Magna Doodle

Today when I was flipping through a magazine, I saw a picture of an Apple computer drawing tablet and it reminded me of Magna Doodle. It was one of my most favorite toys that I had when I was a kid. I guess, it was the medium that inspired me to draw…

So I googled it, and the closest version that looks like mine is this one above. My Magna Doodle was bright red though.

Oh.. I even found one with the sketch of Jesus and Mary Chain!!!

Jesus and Mary Chain

Ultimate, Innovative Holiday Gifts

Create a special touch of wonder this holiday with unique Wacom tablets.

To help you do just that,  each and every tablet is on sale at DrawitTablet.  For this holiday special, just choose the right tablet, then type in the word holiday in the check-out on Drawittablet.com to receive your savings.

Bamboo Pen - a classic

 For any beginner: Be they a beginner with computers or just learning how to sketch or draw digitally, there is a striking new tablet just for them.

-  A touch of a finger is all they need to control a computer cursor.  The brand new Bamboo Touch tablet is easier and faster than any ordinary computer mouse, and even does more than a mouse could do.  It really puts fun back into interacting with a computer again.

-  Multi-touch is not their thing ?  Then a simple pen tablet, the Bamboo Pen will also do more than an ordinary mouse, plus add handwritten notes to e-mails, a few personal touches to photos and much more.

-  Encourage creativity and boost performance, with the innovative Bamboo Pen & Touch tablet. With just a touch of a finger, perform basic computer functions easily.  Then with a swipe of a pen, write, sketch or draw with stunning precision. The best of both technological worlds is rolled into one tablet!

 For Scrapbookers and Crafters: BAMBOO CRAFT Pen & Touch wins hands down. Delighting digital scrapbook designers of all ages, this stylish silver Bamboo Craft tablet comes with a cache of valuable software, free tutorials, and great bonus materials, all geared to inspire photo-album creativity and crafty fun.  This recently released small tablet packs a powerful value.

Bamboo Touch, Bamboo Pen, Bamboo Pen & Touch, Bamboo Craft, Fun

 For budding artists, students and photo retouching professionals: Amaze your loved one with a strikinly accurate tool that will make their digital projects fun and easy to create. Choose from the new Bamboo FUN Pen & Touch (for beginners), the sleek Intuos4 (for intermediates) or the unique pen-on-screen  Cintiq (for professionals). A drawing tablet will surely make the holiday cheer last a very long time.

 For teachers, seminar hosts and students: who often need to control and work at their computer from a distance during presentations or lessons, will surely be surprised at the wireless Graphire Bluetooth tablet which allows them 30 feet of wireless freedom!

 For the eco-friendly person who hates batteries: Bamboo / Bamboo Touch, Intuos4 and Cintiq pen tablets all plug into a  PC or Mac computer via USB. These pen tablets then power the cordless and battery-free pen by electromagnetic resonance. It’s sure to being a smile to any environment-conscious individual.

 For computer users suffering from arthritis or Repetitive Strain Injury: Using a pen or even your fingers to control a computer cursor would definitely relieve the pain associated with using a mouse for extended periods of time. Be it a simple Bamboo Touch tablet or the plain Bamboo Pen which outperform the simple mouse, or a combination of both in one Bamboo Pen & Touch tablet, each one will go a long way to relieve discomfort. DrawitTablet.com has all three styles of Bamboo / Bamboo Touch to accommodate different user needs.

Variety of Wacom Drawing Tablets at DrawitTablet.com

 For architects or industrial engineers: Watch their eyes light up, for many years to come, with a newly designed computer tool: the awesome Intuos4 graphic tablet, or better yet, the incomparable Cintiq interactive pen display which allows you to write on the screen itself! They are the best for any professional who insists on pen-point accuracy. You might just have to lift their jaw off the floor!

 For graphic artists or specialized designers: the larger Intuos4 models and the Cintiq line offer supreme precision, accuracy and performance.  Since these precision tablets make graphic-design easier, they are ideal gifts which any technological expert will adore.  It’s truly what they have been wishing for.

 For any computer buff: Top-of-the-line Wacom graphic, drawing,  or touch tablets come in many different styles and sizes to accommodate any desk size and any level of professionalism.  Touch, pen or drawing tablets not only  help navigate faster and draw better digitally than with a mouse, it also creates an element of fun and adventure.

Add a touch of lasting excitement to the holidays with any Wacom graphic or touch tablet.  Avoid disappointment, avoid out-of-stock panic, and get your order in now before the rush!

Insert the coupon code holiday in the check-out at DrawitTablet.com and see how much you can save.

We are looking forward in helping you find the techno-perfect gift.

Happy holidays to you and yours.

www.drawittablet.com

Hello everyone,

Apologies again, it’s going to be some time before I can post my next tutorial. I’m off to Toronto for a few days and a little mini-holiday. It’ll be nice to get out of the city and recharge my batteries!

But coming soon, I’ve got a doozy for you guys I just purchased my dream toy, the Wacom Cintiq 21UX drawing tablet. I got to play with it briefly the other day before bringing it home, and unfortunately the monster’s too big for my puny little computer desk! Once I figure out where to put it, I’ll post my initial thoughts and impressions as well as compare it to my tried and true Wacom Intuos 3 tablet. Stay tuned, this is going to be a fun review to put together!

I used to spend my time in art class in Upper sixth creating vectors after my good friend Paddy Duke had the patience of teaching me how to create them. I haven’t created a vector portrait in quite a while, until I was looking over some of my previous work, and I instantly had a desire to whip open illustrator and see if I still had the patience and if I still remembered the skill behind m previous work. Im now sorry that I haven’t created any vector drawings in a while as Im completely captivated by it now. This is definitely my new summer hobby, hopefully I will be able to tighten up my style and learn some new skills in vector drawing and take it further than just portraits.

This is the piece I am currently working on it has taken hours, and it is still no where near finished it is very rough at the moment and it needs hours of tidying after I complete the initial design. I still can’t get the hang of my drawing tablet so this has been created by using the track pad on my laptop so it has been pain staking.

The next two are of my friend Jamie Russell, I created them a few year ago now. The second one I added in some photography I had taken around the Belfast area. I wanted to make it quite urban in style with the graffiti. I was just experimenting with how far I could actually take my vector drawings, whilst also experimenting with the whole Andy Warhol style of colours.

The hat was so fidgety.

This one was my first ever vector, it took me a week to create as I was only learning, my patience was really put to the test, I dared not experiment with colour, but I do not think I done so badly for my first attempt. All this talking about vectors is making me want to whip open Illustrator so off I go!

But I don’t mean drugs you fools.

Let’s begin.

Iceskating

Um, most fun iceskating afternoon ever? Heck yes! For once, Wednesday was not pov, we got there on time, no one was miserable, and as a consequence, we all just did the craziest stuff. Request Single Ladies? Check. Stand in a big line and dance to Single Ladies? Check. Festy gravy cup? Check. Frucas? Check.

Then things just got better. That teacher who did the incredibly majestic fall last Wednesday fell over again. I should feel bad for laughing, but it was really funny. And he was also a brave gentleman, in that he got back up, and continued to skate both times, unlike Ms. Walshe. *laughs at Ms. Walshe*

And then someone awesome came up with the notion that we should form a chain by holding onto the backs of one anothers’ jumpers, and then be pulled along by the one in front. That just so happened to be Maddie.

It was like a live game of Snake. We were just being pulled along wherever Maddie wanted to go, and of course it wasn’t long before ensnaring (best word, ensnarrring) people was put on the agenda. We got so many people so good, and then Morgan’s one just made my year. We were there for seriously about three minutes *g*

I felt very dizzy. And then things ended on a funny but painful note, as Georgia fell over, and took a chunk of Jenny’s hair with her.

Coaster+Crew shirts+Single Ladies

Yes, that’s right, we’re going to Coaster. Never mind that my father insists on coming, I’m allowed to go. Just look at it. It’s going to be so good. We also decided that we need crew shirts. Matching ones. Ice creams were chosen, and I’m rather proud to say I suggested they have mouths.I think they’re cute. I sketched a bunch of them, because each will be slightly different.

Designs

More designs

Those are some of the sketches. I’m doing them on the computer so they can be printed off for the shirts, and I’ve spent pretty much my whole evening on the computer getting the drawing tablet to work, and doing the images.

Some of you may be interested, so I’ll tell you how I did them.

I used GIMP, which is this open source image editor, which I rather like. I decided to make the cone, the scoop, and the topping as separate files, so they can be templates pretty much, and then once they’re done, I’ll put them all into the one image, which I have another template thing for. That way, they all look the same, where they’re supposed to.

I haven’t done any of the extra bits and bobs, you wouldn’t believe how long it took to get things to my satisfaction, and when the others see it they may decide things need a bit of changing, but I have the basic icecream now.

I’m so pleased/relieved, I’m going to post it for you.

The plain icecream.

Of course, it’ll have different things for each.

I hope you guys are okay with how it looks.

Also, we’re all learning the Single Ladies dance. The video with Justin Timberlake in it is also literally too funny for words, so I won’t even try. Just look it up yourselves, and make sure it’s the full version.

“We’re warmed up like biscuits.”

“Dance biscuits.”

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. WATCH IT KIDS!

Now, it’s late, and I’m sleepy, so I think I’ll pop off to bed.

People spoke.  Wacom listened.  And to everyone’s amazement, the sleek, black Intuos4 pen tablet surpassed everyone’s expectations.  The very instant you touch the optimized surface of the graphic tablet and the very moment you apply pen to tablet, you realize you are in for a totally improved and sensational experience.

New Intuos4

Wacom broke many barriers with the new Intuos4.  It’s…

-  lighter,
-  reversible, and
-  more energy efficient.

Plus, the re-engineered Intuos4 pen tablet has…

-  nifty hardware gadgets,
-  superior pressure sensitivity levels,
-  increased accuracy and responsiveness,
-  greater level of control with better comfort,
-  ingenious reminders of what keys perform which function, and
-  numerous time-saving features which can be activated with a swipe of a finger or a touch of the pen.

Wacom unleashed this optimized new marvel in Canada and the United States on March 25, 2009.  Unfortunately, the Intuos4 Accessories were not as quick to make their debut in the world.

Intuos4 Accessories, like the Grip Pen Accessory Kit, a variety of digitizer pens and the Intuos4 Travel Bags, won’t be available for another week or more.   The problems causing the delay are unknown to us at the moment, but rest assured that Wacom is working on releasing them as soon as possible.

It’s almost like waiting for the new Intuos4 all over again … the quality of Wacom’s products will make the anticipation and the waiting well worth it.

Staff at

www.drawittablet.com

Wacom Graphic Tablet Basics – Part 2

If you are searching for double the accuracy and precision in a graphics tablet with the added bonus of pen tilt control, you can choose from the various sizes of Intuos4 graphic tablets or Cintiq interactive pen displays.

Applying pen to tablet: Intermediate

New Intuos4 by Wacom

Wacom’s newest Intuos4 line, in its sleek, black color and optimized surface moves the Bamboo’s Touch Ring (at the top of the tablet) to the side of the tablet for easy scrolling and zooming, but with the added feature of a 4-function Toggle Button, positioned in the center of the heat/touch sensitive ring, to quickly switch from one setting to the next in each application.

The position of the ExpressKeys (for shortcuts) has also changed from the top (on the Bamboo and Graphire Bluetooth) to the side (on the Intuos4).

The Intuos4 adds input tool recognition (Tool ID) to the mix of quality features, (where the tablet acknowledges all the personalized configurations of every pen or mouse), an added bonus for any serious user. The one accompanying latex-free cushioned Grip Pen also provides extra comfort and reduces tension. This ergonomic stylus even comes with ten replaceable pen nibs (4 different types) for various writing and drawing results.

Tip #3 Extra accessories are available for the Intuos4 such as an array of different pen types ranging from the Classic Pen for a more natural, day-to-day work and feel to the sophisticated Airbrush for unbelievably realistic paintings and other art designs.

All of the Intuos4 graphic tablets are specially designed to support BOTH standard and wide screen monitors as well as multiple monitor work stations.  However, Intuos4 pen tablets provide optimal performance with Wide Screen Formats due to their 16:10 aspect ratio. Most graphics professionals have described the Intuos4 pen tablet as a “worthwhile investment” and even an “essential tool” for serious graphic artists or for those who spend long hours using artistic software.

Tip #4 The Intuos4 pen tablets have been enhanced with technological breakthroughs such as:

- ambidexterity allowing users to reverse the tablet to accommodate left handed and right handed individuals

-  increased precision for working with the finest of details combined with easier and faster access to editing, navigation, and media control

-  the highest pressure sensitivity (2048) of all pen tablets thus far plus the astonishing lowest pen tip activation pressure to capture every nuance with a feather-like touch

That said, there are still 4 different sizes to choose from!

• Intuos4 Small (6×4) is easily portable with more features than the Bamboo series and perfect for small desk spaces yet affordable. It has 2 less ExpressKeys than the 3 larger sizes and the show-settings function (which helps you remember which shortcut is assigned to each key) is a pop-up display on the monitor screen.

The following Intuos4 sizes have a total of 8 ExpressKeys accompanied with an OLED illuminated display directly on the tablet. Remembering customized shortcuts becomes a breeze and a blessed time-saver.

• Intuos4 Medium (9×6), the most popular size, benefits more professional work yet is still an excellent size for cramped spaces.  It  is a perfect traveling companion for the laptop and ideal for serious students on the go.

• Intuos4 Large (13×8) caters to CAD users and illustrators who may desire a larger surface area, artists who are used to drawing or painting with large sweeping motions, and professionals with elaborate artistic ideas and highly detailed expectations like professional technicians and industrial designers in any industry including automobile, textile and fashion. It is also optimized for work in single screen or for multiple monitor work stations and is ideal for editing HDTV videos.

• Intuos4 Extra Large (18×12) is geared towards sophisticated and high-performance work involving precision and accurate results like professional digital imagery, audio-visual technicians, graphic artists, animators and architects. It also greatly assists professional photo-retouching artists and illustrators with challenging endeavors, allowing for ample work surface accommodating large artwork and wider sweeping strokes. (The Intuos4 XL is the only pen tablet in this series with an integrated USB cable, therefore it is not as portable nor as easy to store as the other smaller Intuos4 pen tablets which have a detachable USB cable which detaches from the computer and the tablet.)

Tip #5 Remember, the larger your tablet surface, the more you will need to move your arms which may be viewed as a disadvantage to some users.  However, the larger the graphic tablet drawing area, the more precise you can be.

NOTE: Due to new technological features and components, all Intuos4 digitizer pens are exclusively designed for use on the Intuos4 Graphic Tablet series.

Touching pen to screen: Professional

Cintiq 21UX & Cintiq 12WX

Cintiq is the combination of all the quality features found in the top of the line Intuos3 graphic tablet with an integrated LCD monitor. The result: a state of the art monitor that allows you to write or draw directly on the screen with unparalleled accuracy and control!

The Cintiq (which comes with an Intuos3 Grip Pen for optimal comfort and fatigue prevention) will greatly improve work flow and efficiency while providing spectacular, detailed results in any professional field ranging from industrial designers, audio-editors, photo editors and animators to doctors, educators and story-board creators requiring faster visual effects. This interactive pen display, with leading edge technology, literally becomes your digitizer canvas or easel.

Tip #6 Many claim to have improved productivity by as much as 100% thanks to the ultimate working / drawing freedom and comfort a Cintiq provides.

The extra convenience of being totally adjustable to any angle and for any purpose (on your desk or on your knees) makes Cintiq the holy grail of the Wacom graphics tablets and obviously, the most expensive.

Yet again, there are 2 Cintiqs to choose from. First, they differ in size, measured diagonally, from the small 12.1” to the large 21.3”.

• Cintiq 12WX (1280 x 800 native resolution) is very light (4.4lbs) and portable thanks to an extra cable and a converter box to keep it small and lightweight. It is half the price of the other Cintiq model, boasts 2 more ExpressKeys than its larger brother (10 in all), features a smooth, flat surface, and has an aspect ratio of 16:10, perfect for wide screen monitors.

Tip #7 Due to its small size, you may want to add the Cintiq 12WX to a multi-monitor set-up. If you are a very serious artist or a technical designer, it is recommended that you save for the larger Cintiq model.

• Cintiq 21UX (1600 x 1200 native resolution) is the “cream of the crop” for pixel perfect results and adjustability. Weighing in at 22.4 lbs, it’s has an aspect ratio of 4:3 (standard resolution).  This larger Cintiq version boasts a durable, textured, scratch-resistant surface (with an anti-glare coating) to enhance the pen on paper feeling.  Depending on your working preferences, there are a variety of available digitizer input devices to choose from like the the Classic Pen, the Airbrush or the famous 6D Art Pen with rotation sensitivity. But even when just using its partner Grip Pen, it easily outperforms any graphic tablet on the market.

A Graphic Tablet For Everyone

When trying to choose between all of these great Wacom contenders, wallet and desk size will always be an issue. However, there is a perfect graphic tablet for everyone depending on your working preferences and your profession.

Everyday users and beginners for home and basic office duties and younger students will delight in Bamboo, and  Bamboo Fun..

Educators, students, conference hosts and seminar conductors will find the Wireless Graphire Bluetooth graphic tablet an awesome and invaluable cordless device.

Professionals at home or at the office in all precision-specific fields will require and thoroughly enjoy the Intuos4 Small & Intuos4 Medium (Academic specials for students and schools do exist for the Bamboo Fun and the Intuos4.)

Serious illustrators, educators in any field, technical designers and artists demanding elaborate detail and high pixel perfection will greatly benefit from the larger Intuos4 models and will absolutely love the freedom, comfort, efficiency and convenience of drawing directly on the screen with the Cintiq … and for many users – those virtues remain priceless.

Intuos3 Grip Pen

If you still  have doubts about which graphic tablet will suit you best, we would be happy to help you choose the perfect pen tablet for you.  Just drop us a note at contactus@drawittablet.com.

All of the above products can be found at www.DRAWitTablet.com

Staff at

updated May 2009

The Ultimate Tip List for Wacom Graphic Tablets

Many people ask what would be the best graphic tablet for them.
While there are many factors and variables to consider,
the staff at DrawitTablet.com have assembled 25 tips
which can help narrow down your choices.
But before we start, lets have a look at the basics first.

A) Basically, you have 4 different Wacom graphics tablet models to choose from.

From the least expensive to the priciest, these are:

Bamboo / Bamboo Touch (512 – 1024 pressure sensitivity levels) ($70 US to $200 US)

Designed for the general public, Wacom’s recent line of pen and touch input tablets is geared towards personal and general office use.

Graphire Bluetooth (512 pressure sensitivity levels) ($250 US)

One of Wacom’s first pen tablet , this unique wireless drawing tablet is in a class all by itself.

Intuos4 (2048 pressure sensitivity levels) ($230 US to $790 US)

The new 4th generation of Intuos graphic tablets, with 4 sizes to choose from, is intended for intermediates and professionals in graphic arts and design.

Cintiq (1024 pressure sensitivity levels) ($1 000 US to $2 000 US)

This is the best of the best in pen tablets anywhere. You literally work, draw and paint directly on the monitor screen providing pixel-perfect detail and a rich, ultimate experience all serious professionals desire.

B) Next, there are different sizes and/or styles for each Wacom graphic tablet model mentioned above…

Bamboo – 5 models: (small)  Touch, Pen, Pen & Touch, Craft Pen & Touch and (medium) Fun Pen & Touch

Graphire Wireless - the one and only (other Graphires are discontinued and replaced by Bamboo)

Intuos4 – 4 sizes: Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large

Cintiq – 2 styles: 12WX, 21UX

C) Now, here are 25 tips to help you choose the computer drawing tablet that will suit you best.

1- You have a standard 4:3 monitor … then the most popular graphic tablet is the wireless Graphire Bluetooth.*

2- You own a wide screen monitor and you want a drawing area which matches its wide screen format perfectly without adjustments … then all 5 models of Bamboo,  all 4 sizes of Intuos4 and the Cintiq 12WX are better suited for a wide-format display.

* Please note that all Wacom graphic tablets will work very well with all multiple monitor set-ups and all monitor sizes (thanks to Wacom’s mapping software). However, if you prefer to work in the EXACT dimensions of your screen, then the wide-format Wacom drawing tablets (#2 above) corresponds better with the 16:10 aspect ratio of wide screen monitors.

3- You teach, hold seminars, conduct workshops, give presentations or need to be away from the computer screen … then a wireless Graphire using Bluetooth technology will let you control your computer from 30 feet away. This graphic tablet’s battery can be used for 25 hours before the next charge.

4- You travel a lot, therefore size and portability are of utmost importance … then the Bamboo line, the wireless Graphire Bluetooth and the Intuos4 Small and Medium graphic tablets will do the trick superbly and are very easy to slip into travel bags or laptop bags due to compact size.  To make packing even easier, Intuos 4 also features a detachable USB cable.

5- You only need a mouse-equivalent or better to perform basic computer navigating tasks … then Bamboo Touch multi-touch tablets will serve you well.

Bamboo Touch

6- You have a small desk or small work space … then the Bamboo family, the wireless Graphire Bluetooth and the 2 smaller Intuos4 pen tablets will be perfect. Rest assured that smaller graphic tablets have the same Wacom high quality as larger graphic tablets of the same line.

7- You only want the bare bones graphic package and don’t need any extra software or a wireless mouse or ExpressKeys … then the slim Bamboo Pen digitizer tablet is just for you.

8- You are a beginner or you just want to see what graphic tablets are all about … then the Bamboo Pen drawing tablet will help get your creative juices flowing at an affordable price.  If you are a beginner and desire both pen and multi-touch inputs, a Bamboo Pen & Touch will certainly inspire you.

9- You are left-handed … then the reversible Bamboo family, the Graphire Bluetooth and the ambidextrous Intuos4 pen tablets provide a variety of choices for any profession or computer level.

10- You suffer from RSI (the Mouse Syndrome) or arthritis or other ailments which cause pain in your hand, wrist, arm or shoulder when using a mouse … then any Wacom graphic tablet will help relieve the pain.  However, the Intuos4 and Cintiq graphic arts tablets are recommended due to their cushioned Grip Pen which reduces the gripping tension by as much as 40%.  Those who do not want a pen tablet, can choose a Bamboo Touch multi-touch input tablet which allows you to command your computer at the touch of your fingers.

Bamboo Fun & Bamboo Craft Pen & Touch

11- Your budget is tight … then the Bamboo / Bamboo Touch tablets offer excellent choices and value at affordable prices.

12- You are into digital crafts and scrapbooks… then the Bamboo Craft Pen & Touch is perfect for the job, with a treasure trove of software and bonus scrapbooking and crafts material.  You are creative but are more into photo editing and retouching, then Bamboo Fun Pen & Touch and the smaller Intuos4 will perform wonderfully.

13- You are a student with basic computer skills, but with a lot of homework involving  projects … then the Bamboo Pen & Touch,  Bamboo Fun Pen & Touch and the Intuos4 Small or Medium pen tablets will help you earn a better grade.

14- You are a student learning graphics, architect, design or photography … then the Intuos4 L and XL graphic tablets plus both Cintiq pen displays will help you achieve better results because of greater work surface area, and in Cintiq’s case, the unique sensation of working directly on the monitor screen.

15- You desire the experience of a textured pen-on-paper feeling … then the Bamboo family and the Cintiq 21UX. digitizer tablet feature a textured surface.

Wacom Graphire Bluetooth Packaging

16- You use expressive, wide strokes when using a pen … then larger graphic tablets like the (medium) Bamboo Fun Pen & Touch, the Intuos4 M, L & XL plus both  Cintiq interactive pen displays will give you plenty of working space.  If you draw using traditional movements from the shoulder or the elbow, then the Intuos4 Large and the larger Cintiq are excellent options.  Using even larger, longer sweeping strokes will require the Intuos4 Extrra Large or the  Cintiq 21UX.

17- You prefer to use small movements of the wrist when working … then smaller drawing tablets like the Bamboo Pen family, the wireless Graphire and the Intuos4 Small are just the thing.

18- Your computer does not have a USB port … then the wireless Graphire Bluetooth pen tablet will save the day. However, it does require that your computer have a Bluetooth adapter (not included with the pen tablet), and you will need a power source to charge the graphic tablet battery. The power adapter is included. The wireless Graphire digitizer tablet is ideal for use with a laptop since Bluetooth capabilities are built into many newer laptops.

19- You want to kick back and relax while your work … then the wireless Graphire pen tablet with Bluetooth technology is your ticket to ultimate freedom where you can be as far as 30 feet from your computer ! You can even kick back while charging the graphic tablet battery due to the included 12-foot cord. Just make sure that your computer has a Bluetooth adapter.

The other options are any of the Intuos4 digitizer tablets with the second longest USB cord of all Wacom tablets. You can also adjust your 8-foot cord’s position vertically or horizontally for greater workspace flexibility.

Of course, there is the crème de la crème of working freedom with the adjustable Cintiq series of graphic arts tablets (tethered to a 6.5-foot USB cord) where you can write, draw and design directly on the screen but the price itself needs quite a bit of adjusting to.

20- You desire more precision, the highest pen sensitivity, and pen tilt control … then all the Intuos4 graphic tablets (with the highest pressure sensitivity level of 2048) plus both Cintiq interactive pen displays (1024 pressure sensitivity levels) are recommended.

New Intuos4 Graphic Tablet

21- You need the most keyboard shortcuts possible for the fastest work output available … then the Intuos4 M, L & XL offer the most ExpressKeys (8 in all) and many more innovative, time-saving features. The only graphic tablet with a higher number of ExpressKeys is the Cintiq 12WX (10),  but this Cintiq interactive pen display also comes with the highest price tag.

22- You are in a profession requiring precision, professional results, intricate detail and ultimate control … then the Intuos4 M, L & XL drawing tablets plus both Cintiq graphic arts tablets will perform magnificently with amazing accuracy.

23- You need a variety of tools to work with other than the included digitizer pen … then Intuos4 and Cintiq digitizer tablets have the most accessories available anywhere. Among them are, the 6D Art Pen, the Airbrush, the lens cursor, a Grip Pen accessory kit and more!

24- You think Wacom graphic tablets are too expensive … then Adesso, Aiptek (the only other manufacturer of wide-format pen tablets thus far), DigiPro, Genius, Pablo, Trust, UC Logic are some of the other brand names of graphic tablets. But, please keep these facts in mind when comparing Wacom graphic tablets to other brands:

a) All other pen tablets (at the moment) DO NOT have battery-free pens. This means heavier, thicker pens, plus the inconvenience and worry of replacing batteries (usually AAA). Some other drawing tablets have tethered pens, which greatly hinders freedom of movement.

b) No-name brand pen tablets lack accuracy and precision.

c) Wacom is the world leader in graphic tablets and has won many awards for outstanding design and quality.

d) Wacom’s included extra software (except for Bamboo Touch) adds a lot of value

e) Registered Wacom users get privileges (driver upgrades) and discounts on other software

f) Wacom offers discounts for academic purposes

25- You are none of the above … then e-mail us at contactus@drawittablet.com and we will happily welcome the challenge and do our best to find the right graphic tablet match for you.

Wacom Cintiq Interactive Pen Display

The above tip list is by no means perfect. Choosing and purchasing a graphic tablet is like buying a vehicle – you basically know what you want, need and can afford. The choices then fall into place.

For example – you are a beginner in pen tablets, you have a home office with limited desk space, and you have many creative projects to accomplish … then depending on what you can afford, the small Bamboo Pen & Touch, the medium Bamboo Fun Pen & Touch, the wireless Graphire Bluetooth or the Intuos4 Small or Medium graphic tablets are your best choices. But you also need top of the line precision with ultimate pen sensitivity, tilt and many time-saving components … then Intuos4 M graphic tablet will suit you well. Oh! but you are left handed ! Don’t worry !  All Intuos4 pen tablets are reversible!

By the simple process of elimination, you will be able to make the right choice.

We hope this has helped in choosing the best drawing tablet at the proper size for you. Feel free to use the Compare Tablets chart or the Compare Bamboo table on DrawitTablet.com to clearly see your options. Use it to compare Wacom graphic tablets with other brand tablets as well or just explore more details and information in choosing the right digitizer tablet for you.

Wishing you continued success,

Staff at DrawitTablet.com

updated October, 2009