Well, after nearly five years of using a mouse "to draw," I just ordered a Wacom Intuos 3 6"x8" tablet.

This was a HUGE leap for me.

First of all, I'm pretty tight with a buck and it's hard for me to part with my hard earned money. (Voices in my head: "Hey, you've used a mouse all these years. What's wrong with that?" "They cost HOW MUCH? Get real. You'll never be that good.")

Secondly, I'm really entrenched in the "If it isn't broken, don't fix (change) it" school of thought. In other words I really resist these types of changes. Why? Because they always seem to come with technical hassles -- Windows service pack levels, driver updates, connectivity hurdles, -- plus messing with installation, cables, setup, control panels, etc. And, then, of course I'll actually have to learn to use the dang thing, a daunting task in and of itself considering I've used a mouse for everything since 1992.

Finally I'm going to have to reorganize the equipment on my desk to make room for the new toy. That also means sorting through piles of magazines I intend to read someday and paperwork that should have been filed years ago. Yikes. What have I done? Get me some boxes.

So you can see why it's been easy to procrastinate taking action until now.

SO WHAT PUSHED ME OVER THE EDGE?

1. This past weekend I attended a class presented by Marilyn Sholin and saw what she was able to accomplish with a stylus and tablet. It's one thing to see the results she gets by viewing examples at her website (www.MarilynSholin.com) or on her Painter tutorial CDs (www.MSholinProSales.com), but seeing her "in person" and "in action" is a whole new ballgame. I came away inspired and fired up.

Why this brand and model? This is the one she was using. She spoke very highly about how much she liked its size, functionality and ease of use. Normally I would have spent months reseaching such a purchase decision, reading every review on the planet, compiling lists of pros/cons, and still sweating every inch of the way over which size, brand and model to buy.

But this one was a no-brainer: Why argue with the advice of a proven master of her trade? Seeing was believing.

2. Today I received Jeremy Sutton's newest book, Painter IX Creativity. Initial abbreviated review: Jaw dropping. The Painter 8 version was good. This edition is better. I read the first 50 pages while my kids were playing at the park today after school. I could have read for a couple more hours, but the fatherly responsibility gene kicked in and I took them home for dinner. I'm itching to read more, and better yet, try some of his new techniques.

Turns out there's a very comprehensive section in this book on the care, setup and feeding of this tablet, too. How about that?

3. I've had Painter IX "waiting in the wings" for several months waiting for a reason to install it.

Bottom line: I'm now hugely inspired to install IX and explore some of the methods I learned from Marilyn and that are described in Jeremy's book.

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I'll add to this thread as events warrent...

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In the mean time comments/suggestions/pointers/observations from current tablet users are welcome (they can be on any brand or model).

Questions on tablets are welcome, too.

I'll keep you posted on my progress, but do not expect it to be rapid!

~Danny~

CONGRATULATIONS AND JUBILATIONS!!!!!! :bigthmb: :bigthmb:

I purchased a tablet a couple of months ago and it certainly suits my needs also. It's a comfort to know it has Marilyn's stamp of approval! What a delight that must've been to see her in action Danny. I'd have given a lot to have been able to attend also...I wonder if she'd consider a visit down under???

My next decision is whether to upgrade to Painter 9 or not.

Good luck to you and all the best with all your future creative endeavours.

I'm :happy: for you.

You are going to wonder how you used that mouse all these years!

I got the same size and model for a Christmas present, it makes painting soooo much easier. I'd have never attempted Painter without it. I like it so much that I got the 4x5 to carry with my laptop when I travel.

I use the wacom for almost everything now, except typing. My poor mouse is getting lonely. I can hold the tablet on my lap, much more ergonomically correct than having the mouse up on the table.

As for sitting in on a Marilyn Sholin class - I am green with envy! I love her work.

Oh, and just as a demo of my tablet, here's my latest Painter 8 attempt. The original photo was taken in Tombstone, AZ, on a day when they were having a re-enactment "contest" to see who could do the best re-enactment of an old west gunfight. We couldn't stay for the actual gunfights, but people in costume were wandering all over town, and most were more than willing to be photographed. This is the first of many I plan to add to my "Rogue's Gallery".

Wonderful effort Patricia! I'm sure this will spur Danny and all of us to keep right on learning more about Painter.

I am sure you will never regret it Danny.

Christine

A big CONGRATULATIONS to you. I'm sure you will find yourself wondering why you didn't do it sooner.

Janet

Congratulations Danny to your new addition to the family, i hope you shall be very happy with your new "wacom baby" :lol:

Danny, you'll understand why they say drawing with a mouse is like drawing with a bar of soap. I've had my Intuos 3 for a few months. The biggest adjustment was letting it find its place beside my keyboard.

Danny, good luck with your new pad. After using a mouse for a long time, it will take some adjustment to get used to a pad, but persevere, and you'll find it so much easier to do detail work. I just could'nt imagine going back to a mouse, though I still use mine for browsing and word processing.

Ok, here's my advice. I do not agree with you that you didn't think you would ever be good enough to use a pen and tablet. This is a tool in your trade that makes it easier to do your work. I tell my mechanic husband this every time he feels bad about spending money on a tool for his work. He feels the same for me even though I don't bring home the money like he does. Anything you will use every day that makes your life easier is good. Fortunately for me, my husband had good credit when I started studying this businesss. Next, there are three kinds of tablet users from what I've seen here and elsewhere. One, the people who try it and don't like it. They may have not givin it a good go, or like me with rollerblades, try and try and try, and just can't make it work. I look like a fish out of water no matter how many times I see it done, and attempt it. And it always looks so easy! Then there are the ones who try hard or not and found it to be an asset to their photo work. They only use it in their photo programs, and use their mouse for all other work. The last group is the one I found myself in. I fell into it. The great optical mouse that my computer came with, and the equally great cordless one that came with the tablet, are now sitting side by side collecting dust, and I don't touch them at all for anything. At least they are together. :lol: I hope that you are one of the latter groups, and enjoy the freedom of drawing without using a bar of soap.
BTW, the whole desk clutter thing, is still going on at mine. I just shoved everything over to make room for my new toy, with promises to myself that I would file and organize. Yeah right!!! LOL!! I'm squished and loving it!! Let us know when it arrives.

I too am still having trouble with the clutter now on my desk after adding a Wacom tablet to my system. Along with the keyboard and two monitors, I can't quite figure out where I want the tablet to go. I have tried different arrangements and still get frustrated after a while. In time, I realize that there is yet another disadvantage of having it in it's current place and try a new alignment. I think the only way to resolve my situation is to by a larger desk. But, to do that, I need a larger office! :happy:

T

Danny,
Congrats on taking "the plunge". I'm getting a case of tablet envy now. I just got the Cher Pendarvis "Photoshop and Painter Tablet Book" you recommended recently. She also uses the 6X8 Intuos3 tablet and has a large care and feeding section for it in the book. I got the Graphire 4x5 tablet last year, hence, my tablet envy. :)

I'm saving my pennies so I can get Painter. Painter combined with CS seems a mighty fine combo.

For anyone with a Wacom tablet interested in Painter, if you go to their website, Wacom Privileges (http://www.wacom.com/privileges/index.cfm), you can get Painter IX for, I think, $100 off, or upgrade to IX for $179. I don't know if this is US only or not.

Enjoy your new toy.
Ron

WOW $329 for painter ix i really didn't have a clue on the cost of that program, wow i am in shock!

Thanks to everyone for the comments and encouragement.

Just got e-mail today from www.ShopHarmony.com. "It's been shipped." The pressure's on, now. I won't be able to let it sit in the box when it arrives, will I? :) :bawling:

That's a valuable tip on the Wacom discounts/packages. Thanks for sharing that, Ron, as well as reminding me about the applicable content in the Cher Pendarvis "Photoshop and Painter Tablet Book."

Rainiday passed along another interesting suggestion that she got from someone. In summary it was: "Hide (or disconnect) your mouse for a month and FORCE yourself to get used to the tablet and stylus." I might have to take this approach since I'm SO dependent on my "bar of soap"! They call this going "cold turkey" in the U.S., sort of like giving up alcohol, cigarettes or other addictions.

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WHERE DID YOU ORDER YOUR TABLET AND HOW DID YOU DECIDE?

Ordered from www.ShopHarmony.com (Harmony Computers)

Found them using a www.PriceGrabber.com search.

WHY?
I had heard of them before, so there was some level of familiarity/comfort in that. Low price, free shipping, 4**** (out of 5) customer satisfaction rating (not perfect, but OK with me). I checked the comments other customers had given.

Note: I did some surfing at eBay for this tablet. Lower initial prices, but when you added in shipping, it was within a few dollars of buying from retailers. On this one I wanted to deal with a "known company."

WOW $329 for painter ix i really didn't have a clue on the cost of that program, wow i am in shock!

Elle:

If you can find a Painter 8 upgrade, it will a) cost a whole lot less than a standard edition and b) will install without a previous version of Painter as long as you have Photoshop installed. (It was a special packaging to encourage people to purchase P8.)

eBay is a good source for Painter 8. P8 (regular editions) have been selling of late $80-$150 U.S. P8 is very, very feature rich. If you can find a P8 upgrade, you'd get it for much less.

Danny

Congats on the purchase. In case you are bothered about giving up the mouse do as I do use the pen for graphics work and the mouse for the internet.

Fizzgiz & TylerRB

I got over the clutter problem by building a shelf on 4 legs so I could push the keyboard back and put the tablet in front. Just lean in to type! If interested I could post a pic.

Picture added as you requested Danny.

I did not actually do this arrangement for the tablet, but to raise the monitor to a better working height and to enable me to push the keyboard out of the way to make desk space as needed. Now it looks as if I will need to make a hanging slot underneath the shelf to take the tablet, to get back to where I was.

Thank you Danny your a credit to this forum!

Danny

Congats on the purchase. In case you are bothered about giving up the mouse do as I do use the pen for graphics work and the mouse for the internet.

Fizzgiz & TylerRB

I got over the clutter problem by building a shelf on 4 legs so I could push the keyboard back and put the tablet in front. Just lean in to type! If interested I could post a pic.

Reg
Good compromise, suggestion on the mouse.

re: Desk clutter
Sure, if you've got a pic of the shelf you built, do post it. I'm sure I'm not the only one who will be challenged to find room for a new pad!

Note: You can click EDIT on your post above and (via the Manage Attachments dialog), upload it there.

Thanks for the offer.

~Danny~

Well i just found out i won a bid on ebay so for £9 including postage i got one of these, its not what i want but right now Wacom is too expensive...

Here is a review about it.

Its brand new in the box and has a cordless pen and mouse with tablet


Aiptek HyperPen 6000 Review
March 13, 2002
Sooner or later, most computer users start feeling constrained by the mouse, longing for the freedom of a pen or pencil on paper. Although even the high-end versions can never quite match the abandon of a drawing pencil or paintbrush, graphics tablets offer the ability to draw, paint, or scribble to your heart's content.

Price is usually a barrier for casual users, but the Aiptek HyperPen 6000 is a very inexpensive entry into the graphics tablet arena. The tablet is compact and fits easily into even the most cramped desk space. It uses a USB port, so you can connect or disconnect the tablet without shutting down your computer. It also includes a graphics program, so you can use the tablet immediately without any additional investment.

The cordless pen is light and comfortable, with two buttons, 512 levels of pressure, and 12 programmable macros. You can use the pen to perform almost any task you can perform with a mouse, including pointing, clicking, and double-clicking, but the package also includes a three-button cordless mouse. A pen takes a lot of getting used to, and you might feel more comfortable using the mouse for traditional mousing tasks.

The pen's wide range of sensitivity levels lets you draw anything from a fine line to a broad swash, simply by varying how hard you press the pen on the tablet.

Bundled software includes Art Dabbler, CADIX, Microsoft Internet Explorer, and NetMeeting. Art Dabbler is a drawing, painting, and animation program, featuring an intuitive sketchpad interface. You can draw and paint freehand, or use the Digital Tracing Paper tool to trace a scanned photograph as a basis for your artwork. Drawing and painting tools offer a satisfactory experience similar to their real-life counterparts, with crayons, pencils, markers, and brushes affected by the paper texture you choose.

The included FreeNotes software lets you add signatures to business documents, scribble notes on desktop layouts, or annotate documents, helpful for joint projects or just writing reminders to yourself.

CADIX creates and verifies signatures electronically, a handy option for business users.

Pro: Good quality drawing tools at an affordable price. The CADIX signature verification software is a bonus for business users. Con: Like most budget-priced graphics tablets, the usable area (4.5x6 inches) is cramped, although it does offer a little more room than the Wacom Graphire (4x5 inches).



Anyone else got one of these or had one?

My first tablet was a Hyperpen 3000 series (4X5). I wanted to try out a tablet without putting a lot of money into it. It was a big improvement over just a mouse. I upgraded to the Intuos 3 at Christmas (and passed the old tablet to my daughter, who loves it). The biggest difference is the sensitivity of the tablet, the Wacom has more levels. And the Wacom has pen tilt. But, I really think, given the price, the Hyperpen is a great choice. I used it for a couple of years, didn't upgrade until I really wanted the bigger size.

If you can find a Painter 8 upgrade, it will a) cost a whole lot less than a standard edition and b) will install without a previous version of Painter as long as you have Photoshop installed. (It was a special packaging to encourage people to purchase P8.)

Does it matter which version of Photoshop you have installed? I have Photoshop 6. I'm assuming this wouldn't work with Painter 9? This thread has also inspired me to drag out my old Graphire(1!) tablet which has been collecting dust. I had to take a break from digital image work for a while but I'm excited to get back into the swing of things. :happy:

Does it matter which version of Photoshop you have installed?
Photoshop 5.5 or layer. See this thread (http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-5622.html) from the archives.

I'm assuming this wouldn't work with Painter 9?Probably a safe bet. I'm sure Corel would beat the drum loudly (from a promotional perspective) if there was such a promotion.

This thread has also inspired me to drag out my old Graphire(1!) tablet which has been collecting dust. I had to take a break from digital image work for a while but I'm excited to get back into the swing of things. :happy:
Terrific. Glad you'll be ramping up again. Look forwarding to seeing some artwork from the "new you"!

~Danny~

Reg

What a great idea building the the platform. That has given me a few ideas of my own to mock your setup. Thanks! :bow: