That a Pen On Your Tablet Or Are You Just Happy to See Me?
Written: Aug 27 '00 (Updated Aug 27 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Makes work in graphics applications much easier.
Cons: The mouse features can be frustratingly too sensitive. Not cheap.
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| caines's Full Review: Wacom Intuos Tablet Series |
How many times have you wanted to pour flammable liquid on your mouse and set it afire? I know I have every time I was in the middle of a project in PhotoShop and my mouse decided to skip. You know that thing it does when you move it along your mouse pad but the cursor suddenly decides it's just fine resting where it is, thank you very much. Then, after thinking better of it (and because you have begun to violently make corrective circles and arcs) the mouse wakes up and the cursor suddenly flies to the top of the window.
So now, that foliage you had been painstakingly tracing the outline of so you could apply some PhotoShop magic to it--that tree shape now looks like the Statue of Liberty holding her torch.
Finally, after much berating by my younger brother, who is an illustrator and a digital designer for an animated TV show, I realized that my mouse was not going to cut it. I had spent a lot of money on a powerful computer so I could use it for high-end graphics work, but I was still using that stupid Intellimouse to do detail digital photo manipulation. "Man, it's time to get a tablet," he said to me in that "I-can't-believe-you're-my-older-brother" tone of voice.
I got on the phone and ordered the Wacom Intuos 6x8 graphics tablet. Initially I thought I should get the more sizable 9x12, but the price told me the 6x8 would be just fine. The 6x8 ran just under $300 and arrived in just a few days. As it turned out, the 6x8 size really was fine.
It was a snap to set up. I'm a PC guy and the model I bought has a USB connector so it is truly plug and play. Plug it in start up your computer, and wait for it to ask for the software. Insert the CD-ROM and in about three minutes you're ready to go. The main reason I chose the USB version over the other choices is that I can take my tablet and plug it into any other machine that is USB compatible whether it's PC or Mac.
What joy the first time I used it in PhotoShop. It was as if I had been using the computer with the monitor off and someone turned it on for me. The simple beauty of the graphic tablet is that instead of executing your commands with a mouse or trackball, you are using a pen. (If you find writing your name with a mouse easier than with a pen, then this product is not for you.) If you are doing artwork or any detail work, it is much easier to do it as if you are writing rather than forcibly sliding a turtle around your desk under the palm of your hand. I'll tell you about it in a graphics application first since that is what it's really designed for.
Intuos…Intuitive…I Get It!
The software allows you adjust the sensitivity of the wireless pen to accommodate the angle you hold your pen and the amount of pressure you use. I am a lefty so I am always suspicious of anything that is supposed to be compatible with my "natural" hand movements. The Intuos software was surprisingly responsive although it did take a while to get the feel of the tool and the tablet you work on. The pen feels a little fat at first but it is designed with a taper so it feels better when you hold it. You will get used to it.
Lookee Here!
You will also have to get used to looking at the monitor and working with the pen. It's a very different feel from using the mouse. And for me it was trickier because while I am left-handed and write with that hand, I use the mouse with my right hand. You're going to have to ask my mother why that is… Anyway, the learning curve is short. Give it a week of regular use
I find the control--tracing an intricate line on the monitor--is very easy and accurate. The Intuos is pressure sensitive so it is very useful when using graphics programs like PhotoShop or Illustrator, which are designed to work that way. In other words, if you vary the pressure you apply to the pen, you will get a fatter, thinner or more opaque line depending on the type of tool and setting you are using in the application. One cool thing is that you can use the back end of the tablet pen as an eraser. In PhotoShop and Illustrator it undoes your action just like an eraser, which makes it possible to "draw" by erasing. Great for creating highlights.
What I found to be weak is tracing on the tablet. The working area of the tablet is a durable transparent sheet under which you can put things you want to trace. I find that the tablet isn't sensitive enough to do fine work. But if you have simple items with big lines it works okay.
It's A Pen. It's A Mouse. It's A Dessert Topping.
What? You're too young to remember that joke? Ugh.
So here's the 411. If you switch the setting you can use the pen as a mouse. You can change it with a quick tap on a special area at the top of the tablet. I know many graphic artists who don't use a mouse at all anymore. Although like me, most switch back and forth between a real mouse and using the pen as a mouse because as a mouse the tablet has a bit to be desired. The bonus of the USB connection is that you do not have to disconnect your mouse to use this graphics tablet. It is hard to highlight areas and then click/drag them. Seems the pen always ends up deselecting the item. The tip of the pen (which you can replace as it eventually gets worn) is a little jiggly. It is too responsive to some things. You can double or single tap the pen to click like a mouse. It even has a button on the pen which can be used as a right (or left) mouse button. The software allows for a lot of customizing. The tablet also comes bundled with some other graphics software I just ignored because I have way too many apps on my machine I only use once a year as it is.
The tablet itself that is the only thing with a wire (just the USB cable) has a row of customizable tap points along the top so you can shortcut many repetitive actions. The defaults include Open, Cut, Paste, Prints, Exit, Save, New, and Undo. There are also some pen pressure settings. You won't even have to look at the tablet. Corresponding numbers appear at the top of your monitor as you float the pen over the tablet.
The tablet doesn't take up too much space. The 6x8 (that's the working area) is only about 13"x10". You can even use it as a mouse pad if you are so inclined. It comes with a little stand for your pen. Some people customize multiple pens or tools like an "airbrush" pen. You can I.D. them with the colorful stickers they provide.
All in all, the Intuos is a great investment. No, it's not cheap and if you aren't doing high end graphics, digital retouching or CAD work, you can stick with your mouse. For me, I really can't believe I lasted this long without it.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 289.00
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Epinions.com ID:
caines
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Member: Bruce Caines
Location: New York, NY
Reviews written: 40
Trusted by: 41 members
About Me:
Emmy nominated director, photographer, dad, vegetarian, music junkie, long distance cyclist. Not necessarily in order.
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