The Gamer's Quarter

friedchicken · . Joined: 16 Mar 2005 Posts: 496 Location: Port Land, OR

So yeah, if anyone wants to talk about software and/or graphics tablets...

Is Wacom the only decent manufacturer of tablets? They seem to be the one name that keeps coming up when I look around. Now if I could only decide between the lower trim level Graphire and the slightly nicer Intuos. Not sure if it's worth almost double the price.

Lestrade

friedchicken · . Joined: 16 Mar 2005 Posts: 496 Location: Port Land, OR

Well... my wife has been writing and I have been producing the art for a comic book project that includes both Web and print portions (which I'll link to when I get up the nerve-- I swear!), with the hope of actually selling it to real live human beings one day. I was hoping to primarily clean up and color my scanned work a little more easily than I can with a mouse, but I also wanted to experiment a little bit with actually putting together art using a tablet/software combo-- Painter is SO amazingly versatile, much more than Illustrator, which I've used for years for other purposes.

So, I both don't want to blow a ton of money on something that I won't use much and don't want to get something so cheap and shlocky that it will color my opinion of tablets in general.

Since you have the 4X5 size, can you comment on how that translates to larger works?

sawtooth · . Joined: 02 Nov 2005 Posts: 419

An intuos is probably only worth the money once you get to the larger sizes. They are very, very nice, though. Aiptek makes tablets too, but I hear they have problems sometimes. Wacom is the one with highest compatibility, too.

Tell us what you're going to do with it, though. vector/raster/lineart/coloring/"signing your name to digital documents"(this is one of the main selling points of aiptek tablets, for some reason): it has a lot to do with what tablet you end up getting.

edit: beaten by seconds!

You'd probably do well with a smaller/smallest wacom graphire. Coloring with a tablet is pretty forgiving.

A smaller tablet is just fine if you stay zoomed in/lose to 100% most of the time. If you scan work in at least 300-400 dpi, you have a lot of room to work with, detail-wise. Working on a 300 dpi picture, I started out at 16.67% to do basic sketching and filling in colors, worked in 50% for shading and highlights, and 100-200% for details.

double edit: Niklas Janson has a great art tutorial on his site that works really well with tablets, in my experience.

dessgeega · Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 5:20 am Post subject:

friedchicken · . Joined: 16 Mar 2005 Posts: 496 Location: Port Land, OR

dessgeega · Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 8:13 am Post subject:

let me ask all the tablet people: as someone who is not a professional artist, and would likely not be using her tablet to produce any income - is there a reliable drawing tablet i would be able to afford? i have always wanted one, but they're way expensive for someone who doesn't actually need one for work-related purposes.
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friedchicken · . Joined: 16 Mar 2005 Posts: 496 Location: Port Land, OR

I have one of these, and I've been nothing but happy with it. It was $99 and worth every penny. It's only when they get larger that they start to get expensive. The Graphire is the 'amateur' version, while the Intuos is the fancier 'professional' one.

Oh, and it's very easy to pick up and use, and comes with a pen, as well as a wireless, battery-less mouse that I actually use for browsing, etc., since it doesn't have the wakeup time that my normal Microsoft one does.

Lackey · . Joined: 11 Jul 2005 Posts: 1107 Location: Canada

dessgeega · Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2006 9:25 am Post subject:

sawtooth · . Joined: 02 Nov 2005 Posts: 419

Yeah, you should be able to use the two together. The tablet works the same as a mouse in that it's used across the entire system. Programs need to be specialized to take advantage of specific features in them, though, if you want to use things like pressure sensitivity.

I just looked into it, and it has pressure capability.

So yeah, you should be good to go.

dessgeega · Posted: Sun Mar 05, 2006 7:42 am Post subject:

well, i ordered it. shipping was free (or a flat rate, rather) so i went with 2nd day air. (i didn't go with next day because i don't need it urgently enough to get someone out of bed in the middle of the night.)

anyway, you know what this means. autobiographical comics comin' atcha soon!
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friedchicken · . Joined: 16 Mar 2005 Posts: 496 Location: Port Land, OR

Great! Let me know how you like it. I think you'll be pretty happy.

Maybe I'll share my creative output soon too. But I've got to get the website in better order.

sawtooth · . Joined: 02 Nov 2005 Posts: 419

Awesome! I can't wait.

I think everyone chooses 2nd Day Air. I did too.

Persona-sama · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 3:42 pm Post subject:

Let's use this thread to post pictures drawn with tablets!

Yes!
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sawtooth · . Joined: 02 Nov 2005 Posts: 419

I'll start with a detail of something I stopped working on because the composition sucked and the stylization was boring:

I liked how the coloring was, though!

dark steve · . Joined: 17 Jun 2005 Posts: 1110

I like the two uppermost arms!

Persona-sama · Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 4:21 pm Post subject:

I like the color choice for your picture, Sawtooth. Color is a very dear and precious thing that needs to be spread throughout the world!!

As for me, here's a picture you've all seen before: my Metal Gear Valentine!

I just like Snake's expression. :D
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dessgeega · Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 8:48 pm Post subject:

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Persona-sama · Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 8:55 pm Post subject:

Did you get used to the tablet yet?

It took me like a year of playing with it to get used to it.
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dessgeega · Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 9:01 pm Post subject:

Kinuko · . Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 66

Using a tablet took me a while, I think. I would always have it crooked and wonder why my lines weren't coming out straight. Once you do get used to them though, they're wonderful. Not quite as nice as a real pencil, but close enough for me.

I have an 6x8 Intuos3 though. It is very lovely!

Persona-sama · Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 9:06 pm Post subject:

Psiga once told me that he used to put paper between the tablet and pen in order to recreate that pencil-y feeling of drawing.

I prefer having that smooth texture of no resistance on my tablet pen. I mean, it's so ephemeral and distinctively not-natural that it's great!
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Kinuko · . Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 66

That feeling bugged me for a while, but I got used to it. You can change nibs with the Intuos pen though. It comes with a softer, rougher plastic that I really liked when I played with someone else's pen, but I have yet to change my own pen nib. I am too lazy.

dessgeega · Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 9:15 pm Post subject:

i find it thrilling that my pen has an eraser, and using it will automatically select the "erase" tool in paint shop pro.
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dessgeega · Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 9:39 pm Post subject:

magic wish fish!

i think i'm getting better at this.
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dessgeega · Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 10:08 pm Post subject:

okay, i'm gonna stop now.
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sawtooth · . Joined: 02 Nov 2005 Posts: 419

have you tried using the pressure sensitivity yet? That's the whole "oh god i'm so glad i purchased this" moment for me.

Putting paper on top of a tablet is kind of weird. Well, it does bring back the feel, but tablet and drawing regularly are still different things.

And it took me about 6 months to get completely used to my tablet. I credit oekaki boards for the fast turnaround.

friedchicken · . Joined: 16 Mar 2005 Posts: 496 Location: Port Land, OR

Hey, I'm glad it's working out well, Dess! I'll show some of my stuff soon, I just need to decide on where I can upload it to.

I'm still getting used to using it, and I'll often still hand draw something, scan it, and shade it or or otherwise mess with it using the tablet. I guess that keeps me from being hardcore, huh? Oh well.

Lackey · . Joined: 11 Jul 2005 Posts: 1107 Location: Canada

Mine has dust on it : (

I should rememdy this situation.
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| Little bird fighting against a bat sect game |

dessgeega · Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 10:41 am Post subject:

ApM · Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2006 11:09 am Post subject:

Yeah, you guys suckered me into blowing my birthday money on this thing.

sawtooth · . Joined: 02 Nov 2005 Posts: 419

Awesome! It's like a club now!

dessgeega · Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2006 8:46 pm Post subject:

magic wish fish.

the "i am playing around with different brush options" version. ah, if only i had some technical skills i would be unstoppable!
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friedchicken · . Joined: 16 Mar 2005 Posts: 496 Location: Port Land, OR

Okay. I finally had a chance. I'm thinking I might add some color at some point.

Beat from JSRF.

Persona-sama · Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2006 10:10 pm Post subject:

Perspectiiiiiiiivveeeeeeeee!!!

Yeah, throw some color down on that sucker. Make it FUNKY!
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dessgeega · Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2006 6:17 pm Post subject:

red skies in games!
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sawtooth · . Joined: 02 Nov 2005 Posts: 419

that bent pixelly font is absolutely gorgeous.
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dessgeega · Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2006 7:18 pm Post subject:

thanks!

it's, uh, not a font!
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Persona-sama · Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2006 9:42 pm Post subject:

Well then, it SHOULD be!!
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dessgeega · Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2006 10:06 pm Post subject:

i believe i promised autobiographical comics?

as soon as i find my voice i swear i will start webcomicking again.
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sawtooth · . Joined: 02 Nov 2005 Posts: 419

friedchicken · . Joined: 16 Mar 2005 Posts: 496 Location: Port Land, OR

Dessgeega, I really love your drawing style.

I'm trying to nail down my voice as well. My wife and I are working on a print/web mix for a comic, with both of us writing and me doing the art-- a print version that tells the main story with supplimental materials available as a 'gaiden' online. But I keep taking on other collaborations and projects that steer me away from it. If only I didn't have my damned 50 hour a week job, I'd have plenty of time! Damn the need for regular income!

dessgeega · Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 12:44 pm Post subject:

Persona-sama · Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 8:49 pm Post subject:

dessgeega · Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2006 5:26 am Post subject:

follow the link to a new mopey tale.
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sawtooth · . Joined: 02 Nov 2005 Posts: 419

;_;
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Persona-sama · Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2006 8:26 pm Post subject:

What font do you use for your comics, Dess?
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dessgeega · Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2006 8:34 pm Post subject:

04B-25.
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Persona-sama · Posted: Sun Mar 26, 2006 12:32 am Post subject:

I forgot all about this guy's site! He has some amazing pixel fonts~

I need more fonts on my computer. :/
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