Graphics Hardware Reviews - Wacom Graphics Tablet |
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Wacom Graphics Tablet
If you're at all serious about creating digital graphics you NEED a graphics tablet. Once you've drawn with one you'll never be able to go back to using your mouse again.
The artPadII 4x5 graphics tablet is the second tablet I've used, the first being a 12x12 from Summa. I had to return the Summa because it just refused to work with my hardware/software setup. Such is the way things go with computers.
I've been using my Wacom for about a year now and, as I've said before in the newsgroups, the only thing I'd trade it for is a bigger Wacom :)
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| Figure 1.1 |
I use the tablet with everything from Corel DRAW! to Painter and Photoshop. Both Painter and Photoshop recognize the tablet's pressure sensitivity. This makes for realistic use. What I mean by this is, if you've ever done any pencil sketching, you'll feel comfortable almost immediately with the Wacom tablet. The pen, included with the tablet, is unencumbered by batteries or wires and is a real pleasure to use. With the 4x5 model the pen includes a dual-purpose button. Toggle it one way for a single click and the other way for a double click. The functions for the button can be set in the Preferences section of the Wacom software. The pen also includes an eraser that works just as you'd expect, with software like Painter and Photoshop that recognize the eraser feature. Just flip the pen over to erase... very cool!
Combined with a program like Painter you can create computer art that appears to have been done with natural media.
This "charcoal sketch" of my wife Pamela (see figure 1.2), for example, was done entirely on a computer. Work like this would be very difficult, if not impossible, to accomplish with a mouse.
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| Figure 1.2 |
Even a simple task such as sketching "Billy diNerdo" (see figure 1.3), which could be done with a mouse, is much easier with a graphics tablet.
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| Figure 1.3 |
Bottom line
If you spend more than a couple of hours a week working on graphics for the web you really ought to have a graphics tablet and you won't be sorry if you invest in a Wacom.
That's it for now... Be sure to check out some of our other Rave-views!
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