Does Anyone Just Use A Mouse To Draw?

[cowtrix]

A WACOM tabet is basically a must, espescially if you are a 2D artist. If you are serious about CG, it's a no-brainer.

[trekdanne]

Some people can draw better with the mouse than I will ever do with a tablet. However, a tablet does most certainly help quite a lot.

Vector-styled 2d should be easier than freehand drawing, I suppose. Though I really think you should invest in a tablet.

[Greenham]

I feared as much. Which brings me to my next question: How much am I looking at for a tablet and - more importantly - where can I get one? I noticed, cowtrix, you live in Australia too. Where'd you get yours? I don't suppose you can buy them in any of the 'normal' electronic stores.

I'll do some research of my own on the net, but it would be great to get some advice from people who know what they're talking about. :)

[Greenham]

To anyone else who finds themselves in the same predicament as me, I found the following posts/threads helpful:

Here's a list of Wacom products and prices (http://www.wacom.com.au/price/price.php#intuos3tablet) (Australian dollars, you'll have to navigate from there for other countries.) I found it helpful to refer to it while I read other user's comments.

Getting A Good Tablet Thread (http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=23&t=564235&highlight=buy+tablet)

advantages of Intuos3 over Bamboo Fun is:
- 1024 pressures on pen & eraser (512 for BF)
- more bigger sizes to choose from (there is a catch - the bigger your tablet, the thicker it is - BF is only 0.3" thick - if you go for the largest Intuos3 it is 1.4" THICKNESS!!! Smaller size tablet doesn't mean you can't draw bigger images, you can always zoom-in in photoshop to draw)
- optional add-on pen/ only applicable for intuos3 or Cintiq - those include artbrush / art pen / classic pen / ink pen (i believe you can program different photoshop tools to each different pen, but I can be wrong)
- supports TILT sensitivity that is only supported in intuos3 or Cintiq (you may not even need this feature, i believe its only supported in photoshop)

besides wacom...who else makes a less expensive table solution Thread (http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=2&t=543770&page=2&pp=15)

there is a Bamboo line and a Bamboo Fun line. The Bamboo Fun is the replacement for the Graphire4 line, and Bamboo is the one that is not meant for graphics use, it is only meant note-writing, signatures, etc

... 1) Bamboo - 512 pressure levels for pen, 2 levels for eraser (on/off), no bundled graphics software, only 1 size available (5.7" x 3.8"), pen-and-paper texture, 0.3" height. Widescreen support. Does NOT come with mouse. Same driver as bamboo fun but some features disabled for Bamboo.

2) Bamboo Fun - 512 pressure levels for pen, 512 pressure levels for eraser, bundled with photoshop elements, etc. 2 sizes available (5.7"x3.8", 8.5"x5.3"), pen-and-paper texture, 0.3" height. Widescreen support. Comes with Mouse.

3) Graphire4 - 512 pressure levels for pen, 512 pressure levels for eraser. Now discontinued and replaced by Bamboo Fun. Bundled with photoshop elements, etc. 2 sizes available (4"x5", 6"x8"). Slippery surface texture. 0.96" height. NO widescreen support. Acrylic overlay for tracing. Comes with Mouse.

4) Intuos3 - 1024 pressure levels for pen, 1024 pressure levels for eraser. Bundled with photoshop elements, etc. 6 sizes available (4x6, 6x8, 6x11, 9x12, 12x12, 12x19). Slippery surface texture. 0.51" - 1.4" height. Some widescreen models. Comes with mouse. Supports TILT sensitivity. Optional tools available i.e. Airbrush, art pen, ink pen, stroke pen, etc.

That being said. The small Bamboo fun is only $20 more than the Bamboo, with bundled graphics software and more sensitivity for the eraser, and a mouse. I also read a review about the difference 512 and 1024 pressure levels can make, which justifies the intuos3:
http://www.photoshopsupport.com/tools/wacom-intuos-jenn.html
(http://www.photoshopsupport.com/tools/wacom-intuos-jenn.html)The pen-and-paper texture seems attractive though... once again it depends what you want out of your tablet... also I couldn't find much information about dual-screen support, I know for sure the intuos3 has a button that allows u to switch monitors.

Although the above are the posts I found most helpful - coincidentally both by colesslaw - it's definately beneficial to read the threads in their entirity. There's a lot of other useful information on there that will help make up your mind when it comes to which tablet is best for your needs.

Hope this helps someone.

[dinodog-jr]

http://fiduciose.cgsociety.org/gallery/234058/

a young digital painter named Skan Srisuwan from Thailand used to be mouse-painter.

You will be amazed how he painted his complicated artwork. It still amazed me until today.
Anyway, he is wacom tablet user now.

Btw, Wacom Tablet is a saviour. Once you touch it, you will never get enough out of it.

Save your wrist for others routines.

[kayness]

use tablets! seriously. As every has already said it is a saviour - it creates works that are ten times better in a tenth of the time you use a mouse. But of course you can use a mouse - nobody ever said you can't - but you will need tons and tons of persistence and patience, something that most people don't have. and why do the hard way when you can do it the easy way? If you can't afford a tablet, save up and make it your no. 1 priorioty thing to get! And you will wonder how you could have ever worked with a mouse!

[Greenham]

Ok, after days of research and considering, I'm now the proud new owner of a Wacom Bamboo Fun Tablet (medium size). I'm just about the get it out of the box, but I had a little play arround with a set up one in the shop and it feels good. I don't know about the wireless mouse that comes with it, though; It felt a little small in my, admittedly larger than average, hand. Ah well, we'll see. I'll let you guys know how I find it after a couple of days of use.

[kayness]

congrats! hope you will make friends with your new tablet!

[Greenham]

Ok, I've had the chance to play arround with it a little both as a drawing tool and as a 'second mouse,' and it's quite clear it will take some getting used to. The mouse that comes with it seems a little too sensitive and jumpy and I'm not sure how to adjust it. So I might just keep my old mouse close by.

Also, I'm torn between the decision to have the pen set in 'pen mode' or 'mouse mode.' In pen mode, you have to move your hand a whole lot more to get the same movement and it feels odd to have to move the pen to the top left-hand corner of the tablet to get the top left-hand corner of the screen after being used to only having to move the mouse a few centimetres. However, I can't figure out what setting makes it easier to draw with - which is ultimately what I got it for. I'm interested to hear what some of you guys have it set on.

I also thought I should mention the two buttons on the pen itself. I never remember reading any mention of them in my days of research and so it was a pleasant surprise to find them there to take the place of the more common uses of the keyboard and right mouse button (programmable to your liking, of course.) It sometimes proves difficult to press them with your thumb without moving the pen itself, though. For example, I often placed the cursor over an icon on my taskbar and when I went to 'right-click' using one of the buttons, I accidentally moved the mouse a small amount and clicked the wrong icon. But, as I said, I bought it primarily as a drawing aid and I'm sure that is what it was designed for. And it seems to do that very well.

[silenceimpaired]

Well maybe it didn't save my life, but it changed a 2 hour drawing into a 30 min one, so it saved me 1 hour and 30 min. of my life.

I've only had it for a month. Love it. KEEP YOUR MOUSE IF

A) you aren't coordinated at all... some people have an issue adjusting to a Wacom tablet drawing on a pad and looking at a screen. - It took me 1 hour to adjust.
B) You can't save up the money - they are expensive, but on the flip side, try finding a used Wacom tablet -- they don't seem to lose their value much. - I gave up on saving up and used a credit card.
C) You have time to waste. - I live in America.

[Greenham]

Ok, after a few hours of using the tablet solely for drawing . . . I freaking love this thing! The adjustment period was much shorter than I expected and I'm getting instant, fantastic results. It really is a must for cg work.

[cattle]

I've got bamboo fun medium too. All i can say it's realy fun to paint with it, but needs time to get used to it especialy it's difficult to make horizontal strokes.

[zenmonkeycat]

I typically switch between my tablet and my mouse, using the tablet for painting and drawing, and the mouse for filters, vector work and other interface stuff. I've found that I tend to be more accurate pointing with my mouse, since it does even out some of my involuntary hand-quaking, but if I need to sketch or blend or do anything "artistic," my pen is just perfect.

One thing to keep in mind is that you might find yourself putting more pressure or strain on your hand than you would normally; I take more breaks and massage my wrist regularly if I'm using my tablet for extended periods. But that's good advice for computer use in general.

[iadagraca]

Heh, i'm the proud owner of an Aiptek 12000u a 12X9 tablet. at first it was weird but i came to love it! i only use a mouse when i'm doing vector work, but if its out lines i always use a mouse for the pressure sensitivity.

[Cnecktor]

I'm glad its all working out for you. A tablet is deffently better than a mouse. On my tablet I don't use the mouse at all its too slow on the surface, I use my normal mosue or the pen.

[iadagraca]

I'm glad its all working out for you. A tablet is deffently better than a mouse. On my tablet I don't use the mouse at all its too slow on the surface, I use my normal mosue or the pen.

Yeah same here...my mouse is just sitting in the deep dark reaches of a desk...

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