Another Look at Graphics Tablets
I covered graphics tablets almost a year ago and today I want to look at them in a different light. This comes about because of several questions that have come up in the last few days. As we talk about tablets, I'll answer those questions.
On its most basic level, a graphics tablet is a pointing device just like a mouse, trackball or pointing stick. For me, the tablet is the only pointing device I use on my desktop. Yes, I have a mouse somewhere until the pile of stuff on my desk. I might touch the mouse once a week for a few seconds, but I never use it for daily work. On my laptop, I have a touchpad that I do use from time to time when I am not doing graphics work. But when I do graphics work, I switch to the tablet. There is no reason you can't have two or three pointing devices connected at the same time. You just can't use them all at once.
The first question that came up was how to use the tablet in CorelDRAW (or substitute any other software in the question). Once a tablet has been installed into Windows, you don't have to do anything to use it in any software package. There will be some adjustment if you aren't used to a tablet since the tablet uses absolute positioning and the mouse uses relative positioning. When I made the switch it took a couple of days and that seems to be the normal timeframe.
There is one feature in CorelDRAW that uses the pressure sensitivity available in tablets and that is the Pressure variation on the Artistic Media Brush. While I love using Artistic Media, I rarely if ever use the Pressure variation. Corel PHOTO-PAINT can do more with pressure if it is turned on in Brush Settings. Some users like to use the pressure with their brushes, I tend to avoid it.
The other question was the preferred size. Smaller tablets have lower price tags. So if you don't need a bigger size, I can understand why you wouldn't want to get a tablet bigger than you need. My preferred size is 6" x 8" or 6" x 9". I find anything bigger than that to be too big. The smaller tablets are typically 4" x 6" and I have used this size with great success in the past. But, I prefer a little more size. Other users have larger tablets and they set the tablet up so only a small area of the tablet controls the whole screen. It is just a matter of personal preference. If you have a chance, work with someone else's tablet before you make a buying decision. The biggest must is purchasing a Wacom tablet and not another brand. They are the best and nothing else even comes close!
One user who recently switch made the comment that his mouse finger has stopped hurting after only a single day of tablet usage. This can also be true of your wrists if you have the early stages of carpal tunnel. To me it isn't a question of whether you should get a tablet, but which one you should buy. Graphics Unleashed has a full listing of Wacom tablets on our site that you can purchase online. Find the one that is right for you!
On its most basic level, a graphics tablet is a pointing device just like a mouse, trackball or pointing stick. For me, the tablet is the only pointing device I use on my desktop. Yes, I have a mouse somewhere until the pile of stuff on my desk. I might touch the mouse once a week for a few seconds, but I never use it for daily work. On my laptop, I have a touchpad that I do use from time to time when I am not doing graphics work. But when I do graphics work, I switch to the tablet. There is no reason you can't have two or three pointing devices connected at the same time. You just can't use them all at once.
The first question that came up was how to use the tablet in CorelDRAW (or substitute any other software in the question). Once a tablet has been installed into Windows, you don't have to do anything to use it in any software package. There will be some adjustment if you aren't used to a tablet since the tablet uses absolute positioning and the mouse uses relative positioning. When I made the switch it took a couple of days and that seems to be the normal timeframe.
There is one feature in CorelDRAW that uses the pressure sensitivity available in tablets and that is the Pressure variation on the Artistic Media Brush. While I love using Artistic Media, I rarely if ever use the Pressure variation. Corel PHOTO-PAINT can do more with pressure if it is turned on in Brush Settings. Some users like to use the pressure with their brushes, I tend to avoid it.
The other question was the preferred size. Smaller tablets have lower price tags. So if you don't need a bigger size, I can understand why you wouldn't want to get a tablet bigger than you need. My preferred size is 6" x 8" or 6" x 9". I find anything bigger than that to be too big. The smaller tablets are typically 4" x 6" and I have used this size with great success in the past. But, I prefer a little more size. Other users have larger tablets and they set the tablet up so only a small area of the tablet controls the whole screen. It is just a matter of personal preference. If you have a chance, work with someone else's tablet before you make a buying decision. The biggest must is purchasing a Wacom tablet and not another brand. They are the best and nothing else even comes close!
One user who recently switch made the comment that his mouse finger has stopped hurting after only a single day of tablet usage. This can also be true of your wrists if you have the early stages of carpal tunnel. To me it isn't a question of whether you should get a tablet, but which one you should buy. Graphics Unleashed has a full listing of Wacom tablets on our site that you can purchase online. Find the one that is right for you!
Labels: hump-day-hardware, unleashed
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