# What kind of tablet do you use?



## Aheria (Sep 15, 2009)

So, I'm most likely going to be getting a Intuous Small, because it suits me. I draw small IRL and have been using a Graphire for a long time - this was one of the first ones they EVER put out. I'm used to it small. I can do long paint strokes if I want, but usually, like RL, work in small, tight strokes.

So, what kind of tablet do you use? which do you wish you were using? How is it working for you?

Just doing additional research, and curiousity killed the cat, I guess.


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## Azerane (Sep 15, 2009)

I use a Graphire 4, the active area is roughly 6x8 inches. I'm pretty happy with it, I don't think I'd mind a slightly larger area, the slightly larger intuos perhaps. But I've have my tablet for 3 years and it still works just as well as the day I received it and I've never had a single problem with it. I don't really expect to replace it unless I need to. I might stick with the same size, it's nice and portable in that way (can bring it with my overseas etc) but it might be nice to try the larger tablet.


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## Greykitty (Sep 15, 2009)

I've got an Intuous 3  6x8 that my friend sold me second hand.  Really really nice though, he kept it in great condition, came with extra nibs and a mouse.  I am pleased.  It has great pen pressure and the mouse is lovely and I like the little scroll pad thing.  Though it DID take a bit of getting used to at first cause I kept dragging my hand over it and having my screen spazz out.  lol  

I used to work on a 4x5 Graphire but it was slowly dying.  It was pretty nice though, a good starter tablet.     I never once had to replace anything on it and for using it almost every day for three years that's pretty good.


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## Aheria (Sep 15, 2009)

Greykitty said:


> I've got an Intuous 3  6x8 that my friend sold me second hand.  Really really nice though, he kept it in great condition, came with extra nibs and a mouse.  I am pleased.  It has great pen pressure and the mouse is lovely and I like the little scroll pad thing.  Though it DID take a bit of getting used to at first cause I kept dragging my hand over it and having my screen spazz out.  lol
> 
> I used to work on a 4x5 Graphire but it was slowly dying.  It was pretty nice though, a good starter tablet.     I never once had to replace anything on it and for using it almost every day for three years that's pretty good.



I'm super impressed with myGraphire, its 8 years old or so and it still is really nice and responds wonderfully, and is a good tablet. I'm just ready for more. I'm almost tempted to get a Intuous3 and get a bigger one than the 4 and a smaller one, but I'm not sure. People say it really matters, but I've never had an issue on my tablet, I'm just nto good at drawing on it. For painting and coloring, the size is more than ample. I'm just so pleased that the four has a detachable usb! No more tape!


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## Arshes Nei (Sep 16, 2009)

I own an intuos 4 large. I'm absolutely glad I upgraded to a larger tablet. I've been through all incarnations of intuos, and tried my sister's graphire a while a go (can't stand it). I had the small 4x5 and 6x8, but now I really love my large. If I get another one of these I'll get a medium.

I have the art pen for the Intuos3 and while I liked the bearing, I didn't like it enough (because no switch or eraser end) as my regular pen. I do like using it in Painter but since I'm on the Intuos4 been waiting for the Art Pen to make an improvement (it now just came out) so I can get it.

Also having more express keys is awesome, being able to have an express key to horizontally flip my image, (even use the web/email) is awesome. Also love Display Toggle since I have dual monitor support. I also have canvas rotation, zooming and brush size on my setup. Also it's nice to have the Pan/Scroll to move around an image too (Usually it's a Spacebar hotkey on PS or Painter).

Some people may not like the surface for nib wear but I believe wacom came out with replacement sheets so not a problem. Personally I like the new surface and the nibs wear at an angle so it actually does feel more like a pencil.

Screencaps are when the Radial menu is in use, this is showing the dual monitors in action (I drag my palettes and Navigation window across screens)

The one in Photoshop is showing the radial menu. 

Yes, I actually named my shortcuts as what is stated. I thought it was funny when I saw someone else have a button like that, so I figured what the hell, it's my tablet.


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## prizzle (Sep 16, 2009)

I'm currently using a Graphire 4, which I've had for about three years. I also have a Bamboo Fun, to use in case my Graphire quits working (the plastic near where the cord connects to the tablet came apart a while ago, but it's still hanging in there). I'd like to upgrade eventually, but money is short atm... For now, I love my Graphire <3


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## ElizabethAlexandraMary (Sep 16, 2009)

Dunno. But it was under 100 bucks, and it broke after being thrown at a mirror.


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## FoxyGamers (Sep 16, 2009)

Wacom bamboo, I've gotten a $400 dolar tablet and i cant even draw -,-''. I was like AWESOME a big tablet and i can draw and stuff... But when i got homeand installed it i relised it didnt help me any more at drawing then how i already was :'(.

Any-who its never broke and i love it.


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## Ratte (Sep 16, 2009)

Wacom Intuos XL and so far I love it, even though it's bigger than my lap.  It's the best thing I've used so far, even though I don't do much digitalart.

It's working great.


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## Turnsky (Sep 17, 2009)

i've got my trusty ol' Wacom Intuos 2 12x12" tablet.. it's served me well over the years.


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## Azerane (Sep 17, 2009)

FoxyGamers said:


> Wacom bamboo, I've gotten a $400 dolar tablet and i cant even draw -,-''. I was like AWESOME a big tablet and i can draw and stuff... But when i got homeand installed it i relised it didnt help me any more at drawing then how i already was :'(.
> 
> Any-who its never broke and i love it.


 
That's just the thing. Just because you have a tablet, doesn't automatically make you a good artist.

When I first got my tablet, I did improve a lot, but I was using it a lot and I found it easy to sketch with. But it didn't make me drastically better. That kind of thing only happens with time.

I find that a few people seem to think that if they get a tablet they will become suddenly awesome at digital art. It doesn't work like that, though sometimes I wish it did xD


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## nybx4life (Sep 17, 2009)

Bamboo Fun.
As far as I know, with the tablet I feel my drawing is WORSE than what it is regularly (since I just started to use it).

I feel more confident in coloring, but that's different.


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## Azerane (Sep 17, 2009)

nybx4life said:


> Bamboo Fun.
> As far as I know, with the tablet I feel my drawing is WORSE than what it is regularly (since I just started to use it).
> 
> I feel more confident in coloring, but that's different.



I believe i understand what you mean. My first couple of drawings were a little... strange.. but I got used to using the tablet pretty quick fortunately.


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## Arshes Nei (Sep 17, 2009)

Well one thing for you tablet users, remember to use hotkeys if possible. one problem is that because you're doing this digitally you need to get used to doing what you did traditionally.

That means, use horizontal flips (just like you look at your drawing through a light or mirror to check for mistakes)

And for god sakes, also learn you can rotate your canvas in quite a few programs.

Open Canvas is free, and the ALT key activates canvas rotation, hit it again and it goes back to its original position. 

The E key in Painter does the same thing, it activates rotation. B goes back to brush.

Sai Paint I believe is Insert and Del or Home keys. 

CS4 has canvas rotation but it's dependent upon your graphics card. I dunno the keys since I don't use it.


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## Aurali (Sep 17, 2009)

Arshes Nei said:


> CS4 has canvas rotation but it's dependent upon your graphics card. I dunno the keys since I don't use it.



The R key <3


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## Dreamaria (Sep 17, 2009)

I have a Wacom Graphire 2. I don't even think they make them anymore. I've had it since I was 16 or 17 and I seriously don't know how it still works. The pen literally broke in half at one point and I McGuyver'd it back together and it's held together with masking tape....but the tablet and pen both work perfectly fine. I do more traditional art than digital so I don't really see the need to get a new one, especially if this one still works :3


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## Duality Jack (Sep 17, 2009)

A related question: I was thinking of getting a tablet PC (to sketch and do work all in one piece) Any recommendations for that? I never used a tablet and mostly worked in ink ( I was into calligraphy before sketching)


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## NeroFox1989 (Sep 18, 2009)

The Drunken Ace said:


> A related question: I was thinking of getting a tablet PC (to sketch and do work all in one piece) Any recommendations for that? I never used a tablet and mostly worked in ink ( I was into calligraphy before sketching)


 i bought a medium sized Wacom tablet.  Bout 100 dollars and works perfectly fine.  Might take a while to get used to tho


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## krisCrash (Sep 18, 2009)

The Drunken Ace said:


> A related question: I was thinking of getting a tablet PC (to sketch and do work all in one piece) Any recommendations for that? I never used a tablet and mostly worked in ink ( I was into calligraphy before sketching)


 
Figure out if said tablet PC has pressure sensitive input on the pen, otherwise drawing isn't half as fun

I don't know if pen tilt and rotation is really that necessary, there are some good tricks with it but pressure itself is the most important thing.

edit: oh, and OP's question... I use an A4 sized Intuos3. It is hugetastic.
I think an A5 widescreen may have been enough for me; it is only slightly smaller and thus just enough to fit in a PC bag... and is widescreen like my laptop. The two sizes are nearly the same price but the second was not available at the time.


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## Thebravelittle... (Sep 22, 2009)

bamboo fun. ;3 Cheap ftw.


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## Chickenspirit (Sep 22, 2009)

Thebravelittle... said:


> bamboo fun. ;3 Cheap ftw.



Is it jittery? What's the size tablet screen?

And how much is it..?


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## wolfsymphony (Sep 22, 2009)

6x9 Wacom Bamboo Fun. I used to have a huge A3 sized no name brand tablet but that died on me pretty quickly (Oh well, was only $40)
My Bamboo Fun is pretty much all I need. Coloring is so much easier but 6x0 is still to small for doing sketches and inking _comfortably_ imo. But it's do-able. One day I will upgrade to Cintiq but for now this bamboo fun is good enough for me


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## FireFeathers (Sep 23, 2009)

Your mom.  I said it.


My tiny wacom is tiny. It's a 3 1/2 by 5 inches area on it, and my pen is held together with tape.  Miiight be asking for a new tablet this year.


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## Arshes Nei (Sep 23, 2009)

http://cgi.ebay.com/Wacom-Intuos-12...in_0?hash=item3a52f5bbd3&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Saw that on Ebay, problem is you can't really replace the parts, so if you lose the pen, it will cost you more than what that tablet is going for right now. However, besides the fact its serial, that's a pretty good deal.


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## Kangamutt (Sep 23, 2009)

Dinky little Bamboo Fun.

Though the animation lab at school got some Cintiqs. Soooooooo nice.


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## Kocchan (Sep 23, 2009)

Wacom Graphire4. Kinda old, but it works for me. (And took about two years to actually get working orz)


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## OxfordTweed (Sep 24, 2009)

I use a Wacom Sapphire. It's the cheap version of the Grapphire, but with felt nibs on the stylus, it's absolutely perfect.


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## JACster1 (Sep 24, 2009)

Heh, what kind of tablet DO I use?... *yoinks up dinky little tablet and reads the front* ... Man-hat-tin. Oh, right: Bargain-bin tablet... -_-;


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## sakket (Sep 24, 2009)

they sell wacom bamboo at the mac store for like 65-70 bucks. been using it for a while, it's way awesome.


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## Arshes Nei (Sep 24, 2009)

[yt]8c0wB-odBNA[/yt]

Some of you tablet shopping and aren't that serious (for an intuos) might be interested in this one, since it can really be used as a mouse and tablet.

Also the Craft and Fun have the same pressure levels as an intuos 1024


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## dopy (Sep 26, 2009)

I personally use a medium wacom bamboo fun, I love it.


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