25 replies to this topic

[Amy Rose]

I'm looking to buy a graphics tablet in the next couple of weeks. Was just wondering which ones people would recommend and if there's any that I should avoid like the plague.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Icachan]

Moving this to the Off Topic creative section, since it's not really about NiGHTS.

As for graphic tablets, if you're looking for a cheap alternative to Wacom I can recommend Trust. I've had mine for almost two years now and have been using it very frequently. Their customer support is great as well, I had problems with the pen and they just sent me a new one free of charge. :3

It's probably not as good as a Wacom, but if you're just starting out it might be a good idea to try it out.

[TRiPPY]

Trust? wahahahaha oh man that was my last tablet >_> It would go crazy even when the batteries were fine, like 500 clicks a second accidentaly deleting my folders etc etc.

GET A TABLET THAT REQUIRES NO PEN BATTERIES.

And that has a sturdy power wire (preferably detachable)

The death of most tablets is wire snappage.

I'm on my 3rd now a Wacom bamboo and i adore it. No problems so far apart from accidentaly grabbing the top buttons from time to time.

[Amy Rose]

Thanks for the advice guys! (sorry for posting in the wrong section *blushes*)
I have heard that Wacom are the best, but they are expensive. Maybe I will be able to find one on special offer somewhere
If not, I might give the Trust a go!

[KiloTango]

I used a trust for a while as a stand in for my old tablet and really didn't like it. There were batteries to contend with, the pen was really chunky and not especially comfortable, and the resolution and pressure sensitivity just wasn't good.

If you want a cheaper option but keeping Wacom quality, Wacom have just brought out a new range called 'Bamboo' which is cheaper than the graphire and intuos series and could be a really good place to start.

Also, you don't NEED an a4, or even really an a5 when you're starting out. I began with an a6 UC-Logic 'Super Pen', and then switched to an a5 Intuos 3 when I was ready to invest in something a bit pricier. The superpen site looks a bit dodgy, but I bought mine in a shop, it did me fine for years and was fairly cheap.

But yeah, at the moment Wacom make 3 main ranges that are use for artists. The Graphire, which is their general range, the Intuos which is more expensive but with better resolution and some more features (as it as tilt control senstivity as well as pressure) and the Bamboo which is cheaper and more entry level. It sounds like the Bamboo might be what you're after.

[Mitsuu]

My Bamboo is pretty good, so I'd listen to the above peoples.

[Amy Rose]

There's money off the Bamboo at my local PC world and my brother has ofered to buy me one! Yay!!!!!

[TRiPPY]

Congrats Try get the black one, it's sleeeeeeeeeeeek ;D We can be tablet twins lol.

[ayamemaiden]

Do said Bamboo tablets come with image editing?

[Wrenreele]

I got a bamboo today, as a matter of fact. Mine is nice; comes with Photoshop, Corel and Nik (not sure what that is yet.) A new wireless mouse that only works on the tablet, several tip refills, and the pen is nice and cosey for the hand. And it's black. (tablet twins with Lynne!) For 99.99 USD. I say it's a really good buy, since Photoshop Elements alone costs 80 USD, but comes with the tablet.

[TRiPPY]

ROMG come join mah posse

Bamboo is nice, it's not all clunky and the pen feels decent.
Plus its shiny black like something out of startrek. I use a tiny one for my art and it works just fine :3 One day I'm gonna win the lottery and buy one of those massive ones that crush yer legs.

[Nickbot]

Mmmm... Leg crushing art goodness. You know I approve!

As for me, I was going to look into Wacom though I've heard Bamboo is not bad at all. I have yet to find one around here and don't feel like doing shipping work. I'm a lazy lazy man these days.

[ayamemaiden]

I got a bamboo today, as a matter of fact. Mine is nice; comes with Photoshop, Corel and Nik (not sure what that is yet.) A new wireless mouse that only works on the tablet, several tip refills, and the pen is nice and cosey for the hand. And it's black. (tablet twins with Lynne!) For 99.99 USD. I say it's a really good buy, since Photoshop Elements alone costs 80 USD, but comes with the tablet.

YESSSSSSS. Thank you!

[Mitsuu]

My Bamboo is silver and blue, but now I want a black one...

Ah well, I'm in love with the pulsating blue light.

Edit- Mine isn't black because it's the Bamboo Fun.

[viperxmns]

I currently use a Wacom Graphire 3

My first tablet was a JamStudio.. a corded tablet from a company no longer in business. That tablet has since completely kicked the bucket. My lovely Wacom was a vast improvement.

[KiloTango]

As for me, I was going to look into Wacom though I've heard Bamboo is not bad at all

Bamboo IS Wacom. It's just the name of one of their ranges.

[Maki Izumii]

There's really no other choice when it comes to tablets except wacom - a lot of other pen tablets are made as secondary pointing devices (so, mouse alternatives, really), and not art tools. I myself have an A5 Intuos3, which I've had for like, 4 years now. I love it to pieces! I started out on an A6 Graphire3, lovely little tablet, very nice for a 'my first tablet'.
I havn't had much experience with their Bamboo range, but I've heard some pretty sweet things regarding them, so definitely look into those.

*continues DROOLING over cintiqs* and OH GOD, IT RAINING. I MUST GO OUTSIDE (we havn't had rain in like, A MONTH. DROUGHTS SUCK)

[TRiPPY]

XD thats a funny mental image Kas.

[Maki Izumii]

Oh god THERE IS A STORM OUTSIDE! WITH REAL LIGHTNING! and apparently it's gonna be raining all week WOO! =D

*ahem*

Also, the learning curve on a tablet is quite steep so it WILL take a while to get used to, so don't get disheartened

[KiloTango]

I tried not to mention cintiqs because it would only make us all sad we don't have them.

[Amy Rose]

I got mine today! I got a Bamboo fun (Twas on special offer)
Can anyone recommend any techniques to help get used to using it? I know it's going to take a long time to get used to it and the keyword is practice, but was wondering if there were any tips that maybe helped you lot get aquainted with yours.

[Mitsuu]

Yea, don't turn it sideways because it'll go wacky on you, just practice drawing horizontal lines. Other than that, there really aren't any tips I can think of.

[Nightingale]

I currently use a Wacom Graphire 3

Tablet twins~ *cling*

As for tips, I remember finding a tutorial that had exercises like drawing an S-shape with a huge brush, then choosing a smaller brush and trying to trace inside the original shape, but I can't find it now. ^^;

[Amy Rose]

Found this tutorial which I've been practicing with for a couple of days. It covers lots of different strokes.
http://www.dustyghos...tablet_tut.html
It's already getting a little easier, but then I was on it for about 3 hours last night

[cherrycat]

I'm looking to buy a graphics tablet in the next couple of weeks. Was just wondering which ones people would recommend and if there's any that I should avoid like the plague.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

The bamboo fun might be a good choice. Wacom always makes the best brand
The bamboo fun is an artist tablet made just for photoshop and other art programs.
It comes with adobe photoshop 5.0 which I personally thing is better then the other program which I completely forgot the name.

It's handy and my papa says that it works well with windows vista.

If you'd like to see more check out the site here!
http://www.wacom.com...t/bamboofun.cfm

[KiloTango]

That tablet tutorial is very good. The main thing that will throw you off at first for a while is not looking at what your hand is doing, but at the screen instead. And, as mentioned, the posture. (When I draw on paper it's usually on my lap. When I work with my tablet it's to my right and higher up. Which is very different.)

And Photoshop is a great program. It has quite a learning curve, especially in later versions which are PACKED with features *hugs her copy of CS3* but it's worth the time you put in and you can get some stunning work with it.