The way drawing and painting on a PC should be.
Written: Apr 27 '01 (Updated Mar 15 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Intuitive control; dead-on accurate movement; very easy to use.
Cons: Expensive
The Bottom Line: The Intuos line of graphic tablets give you a natural feel for drawing and painting on a computer with a high level sensativity, resolution, control, and comfort.
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| kyuushu's Full Review: Wacom Intuos Tablet Series |
As the name suggests, Wacom's line of Intuos graphic tablets are very intuitive to use. You simply use the pen device on the tablet's surface to control your on-screen pointer. Designed for graphic artists, the Intuos tablets are excellent when used with graphic programs like Photoshop, and Painter. Unlike other tablets however, the Intuos tablets are consistantly comfortable and accurate.
All Intuos tablets come with the cordless Intuos pen. You simply move the pen on the surface of the tablet lightly; or you can even "float" the pen over the tablet's surface without touching. Either way, you can control the movement of the on-screen pointer with great comfort. The Intuos Pen is pressure sensative; has a dual-button on the barrel; and has another "eraser" button on the top end. Each of these buttons can be assigned specific functions with the detail-oriented driver software.
In a graphic application like Photoshop, or Painter; the Intuos Pen acts like a conventional art tool. The pen's pressure-sensative tip can produce differing opacity levels and differing stroke sizes. The accuracy and the control of the pen allows you to make detailed drawings, that a mouse could never achieve as easily. And best of all, you never have to apply more than a faint amount of pressure to start a stroke. This prevents your hand from getting tired and keeps you comfortable. (Of course, the sensativity can be adjusted to your own preferences).
The Tablets come in various sizes: 4x5, 6x8, 9x12, 12x12, and 12x18. The 4x5 seemed too small for my drawing needs. The 9x12 and the larger sizes were, frankly, too expensive for me. So I settled for the 6x8. Fortunately, this size is actually just right since it fits on my small computer desk comfortably, yet is big enough for detailed drawing.
Technically speaking, the Intuos tablets can never replace a real art tool like a pencil, brush, or ink pen. As someone who learned the conventional forms of drawing on paper; and painting on canvas; I don't think any form of technology can. It won't make you a better artist either. What the Intuos tablets can give you is a better way to draw and paint on the computer than other tablets and input-devices. Essentially, The Intous tablets provide a more natural way to draw on a computer.
The only downside to these tablets are the high prices. The Intuos tablets come is several sizes and flavors that support both PC and Mac. The smallest one is 4x5 and retails for about $99; while the largest one is 12x18 and is over $650. If you own a PC, you can save a little money by getting a PC-only version (serial connection) which is typically $100 less than the USB and Mac versions. Although expensive, Intuos tablets are of excellent quality. I have an older Intuos tablet at work that I've been using for the past 3 years - I've dropped it several times, spilled coffee on it, and I have dropped the pen countless times as well. But it still works just like when it was brand new. Recently, I needed to get another Intuos tablet for my home studio. I ended up spending $318 for the 6x8 tablet with USB connection. It was both large enough for drawing, yet small enough to fit on my desk. (I should have bought the tablet on the internet where I could have gotten it for under $300!)
As a final note, although Intuos tablets are easy to use, they do require some getting used to. Switching from a mouse to a pen can be tricky for some people (as it was for me). To tell you the truth, I use the Intuos tablet only for Photoshop and Painter. I still use a standard mouse for almost everything else. (You can have the Intuos tablet and a standard mouse connected to the PC at the same time.) The Intuos tablet probably won't replace your mouse entirely. At the very least, it will enhance your ability to draw on a computer by leaps and bounds. If you are a graphic artist or just want to draw on the computer better, an Intuos tablet should be considered an essential tool.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 318
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Epinions.com ID:
kyuushu
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Location: CA
Reviews written: 52
Trusted by: 4 members
About Me:
I'm an artist at a video game company who, besides games, also likes high-tech gadgets.
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