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A little Guide to Graphic Tablets
10 min read
Many beginners wonder what kind of tablet they should buy. Or perhaps you already have a tablet, but think about buying a new one. I want to summarize a few experiences I've made and give you some hints and ideas to help you decide for a graphic tablet.
The first answer you get nearly everywhere: Wacom. This is not only because they're the pioneer on the market, but their tablets have a really good quality. But especially when you're a beginner and haven't touched a tablet yet, you should think economically and compare different brands and read reviews. Below I will drescribe several tablet-types and they're all from Wacom. This is because I only worked with Wacom-tablets so far, but that doesn't mean other brands are worthless. Often there are similar types of other brands, so you might find this journal helpful although you don't want to buy a wacom tablet.
Independent of the brand there are several things that make a tablet a good or a bad one.
Size
The size really depends on the artist. But as a rule of thumb: the middle one is always the best. small tablets are for easy, not too detailed work. You can work quick and they can add nice effects to your traditional drawings that you'd like to touch up digitally. Large size means that you can draw really detailed, but your hand has to move a lot just to make one stroke. Some people find this annoying. My personal opinion is that the tablet shouldn't be larger than your screen.
Pen
The first thing I learned about tablets (from my Dad): Never take one with wires or batteries inside the pen. It's annoying, you have to change the batteries and the pen becomes heavier. Just don't!
Sensitivity
Sensitivity means how much different pressure levels the tablet can distinguish. In reality you don't have pressure levels, but in the digital world everything is leveled
Resolution
Basically this is the resolution of the tablet. The larger your tablet the higher the resolution should be. It's the same with screens. The resolution is declared in lpi: lines per inch
Material and Keys
Make sure the material isn't too cheap. You will have a bad time when the surface scratches and you can't draw a straight line anymore.
Some people like Hotkeys, some don't use them at all. I think it depends on your workflow, so make sure you have enough of them. In case you don't, you might think about buying a gameboard instead of spending too much money just for more hotkeys.
When you're an amateur to digital drawing start slowly. Buy a cheap tablet for 30-50 Dollar. You could also buy a used one, just to see if you stay with the technology. My first tablet was a used Wacom Volito for 35 Euros. You could also buy a used Graphire.
They don't produce it anymore, but just to give you an idea of what you can start with.
Pressure Levels: ~512
Resolution: ~1015 lpi
Other: These tablets mostly don't have an eraser on the other side of the pen and no hotkeys
If you have more money or you're pretty sure you want to keep drawing, you can buy a Bamboo tablet aka Intuos Pen. They come in several sizes and are already quite professional. Some artists keep sticking with their beloved Bamboo, because it simply fits their needs. So this also might be your longterm tablet.
Pressure Levels: 1024
Resolution: 2540 lpi
Other: Pen has eraser and side switches. The tablet has 4 hotkeys.
It is not quite correct to put tablets into such terms, but I think it might help you to categorize them. As I said, some professionals still use their Bamboo and some hobby artists buy an Intuos (like me >_>).
An Intuos (or Intuos Pro as it is called after wacom's renaming) is quite a nice thing. The surface feels much softer and the pen has less a feeling to plastic to it than the Bamboo-pen. There is more pressure sensivity and resolution. Although I only felt the difference slightly. I think Intuos is the most used tablet in the professional scene, but as I said, if you want to invest money into your hobby, you can also get one of these.
Pressure Levels: 2048
Resolution: 5080lpi
Other: Pen has eraser and two side switches. It has also tilt recognition, so the brushes might react to the angle of the pen. The tablet has 8 Hotkeys and a touchring.
Yeah, who doesn't dream of a Cintiq? These wonderfully professional tablets with a screen you can directly paint on!
When you have rich parents or simply much money, go ahead, buy one! Everyone will be jealous. If you're not quite sure if you should invest the money or better save some and get "only" an intuos read the following, it might help you to decide.
First of all I suggest a Cintiq should be bought by people who earn money with their art, otherwise it doesn't really pay off. I had the luck of a very VERY genereous donor and I'm still very thankful for that wonderful present I still don't quite deserve... (thanks Teliko-Pardus
).
But if drawing is an intense hobby of yours or you're a student and about to become a professional, I can understand your desire for this gem (because I had it either and couldn't resist). Here are some general advantages:
You can draw directly on the screen which feels more natural
It's really a lot of fun, which keeps you motivated, which keeps you drawing, which helps you to become better
And the disadvantages:
It's not really like drawing on a piece of paper. It's more like a mix of it and the classical tablet, because the pen is always a little offset the canvas, which is because you have glass between the surface and the screen.
For some people the Cintiq is simply horrible and it's easier for them to draw on a classical tablet
It's really a lot of money...
If the advantages conviced you to buy one the next question would be: Which size?
Keep it easy, take the small one and try out first, before investing much money?
Or pay a lot directly and have something long-term?
I did the first. Just because I couldn't be sure if it's really that much better for me. When I bought mine the HD edition wasn't out yet, so I had the choice between a 12inch display and 21inches. Somehow 12 inches were too small, 21 too big. Because of what I said up there (better small than too large) I decided for the smaller one and regret nothing. The new pendant to it is the Cintiq 13HD, so it's one inch bigger. The product description says it's good for sketching and quick drawings. But don't get discouraged, you can also paint artworks. I did for 4 years. And it worked. But you have to search ways around. For example I used Photoshop on two screens. I had the canvas on my Cintiq and all the tools, layers and brushes on my main-monitor. This way I had 12 inches space for drawing and it worked perfectly fine.
You're still thinking about buying the bigger one?
Well there are two Versions out: Cintiq 22HD and Cintiq 24HD. Basically the 24HD is much better, because it can display more colors, has a higher contrast and a bigger screen. But it's also the most expensive tablet you can buy, I guess. I recently bought the 22HD, simply because it is in my prize-range and I have the habit of buying expensive things after some time... I really like it and don't regret buying it. It's really comfortable and the screen isn't too big for me. It's basically like drawing on my 12wx just with a higher resolution and bigger screen, so I can have the full application on the tablet and don't have to work on two screens.
Pressure levels: 2048
Resolution: 5080 lpi
Other: There are also tablets with screens from other companies. Make sure to have a look at the screen's resolution, displayable colors and contrast ratio.
Since tablet PCs became a common thing, there are also some you can use as a drawing tablet. The good thing is that you can use it everywhere. It's some kind of digital sketchbook. Wacom's version are the Cintiq Companion and Cintiq Companion Hybrid. I have no experience with these tablets, so I can just give you a few thoughts about it.
I think these tablets are quite fine, the size is like the 13HD, so you can draw big picture on those too. The only disadvantage might be their limit of performance. The Wacom Companion has a 512GB SSD an Intel i7 processor and 8GB RAM. Which are definitely not bad components. And I think it might be enough for general drawings that aren't too big or have too many layers. Nevertheless I guess these tablets aren't good enough when it comes to 3D-Applications like ZBrush. But if you aren't using these anyway and you need a digital sketchbook to go, I would recommend these.
I thought about buying one before I decided for the 22HD, but I noticed that most of the time I draw at home anyway. When I'm visiting friends I have my notebook and intuos with me, and when I ride by train or walking through the city I rarely take out my sketchbook anyway, so it wouldn't make much sense for me to buy a portable tablet.
Pressure levels: 2048
Resolution: 5080 lpi
Other: If you're just looking for something to scribble on your way you might look out for tablet pcs with pens and pressure sensitivity like the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1
I hope this little guide helps you to decide. If you have question, just post them in the comments. I will try to answer them as best as I can
Which brand should I take?
The first answer you get nearly everywhere: Wacom. This is not only because they're the pioneer on the market, but their tablets have a really good quality. But especially when you're a beginner and haven't touched a tablet yet, you should think economically and compare different brands and read reviews. Below I will drescribe several tablet-types and they're all from Wacom. This is because I only worked with Wacom-tablets so far, but that doesn't mean other brands are worthless. Often there are similar types of other brands, so you might find this journal helpful although you don't want to buy a wacom tablet.
What should I keep in mind?
Independent of the brand there are several things that make a tablet a good or a bad one.
Size
The size really depends on the artist. But as a rule of thumb: the middle one is always the best. small tablets are for easy, not too detailed work. You can work quick and they can add nice effects to your traditional drawings that you'd like to touch up digitally. Large size means that you can draw really detailed, but your hand has to move a lot just to make one stroke. Some people find this annoying. My personal opinion is that the tablet shouldn't be larger than your screen.
Pen
The first thing I learned about tablets (from my Dad): Never take one with wires or batteries inside the pen. It's annoying, you have to change the batteries and the pen becomes heavier. Just don't!
Sensitivity
Sensitivity means how much different pressure levels the tablet can distinguish. In reality you don't have pressure levels, but in the digital world everything is leveled
Resolution
Basically this is the resolution of the tablet. The larger your tablet the higher the resolution should be. It's the same with screens. The resolution is declared in lpi: lines per inch
Material and Keys
Make sure the material isn't too cheap. You will have a bad time when the surface scratches and you can't draw a straight line anymore.
Some people like Hotkeys, some don't use them at all. I think it depends on your workflow, so make sure you have enough of them. In case you don't, you might think about buying a gameboard instead of spending too much money just for more hotkeys.
Beginner Tablet
When you're an amateur to digital drawing start slowly. Buy a cheap tablet for 30-50 Dollar. You could also buy a used one, just to see if you stay with the technology. My first tablet was a used Wacom Volito for 35 Euros. You could also buy a used Graphire.
They don't produce it anymore, but just to give you an idea of what you can start with.
Pressure Levels: ~512
Resolution: ~1015 lpi
Other: These tablets mostly don't have an eraser on the other side of the pen and no hotkeys
Intermediate Tablet
If you have more money or you're pretty sure you want to keep drawing, you can buy a Bamboo tablet aka Intuos Pen. They come in several sizes and are already quite professional. Some artists keep sticking with their beloved Bamboo, because it simply fits their needs. So this also might be your longterm tablet.
Pressure Levels: 1024
Resolution: 2540 lpi
Other: Pen has eraser and side switches. The tablet has 4 hotkeys.
Professional Tablet
It is not quite correct to put tablets into such terms, but I think it might help you to categorize them. As I said, some professionals still use their Bamboo and some hobby artists buy an Intuos (like me >_>).
An Intuos (or Intuos Pro as it is called after wacom's renaming) is quite a nice thing. The surface feels much softer and the pen has less a feeling to plastic to it than the Bamboo-pen. There is more pressure sensivity and resolution. Although I only felt the difference slightly. I think Intuos is the most used tablet in the professional scene, but as I said, if you want to invest money into your hobby, you can also get one of these.
Pressure Levels: 2048
Resolution: 5080lpi
Other: Pen has eraser and two side switches. It has also tilt recognition, so the brushes might react to the angle of the pen. The tablet has 8 Hotkeys and a touchring.
Professional Tablet for big budgets
Yeah, who doesn't dream of a Cintiq? These wonderfully professional tablets with a screen you can directly paint on!
When you have rich parents or simply much money, go ahead, buy one! Everyone will be jealous. If you're not quite sure if you should invest the money or better save some and get "only" an intuos read the following, it might help you to decide.
First of all I suggest a Cintiq should be bought by people who earn money with their art, otherwise it doesn't really pay off. I had the luck of a very VERY genereous donor and I'm still very thankful for that wonderful present I still don't quite deserve... (thanks Teliko-Pardus
).But if drawing is an intense hobby of yours or you're a student and about to become a professional, I can understand your desire for this gem (because I had it either and couldn't resist). Here are some general advantages:
You can draw directly on the screen which feels more natural It's really a lot of fun, which keeps you motivated, which keeps you drawing, which helps you to become betterAnd the disadvantages:
It's not really like drawing on a piece of paper. It's more like a mix of it and the classical tablet, because the pen is always a little offset the canvas, which is because you have glass between the surface and the screen. For some people the Cintiq is simply horrible and it's easier for them to draw on a classical tablet It's really a lot of money...If the advantages conviced you to buy one the next question would be: Which size?
Keep it easy, take the small one and try out first, before investing much money?
Or pay a lot directly and have something long-term?
I did the first. Just because I couldn't be sure if it's really that much better for me. When I bought mine the HD edition wasn't out yet, so I had the choice between a 12inch display and 21inches. Somehow 12 inches were too small, 21 too big. Because of what I said up there (better small than too large) I decided for the smaller one and regret nothing. The new pendant to it is the Cintiq 13HD, so it's one inch bigger. The product description says it's good for sketching and quick drawings. But don't get discouraged, you can also paint artworks. I did for 4 years. And it worked. But you have to search ways around. For example I used Photoshop on two screens. I had the canvas on my Cintiq and all the tools, layers and brushes on my main-monitor. This way I had 12 inches space for drawing and it worked perfectly fine.
You're still thinking about buying the bigger one?
Well there are two Versions out: Cintiq 22HD and Cintiq 24HD. Basically the 24HD is much better, because it can display more colors, has a higher contrast and a bigger screen. But it's also the most expensive tablet you can buy, I guess. I recently bought the 22HD, simply because it is in my prize-range and I have the habit of buying expensive things after some time... I really like it and don't regret buying it. It's really comfortable and the screen isn't too big for me. It's basically like drawing on my 12wx just with a higher resolution and bigger screen, so I can have the full application on the tablet and don't have to work on two screens.
Pressure levels: 2048
Resolution: 5080 lpi
Other: There are also tablets with screens from other companies. Make sure to have a look at the screen's resolution, displayable colors and contrast ratio.
Portable tablet
Since tablet PCs became a common thing, there are also some you can use as a drawing tablet. The good thing is that you can use it everywhere. It's some kind of digital sketchbook. Wacom's version are the Cintiq Companion and Cintiq Companion Hybrid. I have no experience with these tablets, so I can just give you a few thoughts about it.
I think these tablets are quite fine, the size is like the 13HD, so you can draw big picture on those too. The only disadvantage might be their limit of performance. The Wacom Companion has a 512GB SSD an Intel i7 processor and 8GB RAM. Which are definitely not bad components. And I think it might be enough for general drawings that aren't too big or have too many layers. Nevertheless I guess these tablets aren't good enough when it comes to 3D-Applications like ZBrush. But if you aren't using these anyway and you need a digital sketchbook to go, I would recommend these.
I thought about buying one before I decided for the 22HD, but I noticed that most of the time I draw at home anyway. When I'm visiting friends I have my notebook and intuos with me, and when I ride by train or walking through the city I rarely take out my sketchbook anyway, so it wouldn't make much sense for me to buy a portable tablet.
Pressure levels: 2048
Resolution: 5080 lpi
Other: If you're just looking for something to scribble on your way you might look out for tablet pcs with pens and pressure sensitivity like the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1
I hope this little guide helps you to decide. If you have question, just post them in the comments. I will try to answer them as best as I can
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