell me what your settings are? The sensitivity option of the pen is supposed to be helpful, but I have to press REALLY hard to get a similar line like I get with my mouse. Also, I have my desk set up so my wrist is not stressed. I find I can make TINY movements using mainly finger movements with the mouse.

Is there something I don't know, or am not doing that would make the pen/tabet friendlier?

I use an optical mouse on a Mac, if that makes any difference.

I'm on a Mac, too. I have had a tablet for years and years and years, so I've been through quite a few! I currently have a cheap little Graphire (I've had the big expensive ones) and love it. You don't need to higher end ones, or the larger ones (they just take up too much space on the desk).

It takes time to get used to using a tablet. You don't use it instead of a mouse. It comes in very handy when doing brush / painting work. I use Photoshop. Anytime I choose a brush, eraser, clone stamp, etc. I use my pen. It's more precise for red-eye, masking, etc. You still use a mouse and I reluctantly became attached to my Wacom mouse after my old Mac mouse died. I have the new Mighty Mouse and can't get used to it!

I don't think 30 days is a long enough time to make the adjustment. You can always sell it on eBay if you really don't like it, but I think if you give it a chance, do some "painting" you'll really like it.

[BrendaLee]

Wish I had looked into this further sooner. Looks like it only costs slightly more for the tablet bundled complete with Photoshop elements software than I paid for the software alone! Harder to justify another tool to my hubby..:rolleyes: