Wacom

[prokegler]

Hello Experts!!

Just a quick inquiry as to whether anyone uses a Wacom Pen sketch pad for doing artwork either in or out of Photoshop for screen printing and what it's value to me might be if I were to purchase one.

It looks like it could be a valuable tool instead of trying to use a mouse that doesn't follow exactly where I want it to go. It looks much easier to use. Am I being DUPED?

Thanks,
Danny

[abchung]

At first I bought a Genius. It was crap....
then I got a small Wacom, not top of the range, but it beats the Genius.

You need to get use to it. Once you are use to it. The mouse is like tracing with a brick.

[Dottonedan]

That's a pretty accurate statement about the brick.  Early on, I used a Wacom for about 5yrs straight. Had to jump back to a mouse for a year and I HATED it.

That first one fit well. Must been the best dexterity pen of the times because I've not found my comfort zone since...but I've been cheaper when buying my own. Having said that, 2 yrs ago, I though I was into a good deal on line. I took a little more time to compare pen quality ect. And knew the size I needed. I got a big one and yea, it worked. Not fantastic but better than my first purchase.  Then, I took it with me on trips in my suitcase and it didn't last long. Now only 1/4th section actually works. I was able to re define my size ratio to only work in that area but I'm not satisfied with it.

Now, with it being Christmas, I looked into another just the other day. A friend who I trust as a techie and an artist who really needs a pen tool to behave as if it's a pencil and airbrush provided a good report Visio on this other thing.  It's a step down from the big sintig and above a Wacom but is affordable. $1000.00
On Amazon. So I'm looking into that.  I will come back here later to give you the name of the item and link to his report.

Wacom has various option even within their top of the line making it hard to really know what your getting.

EDIT:
http://bucktoothstudios.blogspot.com/      ASUS PT201Q Product Video review.


This is an example of what he produces.
http://bucktoothstudios.format.com/digital-illustration

[Mr Tees!!]

I bought the Wacom medium tablet a few years ago, and it just wasn't for me (I was hoping it would magically turn me into a natural artist, I guess  ). I have considered parting with it lately. I have the pen, the pen holder, both cords and the box, complete. Maybe I will put a post in the classified section here at some point, but I am lazy. If you are interested, PM me.

[Sbrem]

You do have to acquire the skill, but once you get used to it, it's OK, though I only use it for tracing...

Steve

[Frog]

Similar experience as a half-hearted/half-assed tablet user.
I got a little one as a promotion with a CorelDRAW purchase, and though it never took the place of a mouse for general use, I use it for tracing type actions.
I thought that I would use it for my basic line drawings, but found it easier to draw with pencil or pen and then scan and vectorize.

Like has been mentioned, for me at least,  it's one of those "use it or lose it" kinda skills.

Now, my artist buddy Ron Weber uses a mouse in one hand and his tablet stylus in the other. In the right hands, they are magic.

[im_mcguire]

They definitely are a great tool to have. Though there are many other options for the cost that perform just as good, if not better than the Wacom. Me personally I had a Cintiq 21ux and it was great. Being able to draw on the screen made it so much easier than watching the screen while you are drawing on a tablet.

But for the money there is a very highly rated drawing monitor by Huion. They sell on Amazon for $649. 21.5" screen and it works just as well if not better than my old Cintiq. At about $1400 cheaper too. But either way, imo they are an essential too to have if you do any of the art for screen printing.

[Command-Z]

Remember those round Apple "puck" mouses from about fifteen years ago? That's what I taught myself how to paint in Photoshop with. It was tiny and you had to hold your hand in an unnatural claw shape to work it. Apple doesn't always hit a home runs with its product designs.

I'm an analog illustrator, I learned to paint and draw and airbrush by hand and resisted digital media for as long as it took for computers not to crash every fifteen minutes or take ten minutes just to render what you just drew. But I did it and now do most of my commercial work digitally.

I got a Wacom stylus in the early double-aughts and loved it, but found having my hand and my eyes in different parts of the world a little too unnatural. So, since I spend entire days drawing, I had no second thoughts about plunking down the two grand to buy a Cintiq 21-incher. That was about 2005. So my Cintiq is ten years old. It was life-changing. It's all scratched up, the plastic film is peeling up in spots, but it still works like a dream. When I go back to my laptop and use the old stylus pad, it's really hard to adjust.

But I know many artists who just don't like styluses. Go to lifeinvector.com and look at the amazing work of Brooke Nunez. All of her vector work done with a mouse. Different strokes, it's true.

So my advice is to try before you buy, if you can. You might love it, you might hate it. But definitely give it a try and if you do it before year's end, you can take a tax deduction for this year.

[UnderPressureSP]

I switch over from pen and ink to a cintiq 27QHD touch and been loving it.  My work flow has improved to what took me a week to do I can now do in a day.  They are pricey so if you don't have the change to spend I suggest looking on ebay for a older 12inch cintiq.   I also love apples new pencil and ipad combo.  Its great for sketching but since it a new product finding one can be hard.

[prokegler]

Thanks for all of your feedback. As with anything worthwhile, a little or lots of trial and error come with the territory I guess. I was thinking it would be a good tool for tracing out objects and adding details. Maybe I need to brush up to be more efficient inside Photoshop.

I have to admit to being self taught in this adventure and HATE TO READ!!!!!!

Other than youtube videos, does anyone have a go to place to get lessons/schooling for learning the necessities of using Photoshop for screen printing? I hear KNOWLEDGE is good!!!

Thanks everyone!

[StinkyDaddy]

I've used Wacom tablets for close to 20 years. For the last few years I've been using an Intuos Pro Medium, I like that size. I also use a cordless mouse for non drawing/painting stuff. In my opinion there are some things that just flow better with a pen. Painting and drawing are what you think of first, but masking and selections are big for me too.

[caseycityhall]

There's definitely a learning curve but just use your tablet everyday for every aspect of computing, not just digital drawing (surfing the web, browsing your files, emailing) and it will feel like second nature and going back to a mouse will just feel weird. It makes navigating my screen feel so much quicker and drawing feels natural. Also helps in video editing software.

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