Graphic Tablet, is good to use?

**dragaodepapel** · #1 10-06-2008, 04:54 PM

I'm thinking to buy a graphic tablet to help on making the details of my models. The mouse is giving some headaches.

Anyone here uses a tablet? It's good to use?

I need some "reviews" before spending money in one

**TheWebdude** · #2 10-06-2008, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dragaodepapel

I'm thinking to buy a graphic tablet to help on making the details of my models. The mouse is giving some headaches.

Anyone here uses a tablet? It's good to use?

I need some "reviews" before spending money in one

Hi Rashi!

I've had a Wacom for about 7 years now. I find it extremely useful in Photoshop and Illustrator.

**Golden Bear** · #3 10-07-2008, 09:37 AM

I actually did all my CAD with a tablet for about my first 10 years. I found it to be easier and faster to use than a completely mouse based system. Of course, this was based on having as overlay on the pad so that almost all commands could be accessed with the stylus. My preference was for a stylus with a clicker on the side rather than the kind that you need to press down on to trigger an action. I found that the press down kind not only ruined the overlay quickly but was not as accurate... plus it wore out my hand over time.

Carl

**contourcreative** · #4 10-07-2008, 04:26 PM

Hi

If you do a lot of design (more than 8 hours a day every day!) a pen and tablet will help prevent RSI and your mouse will be consigned to a drawer. We use tablets on all our computers as we do a lot of illustration as well. The other thing I would recommend is a wrist or arm support as you develop RSI's in your shoulder even with a pen. Make sure you get one with an adjustable, articulated arm which can just be clamped on to your desk.

If you intend to be designing for the rest of your life it is well worth the investment. The aging process does have an impact on the body. The other things to consider are your seating and it pays to have an angled footrest (for leg ligaments), an adjustable chair with good back support.

Also try and take short breaks of five minutes every half hour or so and walk around; harass the cat, make a cup of tea, or go for a walk outside. Work out a little exercise routine and finally make sure your screen setting is set to 'professional' to minimise eye strain.

**Golden Bear** · #5 10-07-2008, 04:31 PM

Well written, Terry. As somebody who has had surgery in his right shoulder and therapy for pain in the left - and incipient carpal tunnel - taking care of your body with a good working station and frequent breaks is advice well followed. It's always good to have reminders of this!

Carl

**contourcreative** · #6 10-07-2008, 05:26 PM

Hi Carl

(Love the HMS Victoria BTW - beautiful work)..Hey sorry to hear about the arm etc...but perhaps not as bad 2 months of chemo, radiotherapy and an APR resection (I'll leave you to google that). Sitting down has only just become a feature of my life again :-) so Rosie has been working solo for well over a year.

Some of us design a lot more than others and as you know when designing it is very easy to ignore the messages from our all too mortal bodies as you get absorbed into the creative task to hand (as it were!).

Actually the same applies to making up models and I'm going to put a little more on ideal bench height for making models in our general instructions. A LOT of modelers have their work space far too LOW and after a couple of hours of cutting and construction you can get exhausted, sore and nauseous. So lower your chair and put some books under your cutting mat...your body will thank you for it and you can get a lot more work done!

**dragaodepapel** · #7 10-07-2008, 06:54 PM

Great tips, Terry!

I need to take care of these points, or my headaches will increase.

I'm looking the models of tablets available here.

I really need one. I'm loosing a lot of time when I draw with the mouse, because I need to make the same draw two, three, four times to archieve a good result.

Thanxs for the help, boys!

**Barry** · #8 10-07-2008, 07:01 PM

Whatever you do try and get a demo of the tablet of your choice. I have one a cheapo Wacom which i find very difficult to use especially in Photoshop 7 it does not seem to interact correctly. For example it limits the size of a circle. This may well be my fault in setting it up.

Also I have to keep changing to the keyboard for too many things.

**Stev0** · #9 10-09-2008, 09:03 PM

I have a Wacom Bamboo. The only issue I am having is with my dual monitors. Imagine my small tablet area spanning 2 x 22" monitors. One small move and whoosh the cursor is accross the screen.

**Lex** · #10 10-10-2008, 07:00 PM

I recently acquired one, but have to say that their effectiveness depends on what you use them for. I find my tablet very handy for art drawing in Photoshop etc (I have tried other programs like OpenCanvas or Sai, with similar results), but less useful if there is something accurate like detailing that you have to do. After all, we have Paths to work with, and that offers much better control than a tablet.