What is the benefit of working with a graphic tablet ?
Written for and first published in Practical Photoshop
A graphics tablet has also been the pro choice, but now increasingly common in home studio as well with people just wanting an intuitive input device.
As a first time user, there is a learning curve as you get the hand eye co-ordination together, but once sorted, you will be working faster than ever. These days the idea of using a chunky sluggish mouse or even a track pad is near a nightmare for anyone who has ever used the free-flowing, free movements that a graphics tablet enables. Bamboo tablets are great for travel and the Cintiq 24HD tablets are aimed at high end studios from CAD to Illustration studios through to photographic retouchers. Wacom have a great range of nibs & pens give you fine control over the roll and pitch of the input, combining this is the legendary pressure sensitivity control means you have total control. Oh.. did I mention you can have a touch pad version and wireless ??
Tablet – the short quick term to refer to a flat device giving a ‘Pen & Paper’ style input method over a mouse or tack-pad input device. Some tablets can use used with your fingers as a touch device and some using an put device like a digital stylus
Pressure sensitivity- Unlike a simple click on or off, most tablets can measure the smallest amount of pressure giving great control. But can also give pitch and roll inputs for great brush control. Controls can be adjusted to suit your style of work.
Art Pens- Wacom offer a range of different pens to aid different work-flow’s and styles. Each of the different pens have different attributes such as different brush shapes which be great for getting effects on to the computer for digital artists.
Might not work for everyone, but placing a soft gel strip under the top of the tablet can raise the angle giving a great angle to draw on while giving a tiny extra bit of feedback. I find this helps to when using the pressure effects on the pen and is super comfy to use.
Getting used to your tablet.
There are a couple of ways to get started with your tablet. Setting it up can be quite important. There is also many many options you can customise. The only real option you need to ensure you have under control is the mode of the Tablet. Make sure it is on PEN mode and not MOUSE mode. This is all about how mapping of the screen to the tablet. PEN mode will be tricky to start with as it basically ‘maps’ the screen on the tablet. Meaning, the Start button will ALWAYS be on the very bottom left of the tablet on a PC for example. Take this idea forward and one you place your tool boxes in Photoshop where you want them, save the the workspace and your tools now are ‘mapped’ on the tablet. Click in the space on the tablet and you the get same spot on the screen every-time. This can take a bit of getting used to at the start, but just hide the mouse for a day, turn off the track-pad and never look back
Graphics tablets are great for just about everything, but when working with programs like Photoshop is really the heart of the tablet. 2,048 levels of pressure mean you can get exactly what you want, every time you want. Many of the tools are pressure sensitive now. We all know about the brush tools and stamp and clone tools, but pretty much every element of these tools can not be shaped via the pressure switch used. If you really want a super slick work-flow, why not program the buttons on the tablet to run actions or change tools? The touch ring comes preset to change brush size, zoom, rotate and other simple functions, but you can customize almost every setting on the tablet. Don’t forget about the fact you have the top eraser on the top of the pen too. The range of pen nibs can really make a difference when using the different brushes. Try playing with them to see which you like the best.
Customising your settings
There is an endless amount of custom settings when you go into the options and setup program that comes on the Wacom Install CD. Your tablet will work with installing these programs but it is really not going to be working the best it can do without them. Install the programs and have an afternoon getting to know your tablet. Play about drawing with the brushes and work out what sort of pressure you like to use. If you are heavy handed you light like quite a stiff nib with harder pressure settings. If you have light soft touch, having the opposite settings might be good for you. The game here is to have the tablet working for you and not against you. It is well worth some time spent in the options.
