Graphics Tablets ???

[allusee]

Anyone recommend these? If so which one, ect..

Thx!
Amber

[Keith]

Hey Amber! I checked the POR board and saw your post before I came to check here. These girls know tablets. :) Pretty much the Wacom are the popular ones. And now that I have seen them used you really don't need a huge one. Maybe they can tell you what size to get, or what size they like to use. If you use a wide format monitor there are tablet that are wide as well now.

[allusee]

I guess more specifically, what the pressure thing, some have 512, and some have 1024? I just don't get it, My parents want to get one, I'm guessing for me as they know I'm into the digi thing and I mentioned to my mom Sat. after I took the class about them on the phone..

Anyhow, I don't know ANYTHING about them..

[Keith]

"Levels of pressure sensitivity"

Some have 512 levels, others have 1024. When you draw with them you can press with a light touch and get a thin and light line, press harder you will will get a dark thick line. Similar to what you would get if you were using a marker or pencil or something like that. So that is what the numbers represent is how many levels of sensitivity them have in them.

[allusee]

How do you actually use these things to do handwriting and free hand drawing?

[A-to-Z]

The tablets are great!! I have a Wacom Bamboo Fun. It hooks into your computer through the USB and you just draw!! Its literally just like drawing on a piece of paper!! You can use it as your mouse too. The surface area can be custom to the size of your screen so when you are in the corner of your tablet you are in the same corner on your screen. Does that make sense? Then when you press down its like clicking. Its awesome!

[allusee]

How do you actually use these things to do handwriting and free hand drawing?

Never mind, Read all about it! Pretty cool gadget! I think I am going to get one... or request one for B-Day... :o)

Thanks!

[Alishaw]

I love my Bamboo too! Very fun and great for precision selecting.

[allusee]

What can they do though? Can they be used in email and word as well as Photoshop?

Curious? Anyone have any examples of things they have done or used these for?

Thx!

[Quinn]

I love my Wacom! My brother-in-law is a professional artist & he has a really snitsy, expensive Wacom tablet whereas I have a lesser version. I would say that for digital scrapbooking you don't need too intense of a tablet. He needs one with incredible pressure sensitivity because he's painting & drawing with his tablet all day every day. I love mine for getting really precise photo extractions & other things that mouses don't do as easily. The Bamboo looks to me like the best tablet for the money right now & it's made by Wacom which is probably the best tablet company. I'd search in your price range & don't sweat missing out on a lot of bells & whistles because you probably won't miss them.

[Quinn]

Ha! We posted at the same time! I use my tablet in place of a mouse in any program I'm using, including Microsoft Word, Excel etc.

[Quinn]

p.s. check out my brother-in-law's portfolio (http://crazyaceworld.com/) (he is an artist so there are a few nude drawings, but not many). They're gorgeous & were all made in Photoshop using his Wacom tablet. His art is for video games.

[allusee]

Wow, he is a great artist! He did all of those with a tablet? No way!!!

Ok, are there any tutorials out there on how to use these things?

[peetie]

My husband does visualization for an architecture firm and works in Photoshop all the time. He has a really nice Wacom tablet that he uses a lot. His stuff is very artsy, as well. He keeps showing me these fun things to do in Photoshop, but they are hard to do with a mouse, and he doesn't think I should take over his tablet, how rude! So, we are looking into getting a less expensive one, because I don't need all the bells and whistles, and I have been looking at ebay for a used one. There are some pretty good deals out there, if you don't mind if it's used.

[allusee]

Well, I was able to pick one up (early B-Day) anyhow, here's something I drew.. Don't LAUGH.. I could lie and say my kids drew it, but that wouldn't be right for me to say... (Though maybe I should have) LOL

I got the wacom Intos3 (or whatever it's called, I am excited to start learning how to use it.. Are there any additional pens, accessories ect. that can go with these things...

Thx, and enjoy my silly little picture...
Amber

[crystalclark87]

Yay! They are soo fun!

I have found out a totally easy way to write legibly... First make a box around the area that you want the text. Then open a new page that is white. Place your box on the new document. Then turn on your grid (ctrl+')(in CS2). Then zoom in way far and start writing.. It is a lot easier to write in a large area rather than a small area... then you can drag the writing back over to your lo. If you are writing a lot do it on seperate layers.. So write a sentance then start a new layer and so on. That way you can erase without having to start completely over..
does that make sense?

[allusee]

Hey thanks, I'll try that later tonight, gotta watch American Idol here in a few..

It might be cool to get someone to give an on-line class on the tablets... :yep::yep::yep:

[Quinn]

Honestly Amber, I think your picture looks great! I'm impressed with how much control you already have with your pen! That can take awhile to develop. Great work & congratulations!

[bugsleaves]

Hi I have been reading your post about the tablets. I just got one to day for my birthday.(intuos3 is what I have) I was all excited to do text on a path and its not working. I am working on PSE 5. Is there any way to do paths on this program? THX

[digimad]

I don't think you can do text on a path in elements. Congrats on the new tablet.

[Alishaw]

Elements doesn't do paths-but you will love your tablet. Use it for doodles, selections, and all sorts of fun stuff.

[bugsleaves]

Thanks I didn't think you could do path either but I was hoping someone more experience in elements would know a trick. I also enjoyed meeting with the lady from digitial scrapbook memories at the last womens expo in Orem. They were so NICE!!. Just want to shout out to them that I did get on the forums. I hope to get to know all of you real soon. Thanks Cassie

[Shellie]

Question about the Bamboo.

It says............. Software DVD that includes: Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 Win/4.0 Mac, Corel Painter Essentials 3.0, and Nik Color Efex Pro 2.0 GE..


Does it work with Elements 6.0?

[Kim Hansen]

Shellie, do you think you're getting one? :)

[Kelli West]

wow, Shellie, I didn't recognize you at first. I am so use to seeing the EYE!!! I like your pic, you look good!

[Shellie]

Thanks Kelli. It's so tiny you can't even see me. Hey! Now I know how to look good. lol

Yes, Kim, I'm getting one of it's compatible. The description confused me.

[Kim Hansen]

You have a pretty good life don't ya Shelli?:yep:

[Shellie]

LOL... yes, Kim, I do. I am one lucky woman. :D

[Shellie]

So why has no one answered my question? :(

[Kim Hansen]

What's the question Babe?

[Kim Hansen]

Oh yah, does it works in Elements? Sorry Shellie, I have no clue. I'm not to that level yet--owning a bamboo!

[Shellie]

Question about the Bamboo.

The description says............. Software DVD that includes: Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 Win/4.0 Mac, Corel Painter Essentials 3.0, and Nik Color Efex Pro 2.0 GE..


Does it work with Elements 6.0? I'm just out of luck because the DVD is for 5.0?

I'm confused.

[LucyLu]

Shellie I am sure it does... it just comes with the additional software disc... quite a deal for someone that does not already have PSE 5 or above... I have not downloaded any of the other software that came with mine... not sure I really want to learn another... we shall see

[Shellie]

Okay, thanks Dottie. I figured that was probably the case but wanted to be sure before I spent the money.

Are you liking it?

[supermombritt]

I think her question was does it work with Elements 6.0?

[supermombritt]

I guess I should have finished reading all the posts before typing that. I did not see there was a second page.

[Quinn]

Shellie, it should work just fine with Elements 6.0, in fact I can't imagine why it wouldn't. It's basically like a mouse in that you just attach it to your computer & it can work in any program. I use mine instead of a mouse so I even surf the web & use it in word documents (just like a mouse). I'm sure that they're just offering Elements 5.0 with it because it's not the very latest version (more expensive for them).

Tablets are really fun & I think they're more comfortable to use than a mouse, but do understand that it takes some time to get used to it. I had mine for over a year & barely used it because I kept getting frustrated. Then one day I decided I was never going to learn unless I did something drastic. So I put my mouse away in a drawer & told myself I could get it back out when I was comfortable with the tablet. It took about a week, but now it's 100% more comfortable than a mouse.

[Shellie]

Thanks Quinn!

I'm going to order it now. :D

[LucyLu]

Okay, thanks Dottie. I figured that was probably the case but wanted to be sure before I spent the money.

Are you liking it?

I AM still learning .. but I love the Accuracy of the pen vs the mouse... i am sure it does tons of things I am not aware of

maybe some day there will be a class on tablets

[Quinn]

yay, Shellie!!! How fun for you! Can't wait to hear what you think of it! I agree that the accuracy is much better. I've had to live without my tablet for a week now & I've decided it's tiring to click and drag (lazy of me, I'm sure). I love how with the tablet pen you just push the pen to the tablet and "draw" to the point you want the object dragged to (ha! I bet that sounds confusing!). Anywho, I hope you love it Shellie!!! xoxo

[A-to-Z]

Yay Shellie!! You will love it!!! :) I'm still getting used to mine and I'm sure there are a ton of things that I don't know to do with it!

[Shellie]

Thanks ladies!!

I'm going to have 6 weeks in Wash DC this summer with the husband to get it figured out. Right now with him gone I can't always have the dedicated computer time I want to learn new stuff. Since we will be there he can have "kid" time when he gets home from work and I can have digi scrapbook time. lol

[Quinn]

he can have "kid" time when he gets home from work and I can have digi scrapbook time
Sounds blissful!!! How fun!