Tip for Using Your Pen Tablet

[Photomaster]

Painting and drawing tip when using your Pen Tablet:

I'd like to share with you a tip that has improved my painting and drawing technique greatly. I always found the plastic surface of the pen tablet to be very slippery. This made it difficult to control my pen strokes precisely. My solution is very simple. I cut a piece of copy paper to size and taped it to the drawing surface of my Wacom tablet. The texture of the paper provides a more natural resistance and gives me much more control over my pen strokes and, it doesn't interfere with the operation of the tablet. You will have to replace the paper periodically but this is a small inconvenience.

Try it and see if it helps your technique as it did mine.

[Flora]

Hi Photomaster,

thank you so much for a great Tip!!

I haven't tried a pen Tablet yet (still faithful to my old mouse!!!) ... But having heard so much about it it's the first thing on my 'to do' list ...

Since I have problems with slippery surfaces too ... I'm sure your tip will come in very handy!!!

P.S. ... I'm moving this Thread to the Tips Forum so it will not get 'buried' under the tons of new Posts here ...

[creeduk]

Flora, thankfully I am not the only long time Photoshop user that still uses a mouse. I Started with a tablet but moved to a company with no tablets, I became very proficient with the mouse and despite having had a tablet loaned to me several times over the years I find my self back with the mouse. Some people insist there are many things not possible with a mouse, I say it is all possible, it may be done different and OK Stroke and pen pressure make be longer to simulate but I find accuracy with my mouse is much higher. On long term jobs I guess I am a 50/50 man, mouse and tablet but I find so often I have not got it with me so no mouse is more than fine. I have on occasions been to lazy to get up from in front of the TV so have edited with the track pad (now that is tricky..lol)

[Flora]

Creeduk, ... great to hear I'm not the only one too!!!!

[Doug Nelson]

The new Wacoms come with interchangeable tips that can simulate various papers and brushes.

[HannibalVector]

Great tip!
But doesn't the pentip wear out faster that way?

[Photomaster]

The tip does wear faster but the advantage gained is well worth the sacrifice.

I needed a new pen tip and found this kit. The felt tip is great and you don't need the paper on your tablet.

CoolGraphicStuff.com
Intuos3 Grip Pen Accessory Kit (FUZA118)
Availability: In Stock
Price: $19.95 ($19.95 x 1)
Includes 5 each of 3 different pen tips: hard, felt and spring loaded. Been using the felt tip and love it. No paper on tablet needed. Haven't tried the spring loaded tip yet.

A few painting tips based on my experience:
Make every brush stroke count.
Zoom in for detail work.
Change brush size when necessary.
Don't over work an area.
Zoom out, step back and review - often!
You need dark to show light. (very important)

Photomaster

[PatrickB]

Flora,

sell your car, house and last shirt, but buy a tablet!

After some time you'll be fast as lightning and precise as a surgeon, it's really worth every single cent.

[Gina_D]

I always found the plastic surface of the pen tablet to be very slippery. This made it difficult to control my pen strokes precisely. My solution is very simple. I cut a piece of copy paper to size and taped it to the drawing surface of my Wacom tablet.

Great tip! I too have sufferred from the slippery tablet/ pen combo, and being a new tablet user, that was definitely something that made me less than enthusiastic about my new toy. So glad you found a fix to work for you and shared it. I'm putting this one to use right away.

[pure]

sorry wrong place