Preserved Topic: The Wacom FAQ

This has to be done.

Lately I've been seeing a lot of good stuff floating around this forum, which is great. But something has been bothering me. Everytime someone posts something that others like, they always get asked the question "Do you have a Wacom?" which is usually followed up by "You do? Oh man, I can't wait until I get one!". This annoys me to no end.

Let me straighten something out for the tabletless inmates who fall into the aforementioned category: A tablet will not, I repeat, will NOT give you special drawing abilities. Chances are that if you couldn't draw well before, you're not going to start doing so if you purchase a tablet. It's not a magic wand, it's just a pen - like a regular ballpoint pen...

Obviously this isn't going to stop people from getting a tablet if they really want one - and that's not what I'm trying to do. But if you think that you're instantly going to start making pretty pictures because you've bought a tablet, I hate to burst your bubble... Well that's a lie, I enjoy bursting your bubble, hence this post.

Bah...

I'd like to say that I have a small Wacom and while it has proved worth its weight in gold - I am still a really awful artist.

If you can't draw on paper with a pen or pencil you will struggle to make a Wacom produce great art

___________________
Emps

FAQs: Emperor

Synax: Do you have a Wacom? If so I can't wait until I get one!, buahahah!!!

No really...

I'm getting one for charismas though. I don't really have great drawing skills but I aim to improve that with pen & paper, books on drawing and a shit load of practice. Then play with wacom . If it works, it works, if not then I'll keep it just for fun,basic sketching out ideas and rainy days

But synax is right about it won?t give you special drawing abilities. It will give you a pen, tablet and maybe some software to play with, the rest is up to you!!!!

Still my trusty mouse and manip skills will keep me going

COPEY

BTW, it's come to my attention that I sound pretty condescending in my post and that wasn't my intention. I'm just tired of hearing "when I get a tablet I will draw better".

I agree totally, synax.

But for those who can handle pen and paper decently, the wacom makes it a bit easier than working with a mouse imho.

Even so, the last time I tried a wacom it turned out to be mostly frustrating since it still isn't like using an ordinary pen.

Mebbe that's why I've had a ancient Wacom II lying around for 2 months, w/o installing it yet...



[This message has been edited by Nimraw (edited 11-10-2002).]

ok, i figured that i would weigh in on this too. I have a wacom intuos 2 6x8. I've had it since last xmas and i love it. BUT, i absolutely hated it at first. I could draw on paper, but i couldn't draw a damn thing with the wacom for a long time for several reasons: First, the friction between the wacom pad and stylus is very different than that of a pencil and paper. This caused alot of problems for me at first. However, even after adjusting to that, another thing that threw me for a loop is that you can't angle to pad the way you angle a piece of paper. It just doesn't work the same way. Your strokes won't come out the way you want them too. The third road block, which i'm still trying to get by is that PS (or whatever other program) is a tool. And as such, you have to learn to use it properly. A pressure sensitive pad with a stylus does not mean that PS will act like a pencil on paper, or oil paints, or any other medium. It takes time to learn to make the pad and the PS painting engine interact to produce the type of stoke you're looking for.

so, to sum that all up, like many people have said above - A pad isn't going to instantly make you a good drawer/painter. In addition, if you already are a good artist, you're not going to be making masterpieces right away. It takes time to adjust to any new medium, and PS, even with a stylus, is no different. I will say though, that after 10 months of practice even though i've far from mastered it, i would be lost without my wacom.


 

[This message has been edited by sharma (edited 11-11-2002).]

synax, you're right, it won't give you special drawaing abilities but don't forget about the pressure sensitive pens...you can configure them, so that they really can help you with some other work.
but that's not the reason why buying a wacom, so i agree with you

-THE SPACE-

But if wacom isn't a magic wand... what is the one l33t technique or piece of hardware I have to have to be super cool and impress the ladies?

mmm... magic wand... hehe




It's only after we've lost everything...
That we're free to do anything...

It seems the common expectation with the tablets are that you will get one and suddenly be producing art that will instantly be top-favorites on deviantART (TM). Highly unlikely. Even if you are a great pencil artist, you will still find sketching your designs difficult and frustrating when using a wacom (in the beginning). As said before, this has a lot to do with simply becoming comfortable with the hardware as well as your painting program. I use painter 7 for the majority of my computer art, and even using painters supplied pencil tool, in the beginning I could not get it to look anything like a pencil drawing. In fact, in the beginning it is easiest to scan in images and then use the tablet to paint onto them and manipulate them after the line/ink drawing is finished.

So someone might be asking, with all these obstacles, why are tablets so popular among professional artists? The answer beyond the fact that drawing with a mouse is like drawing with a rock is that they do provide a similar approach to pen/paper/brushing that is simply not available any other way. They do provide a higher degree of precission and quality once you are comfortable with them. Immediately after buying one, you will notice some things are easier. For example, writing words, fancy lettering, scribbles, swirls, anything that requires loose flowing movement has a much greater appeal.

I recomend the Wacom intuos2 tablet, personal bias of course.

I have a mouse.

I used to have only a mouse.

I painted with it.

I now have a wacom.

I can paint with my wacom... Its all I use to paint with.

I can not paint with my mouse... I never practice with it.

So.... kidds, I think we hit on an important word today. Practice. It starts with a P and ends with an E.

like eh... pee?

Nevermind.

SO it seems that I lost skill in one area and gained it in another area.


                                     

[This message has been edited by eyezaer (edited 11-11-2002).]

[This message has been edited by eyezaer (edited 11-11-2002).]

No izzy, you were on the right track. The more you pee, the better you get.

lmao^^... i cant comment truly because... "dreaded words here: im getting one soon".. but i do consider myself dcent on paper and hate the restrictions a mouse puts on those highly accustomed to doodling in class all day

::Chudzta's Personal Page::

paper is hard to beat, sharma covered it pretty good. I still can't use the Wacom like I'd like, like I can use paper and pencils. It takes an extremely long time for me to get realist quality with a Wacom, I find I can work much faster if I do a pencil drawing, scan it in then paint it with the Wacom. I can paint much better with Wacom/Photoshop than I ever could with oils.

Pretty cool overall, beats the living daylights out of a mouse

Jason