Rozali
Member since: 2009Hello Everyone, Great to see the site still going strong. Holidays are coming up, quicker than ever, and I've thinking about treating myself to some drawing technology.
I ve got my eyes on the AutoDesk Sketchbook Pro software, and a Wacom Intuos 4 tablet, medium size. I was asking to see from you professionals, what is the best tablet? what is the best software program? I have the latest iMac, OSX Lion, just for purposes of what software I can run. I sketch and draw in my free time, so Im not going to buy one of those 2000 dollar tablets, nor am I going to buy a 1000 dollar program. I still however would like a software/tablet with basic and sophisticated capabilities, just not over the top 3D Stuff, you know? I also ask what all of you guys use. Just to get a knowledge of what is most popular and so forth. Thanks for the time, Great work!
Rozali
I've got a 12"x12" Intuos 4 tablet, and it's been the best investment I've ever made! I bought an upgrade version of Photoshop CS 4 for a couple hundred bucks, bundled with the tablet, and that's been nice too. If you can't spend the money on legit PS, you can download GIMP for free. Or for that matter, you can download PS for free... You didn't see anything... You don't know me...
Boshuda
I wish I could contribute more than to say that I keep getting my ass handed to me by GIMP.
I suppose I'll need to shell out some money too if I ever plan to do anything other than fiddle around with it with my crappy mouse for hours before finally scrapping everything in frustration.
Oh, pencil n paper, you my only friend...
Yeah, same here Unnatural Gas, I have Gimp, and I just can't do stuff with the mouse. I just keep getting annoying lines, screw ups, and that's why I wanted a tablet. So that I can use my experience of pencil and paper, along with some cool coloring and tech from photoshop and tablets.
Asok- LoL, and by the way, when you say 12 x12, don't you mean 12 x 9? Just asking....
My first artwork with digital coloring on SWAG was done using Photoshop with a mouse, and I've not done it for years since I got a tablet... until last week. So, here are some pencils I colored not just with a mouse but also using GIMP instead of Photoshop: http://fav.me/d4hn67o
No pressure sensitivity at all. A bit tricky, but achievable.
I did my first several colored pieces with naught but mouse too, back in the day... I remember it being a serious pain.
Roz, I thought it was 12x9 too, but it looks square - so I measured it. And it is indeed 12x12. O_O
Boshuda
Thats interesting Asok, so I think from the feedback, that it is a good choice to go with the Intuos 4 and Im guessing Autodesk Sketchbook is good as well? Interesting to see how everyone hates the mouse. Oh and do any of Intuos users have a "Smudge Guard Glove"? Supposedly its really useful...
Oh and btw, do you think 12 x 9 (or maybe 12 x 12) is enough space? is the small too small? is the big with the money?
I started with the smallest tablet wacom offers and did fine with it for a long time. It's only a matter of what you train yourself to use. The big ones definitely offer a lot of freedom, but they have challenges of their own. I'm so used to it now, I can't use my old little one anymore. lol
I'd never heard of the smudge guard until now, which should go to show how necessary it is. But now that I've seen it, I might just want one... :D
Me and Drig used to use old socks with thumb and finger holes cut out to keep from smudging our pencil work, back in the old days. Seems like a similar premise...
Boshuda
"I'm so used to it now, I can't use my old little one anymore."
Gimme your old sketchpad, buddy? :P
I think Drig's got it now... lol
Boshuda
I use a Digipro WP8060, 8x6, and about 30-35 dollars. Use CS3 that was a gift from Jack Sparrow. As for smudges...the sock is a wonderful idea. I always just used a small peice of paper uder my hand, amd rolled up and taped paper for a smudge stick.
spammer- no words for you
However, yes I'm going with my gut and trying the Intuos 4, 8x5. (A little smaller but the large is quite the buck!)
Asok- I think you have the Intuos 3. And that one does have a 12x12. This later one has more express keys I think, and the sizes are rectangular in the later model. Whereas, square with the third.
Anyhow, I am going to need a lot of tutorials if I get this. I may come back once in a while and say, "How the Heck do you change opacity?!"
So yeah, Thanks for the help everyone. Im guessing the AutoDesk Sketchbook Pro is a good software choice. Nonetheless, there is Corel Painter, Photoshop, and much more to pick from.
Rozali
Casca- yeah I might go DIY with that one, don't feel like buying a glove.
OMG, I feel terribly out of date. I still use scanner + PS + mouse for everything...
:o(
Mercy, the fact that you do what you do with a mouse has BLOWN MY MIND!!
I remain an eternal advocate of the scanner, though. I don't think I could physically DO my initial work any other way than curled up on the couch with my sketchbook, my dog and the cats, and a DVD in the background!
Aw, you're so sweet Tussy!
I don't think I could part from the old pencil either, darl. something lovely in it...
I am so doing alot with bic pen and pencil again. Computer took a dive, and the tablet went befor that, so making up at work on any blank paper. A couple came through that were students at the Art Insitute in Pittsburg and wanted to buy a dragon I was working on in pen. I of course let them have it for free and drew a smurf army being destroyed by Nerds from the box of candy on the counter. Turned out epic so I gave it to our cashier Joey who has a Smurf addiction. I'll try and get back on as soon as the 'puter has a power supply. Oh, on a side note..313.53.07 wasted hrs. of Skyrim between 2 characters and loving it...whoooohooo
Lol, Casca, I got Skyrim for xmas, loving it so far. Only level 2 though...
Anyway for christmas I got myself an Intuos 4. Loving it SO MUCH
Also, when i downloaded at the installation for the Wacom, It gave me photshop elements and autodesk and corel sketch for FREE
I got myself a sketchpad and a nice new little set of pigma pens (2 microns, a felt tip graphic and a brush pen) the other day. Since I'm away from my computer until sometime in January, I've actually gone back to a lot of traditional pen work. I have to say I am rather pleased that I've still got it! lol
Boshuda
Kewl discussion on Tablets!
Been pondering about getting one on and off - more-so a few years ago when I was still mainly into CorelDraw and doing Vector Art style illustrations (yeah, theres a ton of sw stuff i've got that i hadn't posted). The hours I used to spend, I had thought a pen / stylus styled pointing device would feel more natural than a mouse; and be able to recline back in the chair while using it etc.
Still might get one when i've got enough spare cash just sitting around.
I still dabble a bit in CorelDraw occasionally, though my 3d stuff has largely taken over in interest these past few yrs. Its still nice to jump back into once in a while, especially at times when I have to be away from my main rendering rig and only have an old laptop to keep me company. Read: 400mhz cpu running Win95 ;)
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Core to the Quad baby!!!
If your going to complement me, don't tell me my work is neat, cool or awesome. If you really like it, tell me why you like it and what you like about it. Only then I'll take it as a complement.
Greetings! My first post here...
...figured I'd jump in here.
I'm an avid GIMP user, and have been since 2008 when I bought my first tablet, my trusty ol' Wacom 4"x6". Portable, and handy for setting up a laptop and knocking out a good sketch. Its taken me a couple years to get used to the GIMP, but I'm cozy enough with the GIMP in all three OS's you can use that I hardly even use the Corel Painter X I bought about the same time I got the tablet.
If you use Mac OSX, you'll be running the GIMP through the X11 terminal. Most issues with using GIMP in Mac are fixed by playing around with your X11 settings. I discovered this the hard way after banging my head through several keyboards. Finally my Google-fu prevailed and I discovered the 'secret'. Once I stumble on it again I'll post it.
As far as other great digital painting RASTR editors, MyPaint is another fantastic FOSS (FREE Open Source Software) pixel painter. Its got a load of great brushes, an easier interface than GIMP, and none of the extra tools that make GIMP complicated (mostly the photo editing and image editing tools). One feature that folks like is an infinite canvas, you never have to worry about your drawing running off the page. That being said, you have no tools to really scale your layers. You'll need GIMP or Photoshop to tweak and finish compiling a final image.
Autodesk Sketchbook is another great tool that is pretty intuitive and inexpensive. Free versions can be downloaded on Apple's App Store, and the iPad/iPhone versions are pretty inexpensive as well and can be interfaced with the 'mother ship' on your Mac or PC. This makes mobile sketching at work with the ability to finish at home a snap.
ArtRage 2 is a great painting program as well. There are a growing number of digital painter using this program over Corel Painter with the latest versions having much better paint simulation. ArtRage has always had the best pencil look, and now rivals Painter in the realm of looking like oils, for less money!
Can't wait to explore some more and see what everyone else has done for Star Wars around here!
Michael "Sudsy" Sutherland