[Tame Ape]

So I've started looking at Tablets to make the design process a little easier for myself. Using a mouse is slow and clearly not the 'best' tool for the job and I figure a Tablet should help me put down ideas in a more intuitive way.

I've got a PC and will be keeping it. I probably don't need an area bigger then a normal sheet of paper to work on.


Any suggestions?

 

[MudGrrl]

Wacom

 

[Tame Ape]

Wacom

Are they the only ones?

 

[splat]

calcomp !

 

[sneakysnake]

Are they the only ones?

No, there are many others. And just a tip if you've never worked with a tablet before. They take a full day or two to get used to the feeling of it, so don't get pissed if you plug it in and it is really awkward.

 

[Tame Ape]

They seem to be pretty expensive too, or am I being unreasonanble?

 

[spincrazy]

They seem to be pretty expensive too, or am I being unreasonanble?

There is no alternative. Buy last years model or used. no substitute.

 

[Tenchiro]

You mean a digitizer or a TabletPC? We just got a large shipment of Motion Tablets and the text recognition on them is pretty fantastic, and I could easily see one of the higher end ones doing light graphics work.

http://www.motioncomputing.com/

 

[Tame Ape]

Its an input device that uses a pen and touch screen thingee. Its a grpahics person thingee...

edit: in combination with a mouse

edit 2: Ant, you think its worth it?

 

[binary visions]

I think a good tablet is worth the cost. I wish I could afford one, because it's an enormous improvement over a mouse when doing graphic design or photo editing.

If you do this work professionally, consider it a tiny investment. Any of the Wacoms I've used have been excellent.

 

[spincrazy]

Its an input device that uses a pen and touch screen thingee. Its a grpahics person thingee...

edit: in combination with a mouse

edit 2: Ant, you think its worth it?

mos def

a smaller one will probably suit you fine. I have a 12 x 12, but would enjoy a 9x12 just for the less real estate taken up on my desk. I have had to suffer with the smaller ones at some places I've freelanced at but they work well. I just tend to make long strokes at times and can develop pain in my wrist from prolonged use of them. I doubt you'd have a problem.

quick search on craigs http://newyork.craigslist.org/que/sys/170838805.html (older but a good tablet)

http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/sys/170068099.html (less nice and small, probably fine for you - at least to start)

http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/sys/169709608.html (9x12 - you can probably get him to go lower on the price, model before the newest - one I have. New ones have buttons and slider tabs no one I know ever uses)

 

[spincrazy]

http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/sys/168613230.html

you could try something like this, but it might suck monkey balls. might give you an idea of what a tablet is like if you are unfamiliar, but could leave you with a bad taste on tablets in general if it blows. cheap enough.

 

[spincrazy]

top ten tablets http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/aboutgraphics/tp/graphicstablets.htm

Notice all are Wacom but two

 

[Tame Ape]

Thanks Ant!