Recommend a Wacom

[spencer]

Ok, I'm pondering whether it is worth it to get a Wacom tablet. Yes, I know that it works much better than a mouse, but I have NO ARTISTIC TALENT. I can't even draw a circle and make it round. When I draw people, they have sticks for arms and legs. My drawing ability is somewhere around the second grade level. And, I had several years of lessons as a child, so I know that I can't draw. Art teachers have said so! Trust me, non-artistic people exist. I can't even properly appreciate art. Once I saw a picture of a girl by Picasso. My sister asked me my opinion. I said, "It is blue."

So, I have these questions.

1. With no ability to draw, do I need a Wacom tablet?
2. And if it seems like I ought to still try one, what would be something that I could actually use? I have PSP 9 and CS3. The Cintiq is very enticing since the draw on screen part means that I have the highest chance of drawing that looks like my intent, but at a $1000, I know it is overkill.

Recommendations please?

[Teresa]

Get the tablet!!! I really use it more for moving stuff around than I do to draw. The other nice thing is that you can program the buttons on the pen and the tablet to be the key strokes or functions you use the most in Photoshop.

I LOVE my tablet. Even if I am just pulling together a layout, I HAVE to use the tablet.

PS...but shhhhhh...don't tell anyone...I can't draw either!!! There is a whole lot more to the tablet than just drawing.

[>>aruaL<<]

I *never* draw... but I *LOVE LOVE LOVE* my tablet!! It makes doing so many things easier when doing digital scrapping... at least for me it does. I'd be lost without it!

[>>aruaL<<]

Oh by the way.. I just have the wacom fun tablet. It does everything I need it to do. Love it! I got it as a gift, but I know it was about 100 bucks or so. Worth every penny to me.

[diturpin]

I have a tablet (have had it for several years) and I too love it, Especially with my laptop. It lets me set the laptop on the table or bed and then have the tablet in my lap. I love it for creating masks in PS. I love using it for creating extractions because it feels more natural to work with than the mouse. It's also handy playing solitaire!

[terilew]

I have a wacom bamboo fun tablet that my son bought for me. I love it. I use it all the time now. It doesn't matter if I'm drawing or just moving graphics around in photoshop. I've only had it a few months and I'd be lost without it.

[Margie]

It's also handy playing solitaire!
too funny! :rofl:

if you do plan to buy one, maybe shop around for a while, just a little bit. can't say why, but don't rush... :think:

[Leea]

I love having a Wacom tablet and pen :) I can't draw well with a pencil and paper, couldn't create anything like what I dreamed of doing, couldn't draw shapes, free hand drawing,etc. that looked like anything... to draw circles I used to use small plates or bottoms of drinking glasses and I bought several art books, but gave up because I ended up with paper that was fuzzed up or had holes in it from erasing so much...but then I realized that with my Wacom tablet and pen and the layers in my digital program (I use PSPX most of the time, have PSP8, and CS4-still trying to learn it) I can create by filling shapes, erase without tearing the paper, adjust the opacity, use any color I want, overlap and erase parts of shapes...the swans in my signature line were drawn by me with my tablet and I'm really happy with them :) I "drew" selections on different layers, erased, filled with color, various adjustments to get one swan, copied it, and mirror imaged the swan to get two of them. I went from being frustrated at my lack of artistic ability to having fun.

I also took DSP classes to learn how to use my tablet and also PSP...before the DSP Tablet class, I didn't use my tablet, now I use my tablet every time I use the computer, because I use the Wacom mouse when I'm not using the pen...along with drawing, I use the pen/mouse and tablet to move across the page, scroll, select things etc. I use an Intous3, have my older Graphire4 on a shelf nearby because it means a lot to me, I learned on it :) and have a small Wacom with my notebook computer.

[guitargirl]

I have the Bamboo Fun tablet and I use it whenever I'm using PSE. It lets me be WAY more precise than with a mouse, especially for selecting small details. I also LOVE the pressure sensitivity. I didn't really use brushes much before I got my tablet, but I love that I can vary the opacity or the size or other things about the brush just by pressing harder or lighter on the tablet! (Oh, I don't really draw either - mostly stick figures! :lol:)

[Betsyfru]

Well, I have to weigh in here. I have both a Graphire 4 and a Bamboo Fun. I use the Graphire 4 at work at my office job, because it works with any program that I have - Word, Excel, PPT, PSE, anything! I've learned to type with the pen in my hand. I use the Bamboo Fun at home, with whatever I do there - PSCS4 or whatever. It's great for fxtractions and fine work. I never use the mouse that came with either of the tablets, but have to keep them around for DH or the tech guy at work. You probably don't need to buy the most expensive one, either, JMHO.

[sammdc]

too funny! :rofl:

if you do plan to buy one, maybe shop around for a while, just a little bit. can't say why, but don't rush... :think:

hmmmp Miss Margie I bought one very recently grrrrr hehehehehehehe and I loveit it I got the intuos 4 mind you I seriously need to take some time to set it all up properly

[happybeingamom]

too funny! :rofl:

if you do plan to buy one, maybe shop around for a while, just a little bit. can't say why, but don't rush... :think:

How long do we need to shop around for?

[Carla]

I LOVE my Wacom Bamboo!!! GET THE TABLET!!!!! You will find SO many uses for it .... you just can't imagine!

[Robyn Gough]

I LOVE my Intuos 4, it's my baby! It is a pro model however and so a bit pricey. The Bamboo Fun is a fabulous consumer version and more reasonably priced.

You don't have to be able to draw to use a tablet. They are especially good if you suck at fine detail work with a mouse. Great for brushwork, editing photos etc.

They ARE also great for drawing but you don't need to be able to draw to get a lot of use out of it.

[scamptx]

too funny! :rofl:

if you do plan to buy one, maybe shop around for a while, just a little bit. can't say why, but don't rush... :think:

hmmmm...I had tagged Wacom shopping for Oct or Nov. Perhaps this will help??

[Wanda]

What a tease, Margie! Can't wait for you to spill. I have a Graphire 4 but love how sleek the newer ones, including the Bamboo, are.

By the way, to Spencer's original inquiry, I don't use my pen tablet to its potential but I've gotten so used to it that I now prefer it to a regular mouse.

[spencer]

I love having a Wacom tablet and pen :) I can't draw well with a pencil and paper, couldn't create anything like what I dreamed of doing, couldn't draw shapes, free hand drawing,etc. that looked like anything... to draw circles I used to use small plates or bottoms of drinking glasses and I bought several art books, but gave up because I ended up with paper that was fuzzed up or had holes in it from erasing so much...but then I realized that with my Wacom tablet and pen and the layers in my digital program (I use PSPX most of the time, have PSP8, and CS4-still trying to learn it) I can create by filling shapes, erase without tearing the paper, adjust the opacity, use any color I want, overlap and erase parts of shapes...the swans in my signature line were drawn by me with my tablet and I'm really happy with them :) I "drew" selections on different layers, erased, filled with color, various adjustments to get one swan, copied it, and mirror imaged the swan to get two of them. I went from being frustrated at my lack of artistic ability to having fun.

I also took DSP classes to learn how to use my tablet and also PSP...before the DSP Tablet class, I didn't use my tablet, now I use my tablet every time I use the computer, because I use the Wacom mouse when I'm not using the pen...along with drawing, I use the pen/mouse and tablet to move across the page, scroll, select things etc. I use an Intous3, have my older Graphire4 on a shelf nearby because it means a lot to me, I learned on it :) and have a small Wacom with my notebook computer.

Those are really gooooooood swans. I can't even draw a good circle using a plate. That is my preferred method, but I'm so uncoordinated that the plate will always slip while I'm tracing and I end up with a football.

[spencer]

Another Wacom question, with these Bamboo Wacoms, how hard is it to make the motion on the pad match up with the screen? I cannot draw a smooth line with my mouse. The line is always jagged because I can't seem to make a smooth arc or a straight line.

[guitargirl]

It is MUCH easier to make a smooth line with a tablet. I always get jagged lines with a mouse, too. If you can make a smooth line with a pencil, you'll be able to do one with the tablet - I find it very similiar to using a pencil. Plus, the tablet surface is matched to the screen. If I put the pen in the top left corner of the tablet, the cursor on the screen is in the top left corner, and so on. Hope that helps!

[terilew]

it's easy once you get used to it...are you using photoshop? because when you want to draw a straight line you press the shift key down and then draw your line, pressing shift keeps it straight. Using a pen is so much different than the mouse, you have a lot more control over what you do. My biggest problem has always been holding a pencil oddly. so it takes me a bit of time to adjust to writing no matter what I use.

[Muma]

Hmmm was gonna get a wacom pretty soon ..... sounds like I gotta shop around for a little while.

[spencer]

it's easy once you get used to it...are you using photoshop? because when you want to draw a straight line you press the shift key down and then draw your line, pressing shift keeps it straight. Using a pen is so much different than the mouse, you have a lot more control over what you do. My biggest problem has always been holding a pencil oddly. so it takes me a bit of time to adjust to writing no matter what I use.

I prefer to use PSP to Photoshop. You'd think in 15 years that I'd start to like Photoshop, but no, I still think PSP is better. I can use Photoshop, but I really prefer not to use it. Which Wacom tablets will work with PSP?

[terilew]

I've tried corel paint shop pro x and corel paint shop pro photo x 2 with my tablet but I haven't had any problems with either.

[spencer]

I'm still using PSP 9 because of memory issues.:cry:

[terilew]

It should work okay in 9 too. I have version 9 on my desktop but I've had some problems with that computer so I haven't tried the tablet on the desktop

[Muma]

MY DH has a wacom and uses it with PSP 8 .... works fine.

[GrandmaCrys]

How long do we need to shop around for?

:think: :think: For the past several months, I have been considering getting one; maybe I can just hold off a while longer! ;)

hmmmm...I had tagged Wacom shopping for Oct or Nov. Perhaps this will help??

OK, Scamp; how about we *hold off* together? When you say *Jump*, we'll both go! :D

[addicted]

How long do we have to hold off? I am getting one also:)

[terilew]

you may as well get one, I don't know what you're waiting for.

[Margie]

hmm, i'd just spend a little more time in the store, maybe look at fall decorations? not too long, just a little while, you know, just push the cart around and enjoy the music... sorry, you know i can't spill more, but this is a good one, worth walking the aisles just a bit longer!! :D

[terilew]

well, my son bought mine for me off ebay...so no carts or fall decorations were involved. He bought a new one for himself and bought me the used one...guess which one gets used more? lol

[GrandmaCrys]

Nothing I like more than strolling the aisles, looking for good deals and filling my cart, till just exactly that appropriate time to check out.

[scamptx]

Have you found the right aisle yet, Crys? Let me know if you do so I don't miss it!

[GrandmaCrys]

Not yet, Scamp, but I haven't given up! :D

[Margie]

psst, i know which aisle you should look in! they're all stocked up!!!!! :D
http://touch.wacom.com/

and be sure to look hard at the NEW bamboo craft box, specifically for the FREE DSU class and library of DSP graphics!!!! and you'll love the TOUCH features! (told you that you should shop around a bit!) :)

http://touch.wacom.com/

[Margie]

all the info is posted here! http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40351

[scamptx]

You know, I was going to ask Crys if she'd found the right aisle yet, and Margie was on the scene before I could get the question up!

[GrandmaCrys]

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: That Margie's a pretty sharp cookie! :D

[jemtred]

ummmm - will it be available in UK?