Graphics Tablets!

[Yohji]

I'm looking into getting a Graphics Tablet for my pc, however I have no idea what to look for spec wise, I just want as a big as possible really. Does anyone have/know of decent ones?

At college they have some nice A3 ones, but I cant seem to find them online. I don't really have a prices range as such, as I won't be buying one for a month or two, and I have no idea what price range I'm looking at either.

Any help at all would be appeciated.

[Zad]

If you are a "proper" artist, rather than someone like me who just footles about, then the daddeh is the Wacom brand. Be prepared to spend big bucks though. An A3 one will cost you around £500. I used to work with a few artists who spent all day every day working with the Wacoms and they intensely disliked anything else. The cheaper models will work ok, but aren't really up to the job of a full time artist.

Mike

[Norky]

A3 = expensive.

I have a small Wacom one (~A5) which I got quite a few years ago from PC World for about £40 which is fine for quick sketches and the occasional bit of digital inking

[Dorza]

If you are a "proper" artist, rather than someone like me who just footles about, then the daddeh is the Wacom brand. Be prepared to spend big bucks though. An A3 one will cost you around £500.

Ditto. Wacom make quality products at not-so quality prices. Their insainly expensive, but you pay for what you get i suppose. If you just want to doodle buy an A4 pad from nisis it does the job pretty well, i have one but dont use it. Never got into the whole drawing thing like i thought i would.

Dont get smaller than A4 either, with anything smaller you will probably run out of drawing space quickly and that is so anyoying when your half way through drawing the object your drawing.

[Yohji]

Right, cheers guys. I think I'll try and get a decently priced A4 one, A5 was too small when I tried one

EDIT: Found one: http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...roductID=33045

Looks good for the price, I'll probably go for something like it when I have the cash.

[UltraMagnus]

personally i think that a touch screen 19" monitor wouldnt be too much more so that seems like a bettery option, they have a couple of them at my school, and when they are working (read: not very often, mainly because of a idiot of a techie) they are great

[Dorza]

Right, cheers guys. I think I'll try and get a decently priced A4 one, A5 was too small when I tried one

EDIT: Found one: http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...roductID=33045

Looks good for the price, I'll probably go for something like it when I have the cash.

Thats what ive got. If unlike me you have the patients to learn how to use it properly it should be good enough for you. At that price you shouldn't have too many complaints.

[Yohji]

Thats what ive got. If unlike me you have the patients to learn how to use it properly it should be good enough for you. At that price you shouldn't have too many complaints.

Yeah, I've used the A3 ones at college quite a bit. I wouldnt use the mouse that came with it though, tried ones like that and they are just annoying.

[Zad]

I'm sure that'll do you fine for now Yohji, if all else fails, bung it on ebay and say it was an unwanted present *grin*

UltraMagnus: I'm not sure you have quite grasped what graphics tablets are for. They aren't intended to be a mouse replacement, for driving menus, icons etc. Instead they are a closer approximation to pen/pencil and paper, for artists and draftsmen to draw with. Tablets are much higher resolution than a mouse, and the tip is pressure sensitive, so you can press down for a darker/wider line, or just gently skate over the surface for a thin and light line. Very nifty if you are a good artist and know your way around Photoshop.

Mike (not an artist)

(Oh yeah, and I don't know anyone that has used the mouse they supply)