Wacom Intuos3 Tablet feedback

[njsigns]

Hey All,

I'm wondering if anyone is using a Wacom Intuos3 tablet? I've been drawing with a mouse for way too long and my wrist is shot. I'm thinking of purchasing a tablet to increase productivity and save my wrist. I'm also sick of the draw, scan, vectorize routine - can I draw and trace accurately? I think it would also be great to use something that actually works, looks, and feels like a pen in Photoshop as well. I've wanted a tablet since I became aware of them - am I justified in purchasing one?

I have a few questions for people actually using them.

What size would you recommend? I was eyeballing the 6"x8" but found the 9"x12" for a nominal price difference. Is 9"x12" overkill? I know I currently use about 4"x6" of my mousepad when drawing, but maybe that's why I have carpal tunnel?

I am also running dual monitors here - I have read some mixed info about people having issues with dual monitors, does anyone have any real experience with this? I am spanning my desktop across 2 screens, and resizing to one+ (I like my dockers/palettes on screen 2), will this effect the performance of the tablet?

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Gene

 

[mekazilla]

I tried one of the cheaper brands,it was at least 6x8 or bigger. It was terrible. I took it back and got a 4x6 wacom bamboo. I like the smaller one better for maneuvering around the screen. With the mouse on the tablet you can pick it up and move like a normal mouse. When you have the pen you have to go exactly to the edges of pad for stuff like menus.

 

[GK]

Hey All,

I'm wondering if anyone is using a Wacom Intuos3 tablet? I've been drawing with a mouse for way too long and my wrist is shot. I'm thinking of purchasing a tablet to increase productivity and save my wrist. I'm also sick of the draw, scan, vectorize routine - can I draw and trace accurately? I think it would also be great to use something that actually works, looks, and feels like a pen in Photoshop as well. I've wanted a tablet since I became aware of them - am I justified in purchasing one?

I have a few questions for people actually using them.

What size would you recommend? I was eyeballing the 6"x8" but found the 9"x12" for a nominal price difference. Is 9"x12" overkill? I know I currently use about 4"x6" of my mousepad when drawing, but maybe that's why I have carpal tunnel?

I am also running dual monitors here - I have read some mixed info about people having issues with dual monitors, does anyone have any real experience with this? I am spanning my desktop across 2 screens, and resizing to one+ (I like my dockers/palettes on screen 2), will this effect the performance of the tablet?

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Gene

Before I upgraded to a Cintiq 21UX I ran a Intuos3 9x12 on each of the design stations and they were excellent. The larger tablets are recommended for people who design with longer brush strokes as opposed to shorter ones. I could never go back to a mouse even if i wanted to. The one downfall was it took about a full month to really get a handle on the feel of the larger tablet (started with a 4x6) so the screen mapping was different. When I purchased the other pens and airbrush for them they also took some getting used to.

 

[woolly]

i have been using tablets for years but when i went duel screen the love affair ended. currently a 12x9 intruos, but over two screen I cant get used to the pen as i did over one screen. Mouse fine.
i haven't tried all the modes yet.
possibly the best i ever had was in the dos days a A3 tablet with a bomb sight mouse for digitizing artwork.

woolly

 

[3dsignco]

Never cared for the Pen tablet but then I bought the Cintiq.. I am in love with it.

 

[Air Art Girl]

love my Wacom!!! Well worth learning to use it and get comfortable.

 

[Former member]

I swear by the wacom. I use a 4x6. I hate using a regular mouse now. Buy it. It's worth every penny.
However I don't know what its like with dually monitors....

 

[njsigns]

Thanks for the replies!

I tried one of the cheaper brands,it was at least 6x8 or bigger. It was terrible. I took it back and got a 4x6 wacom bamboo. I like the smaller one better for maneuvering around the screen.

You know, I almost impulsively purchased one of these cheaper brands myself - today infact. I decided to research it before hitting "buy", and I'm glad I read some reviews first. I've looked at the Wacoms over the years and always decided I could get by without it. I knew that if I bought anything else, it would only be because of price, and I'd most likely be disappointed. So mekazilla - how do you like the Bamboo? Does it work well with many programs? Is it the Bamboo Fun version?

Blade - how do you like to 4x6? Is yours the Intuos 3? Do you wish it was bigger?

I ran a Intuos3 9x12 on each of the design stations and they were excellent. The larger tablets are recommended for people who design with longer brush strokes as opposed to shorter ones.

George, while I understand the concept of what you are saying here (I think) would you say the 9x12 in an absolute must, especially after using the 4x6 as well? I have been using a mouse, for a long time, in a small area to do all my on screen drawing - is there any added advantage to having an area that large to work on?

i have been using tablets for years but when i went duel screen the love affair ended. currently a 12x9 intruos, but over two screen I cant get used to the pen as i did over one screen.

woolly - could you tell me more about what caused the love affair to end? Why is the pen harder to use across 2 screens?

Never cared for the Pen tablet but then I bought the Cintiq.. I am in love with it.

What about it didn't you like?

but then I bought the Cintiq.. I am in love with it.

Before I upgraded to a Cintiq 21UX.

The Cintiq - I could have been easily talked into buying one of them this afternoon. I think it's a little more than I can handle right now. I'm just trying to make a logical (while economical and not so impulsive) decision.

Thanks again,
Gene

 

[njsigns]

bump

 

[Former member]

Mine's an intuos 3-
And I would'nt go any larger. I've tried the bigger tablets. I guess they would work if you were doing some expressive digital painting. Other wise they are overkill.
I think the 4x6 is perfect because I can cover the entire screen without moving my arm.... my wrist stays in the same place and acts as the pivot point. (I'm using a 24" monitor so that's a lot of territory to cover.)

 

[GB2]

I have the Intuos 3 PTZ-430, which apparently is the 4" x 5" model. I'm also using it with a 20" single monitor. Though I don't really use it much myself, I have toyed with it enough to know that if you make the committment to get used to it you can do some remarkable things that you cannot do any other way. My son chose the model that we have for ease of portability and for packing in a laptop case. If you'd like more info I'm sure he'd be happy to talk to you about it.

 

[vid]

Hey All,

I'm wondering if anyone is using a Wacom Intuos3 tablet? I've been drawing with a mouse for way too long and my wrist is shot. I'm thinking of purchasing a tablet to increase productivity and save my wrist. I'm also sick of the draw, scan, vectorize routine - can I draw and trace accurately? I think it would also be great to use something that actually works, looks, and feels like a pen in Photoshop as well. I've wanted a tablet since I became aware of them - am I justified in purchasing one?

YES! The the main reason i got one - Intuos 2/single 21" monitor - was to recover my right arm. My wrist was shot, elbow was tingling and had a walnut sized knot on my back from too many years of mouse illustration. It took me about 6-8 months to get the wrist back in shape and remove the knot in the back --- and about 3 months 'til I was comfortable using it over the mouse.

When you talk about drawing and tracing accurately, Are you wanting to slipsheet your sketch on your pad and draw there, or on the monitor? I've tried the slip sheeting a couple times for simple art. But for the most part, I still scan and trace in Illustrator --- which is still oodles easier and faster than with a mouse. I use a lot of the keystrokes w/the left hand and draw w/the right... I haven't bothered to figure out to draw in Corel, so I don't know if I be happy with it in that program. Corel seems cumbersome to do much illustration work for me.

Mine is old and needs replacing - w/BladeGraphics comments about the smaller one, I'll explore that size when I buy.

Just get any one ...and commit to using it till you learn it. Your arm will love you for it!

 

[woolly]

Quote:
Originally Posted by woolly
i have been using tablets for years but when i went duel screen the love affair ended. currently a 12x9 intruos, but over two screen I cant get used to the pen as i did over one screen.

woolly - could you tell me more about what caused the love affair to end? Why is the pen harder to use across 2 screens?


the movement ratio is all wrong, over one screen its perfect.