Whats a good graphics tablet?

[Maksim 1,504]

Anastasia wanted one to draw her designs straight into the computer instead of drawing it out then scanning in. So..... school me.

[Maksim 1,504]

Looking at these

 

http://www.staples.com/office/supplies/StaplesSearch?searchkey=wacom&currentUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.staples.com%2Foffice%2Fsupplies%2FStaplesSearch%3Fsearchkey%3Dg%2Bpen%26currentUrl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.staples.com%252Foffice%252Fsupplies%252FStaplesSearch%253Fsearchkey%253Dgraphics%252Btablet%2526currentUrl%253Dhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.staples.com%25252Foffice%25252Fsupplies%25252FStaplesSearch%25253Fsearchkey%25253Dcomputer%25252Btablet%252526currentUrl%25253Dhttp%2525253A%2525252F%2525252Fwww.staples.com%2525252FTargus-2-In-1-Stylus%2525252Fproduct_369693%2525253FcatalogId%2525253D10051%25252526fromUrl%2525253Dhome%25252526currentUrl%2525253Dhttp%252525253A%252525252F%252525252Fwww.staples.com%252525252Foffice%252525252Fsupplies%252525252FStaplesSearch%252525253Fsearchkey%252525253Dsketch%252525252Bpad%2525252526currentUrl%252525253Dhttp%25252525253A%25252525252F%25252525252Fwww.staples.com%25252525252Fsbd%25252525252Fcre%25252525252Fmarketing%25252525252Ftechnology-research-centers%25252525252Ftablets%25252525252Findex.html%25252525253FcmSearchKeyword%25252525253Dtablet%2525252526storeId%252525253D10001%2525252526catalogId%252525253D10051%2525252526langId%252525253D-1%2525252526fromUrl%252525253Dhome%25252526cmSearchKeyword%2525253Ddrawing%2525252Btablet%25252526cmArea%2525253DSEARCH%25252526langId%2525253D-1%25252526storeId%2525253D10001%25252526ddkey%2525253Dhttp%2525253AStaplesSearch%252526storeId%25253D10001%252526catalogId%25253D10051%252526langId%25253D-1%252526fromUrl%25253Dhome%2526storeId%253D10001%2526catalogId%253D10051%2526langId%253D-1%2526fromUrl%253Dhome%26storeId%3D10001%26catalogId%3D10051%26langId%3D-1%26fromUrl%3Dhome&storeId=10001&catalogId=10051&langId=-1&fromUrl=home&autocompletesearchkey=wacom

[Aleshka 0]

Wacom has been in the tablet business for a very long time and used to be the number one choice for professionals. There are some newer tablets out there, but you cannot go wrong with Wacom.

[bobtimmons 4]

I got my daughter an Intuos a year or so ago and she loves it. I just recently got her the Inkling (which you can get at Amazon) which takes a pen/paper drawing and transfers it to a computer (including layers if you use a program that uses layers). It's fairly cheap at $200, but she hasn't tried it yet so I can't comment on how well it works.

[Malice4you 627]

I own a Wacom Bamboo, whatever the smallest and cheapest of the models offered at the time was (MTE-450). It has been nice to use in the limited number of times I have actually used it. My thoughts on tablets - get a bigger one than I got. I believe my tablet is a 6" model, I'd suggest springing for a larger model, especially if the user will be doing longer, sweeping strokes or the like. It seems that a larger model should also allow for slightly more precision, but I've never found mine to be lacking for the limited use it sees.

 

I was talking to someone about a tablet recently, and they mentioned that they were afraid drawing while looking at the screen might not be very intuitive. However, it is just like using a mouse, just .....better..? Optical mice are great for many things, but in some ways, an old ball mouse had more fluid movements because there were actual movements. Using a pen is easy and intuitive, and after a few minutes of use, I was happy with the results. I also love that pressure will change the flow in say the airbrush tool in photoshop.

 

My cheap Wacom still has nice features, like two switches on the pen to change the tip to a different tool in say Photoshop, an eraser end, and 4 customizable buttons for other actions as well as a zoom ring. I believe I have undo, redo, and two tool presets I commonly use for photo touchups set for the custom buttons in mine.

 

If she plans to use this tablet a lot, it might be better to spring for a professional level one. Bamboo models for example are for the beginner (generally) and seem to lack some of the precision and functionality of the better models. If it is a limited use thing, then spending a lot of money on the pro level models may make less sense.

 

Also, check www.bhphotovideo.com for tablets, they should have plenty at good prices - I think I got mine from them. Or newegg.com. If you've never heard of B&H, they are THE place to start shopping in the photo industry. Newegg is my go-to place for computer parts.

 

One other tip...I rarely use the tablet, so I'm always forgetting what button I assigned to what. I took scotch tape and put it on each button, then wrote with silver sharpie on it to label the function. May not work as well if you use it in many programs, but I only use it for photoshop.

[Romeo 11]

Wacom makes very good tablets

[bulpup 98]

The issue with the small tablets is that the motion in your hand is usually exagerated on the screen. The propoprtions are usually off. You can adjust the proportions, in fact you have to, but a larger tablet allows you to set up for a larger screen easier.

 

Picture it this way. If your wife had a pattern on the full screen of a 20" monitor but had only an 8" WACOM the there would be a greater than 2:1 motion adjustment from pen movement to screen movement. The feel is amplified movement. This would mean she would have to adjust her artistic style to a smaller space.

 

This is not impossible to do, but the finer the graphic you are creating the larger the tablet should be, is the rule of thumb.

[raz-0 1,259]

Wacom Intuos is the gold standard. The bamboo might be sufficient unless she cares about the angle of the pen having an effect, or needs lots of levels of pressure sensitivity.

 

What resolution display ate you going to use? The smaller pads can have aliasing issues going to too big a display. Also, if looking at competitors, don't get a 4:3 tablet for a 16:10 display.

 

Also what software? If it won't understand all the tablet's features, there's not much point going for the nicer tablet.

 

 

[Maksim 1,504]

Picked up the Bamboo. Seems like it will do the job.