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AxiS · Posted: Wed Oct 27, 1999 10:29 pm

K Dhabih .. I'll set the scene:

AxiS is new to CG (but has been drawing since he was a kid). I don't have alot of money for equipment at the moment, I have a family to support, bills, rent etc etc ... anyways ... I wanted to pick up a tablet and bought one (heavenforbid) that wasn't a wacom tablet. The one I purchased only has 512 levels of sensitivity and prolly missing alot of other things that Wacom tablets have. So I start using it .. just sorta doodling and sketching .. trying to get a feel for it, but I find it's really difficult to draw decent lines/curves. I find the curves it produces are really jaggey and broken .. not very nice looking in general. In fact, I find it so hard to work with that I'm thinking that either I'm using it wrong or I just need to ditch the crappy tablet and save up and get a better one. I mean, seriously, from what I've seen done by other people with tablets it seems as though I should be getting much better results.

My question is:
Are tablets really that hard to use ? I've fiddled with the settings a thousand times over and still can't seem to get decent results. Are Wacom Tablets really the only decent ones ?

Thanks and sorry for the long post.

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- -AxiS- - - - -
Damnsh ... Gijdaw Ya Best be on da Lookout !

Dhabih · Posted: Thu Oct 28, 1999 12:16 am

Tablets take a little bit to get used to but once you get the hang of it, it'll be as easy as pencil and paper. From what you describe it seems that the problem isnt with how your using it but the tablet. One thing you may want to try is to see if any stores out there may have a wacom out on display thats on and working. Usually have these in bigger camera and video stores. That way you can make sure its the pad thats the problem so you dont shell out a bunch of money for nothing.

Jaggies shouldnt happen even if you are new to using a tablet. Anyone else have this experience with tablets that werent wacom?

-dhab

Shrimpish · Guest Member #

I didn't even know that there were other non-Wacom freehand tablets out there.
I heard about Genius or something like that, and ProCad, but those are for like handwriting or drafting. Hum...

Binke · Posted: Thu Oct 28, 1999 2:21 am

Well there is also a company named Calcomp, which sells tablets & digitzers for both gfx artists & AutoCAD users. For an example the Drawingboard III. Their webpage is located here: http://www.gtcocalcomp.com/calcompproducts/default.htm

I'm getting one of those, 12x12 size. Well I am not really buying it, im getting it as payment for some graphics/logos im doing for this guy

weeee

Shrimpish · Guest Member #

Holy s*it!
Those people got 44x60 tablets. That's insane. That'd be almost as tall as me when standing. WTF!

But, dood, they only have 256 levels of pressure, compared to the Intuos' 1024. That makes a huge difference. And the pen has a battery...

or cord...
It's your choice though... I couldn't draw on a 12x12. That's huge.

e s k i l · Posted: Thu Oct 28, 1999 6:41 am

I got a Genius 5x5 tablet with a cord. Except from the fact that it's not pressure sensitive, I'm quite happy with it. I reckon a Wacom tablet would have been much better, but I have never had the problems Axis is talking about.

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-eskil
http://cpx.nu
[email protected]

B · Posted: Thu Oct 28, 1999 12:52 pm

i've recently bought the calcomp tablet, and a wacom tablet, they both work well, but i prefer the Wacom because it does feel like the lines are smoother, they aren't jagged with the calcomp one, but they're just a little more clumped, and when working for hours on a piece of work, you realize the difference. no one else might notice, but the artist will.. i'll try to draw a few images in the next few days with both of these tablets, and see if I can show you the difference,. if you even would care to see?

b

Binke · Posted: Thu Oct 28, 1999 11:31 pm

Hmm..are you sure?
Does it make a big difference between 256 levels of pressure sensitivty & 1024?
I mean a big big difference..
i'v never used a tablet before, is it like, the harder you push with the pen, the darker are the strokes? (or like a analog joystick, the more u push it forward, the more you move forward in lets say, a game)
and higher sensitivity = higher accuracy?

Funfetus · Posted: Thu Oct 28, 1999 11:37 pm

Many people do fine with 256 levels of pressure. I've never used anything but an Intuos, so I can't speak from personal experience, but there ARE only 256 brightness levels in a 24-bit image, so I don't think it could be THAT horrible.

The pressure sensitivity can work several ways. You can usually set your strokes to vary their opacity, vary the width of a stroke (very useful for brush-style "inking") or vary the color, all according to the pressure of your strokes.

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Funfetus
iCE VGA Division
http://fetus.ice.org

Affected · Posted: Thu Oct 28, 1999 11:45 pm

Well, my Artpad II has 256 levels, and I've never even thought it could be a problem. So no, I have no problems with that.

SPike.CoM · Posted: Thu Oct 28, 1999 11:55 pm

Axis, try getting new drivers for your arttablet... I don't think the sensitivity measurement is the issue here. Might be a slight error. If nothing else works demand a new tablet from the store you got it (unless it's secondhand).

I had some problems with my tablet when I changed my OS from 95 to 98. Had to get me some new drivers.

Cheers!

Binke · Posted: Fri Oct 29, 1999 12:24 pm

ok got it Funfetus,

Yes I would indeed care to see, the difference! Please post your sketches!

God among Lice · Posted: Fri Oct 29, 1999 3:10 pm

Does anyone think maybe the amount of memory on the system could be a factor with the jagged tablet lines? Or the processor?

I haven't had any problems with smoothness with my wacom artpad II, but I know in a program like painter a complex brush won't be smooth if you don't have good enough system specs. The tablet may further complicate things.

Binke · Posted: Sat Oct 30, 1999 6:54 pm

I heard from an employed worker @ calcomp, and I asked him about the pressuring levels..and he said, that it was more of a marketing trick. He said photoshop can only handle 128 levels of pressure at this time..
so 1024levels of pressure is just overdoing it, (if you are not working in a program that supports it)
is this true?

Isaac Hayes · Posted: Mon Nov 01, 1999 5:49 pm

Well, in photoshop, there is an extent to the # of levels it can sense and actualy use. In most graphics programs to be exact. There's a limit on the # of shades to 24bit color/etc. But more levels of pressure is better if you are using a 3D application as your main use of your tablet. As I belive the more levels= the more you can manipulate the object around in space.

Brain · Posted: Mon Nov 01, 1999 9:45 pm

From reading over these posts, I have a shock for ya. I'm using an 18x12 Wintime Tablet. Cost me AU$300 odd, came with Pen, 6 button puck (like I use that tho), and NO PRESSURE SENSITIVITY! That's right, just pen down and draw! That'll give you nightmares kiddies...

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Brain
http://brain.gamekey.com/

Funfetus · Posted: Mon Nov 01, 1999 11:50 pm

Still better than a mouse.

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Funfetus
iCE VGA Division
http://www.funhousedigital.com

Andos · Posted: Tue Nov 02, 1999 2:39 am

Has everyone checked out the Wacom website and galleries? I reckon Dhab should submit some stuff and show them how to really do it!
www.wacom.de

From that link, go to the German website (not American) and go to the art gallery.

Andos

[This message has been edited by Andos (edited November 02, 1999).]