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Advice on Wacom tablets.

rippley5150

rippley5150

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 18, 2015
195
151
Sterling VA
Hello

I'm thinking about getting a Wacom graphics tablet. I'm not sure which model to get.
Does any one have any advice ? I've been using Astropad and Sketchbook with my iPad mini. The two have worked well for my needs but I don't really like the way some of the illustrations have turned out.

My iPad mini is showing its age so the new iPad Air 3 or what ever they are going to call it might be in the cards too.

Any feed back would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your time.
 
Cool. Thanks for the link. What would you suggest for software?

I've manged to track one down for about $ 300 here in Beijing.
 
rippley5150 said:
Cool. Thanks for the link. What would you suggest for software?
Click to expand...

Kinda depends on what you want to do. For Photo editing, Photoshop, On1, etc. For digital painting, Corel Painter is kinda the gold standard, but it is also buggy as all hell. I've seen a lot of good stuff with Photoshop as well.
 
I have a couple stupid questions:

1. Are you thinking a Wacom tablet will replace your iPad? The Wacom has to be connected to a computer to work.

2. Are you thinking to use the Wacom tablet with a new iPad? I don't think that is possible either.

Your meaning (to me at least) is unclear in the initial post.

Personally, I've used several Wacom tablets all the way from the Graphire, to the Intuos I, Intuos III, and I now use a Cintiq 22HD. My use is primarily for Corel Painter and Photoshop CS6, though I will occasionally to some illustration in Illustrator as well. Mostly I use it for illustration and photo-retouching.

Also, 3. What are your intended uses?
 
sigmadog said:
I have a couple stupid questions:

1. Are you thinking a Wacom tablet will replace your iPad? The Wacom has to be connected to a computer to work.

2. Are you thinking to use the Wacom tablet with a new iPad? I don't think that is possible either.

Your meaning (to me at least) is unclear in the initial post.

Personally, I've used several Wacom tablets all the way from the Graphire, to the Intuos I, Intuos III, and I now use a Cintiq 22HD. My use is primarily for Corel Painter and Photoshop CS6, though I will occasionally to some illustration in Illustrator as well. Mostly I use it for illustration and photo-retouching.

Also, 3. What are your intended uses?
Click to expand...

I'll be using it with my Macbook Pro for illustrations.
I have Astropad and use it with Sketchbook.
I'll have to try out Corel Painter and brush up on my PS skills again lol
 
I have been using Wacom tablets for over 20 years - had I believe every generation of non-screenlit tablets. I am currently running an Intuos4 which looks like sadly it will be my last Wacom. Since they introduced the Intros Pro line, they discontinued the Wacom 5-button mouse - that is a deal breaker for me (and apparently a lot of other reviews I have read lately from people who depend on that mouse/tablet combination).

I use the Wacom pens inside Photoshop and Illustrator on occasion, but over 90% of my time is spent navigating my 3-monitor set-up, reading archiving email, etc. and using a "pen" for most of those activities I find impossible and very unintuitive to use - most of all "Why should I be forced into that workflow!". Wacom developed a brilliant mapping interface for navigating multiple monitors and now they have decided only provide me with a "stick" to replace a 5-button programable mouse???

They had an all-inclusive solution for years - even a digitizing mouse! Sure, they had all kinds of Quality Control issues with their over-priced mouse options, but I only had one unit fail in all those years (and was happy to purchase a replacement). I have tried to talk to Wacom about bringing the mouse back, but they are apparently are close-minded on the issue. I don't see that there was even anything new to "develop" - the work was essentially already done?

They lost a loyal customer here and from looking at reviews for the now discontinued 5-button mouse (on sites like B&H Photo), they apparently are not listening to some of their client-base. A real shame.
 
Last edited:
choreo said:
Since they introduced the Intros Pro line, they discontinued the Wacom 5-button mouse - that is a deal breaker for me
Click to expand...

That's a shame. I remember the mouse being bundled with the Intuos 3 and it quickly became my favorite mouse to use. Then I saw they stopped bundling with the 4, so I suspected it wouldn't be long before the mouse went altogether.
 
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