Mouse vs. tablet

I downloaded the proper drivers from Wacom.com site - so everything is fine now. When I get some practice in I will generate a map and post it here.

GP

Okay, so I'm interested in getting a tablet, and am looking for recommendations. I'm sure there are some somewhere in this thread, but I'm not going to go digging through 32 pages for suggestions.

The Bamboo Fun seems to be about what I'm looking for.

I figured I'd see if anyone knew much about this product, or if they have suggestions for other tablets in the same price range.

That's a good entry-level tablet and should suffice for just about everything you need until you become a professional digital artist.

I asked for the modest Bamboo Fun for Christmas, but my kids got together and bought me the Intuos 3. I've never been so glad my kids don't listen to me. I lovelovelove it.

I'm not sure whether I've replied to this thread once already, but if you're looking for an entry-level tablet, I would be relatively happy to suggest something like an Aptic HyperPen. Not high-class stuff like the Wacoms, but honestly, I find it hard to believe that the difference could be that great. HyperPens have mechanical stencils (using batteries), and if you're using a CRT you'd better keep it some distance away (as I discovered when I thought mine was starting to malfunction), but, as far as I can, the resolution and pressure sensitivity are Good Enough For Me.

Of course, I'm not a full-time artist or drafter. Hardly ever use it, too.

About a hundred euros for an A4 tablet.

Just going to throw my two cents in:

I have both Cintiq models, as well as an Intuos3, a Bamboo Fun, and an older Graphire. I use the Cintiqs almost exclusively. There's a number of things I've learned.

First -- All of them are good. Not a single one of them would limit me in my cartography work, which is the only reason I have purchased them.

Second -- Smaller can be better, at least for some people. I found that getting too large a surface resulted in more hand and arm movement than I preferred for drawing lines (the majority of my work). There are ways to alleviate this, but since smaller also means cheaper, I'll again emphasize that smaller is perfectly functional.

Third -- Relative positioning is better for fine line work than Absolute positioning. It's also better for smaller tablets. Relative positioning means you can put your pen back on the tablet anywhere and it will still be at the point your cursor last was on the screen.

Fourth -- The smaller Cintiq is better than the larger Cintiq, at least for some people. If you're going to go luxury, you can do it for half the price by getting the 12wx instead of the 21ux. I do all of my line work on the smaller Cintiq and use the larger one as my palette/tools/etc. The problem is that the 21ux has a massive base that makes it hard to use without a specialized table, whereas the 12wx is super-thin, like other tablets, and can be placed any way you want and rotated much more easily. I wish I had known this before making the initial investment in the 21.

Finally -- Any tablet is better than no tablet! Tablet is always better than mouse for any serious work. Even the cheapest WACOM tablets are game-changing and incredible.

Wow. You have *both* Cintiqs? Where do you live and when are you planning on being out of town for a couple of days? ;)
M

I'm thinking about taking the plunge and picking up a Bamboo Fun. I think my next couple commissions will have to be saved for one. I just can't justify spending the extra for an Intuos4. I figure I will just learn on the bamboo--if I ever feel like I hit a ceiling on it, I can always upgrade later.

When you do upgrade I highly recommend the Intuos4...but get yourself some extra nibs because they go quickly.
M

Are the Intuos4 nibs softer than the Intuos3's? I've had my tablet for about two and half years now, with both my wife and I using it regularly, and our first nib still appears to be in fine shape.