i want to buy a tablet

[rosmerelmer]

I\'M BACK! i can\'t play planeshift really because i get to many bugs and kicks, but i still check on this forum to see the ongoing practice of artists...

And now i want a tablet, but i\'m not professional.
i need some good tips of what tablet to buy and about size/prize and brand (wacom??)

if you could give me any advise of what to buy i will be very happy.

thanks in advance.

Martin

[Karyuu]

Wacom is the brand for tablets, and the one I\'m most familiar with so I can\'t quite talk about anything else, but they\'re highly recommended in general. I\'ve had mine for three years now I think, and it\'s been working flawlessly. And I bought it used ;) (Ebay <3) The size really depends on what strokes you are most comfortable making. A large tablet is excellent if you\'re used to drawing on bigger sheets of paper, or painting, etc., while a smaller will do just fine - it simply won\'t give you that wide sweep of the arm.

If possible, try to run to a store that has tablets available in different sizes, and just try them out - I think any computer store nowadays is bound to have a few. Mine is a 12\"x12\", and I personally find it difficult to use anything much smaller.

Good luck in your search :)

[rosmerelmer]

but are those inches or centimeters?
well ill just go to a computershop then.. i looked for used ones but they mostly look like they are good for the scrapyard

anyway, thanks for helping me out.

[Karyuu]

Inches xD Twelve centimeters for a tablet is a rather bizarre concept. Honestly though, Ebay was good for finding mine :) Got it for half its original price, too.

[ArcaneFalcon]

You really do just need to go try some.  I\'ve got a 6x11 (would have been a 6x8 if I didn\'t run dual monitors) and I find it hard to use anything bigger.  Not only is it a lot of desk space, but I\'m just not used to big strokes.  I probably wouldn\'t go any smaller than 6x8, but don\'t think you need to get a huge one just because it\'s huge.

:emerald:

[Kintall]

there are other brands too, and given the cost of some wacoms it may be more appealing, mines only a medion (Aldi brand, Germany owns for aldi alone)

but yeah Ebay is realy a good ticket, just be careful of cowboys ^^ yeeehaw *ehem*

[rosmerelmer]

well i live in holland...
i looked on the market site that is actually bought by ebay
those ones were bad.. but i guess i\'ll go with the cheapest and smallest one.
i guess i\'ll take the smallest one (and cheapest ) because im not used t obig strokes.
i think my maximum budget is about 50 euro, i might not use it to it\'s full potential. and in that case ill be stuck with a very expensive toy (if i buy one from 100.-)

once again thanks for the advise

[Cherppow]

Hi

I\'ve 4\"x5\" (~10cm x13cm) Wacom. Works fine for a hobby artist like me. Not bizarre at all. *makes a grim face at Karyuu\'s general direction* Leaves plenty of room on the table too. Like mentioned, would be good if you can test it before purchase.

\"Don\'t disdain the small tablets, or I\'ll tell you about the times we had Koala Painter!\" ;)

[Kintall]

smaller ones are nice as well for long smooth lineart if artisticly you are that way inclined, but larger ones have thier benefit too, mines got a working area about a centimeter larger than an A4 page, and more than anything my largest problem with it is the surface is too... slippery, theres a bit of adjusting if you are used to working on paper.. lol the way I got around it when I first got to grips with it was I sticky taped a sheet of paper over the tablet ^^

[rosmerelmer]

well i cannot ask more, i just need to get myself to go to the store

[rosmerelmer]

i\'ve searched, and searched. i found no second hand tablets, but i found one that seems to fit what i want:

the volito2 from WACOM.
i still didnt go to a computer store, that is planned for tomorrow. the volito2 is a very basic tablet, and the price is therefor very low. if i think creating art is my real calling i might consider buying something more expensive, but thats later.

ill give you a link here:
http://www.my-volito.com/index.asp?lang=eng

[Cherppow]

Hi

To Kintall: Aye, I\'m sure the big tablets can do everything that the small ones can, and more, they\'re just a bit hefty investment for eg. a student. I agree that it largely depends on what people are used to. Personally I\'m used to small stuff, eg. my mouse sensitivity is set to maximum, leaving the screen area to be about 3cm x2cm on the pad. So the tablet, even if small, still provides much better precision.

A sheet of paper you say? What a coincidence, I use same trick on my mouse. My mouse pad\'s shiny surface makes the optical tracker mess up every now and then, sending the pointer jumping across the screen. A sheet of matt paper eliminates the problem.

To rosmerelmer: Seems like same size as mine, volito2 is much newer of course. I hope you like it.
A double post you say (please consider using the edit button to add things to your earlier post, rather than double posting). Karyuu\'s going to bap you around ears when she gets back from where ever she\'s gone. Awws, I hope I didn\'t scare her off with my grotesque drawing there. /o\\

[Karyuu]

Originally posted by Cherppow
A double post you say (please consider using the edit button to add things to your earlier post, rather than double posting). Karyuu\'s going to bap you around ears when she gets back from where ever she\'s gone.

Aw :) My computer is off on repairs, so now I\'ve but a few moments in the multimedia lab on my campus at the moment. Xordan\'s looking after things in the forums as much as he can in the meantime.

I wonder just how much cute you can produce in one sitting, Cherppow.. :x

*edited to make rosmerelmer happy* ;) If you can buy an extra tablet pen, or extra pen nibs, do so. The one I had for several years fell apart recently, and though I managed to put it back together and get it to work again, it\'s always good to know that you\'ve a backup. They don\'t come at the price of regular disposable pens, clearly, but if you can ever save up for a second, I\'d recommend it.

[rosmerelmer]

a moderator going offtopic!

Anyway, i was sick yesterday and im still sick today..
no tablet for me, or maybe tomorrow.

[Stephen McNaire]

*Gives Cherppow\'s cute rodent some cheese and a scratch behind the ears*

I have a 4x5 Wacom Graphire and have never had any reason for complaints. The thing is 5w337. A couple of years old and the surface has barely scratched at all (a tablet\'s bane), in fact, they?re more like scuffmarks, in no way do they effect the pen?s movement. I would say that a Wacom-made tablet is definitely worth the price.